Experience Wellness at Le Spa

One Saturday afternoon, I was introduced to a most relaxing and nurturing spa rejuvenating experience at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.  I went to Sofitel's Le Spa for an hour of Sérénité, a Filipino Pride Massage, hoping to be relieved of the stresses of work and of life in general.

Bold branding behind the spa reception counter

Relaxing sweet ginger tea

Upon arrival at Le Spa, I was asked to fill out a guest card with my personal and health details as I waited to be assigned my treatment suite.  I was served sweet ginger tea that immediately relaxed me, while bedroom slippers were given for me to wear and they took care of storing my shoes.

Modern vibrant lounge welcomes guests at Le Spa

I took the opportunity to snap some photos of the Le Spa lounge and of the treatment suite, which was a good sized room with two massage beds, two foot spa lounges, a sink and wardrobe.  The music I chose was of the Nature kind, with the sounds of gushing water and chirping birds.

A touch of France

What came next was a glorious hour of deep full body massage done by able trained hands.  With the rhythmic strokes and the calming music, I felt myself slowly slipping into sleep. 

To cap off the massage was a special facial treatment -- I was told it has anti-aging benefits and was asked to refrain from washing my face for the rest of the day. 

Foot bath stations 

Comfy massage bed

At Le Spa, they are now offering facial treatments with Thémaé -- an exclusive range of treatments based on the properties of tea, long considered as one of nature's most effective elixirs. It has the potent powers of four tea extracts, namely: the regenerating white tea, stimulating black tea, soothing red tea and the anti-oxidant green tea.  Why tea?  Tea actively contributes to slowing the skin's signs of aging by neutralizing the free radicals that break down collagen and elastin.

I say, with this magic Le Spa has cast on me, I felt like a million bucks and ready to face the world once again.

For those who want to try Le Spa, call (632) 551-5555 or email lespa@sofitelmanila.com for inquiries and reservations on Sofitel's beauty and wellness services. Visit www.sofitelmanila.com.

Filipino Fashion Designer on ANTM: British Invasion Episode

Tonight at 8PM on ETC, America’s Next Top Model: British Invasion features the couture collection of Filipino fashion designer Francis Libiran. With just 8 models left in the competition, the episode starts with the girls attending castings for the opportunity to open a fashion show where fashion’s elite will be in the audience. Then at the photo shoot the models strike their best pose while struggling with heavy Hello Kitty couture gowns as designed by Libiran.

I believe this is also the episode where Filipino actress/model Anne Curtis-Smith will be shown wearing the fabulous gowns of Libiran. 

Not the first time for a Filipino designer to be featured on the long-running reality show, Libiran is the first Philippine-based designer to have his creations modeled on the show. Past Filipino designers to be featured include US-based Oliver Tolentino and Dubai-based Michael Cinco, and just last week host Tyra Banks wore a dress by Project Runway Philippines judge Rajo Laurel during the previous episode’s judging.

Airing all-new episodes first in the Philippines, ETC is the number one authority when it comes to America’s Next Top Model. Fans of the show can see the latest episodes of America’s Next Top Model: British Invasion just days after its initial US airing.

AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL: BRITISH INVASION AIRS EVERY MONDAY AT 8PM ON ETC, see on free TV on RPN-9.

Filed under SHOWS

Cafe Laguna: Filipino Cuisine Made w/ Love

Whenever I go on out-of-town trips, I always make it a point to seek out a homegrown restaurant in the area that I can try. It was on my 7th trip to Cebu that I "discovered" this classy but relaxed Cafe Laguna in Ayala Center Cebu. The well-lit restaurant interiors has a garden theme that makes you feel like you are dining al fresco.

Cafe Laguna menu

Light wood and green motif of the interiors

Browsing through the menu, I noticed that they offered traditional Filipino food that were created from the recipes of the Urbina family that Lita Urbina wanted to share to everyone. My friends and I went to Cafe Laguna for merienda and so we ordered light fares to gives us energy for the afternoon's sightseeing activities.

Me looking at the menu

High school friends Gesel and Emy

My favorite noodles dish is Sotanghon Guisado and this is what I ordered, along with a refreshing glass of very Pinoy cooler, Sago at Gulaman. The Sotanghon did not fail my expectations as it is so delicious and had plenty of chicken strips and vegetables for toppings. The noodles are well cooked and seasoned just right that I did not find the need to add patis (fish sauce) to the squeezed calamansi.

