July 30, 2014

Under the Tree Book Café

“May mga taong caring lang talaga. Wag mong bigyan ng meaning lahat ng bagay.” “Doon ka sa taong naa-appreciate ka, wag sa taong pinapaasa ka lang.” “Never assume unless stated.”

As I was reading these handwritten post-it-quotes on the wall of Under the Tree Book Cafe, I can somehow feel the pain and frustration of whoever wrote it. It made me smile. But the emotional torture of wanting something you could never have is just a phase in life people need to overcome. Because sometimes, no matter how many falling stars you wish upon, no matter how much of your heart you rip out and wear on your sleeve, it just won’t happen.


Okay, the drama stops here. Under the Tree Book Café is a cute and cheerful little coffee and book shop in Baguio. It may not be located directly under a tree but it has a decent mural of my favorite children’s book The Giving Tree.


The café is owned by a Korean missionary and caters mostly to Koreans. That’s why most of their books and magazines are in Korean. There are very few English bestsellers, though. I even saw The Kite Runner translated in Korean.








The café mainly offers drinks and desserts.

Calamansi juice

Korean bing-soo

Cream toast

I had fun reading the post-it-notes. Some were funny and artistic, while others were quite emotional.







For students and those looking for a laid-back place, the café would make a good tambayan to study or mag-emo mag-isa. Mag isip na hindi naman talaga masamang umasa. Yung nga lang masasaktan ka.

Under the Tree Book Café
#26 Baden Powell Inn
Gov. Pack Rd., Baguio City

July 29, 2014

The F1 Hotel Manila

Savor the taste of freedom.
Live like someone left the gate open.


It may sound like it was inspired from Formula 1 but F1 Hotel has nothing to do with the highest class of auto racing. As a trivia, FI is an abbreviation for “the first in the Fort”, being the first hotel established in the Fort area. For (the fast and) the curious, F1 Hotel is not just a perfect place to stay in BGC, it is also home of happy experiences.

Lobby area




Deluxe Room


The Spa

Gym


F1 All Day Cafe






Canary Lounge




The lap pool


But life isn’t happy all the time. Some finish lines appear earlier to some. And I just want to share this letter from Post Secret that I wish everybody has the courage to do so “Always tell them you love them. Because you never know when they’ll be gone. Forever.

F1 Hotel Manila
32nd  St., Bonifacio Global City
Taguig City
Tel. No.: 928-9888

July 20, 2014

La Vie Parisienne: French Bakery, Deli, and Wine Library

It doesn’t matter if the glass is half full or half empty.
Clearly, there is room for more wine (and coffee).











Coffee caramel

Goat cheese with honey sandwich

Chocolate heart



Exquisite Cebu-based enoteca, La Vie Parisienne (A Parisian Life) has finally opened their Manila branch. And it’s not only for wine connoisseurs or Hennessy lovers.

La Vie Parisienne
G/F Hotel Rembrandt
cor. Sct. Bayoran and Tomas Morato Ave.
Tomas Morato, Quezon City