About




The years have passed in Apron and Sneakers from the time I started it in 2011 when I first shared the recipes, photos and stories through my kitchen and travels. I started this blog as a journal recounting the recipes I learned from my husband's Sicilian family, the food I ate and travel stories and photos that I collected as I went around Italy and the rest of Europe. I had a lot to say from a foreigner's point of view because I moved to Italy from the Philippines in 1999.

In the span twenty years of blogging, I learned how to photograph and cook better. In 2018, I became a certified sommelier with Associazione Italiana Sommelier. My blogging developed full-time in taking on different projects and events related to food and travel. I have also photographed and written about hotels and restaurants. I  specialize in recipe development and you can find my recipes at She Knows, Skinny Ms., Thanksgiving, Ibalsamic and other websites. I write articles about food (restaurants and food products), wine (wineries and events) and travel (hotels and places) and you can find them at Mode and A Luxury Travel BlogHonest Cooking Magazine and China Wine News. My work has appeared and has been featured in sites like Huffington Post, Bon Appetit, Glamour, Grazia (UK), The Kitchn, Vanity Fair (Italy), Cosmopolitan (Greece), Elle (France), Elle (Quebec), Upwave of CNN, San Pellegrino, Valfrutta, Jamcook app and some food related sites of online magazines and cookbooks.

I photographed and co-wrote The New Filipino Kitchen: Stories and Recipes Around the Globe with Agate Publishing. Currently and I am currently a contributing writer for China Wine News and Honest Cooking Online Magazine.

My life has become fuller with activities. Things have become much busier but I continue to share what I cook, see and taste when I travel through photos and stories. 

On Apron and Sneakers' 7th year anniversary, I created another site called The Chosen Table. The site is a restaurant, winery and hotel online travel guide in Italy and Europe. I hope you can check it out too.


Thank you for being supportive all these years!

Rowena Dumlao - Giardina



All photos and text copyright: Rowena Dumlao - Giardina.
If you are interested in my work or send an invitation please contact me at: weng.dumlao@gmail.com 

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You can also contact or follow me at the social media of The Chosen Table: