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Tagaytay: A quick breather near the Metro in 2021

Looking for a 1-2 hour travel getaway near the metro? Tagaytay is here to give us a quick breath from our daily urban life. I made a list of the places we went to and is open to travel.

We went to Tagaytay last March 5-7, 2021. We checked all the guidelines posted by the Tagaytay LGU just to make sure if we can just pass through. It was made clear by the ordinances that they don’t require an RT-PCR/Swab Test or Barangay Health Clearance, we only need to follow the establishments requirement in compliance to the IATF Guidelines and that’s it.

Starbucks Tagaytay

Coming from the North going to South, we made sure to go early to appreciate Tagaytay’s cold weather in the morning. Our first stop is at Starbucks along Calamba Rd. to have our breakfast. We had a nice spot by the deck. It is a bit of a struggle since the wind is blowing up our things on the table. Starbucks practices CLAYGO so we tried our best not to litter. Remnants of lost face shields can be seen below the deck. It was funny since we almost lost ours.

Note: you can only stay for a maximum of 2 hours.

Museo Orlina

After having our breakfast we went to Museo Orlina which is just 3 minutes away from Starbucks. Museo Orlina is the showcase of the artistry of Ramon Orlina, pioneer and foremost practitioner of glass sculpture in the country. It’s not your typical museum, because everything is fragile. You have to act on your most timid way. Regardless, the sculptures of Mr. Orlina draws you by its clarity and precision. Museo Orlina has a General Admission of 130php and 100php for Senior citizens/Students. The museum has 2 more levels, a roof deck and a garden. A map will be provided to you after your payment at the cashier. Reservations are available at their website.

Just a reminder, the establishment’s policy doesn’t allow you to take videos inside, but you can take all the pictures you want.

HyggePlus+ Tagaytay Staycation

After the museum tour, we had a quick trip to Ayala Malls Serin to buy foods for our 3 day BnB stay. We stayed in HyggePlus+ Tagaytay Staycation located in Cityland Prime Residences Tagaytay! The place is superb and styled in a Scandinavian Minimalist apartment! The entertainment system and the kitchen area were a gem. They have two 42″ Android TVs located in the living room and bedroom with Netflix and Amazon Prime, they even have a PS4 provided with tons of games and 3 controllers. Cityland also offers the panoramic view of Taal Volcano in Taal Lake and 360-degree view of Tagaytay downtown with a roof-deck view hall that is open from 6:00am -10:00am in the morning then from 4:00pm- 8:00pm at night. We spent the rest of the day in the loft and will have the second part of our tour the next day.

People’s Park in the Sky

First stop on our second day “gala” is, People’s Park in the Sky! You can park your car at the side uphill. By the time we arrived, it was jampacked by cyclist, riders, vendors and other tourists. Upon entering, you have to pay for 30php admission fee. The park offers a jeepney/mpv ride to the top for 20php. We opted to walk since we wanted to enjoy the view and to take pictures. It was a 10 minute walk to the top excluding our photo sessions. LoL. The place is most enjoyed in the morning since you can experience the foggy and the cold weather of Tagaytay. Another 360 degree deck-view hall is available at the top of the park. It was really windy so hold tight on your things. Pasalubong and delicacies are available at the bottom of the deck hall.

Taal Vista Hotel

Second Stop. Taal Vista Hotel. We went there for an ocular viewing available for 100php per pax. Parking is 150php for the first hour. At the garden area of the hotel are the sweeping views of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. A standing binocular telescope is available at the garden, but it doesn’t work anymore. The garden has bench, tables and chairs at the area for visitors to relax.

Ocular Viewing at Taal Vista Hotel

Bulalo Point Turo-Turo Grill

We had our lunch at the famous Bulalo Point Turo-Turo Grill. Their bulalo is served in a large pot with a knife inside. The pot contains a really huge bone marrow and lots of meat. It’s extremely huge and can be shared by at least 4 people. We ordered other meals too just to have a taste of it. We ended up taking out the meals since it was too much for us to finish.

Note: You have to take a picture of the menu before going inside, since table menus won’t be provided by the restaurant because of the pandemic. The Bulalo Point also has a view by the window.

After our meal we headed to our BnB to take some rest, the best thing about our place is the distance from the tourist spots is just 10-15 minutes away. So our itinerary runs very smoothly on all occasions. Minimal traffic can be encountered but only on peak hours.

Sky Ranch Tagaytay

It was 6:00pm when we decided to go to Sky Ranch Tagaytay (napasarap ang pagpapahinga 😅). It was dark outside but it was fine because that’s the perfect time to appreciate colorful lights of Sky Ranch. It was 2 hours away from closing so we maximized our time inside. We rode the Sky Eye, roller coaster and experienced the 4D cinema. All of the rides are still open and you can feel the serenity inside the park since people were a lot less compared to the last time I’ve been here. We headed home and call it a day.

