Blair Villanueva – For Urban Women
October 15, 2019

REAL NAME:  Blair Villanueva
BLOGGING NAME : For Urban Womenr
BLOG SITES: https://www.forurbanwomen.com

AGE: Millennial
YEARS IN BLOGGING: : circa 2010
LOCATION: : : Bonifacio Global City
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:

A travel and lifestyle blogger, who loves to explore and search for good stories, get immersed with many experiences, listen from the people including the nature, and helping to spread the message to other parts of the world. Proud Asian, and bon vivant.
 
Q & A:
 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BLOG. WHEN DID YOU START IT AND WHY? 

It started as a personal blog as my way to write down my thoughts, during my idle days at work. Back then, I’ve been searching for something that would make me productive and happy, aside from my then 9-to-5 job. Then I rebranded twice, changed my writing style and content to be more informative and globally acceptable (in a business sense).

From a personal diary writing all the emotions of being a young lady, then switching to writing lifestyle and travel stories based on my personal experiences, my blog is partly a reflection of who I am and what I want, and how I think.

Now running for 9-years, For Urban Women is a modern travel and lifestyle website that tells about genuine stories of how wonderful to be living here in Asia, particularly here in the Philippines.

 
WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR INTEREST TO BLOG?

Aside from reason books (memoirs and culture), I often read trend websites that helps me being updated. I also check some famous lifestyle website based in UK and US for some ideas, since majority of my readers are from that part of the globe.

Majority of my topics are about travel and lifestyle. Though I have many travel guides published, I enjoyed writing stories about local lifestyle for example, “..why many homes in Japan are so small? Or “how to survive a week in Tokyo and relying just at Lawson.”
I love giving focus on areas that are always overlooked.

 
 
NAME 5 BLOGS THAT YOU USUALLY READ.

• A Pair and A Spare owned by an Australian blogger, Geneva Vanderzeil
• Another one is from a London-based blogger, The Haute Heel. I love her writing style especially when she describes her dining experience like a poetry.
• If I need more updates about fashion industry, I check The Business of Fashion, and Fashion Law
• And whenever I want to check about different subcultures, I check La Carmina Blog

 
ASIDE FROM BLOGGING, WHAT’S YOUR HOBBY?

I design and sew my own clothes and fashion accessories. Sewing makes me happy and relax and helps me to think of what next content should I write for my blog. Also, thrift (or ukay-ukay) shopping and reconstructing them according to my own style. I love fashion and saving combined.

 
WHAT’S YOUR DAY JOB?

Currently, I am a Project Admin for Risk Advisory of a global firm, handling complicated transactions, that are very different to what I do in blogging.

 
WHERE DO YOU USUALLY BLOG?

 I have a habit of carrying my notebook and scribble down my thoughts, so I won’t forgot them. Then constructing the draft during weekends. Whenever I travel, I just scribble and don’t blog. Capturing raw materials for my contents are priority and enjoying every moment.

 
WHAT’S THE COOLEST THING ABOUT BLOGGING?

The best part of blogging is remembering what happen from that scenario and trying to write it as vivid as possible. Blogging just like reading books helps me to explore and travel in different places.

 
WHAT’S  DO YOU DO TO VENT ANGER?

Anger is something that I won’t allow to stay in my world, because it is like a toxic that slowly kills parts of you. I learned to look at it in different angles, and putting myself to others’ shoes, and learned to forgive and value the experiences. And whenever frustrations comes in, there is always that one lovely store that I could visit and treat myself.

 
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BLOG POST? WHY?

My contents are all my favorites because it all tells what I have in mind, and how I see things differently. I have several blog posts that made me cry while I am writing them because it is too emotional to bear, but I must write and tell the story because it is the only way.

 
WHAT’S YOUR MOST POPULAR POST? WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE REASON WHY IT’S THE MOST COMMENTED AND READ?

Many of my readers enjoys my travel stories, guides and tips, and it was amazing how I also helps them for their future travels. I appreciate them all and the time them leave comments to each of my posts. They are wonderful!

 
WHAT CAN YOU SAY( WHAT’S YOUR COMMENT) ABOUT THE LATEST TRENDS IN BLOGGING?

Blogging just like any forms of writing and reading, will always exist. Though many social media platforms comes in, blogging needs these social media platform as support to keep up. Blogging as it aged becomes sustainable, and evergreen.

 
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE TO THE NEWBIE BLOGGERS AND TO THOSE WHO WANTS TO START BLOGGING?

Always believe that you have your own story to tell, and the trends around you are your guides to which path you will go. You have your own voice, and always listen attentively.

 
ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY? TO BLOGMETER?

Dear Blogmeter Team,
You are doing a great job for making this platform. It is a very helpful reference for many industries that needing content creators, and for that you guys are admirable. It was my deep privileged to be chosen as your Featured Blogger and thank you for making things possible. – Blair