One particularly rainy day, a coworker was craving for barbecue for lunch. Well, for me, barbecue as the main highlight of the lunch meal would be too basic (Yes, sometimes, I’m a diva like that!)
After much debate, our group decided to have lunch at the nearby JT’s Manukan Grille to get the best of both worlds. She can have the pork barbecue she has been craving for while I get to experience authentic Bacolod chicken inasal.
The restaurant was started by award-winning character actor Joel Torre (hence the name “JT”) and his wife, Cristy. From its humble beginnings as a takeout counter, the brand has grown to eighteen outlets all over the metro.
The restaurant operates on four principles: masarap (delicious), mura (affordable), malinis (clean) and masaya (happy). All of these principles came into play during our meal.
Located at the corner of Sgt. Esguerra Avenue and Scout Borromeo Street, the restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating areas. It is marked by decor that denote its Negrense origins such as the Masskara masks painted on the walls and its association with the actor such as movie posters and that fun wall mural that offers a fresh take on The Last Supper that adorn many Filipino dining rooms.
Chicken inasal is made of chicken pieces marinated in a mixture of calamansi, pepper, coconut vinegar and annatto then grilled over hot coals while being basted with the marinade.
Our orders included Paa (chicken leg and thigh – Php120),Pecho (chicken breast and wing – Php135) and Pork Barbecue (Php35 per stick), which we enjoyed together with lots of chicken oil, the soy sauce with calamansi and chili pepper dipping sauce, flavorful garlic rice and bowl of hot broth.
I also got myself an Allmytea Iced Tea (Php50 for single serve | Php70 bottomless) which is a good partner for the inasal.
See? Sometimes, we can have the best of both worlds!
This JT’s Manukan Grille branch is located at Scout Borromeo corner Scout Ybardolosa Street, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 9288085.
It was a sunny Sunday and two intrepid titas – Jen of Sand Under My Feet and myself – are out for brunch.
But do note that we are not braving weekend traffic and the after-mass influx of people in the Rockwell area for just any, run-of-the-mill brunch.
Oh, no… We’re there for a special kind of dining experience that only one of the most trusted names in the metro’s culinary scene can provide.
We made our way to Chef Jessie Rockwell Club for a deluxe brunch.
And as to why two titas decided to spend their late Sunday morning here, well, read on…
One: It’s a beautiful place to have a meal.
Situated inside the posh Rockwell Club in Makati, Chef Jessie’s recently renovated restaurant is infused with a modern colonial design that provides a lush tropical-themed haven for food lovers.
Floor-to-ceiling windows let in a lot of natural light, as well as a view of the goings-on in the nearby pool area. The green-grey walls, highlighted by large potted plants make it seem like the garden outside found its way into the restaurant and suffused the space with freshness and calm.
For us titas that already deal with office stresses during the weekdays, entering this welcoming and relaxing space is a treat.
Two: Every dish is a work of art.
Chef Jessie Sincioco is a legend among foodies. Having won the Great Maya Cookfest in 1983, she was offered a special training course at Hotel Intercontinental Manila which paved the way to her becoming the first-ever Filipina pastry chef in 1990.
Chef Jessie brings her considerable culinary expertise into play in bring dishes that provide a feast for the senses: beautifully presented and masterfully prepared to achieve the best in taste, texture and aroma.
During our Sunday brunch, Jen and I feasted on Chef Jessie’s tasty offerings which include:
Fresh Juices:
Dalandan (Php195) and Banana Shake (Php160).
Starters:
Freshly baked breads served with butter and herb vinaigrette infused olive oil.
Salads:
Salad ala Judy Ann (Php450). Mesclun and micro greens tossed with bits of fruits in season along with slivers of brie and bleu-cheese in a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.
Salad ala Joe Mari Chan (Php450). Slivers of ubud (heart of palm) molded into a circle together with alugbati (local spinach) in a sampaloc (tamarind) vinaigrette.
Soups:
Classic French Onion Soup with Gruyere Cheese (Php395).
Cream of Carrot and Pumpkin with Shrimp and Mango (Php350).
Entremets:
Dalandan Granitas (Php195) to cleanse the palate in preparation for the main course.
