Discovering Chinese New Year at Ramada Hotel - Chinatown, Binondo

Chinatown in Manila will always be a curious place. It's a good adventure to walk along Ongpin and find bargain food, bargain feng shui, bargain fruits, etc. You name it, they have it.


 Amazing chaos and photobomb in Chinatown haha

One thing that holds me back from going is the hassle of traffic and the thought of not having a comfy pitstop to rest tired feet. One week before Chinese New Year, my partner announced that we're staying in Binondo - and beside Binondo Church.




The hotel is called Ramada, I googled it quickly and could not imagine something fancy like this can be had in Chinatown. Indeed it was a stone's throw away from the iconic Church, in fact- the Church's medieval dome was beside our window.



We stayed in the 9th floor, an executive room with a king sized bed. The room exceeded my expectations from all levels. Everything looked spick and span, the bed looked very fancy with the turtle-shaped towel arrangements and with little surprises for guests.




There were some tikoys and peanut bars for us to enjoy while we acquiant ourselves with the room.

A little work corner was available, and like many of the furniture - it was ergonomically placed in a quiet corner.



The TV looked shiny and new, flat screen and mounted on the wall. I don't like huge TV sets encased in old furniture. They take a lot of space in small hotel rooms. Ramada knows better.



The bathroom was immaculate, roomy and functional. My eyes feasted on the generous toiletries, and look - a bidet! Both a bath tub and a shower room were available separately. The most interesting things would definitely be the glass window between the bedroom and the bath room.

This made the room look even more spacious and provided some comic moments to me and my partner. Of course, there's a blind you can turn to conceal one side and to enjoy your privacy.



From our room, I can easily look down at Ongpin St. There were dragons, lions, and fire breathers. I feel like Wendy in Peter Pan.

But more important to me than Chinese New Year is the flea market. My target was 168 mall where wholesale stuff are available and retail are at a big fraction of a price from malls.This shopping mecca is just a 5 minute walk from the hotel. As with other places, be careful when walking the streets of Binondo. Best to have someone with you at all times.



If you want something more posh to match your Ramada stay, there's the newly opened Lucky China Town Mall. No flea market here, just luxurious brands and diners that can easily spoil your desires.

After all the walking and shopping, it always felt like heaven to retreat to our bed. It was five star quality and everytime, we hesitate to get up from it. I had a good night sleep and woke up at 9AM. Almost late for the breakfast buffet.



Breakfast was simple and straight forward. Choices are limited but maybe this is how it is in Chinatown. There's dumplings, pancit, and siopao for breakfast. If you want pancakes, bacon, and eggs - those are available too. If you want to have brunch, there's rice and some viands like adobo and century egg. It was an interesting buffet after all.

The dining area was cozy, it felt more like a private restaurant without the ruckus of breakfast buffets. TLC was on cable TV which was mounted strategically on a wall. I felt both at home but with the luxury busy people will appreciate.



Not to forget, the staff are warm, friendly and looked smart. As if they are waiting for you to ask something, and when you do - they immediately get it done. They also took us around to discover Binondo.




Ramada Hotel provides a welcome contrast to Chinatown. Outside it's all busy and can get chaotic but at Ramada, you can expect privacy, comfort, and reasonable luxury. Something I will recommend for everyone to experience and discover. There's no better way to explore Chinatown than with Ramada.

2013 at EDSA Shangri-la Hotel

The tradition I've started carried on and we spent another auspicious New Year at EDSA Shangri-la Hotel. Our stay here is always fantastic, hence we can't help but always return.

 


We checked in early on 31st December. I make it a point to be early and organized when checking-in. You can expect chaos at around 2pm when everyone is rushing to be settled in their bookings. Since I was early (and nice), our room was ready around 12.30pm so we had plenty of time to rest.

My family and relatives are celebrating with us so we booked a total of 3 rooms, two of them connecting. Perfect for a small in-room NY party.

 


After resting, we got to enjoy the resort right away. Again thanks for the early check-in. It was my first time to swim here and it was so much fun! The pool is well-kept, lots of lifeguards and guards to ensure everyone is safe and properly dressed.

Kids are given life vests which is a super plus. My niece enjoyed swimming without the fear of sinking! The pool was as still pristine the next day, even after the New Year celebration. My partner and I also dined at the pool side before checking out the next day.

We ordered some ravioli and char kway teow. Bar service took a while, food arrived like after 45 minutes but it was okay. It is the new year after all.

Back to day one, we just had dinner at Shangri-la mall. Hotels that are walking distance from malls are a major plus. We'd love to dine at HEAT but when you're with a toddler, it's hard to make the most out of your buffet.



