Promo: Luxury within Reach @Edsa Shangri-La (50% off for Premier or Executive Room)

Enjoy 50% savings for weekend stays in a Premier or Executive room and delight in the captivating view of the sterling cityscape. Take advantage of exquisite comfort, spacious interiors and a host of privileges and benefits.
Take a refreshing dip at the hotel’s lagoon-shaped swimming pool, burn some calories at the Health Club, de-stress at CHI, The Spa or have a leisurely stroll and shop at the nearby shopping malls.
Terms and conditions
1.  Rate is valid for weekend stays from July 26 to September 30, 2013
2.  The 50% savings is extended on a “room only” basis
3.  Rooms are subject to availability, prior reservation is required
4.  Rates are valid for single/ twin occupancy
5.  50% savings is also extended to the third person charge. Discounted rate is at Php 750++ room only
6.  This offer may not be used in conjunction with other discounts or promotions
7.  Offer is valid for local residents only. Proof of residency is required upon check-in
 
For inquiries or reservations, please contact our Customer Sales team through (63 2) 633 8888 or email reservations.esl@shangri-la.com 


*** Rate of the Tower Wing Premier Room is PHP 4, 350.00++ or PHP 5,343.00 net per night.

 

My Shangri-La Golden Circle Card

Comparison: Yoga+ BGC vs Ortigas

I started yoga less than 2 months ago and I am already beginning to notice its benefits. I only attend at most 3x a week (usually MWF at lunch time) due to my limited schedule. Though I did not lose much pound, I noticed that my tummy got a bit smaller and I can now wear again most of the clothes that I no longer wear before. So yesterday, even though I prefer staying at home on weekends,  I decided to try the BGC (Bonifacio Global City, Taguig) Studio of Yoga+ since they are much nearer to my home and it is much more convenient to go there on weekends. Since it was my first time to go there, I can't help but compare their BGC studio against the Strata 100 Bldg. (Ortigas) branch.

Reception Area: I'm not sure if it's just because it's a Sunday when I tried the BGC studio but I felt that the reception area in Ortigas is much warmer and cozier compared to theirs. Or maybe because the receptionists in Ortigas are more approachable and accomodating (but then again, maybe it's a Sunday and as we all know, nobody really wants to work on a weekend especially on a Sunday). I also love that in Ortigas, they have a nice lounge where you can sit on while waiting for your class or where you can hang out to pass the time.

Locker:  In Ortigas, upon checking-in, they would issue a key to your locker where you can safely place your personal things during yoga classes. In BGC, they do have locker rooms but I am not aware that you have to bring your own padlocks (so sorry for my ignorance). Good thing I don't usually bring my wallet whenever I go to gyms/studios. I only bring my spare clothes plus around P200 pocket money so I won't have to worry of my stuff getting stolen.

Towel: While they both offer free towels for you to use during the class, in Ortigas, they issue 2 towels while in BGC, they only provide 1 so if you want to have an extra towel, they would ask for a P100 deposit that you can refund upon returning the towel. I also noticed that some of the towels they issue in BGC are quite old and worn.

Yoga Room: The one in BGC is much bigger so they can accomodate more students as compared to their Ortigas branch. They also have a nicer view.

Dressing/Shower Room: I think BGC has a bigger dressing and shower room since they have more stalls compared to Ortigas but the one in Ortigas looks more spacious maybe because it is more well-lighted.

Schedule of Classes: BGC offers more classes compared to Ortigas (ie, they have lunch break schedules everyday compared to MWF only in Ortigas, also they have 630-8am classes everyday which is more convenient for those who prefer to do yoga before going to work).

reception area @yoga+ bgc (photo courtesy of yogaplus.ph)

locker room @yoga+ bgc (photo courtesy of yogaplus.ph)

this is where i left my stuff (no locks but good thing they have security cameras installed)

Hot Hour at Yoga Plus Ortigas

I attended my first Hot-Hour Yoga class last Wednesday (1230 to 130pm) at Yoga Plus Ortigas Branch. To prepare myself for the 1-hour class, I followed the top 1 advice I got from what I had researched from the web which is to 'Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!'. I think that helped me a lot to get through with the hot hour and made me enjoy the class without minding the heat and the sweat. Surprisingly, I did not feel exhausted during the class though I did sweat a lot. However, I had a hard time following the poses maybe because I (**stupidly) positioned myself in the front row (hahaha!).

Below are some tips I could give for those who want to try Hot Yoga:
1. Eat a healthy breakfast.
    **I usually eat oatmeal during breakfast but since I am attending the 1230pm class, I decided to have rice instead since Im not supposed to have lunch before the class.I had 1/2 cup of rice, 1/2 boneless bangus, 1 boiled egg, and 2 glasses of calamansi juice with honey.

2. Hydrate.
    **Before I left for work in the morning I already drank 2 glasses of water at home. While in the office, I think I had consumed around 3-700ml water before I left for the studio. And I think I had also consumed another bottle of water while waiting for the instructor.