Mains:
Certified US Black Angus Beef Tenderloin (Php1,895) served with sauce bourguignonne, buttered vegetables and potato gratin.
Grilled Lemongrass Chicken (Php895) served with garlic rice and atchara.
Desserts:
Chocolate Souffle (Php350) and Mango Jubilee Ala Mode (Php450).
Cafe Latte (Php180).
Truly, this was a feast that any tita would find rewarding after a hectic work week!
Three: You get treated like the queens you are.
From the time we were ushered to our table to the time we left, we were assisted by the friendly staff. Plates were efficiently cleared after every course, our water glasses immediately refilled, and our inquiries on the food items sufficiently addressed.
They even gamely agreed to our multiple requests for pictures!
So whether you’re a tita, a tito or just a foodie looking to treat yourself to an amazing meal, head on to Chef Jessie’s!
Thanks to the Chef Jessie staff for the great food and warm service during our brunch and to Jen for sharing her GC!
Chef Jessie is located at Ground Floor, Rockwell Club, Amorsolo Square, Rockwell Center, Makati, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 8906543 or +63 2 8907630.
Anilao in Batangas is home to all sorts of fun beach activities: swimming, diving, snorkeling and windsurfing, just to name a few.
Aside from their proximity to the clear sparkling sea, those activities have another thing in common: they do work up quite an appetite.
Fortunately, Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort recently launched “Brunchin’ at the Beach,” a brunch buffet experience that takes place every Saturday, from 6am to 12.30pm at its Mingle restaurant.
For only Php699/person, diners can enjoy a sumptuous and well-curated spread of dishes in line with a weekly theme cuisine, all while enjoying the cool and relaxing vibe of the Saltitude’s beach and premises.
Together with my fellow bloggers, I was able to experience Saltitude’s first brunch buffet available to resort guests and walk-in diners.
Inside, diners and guests can relax in the resto’s sprawling and well-appointed dining area furnished with custom-made pieces. And yes, should they be so inclined, they can take advantage of these Instagrammable surroundings to snap a photo or two.
The menu theme for the launch is intercontinental which features samplings from Pinoy, Asian, American and Mediterranean cuisines, all personally chosen by the resort’s co-owner Malou Esparrago, and whipped up in the kitchen using local ingredients by Saltitude’s in-house chef.
These dishes are beautifully presented in a lavish buffet spread with a few touches of coastal chic bric-a-bracs, also conceptualized by Malou.
The tasty items in the sumptuous buffet spread include:
Filipino. Steamed freshly caught fish, pork adobo, clam soup, pancit canton, champorado with crispy dilis, puto and kutsinta.
Mixed Asian. Sushi rolls, steamed potstickers and Chinese fried rice.
Mediterranean. Lasagna, Pasta Aglio Olio, Tomato Basil Bruscheta and Salmon Bruscheta.
American. Bacon, hotdogs, scrambled eggs, pancakes and bread with various cheeses and jams.
Dessert. Buko pandan and leche flan.
My faves among these are pancit canton, lasagna, salmon bruscheta and the leche flan. I found the varied selection of dishes quite appetizing. I would also imagine the kids would love the hotdogs, bacon and pancakes.
I look forward to Brunchin’ at the Beach’s the next themed menu. Which one’s your bet: Spanish, Mexican or Indonesian?
Plus, I’d also love to join one of Saltitude’s Beach Barbecues held Saturday nights during the summer.
So the next time you’re in Anilao, drop by Saltitude for some brunch. Or better yet, book your stay in one of its quirkily themed rooms (read more about them here) for the weekend, and then head straight to brunch on Saturday morning.
Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort is located along Manini Road in Mabini, Batangas. To book your stay or reserve a table at the restaurant, call +63 43 4101857, +63 927 4220428 or +63 939 9088843, or email info@saltitude-anilao.com. For more details, check out its website.
Want to know what activities you can enjoy at Saltitude? Check out my previous post.
When we think of brunch, we think of ladies leisurely eating a meal while exchanging gossip.
However, one Tuesday, while my mom was out doing errands, my daughter #ExhibitA and I decided to take my groovy dad out for brunch at Over Easy.
