After the recent opening of the Cathay Pacific Lounge at NAIA Terminal 3 comes the newly launched SilverKris Lounge for Singapore Airlines business class and first class passengers.
Prior to its opening, this is what Singapore Airlines’ temporary waiting area looked like at Terminal 3.

Look at this now:

Things are definitely looking up at NAIA Terminal 3, where well-designed lounges are opening up for business and first class passengers.
Singapore Airlines new SilverKris Lounge carries the “home away from home concept.”
The 450-square meter lounge was designed by Singaporean design firm ONG&ONG, and features a lot of personal spaces plus works of Filipino artists curated by Silverlens Gallery.

The art work will change constantly except for the centerpiece, a sculpture called “Flight” created by Filipino artist Impy Pilapil.

This is the first such lounge in Southeast Asia and the fourth in the world after Sydney, Hong Kong and London.
“We want to bring the familiar feeling of home to Filipino passengers,” said Philip Goh, regional vice president for Southeast Asia at Singapore Airlines. “This home away from home concept is a multi-million dollar investment to innovate our 15 lounges across the world.

My personal favorite space is the productivity pod, which looks like it was recycled from Singapore Airlines signature business class chair. It has a USB pod and an outlet for charging phones, tablets and computers.
I was impressed with all the outlets available throughout the lounge.

Roving hosts will look after guests. Passengers can also seek assistance about flights and seating. A self-service buffet area offers drinks and food.

Different menus ensure a wide selection of choices, including staple Singaporean dishes such as Laksa and Hainanese Chicken Rice. But don’t hold your breath; the chicken rice we tried that day was far from authentic. You still have to fly to Singapore for that.

Filipino dishes like Caldereta and Bicol Express, adobo rice and beef tapa will also be served along with sandwiches, snacks, and ice cream ill also be served. The beverage selection includes all kinds of liquor, red and white wine, beer, Coca Cola products, fruit juices and coffee and tea.

During the press day, the only things I enjoyed were the fudge brownies and the ice-cold Coke. That said, there is much room for improvement as far as their caterer goes.

I also checked out the restrooms. They are clean and functional, but nothing spectacular design-wise.

Customers can enjoy access to the lounge if traveling on Suites, First or Business Class, or if they are members of the PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold departing on Singapore Airlines operated flights as well as STAR Alliance Gold card members departing on STAR operated flight.
Singapore Airlines flies from Manila to Singapore four times daily which conveniently connect to onward flights to the rest of the world. For more information, visit singaporeair.com.

I never thought of myself as an allergy type, or maybe I’ve been tolerating it all these years—whether sneezing 20 times in succession, coughing nonstop for no reason, or getting an attack of the itchies.
My kids, however, have had allergies on and off, and two of them have been prescribed Claritin by two different doctors.
So I got Claritin.
Never took them for myself until we started renovating again this month.
In our bedroom and study room, we changed our laminated floors to bamboo. So we had to remove all the junk and park them in the living room. Plus our new closets arrived and have to be assembled.
This is how our living room looks right now.

Plus all these flying insects due to the rainy weather. That, plus all the work being done in the house, gave me an attack of the itchies. I was about to leave for the office with Dinna when she took a pack of Claritin from her handbag.

I was about to get a glass of water when Dinna told me these were the new melt-in-your-mouth Claritin pills.

True enough, it melted in my mouth. My itchies diminished in no time.

The thought of normal everyday things like dust mites, pollen, dirt and insects causing allergies can be annoying and inconvenient. What I like about Claritin Reditabs is that it really melts in your mouth. You just peel the label and pop in your mouth. It’s not a chewable. There’s no weird taste.
This new and convenient format can be taken anytime, anywhere—no water necessary! It dissolves in seconds and leaves you with a fresh minty taste—and the effects last for 24 hours.

Join Claritin Reditabs as it celebrates National Allergy Day/Week.
To know more, follow @ClaritinPhilippines on Facebook and Instagram.
Be #AlwaysRedi with #ClaritinReditabs! Powerful allergy relief now made more convenient.
Loratadine is the generic name of Claritin Reditabs. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.

Do you keep notes? I do. Not everything, but those that touch my heart.
Many years ago when letter-writing was part of life, I actually accumulated one balikbayan box full of letters.
But when Jeroen and I moved from Greenhills to Pasig, I decided to just throw everything out, no regrets.
Very recently I found a note my friend Penny had written to me on my birthday, only six weeks before she died.

“I should keep start keeping notes and cards,” my friend Patrice said regretfully. “I never do.”

