5 Ways to recharge at Bonifacio High Street Global City

Rarely do I get out these days and when I do, I like to maximize it and have the most enjoyable time ever. So Bonifacio High Street may not be something new and exciting but for people who have cocooned like me, this is the perfect place to unwind and relax in peace sans the crowd. The open air setup is lovely at night, so follow my lead on an evening say 6PM onwards.



1. Grab a grub at Italianni's - I am not a blogger endorser of this diner but I love how the place always have space for me. Lets me cross out waiting for a table on my hassle's list. Plus, the atmosphere takes me to Italy (I know). I am a sucker for interior design and the framed photos of great Italian places sends me a romantic vibe.



What to order: Their spinach and artichoke formaggio is good stuff but when on a budget, I love their free focaccia bread dipped in E-V-O-O and balsamic vinegar while waiting for my roast pork. Did I mention they have both Perrier and San Pellegrino?

2. Enjoy The Spa - remember to walk-in The Spa before you go for dinner but don't slip on that robe just yet. Simply make a quick reservation for when after you have enjoyed your food. This way you don't have to, you guessed it, wait for your turn once you are ready.



What to get: A full body massage at The Spa starts at Php 800 and you can already enjoy both a sauna and a dip in the jacuzzi. Perfect for burning the calories from dinner.

3. Window shop - at night it is more breezy to walk along the different shops Bonifacio High Street has to offer. I like spending some minutes in Make Room and Havaianas to try on the latest flip flops. Muji also recently opened which could also fancy you for 30 minutes or so.



4. Bookworms crawl to Fully Booked - a book lover can stay for hours inside's Fully Booked's 6 storey worth of books. My latest guilty purchase was of Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic and Mini Shopaholic. Further your enthusiasm for reading by browsing in areas you wouldn't normally read on.

For the next item, you may wish to purchase the latest issue of your favorite magazine. Mine currently are Working Mom and Smart Parenting. Go figure.



5. Cap this perfect night at Starbucks - and you don't have to leave Fully Booked's building because Starbucks is on the fourth floor. For a more interesting time here, make it a frappucino happy hour. Order something different like the new Soy Green Tea Frappucino or for a warm mug, try their hot Chai Tea Latte.

And if you are not ready to go home yet, Serendra is just right across the High Street. You can find pastry shops in there and one must-try for takeaways is Conti's and Mary Grace.

Travel: Boracay Garden Resort | Pay as low as P1,900 per person!

Boracay Garden Resort is a subsidiary of Henann Management Group, owner and operator of the Boracay Regency and Regency Lagoon. Formerly Hotel Seraph, it rests on a two-hectare property located at the center of Station 2. The resort has 201 well-appointed deluxe and premiere rooms with charming and elegant interiors. It has premiere rooms with direct access to the pool and family rooms that can fit up to six persons.



The spacious rooms each has a private terrace, wi-fi access, bath tub with separate shower area, individually controlled air conditioning, cable television, direct dial phone, in-room safe, coffee and tea-making facilities and personal refrigerator.

The resort now features a newly renovated business center, swimming pools, fitness center and landscaped gardens.



Visit Boracay Garden Resort’s booth at the 18th Travel Tour Expo at the SMX Convention Center from February 18 to 20 and get up to 80% off on room rates. Based on quadruple sharing, pay for as low as P1,900.00 per person for a three-day stay in a deluxe room. Travel period is from February 19 to June 3, 2011.

For inquiries on room rates, packages and reservations, call Boracay Garden Resort’s Manila Booking Office at 353-1111 or email manilareservations@boracaygarden.com.ph.

Fashion: Ready, Jetset, Pacsafe!

I cannot count with my two hands how many times I waste in searching for my wallet, passport, and cards whenever I travel. Don't you get the worst panic pangs when you can't seem to find your passport on board the plane? My inner voice keeps telling me to check my purse again for my passport, tickets, and immigration forms. I am nervous like that.



Pacsafe has made travel better for clumsy (yet fasionne) people like me. Look how the Coversafe pouch can wrap around the waist and has the perfect compartments for passports, money, tickets, and credit cards. When worn:



It's also available in black but this "tan" color looks more travel-chic. Aside from preventing misplacement of important items, Pacsafe travel accessories are all theft-proof. God forbid that I experience robbery in a foreign city but all Pacsafe items are made of the eXomesh anti-theft technology. A strong wire mesh woven together using lightweight, flexible, high-tensile stainless steel cables. The wire makes it harder for thieves to cut through the material and keeps the contents of your bags in place.



Here's another one of Pacsafe's anti-theft travel gears called Wrapsafe. Have you heard travel horror stories of other persons slipping something illegal into your luggage? That one is on top of my head everytime I check my baggage in. I use anything I can find like paper clips that I curl to secure my luggage zippers. This product would look more decent though :)

You can find Pacsafe at Rustan’s Department Store, The Travel Club, Bratpack, R.O.X., Duty Free – Fiesta Mall, Fashion Rack – Naia 3, Hahn Manila, Urban Athletics, Islands & More,
Lonely Planet, Pacsports, Le Grand Boutique – Naia 3 and selected SM Department Store/s.