Picnic Grove Tagaytay

On our last day, our first stop is Picnic Grove Tagaytay. Upon entry, a ticket will be handed to you by the staff of PGT. After that, you’ll have to pay inside at the cashier. An admission fee of 50php per head and 35php for parking. If not by vehicle, you would have to pay at the entrance. This receipt will be collected before you leave the premises.

Pine trees??? Yes. It’s everywhere! Even though we arrived at 12 noon, the ray of sun is barely felt. We started from the most left part of the park and walked down till we reach the end where the cottages are located. You can enjoy the green scenic view here by the bridges and leafy pathway of PGT. Do you remember the trend of Taylor Swift’s folklore album? Yes. This would be the perfect place to recreate that B&W cover album. But you’ll have to prepare your knees going back up to the top because it’s a long way from back down. Lol. We stayed for more than an hour just sitting at the cottage. We didn’t notice the time because the place and the climate is so relaxing.

Tagaytay Flower Market

Our last stop before we headed back to North is at the Tagaytay Flower Market. It is located along the highway of Calamba Road, San Jose, Tagaytay. You can buy a lot of varieties of plants and pots in the market. Even the rarest ones here is available. I bought some for my plantita mother to add on her collections.

A rundown list on the place we visited;

  • Starbucks Tagaytay
  • Museo Orlina
  • Picnic Grove Tagaytay
  • Bulalo Point Turo-Turo Grill
  • Taal Vista Hotel
  • People’s Park in the Sky
  • Sky Ranch Tagaytay
  • Tagaytay Flower Market

REVIEW: Apple Smartwatch Series 6 or Series 3? Which is most bang for the buck?

It is common knowledge for Apple Inc. lovers that every year, a new version of their product are launched. Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 6 in September 2020 and was released later here in the Philippines.

Apple Watch Series 6, Series 3 and SE are the only available smartwatches in authorized Apple store in the market. I am only including the Series 6 and 3 in my personal review since these two are the only series I have experienced using.

Here’s a quick video of my unboxing while pairing it with iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Just a quick story. I have actually stormed every store near my residence in Quezon City but the edition that I desire is not available. We went to Newport Mall looking only for a place to eat. I had no plan on buying the watch as I was still waiting on my reservations made from other malls, until I noticed a store while walking and in a blink of an eye, I’m already at the cashier (an impulsive buy, I must say. 😂) I bought the Apple Watch Series 6 Nike Edition 44mm! I decided to unbox it at home so I can document it better.


COMPARISON


Design

  • Series 3: 11.4mm thick, 5ATM waterproof
  • Series 6: 10.7mm thick, 5ATM waterproof, Compass, Electrical heart rate sensor, Blood oxygen sensor

As for its measurement, Series 3 is more bulky and has smaller variants compared to Series 6. If the size doesn’t bother you and don’t see the need for the added features then you can go for Series 3. But since I am physically active (well, I’m trying to be) and wanted to measure more of my movements and my health, Series 6 is a win for me.

Display

  • Series 3: OLED Retina display with Force Touch
  • Series 6: LTPO OLED Always-On Retina display with Force Touch

One of the features launched in Series 5 is the Always-On Retina display and it was carried on in Series 6. Always-On Retina display means that you can look at the time, or whatever is on your home screen, without having to raise your wrist or tap the screen. On the downside, setting AORD on may diminish your battery life significantly. To be honest, I don’t find inconvenience in simply raising your wrist or by tapping the screen and this added feature is not sufficient reason to upgrade. So I’ll give the point to Series 3.

Models

  • Series 3: Aluminium only options, two colours
  • Series 6: Aluminium (five colours), Nike+ models
  • GPS and GPS and Cellular options for Series 6
  • Size options: 38mm/42mm (Series 3), 40mm/44mm (Series 6)

As for Series 3, it only has two color options which are Space Grey and Silver. For Series 6, it has five color options which are Space Grey, Silver, Gold, Blue and (PRODUCT) Red, and for Nike+ is Space Grey and Silver. Obviously, Series 6 will be taking this since it has more variety of colors and sizes.

Hardware

  • Series 3: S3 processor, W2 wireless chip, Bluetooth 4.2, altimeter
  • Series 6: S6 processor, W3 wireless chip, Bluetooth 5.0, U1 chip, electrical heart sensor, blood oxygen sensor, fall detection, compass, always-on altimeter
  • All run WatchOS 7 

Talking about hardware, Series 6 goes on a rampage with its additional features. It has an electrical heart sensor, blood oxygen sensor, compass, always-on altimeter and the fall detection. I must add that the feature “fall detection” is what attracted me the most in getting the Series 6. Basically, if the watch detects a hard fall while you’re wearing your watch, it “taps” you on the wrist, sounds an alarm, and displays an alert. If your watch detects that you have been immobile for about a minute, it will make the call automatically. This will inform my emergency contacts if I have been involved in a vehicular accident or just trying to live my day. 😙 This round goes to Series 6.