So, after a short trip from our house in Pasig to this trending resto in Marikina, soundtracked with classic rock ‘n roll from my daughter’s Spotify, we found ourselves at Over Easy’s sprawling premises.
And my dad lost no time taking a pose! (So now we know where I got it from! 🤪)
Actually, the resto’s premises is quite conducive to photo opps (“IG-worthy” is how kids today would call it).
From the colorful wall murals to the artfully displayed tchotchkes, Over Easy exudes an atmosphere of warmth, comfort and welcome while still retaining that “cool” factor. Badly put: you might get dragged here by your tita, but, deep inside, you wouldn’t mind.
Yep, you wouldn’t mind hanging out here one bit especially once you’ve tasted what Over Easy has to offer such as what we enjoyed during our brunch with Daddy-o:
Macaroni and Cheese (Php220). This is actually #ExhibitA’s go-to dish. Over Easy’s version features creamy and hot melted cheese mixed in with macaroni and topped with bacon bits.
Fish and Chips (Php295). Fish fillets coated with beer batter, deep-fried until golden brown and served with parmesan dusted potato chips and tartar sauce.
BBQ Ribs (Php510 for half-rack with 2 side dishes). Fall-off-the-bone tender braised ribs, then grilled to get that rich smokey flavor, then served with Over Easy”s signature barbecue sauce. All I can say about this dish is that the bones were picked clean by the time we’re done.
While my dad sipped on his Coke Zero (Php55), #ExhibitA and I treated ourselves to a European Strawberry Cooler (Php140), a refreshing fizzy drink flavored with sweet strawberries (yeah, it’s a tita drink, hahaha!)
Lava Cake (Php195). Our foodie adventure here wouldn’t be complete without dessert. We got ourselves a molten chocolate cake topped with classic vanilla ice cream and doused with chocolate syrup. What a perfect way to cap our meal!
This brunch may not have been an all-out gossip over drinks sesh among ladies but it allowed my daughter and me to spend some precious time with my dear daddy.
Over Easy is located at G&W Terraza, Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue, San Roque, Marikina City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 7am to 11pm and Fridays to Sundays from 7am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2554686.
Disclosure: Part of our meal was sponsored by Over Easy through gift certificates shared by Harvard of Always Hungry PH.
Nestled into east of Manila is a hidden haven for food and nature lovers. Called Burrow Cafe, it is located in the Antipolo Beehouse, a nature reserve set in a quiet residential subdivision away from the city’s hustle and bustle.
My daughter #ExhibitA and I decided to treat my mom out to Sunday brunch at Burrow Cafe. This mother-daughter-granddaughter outing is something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time but never found the time for until now.
So last Sunday, off we went up Ortigas Avenue Extension towards Antipolo and into Beverly Hills Subdivision where the Beehouse is situated. Upon arriving at the Beehouse gate, we went down 76 steps (good thing I didn’t wear heels!) to a lush green courtyard with another flight of stairs leading to what seemed like an underground bunker.
When we entered the cafe’s premises, however, we were treated to an abundance of light and greenery, thanks to the cafe’s large panel windows which let in a lot of natural light and give diners a relaxing view of the surrounding forest. Artfully laid out wood furniture, potted and hanging plants as well as other bric-a-bracs further accent the cafe’s nature theme while hammocks hanging from the ceiling provide some splashes of color and whimsy to the interiors. Outside, there is a balcony that overlooks a nearby mountain stream.
There, my mom, #ExhibitA and I chatted about life and gossiped about mutual acquaintances (hahaha!) while enjoying our brunch made with ingredients sourced from the Antipolo Market or grown within the cafe’s grounds.
Our meal included:
Beef Short Ribs with Corn and Green Bean Risotto (Php550).
Fish and Chips (Php420).
Key Lime Pie (Php190).
Burrow Home Brew Iced Tea (Php120) and Avocado Fruit Shake (Php180).
Though quite tasty, food items are limited and a bit pricey. Given the cafe’s lovely and restful ambiance and warm, friendly service, however, I’d say dining here is well worth the expense and effort.
After all, nothing but the best for my mom and my baby girl.
