Travel Bites: Hip and historic Quezon City

MOST folks have never thought of Quezon City as a tourism destination. I don’t blame them. It is mostly known as a shopping and dining capital, not to mention the location of most government agencies and educational institutions.

Then, not too long ago, I read a newspaper piece quoting a Quezon City government official announcing that the city was targeting to become the “main tourist destination” in Metro Manila.  So, of course, I couldn’t help but take a closer look at the resources Quezon City has that would entice tourists to come and visit it. And true enough, when viewed from a sightseer’s perspective, Quezon City does have a lot of interesting places and fun-filled activities that would surely delight any out-of-towner.

Quezon City has history, art, health and wellness spaces, as well as areas to commune with nature—or with other people if you wish, in hip, modern gathering places.

Must-see’s

The Quezon Memorial Circle at night. (Photo from Kuranges/
Wikimedia Commons)

Historical landmarks. Melchora Aquino, or Tandang Sora, is known as the “Grand Old Lady of the Revolution.” Her remains are interred at the Tandang Sora National Shrine on Banlat Road (near Tandang Sora and Mindanao avenues) believed to be her actual birthplace.

At the shrine is  a towering brass statue of Aquino caring for a sick Katipunero with two other compatriots, sculpted by artist Abdulmari de Leon Imao Jr. The shrine, open to the public only on weekdays, also features six brass murals depicting the revolutionary’s life.

The 90-year-old heritage house of President 

Quezon, now at the QMC. (Photo from QC Hall site) 

The Quezon City Memorial Circle (along Elliptical Road) is both a national park and shrine dedicated to the memory of Manuel L. Quezon Sr., the president of the Philippine Commonwealth.

Rising at its center is a tall, three-pronged, 66-feet monument that houses a museum containing the late president’s memorabilia, and a mausoleum where his remains and those of his wife, Doña Aurora Quezon, rest.  In the morning, the park is a favorite among bikers and joggers; in the evening, visitors are drawn to the lit-up monument and the surrounding dancing water fountains. (UPDATE: The heritage house of President Quezon along Gilmore St. has been transferred and reconstructed at the QMC. October 2014 marks the 75th founding anniversary of Quezon City.)

Religious significance. The Sanctuario de San Pedro Bautista (69 San Pedro Bautista Street, San Francisco del Monte) was founded in 1599 by Fray Pedro Bautista, superior of all Franciscans in the Philippines, as a retreat house and novitiate in what was then a secluded part of town.

While the original structure itself has undergone many renovations, the church became a sanctuary for Katipuneros and American military forces in the 19th century. There is a cave—still open to the public—which was used by the Franciscans so they could pray in silence.

Constructed only in 1954, the Santo Domingo Church (537 Quezon Avenue) and its liturgical objects have been declared National Cultural Treasures by the National Museum.

Although its centuries-old religious artifacts, like ivory statues of saints and gold crucifixes, are hidden in the church’s vaults, on permanent display is the oldest Marian image in the country—the Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval. Other interesting features of the church are the magnificent stained glass windows created by Filipino artist Galo Ocampo, and eight murals by National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco, depicting the life of Saint Dominic de Guzman.

The magnificent stained glass windows of Sto. Domingo Church by Filipino artist Galo Ocampo. (Photo from tanawin.wordpress.com)

Artistic endeavors. The Ateneo Art Gallery (Rizal Library Special Collections Building, Ateneo de Manila University, Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights) is home to Philippine modern artwork, including a collection donated by the late artist Fernando Zobel de Ayala, now part of the permanent exhibition.

In the gallery’s collection are works of Filipino post-war artists such as Ang Kiukok, Vicente Manansala, Napoleon Abueva, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, etc., as well as fine prints and drawings by Rembrandt, Goya, Delacroix, Toulouse-Lautrec and Picasso. (The gallery is open daily except Sundays.)

The Vargas Museum (Roxas Avenue, University of the Philippines Campus, Diliman) has a permanent exhibit of artwork from the 19th century (Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo) to post-war modernists (Vicente Manansala), as well as works of invited guest artists. Current exhibits are Curiosities by Geraldine Javier (until April 20) and Walang Sinasanto by Emmanuel Garibay (until March 15).

To-do’s

Shop. Other than its myriad of malls, there are other places in Quezon City that will attract offbeat buyers and bargain hunters.

The Sidcor Sunday Market at Eton Centris Mall (Edsa and Quezon Avenue) is a haven for cheap dry goods, fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables, and new foodie finds. Choice items include reasonably priced tapang usa (deer jerky) and tapang baboy damo (wild boar jerky), live suahe (greasy back shrimps), haricot vert (French beans), organic vegetables and plants.