I love giving gifts. And because I do, the gifts always come back.
This week alone I received so many. My sister once again designed the notebook for Taguig, given for free to Taguig students under Mayor Lani Cayetano’s incentive.
This was Ana’s design in 2013

And in 2015—this year Ana included my sons—Ben, Markus and Christian—among the characters. (Markus and Ben are on the upper right corner, first and second rows)

She always leaves the cutest notes

My neighbor and makeup artist Apple Faraon brought me a rosary from Jerusalem and a special cloth from Medjugorje. I love them.

When I was in Tokyo last April, Sayoko, Patrice and I walked into an art gallery in Omotesando.

I was charmed by a small painting by Yuka Osada, which hangs in my office today. I love finding art from trips abroad.

I was really surprised to receive a letter from Yuka, since I didn’t even meet her when I purchased it.
Yuka sent a postcard of the painting and a letter

What beautiful handwriting!

I wish my sister Ana could meet her

My heart nearly burst when I received a box of chocolate and note from Ralph Relucio, the boy who survived a freak accident earlier this year in a school/camping activity.

This note also belongs to Penny and Patrice and all the donors who contributed to Ralph (the chocolate is mine though, hehe)

Do you keep notes? I do.
Some of my favorite notes are stuck on the inside of my desk cabinet—mostly from my kids.

But one note popped out as I was looking at them tonight. It was from Penny.

It means the world to me.

Penny Ong and Tina Tagle are just two of my friends who love Jo Malone, a British fragrance brand known for elegant scents, luxurious candles, and bath and body care products.

It was Penny who gave me my first Jo Malone fragrance, which she purchased in London.
Last month, I was excited to receive an iconic cream and black box and tied with the black grosgrain ribbon—it was a gift from Jo Malone announcing its opening in Manila.
When I posted it on Instagram I was surprised how many women were excited for the news.

Inside: a Red Roses candle, Lime Basil & Mandarin body creme, and my favorite Nectarine Blossom & Honey cologne

Last June 22nd, some of Manila’s finest (or should I say, luckiest) entered the world of Jo Malone when they were treated to an evening of British luxury at Blackbird, Nielson Tower.

Guests were treated to a relaxing hand and arm massage at the Tasting Bar where they learned about Fragrance Combining.

A preview of the brand’s line up of scents was available at the Discovery Bar where stylists assisted guests to find their own bespoke scent.

Guests were then ushered into their seats for a sit down dinner prepared by Chef Colin Mackay.
The Bench Group/Suyen Corp. came in full force as retail partners of Jo Malone in the Philippines.
Present were (clockwise from left) Ben Chan, Miguel Pastor, Mons Romulo, Lucy Torres Gomez

The Lim family—Christine, Suyen, Virgilio and Nenita, with Doris Ho and Brian Lim

Estee Lauder Country Manager Mel Lerma, Philippine Star Lifestyle Editor Millet Mananquil, Donnie Tantoco (President of Rustan’s Commercial Corp. Inc.), and Jo Malone Brand Manager Camille Flores-Oloan

Virgilio Lim, Rhoda Aldanese, Richard and Lucy Gomez, Nenita Lim and Pia Campos

The evening’s host, Angel Jacob, welcomed Jo Malone Studio global speaker and Lifestyle Director, Debbie Wild.

Angel Jacob

Debbie gave the guests an in-depth knowledge into the brand’s lifestyle concepts, and the captivating and unusual ingredients of Jo Malone London fragrances.
She introduced Fragrance Layering for guests to be inspired in creating their own trademark scent. She gave each guest her recommendation in finding what scent blends would suit their lifestyle.

Jo Malone opens its doors in Manila in October 2015 at Greenbelt 5, Makati.
(Photos: Elaine Ojeda-Subido)


Just a few years ago, traveling out of the country meant hoarding or stocking up on one’s favorite things—from basic supplies to fashion items, even food. Thanks to signs of progress, all that has changed.
The next global brand to set up shop in the Philippines is Ladurée, the French luxury bakery and sweets maker famous for its double-decker macarons.

Ladurée was founded in Paris in 1862 by Louis Ernest Ladurée, with the first pastry shop at 16 rue Royale designed by Jules Cheret, a famous turn-of-the-century painter and poster artist.
More than 150 years later, about 15,000 Ladurée macarons are sold everyday.

Mark “Jappy” Gonzalez, Managing Partner of H&F Retail Concepts Inc. (the group behind Homme et Femme and Univers, among other brands) announced the opening of Ladurée at 8 Rockwell end of August.
Ladurée is H&F Retail Concepts’ first food venture. What made them decide to bring it in?
“The macarons are simply the best,” said Jappy, a frequent traveler to Paris. “The texture, the ganache, the flavors—never too sweet. The sugar doesn’t overcome the flavor.”
Jappy says the first Ladurée in the Philippines will be a more of a gift shop or takeaway store—but not limited to macarons.

