Ginhawa Spa and Dining: Relaxing Massage With a Hearty Meal

One thing that I have been longing to do is to get a massage at least once a month as a way for me to de-stress from work. Finally, we were able to have our first massage in a long time at Ginhawa Spa & Dining by Mont Albo in Pasong Tamo, Makati. We got a voucher from Metrodeal which includes a 45-minute massage, a personal sauna, and a 4-course meal.

Ratings:
Service: 4/5, the massage is good, receptionists and therapists were polite, restaurant service is good, too.
Facilities: 4/5, every massage room has a shower; you can have the sauna all to yourself
Food: 3/5, average and the serving is kinda small.
Prices: 4/5, we had the Ciudad package worth Php 850 and I think it is just right for a 45-minute massage, a personal sauna, and a 4-course meal.

The Place

Nestled in a busy corner of Pasong Tamo in Makati, Ginhawa Spa is located at the 2nd Floor of High Pointe Building. Before going, we phoned and booked for a schedule and secured a time slot. We went on a Saturday afternoon so there were a couple of empty spaces on the parking lot.

Upon entering, we immediately felt the aroma of relaxation because it smelled of something like menthol or tea tree oil which invigorates the senses. We then handed our vouchers to the receptionist and waited for our scheduled time.

Our waiting time was made pleasurable by the ambiance of the reception. We were seated on classic wooden chairs with throw pillows and it sure was a nice way to loosen up.

Sauna and Massage

Finally, after a few minutes of waiting, we were called up by the therapists to the massage room. I showered and changed to my robes as preparation for the sauna. The massage room itself is small but it's all what's needed for a massage and it comes with all the necessities.

Solo massage room.

The sauna has a personal touch to it because it only accommodates up to two people. You can have it all for yourself if you don't have a companion.

sauna booths

There's an hour glass in the sauna to help you track time. I haven't noticed how long we were in the sauna - maybe ten minutes. We exited the sauna dripping with sweat and headed back to the room for the 45-minute full body massage.

Overall, the massage was good. The experience really depends on the therapists skills. I told my therapist that I wanted the "hard" pressure for my message and I really think the massage went well. After the massage, they offered hot tea and a wet and warm face towel. I find it a nice way to cap off the relaxing experience.

The Meal

We really didn't expect much on the four-course meal they offer. The dining hall is quaint and has four small round tables that could seat two. It seems that this place is really made for couples.

The cook served us our creamy mushroom soup for our appetizer. It tasted like the usual sopas but is creamier. The waiter then cleaned up our table and served us Kani Salad - another appetizer.

Kani Salad

After the appetizers, we were served the main course which is the Chicken Stroganoff. Like our soup, the Chicken Stroganoff was also creamy and for me, its taste is one of the better Stroganoffs I have eaten. What I liked best about the main course is the black organic rice. It tastes richer and is definitely healthier than the ordinary white rice we usually eat.

Finally, the waiter served our dessert. It was Ube ice cream with corn flakes. The corn flakes neutralized the sweetness of the ice cream.

Tips for Wandering Peasants

• Get discount vouchers from one of the online deals like Metrodeal
• Call them to reserve for a time slot before going. Most weekends are fully booked so call ahead of your preferred time.

Location
Ginhawa Spa and Dining is located at the 2nd Floor of High Pointe Building, Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City

 

Useful Links and Info
Facebook page
Contact Number from their Facebook page: (02) 403-2270 | 0917-887-60-70
Rates as of June 2015 (click image below)

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Nuvali: Evoliving in Sta. Rosa Laguna

If you are looking for a break from the bustling city life, or you're fed up of the mall crowds during your weekend leisures, you might as well head south to Sta. Rosa, Laguna, and enjoy nature's cool fresh air in Nuvali. 

Ratings:
Place: 5/5, relaxing place, you can spend a day without spending a cent by setting a picnic on the grass around the man-made lake, jog around the place, or bring your own bicycle for a scenic bike ride.
Food: 4/5, there are many restaurants in the area, no fast food though :p
Activities: 5/5, lots of activities to do here for kids and adults

Activities
Nuvali is famous for its man-made lake. Around this lake, there already are a number of activities you can enjoy. There are two areas: Solenad 1 and Solenad 2, both offer various activities to your liking.

Koi Feeding/Watching
You can see the people gathered around the pier. This is where the Koi watching/feeding happens.You can buy fish feeds for a very cheap price of PHP 15.00. Koi feeding is very fun and relaxing activity. You can see these fat colorful fishes cramped and jostling each other in the area where you throw the feeds. No wonder these Kois are fat. Fish feeding is perhaps the most popular attraction here in Nuvali.