Burrow Cafe is located at the Antipolo Beehouse, 113 Beverly Hills Drive, Beverly Hills Subdivision, Dolores, Taytay, open Wednesdays to Thursdays from 8am to 4pm and Fridays to Sundays 7am to 4pm. Although walk-ins are welcome, table reservation is highly recommended through email (burrowcafe@gmail.com) or mobile (+63 917 6229795). For more details, visit the Antipolo Beehouse website.
Notes:
Beverly Hills Subdivision charges Php20 for cara entering the area so keep some change handy.
The resto is not wheelchair-friendly.
You might also want to check out the cafe’s retail area which sells reusable straws, homemade self-care products, zero-waste household ware and paper products.
If the sweltering heat outside is any indication, then we are all caught in the claws of midsummer.
That’s no reason to let your body (and your temper) overheat, however.
Oh, what to do?
Cool your body and your spirit with the refreshing and invigorating drinks from Jack’s Lemonade. Fortunately, there’s a stall nearby at Ayala Malls Feliz which features the store’s newest Rose Blossom flavors which are based on rose tea.
Rose tea is brewed from dried whole rose blossoms or rose petals. This tea variant has Middle Eastern origins but has grown in popularity in many parts of the world. Its known health benefits include its use as a treatment for menstrual discomfort and sleep disorders, improving mood, digestion and respiration, as well as bolstering the immune system.
Add it to the freshly squeezed lemon juice at Jack’s Lemonade and you’ve got yourself a tasty and healthy drink!
I got myself a nice big cup of Creamy Rose Lemonade (Php150), whipped up by adding rose tea and lemon juice to condensed milk and powdered milk in a blender then pouring the mixture into ice with some fruit-flavored poppers. There are bursts of tangy fruitiness and rich sweetness in every refreshing sip!
So cool your jets and take time off for a well-deserved lemonade break by checking out your nearest Jack’s Lemonade branch.
This Jack’s Lemonade stall is located at Food Choices, Fourth Floor, Ayala Malls Feliz, Dela Paz, Pasig City.
Other branches may be found at:
Ground Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Cinema Area, Third Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Level 6, Shangri-La Plaza, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Third Floor, Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Fourth Floor, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Second Floor, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Disclosure: This drink is sponsored by Jack’s Lemonade through gift certificates I received prior to the visit.
Check out my previous posts about Jack’s Lemonade and its sister store Jelly G Milk Tea:
It is a traditional Kapampangan dish made from parts of pig head and chicken liver – the livestock parts that are normally left behind by mainstream diners. Well, at least before this dish became popular.
It is a testament to the Pinoy cook’s ingenuity that meat from seemingly unpalatable animal are made into a savory and scrumptious dish.
Sisig Society – the establishment behind the cheekily controversial sisig lip balm – has made it its mission to proclaim the glories of this dish beyond the token inclusion in a Filipino restaurant’s menu.
To this end, the resto has crafted several ways to enjoy sisig which my officemates and I were able to sample during one of lunchtime forays using the GCs I received from Sisig Society. These sisig meals are served sizzling, together with rice, egg and sinigang soup.
These include:
Classic Pork (Php179 for solo | Php275 for sharing). The sisig that’s dear and familiar, with tender pork cheeks, crunchy bits of chicharon, caramelized onions and flavored with Sisig Society’s secret sauce.
Bacon and Cheese Chicken (Php179 for solo | Php275 for sharing). Chicken bits cooked sisig-style together with bacon pieces, sprinkled with grated cheese and a cheddar cheese sauce. Cheese, for me, is always a good bet; however, I found this dish just a tad too salty for me.
Suman Turon Ala Mode (Php89). The classic rice delicacies wrapped in lumpia wrapper, fried to a crisp golden brown, drizzled with mango puree then topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. This sweet treat is a great counter-balance for the salty-savory sisig variants we tried.
So the next time you have a craving for sisig, why don’t you drop by your nearest Sisig Society branch and get a taste of the dish from the resto that knows and loves it best?
This Sisig Society branch is located at Third Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte. Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 11pm. For inquiries, call +63 908 4693015.
