WEEK TIDBITS 10.29 - 11.04.12

Photos taken from Instagram

WEEK TIDBITS 10.22-10.28.12

Photos taken via Instagram

WEEK TIDBITS 10.15-10.21.12

All photos taken via Instagram.

MOMMY CAI CHECKS OUT: MANILA HOTEL (A REVIEW)

If there's one thing I love most about Manila Hotel is that the Filipino hospitality and warm welcome can be easily felt and seen upon entering their doors.

A welcome fruit basket for their guests...

Upon our arrival in Manila Hotel last Dec. 30, 2011, we were welcomed immediately by a valet service which they surprisingly offer for free. 

The room was lovely...

View of the Intramuros

King Size bed

I love how they spoil their guests with lots of pillows. Most hotels would only equip you with a maximum of four. Pillow fights can be really fun in this room. :D

The room was spacious, comfortable and the amenities were impressive.

Ipod Dock

Waterproof LCD TV in the bathroom

The bathroom was also spacious. They have a separate walk-in for the shower and bathtub. Just like Sofitel, they also use L'Occitane for their toiletries, which is a favorite brand of mine. ;)

I love how comfortable the place is. Since you can't keep my kids off their laptops and iPods, the free wifi connection was a plus factor for our 3-day stay.

They don't have a pool as huge as Sofitel but this didn't hinder us to try it out. Too bad, the water's icy cold.  :(

It literally took minutes before they dived in. It was really that cold!!!!

Nonetheless, this was truly one of the best stays we ever had as a family and we truly can't wait til we go back to Manila hotel.

WEEKEND SHARE: NEW YEAR'S EVE/DAY AT MANILA HOTEL

We were all surprised when Yab asked me to book at any hotel for our New Year's Eve. I initially went to Sofitel's website but unfortunately, they were already fully booked on that day. After some discussion, we decided to have our reservations at Manila Hotel and figured we could watch the New Year's Eve countdown at the Mall of Asia. 


We arrived at the hotel on Friday, Dec. 30. Hael was sick a day before that and I was concerned that he might not enjoy our stay throughout the weekend. I was wrong.

We officially broke our tradition of spending New Year's Eve at home and it was a good thing. I could definitely see the kids having a grand time. 

It was a perfect weekend for me, too.  A weekend free from the worries of meal planning. :D

My Getup: Ladybug print sleeveless dress from Zara, Braided Belt from H & M

On the night of Dec. 31st, we headed to the Mall of Asia for dinner and spent the New Year's Eve there as well.

My New Year's Getup: Light Gray Sleeveless Top Tank from Forever21, Long Knitted Cardigan from Forever21, Neckpiece from Love Diva, White Eyelet Shorts from PICC Bazaar

We headed to TGI Friday's for dinner...

Seafood Platter

Baby Back Ribs

Chicken Tenders

Right after dinner, we decided to head out to the parking lot as opposed to the restos and the park across since it was packed with lots of people. 

And by 12am....

WEEKEND SHARE: SM SHOE DEPARTMENT = SHOE HAVEN

The Shoes section of SM is a must-visit place for me whenever I get the chance to visit their store. I've always been an avid fan of the Parisian brand for years now and their products are truly great when it comes to quality.

I have seen the Parisian brand evolve from simple flats to fashion-worthy stilettos, pumps and wedges. They have always made the luxury brands a run for their money.

You can trot in style with their pairs without breaking your bank and their products definitely last a long way.

Last week, I broke my ballet flat shoes while shooting for an event in Tagaytay. Parisian came to mind when I narrowed my choices of picking some pairs that would meet the demands of my "passion". 

I picked out these pairs for these reasons: aside from it's too lovely to resist, they were really affordable and durable. 

I literally folded these pairs ( because I do a lot of bending and kneeling when taking some photos) before purchasing to see how they'd be up for the challenge.  It also helped they were really lightweight. 

Photos taken with Instagram:

WEEKEND SHARE: FOOD BONDING IN SHANG!

We decided to hang out in Shangrila Plaza Mall for two reasons: I wanna check out the Certified Calm Store and the kids are getting weary going to SM almost every weekend. My two stepdaughters haven't been there yet, so Shangrila Plaza it is. :D


The food bonding started at Tender Bobs for lunch and everyone was filled to the brim. Yab was an angel to finally give in to my wish to have my hands on that Manduka Eko Lite Yoga Mat. I also purchased the Manduka Mat Renew in Tranquil Lavender scent. I was already a happy camper!

Since my two stepdaughters need to be back home to their mom before night time, we decided to skip watching Happy Feet 2 and hang out in National Bookstore.

On Hael: Cars 2 Shirt from SM Dept. Store, Denim Pants and Nike Shoes

We tried the Cake-all-you-can at Cravings/The Coffee Beanery and we were quite disappointed since it really takes a long time for their staff to refill our plates. We had to wait for 15mins or so and by then, the kids were already bored and full.

While waiting for our cakes to arrive...

It was a fun day all in all. We realized by the time we got home that we did nothing but eat! Considering those 3 slices cake that I've consumed, I couldn't help but to think the workout I need to do to burn all those calories. :))

WHAT I WORE:

Light Gray Tank Top from F21, Green Pleated Palazzo Pants from Inbox, Brown Leather Braided Belt from H & M, Jeweled Thong Sandals from Charles & Keith, Necklace from F21, Bracelets from Landmark, Longchamp Pliage Bag

WHAT ATE ANIN WORE:

Shirt from Bench Tweeners, Faded Black Pants from F21, Floral Belt from Genevieve Gozum, KidRobot Kozik Watch from Swatch

WEEKEND SHARE: TAGAYTAY

We usually spend our weekends in malls but this time around, we decided to spend it in Tagaytay. 

Whenever Yaya takes once-in-a-blue-moon day off, we always have lunch and dinner somewhere else. This time around, we headed to Carlo's Pizza in One Destination in Tagaytay. We had the usual fanfare, Nachos, Pizza and the kids' favorite, lasagna.

We then took Hael to Residence Inn for his zoo experience. He had his first donkey and horse ride and we can tell he was having the time of his life. Ate Anin joined in too.

On Hael: Superman ensemble, long-sleeved sweater and shorts from SM Dept. Store, Crocs (footwear)

On Ate Anin: Shirt from Artwork, Black Denim Pants from Forever21, Jewelled sandals from Landmark, Necklace from Genevieve Gozum

It was a very relaxing day for all of us. No traffic (thanks to Manny Pacquiao); just simple joys in a very laidback setting.

WEEKEND GETUP: Zara (Top),  Nuvali Bazaar (Denim Shorts), Bangles (Landmark), Forever21 (Necklace), Rayban Aviator (Shades), Fiorella White Sandals (not shown)