Behind Dawn's sweet and graceful façade is a master storyteller. She has us laughing hard when she recounts a conversation with Viva's Boss Vic del Rosario on what kind of image was suitable for her.

She was 19, and "napaka-tweetums-tweetums pa ako noon!"

Boss Vic: "Ano'ng gusto mong gawin? Anong direksyon ang gusto mo as an actress? [no reply] Sino na lang idol mo?" Dawn: "Si Sharon Cuneta! Puwede ba akong gumawa ng movies gaya ni Sharon Cuneta?" Boss Vic: "Ahmmm, puwede. Pero parang hindi ka kasi bagay do'n, e." Dawn: "Bakit?" Boss Vic: "Ang bagay kasi saýo, medyo dramatic." Dawn: "Pero drama naman si Sharon, a?" Boss Vic: "oo, pero para kasing ýong taste mo, mas serious. Sexy ka kasi." Dawn: "Sexy?" Dawn now reenacts her reaction to that conversation 20 years ago: "In my mind, ‘Oh no! Here we go again! ‘Parang he wants to bring me towards ‘yong mga gano'n. So do'n kami nagkahirapan. Kasi I'm insisting that I want a wholesome image. ‘Wholesome ako! Wholesome!'"

"I feel very lucky, kasi I really have the best of both worlds," says Dawn. "When I'm tired of the harried life in Manila, I always have Davao. Minsan naman, 'pag masyado namang mabagal, nabo-bored naman ako, gusto ko naman nga Manila. Tama na ‘yong once or twice a month lilipad ako to Manila. Parang theraphy na."

Dawn playfully hitches up her skirt while posing for this photo. A true professional, she does not let a few drops affect her during the pictorial. She even makes sure her skirt does not get wet when she learns that it's from the boutique of fashion designer Rajo Laurel.

These tasteful interiors are in the villa of Anton Lagdameo's grandparents, Antonio and Nenita Floirendo. The villa is on Malipano Island, just a few hundred meters away from Samal Island. Here on Malipano, seven private villas have been built for the use of the Floirendo family, owners of the Pearl Farm beach resort on Samal.

Multi-awarded architect Francisco "Bobby" Mañalosa has made predominant use of bamboo and other indigenous materials for this structure, as well as for the other units on Malipano island and in the Pearl Farm resort.

These stone steps, embedded with coral and seashells, lead to the entrance of the Floriendo patriarch's villa. Trees and other verdant plants provide a tropical backdrop for the entire place.

The foyer has its own centerpiece—a tree trunk in the middle of the room.

Adirondack and bamboo chairs on the balcony of the Malipano villa beckon guests to take in the vast expense of sea.

The Samal houses (left and right), considered by some to be the best suites in the resort, are cottages built on stilts above the water.

Two swimming pools are available for guests at the Pearl Farm resort. This one, an infinity pool, is situated beside the Maranao restaurant overlooking the Parola wharf.