Have you traveled with Pacsafe yet? Share your comments here!

Refreshing H20 Hotel

Last week, we had the pleasure of staying at Hotel H20. It is the new hotel inside the Manila Ocean Park that features Aqua rooms, read: aquarium wall inside your hotel room. Aside from pretending like you are the little mermaid, the room provides a refreshing stay with its unique theme and lighting caused by the wide aquarium wall.


I love this thermos set inside our room which let us cook instant noodles for snacks. Why not bring your own sachet of hot chocolate powder so you can enjoy a mug before going to sleep?



Then, there's the bathroom and toilet that would literally make you feel like a fish in a bowl. The bathroom is made up of glass walls that is see-through (perfect for couples but could be quiet uncomfy for simple room mates).



What I like though are their 'designer' toiletries that are all in blue. Then, there's the perfect shower head that feels like rain on the skin. One thing missing is the bidei on the toilet x.x

The entire bedroom has mirrors that reflect every corner of the room. It is hard to miss anything that is happening even while you are watching your favorite show on their wide LCD TV or surfing the Internet (for a fee).


The Aqua room's working table is spacious with organized sockets and Internet cable.

Their spacious bed which is lined with what seems like ostrich leather is very interesting. Personally, I felt like I was staying somewhere outside the Philippines but I wish their airconditioning system were cooler. Noted that when we stayed they were still on a dry-run.


Makansutra's hot chocolate is a perfectly sweet morning treat

Our stay had free breakfast buffet at the Makansutra food village which was quiet simple with dried fish, pork and chicken adobo, rice porridge, noodles, eggs, and yummy hot chocolate and tasty coffee, Makansutra style. What made our morning brighter was the view of Manila bay. You could enjoy their breakfast at Al Fresco seats over at White Moon Bar.


White Moon Bar in the morning

Overall, Hotel H20 is a pleasant place to stay in. Check in at 2:00PM, have a refreshing shower and arrange for afternoon drinks at the White Moon Bar just before the sun sets. Dinner would be nice at the Makansutra for something exotic. Then just chill and relax inside your aqua room :)

The Boutique Bed and Breakfast Tagaytay

I have been wanting to try accommodations at bed and breakfast hotels in Tagaytay. Who wouldn't want to relax and escape in this place that's super close to Manila but offers a different cooler climate.



The Boutique bed and breakfast is one BnB I often pass by when driving through Aguinaldo Highway. It looks new, simple,and modern - which I thought was perfect for young couples looking for a romantic getaway. After searching and reading through the Internet and blogs, I knew I wanted to stay here for me and my partner's quick honeymoon :)

I booked the I Escape room for about Php 5,595.00 via email (kudos to the efficient staff of The Boutique) and coordinated with them via SMS. Reservations must be paid at Metrobank but I requested if I could just pay them on my booked date as I am running out of time. Luckily, they agreed and it was super hassle-free.



We arrived at around 1PM but check-in time was 2PM. The staff asked us to personalize our Pamper Me basket which is also included in the room package. We chose from their different types of soaps, shampoos, scented oils, and lotions. These were then placed in a basket with loofa scrubs, other toiletries, and hotel slippers. Sweet <3


Upon entering the room I was already in love with The Boutique. lots of pillow, luxurious linens, perfect lighting, and a nice sight of a mini garden from the window and the shower room.

Inside the closet were two comfy bathrobes that my partner and I quickly found ourselves in. We were also surprised to receive refreshing welcome drinks.



As usual, after 5 minutes my partner had setup his laptop and used The Boutique's free WiFi which had reliable speed and reach. I also accessed the internet with my N95 using their free WiFi service.

After resting and having dinner outside The Boutique, we awaited for our free cold facial stone massage. Guests have to book this in advance, just tell the reception the best time for the masseuse to visit your room. The massage is good for a couple and it was just the best way to cap a long day.

A handful of chilled stones are used to massage and rub the face.Then the masseuse gives a relaxing head massage while your eyes are covered and cooled by some stones. It was just enough for us to say 'aahhhh'. What I like best is that the two masseuse did not hand any envelope or ask for tips :) We were peacefully left lying on the soft bed.



Then we decided to grab some DVDs from their in-house DVD library. When we got back to the room, they sent us our free hot chocolate, cookies, and freshly popped popcorn to enjoy with our action movie. I have never stayed in a hotel so thoughtful.

The morning after, we were awaken at around 8AM with a bountiful breakfast in bed that we chose earlier. It included fresh fruits, I had pancakes while my partner had rib eye corned beef.

If only I could, I would stay in this place longer. But I guess the magic is in short and sweet stays for one to have something to look forward to.

Before leaving, they even handed me a small surprise as a thank you for our stay. Thank you The Boutique for making our quickie honeymoon a memorable one ^^ Visit their website at http://www.theboutiquebnb.com/ for more information



Not to forget that The Boutique has a spacious viewing area with fun and comfy native furniture that you can lounge in. Also, the Samsung HD TV is equipped with cable TV and sound systems ;)