Boat Ride

For PHP 30.00 per person, you can already enjoy a boat ride on the lake. The boat will take you to a tour around the lake, in which you will pass under a bridge and a fountain. It is a short ride but I'm sure the kids, even grandmas and grandpas will enjoy it.

This is one of the most popular attractions here in Nuvali. Though it is a short 10-15 minute ride, it sure is  a pleasurable experience for a meager sum of PHP 30.00.

Biking

Bike rental is PHP 60.00 per person. There are bike lanes around the area, and you can explore Nuvali's all four corners while taking in the fresh air. If you are a bicycle hobbyist, you can bring your own bike instead. Bikers are a common sight here in Nuvali.

Picnic

Pack that picnic basket and head under the trees beside the lake. You can spend the whole day here hanging out with friends and family, eat a snack, play games. All this while having the boat riders wave at you. Just make sure you cleanup your trash afterwards.

Time for a picnic.

Shopping and Dining

Lots of restaurants to choose from. My personal favorites are Buffalo Wings n Things, and the Purple Oven Bakery at Solenad 2. Several retail stores, and a Robinsons Supermarket are also available in the strip mall in Solenad 2. If you're planning to shop here, you can find the list of their stores and restaurants here.

Sports and Outdoor Activities

If you're looking for an adrenaline rush, Republic Wake Park is in Nuvali Road but is already in the area of Calamba, Laguna. Prices are reasonable, which you can check out here.
There are also many wide open spaces in Nuvali and you can just go jogging, walk around or just take your camera out for some photo shoot.
For the kids and kids at heart, there's this train that goes around Solenad 1.

Enjoy the cool fresh breeze as you jog along these paths.

Start A Career

One Evotech and Two Evotech are home to BPO offices here in Nuvali. The biggest companies I see here are IBM and Convergys. So, if you're planning a quiet suburban life, you can settle here and work in one of these companies in Nuvali.

Events

We watched a gig of Freestyle here once. Nuvali hosts a variety of events from gigs, open air cinemas, sports, outdoor activities, etc. You can check out the upcoming events here.

Tips for Wandering Peasants:

• There are many free activities that you can do in this place like biking (with your own bike, of course), hang out under the shade of the trees by the lake, bring your own picnic basket, or just watch those Koi by the pier.
• If ever you're coming down from Tagaytay by way of Sta. Rosa, you might as well stop by Nuvali for a side trip and enjoy the last sights of greenery before heading out to the highway to Manila 

Turn right to Tagaytay.

Book a stay at Seda Hotel Nuvali.

Location

Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road, Nuvali Solenad, Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Useful Links and Info

Nuvali website
Solenad Nuvai Facebook page
Seda Hotel website
Rates of activities (as of June 2015)

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MOA Arena: Host of The First NBA Game in the Philippines

Because it's the NBA Playoffs season, I got inspired to share my first live NBA game experience. Well, it's not a regular season game, but for an avid basketball fan like me, a pre-season game is good enough. Good enough for me to shell out PHP 4,000 for a general admission ticket. After all, it was the first time an NBA game will be held here in the Philippines, and of course, I wanted to be a part of it. I bought three tickets: one for me, one for my father, and one for my nephew - three generation of basketball-lovers.

Ratings:
Place: 3/5, when this event happened in October 2013, the Mall of Asia arena was still fairly new, so the place felt bare, but I imagine this place would be world class and could host to more international events in the future
The Game: 4/5, it's my first NBA game (albeit preseason) so it had to be good for me. I wanted to see more of Dwight Howard though.
Price: 2/5, seats are very expensive - PHP 4,000 for a General Admission ticket
Food: 3/5, our tickets came with a free hotdog sandwich and a free NBA tumbler (which I thought would be filled with the free soda they would be giving us for the game). What we got were soda in a plastic bottle and popcorn - not what we expected.

The Game
The game itself is typical of what you may expect from a pre-season game. It was a fun exhibition game, with no real aggressiveness seen from the players. The superstars' exposure was just enough for the fans to see them dunk a few baskets, or do some fancy moves. Dwight Howard got into an early foul trouble, though, and I'm kind of disappointed at Paul George's performance that night since I was expecting his flashy, athletic plays but he played more of the long ball that night. The most exciting plays came from the Rockets squad, especially James Harden, Jeremy Lin, and Chandler Parsons. Dwight Howard and Roy Hibbert had been entangling themselves when playing defense against each other. David West was also superb. He was one of the bright spots for the Pacers that night along with Paul George.