Other outlets are located at:
East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Food Gallery, Third Floor, Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Ayala Malls Marikina, Liwasang Kalayaan, Marikina Heights, Marikina City
Unit 12, The Fort Strip, 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ground Floor, One World Square, Ma
East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Food Gallery, Third Floor, Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City,
Calle Bistro, Ground Floor, Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City
Ground Floor, One World Square, McKinley Hill, Taguig
Third Floor, Circuit Lane, Ayala Malls Circuit, Olympia, Makati
Ground Floor, Dela Rosa Carpark 2, Legaspi Village, Makati
Ground Floor, Fisher Mall, Navotas-Caloocan Junction, Longos, Malabon City
Disclosure: Part of this meal is sponsored by Sisig Society through gift certificates I received prior to the visit. The remaining balance of the bill was paid for.
Seven years after Earth’s mightiest heroes assembled in one epic movie in Avengers, band together again against another global threat in Avengers: Age of Ultron and were then left to face the aftermath of The Decimation at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, many of the team’s character arcs may be considered completed by the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame.
With this, I thought a review of characters’ initial appearances and growth over the course of the franchise quite fitting.
Warning: This post may contain spoilers on previous MCU movies, but no spoilers about Endgame. I promise.
So here’s what the original Avengers have gone through so far:
Clint Barton aka Hawkeye
Played by Jeremy Renner
During his first appearance in Thor, he was a wise-cracking deadshot agent of SHIELD. In his later appearances, we learned that he was the one who decided against eliminating Black Widow and recruited her as a fellow SHIELD agent instead. Their shared adventures and strong bond outside the Avengers include the “Budapest Incident” and Nat’s familiarity with Clint’s wife and children.
Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow
Played by Scarlett Johanson
Nat has certainly come a long way from her first outing as Black Widow in Iron Man 2 as a SHIELD operative under cover as Pepper Potts’ stunningly gorgeous assistant. Her kick-ass fighting ability was apparent from the get-go, but we got glimpses of her dark past such as her training as an assassin in the Red Room, her loyalty to Nick Fury and Steve Rogers as they revealed Hydra’s infiltration of SHIELD, as well as her budding romance with Bruce Banner which was cut short when Hulk decided against returning to the fold after the events of Age of Ultron.
Bruce Banner aka The Hulk
Played by Mark Ruffalo
The Hulk’s origin stories were told in teo movies that came prior to the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, played on-screen by Eric Bana and Edward Norton, respectively. Throughout the movie franchise, Banner’s disdain for his alter-ego is apparent, referring to the Hulk as “the other guy,” and always seeking ways to suppress him. After serving as a gladiator in Sakaar, helping in the Battle of Asgard in Thor: Ragnarok, he was soundly defeated by Thanos at the start of Infinity War, owing to Thanos’ possession of the Power Stone. The Hulk has since then refused to join the fray in succeeding battles, explained by the Russo brothers as stemming from his resentment of Bruce Banner, and how he is disdained despite always being called upon the save the day.
Thor
Played by Chris Hemsworth
The favored son of the Norse god Odin Allfather, Thor has experienced epic losses in the course of the films such as the death of his mother in Thor: The Dark World, the death of his father and the destruction of his home Asgard in Thor: Ragnarok, and the death of his adoptive brother Loki at the start of Infinity War. Throughout the franchise, he has displayed his earnestness and tenacity; despite being left for dead by Thanos, he pursued the forging of a weapon capable of defeating the Mad Titan.
Steve Rogers aka Captain America
Played by Chris Evans
Considered the First Avenger, Steve is the “man out of time.” Woken up from decades of cryostasis into modern times, his struggle is to find his place in today’s world after losing most of the people from his past.
Tony Stark aka Iron Man
Played by Robert Downey, Jr.
The man who started the MCU, Tony Stark dealt with his father’s death and legacy, the consequences of his billion-dollar empire built on weapons manufacturing and his self-assumed responsibility to protect the Earth from all possible threats.
I’ve just gotten home from watching the movie and I can say that it ended well. To avoid spoiling it for those who haven’t watched it yet, I won’t write about how these character arcs played out in Endgame. Instead, I’ll update this post after a week, which will also give me some time to digest the experience.