Cubao Expo (or simply Cubao-X) is a community of shops and dining establishments mostly run by local artists. There are quite a few fascinating finds like vintage clothes, quirky comic books, artwork, secondhand books, furniture and antiques, handmade novelty items, as well as bars and restaurants. (Location: the former Marikina Shoe Expo, General Romulo Avenue, Araneta Center.)

The Dapitan Arcade (Dapitan and Kanlaon streets) is a virtual treasure trove of low-priced export-overrun furniture, shoe accessories, ceramic items and Christmas gee-gaws. It’s a great place to spend one’s afternoon and buy up stuff that can enliven any part of one’s home. There are wrought-iron chairs in antique finish for less than P1,500; assorted white ceramic dinnerware starting from P35; Moroccan hurricane lamps cost about P150, to name a few.

Kamuning Road (from Edsa to Tomas Morato Avenue) is also an area where stores selling antiques, secondhand hardwood furniture and vintage lamps are located. Haggling is the order of the day.

Wine and dine. Maginhawa Street in Teacher’s Village and Katipunan Avenue are new magnets for food enthusiasts.

Along Katipunan Avenue, your best bets are Wooden Spoon (329 Katipunan Avenue) owned by Chef Sandy Daza, which serves up reworked native Filipino dishes (try the stuffed pechay with smoked tinapa, crab pancit and adobo flakes); and Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza (341 Katipunan Avenue, above Mercury Drug Store), which serves Italian dishes with a sincere touch. The pizzas use localkesong puti. (Order the Bianca Verde Pizza, Pesto Raviolo and the sinful Crack Pie.)

Ornamental plants, fresh seafood and meats...

Along Maginhawa Street, notables are The Burger Project (12 Maginhawa) for customized burgers, Crazy Katsu (81 Maginhawa) for chicken katsu, and The IScreamist (46-D Magiting Street) for the Dragon’s Breath S’mores.

Breathe and relax. Go to the La Mesa Ecopark (East Fairview) for a picnic, a swim, or a hike. The park with its lush surroundings has been spruced up and cleaned, and is now a quiet area to bond with one’s family, like the pasyalan of old. (Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.) 

...and cooked food, are some of the many productsone can purchase at the Sidcor Sunday Market. (Sidcor photos by the blogger. All rights reserved)

Where to stay: For visitors staying more than a day, the Cocoon Boutique Hotel (61 Scout Tobias and Scout Rallos, Barangay Laging Handa) has all the amenities of a five-star Makati hotel, at more reasonable rates. It is also a 100-percent green hotel, using repurposed furniture and wood from old houses, organic bathroom toiletries, and is committed to recycling. (For reservations:www.thecocoonhotel.com/index.php)

Getting there: Quezon City is accessible via private vehicle, bus and FX shuttles (mega taxis), which normally pass through Edsa, the main artery in Metro Manila that connects most major cities. You can also reach Quezon City via mass transportation using the LRT 1 and 2, and MRT 3.

(For more information on Quezon City tourist stops, click www.quezoncity.gov.ph. This piece was originally published on Feb. 18, 2013 in the BusinessMirror.)

Running out of Valentine’s Day ideas? Don't hit the panic button just yet, men...

AHH, VALENTINE’S Day. That most dreaded time of the year…for men.

Oh yeah, we gals just love Valentine’s Day. Trust me guys.

Even if she says, “Oh I don’t care about Valentine’s Day. It’s just another commercial holiday thought up by merchandisers and retailers to get us to buy stuff and boost their sales after Christmas,” she doesn’t mean it. She expects you to give her a present, today. And if you do, she’ll be secretly thrilled.

So maybe she’ll say something like, “Ohh, you didn’t have to. I told you not to get me any gift.” DO NOT believe her. You WILL get added pogi points in that scorecard she keeps in her head, if you give her a cute or thoughtful present.

Even higher pogi points goes to the man who brings his lady out to dinner, or better yet, cooks her a meal. Why? Because food and romance are tied together like a happy couple. When you are satiated with a meal, your body releases dopamine, exactly the same neurotransmitters released by your brain when you are in love.

"Falling in love causes our body to release a flood of feel-good chemicals that trigger specific physical reactions," said Pat Mumby, PhD, co-director of the Loyola Sexual Wellness Clinic and professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. "This internal elixir of love is responsible for making our cheeks flush, our palms sweat and our hearts race." (http://bit.ly/1cuOjFo)

Chocolates, for instance, also release dopamines in your brain, which is why when you eat it, you just feel good all over. It’s like a happy pill that makes you feel warm, content, and secure. (Royce’ Nama dark chocolates are just the best for me. But if you’re in the mood for more after-romance romancing, studies show that white chocolates release more dopamines in the brain, than ordinary milk or dark chocolates. Try out the Potato Chip Fromage Blanc for a whimsical sexy treat.)