“We will also have fine chocolate, candies, jams, honey, tea leaves and tea bags, and coffee grounds. There will be shopping bags, key rings, candles, and room sprays,” said Jappy, who first tried his first Ladurée macaron in 1998.
His favorites?
“The rose, salted caramels, and pistachios.”

The 45-square-meter store will be rendered in marble, brass, gold leaf and crystals in true luxe Paris fashion. The interiors were designed by Paris-based interior architects.
Next year, Jappy says, H&F Concepts will open a Ladurée Salon de The in the Philippines.

https://www.laduree.com/

Do you remember life before Instagram? I do.
Before Instagram came along, everyone was obsessed with Twitter. Then the first adapters started using Instagram and and linking their posts to Twitter.

I first discovered Instagram through Pia Magalona, whose use of dramatic retro-looking filters appealed to me.
At first I couldn’t join because I don’t use an iPhone. But when Instagram became available to Android, I signed up, and just like the rest of you, I got hooked. Here’s my first Instagram post

A photo posted by Cecile Zamora van Straten (@chuvaness) on May 10, 2012 at 4:43am PDT

Now that practically everyone’s on Instagram, I’m happy to announce that Smart Communications is offering FREE Instagram along with the company’s top prepaid and postpaid promos.
Anyone who subscribes to a prepaid offer or postpaid plan from Smart can get FREE access to Instagram without having to worry about additional data charges.

Prepaid subscribers can enjoy free Instagram browsing and posting up to 30MB per day, along with any prepaid promo such as All Text 20, Unli Call & Text 30, All in 99 and Mega 250, among many others.
Users who subscribe to any of Smart’s Surf Plus Plans can enjoy the Free Instagram offer as part of their freebie app bundle for 30 days.
Experience the “Smart Life” via FREE Instagram on your Smart phone, along with a vast world of entertainment through iflix, FOX, SPINNR, YouTube, and other services.
For more information on this offer, go to http://www.smart.com.ph/freeinstagram.

July 16, 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the great earthquake that devastated Baguio.
In 1990, I was working as a lifestyle writer at the Daily Globe. Our office was on the 2nd floor of a building in Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong.
Our bosses were Ben C. Ramos (husband of Tita Virgie Ramos) and Teddy Boy Locsin. The Style section was led by Emmie Velarde assisted by Tess Mapa. On the staff were Elvira Mata, Alex Magno, and I.

Off-duty staff from L-R: Food writer Michaela Fenix, Tess Mapa, (standing) Alex Magno, Emmie Velarde, myself, Elvira Mata, and photographer Edgardo Santiago during a hotel sleepover

On July 16, 1990 at 4:26 PM, the earthquake struck while we were at the office. I remember feeling the building shake. At first I hid under the desk. But when the lights went out, I stood up to hug Tess Mapa.
I could hear an editor at the news desk counting in seconds: one, two, three…presumably to report the length of the tremor.
Tess and I were crying and praying till the earth stopped shaking. I remember heading down the stairs for safety and saw lots of footwear left behind at the stairwell—signs of panic among the building employees.
I didn’t go home but called to check up on my boyfriend who was working in a tall building at that time. He was OK.
Then the news started to trickle in and I heard it on the radio: “Hyatt Terraces Baguio…partial collapse.”
My heart sank.

I had spent many summers and Christmas holidays there. I loved that place.
Many people died at the hotel. But I don’t want to write a sad piece about it. Instead, I’d rather go back down memory lane with an entry I wrote in December 2010.

We were very small when my dad first took us to the hotel he and his group had just opened. Back then it was called the Terraces Plaza. That was before the Hyatt brand came in and renamed it the Hyatt Terraces Baguio.

I’m lucky to have found these pics on Facebook, where former employees have formed a group.
That’s my dad in the middle of staff on their 5th anniversary at the Hyatt. Mr. Heinrich Maulbecker, the beloved General Manager, is on his left.

Dad and Mr. Maulbecker awarding employees

Kaili Coffee Shop is where we enjoyed Southern Fried Chicken in a basket and Spaghetti Mama Leone.
Do you remember what you ordered?
I loved sitting on those tall chairs. It was always occupied, so when I got to sit there, it felt like I had won a prize.

The place was really packed between Christmas and New Year and during Holy Week.

Us kids loved going up and down the first glass elevator we had ever seen.

I wonder how they managed those plants.

