Category Archives: been there

oakwood premier revelation

Posted by rob on

the last time i was in manila, i had a pre-planned friendly date with a well-known local travel blogger.  i never thought twice of asking her out anyway, we were just like two independent souls who were total strangers but instantly ‘clicked’ when we met.

it was her idea of spending a night in a hotel with a trusted ‘someone’ and chose oakwood premier, located in the heart of ortigas in pasig city.

oakwood premier joy-nostalg center manila offers the ultimate experience in modern serviced living with 230 luxury apartments equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and world-class amenities to fulfill the modern-day client’s need for space and security in an elegant environment, combined with five-star service and the conveniences of home.

the sitting room of the deluxe suite really looks inviting that includes the home entertainment system with an lcd television (not pictured).

the basic kitchen items are all there from utensils, to pots and pans and even a dishwasher.

i wish i have the same bed back here in the mideast, i can literally sleep in this comfortable bed the whole day!

if you think viewing the televsion while having a luxurious bath raises your eyebrow, think again! ____________________________________________________________________________________

so, who did i spent it with?  it’s my blogger-friend, chyng of no spam, no virus, no kiddin’!  haha!

dinner is served a’ la carte in the oakroom international restaurant but chyng and i found it too pricey and both of us were craving for a buffet dinner so we went to ‘heat’ at the shangri-la to top off our indulging hotel stay.  the next morning, we had oakroom’s buffet breakfast and joining us was chyng’s best buddy blogger, dyan of princess dyanie who came from her night shift work.

oakwood premier is actually considered as a full serviced apartment but it is really more than that and far more comfortable than hotels – and that is the oakwood difference.

read chyng’s blogpost on our stay at oakwood premier entitled, “the suitest of them all“.

beach destination wishlist

Posted by rob on

i love the beach.  my ma have told me things like, “you’re going to the beach?  you don’t even know how to swim!” or “don’t go near the water when it’s high tide!”  i know she loves me so much and well, she is oh-so-right for i really never learned how to swim.  i have been to failed swimming lessons and if you throw me into the sea right now, i’ll drown to death.  ironically, i work remotely in the middle of the sea.  it’s like a five hour boat ride or a 25 minute chopper flight to reach shore – “how about that mama?”  hehe.

after updating my work calendar for the year, i decided to visit three island beach destinations for each time that i’ll be home.  it’ll all be just a ‘wishlist’ for now, but i still hope i can accomplish it by the end of the year.

1. guimaras:  i bought a regular flight ticket to iloilo last year and did not showed up at the airport.  i think it deserves a second attempt.

2. el nido:  palawan just fascinates me.  i have been to puerto princesa in 2009 and coron in 2010.  for 2011, it’s pronto, el nido!

3. panglao:  if i’m going to see some chocolatey hills and a weird-looking mammal such as the tarsier, why not check panglao?

how about you, have you made a list of your beach destinations this year?

revisiting the monastery

Posted by rob on

i revisited the monasterio weeks ago with my parents.  the last time we were there (see post) it was a thursday and unfortunately there was no mass for that day.  it was a sunny friday when we went this time, there were a couple of coaster buses when we arrived in the monastery for there was a ‘field trip’ for students from a school in nueva ecija.  they did not stayed long though and never waited for the mass at 10:30 am.

while waiting for the mass i took pictures around the place, we then went to the reception area and my ma saw  rosaries from bethlehem at the counter for sale.  i bought two pieces of the lovely rosaries for me and her to keep.

the mass started and i stayed outside the chapel, seeing the monks made me remember of a deceased second uncle.  he was a missionary priest who met a fatal vehicular accident.  he was an inspiration for me to attend the seminary, i pictured myself before as taking his place.  but god had a different plan for me.  i have brushed off the thought a long time ago, buried under a pile of my so-called past ambitions.