These are the magical words that first waken young minds to an idea of a world outside their own. Perhaps it’s the exaggeration of distance that ignites the imagination or maybe it is the prospect of an exotic life in a foreign and ancient land, one thing is for certain though, our wanderlust is born of both our dreams and our fairy tales.
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One can easily imagine the young Bianca Roque Brandner as the graceful and handsome princess in her very own fairy tale. Lithe and lovely, Bianca too, dreamt of adventure early on and knew that when she grew up she would have the life that she imagined. Very much like the strong-willed princesses of fairy tales, young Bianca was resolute when she set her mind on something and would do everything she could to make her dreams happen, proving once again that there is much strength to be found behind the façade of femininity and fragility.
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Her own clothes. PHOTO: JOSEPH PASCUAL
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Born and raised in the Philippines, Bianca attended an international school in Quezon City before enrolling at the College of St. Benilde with the intention of pursuing a degree in fashion design. “Like all little girls, I really enjoyed clothes and dressing up,” she tells me. Dressed in a cool, white summer dress, sandals, and sporting a pair of sunglasses that highlight her angular features, she looks perfectly perfect, regal in fact. “When I was small, I used to love watching my mother put on all her shoes and accessories, and then I would put on all of her shoes and accessories, so fashion was an obvious choice for me at the time.”
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Halfway through college, however, Bianca began to lose interest in her chosen academic path and while contemplating a possible shift in course, or entertaining the idea of a gap year, an unexpected opportunity presented itself. “I began modeling part-time in college and was meeting a lot of different people. A few friends in the industry were talking about becoming flight attendants. The idea came just at a point when I was searching for an awesome adventure and it sounded so exciting. I desperately wanted to try it out.”
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While it took some time to convince her mom to let her leave school and move across the globe, in the end, Bianca’s persistence and inherent resolve paid off. Mother and daughter agreed to one year off while Bianca thought about what she wanted to do long term, and at the age of 19, Bianca packed her bags and set off for Jeddah where she became one of Saudia Arabian Airlines youngest flight attendants.
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“It sounds scary if you actually think about it but I had the best time!” she shares. It was my first taste of independence but I was able to see the world, as vast as it is,” she says. “We lived in a dorm in a private compound, and I roomed with a Syrian lady for a few months. I learned so much about different world cultures, too.”
After her wonderful “year of learning,” and when the novelty of living away from family and friends finally wore off, Bianca realized that in the end, she was looking for something more stable in a career, and as promised, she decided it was time to go home.
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Back in Manila, Bianca once again chose a non–conventional, adventurous path. At the suggestion of a friend, she auditioned for a hosting gig for ABS-CBN’s youth music channel, MYX. With no previous on-camera experience, Bianca landed the job and spent the next five years as one of the station’s resident VJs. While at MYX, she also hosted her own lifestyle magazine show that took viewers in and around the metro featuring restaurants and various activities with the occasional out of town special. MYX also gave Bianca an opportunity to travel internationally to cover events. One of her most memorable MYX moments was when she interviewed Kylie Minogue in London for the iTunes festival.
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Happening simultaneous to her professional success, Bianca was also in a serious relationship with her now-husband, Axel Brandner. In 2012, the couple decided to get married and five months after the wedding, she became pregnant with her eldest child. Knowing that she wanted to be there for her children when they were growing up, Bianca decided to resign from MYX.
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Today, Bianca and Axel are the beaming parents of two young children, Alessandra and little Axel III. While motherhood is her full-time role of choice, true to a woman of her generation, Bianca is a genuine “super-hyphenate,” taking on several roles all at once. Three years ago, she and her two friends founded CMJ Florists, an online flower company that creates floral arrangements for special occasions and events. The company also holds workshops at its studio for those who are interested in the various aspects of floral design. “Our studio is in Quezon City but I also work out of the house so I can be close to the kids,” she says. As expected, a woman as captivating as Bianca also enjoys a popular social media following and while she wouldn’t consider herself an influencer, she has, on occasion, worked with brands that she admires for special events.
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Parenthood has not inhibited Bianca’s penchant for travel. The Brandner family makes frequent summer trips to Austria to visit Axel’s parents, and in the winter they return to Europe to celebrate the holidays and enjoy the ski season. While they are there, she and Axel are able to escape for a few days on their own, leaving the children with grandma and grandpa, so they can discover other European destinations. Italy is a particular favorite.
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“I love how the Europeans have the modern comforts of city living but also enjoy nature all around. Whenever we visit, we always find ourselves in parks which are accessible anywhere you are in the city,” Bianca muses. She recalls how one time she and Axel stumbled upon a tulip garden while lost in a rough part of Paris while searching for the weekend market. “I like exploring and getting lost, I won’t make plans, because that’s how you stumble upon little areas, it used to drive my husband crazy!”
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Locally, Bianca and her brood love to spend time at the beach and make the effort to go at least once a month to Punta Fuego in Batangas. Bianca and Axel feel that their weekends out of town are a chance to give their children their undivided attention. “As much as it is a time for my husband and me to slow down and unplug, it’s also a great opportunity for our kids to enjoy what nature has to offer,” she shares.
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At Punta Fuego, the family likes to go on long walks collecting shells, trash, and treasures while talking about everything and nothing. “It’s a wonderful way to bond and connect,” she continues. “There’s just something about being around nature that is so calming and allows us to be fully present. In this day and age, it’s always good to know when to slow down, take it all in, and be present in the moment.”
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Her own dress. PHOTO: JOSEPH PASCUAL
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As we come to the end of our time spent together, Bianca shares her plans for future travel and Cappadocia, Iceland, The Serengeti, Petra, Jordan, and Cuba have all made the list. “One day,” she says. Not far from where we are sitting, her family is spending time in the adventure playground while waiting for mommy. Alessandra is exploring the jungle gym while big and little Axel are sharing a moment on the park bench. The enchanting princess is now at home with the prince and by all accounts, she is living the fairy tale, but her wanderlust is far from quenched, so she dreams on.
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Photographs by Joseph Pascual
Produced by Nicole Limos Morales Styled by Paolo Chua Makeup by Patrick Alcober for Make Up For Ever Hair by George Aliben using Aveda Additional art direction by Sandy Aranas Shot on location at The Peak, Grand Hyatt Manila
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