During the holidays, there was a grand display at the reception/lobby.

These were the very first automatic escalators we knew. They would start moving only when you stepped on them. My brother Dennis was quite a menace running up and down those escalators.

There was the Fireplace with the brass detail.

The Gold Mine (aka Crystal Cave) was the first disco I was allowed to enter at the age of 12.
I even remember my baduy disco outfit—with lights!

I was too young, however, to sit at the bar.

I haven’t been to back to Baguio in 13 years. The last time I was there was when Ben was a baby. We stayed at the Manor which was new back then.

I still dream of going back and I keep checking for new accommodations, but I haven’t found a place with a bathroom I like. Sadly, the bathrooms at The Manor are not chuva-approved (sorry!).
I want to go back to Baguio and build memories with my kids. I love that place so much. I really hope I find a place to stay.
What’s your favorite memory of Hyatt Baguio? Share pictures if you have them.

This post originally appeared at http://chuvaness.livejournal.com/.

Remember my last post about Imperial Hotel in Tokyo where I left in a hurry because of a Monobloc stool in the bathroom?
Well, something really strange came to mind and this is what happened.
Last June, I went to Tokyo with my brother Dennis who booked us at Imperial Hotel using his corporate rate (cheap).
This was my bedroom

and this was the bathroom

Check out the floor tiles and the side of the bathtub

and the Monobloc stool in the shower. Gross.

I just had to get out. At first I went to Tripadvisor to check out the options, bathroom-wise (not much). I then called the Front Desk for help to transfer to another room with a better bathroom. I really don’t mind paying for an upgrade.
So this man came up and showed me an equally scary room and bathroom in the same wing. I refused it.
He took me to another wing which was being renovated. The bathroom was slightly better. I was about to take it when he told me I would be the ONLY guest in that wing because it is noisy because of construction. Of course I was scared.
I made references to Jack Nicholson in The Shining. He merely laughed at me.
With that, I made a decision to move to the Andaz Tokyo. Luckily I was able to check out of the Imperial without any penalty—thank God for that.
And then I remembered something.
In 2009 I remembered having had a pleasant stay at Imperial Hotel, so I went through my archives.
In April 2009, this was the bedroom I shared with my sister Ana.

and this was our bathroom!!

Look at the beautiful tiles and stool—it is not Monobloc!

It is a Prince Aha stool by Kartell!

So they did have better bathrooms in the hotel! Were they fully booked then?
It makes me wonder why the man told me that all bathrooms at Imperial looked like the bathroom I had.
Most hotels will offer you a better room if you ask for it, for a higher price—I would’ve taken that because I have done it before.
On the positive side, I discovered the Andaz Tokyo which was great, more expensive, but bad location.
As for Imperial Hotel, I will never go back. Location is good, but if bathrooms are important to you, don’t stay there.

You can read about my 2009 stay HERE.

“I love your job, Mommy,” Ben told me as we had lunch at the Raffles Makati last Sunday.
When Ben was little he used to complain, why didn’t I go to the office like other moms?
Cause I used to work at home. And now that I have office space and the kids are older, they understand that yes Mommy is working, and Mommy has a fun job.
We’re lucky we get invited to go places and dine at the Raffle’s Spectrum buffet.

Last Sunday we were there again to sample their Sweet Sunday Brunch, which offers a lavish spread of international dishes along with so many colorful sweets using Lindt, Ghirardelli, Valor and Haribo products, among others.
Two giant Haribo gummi bears will greet you at the entrance. Don’t you wish you had these at home?
The boys went nuts.

Decisions, decisions…

At the Spectrum buffet, I usually start with the crunchy salmon skin roll. Just look at this spread.

I also look forward to lechon, but you have to come early unfortunately. My boys got the last cuts of skin. I went for la paella instead.

They have amazing food stylists. The salad bar almost looks like a farm.

I love traditional Pinoy pancit

Because Spectrum understands kiddie tummies

Like I said, great food styling

Carving station

And of course, the sweets! It was almost like walking into a Willy Wonka set, minus the chocolate waterfall.

Ariel would like these

Don’t know if this is true

The Fairmont Makati’s Sweet Sunday Brunch happens every Sunday from 12 noon until 3 PM.
Php 2,777 net per person. Children ages six to 12 years old get 50% off on the buffet price.
For inquiries and more information, call 795-1840 or email dining.makati@raffles.com.
To know more about Spectrum, click HERE.

Good news for “Farview” dwellers, as H&M opens at SM City Fairview on August 6, 2015.
“We are thrilled to be the next fashion destination in the northern part of Manila,” said Fredrik Famm, Country Manager for South East Asia. “After the success of our first five stores in the city, we are excited to cater to even more fashion-conscious customers with the opening of our 6th store in Fairview.”

