Speakeasy Spotlight: Finders Keepers, Makati

With the rise of speakeasies in Manila, I've come to love a finely crafted cocktail. I don't know why, but there's something very rewarding about sitting by the bar on a Friday night after a long work week and watching a bartender work his magic on your drink.

Finders Keepers is one of my favorite places for a cocktail and a night of unwinding. The Love Juice is a simple but stellar concoction (gotta love Tanqueray!) and I honestly cannot have just one glass of it. Definitely one of my favorite cocktails in Manila!

There's plenty of other things to love about Finders Keepers - the place is unpretentious, the atmosphere laidback, the music a good mix of indie and mainstream, and you're bound to bump into someone you know.

Right next to it is Black Market which has a bit more of a club vibe, and right outside is Joe's Meatshack which sells some pretty good burgers, perfect to cap off a night of drinking and dancing (and for helping with that hangover).

Finders Keepers
La Fuerza Plaza, Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati

Start the New Year Right (and Healthy) with Juju Eats!

The start of a new year often means new resolutions, and a lot of holiday weight gained over the last month of the previous year. Nothing quite disproves the saying "past is past" like the holiday weight that spills over your jeans and threatens to tear apart your shirt sleeves after Christmas. Clearly, you did not leave your family's noche buena in the past.

Fortunately, many helpful souls (and enterprising individuals) have made it easier for people to start the year right. Detoxing is all the rage in Manila now, because it's a quick way to kick start a healthy new year and to lose a bit of weight.

Located along Pasong Tamo extension in Makati is a dieter's heaven - Juju Eats. They serve fresh, healthy food and juices that taste pretty good, making it a lot easier (and enjoyable) to eat healthy. 

Spending Saturday Night in Makati, Philippines: El Chupacabra, Tonkatsuya, The Exit, The Curator, Blind Pig

I live in Ortigas and work in The Fort, so coming to Makati isn't a very common occurence. I hadn't spent a Saturday night in Makati in ages, but a few weekends back and just this weekend, my friends and I decided to change things up a bit and check out a few places that you couldn't find anywhere else but in Makati. From street tacos to bespoke cocktails to some awesome katsu, check out these only-in-Makati joints!

4 Korean-Inspired Cafes in Manila and Ortigas, Philippines

My idea of the perfect lazy day is to spend it in a cute cafe. The coffee and the food don't have to be particularly spectacular - for a lazy day at a cafe, I find the ambiance to be of utmost importance instead: somewhere relaxing, with pretty interiors and good music (a cute barista wouldn't hurt either).

In spite of our hectic Seoul-all-you-can itinerary the last time we went to South Korea, we managed to find time to visit Jukjeon Cafe Street and Hongdae and explore a few quaint cafes, which I loved. I love Korean cafes. They're like Kpop idols - cute, sometimes quirky, and usually pretty. If it weren't impractical I would be happy to fly to Seoul for a long weekend and do nothing else but go cafe-hopping.

Seems I'm not the only one who's grown fond of Korean cafes, because currently there are four cafes in Manila that all have the cool Korean cafe vibe. Two are conveniently near my place which is perfect, and the other two are a bit of a drive but definitely worth it! Check them out under the cut, and maybe with some background music care of f(x) and EXO's D.O.? Enjoy!

Current favorite Kpop song. Squishy Do Kyungsoo FTW!

Finding The Exit, the New "Secret" Speakeasy in Makati, Philippines

This week at the office, a co-worker tipped us off about The Exit, a month-old, speakeasy-style joint right in the heart of Makati. In existence within its winding veins and traffic-clogged arteries. Somewhere in there.

Part of the fun is finding it on your own, as I did one night when I realized I had time to kill after work. I love my new job.

So let's not talk about where The Exit is exactly. But across Greenbelt 1, around the area of the Rolex Building would be a good place to start, if you're keen on finding it. The pictures below might help too.

If you ever find it, sit by the bar. The staff are friendly, will introduce themselves and will ask for your name. Order the De Rigeur - bourbon, grapefruit, honey. Or better yet, get a classic Black Label with a dash of sparkling water or soda (now you know where my loyalties lie).

You know what? It's bound to turn up in Foursquare one of these days. But wouldn't you want to find it for yourself before everyone else does?


P.S. Is my title for this redundant? Aren't all speakeasies secret by default?

Life in Flip Flops: Girly, Pretty Things at Heima and Vanilla Cupcake Bakery

When I'm not traveling I long for other sources of inspiration, and in the past few days, rather serendipitously, I chanced upon two places in the city that have given me just that. I love very feminine lifestyle and design blogs like A Field Journal and A Beautiful Mess (thanks for the tip on the latter Eds!), and these places are like those blogs coming to life! I'll write more about them soon, but for now I'm spamming you with photos. Enjoy!

Good Vibes, Good Friends, and Great Music at Wanderland 2013

It's magical, that moment when you're watching your favorite band perform and they start to play your favorite song. In a split second, right after that first note, everyone in the crowd seems to be thinking the same thing, which is in fact nothing, because you all just want to get lost in the music.

Add to that a lot of great friends and good vibes on a summery Saturday night in Manila and you have the first ever Wanderland Music Fest. Because really, when was the last time you laid out a mat on a field of grass?

Gustare Kitchen: Our Secret In The City

I love coming to Gustare Kitchen for lunch, especially if it's been a particularly stressful day / week at work and I need some comfort food. Hidden behind The Goose Station in the relative outskirts of Bonifacio Global City, There are no signs outside W Tower (the building where it is located) to let people know it exists. Which is why I like to think of Gustare Kitchen as our little secret in the city. 

To Travel Like It's The End Of The World: YOLO 2012!

