Miao Cat Café: Afternoon full of Cats 04102015

I am a huge cat lover. I grew up having a lot cats around and carried out the love for cats up to this day. I was so thrilled when I heard that a cat café opened here in Manila and promised myself to experience this.

We went on a Friday afternoon. It is a must to book a reservation because as far as I know, they do not accept walk-ins. Also, there is a time schedule followed because they have an hour interval every 2 hours for the cats to rest.  So I booked the 2pm to 4pm time slot.

Going there was a bit confusing because the map they had on FB was not correct. We had to call for directions. It was a bit of struggle especially for someone not familiar with the place. As a result, we were 30 minutes late for our 2 hours stay on the café.

So here is map from google maps:

Also, there was no parking space in the café. Though we were told we can park in the closed Fil Oil gas station near the café.

We arrived at the cafe. It is on the second floor of Cake 2 Go. We were welcomed by the manager, Paul in a small reception area to check for our reservation. Once confirmed, he gave like a quick orientation regarding the house rules, to change our shoes to their in house slippers and to sanitize our hands before going in.

When we came in, I already entered a happy place. There are cats everywhere. Some are sleeping, others are ready to play.

Entrance is Php 300.00 which already includes food. We had two options: Heavy meal (Pasta or Chicken with Rice) or Light meal (Muffin, cookies) both come in with a bottomless iced tea. There are other drink selections on their menu but you have to pay extra. We chose Pesto Pasta.

Once we placed our order and made the payment, we just picked a spot and off we go and started to meet and play with the cats. The cats were generally purebred. There were Persian, Munchkin, British shorthair and others that I don’t remember.

Orange with the attitude

Charky the newbie

Joy the dirt magnet

I'm fab, b*tch!

Oreo the munchkin in black and white

More scratch, human!

They also house 2 rescued Puspins

Basically, just spend 2 hours playing and petting the cats following the given instructions to avoid minor accidents like getting scratched by those beautiful cats. One of the guests that was with us in our time got a scratch for some reason and the café had a first aid. They also have toys available you can play with the cats.

10 minutes before the time ends, the manager will ask all the guests to gather up and take a group picture. 

All in all, it is given that I enjoyed very much. It was also a new experience mingling with cats that are purebred. I am just exposed to Puspins as we only adopt stray cats. I hope that this kind of cafe's flourish in the Philippines to make people aware that cats are as important as dogs. They may not be as expressive as dogs but they will surely win human’s heart in their own special and weird ways. 

For reservations: Call or Text 09258777617
You can also check their Facebook page.

Meow Meow!

Divisoria: Hair ties, Arts and Crafts

My officemates and I decided to go to Divisoria to just look around and see what we can buy for the payday weekend. We went there after shift, which is 6 in the morning. We left the office at around 6:10, went to an ATM to withdraw and then took a cab. Luckily, we got a company cab. We asked him to drop us at 168. We were 3, so we split the bill and it cost like P70 per head.  We arrived there at around 7am. We planned to go there early to avoid the dreadful Saturday traffic in Manila area. While waiting for it to open, we had breakfast at Mcdo at the back of Lucky Chinatown.

Most of the stores are starting to open at 8am. Every store is settled by 9am. We started checking out 999 mall. We started our way on the very top floor and worked our way down.  There was a wide variety of cool clothes – from pull-ups – to hipster and festival clothes – to summer clothes.  The pull ups cost P150 each. We were kinda surprised but maybe because it’s already out of season. There were too many to choose from and we didn’t know where to start. We wanted to check out the whole floor before buying anything.

Every time I go to Divisoria, the first buy is always the struggle. It is so hard to make the first purchase but once you finally did it, spending money is a breeze or even faster than the wind. And as expected, that‘s what happened.

Divisoria is known as the mecca of inexpensive goods and with that is a notion that all the products sold there are low-quality and fake. It might be true for the most of the products there but not all. We were able to find a store that sells original products but with lower price than the mall.

Goody brush for P160.00

It does not always mean that when it’s cheaper or not the original, it is low quality. It is more commonly known as imitation or replica but why would you pay for more if it does the job.

Ouchless hair ties (P100 for 3 sets)

After checking out 999, we headed to 168 and it gets more interesting. The prices are cheaper and it had more variety.