Sotanghon Guisado

Sago at Gulaman

Emy ordered Adobo Manok sa Pandesal that was light yet tasty. Not the usual sandwich, it has shredded pork cooked Adobo style (with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, black corn peppers and laurel leaf)..

Adobo Manok sa Pandesal

Gesel tried the mouth watering Manggang Hilaw with Bagoong -- thin strips of green mango, tomatoes and onions, with yummy alamang bagoong (shrimp paste) on the side. Just typing this sentence made me crave for it.

Manggang Hilaw with Bagoong

For dessert, Halo-Halo won hands down. The colorful concoction made of red beans, boiled saba bananas, kamote, sago and gulaman, pinipig, topped with shaved ice, ube (sweetened purple yum) and leche flan, was a pure delight by sight and by taste.

Halo-Halo

Cafe Laguna also serves local food at reasonable prices such as lumpia, a variety of pancit, bibingka, puto bum-bong, palitaw, kare-kare, lechon kawali, and bulalo steak, among others. View the full menu here.

As described in their website, Cafe Laguna, formerly known as Mother's Best, began as a labor of love in 1979 in a rented apartment with just ten tables. Because business went well, they eventually bought the place, renovated and expanded the carinderia to become a "place of dining" in 1991. In just three years, Cafe Laguna opened in Ayala Center Cebu and five years more, opened another one as Laguna Garden Cafe.

Cafe Laguna facade at Ayala Center Cebu

Today, the hard work and culinary genius of Lita Urbina paved the way for Cafe Laguna to achieve its dream of becoming a "showcase of Filipino cuisine." Because Cafe Laguna was a labor of love, their customers loved them back enough to help them grow branches in Cebu, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, Ilo-ilo, and Davao. Cafe Laguna, when are you opening in Manila?

Filed under FLAVORS

Ang Bagong Harana: Filipino Music Heritage

My generation still knows what a "harana" is, not from experience but from watching the Tagalog films of olden days. The classic Filipino movies never fail to include a scene of a young gentleman wooing the love of his life through songs at night, while she watches from the window of her house. How romantic it seems as it mimics the balcony scene of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

And I realize that it is the film industry's way of preserving that bit of Filipino culture so that the next generations would know and hopefully appreciate the way love (or at least like) is communicated back then. However, I can imagine the younger generation watching such scenes might react -- they might squirm uncomfortably or giggle in laughter because at present day, wooing is done in a casual manner, through texting (SMS) or web chatting, most often than not.

Karla Gutierrez, POC's artistic director and performer

"Ang Bagong Harana" director Floy Quintos

Outside of film, the 'harana' or 'kundiman' became a mainstream musical style until the late 1960s. Unfortunately, it had been quietly left behind as newer music genres took over. This is why the Philippine Opera Company is reviving this beautiful Filipino culture.

The Philippine Opera Company produced the critically-acclaimed hit "Harana" back in 2008 to showcase the evolution of Philippine music through songs and movements, even reaching a wider audience when they toured in Amsterdam in 2009 and when the company did a regional tour of Cebu, Roxas, Antique, Bohol, Dumaguete and Palawan in 2010. Earlier this year, they conquered Bacolod, Ormoc, Tacloban and Samar.

For the 2011-2012 season of the Philippine Opera Company, "Ang Bagong Harana" will take on a newer and fresher version with an array of immortal and classic Filipino songs that will be interpreted in "never before seen performances." The show shall integrate the past and the present -- mix old and new songs, re-arranged and re-edited -- with the goal of reaffirming "who we are as Filipinos" and validating "where we have all come from," and will showcase the best of all the Filipino composers from different music genres, namely Nicanor Abelardo, Ryan Cayabyab, Willy Cruz, Francisco Santiago, Antonio Molina, Resti Umali, George Canseco, Ernani Cuenco, Levi Celerio, Jose Estrella, Constancio de Guzman and Felipe de Leon, among others.

Philippine theater's celebrated singers

I won't reveal much in this post yet, just enough information to tickle your brains and hopefully bring you to watch "Ang Bagong Harana," which will have a limited run from September 29 to October 1 at 8 pm, with matinee at 3:30 pm on October 1, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza in Makati City. For ticket sales, please call Philippine Opera Company at 881-7168 or 0917-5272880 or Ticketworld at 891-9999. You may also log on to the POC's website or Like Harana on Facebook.

NOTE:

A re-run is happening on June 6 - 10 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza in Makati City. For ticket sales, please call Philippine Opera Company at 881-7168 or 0917-5272880 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.

Filed under SHOWS