It was not a bad experience for a first-timer. We really enjoyed the game, and the break-time entertainments were crazy! Boomer, the Pacers mascot, can really do amazing tricks like dunking off a trampoline, and Clutch, the Rockets', he's a funny one. My nephew loved him. We were also lucky enough to see NBA legends like Larry Bird, who's part of the Pacers management; his former teammate Kevin McHale, who's now a head coach for the Rockets; Robert Horry, Clyde Drexler, Jalen Rose, Ron Harper, and the former NBA Commissioner himself, David Stern. It was also a great time for me to practice shooting indoor sports with my camera using a zoom lens since we were seated way up in the General Admission area.

The Rockets won convincingly over the Pacers that night, but after the final buzzer sounded, the crowd didn't seem to want to go as most of us are still hoping to catch a final glimpse of our favorite NBA players. This is how crazy Filipinos are about basketball, so the NBA should visit this country more frequently in the future.

David West nailed this fadeaway jumper.

Dwight Howard being hounded inside.

George Hill protecting the ball against Jeremy Lin

The Arena

MOA Arena was still fairly new when this game took place in October of 2013, almost two years ago. The arena lobby felt bare, the floor, and the ceiling weren't completely furnished yet.

I was impressed with the inside of the arena. It felt like we were in the a home court of one of the NBA teams. There's a huge video screen in the center of the ceiling where you can see the box scores, live action and replays.

I truly believe the arena has a potential to be world class and could be a host to more international events in the future.

Then NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Tips for Wandering Peasants

• the PHP 4,000 General Admission ticket was too high, but if you're a big hoops fan like me, it was well worth it.
• with a General Admission ticket in this arena, bring a good DSLR camera with a zoom lens with you so you could capture the moment

Location
Mall of Asia Arena is at the corner of JW Diokno Blvd and Marina Way at the Mall of Asia Complex.

Useful Links and Info
website: http://mallofasia-arena.com/
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mallofasiaarena/
Phone: (02) 470-2222

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Hyatt Cafe at City of Dreams Manila: A Round the Clock Buffet

Along with the first sounds of their slot machines, City of Dreams Manila opened the doors of its buffet restaurant, the Hyatt Cafe, late last year. As with the other buffet-themed restaurants in Metro Manila, Hyatt Cafe offers a variety of food and delicacies from different parts of the world. One thing that makes this restaurant stand out though, is that it's open 24 hours. Well, almost, because as per the restaurant staff that chatted with us, the restaurant gets a one-hour break, which is before breakfast. If you're asking who would eat buffet at midnight, well, there is a casino here, so probably their main patrons during the witching hour are the players.

The dining hall is quite large, and it is right beside the casino. The restaurant staff: the cooks and waiters are very professional, and they really seem happy to serve. 

Ratings:

Food: 5/5, the best buffet I ever experienced., prices are just about the same as the other buffet restaurants in the Metro, and they're open 24 hours!

Place: 5/5, main dining hall is large, nice restrooms, comfy seating. The casino, and the lights gave us the feeling like we were not in Manila, so it's good :)

Service: 5/5, excellent, professional service at Hyatt Cafe.

The Food

To be honest, the food here is the best I ever tasted in buffet-style restaurants. There's not one I ate that I didn't like.

Their steak was my favorite, though. The meat is really fresh and juicy, and the steak sauce is just perfect. 

When you have a big juicy steak in front of you, bite the hell out of it!

The first plate that I got, though was from the Asian section which consists of a crab and corn soup, fried rice, spicy tofu and squid. On my way to our table, I also grabbed a couple of sushi.

There were a lot of food that I got before going to dessert, but I won't list them all here...so you wouldn't have to judge me. :p

Their dessert section is very good, too. There are sugar-free sweets to the health-conscious. There are chocolate fondue fountains, the white one is milk, I believe. They also have a variety of pastries, ice cream, and of course the Filipino favorite, halo-halo.

For my sweet tooth.

Complimentary birthday cake. Now you know I just got invited for a birthday dinner here. :p

In their fruits section, what I enjoyed most was the kiwi. They are very fresh and still unpeeled. You can ask for the staff to peel it for you. It was so soft and sweet!

After the dessert, we were so full, and to help digest the food we just ingested, we needed some hot beverages. No problemo because coffee and tea are also available. You just have to ask the waiters to get you one. For me, I got the usual coffee with cream, and chamomile tea for others.

