North America on Chantal-Denise Ortega Tan

Bellevue Botanical Gardens and Bainbridge Island, Seattle

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Seattle: Driving Around, Twin Peaks, and Snoqualmie Falls

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Kansas City, Missouri

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Leaving Malaysia to Travel The World: First Stop Los Angeles

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

San Diego and Los Angeles

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Chicago's Millenium Park

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

USA: Chicago Architectural Boat Tour

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Exploring Puerto Vallarta & Almost Drowning in Sayulita, Mexico!

Sun, 28 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Took some time off work recently, and we were able to explore more of Puerto Vallarta with Alex’s sister, Olivia and her husband Jaron! The Laniers are in town and we couldn’t be more happy to have them with us!

We took them to all the good spots we found in PV, and basked in the sun! Alex also rented a car and we drove up to Sayulita, a smaller surf town that’s less than an hour away.

Unfortunately, I did almost drown but I am so thankful for Alex for saving me! Without him and the surfers around us that day, I would have definitely panicked and wouldn’t know what to do.

Sharing some photos from our sunny getaway!

Olivia and Alex

We have a photo together not taken by us! Thank you Olivia!

Olivia and Jaron - The Laniers!

Top 9 Best Restaurant in the World: Quintonil and Farewell to Mexico

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

When we were in Cartagena, Colombia, we had the chance to dine at one of LATAM’s best restaurant, Celele. It was a great experience that we wanted to do again, and so we had the bright idea of looking up top restaurants in the country we are in.

We chose to make a reservation at Quintonil, the Top 9 Best Restaurant in the World, while we were in Mexico City.

Consistently in the Top 50 Best Restaurants in the world!

Why Mexico City Will Always Be A Home To Me

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

I can’t believe it’s the last day of 2022, and that I haven’t updated this blog since August!

A lot has happened since then. Alex and I have been to Lima, Panama City, and we’re currently in Costa Rica. I need to catch up on gathering photos and captions from all our adventures! Actually, I asked Alex for help quite a few times just to get this blog entry started because I totally forgot how things work. Thank you Alex!

By the way, I asked his permission if I can share his photo blog.. and I got it! You can view his photos at https://alextan.me. (Too bad we can’t comment, but maybe you can comment here… :P)

I still work with Galaxy Racer North America, and actually my first project with them just went live this week!

On a side note, on December 31, 2021 we were on our way up Machu Picchu. I’m still so amazed at how many places we’ve been to and how fast time flies.

Going back to this blog post, I just wanted to share that Mexico City is my favorite. It will always be a home to me! We were able to spend roughly 3 months this year, from August to October 2022. It just felt nice to slow down on the travels a bit and have a home base for a while.

This is our neighborhood in CDMX this time, where it has a homey feel and lined with colorful houses and trees that protect you from the sun.

I Got A New Job and The ASEAN Bazaar in Mexico City

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Before we start on the usual travel photos, I just wanted to make some life updates:

I got a new job!

I just wanted to share on here that I recently ended my much needed career break, and that I am now Brand Partnerships Manager for North America at one of the world’s biggest gaming and esports organization, Galaxy Racer! The company is headquartered in Dubai, but is very active in MENA, SEA, South Asia, and Europe. Very proud to be part of team North America!

Really excited for this role, and looking forward to share my knowledge and expertise to a whole new market. My colleagues are pretty cool, and I honestly look forward to starting work every day. Can’t believe I am with Galaxy Racer! Ah!

Well, I also started a new role:

I am also happy to announce that I am part of the leadership team of the newly launched Women in Games Asia Chapter. I will be handling Partnerships, and will be working with companies in Asia and Women in Games based in the UK to advance our advocacies to inspire more ladies to pursue a career in gaming and esports.

I have been participating in W Coffee sessions since 2020, where ladies from the games industry in Asia gather every month to share insights and discuss important issues, and learn from one another. I eventually became an official Women in Games Ambassador in 2021. Meeting women in different phases of their career in gaming and esports really inspires me to do more and be better.

Whew! My experience in entering this space was very eventful, and here we are in my FOURTH YEAR of being in the games industry, and I have never been more honored to be a part of such great organizations. I am so happy!

And now on with it with the travel photos –

After more than 24 hours of travel - from packing up our Mendoza Airbnb, with layovers in Panama and Bogota, we are finally back in my favorite city of all time: Mexico City!

More than 24 hours of traveling from South America to North America, our bodies were so sore after. We're heading out to the ASEAN Bazaar after a night's rest!