With over 2,400-square meters of space, H&M Fairview will be a full concept store, carrying ladieswear, menswear, kids and HOME. The store opening will coincide with the Fall season, which takes inspiration from the 70’s but with a modern minimalist twist.
H&M will also continue to feature its Garment Collecting initiative in this store, where customers can donate their used clothes and get a discount voucher to use for their next purchase at H&M.

Those shopping on opening day can get exciting offers: Php 5,000 Gift Card for the first person in line and Php 2,500 Gift Cards each for second and third. The first 200 shoppers will get gift cards in varying amounts ranging from Php 200 to Php 1,000, and a free tote bag, while the next 300 in line will walk away with a free umbrella.
A special treat also awaits the 10 most fashionable shoppers in line before opening—those selected will be given Php 2,500 gift cards each.
All other shoppers can get a storewide 20% discount on regular-priced items between 11 AM-1 PM, and select items will be offered at 40-50% off.

On August 6th, the store will open from 11 AM-12 MN. Regular operating hours from 10 AM-9 PM will resume thereafter.

Confession time! This giveaway is long overdue and I want to apologise to the sponsors, particularly Youji&Me and Mustela. But I’m currently spring cleaning and I need to give away so much stuff right now.
This giveaway is for moms only. Here goes:

Youji&Me is one of the coolest stores for kids at Greenbelt 5 and Trinoma.
At first I was attracted to the store because of the name (Youji) and all the cute stuff from Boikido, Avalon, Cuddlebug, Capella, Nuby, and more.
Youji&Me is giving away two baby strollers for my readers.

First is a Capella Cony Premium Stroller with adjustable handle and backrest, swivel wheels, second safety lock, full recline and canopy, reversible seat cushion, extension footrest and ventilation system.
All features have been designed to make life easier for parents and nannies with babies and toddlers. Suitable for babies 0-48 months and priced at Php 12,000.

Second is a Silver Cross Fizz lightweight stroller that’s easy to push and works well on any terrain. Fizz has a reclining seat back and reversible seat pad. With the seat pad removed, the mesh seat makes the stroller a breezy, cool environment for the baby (perfect for our hot and humid weather).
Fizz also features a shopping basket and an easy compact fold.

Mustela is one of my favourite skin care brands for kids and adults. I give Mustela products to my seven-year-old son Chris who has sensitive skin, while my husband Jeroen also uses the baby shampoo.
My friend Dinna swears by Mustela’s Stelatria for relief of itchy skin, and Grace loves the 2-in-1 hair and body wash because of its clean smell.
Mustela suited for the delicate skin of newborns, babies, children, mothers and mothers-to-be.
I’m giving away five baby bags filled with Mustela products.

Inside: a Mustela travel pack, Gentle Soap, Cleansing Milk, Skin Freshener, Aqua de Colonia without Alcohol, Stelatria (cream for sensitive skin), and a changing pad.

Also included are Biobita Food Supplement Granules (for babies), Aronamin-C Plus Multivitamins+Minerals (for parents), and an eco bag from Vizcarra Pharmaceuticals.

Biobita is a granulated mixed preparation of probiotics and vitamins that improves your child’s intestinal and digestive health and overall well-being. Recommended for babies 6-7 months, just mix 1 gram of Biobita in water, milk or or baby food. To know more about Biobita, click HERE.
Also included are five packs of Aronamin-C Plus packed with multivitamins and minerals. These are great energy boosters for adults.

HOW TO JOIN:

1) You must have a Philippine delivery address.
2) You must have an Instagram or Facebook account.
3) To join via Instagram, follow the accounts of @youjiandme and @mustelaphilippines. Post a photo of your baby who will use the products. Please include the hashtag #chuvasbabygiveaway and tag me @chuvaness.
4) To join via Facebook, like Youji&Me and Biobita. Post a photo of the baby who will use the products and tag me at Chuvaness.
5) After posting the photos, register HERE.

WINNING:
1) Promo runs from July 24-31, 2015.
2) I will choose 7 winners via electronic raffle.
3) Two winners will win one stroller each, and five winners will win the diaper bags.
4) Stroller winners will be asked to pick up their prizes at my office in Taguig.
5) Depending on location, diaper bag winners can expect to receive their prizes via courier or pickup.
6) I will inform the winners through this blog and my Facebook page.