The Place 

 The main dining hall is quite large, and just next to it is the casino. The way the food sections are arranged is similar to the other hotel buffets around the Metro.

There is a touch of elegance on the table setting. Their round tables are classy, and the seating is comfortable.

candle setting for a relaxing mood

You can see what's going on in the casino from here.

To help grind the food down, we walked around the place to check it out. Aside from the casino, there are more restaurants and shops on the other levels. There's also Dreamplay by Dreamworks, a kids attraction in which the children can play and learn. And of course, a casino won't be complete without nightclubs. There are a couple of them here at City of Dreams. One is Pangaea Ultra Lounge and the other one is Chaos Nightclub, which is located at the egg-shaped structure you can see below.

The place is, of course, like those of the casinos we can see in Macau or even Las Vegas. We were dazzled by the lights on the egg structure that you would see when you enter the area. It felt like we were not in Manila. 

Siren's Waterfall upon the main entrance.

Tips for Wandering Peasants:

• If I weren't invited to a birthday dinner here, I would try this restaurant out by getting the midnight buffet - it's just 788 Php!
• Or, get the breakfast buffet for 1,088 Php. It's better to eat big meals in the mornings, anyways because you will still have the whole day to burn those calories.
• Get a little bit of everything. Just a little bit so you can enjoy the many dishes they have to offer
• Eat slowly and cherish every bite. Pace yourselves so you can enjoy all the food!

Location:

City of Dreams Manila is located in Paranaque City. Coming from Mall of Asia, take Macapagal Boulevard then turn left at Aseana Avenue.

Buffet Schedule and Prices (as of April, 2015)

Breakfast (Daily): 1,088 Php

6:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Lunch:
Monday-Wednesday: 1,188 Php
11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Thursday-Sunday: 1,288 Php

Dinner:
Monday-Wednesday: 1,688 Php
5:30 PM - 11:00 PM
 Thrusday-Sunday: 1,888 Php
5:30 PM - 11:00 PN

Midnight buffet: 788 Php
11:30 PM - 4:30 AM

Useful Links and Info

website: http://cityofdreamsmanila.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/the-cafe.html

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HYATTCityOfDreamsManila

more reviews from Tripadvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/ShowUserReviews-g312693-d7616024-r252224151-Hyatt_City_of_Dreams-Paranaque_Metro_Manila_Luzon.html

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Munting Buhangin Beach Camp: Our Budget Getaway for the Holy Week

Holy Week in the Philippines only means one thing: a great exodus of people leaving the city for a nice long weekend somewhere far away from their places of work.

In our case, we opted for a beach getaway since it is now the start of summer and it had been a long time since our feet touched seawater. We live somewhere south of the Metro and the first choice for us is a beach in Batangas since traffic is much heavier going north during Holy Week and we do not have much time for that.

Ratings: 

Room (Nipa Hut room): 4/5, for its peasant-friendly price, cozy terrace with a beach view.
Beach: 3/5, fine cream-colored sand, water is not that clear though
Food: 1/5, bad customer service at the restaurant; have to fall in-line to get breakfast, which doesn't even taste good at all (even peasants don't like this, you know.) My advise is to bring your own food since there are grills that you can rent to cook your own meals.

Cost
Accommodation: 3,985 Php for a beachfront Nipa Hut Room with terrace - use of common bathroom (breakfast included)
Food: 520 Php for dinner of grilled fish (Pinaputok na Tilapia), 2 cups of rice, fruit platter - watermelon, mango, pineapple slices
Grocery: 500 for snacks, toiletries, mineral water

Travel: gassed up 1,000 Php at SLEX, Muntinlupa

Total: 6,005 Php (3,002.50 Php /pax since this was a trip for two)

Location
Munting Buhangin Beach Camp is located in Natipuan Cove in Nasugbu, Batangas and it is near Terrazas de Punta Fuego.

Driving directions to Munting Buhangin Beach Resort:

• If you're coming from Manila,  drive from Edsa then turn right to Roxas Boulevard, continue to Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), exit onto Covelandia Road, continue on to Governor's Road then turn left to Ternate-Nasugbu Highway until you reach the area of Terrazas de Punta Fuego, slow down to look to your right for the signage of Munting Buhaning Beach Camp
• The route we took was from SLEX then we exited on to Sta Rosa then took the road going to Tagaytay. From Tagaytay we followed the road going to Mahogany Market (Mahogany Road) then on to Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway. From there, it was another hour's drive until we reach the area of Punta Fuego and saw the signage of Munting Buhangin Beach Camp.

caution: the entrance to Munting Buhangin Beach Camp is a downward slope which is kinda steep so be sure to have your vehicle checked before going. The road from the main entrance is paved with asphalt but for only a few meters. After that is a rugged road, a combination of potholes, rocks, and dirt all the way to the parking lot, which is on an uphill. You can park on the side of the dirt road. There is however, a basketball court that was converted into a parking lot where you can park. We chose to park on the basketball court because it is paved and we felt more secure there since there is a guard house near it.