For over a decade, the Avengers have been a part of my life, taking me along on their adventures and letting me peek into their family. For me, the Avengers saga is not just superhero movies: it is comprised of stories about love, family, friendship, sacrifice and hope.
I’m happy to be alive at a time when a movie based on comic books can have such an impact, not just on pop culture, but on me personally as well.
Relive the adventures of the Avengers by streaming the MCU movies on your mobile device. Join Amazon Prime, to have unlimited access to shows and movies which include:
The Bible is littered with the stories of men: pioneering patriarchs, brave warriors, noble kings, visionary prophets and more. These characters, with their virtues and flaws, have shaped Biblical history and provided anchors for the Christian faith.
But what about the women?
Most women in the Bible play supporting roles in the Bible narratives – as the wife, mother or sister of great men, the source of support or the catalyst for great acts.
The book consists of five novellas which narrates the life and struggles of five women in the Bible.
These are:
Tamar, a woman of hope, who married into Judah’s family and was left a childless widow by two of his sons. She secures her future and place in his family through underhanded but ultimately justifiable means.
Rahab, a woman of faith, who was forced into harlotry and espionage but saw her opportunity to turn her life around when Israelite spies sought refuge in her inn in Jericho.
Ruth, a woman of love, who, though a Moabite woman, bravely accompanied her widowed mother-in-law Naomi back to Israel to forge a new life for themselves.
Bathsheba, a woman who received unlimited grace, who had to contend with the consequences of spending a night in King David’s bed, managed to secure not just her legacy but the future of the kingdom.
Mary, a woman of obedience, who, despite her youth and uncertainty, accepted the enormous task set upon her by God and thus, secured the salvation of mankind.
The stories of these women are familiar, but are told in new perspectives and with fresh insights. Despite acting with or espousing Old World values, their characters and situations are still relatable.
My favorite among the stories is that of Tamar. The biblical story is not that well-known and the two lead characters – Tamar and Judah – are not held in a good light based on the biblical narrative. However, by providing context to their thoughts and action – Tamar’s need to belong and Judah’s guilt over his betrayal of his brother Joseph – the characters are made sympathetic, redeemable and worth rooting for.
Francine Rivers, the author of Lineage of Grace, is a renowned author of Christian Fiction. Her other works include:
Redeeming Love. A retelling of the love story between the prostitute Gomer and the prophet Hosea set amidst the California Gold Rush.
Sons of Encouragement. The stories of the lesser-known men behind the celebrated heroes of the Bible who served as guides and support, and quietly helped to shape the faith.
The Mark of the Lion. A trilogy set in ancient Rome that explores the travails of Hadassah, a young Christian slave girl, and Marcus, the Roman aristocrat who falls in love with her.
For more details or to buy any of these books on Amazon.com, simply click on the titles.
Check out my other blog posts on my favorite books:
Now that the holiday rush is over, I felt that the family deserves a treat. That’s why we hied off to Novotel Manila Araneta Center for our first family staycation.
This hotel is the first Novotel in the country. Situated in the hectic commercial district of Cubao, it provides a haven where the metro’s denizens and visitors alike can enjoy great food and outstanding accommodations.
There is a quite a number of hotels in the city but let me give you five reasons why Novotel is your family’s staycation destination.
One: Luxurious comfort in simple yet elegant surroundings
Upon entering Novotel’s well-appointed lobby, we were enveloped by a sense of welcome: from the clean lines and soft lighting of the interiors, soft music playing in the background, the hassle-free check-in process and the friendly assistance from the hotel staff – especially towards my inquisitive little boy – we were impressed by the feeling of warm hospitality and comfort.
We opted for a Superior Twin Bed Room, perfect for our family of four. It is tastefully designed to have a modern yet homey feel with earth colors accented by cool blues and greens. The beds have nice firm matresses covered in cool and smooth white linen sheets that made me want to snuggle in under the covers with my kiddies while watching movies on the big-screen TV. The couch by the window is also the perfect place to catch up on my reading.
A spacious closet is on hand to store clothes and other personal belongings with a mini-fridge built-in with complimentary bottles of drinking water for the guests’ convenience.
If you forgot to bring your personal items, don’t fret because Novotel supplies guests with eco-friendly toiletries in keeping with the hotel’s advocacy for global sustainable development.