Bunny hair ties (P80 for 20pcs)

We also found a store for arts and crafts.

Hanging paper frames -  P60; Scratch note - P50; Mettalic tattoo - P25 each

Loove this cat paper tape - P35.00

Embossed stickers - P100 for 5pcs

We also found a store for charms. It’s a little bit late for the Chinese New Year but no one is late for good luck or feng shui. I took the one with my year sign and this year’s sign. And it’s P100 for both.

                                   

After this, we headed to the top floor of 168 to check out the boutiques there. Some of them have clothes from Bangkok and others are rip-off (if you know how to look). By this time we were already tired as we already lost a lot of energy and almost spent all our money (haha!). We were already planning to go home but we decided to have one last stop, which is Lucky China town. My officemates never had been there so it was a great time to have them check it out. So we went there and we end up going to Daiso. Lubusin na ang pagka-cheapskate. We bought a few things and called it a day.

A day in Divisoria gives me a sense of fulfillment cause aside from braving the heavy human traffic, there is this feeling that I got more than what I paid for. I always get out from Divi with a big plastic bag or sack and it really feels good especially when I get home and starts to unpack all the things I bought and gets the assurance that I got more than my money’s worth.

Royal Oasis Spa: Hidden Haven in North QC

I have been to Royal Oasis a couple of times and every visit never fails me. The massage and the service are consistently excellent.

It is better to call for reservation a day before going to Royal Oasis because I have witnessed a few turn downs to walk-in clients. They only have 8 massage beds and 5 lazy boys. The place is pretty cozy and they prioritize reservations. Also, they send a text reminder for your reservation and they only have 10-min grace period. The slot will be given to other guests if you fail to show up on the reserved time.

Upon entering Royal Oasis, it already gives a sense of escape because of the ambiance inside, given that it is located on the side of a highway. The lights are dim, very clean, it smells really nice and you can hear a relaxing music and flowing water in the background. The receptionist greets you and calls the masseuse who will attend to you while you wait on their cozy sofa.

They call the customer in by twos because they only have 2 sinks for washing the feet. They also use foot scrub for cleaning, which is different from the other spas I have tried. After washing, they put on white slippers to your feet and direct you to your massage bed or lazy boy depending on what massage you are getting.

I have tried their Thai and Swedish massages and both are really good. This time I asked for 1hr Thai massage with 30 minute foot massage. So after washing my feet, they led me to the lazy boy and the ‘ate’ gave me a blanket and placed hot beans around my neck. She started the foot massage and ang sarap, literal! The pressure and the knead was just right. When she was massaging my foot, I can feel tingling sensations from the nerves in my brain and I really like it.

After the foot massage, she guided me to my massage bed. She asked me if we will focus on my back and I just nodded as I am still high from the foot massage. So I went in and changed my clothes to their PJs.  While I was waiting for my ‘ate’ I lay down on my back since I know that Thai massage starts in that position. I was surprised when she asked to turn around and lay on my stomach. She started by placing the hot beans on my spine and she stepped and stayed on my sole. That’s when I realized that it was a different approach.

The last time I had the Thai massage there, it was the same as the ones in Nuat Thai and Tonton’s. So now they have a different sequence (I think that’s what it’s called) for their Thai massage and it is definitely better than the usual. The pressing was better and it had more time massaging the back and eliminating the “lamig”.

The massage in Royal Oasis waas so good in a sense that the “ate” carefully repositioned my body parts during stretching and was not rushing, literally. There was even a time I felt that their 1 hour was so long. Also, their pressing was done slowly and smoothly especially in removing the “lamig” so as not to stress the back so much. It was very effective and downright relaxing.

After the oh so good massage, the “ate” asked me to just rest while she gets a hot towel. She also asked me if I wanted tea or water. I chose water and served it at the reception area. I gave her a tip which is due to her work.

Aside from the good massage, I like how Royal Oasis is just quiet. You can only hear the relaxing music playing in the background and the flowing water from their water fountain. I never heard any conversation from the therapists except when they greet their customers. From all of the massage spas I have been to, I am very impressed with the management on how they are able to create a workplace for their employees where all of them are dedicated with what they do and consistently deliver an excellent service. The relaxation is not limited on the massage itself but it’s the whole experience while inside Royal Oasis.