Falling in love, eating chocolates - your brain releases the same kind of feel-good chemicals in your brain called dopamines. For that feeling of euphoria and added romance, get her some Royce' chocolates. (Photo from http://chocolateihaveknown.files.wordpress.com)

An alternative is to prepare a picnic dinner and spend the Valentine evening at Fort Santiago in Intramuros where the world-famous Philippine Madrigal Singers will be performing at 6:30 pm in “Sining sa Muling Pagbabago.” It’s also an art and photo sale to raise funds for the survivors of Supertyphoon Yolanda. The best part is, it’s free admission! (Uncouples, dateless individuals, barkadas, and families are welcome as well!)

If you’re already in that stage where you go on vacations together, bring her to Tagaytay where the cool weather is conducive to lots of hugging and snuggling. (Discovery Country Suites is a favorite of mine. Aside from the awesome individually decorated rooms, the cuisine served at its Verbena restaurant has never failed to excite me.)

Or go for a staycation in the metro – I’m pretty sure there are a number of boutique hotels around your area just dying to host you and your honey.  (My personal getaway in Quezon City is Cocoon Boutique Hotel with its warm wood interiors and green theme. It’s also right in the heart of the food and dining area of Timog/Tomas Morato Ave. So you can check in early, park there, walk to a restaurant for your Valentine meal, then go back to your room for a late-night swim before uhm, bed.)

What about presents?

Treat her to a massage at home. (Photo from
http://www.gpatlas.org.au)

We gals love jewelry.  The sparklier and more expensive, the better.

Of course, if you’re still in the dating stage and not yet quite “a thing” with the girl in the accounting department, a cute bracelet with a set of charms will do the trick. (Check out Silverworks for their affordable silver jewelry or Promod, a clothing store which carries a lot of tasteful and chic bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. I love shopping there especially during sales.)

If you’re already “a couple,” a set of siopao pearl earrings would make a nice statement. It’s still easier on the pocket than jewelry from Tiffany’s – she will have to wait ‘til you’re married for that, or if you win tonight’s Superlotto – but tells her that you’re in this relationship for the long haul. (Go to your friendly Muslim alahera in Greenhills.  Ask your sister or gal pals for a personal recommendation.)

If you’re gifting your wife, please don’t give her a new frying pan, or a new washing machine unless she asks for it. I know husbands are already in the practical mode when they get to a certain point in their marriage, but trust your wives enough that they will tell you when they need those things.

For Valentine’s Day, however, aside from a big bad bling! you can also give her the gift of health. Why not treat her to her very own spa massage at home? She works hard at her job, she takes of the kids, too (as well as you, you big baby!), and thus, deserves to relax. Bundle up the kids and take them to your mother-in-law, and arrange a real therapeutic massage for the wifey. (Call Spa Works at 975-3255, 394-8674, (0917) 596-0011, (0922) 8320111. They bring everything, the massage bed, the spa music, and the therapeutic oils. Very efficient.)

Give her that youthful glow-present her with some
Blooming-G from Bausch.

While you’re at it, give her food and beauty supplements to keep her healthy and radiant. Lately, I’ve been hearing the ladies rave over Blooming-G, which was popularized by actress-singer Sunshine Cruz. I’ve always admired this girl for managing to smile and radiate positive energy even under the most trying of circumstances. And notice how her skin glows?!    

Blooming-G apparently is made of Borage oil, a type of essential fatty acid that contains high amounts of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), also known as omega-6. Basically it helps a woman retain skin moisture and protects skin cells from damage.

Florinda San Antonio, founder of Bauch Laboratories, underlines the effects of Blooming-G, not only on physical wellness, but on a holistic approach: “Blooming-G was developed to help today’s women live happier, more meaningful lives through its health and beauty benefits. When a woman feels good about herself, she gains the confidence to do more and standout. That is our goal; to improve the quality of life through products that are trustworthy”.

So remember that men - the key is to make your woman feel good about herself. And if she’s happy, obviously she will strive to make you happy as well. Ahem.

So ladies, enjoy this day. Say thank you to the men or significant other who make you feel wonderful crazy and in love. Be glad for the present and more time with your beloved.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all! 

(This piece would've been in the BusinessMirror today, Feb. 14, 2014 in my Something Like Life column, but due to a huge volume of ads, was displaced. Anyhoo, thank you for always supporting us, dear advertisers! We love you!)

Nest in your Cocoon

Snuggle in with your special someone (or just escape from the madness of the world) while lying on this luxurious bed with a pocket-spring mattress, wrapped in 400-thread count, 100-percent Egyptian cotton linen. 

The name “Cocoon” is quite apropos for this new 40-room boutique hotel in Quezon City.

Just opened late last year, Cocoon envelops its guests in comforting quiet luxury with its tastefully appointed rooms and public areas, and an attentive and courteous staff.