3. Come on an empty stomach.
        **Make sure that you don't eat at least 2-3 hours before the class. Since the one I am attending is at lunch time, I decided to have a fruit shake (mango-banana) at around 11am as my snack so that at least I would not get hungry while doing the yoga.

4. Arrive early.
    **For every yoga class that I attended, I made sure that I arrive early so that I could pick a good spot where I can comfortably see and hear the instructor and where I would not feel too conscious of my fellow yoga students' presence. It also gives me enough time to relax and medidate before the class starts.

5. Take a quick shower before the class.
    **This also helps you to relax before the class and at least you wont have to worry that you're going to smell bad.

6. Bring a towel and water for drinking.
    **You are allowed to have occassional sip during the class especially during pauses to rehydrate.

7. Dress as comfy as possible.
    **For Hot Yoga, they usually wear skimpy clothes since it is expected that you will sweat a lot. As for me, I wore a sports bra, tanktop, and knee-length tights.

Latest Buy: Straight Cut Jeans from Mango (SM Megamall [sale up to 70% off])

It's been a long while since I bought a pair of jeans because most of the jeans today are slim fit (which I'm not really fond of, given that I don't look good on it) and it's seldom nowadays to find a nice straight cut jeans. So I was really ecstatic when I saw the large red SALE sign when I passed by Mango at SM Megamall earlier at lunch today hoping I could grab a nice pair since I love that their jeans are fashionable yet comfy. Almost all of their items are on sale. There are lots of nice blouse and office dresses that are half of its original price. Most of the jeans that are on sale are (as usual) slim fit but there are few pieces of straight cut ones. Luckily I found one that fits my size.

Yoga+ Ortigas

Since one of my resolution for this year is to focus more on my health, aside from being watchful on my diet, I also decided to enroll in a yoga class. I know that this could also help a lot in my asthma and scoliosis problem. Scouting for a studio nearest to my office is not much of a challenge since there are lots of gym/studio existing in Ortigas area. However, one of my concern is the schedule of classes/sessions because I need to factor in my time at work and the time that I need to be home especially that my son's school already started. So that's why I chose Yoga+ Studio (Ortigas) because aside from its proximity to my office (roughly around 8-min walk), they have several classes throughout the day that I can conveniently choose if my schedule permits me.

If you're a beginner (just like me who is totally zero experience in yoga), they offer 1-week unlimited trial class worth P1000 or an unlimited 1-month for P3000. Fee includes unlimited yoga classes (you may check their website for their weekly class schedule), free use of yoga mats, free water (just bring your own bottle), and they also offer free use of towels. They also have a really nice and well-maintained shower area (toiletries included). They also have a branch in BGC, Taguig City and next month they'll be opening another branch in Makati. 

Location: Ortigas Wellness Alliance, 22nd Floor, Strata 100 Building, F. Ortigas Jr. Avenue, Ortigas Center, Philippines

my membership card

studio (photo courtesy of yogaplus.ph website)

changing/shower area (photo courtesy of yogaplus.ph website)

Valentino Resort and Spa, San Jose Batangas

My husband and I went to Valentino Resort and Spa for our wedding anniversary celebration. It is a quick 2hr drive from Manila so it is really accessible. The staff are nice and courteous. They have their own golf cart that the guests can ride on to get to the rooms. We got the 1 bedroom villa which cost less than 5k pesos. They also have cheaper rooms that are also nice and is more accessible to the pool area but it can only accomodate 2 pax. The villas can accomodate more guests but it is much more distant to the pool though it offers more privacy plus you can park your car right in front of the villa which is more convenient if you got lots of stuff to unload. The villa is simple and it has a really nice view of the mountain (I think it's Mount Maculot). The only thing I could complain is that the beds are small (2 single bed which is not ideal if you are on a honeymoon) and the bathroom is really basic (the hot water shower is hard to figure out how to use) plus the drainage is not that good that water tends to stuck when you're taking a shower. Anyway, the pools are nice especially the jacuzzi. They also have cabanas near the pool where you can relax. They also have a restaurant where you can dine. The meals are relatively cheap though the taste is not that exceptional. You may also order the food and have them deliver in your room. The place is very relaxing especially at night where you can only hear the sound of crickets. The staff are always smiling and I appreciate that they value your privacy but at the same time attentive to your needs. We did not have the chance to try their spa because they are already fully booked when we inquired but the ambiance is nice. The breakfast which is included in the package are just the usual filipino breakfast meal.

Bday 2013 @Casa Astillero, Calatagan Batangas

Since we enjoyed our first stay at Casa Astillero, we decided to return and spend my birthday for this year there. The area is no longer that crowded maybe because summer is almost over and most schools had already started their classes. In fact, only us and another set of campers spent the night at the beach. The weather still feels like summer however it went bad during late afternoon and the wind was blowing incessantly in the evening but that did not dampened our enjoyment. Fortunately, the sun is in heat again the following morning so we were still able to enjoy swimming and catching the waves before we got home.

my birthday cake from Sugarhouse