With this, it had been my go-to spa whenever I am on a budget and cannot afford Wensha. Hehe. (My Wensha Pasay Renovated post). Royal Oasis is located in Commonwealth Extension, QC. They are open every day from 2pm to 1am. North People must try it!

Here is the price list:

Check out their FB.
Phone numbers: 442-3701; 0917-9426176

***Photos used here are from their facebook page. I was not able to take photos as I do not bring phones when I get a massage and the place is dim. ***

Wensha Pasay Renovated.

So we went for a massage at Wensha. We called first to check if Wensha Pasay is already open because last July 2014, it temporarily closed because a part of it burned down. It was already operational since December 4, 2014.

There were few renovations made. The most noticeable is the buffet table. They covered the kiddie pool in the middle of the smoking area and made it the buffet table and the meat bar/kitchen.

Given there was a wider space for the buffet, one would expect that there will be more food variety but no, it was still the usual one ulam each for pork, beef, chicken, seafood and veggie with the usual pancit, siomai, siopao. The shabu- shabu, however had additional veggie selections. 

Anyway, another thing, the old bar was replaced with a wall and they placed a flat screen. 

Also, i think the couches were re-upholstered. And walls have new decors.

The men's massage area is currently under construction as it was the part burned down. Both genders go to the female massage area but they are still separate from each other. It looks like they divided the area to cater both genders exclusively.

Finally, they also changed the robes! (Happy!) They replaced it with something that looks like a scrub suits' top, which is more convenient because I dont have to check each time if my robe is still intact or if I am going frontal already. It's worry-free. 

Wensha has still the best massage for me and they are very consistent with the service. The 'ate' gave me a Swedish/Chiro/Shiatsu massage and it was super sarap. She cracked my neck and spine and the pressure and knead was just right. It felt very light after. 

This visit is memorable to me because I finally got the courage to strip totally naked and dip in the pool. It was my first time and it is truly liberating. Just being confident with my body and just never minding others. It was a milestone! (Haha! Saya lang!)

So all in all, it was a good experience, as always. I felt very relaxed due to the amazing massage. Rates went higher I think, Full body massage now costs Php830.00, which includes 8hrs stay, buffet meals with full access to jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and shower rooms. Sobrang sulit!

Ilog Maria Lip Balm

When we went to Tagaytay, we decided to drop by Ilog Maria. It is known for its organic honey products. I was really planning to buy their lip balm as I have an extreme case of dry lips (or maybe OA lang ako!). But seriously, most of the time my lips are dry, chapped, flaky and pale. I have tried a couple of lip balms like Chapstick, Nivea, Maybelline, Vaseline lip therapy, even Petroleum jelly and they just won't fix it or even just have a lasting effect.

I read somewhere that honey with brown sugar mixed together is a great lip scrub to have a healthy, moisturized lips. I have not tried that but I am a believer of the wonders of honey. So back to Ilog Maria, I bought the lip balm, it costs Php70.00 per jar or stick. Aside from honey, it has beeswax and propolis. All produced by bees.

The ingredients of the lip balm. (Baby Lips for scale)

When I applied the lip balm, it has a minty or menthol-y effect. The feel is not greasy and the look is not glossy at all. After a while it does not feel like you are wearing it but my lips feel and look moisturized. After a few days, I noticed that my lips are not flaky anymore. It gets dry at times but not to the extent of flaky.

The Ilog Maria lip balm doesn't just moisturize but it heals. I have been using it for a few weeks now and my lips are better. It is a very good buy given it's less than a hundred and it is very effective.

Another good thing is that they deliver so you won't have to go to their store in Tagaytay everytime. Just shop online thru their website. The website is pretty cool and very informative. Everything you need to know are there.

Yay to Better Call Saul!

I am completely ecstatic that 'Better Call Saul' is finally airing. I have been waiting for months to watch this series. Obviously, I am one of the many people who was crazy about Breaking Bad and he was my most favorite character. He is the perfect go-to guy anyone could have. He has a solution for every hopeless situation.

It already has four episodes and it airs every Monday US time. So abangers na ng Tuesday! hehe.

I have seen the first 3 episodes and so far I am liking what I am seeing. Familiar faces and places - so nostalgic. So excited for the next episodes...