After the success of Pharrell Williams x Supercolor, which offered 50 solid choices of Adidas Superstar, comes a new collection where Pharrell collaborates with friends and creatives from around the world.
This time around, the Superstar’s Shelltoe comes alive with six of Pharrell’s own artworks, along with those of NYC contemporary artist Todd James, American photographer/director Cass Bird, contemporary Japanese artist mr.

Artworks on the specially molded 3D Shelltoe designs are a first for the Superstar silhouette.
With a limited release and exclusive designs for different regions around the globe, the footwear is offered in black and white colourways, with a different graphic treatment for the left and right shoes.

Todd James (graphic)

Todd James (molded)

Pharell Williams (molded)

Pharrell Williams (graphic)

Pharrell Williams (graphic)

Artwork by Mr. ©Mr./Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Artwork by Mr. ©Mr./Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

As of now I have more than 700 entries to the giveaway sponsored by Youji&Me, Mustela and Vizcarra Pharmaceutical.
You can still join up to midnight of July 31, 2015.
The good news is, I am now giving away three major prizes instead of two.
Youji&Me is no longer a distributor of Silver Cross strollers, so they took that back and replaced it with a Capella stroller and a Cuddlebug crib.
One winner can choose between these Adonis Capella strollers (blue or red) valued at P13,700.

One winner will also win a Cuddlebug Fontana 2-in-1 Convertible Crib valued at Php 10,000 (also available at Baby Company and SM Department stores nationwide).
Winner will be asked to pick up the prize at Youji&Me Greenbelt 5 or Trinoma.
What’s great about the Cuddlebug Fontana is the crib converts to a bed as your child gets bigger.

To those joining via Facebook, please use the hashtag #chuvasbabygiveway.
Don’t worry about not being able to tag me because winners will be chosen via electonic raffle. I’ll be checking the photos only when you win.
To know more about the giveaway and how to join, click HERE.

“Wow. Look at this place. Imagine if we had this growing up,” Grace said thoughtfully as we went up the second level of Kidzania at the Fort.

“Yup. When I was a kid, the only toy store in Manila was Unimart’s toy section,” I said.
And there was Fiesta Carnival which I vaguely remember.
So what we did, we mostly role played, like “doctor, doctor”, “teacher, teacher”, and my personal favorite—”poor, poor”—where my sister played the mother and me and my cousin Enet were her kids. We were beggars Our food was butong pakwan (salted watermelon seeds) which my sister cracked with her teeth till her lips turned white.

Now our kids are so lucky. I consider it a sign of progress when a society considers the well-being of its children.
At the Fort alone, we have the Mind Museum, Active Fun, Bonifacio High Street, and Kizville at SM Aura. Dreamplay by Dreamworks recently opened at City of Dreams.
And now the latest one is KidZania Manila—with 8,000 square meters of fun and activities.

From the looks of it, it’s going to be packed when it opens to the public on August 7, 2015.
As a mom of three boys, I feel lucky to have been invited to the press preview, since adults won’t be allowed inside the activity areas.
First, you line up for tickets.

Entrance fee is Php 750 per child (ages 4 to 14) and Php 420 each for adults and toddlers.
Upon entry, each child will be given special KidZania currency worth 50 kidzos to get them started.

Gentle warning: Be prepared to be greeted in KidZania dialect. For example, all the staff will say “kai” to you instead of “hi”—with matching Star Trek-like hand gesture. They will also “zenk you” when you buy at the gift shop.
Personally I wanted to kill all of them, but after one hour I kind of got used to it.

The gift shop where they “zenked” me for purchasing a slap strap.

KidZania is an indoor metropolis that allows kids to take “jobs” and earn kidzos, which they can spend inside or deposit and withdraw from the BPI bank.

Tip: If you want a higher salary, best to take a course first at CEU

Each job or activity takes about 20 minutes. They can choose from many jobs within a span of five hours—that’s the maximum time any child can stay inside the venue.
They can work at LBC

Philippine Daily Inquirer

The gas station

Learn driving

Be a construction worker

Play in a band

Be a Star Magic actor

Learn about fire safety

Work at a radio station

Mercury Drug

or a beauty salon

They can climb a building

Read and listen to stories at National Bookstore

Take care of babies at St. Luke’s

Or be a surgeon

The can assemble burgers at McDonald’s

Be a pilot at Cebu Pacific

Or a flight attendant

Or they could be me—the terrified passenger

On the second level there are activities for smaller children (three years and below) who just want to play

It’s perfectly safe to leave them there since there are hundreds of trained staff to take care of kids.
If you’re concerned about your child’s safety, all visitors are required to wear an RFID (radio frequency identification) security bracelet. Each child will be matched with a corresponding adult who will also wear an RFID security bracelet. No child is allowed to leave the facility without being accompanied or fetched by the registered adult. Other security measures include CCTV monitoring cameras and a paging system.
Parents, guardians and nannies are only allowed in certain areas but most establishments have glass windows so you could still see the children and what they are doing.

