My ElYu Life: Summer Puertollano

August 28, 2023

We received so much love for our first-ever blog post so we decided to release this second one stat. 💓 Without further ado, here's part 2 of the My ElYu Life series -- this time with La Union-based artist, Summer Puertollano. All photos were captured through the lens of Tarish Zamora. Scroll through and enjoy!

Name, Instagram Handle, Age, What you do, Years in ElYu

Summer Puertollano, @summer_skin, 32. I'm an artist. I've been in and out of La Union since 2021. I decided to establish my permanent residence here in 2022.

What inspired you to choose living in ElYu, and what do you love about it?

After residing in Siargao for 6 years, I decided to relocate to La Union. Part of the decision was so I could be closer to my family in Manila, due to the challenges posed by the pandemic in visiting them.

I also really wanted to come back to my art, while still living a coastal life. La Union offers that urban and rural beauty because of its location, making it favorable for what I need.

What are the most significant challenges you face living in ElYu, and how do you cope with them?

Similar to Siargao, La Union has also become a very popular vacation spot, full of drinking parties and big crowds. Most weekends, I prefer to stay home. Unless there are friends visiting, then I make an exception to see them.

What are some unique experiences or activities that you would recommend for anyone coming to visit?

Aside from surf, more and more creatives and curious minds are visiting surf town. Tipon Tipon offers events and workshops for those who want to tap into their creative side or those who want to learn something new before going back to their busy lives in the city.

Summer uses her Spacetastic Mesh Bag in Chili for her runs to the talipapa or small local market. The Mesh Bag is an easy and reversible carry-all. It also comes with a small pouch to conveniently hold and organize your small stuff. Available in 6 colors on spacetastictravels.com.

What's one thing that brings the ElYu community together?

Surf is one of the things that really bring us together. Wave checks, post surf reviews over coffee/drinks, and high-fives for good waves. 🌊

What are some chill activities you'd recommend for someone visiting ElYu who isn't into surfing?

Hang around at coffee shops and watch the sunset. ☕️