Price

  • Series 3: From 11,990php (38mm)/13,990php (42mm)
  • Series 6: From 23,990php (40mm)/25,990php (44mm)

*price as of 2021 based on Beyond the Box/Power Mac

Well, one thing is for sure. The price matters! Series 3 is the cheapest in the market but still has some of the useful features an Apple watch has to offer. Series 6 is quite expensive, it has all the upgraded functions that will help you in your daily activities. All of my personal opinions and comments above are all influenced by knowing the price, after all a 12,000php difference is no joke.

CONCLUSION

It all depends on your budget and way of life. If you’re a person who wants to use Apple Watch for easy access with your phone/apps through messaging and monitoring your basic movements, a Series 3 would be enough. But if you have an active lifestyle and is conscious about your health then you should go with Series 6, maintaining and checking the status of your health only with a watch is such a big plus in the field of technology. Although, Apple Inc. warned the users not to rely too much on it as it only gives you the basic details and it can’t detect diseases or occurring health concerns. In summation, compatibility and comfort to your lifestyle must be added as your deciding factors in choosing your smartwatch.

Please leave a comment below! Let me know your reactions and suggestion about my review!


NEW LASEMA SPA JJIMJILBANG: Philippines’ First authentic Korean spa experience

November 30, 2020 – #8846 Sampaloc st. Cor. Estrella st. San Antonio village Makati, Philippines

My Korean Spa experience. I visited the New Lasema Spa the day after my birthday to celebrate it, have a fun time and relax in a unique way.

We arrived at 10:45 am at the New Lasema Spa. We entered the facility and followed the health protocol procedure. We proceeded to the 2nd floor lobby and was greeted and accommodated by the staff at the counter. We paid 1,488php each for the full package/holiday rate. The staff gave us a locker key and the bracelet band which will serve as our "access card" inside and will be used in all the transactions inside like for food and other services so you don’t have to bring your cash with you. We were also given "Pajamas" to wear along with the "Sheep Head Towel", as you may have seen being worn by actors/actresses’ in Korean dramas. If you did not bring an extra bath towel, Don’t worry! You can pay at the counter for only 100php. Although, as a Sauna Rule, you should walk on your Birthday suit and show your cute cheeky butts. If this is not your type of freedom, you are free to use your small towel and cover your shy area.

We were asked to remove our shoes as you will be walking on all paths barefoot. We went to the locker room and got changed. Men and women walk separate ways to get inside but rest assured, you will meet inside thereafter. Just a note, you cannot use your phone inside the locker room, it is highly prohibited and you can be fined or jailed when caught using your camera.

Dining Area
The food we ordered cost only 700+Php. We were seated in a tatami table, known famously in Japanese culture, but you do have an option to be seated on a higher table near the pond area.

JJIMJILBANG ROOMS

Jjimjilbang rooms has different temperatures. You can choose a room ranging from 54°C up to 90°C or the Ice room which has -14°C.

  • Himalayan Salt and Oak Charcoal
  • Ochre Hot Kiln
  • Oak and Red Clay
  • Ochre, Pine tree
  • Yellow soil with amethyst
  • Ice room. (My Favorite!!!)

Sauna and Pools

The sanctuary of the New Lasema Spa. This would be my favorite area where I felt my body detoxified. My favorite was the Misted Sauna. It has a very fragrant odor inside due to the herbs mixed to the mist. Apparently, only the Jasmine Pool is open to the public as of the moment. It’s the hottest pool available, so I think we would be safe from the virus even if we have limited distance inside. Note! Do take it easy on the pools. At first, I could barely dip my knee since it’s boiling hot! But after a while your body will adapt and will enjoy the heat. 

  • Mist Sauna
  • Ice Water
  • Green Tea
  • Ginseng
  • Hinoki
  • Jasmine
*New Lasema Spa has other facilities like Far infrared Room, Sleeping Cave, Gym Area, Nail Spa, Sleeping Rooms, Massage Room, Karaoke Room, Play room, and Common Area Room.

SNAPSHOTS


Rating: 5 out of 5.

Rating is 5/5 

To sum it all, I really enjoyed staying there and would definitely come back when all of the areas became accessible after the pandemic. I also would like to add that their staffs are very accommodating and helpful to us as newbies of this Korean Spa.


New Lasema Spa – #8846 Sampaloc st. Cor. Estrella st. San Antonio village Makati, Philippines

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