Come midnight, we could see a fantastic view of fireworks from our room. Really enjoyed all of them minus the smoke. We actually saved a lot of money by having our mini-party here instead of the hotel's ballroom.




My sister Joni bought this New Year cake which was a perfect mood setter and my sister in law, Michelle brought some bubbly. Perfect!



We all had the best celebration but wait, there's more. And I'm talking about the buffet the morning after!




As usual, choices were impressive and almost paralyzing. We also got to dine in their private area because of our head count. I managed to eat Lechon for breakfast too :)



Lunch time was room service, a bit expensive for the taste and delayed arrival of the food. Although the malls are closed so we didn't have a choice. 



We requested for a late checkout at 2pm which was granted and in time for the car service. All cars had wi-fi and a fancy looking driver.


All in all, it was another well-spent stay at The Shangri-la and we all can't wait to come back again. Maybe next time we'll remind ourselves to bring more food! :)



See you again next year!

Flip flops: Back for the Summer!

The cold spell is now dwindling and it only means one thing. Summer is here and a long one it's going to be! So as early as now, I'm writing about a summer must-have and I'm talking about flip flops :)



If you're like me who can't have enough comfy pairs, there's a brand of flip flop you might be overlooking. When it comes to flipflops, different brands not only mean different styles but different comfort levels too.




And don't forget that comfort should be on top of your list. These Caribbean flip flops almost makes me feel bare feet. As if my feet are sking on the rubber soles. I want to get the most out of this summer and these are perfect to keep my feet going whilst staying pretty!

Caribbean footwear says these soles are artistically formed to create proper foot formation and posture that will enhance endurance while walking or running. 

I have two Caribbean flip flops whose designs are fairly simple (see above, those are actual photos of my own pair). I think that's what summer is all about. Letting your hair down, keeping it casual, light, and fun.


This season, we're seeing more shear long dresses and skirts that have dipping hems. I'm talking about these:



I officially declare these are equally good-looking with my Caribbean flip flops. Look for these styles when shopping trendy this summer. Don't forget to bring your flipflops to dry-run your outfits with.

Shopping for summertime is really exciting - tell me about it! Just writing this post makes me want to go to the department stores (where Carribean flip flops are also available). One of my goals is to be more organizes when packing for the resort. Hence, I think another must-have is a clear bag like this:



Also perfect for stuffing and showing off your cute flip flops! By the way, if you frequent The World Trade Bazaar, Caribbean was one of the top sellers. So expect to see more pretty feet wearing this brand. Don't be surprised, a pair only costs around Php 200 - so get as many as you want without breaking the bank.



So, where are you headed this summer and what are you wearing? Tell me via comments below!

Follow Caribbean on Facebook for more info.

Hello Yishion - The District

Yishion opened their second shop in the Philippines at Ayala's newest community mall in the south called The District. If you're not familiar with Yishion, here's a crash course: Yishion is a Chinese brand launched in 1997 to offer customers around the globe with good quality, on-trend clothing at affordable prices.




Affordable and quality are certainly effective baits. With Php 3,000 on hand, I dipped my toes in a new fashion experience that is Yishion.

Yishion has over 5,000 stores worldwide that spread their fashion culture - trendy, youthful, and free.



Youthful + edgy | Sleeveless casual heather grey dress by Yishion.



Quality plain garments give you the freedom to accessorize and transform your look without robbing the bank.



Sweet + fierce| Black studded dress by Yishion. Add to your LBD collection.




Invest on classic pieces that you can make several looks with! I'm really enjoying dressing up and sharing my Yishion :)



Nautical + softy | Blue and white striped blouse from Yishion



Amazing how many looks my Php 3,000 achieved with Yishion! I could come up with more and I sure you'll even do a better job at it. Which look do you like best?

I can't wait to return to the shop which is a really fashion habitat for humanity haha :)

Learn more about Yishion and like their Facebook Page.

Sparkle this holiday without overspending | New collections from SM Accessories

Should you buy new clothes for your holiday parties? Yes, maybe. But, consider these updated pieces from SM accessories first. Play the video for some fashion inspiration:



Let's play detective here, notice how most of the celebrity models are wearing plain colored dresses? Close your eyes and imagine them without the blings. They look just like your wardrobe! Or maybe, close enough.


The point is, this holiday, you don't have to spend on new sparkly dresses. You can sparkle the same with your existing wardrobe with the help of some accessories. And this tip is true the whole year round. Holidays are special though because you have a great excuse to go OTT *over the top*.




