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The Grand Lobby of the historic Manila Hotel will light up again soon  as the hotel partially reopens to accept guests beginning August 2020 "You Are Safe Here" Just a day before the historic hotel’s founding anniversary, The Manila Hotel plans to partially open its doors to its valued guests, with the famed Café Ilang Ilang, the Lobby Lounge, and the Delicatessen resuming operations on July 3, 2020. A rebirth of sorts after months of following the government’s quarantine protocols, the hotel has adjusted along with the rest of the world in navigating the “new normal,” and puts a high premium on the well-being of guests. With the lobby shining bright anew signifying eternal hope, The Manila Hotel commemorates its 108th founding anniversary on July 4 with a  brand of service that is now focused on enhanced health, hygiene, and sanitation protocols in line with DOH guidelines.  As the hotel prepares for the reopening, Atty Joey Lina, the president of...

If you are looking for the perfect watering hole to hang-out, share a few drinks with friends, watch your favorite ball game like volleyball, soccer or basketball, or any sport on a big screen, then Skippy's is the best place for you.   Owned by an Australian, Stephen Bird, Skippy's is basically new.  It opened in 2015, but already popular among the BGC crowd of professionals.   Here are some of the reasons why I choose Skippy's over other bars in Metro Manila.  1.  Every time you turn your head, there is a television where you can watch the on-going games.  I have never been to a place where you can see TV sets mounted conspicuously on all four walls and two gigantic screens that even the passers-by could watch the games.  I'm a TV fan, so the sight of a screen or a TV set is already a big plus for me. 2.  It is great for non-smokers.  And even if you're a smoker, you can still see the games from the smoking area because of...

Tarlac is one of the provinces that is located in the north part of Metro Manila.  It seems one of the places that Filipinos have heard so much about, thanks to our President, who hails from this province, but still a place that not everyone knows much about, much less know about the gastronomic gems that it hides in its interiors.  So it is with curiosity and excitement that I joined the Tarlac Food Tour last July 05, 2014.  The Tarlac Food Tour is one of the projects that the province of Tarlac is promoting to encourage more visitors to the province and also a way to showcase the different towns in the province and each town's specialty.  We went to two towns in this tour to visit some establishments that produce some delicacies worth-noting.  The first stop was Mary Ann's Kitchen located near the Provincial Capitol of Tarlac.  Here we were treated to spicy chicken prepared ala Bon Chon-style with a little twist that suits the...

If you are a frequent Commonwealth Avenue commuter or passer-by, you surely have seen this elegantly decorated structure with a big and bold THE BUFFET name on it.  The facade may look imposing  however, the ambience and the interior are very welcoming.  And that, is just the initial feeling you'd experience.  Here's what I noticed and what I like about dining in THE BUFFET. 1.  The warm service of the staff.   The servers are just too happy to serve their guests, it;s as though it's a mortal sin to keep the diners waiting.  Their presence around you is like having your own footman by your side. 2.  You can take your sweet time eating until you max out the allowable period to stay for lunch or dinner without feeling guilty that you are depriving someone in the waiting area a chance to enjoy a great meal.  I've noticed in some buffets especially those inside malls, that there is a long queue in the waiting area, while inside, diners a...

(A shot of the famous Puerto Galera, Mindoro where one can find attractive bistros and cafes lining the beach and gets active at night) There are places that are worth seeing again and there are places that fail in many aspects that going back is simply not an option.  I take pride in the fact that I have taken a trip to Puerto Galera, not once, but three times. Something that I never do with other destinations. I never like returning to a place, once I have stayed there for three days, but for some reason, Puerto Galera has that magic that beckons at me to return. There are many diving resorts in Puerto Galera thus making it one of the top diving destinations in the Philippines. Professional divers offer diving lessons or provide services as guides should one wish to. Bangkas (local canoe) abound the Puerto Galera coast, mainly because fishing is one of the industry aside from the stong tourism.  Some of these can be rented should one wish to go island-hopping. ...