Two: A wide variety of exercise and recreation options
As he is already a pre-teen, my little boy eschewed the the hotel’s Kids Club and headed straight for the pool. There, he was able to splash around to his heart’s content. (And I was able to teach him how to float!)
Hubby, on the other hand, preferred to continue his workouts at In Balance, the hotel gym the next day. Equipped with various exercise equipment, the gym is an excellent option to burn off those calories.
I joined him for a while and worked on achieving my 10k steps on the treadmill.
Afterwards, we each retreated to the male and female locker rooms to get a relaxing steam bath before rejoining the kiddos in the hotel room.
Three: A myriad of food choices within the hotel
When we hied ourselves over here, we brought our appetites with us; fortunately, Novotel has a great selection of restaurants to satisfy our cravings.
Take Food Exchange, for example. The site for sumptuous lunches and dinners became our first stop for breakfast after a restful night.
It featured a wide sampling of breakfast and dessert dishes from various cuisines. I absolutely adored the kind of cheesebread served; I’ve only tasted this kind of fluffy, sweet and salty pastries when I went on a Pampanga Food Crawl with my fellow bloggers last year. It’s perfectly matched with a cup of rich hot choco.
My little boy was over the moon for getting his favorite food – pizzas! – for breakfast. The fact that he ate them immediately after downing a bowl of milk and cereal still astounds me.
Indulge, the hotel’s ice cream bar, was my kiddos’ request from Day 1. And why not? We made sure to treat ouselves to some decadent gelatos and premium ice creams before we left the hotel.
Alas, a nightcap at Sabor Bar de Vinos with Hubby would have to wait until our next visit. He would surely love its distinguished wine collection, while I would love to sink my teeth into its signature tapas.
Other foodie destinations within the hotel that I’d like to explore include the Gourmet Bar, a 24/7 lounge and and laid-back restaurant serving a gamut of dishes from breakfast treats, power lunches to midnight munchies, and The 6th Pool Bar, a relaxing venue where people can unwind beside the pool while enjoying the bar’s signature drinks and snacks.
Four: Proximity to various points of culture
This part of Quezon City is simply awash with things to see and places to go to.
You can catch concerts and theatrical plays at the Kia Performing Arts Theater, while a short distance away is the Art in Island Museum where visitors can take their pictures against wondrous 3D backdrops.
Within the immediate vicinity is Sining Kamalig, a contemporary Filipino art gallery within Ali Mall, which has become the home of works by the country’s finest artists.
A little further off are university-based galleries Arete in Ateneo de Manila University and and Vargas Museum in the University of the Philippines. Both have extensive collections of native and contemporary art.
Five: It’s loyalty program will make you feel welcome each time you stay.
By signing up as a member of Le Club AccorHotels, you will earn rewards points and status points for every stay at any of the 3,600 hotels in 100 countries where the AccorHotels group operates. Rewards and experiences that await you include premium packages reserved exclusively for members, frequent flyer points with major airlines and other partners, unforgettable experiences such as attendance to sports and cultural events in A VIP box.
As a new member, I was able enjoy online check-in and fast checkout, making the whole experience of our family staycation completely hassle-free.
My family and I had a great time with our staycation in Novotel, and we would definitely be back to enjoy more of its offerings.
Novotel Manila Araneta Center is located along General Aguinaldo Avenue, Araneta Center, Quezon City. For inquiries, call +63 2 9907888. For more details, visit novotelmanilaaranetacenter.com. You may also book your stay via Klook!
Room rates for 1-2 persons are:
Superior Room: Php6,641 (room only) | Php7,274 (bed and breakfast)
Deluxe Room: Php7,274 (room only) | Php7,906 (bed and breakfast)
Executive Room: Php9,804 (bed and breakfast)
Executive Suite: Php12,966 (bed and breakfast)
Presidential Suite: Php189,750 (bed and breakfast)
Additional person: Php1,265 (room only) | Php1,898 (bed and breakfast)
Disclosure: My family and I enjoyed a complimentary stay in a Superior Room, thanks to a voucher I received from the hotel.
Jellybeans in the City 