When it comes to accessories, I play it safe and practical so I just head to the department store. Believe it or not, they've got it all and at the right price. Yesterday, SM was also having a Thanksgiving Sale and it meant 10% off on all items including SM accessories. It was the awaited signal for many shoppers just like me.

How to shop for accessories this holiday

1. When buying accessories, wear plain clothing. Here, I am wearing a beige polo shirt. Just one of the few plain pieces I have in my closet.

2. Make yourself up. If you don't, you'd be mistaken that the accessory does not suit you or your face. Wear the usual makeup you'd put on or if you are buying for a specific event, then consider wearing the same makeup you intend to wear.

3. Try them on. Don't be lazy! Necklaces look different on your neck and when they are simply hanging on the racks. Sometimes you'd think the piece is not for you but once you try it on, you'd realize it may just be your best accessory yet!

It also pays to be early, the collection just launche but I am finding it hard to find the gold necklace on Anne Curtis' neck:



I am lucky enough to haul some pieces from the collection though. Thanks to my SM Advantage Card, I got them all at 10% off. It was the Thanksgiving Sale.

This black and very versatile necklace



This cocktail ring

In advance and a few weeks ago, I got a blue bib necklace too. It really helps me look a lot 'fresher'.

Here are some more accessories that deserves a space in our closet



The massive gold and black set is wow. I'll give you an award if you can pull this out. I am thinking it should go well with a bare neck and chest. So low cut dresses or tube-style clothing.



By the way, each of this set has their own rack in the department store. Some really are hard to find now. Just like the blue bib necklace above :(




Really nice and sexy! I am going for this as soon as stock becomes available.



Fire and Ice collection, reds are so holiday-ish and anything with red is confidence boosting. Which of these items would you go for?
 

You can find more inspiration from SM Accessories on Facebook where they have daily doses of fashion tips and pegs from celebrities. It's almost the end of the year, you deserve a fashion upgrade and it's not a hard feat with SM accessories ;)

*Price check: from Php200-Php400

Enchanted Halloween at Edsa Shangri-la Hotel

Moms like me need little helpers when it comes to celebrating special holidays, and that includes a spooktacular halloween! I am not alone when I tell you that many of us have discovered a more peaceful, comfortable, safe, enjoyable, and yes, practical way to let our kids enjoy trick or treating.


Here's a photo of me and Ashton in costume. I am supposed to be a soldier and he is a prince.

For this year's halloween, I fully depended on Edsa Shangri-la Hotel (my favorite hotel so far from all I've stayed in). We enjoyed New Year 2012 here and were not disappointed, so we thought we'd do the same for halloween.



Daddy is a minion from Despicable Me

Most of the time, parents bring their kids to malls. We've tried that but were exhausted by the end of all activities. It involved a lot of leg and guess work. Will my kid enjoy, will he bring home some candies, what activities are there?




Not at Enchanted Halloween, it was our most comfortable halloween yet! We arrived 30 minutes before the event. Lined up with other kids who are all cooperative in their costumes. You can really feel the halloween spirit here haha :)



There were lots of booths to keep kids busy. From face painting to photo booths which were all included in the ticket fee (We paid Php 1,080 for each of us). Our hands were already full from freebies even before the event started.

 


Isla Ballroom was transformed into an enormous enchanted forest. Everyone of course, had seats here and we all comfortably ate our set lunch. It isn't a buffet but you get your own food from the 'enchanted' spread.



Here's our lunch of spaghetti, nuggets, hotdog, and fried chicken Shangri-la style.

 
 
I believe desserts were unlimited and I fancy the halloween cupcakes. Some had witches on them! Sorry for the lack of good photos, my hands were full.



 Ashton is just two years old so he didn't get to play any of the staged games. If your kid is 5 and up I am sure they'll have fun. After the games, there was a Mad Science Show. Ashton was not interested BUT there's an alternative 'Barney' room for the likes of him.



Ashton and I trooped to the Make your own halloween bag room aka 'Barney room' because there's a large TV playing Barney. It was a lifesaver for us! Ashton watched Barney and colored his bag away with my help. This while we waited for the official trick or treating to start. This is such a good idea to have an alternative in case toddlers want a quieter space.



Then, we were all ready to collect goodies from Shangri-la hotel's restaurants. The kids are all very cute lining up for candies.

We also went home with the official goodie bag which had even more candies and kiddie snacks inside. Ashton was satisfied.




If you ask me, I am definitely repeating this next year. We now have two family traditions inside Shangri-la Hotel and we are very pleased they always surpass our expectations :)