Our impression of the place is quite good. Their beach is fine creamy sand, so soft that your feet could be buried in as you walk. Their Tree Houses are big enough for a family to sleep in, and they look like fun. There were already a lot of tents pitched in the area which indicated that this place is not so secluded like we thought. Their check-in time is at 3:00 PM, and our check-in went quite fast and we were accompanied by a staff, who didn't even bother to ask if we needed help with our baggage. True to the name of this blog, we got the accommodation suited for peasants like us, The Nipa Hut room! The Nipa Hut section was a bit far from the reception and the restaurant area, so we had to walk about three minutes under the sweltering heat of summer sun to get to our room.

Nipa Hut room with a splendid beach view from our cozy little terrace.

The Nipa Hut rooms are all beach-front as opposed to the more expensive Villas which are located on the hillside. Our room has a cozy little "balcony" where you can just sit the day away staring at the beach, or have your meal on the bamboo table where you can surely enjoy the fresh sea breeze while eating. The inside of the hut are two double-sized mattresses which can accommodate 4 people, but there were only two of us so we had so much room inside for our bags, food and my guitar.

Nipa Huts are really comfortable during hot summer days. The "sawali" walls lets air flow through that cools off the place during these kinds of season.

As I've said before, the sand is fine and so soft. It is not white, though, but a bit light brown to me. The water is not that clear also but it will do. If you're looking for some water activities, I've seen a banana boat cruising the waters, some jet skis, kayaks, and a yacht which I believe is owned by someone visiting the adjacent Punta Fuego.

Panorama view of the place

What we didn't like about our stay is the restaurant service. We came in at around 7 PM to have our dinner at the restaurant but the staff didn't seem to be interested to serve us. We could attribute their lackadaisical attitude to fatigue because it was a "peak" season after all. As with other resorts' restaurants, the prices of their food are not peasant-friendly so we just ordered the the cheapest meals on their menu: pinaputok na tilapia (grilled tilapia), fruit platter, and two cups of rice. This meal cost us just over 500 Php, not bad.

The breakfast was terrible. We were told by the receptionist upon check-in that we could choose for it to be delivered to our room, but when we went to the restaurant and asked the staff to have it delivered the next morning to our lovely Nipa Hut, we were declined, saying that it's better to just pick our meal at the restaurant. We also asked if coffee was included in the breakfast, and surprisingly, we were told it was not. Can you imagine breakfast without coffee? We could have coffee for an additional 30 Php. It's ridiculous but one does not simply eat breakfast without coffee. So, the next morning, we went to the restaurant and to our horror, there was a queue of upset guests waiting for their breakfast. Anyways, to make it brief, we fell in line looking like the peasants that we are and finally got our meals after 20 or so minutes, and not without having some issues with the meals that we ordered the previous day.

With this, I would strongly recommend to bring your own food since there are lots of grills you can rent to prepare your meals. In fact, there was a family next to our Nipa Hut that brought their own gas range and LPG, and the adobo they were cooking was so tempting.

We have to fall in line to get food...well, as peasants do. Look at that poor hungry child!

Unimpressive Bangsilog and Tapsilog. Their"SI" stood for sinaing (steamed rice) instead of the normal sinangag (fried/garlic rice).

Tips for Wandering Peasants:

• Camp out. Bring your own tents. It will be way, way cheaper. You'll only have to pay or the overnight fees (380 Php/pax, including breakfast), and a fee for pitching your own tent (~500 Php)
• Their restaurant prices are very expensive despite their bad customer service. Bring your own food. It's way much fun preparing your own food by the beach!
• You can actually enjoy the place in just one whole day. You can opt to go for the day tour package.

Useful Links and Info
website: http://www.muntingbuhangin.ph/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbbc.official
more reviews from tripadvisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Hotel_Review-g1015976-d2646783-Reviews-Munting_Buhangin_Beach_Camp-Nasugbu_Batangas_Province_Calabarzon_Region_Luzon.html

Pricelist (2015)

More Photos:

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com

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