Are you hungry now? Aside from McDonald’s, there’s a Via Mare inside. Glenda Barretto said she will teach cooking classes.

There’s a Purefoods stand

and Goldilocks

Can’t wait to take my kids!
KidZania (pronounced kid-zahn-ya) is built to scale with paved streets, a transport system and a functioning economy.
“We have our own economy, our own currency,” said KidZania chief executive Xavier López, who founded the company in 1997. Now there are 20 locations in 17 countries, including Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Portugal, United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

KidZania is franchised in the Philippines by Play Innovations Inc., a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corp. It will open to the public on August 7, 2015 with operating hours from 9 AM to 4 PM Mondays through Thursdays. There will be two shifts (9 AM to 2 PM and 3 PM to 8 PM) on weekends and holidays.

Online ticketing goes live beginning August 3, 2015.
To know more, go to http://manila.kidzania.com/en-ph/.

There seems to be a misconception that boys can be left raise themselves. I personally feel bad whenever I see a young boy that needs a haircut or needs to be taught how to shave, cut nails, clean ears, what to wear, or go to the dentist.
Boys need a lot of help. They need to be taught how to use the toilet as well as respect women, elders, household help.

I am very conscious of my boys’ needs. I remembered a mom I met a couple of years ago through Vicki Belo, whose teenage son had the clearest skin. She told me Belo took care of him, so I made a mental note.
When my son Ben turned 13 last year, his skin became problematic, so I took him to the Belo clinic in Greenhills.
During the first appointment he was very scared, but the staff and Dr. Guada were so nice, he quickly became comfortable with the environment. Now he looks forward to his treatment every three weeks.

Ben’s skin has improved tremendously after three sessions. He’s nowhere near perfect skin, but at least he doesn’t look like a leper anymore—just kidding! No offence to lepers
But going to Belo every three weeks can be stressful for me because I don’t want to be late. Once we were late and missed an appointment. You can never tell with this traffic…
So today after Ben’s treatment, I forgot to set our next appointment.
Luckily, Belo just recently launched a new app that will allow you to make an appointment through your Apple or Android phone.

I just downloaded it an found it easy to use! Just waiting to receive a confirmation.
Aside from making an appointment, you can check out which Belo treatment suits you, and get updated on the latest promos. You can also find the Belo clinic nearest you.
If you’re a member of Belo Privilege Club, you can log in and get access to special features like selecting your doctor and keeping track of points.

Getting Belofied just got easier. To know more about the app, click HERE.

Seven days is too short for Japan—especially if you’re traveling with kids. Next time, we will go for ten days.
Being the mom of three boys, there are sacrifices to be made. Nobody wants to go to Puroland but me.
Shopping is next to impossible, so that must be carefully planned around what they want (read: Nike).
Here’s a quick guide to what we did within one week in Tokyo:

1) Kiddyland in Harajuku is a must stop. Kiddyland is five levels of cute stuff. I’ll take Kiddyland to any other toy store in the world. Kiddyland and Hakuhinkan are my favorite toy stores.

2) Whatever you do, do NOT be fooled into going to the Ninja restaurant in Akasaka. I regret having been tricked by a blog to go there. It is a horrible tourist trap. I thought it would be fun to take the kids to a realistic Ninja restaurant but it was really dumb, I can’t even put it into words.

This three-piece toro sushi was the only good thing we ordered

Not the kind of salmon Ben expected, so Jeroen ate it.

Worst yaya meal: Ate Mariza and Markus ordered curry. This is what they got: inedible black balls

Inside:

Jeroen had a bite and then nobody touched it anymore.
The food was so bad we were ended up “fighting” over expensive steak, but it was not enough.

Our bill for 6 people: about Php 14,000

We were still starving after dinner so we ended up buying food at this place.

3) Here’s our favorite restaurant in Tokyo: Barbacoa which specializes in Brazilian all-you-can-eat churrasco.
Jeroen and I have been eating here since 2000. We have tried to bring it to Manila, but the Japanese simply aren’t interested.

This is our family’s happy place

with the unli Japanese rice

and all kinds of barbecued meat brought to your table

P.S. Their rolls are to die for

4) Chris and I really love the milk ice cream at Meal Muji. I am still dreaming about it. There is nothing like it in Manila. This is a must have.