I once said that my 2011 felt like one long, extended beach trip, but that I hoped 2012 would be a little bit crazier, more adventurous. After all, the world was supposedly going to end in 2012. Now that we've survived December 21, 2012 (and celebrated it with an End of the World Party and Mayan-inspired accessories), it seems mankind has been given a new lease on life. But the fact still remains - You Only Live Once. And 2012 was the year of the YOLO state of mind - all the surf trips, the road trips, the concerts and parties, even the staycations and my chillax Laos trip, and of course, our epic Seoul adventure were all witness to that. We only have one life to live, and I want to spend mine on the move, exploring strange places, meeting strange people, eating the strangest food, then coming home, only to do it all over again. So here are my favorite photos of 2012 - have a happy new year everyone! And as always, to my epic travel buddies of the year - the Samsung YOLOs, Carms, Eds, Jen and the Korea Girl Group members, what a year it's been! Here's to more legendary trips in 2013! 

Christmas in Manila, Philippines

I was inspired by the photos the couple behind Everywhere We Shoot! took for their project with the Samsung Galaxy Camera, so I decided to take a walk around my neighborhood in Ortigas Center one night to take a few photos, and do the same thing before I went shopping at Power Plant one Sunday morning.

The Christmas season is a splendid time to visit the Philippines - the weather isn't too hot (though the past few days have been scorching while the nights aren't as bad, thankfully) and you are reminded of the holidays everywhere you go. It's impossible not to get into the Christmas spirit in the Philippines.

Travel Tip: Fly to the Philippines at affordable prices! Find the cheapest airfare flights online with sites like FlightHub.

If spending Christmas by the beach is more your thing - well, with our 7,000+ islands, we have that in the Philippines too! I haven't got any pictures of "Christmas in the Sand" though (my parents require me to be home during the holidays and the only traveling I do around Christmas is from Manila to my hometown in Batangas), but here's a song to get you in a sun, surf, sand, and Santa mood. Merry Christmas everyone!

(Also, more pictures under the cut!)

Colbie Caillat - Christmas in the Sand

Snapshots: Squeeze the Day, Jamba Juice

 It's Finally Friday, make it count!

Snapshots: Skew U! Kapitolyo, Philippines

Angus Beef Tapa meal for PhP 98 at Skew U! Check them out in Kapitolyo. 

Snapshots: Tom Yum, DeKa Restaurant

It's been rainy and gloomy in Manila the past few days, so a warm bowl of spicy Tom Yun sounds like a good idea for a late Sunday lunch.

Snapshots: Filipino Grilled Street Food, Banchetto Night Market

 

Had a long day at the office today, so I thought I'd have a good dinner. So I dropped by the Banchetto Night Market near Robinson's Pioneer and bought some of my favorite Pinoy street food. Best way to wind up some long hours at the office.  

Snapshots: Early Morning Makati, Philippines

The lovely view from Rissee's place. This is why I don't mind crashing at her couch even if she so generously offers the guest bedroom every time we have one of our Kinect nights - the view from the living room in the morning is just breathtaking. I'm Manila-bound again! Back to the real world. Le sigh.

Snapshots: Ace Water Spa, Kapitolyo, Philippines

Spent labor day in the company of amazing girlfriends! First thing on our agenda was a visit at the Ace Water Spa in Kapitolyo, which was loads of fun. I'll write more about our holiday in the city another time.

Snapshots: Partas Bus Station, Manila

This was a relatively peaceful scene compared to the one we witnessed last night. Crazy commuting!

Snapshots: How Am I Supposed To Eat This? Charlie's, Kapitolyo

My brother stayed with me for a week over the summer, and I took him around all the popular burger places in the city. His favorite was the one at Charlie's. While he tried out the burger, I ordered this amazingly insane cheese steak sandwich. I didn't eat lunch that day but I still wasn't able to finish it! To think, it also comes in an even bigger size - I ordered "Hungry", but there's also a "Starving" version. Wonder what that would look like!

A Little Bit of Seoul in Manila: Subspace Coffee House, Ortigas Center, Philippines

I live in Ortigas Center, an urban jungle in all its grey and concrete glory: cold, emotionless office buildings, snooty high-rise condos, and a Starbucks in just about every corner. So I was immensely thankful when my Korean drama-loving friends Mabs, Ris, and Ica tipped me off about a one-of-a-kind, cozy and cute coffee shop just a few streets away from where I lived that served good food AND played KPop (a guilty pleasure of mine, and we are all allowed one, so you mustn't judge!).

So now Subspace Coffee House is a favorite hang-out. They had movie nights in February and will have them again in April. They also offer a free upgrade on your drink every Monday (that's today!) so head on over there to try their drinks - my favorite is the Dark Chocolate Mint, but they have some other unique blends too like the Purple Potato Latte and the Peanut Butter Latte.

Pictures, pictures, and more pictures! Plus a KPop video to close this out by KPop royalty Big Bang - Gawker says it's the perfect pop song, so they must be doing something right! (Is Gawker often sarcastic though? I don't know, but whatever - it's a really addicting song, I've had it on repeat on my iPod for weeks.)

Salmon & Egg Turnover + Dark Chocolate Mint

Subspace Coffee House
Unit 103, GF Grand Emerald Tower
F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center
1606 Pasig, Philippines

Facebook Page

http://www.subspacecoffee.tumblr.com

Snapshots: A Late Lunch, Subspace Coffeehouse, Ortigas

Salmon and Egg Turnover + Dark Chocolate Mint = Saturday Afternoon Treat. Plus, they're playing a SHINee playlist here at Subspace, and since they just came back with a new music video, here's some new KPop to match this post. Happy Saturday! :)