Concessionaires on the ground and second floors also provide services to address guests’ dining, entertainment, or wellness needs. So guests don’t even have to leave the hotel to rest, relax and entertain themselves—quite literally, their world is complete in this “cocoon”.

What is admirable is how so much thought and care for the environment was put into the design of the building, making it possibly the first “green” hotel in the metropolis. It uses only LED lighting throughout the building, has an active waste-segregation plan, inverter airconditioning to cool the guest rooms, a linen-and-towel reuse program, and eco-certified organic bathroom amenities, to name a few.

Also, large glass windows allow natural lighting into the public areas and guest rooms; rain and ground water is used to flush toilets, irrigate plants and general house cleaning; and much of the building’s construction incorporated reclaimed wood, metal roofing and steel grills of the old on-site structure.

With the hardwood pieces recycled from old houses and lighting fixtures previously used by a five-star hotel, the Steven Leach-designed interiors of Cocoon evokes a kind of lived-in, Old World splendor amid a modern tropical setting.

Lounge around in the warm, inviting lobby in tropical hues. The wall on the right features carabao cart wheels framed in ventanillas from old houses - a repurposing theme carried throughout the hotel. 

The lobby itself, done in swathes of welcoming white and brown, was a great respite from the dusty wind and noise of careening cars in the main avenue’s traffic outside. 

An 1800s-era Steinway grand piano stood on the left of the entrance, and on the right comfortable lounging chairs and couches with tangerine pillows beckoned me to take a load off.

The wall at the lounging area features carabao cart wheels as art pieces quaintly framed using ventanillas from old houses—a repurposing theme carried throughout the hotel’s interiors.

Hanging up above from the lobby’s high ceiling was a dazzling Murano chandelier—what a breathtaking delight! Three more such chandeliers can be found in the hotel’s ballroom on the rooftop deck.

The suite I was booked in was spacious with a regular-sized sofa, a writing desk that was part of a long slab of heavy darkwood which also served as a shelf for one’s things, and a 32-inch LED TV. Adjacent to bedroom is the bathroom with a shower area and a bathtub over which is a glass window with shades that one can lower for privacy.

It was such a joy to sleep on the pocket-spring bed and snuggle with the circle-of-down pillows wrapped in 400-thread-count, 100-percent Egyptian cotton linen. It’s just the kind of bed you’d want to spend lazy days in. So despite the high-speed Internet access in the room, I didn’t switch on my MacBook even once.

On the rooftop is a bar/café overlooking a small pool where simple breakfast fare is served each morning. Eating my beef tapa, sunny-side up egg and sinangag while chatting among friends under the canopied dining area, I could almost forget I was still in the middle of a bustling city. What a relief to be insulated from the bedlam outside!

Snuggle in with your special someone (or just escape from the madness of the world), while lying on this luxurious bed with a pocket-spring mattress, wrapped in 400-thread count, 100-percent Egyptian cotton linen. 

The ballroom, with those sparkling Murano chandeliers, can accommodate about 250 guests—large enough for your daughter’s giggly guests at her 18th birthday party, or an intimate wedding reception. It can also be divided into two function halls, which these days are often used by government agencies for their seminars and team-building efforts.

There’s so much to do in this hotel. I checked out one of its concessionaires—Iris Spa—and had a vigorous Swedish/Shiatsu massage while splayed out on the spa’s heated bed. Its rates are quite reasonable, and the massage therapist assigned to me was quite efficient in her kneading of my tired knotted shoulders and back.

Another interesting space was Paire Cocktails and Pastries, owned by a young chef and her sister, which serves deconstructed desserts inspired by cocktail drinks.

I also had my nails done at Peps Silvestre Salon, which I am told has celebrities from the nearby TV networks among its regular clients. So that’s a great bonus for those into celebrity stalking...uhm, watching.

Other concessionaires include Abuela’s Coffeeshop, The Mulberry Flowers & Gift Shop, Il Duelo Italian Restaurant, My SerendipiTea Milk Tea Shop, Nouvelle Aesthetic Clinic and Triple Star Travel Agency. You really don’t have to leave the hotel to eat or have some refreshments, get a facial, or even book another vacation to some faraway destination.

Because of the hotel’s strategic location, guests in a partying mood can also swing by the nearby Timog Avenue and the Tomas Morato area to immerse themselves in the hubbub of nighttime entertainment and festivities.

Ah, but all good things must come to an end. I wish I could’ve stayed longer, but work and domestic duties called. But I’m comforted by the fact that Cocoon is just 20 minutes away from my home, and if I ever need to escape from people and backbreaking deadlines, I know just where to go.

(This piece was originally published on March 25, 2012, in the Lifestyle section of the BusinessMirror. Photos courtesy the Cocoon Boutique Hotel .)

Take an early morning swim on the roofdeck pool, before having breakfast of simple Filipino fare.