Ate Mariza has one too

Wish we had Meal Muji in Manila

5) Sega Joypolis in Odaiba is a boy’s world. Since Jeroen and I don’t know how to take the train, we took two cabs and it was expensive to travel to and from Shinjuku.
It’s a three-level high-tech indoor playground that is perfect for a rainy day. We spent a few hours there and the boys loved it.

The boys enjoyed the virtual rides, but even Jeroen felt sick after two rides and had to slow down.

I saw myself as a fish in a virtual aquarium and felt very sad

The boys went wild with the shooting games

Jeroen and Markus won plush toys

Finally, Ben and Markus had their caricatures drawn by a Japanese artist

He’s so talented

(To be continued)

6) Where did the time go? In 2012, Ben already had a taste for clothes.

Then last April I took him to Comme des Garçons, Aoyama, for the first time.
He loved it. He loved the Evian bottles and the whole experience, which he told Markus about. He bought two shirts a pair of shoes. At 13 years old, he stands almost 5’8″.
Ben and I took a walk in Omotesando before taking a cab back to Shinjuku.

7) We met up with the rest of the gang to go to the Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. As fans of Hayao Miyazaki films, we were all excited to go.
I may have expected too much as I thought we would visit a place as magical as the movies Studio Ghibli has produced, such as Spirited Away, Totoro, and Grave of the Fireflies.

My friend Sayoko bought our tickets in advance. To get there, we took the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku station to Mitaka.

From Mitaka station we took a shuttle bus to the Ghibli Museum. How to get there.
This is the entrance to the museum

Covered in ivy

No photos allowed inside, but I managed to steal a few.

Basically it’s a big house with rooms of memorabilia that shows the fine art of animation, back when everything was drawn by hand.
There are three floors. The top floor has a play place for small children and a souvenir shop—but honestly there are better Studio Ghibli merchandise at toy stores like Kiddyland or Hakuhinkan.
After going through all the rooms and floors, we watched short animated film before heading back.

Basically the trip going there was longer than the actual time we spent at the place.
The highlight of that trip was when Markus bought me my favorite milk ice cream.

We walked the rest of the way back to Mitaka Station. It was seriously tiring. Unless you have long Dutch legs and love long walks, please take the shuttle bus back to Mitaka Station.
Thank God the weather was good. I love looking at Japanese houses and pointing them out to the boys

and those trees

(To be continued)

Good morning!! I just woke up to these pics on my phone (thanks to Cedric!).
First I was wondering, who is this woman on the cover of Vanity Fair?
It took a while for my brain to wake up. Then I remembered Bruce Jenner’s interview with Diane Sawyer when he refused to reveal his new name.
Caitlyn it is. He is a sweet little girl inside pala. I mean she.

Read the story and download Vanity Fair HERE.

965 entries later, here are the winners of my latest giveaway for moms and babies.
Eight winners were selected via random.org.

Dannette Fernando of Quezon City gets the Cuddlebug bed from Youji & Me

Jennifer Wong of Cavite gets the yellow Capella stroller, while Khrishia Anne Sedenio of Quezon City will get the blue Capella stroller—both from Youji & Me

The following will receive the diaper bags filled with Mustela products and vitamins from Vizcarra Pharmaceutical:
Charlyn May Wuthrich of Iloilo
Sunshine Fariñas of Taguig
Roanne Certeza of Cainta
Angel Harris of Taguig
Krystle Tiu of Tondo

Winners will be emailed on how to receive their prizes.
Thank you sponsors and to everyone who joined! Watch for my next giveaway soon.

Each year, Assumption girls celebrating the 25th year anniversary of their batch graduation get together in a grand reunion called velada (Spanish for evening party).
Aside from the performing at the main event, it’s a tradition for alumni to raise funds for Assumption mission schools, such as St. Martin’s School in Baguio City; San Juan Nepumoceno School in Malibay, Pasay City; Assumpta Technical School in San Simon, Pampanga; Socio-Educational Center in Barrio Obrero, Iloilo City, Assumption Grade School in Passi, Iloilo; Sta. Rita Academy in Sibalom, Antique; St. Vincent Academy in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte; and Xavier de Kibangay High School in Lantapan, Bukidnon.

This year, Assumption High School Class of 1990 is selling the Like An AC Girl tote bag at Php 1,500 each.
Made of natural heavy weight canvas, the stylish tote also features a distinct red AC plaid luggage tag.
Size: 17.5”W x 15”H x 4.5”D.

To order, contact Maja Gamboa at +63 917 530 0866.
The tote and other AC items are orderable or sometimes available at Pops Candy Store, G/F Milky Way Building, 900 Arnaiz Road, Makati City. Shipping available upon request.
Email: majaqgamboa@yahoo.com