La Luz Beach Resort & Spa Getaway 02192015

Chinese New Year fell on a Thursday this year and it definitely called for a long weekend. It was a nice time to do a post-Vday celebration as well. 

We went to La Luz Beach Resort and Spa in San Juan, Laiya, Batangas. I have to admit it was a pretty long drive. We left the house (in Sucat) at 8:30am and arrived there at around 11:30am. Thanks to Waze, we were able to get there even though it was our first time in Laiya and given that La Luz did not have any signboards or adboards like other beach resorts in the same area. Also, before entering the long neighborhood of resorts in Laiya, there wass a stop where we had to pay Php20.00 per head as Ecological fee which will be presented to the resort upon checking in.

We booked a room via Agoda.com 2 days before our scheduled date. The annex rooms were the only ones available. It costed like Php3,300 per night tax included so that was what we got. When we arrived there, I am glad that we booked thru Agoda because the transaction was so fast in the reception area. We just filled out like an information form regarding our booking and that was it. We were given an information sheet and we were already endorsed to a staff who accompanied us to our room. The check in time was 2pm but since the room was already available, we were able to get the room way earlier. The people who were also trying to check in that time took a longer time, more talks and a little waiting time before they got their room. That was when I realized we made a good choice booking thru Agoda.

The room was kinda far from the main area, which was kinda expected since it was called annex. Also, it was located at the far end of the resort that we can already see and hear the locals living around the area. The only thing separating them from the resort was a one floor high wall. But it was fine because most likely most of the staff and their families are the ones living there. This may be true or not but regardless, it did not have much effect during our stay.

 The room looked nice. It had a terrace.

The door.

                          

                    Almost everything were made out of Bamboo even the hangers.

The room had AC and Hot and cold shower but did not have TV. Not sure if it was because the annex rooms were new or intentional to make people enjoy the beach instead of bumming in the room. But nonetheless, it was not really important because we did not come to La Luz to watch TV. Also, we noticed that the ceiling of the bathroom was not properly finished. The pipes were visible and were just painted same color as the walls.

Single twin beds

The bathroom. Sink was in the middle. Shower on the right and toilet on the left side.

The place was generally relaxing. It had a lot of trees and plants. There were cabanas and beach chairs available to use. The beach is okay. It was sort of white but it was not sand. It was like broken corals and shells but not painful to walk on barefoot. The water is clear with minimal algae floating and it is biglang lalim.

Cabanas

Trees. trees. Everywhere.

Beach chairs made out of bamboo as well.

Clear water

Blue skies and the beach.

There were a lot of water activities offered in La Luz like Snorkeling, Island hopping, Banana Boat, Jetski and Kayak. We tried the Kayak, which was P200.00 per hour. It was a nice experience. They also have board games for rent for people who just want to chill in the cabanas. All of the payments were made in the office.

Go kayak!

It was a requirement to pay Php1,350 per head for the food which included Lunch (12nn-2:30pm), Mirienda (3pm - 5pm), Dinner (7pm - 8:30pm) and breakfast the next day (7am - 9:30am). Everything was served in buffet. There was nothing special with the food but the replenishment was quick. There were like 5-6 dishes to choose from aside from the appetizers and desserts. I particularly liked the Tuna fish during lunch, Turon during Mirienda, Garlic pasta during dinner and the champorado - dilis combo during breakfast. Sulit na din! Dinner time was something to look forward to because they set up a dining area along the sea shore plus there was bonfire on the side. They also handed out sky lanterns to light up.

Dinner set up.

Bonfire

Sky Lanterning

We also tried the massage offered in the resort. It was P350.00 per hour and the last call time was 8:30PM. The massage was just so-so. I am not sure if it was because of lack of training or they were just tired since we scheduled the last hour. But oh well, we still gave them a generous tip since we fell asleep during the massage and as help na din. 

The next day had a gloomy weather. It rained during dawn and still drizzling during breakfast. Mr. Sun peaked a little bit after breakfast. We explored the resort more. We walked by the shore line and we found a lot of dead fishes and dying jelly fishes. These were cleaned by the staff.

Gloomy beach weather

Waves crashing the rock formation

Overall, it was a nice escape and a quick getaway. The staff were very accommodating and friendly. Always ready to serve with a smile. I also liked the idea that the food was already served in the resort and in buffet style because it made the experience hassle-free. No need to think of where and what to eat.