New Favorite

No, we aren't exactly tired of our favorite spa place. It's just that someone told us this place is very good in terms of the price and ambience. Noy and I were both very tired that day and were just looking for this chance to relax a little - he from a very long list of patients, me from a very tall pile of clothes ironed.So off we went to a branch located at the Somerset Millenium in Aguirre St., Makati.

The moment I stepped inside, I already felt I was in a different place. It was so relaxing to sit on batik-printed easy chairs and stare at the colorful upside-down umbrellas on the ceiling. The indirect lighting on the wooden plank floor was just right - not too dark and not too bright. The place is quite small and the beds are separated by curtains only, but I didn't sense privacy and personal space issues here. Everything is quite simple - no overbearing furniture and decor, no superlative fragrances that almost hurt the nasal mucosa. And it works just fine.

My attendant was very professional. She had firm sure strokes. She knew where to place more attention to. I hate to compare but I liked the process here better than our favorite place, where I stumbled upon hurried attendants who couldn't seem to wait for my session to end. I even had one attendant who kept chomping away at a sandwich while she was kneading my arms. I have nothing against eating on the job, but they take breaks in between, don't they? I would really love the full attention of my attendant who's supposed to make me feel relaxed because I paid good money for it. Over at Lotus, the attendants take their jobs seriously. Mine at least does. She spent a lot of time with my foot and head, which I enjoyed tremendously. I even heard Noy snore at one time, but he doesn't remember falling asleep during the massage. No sense of hurry + careful defined attentive massaging = true relaxation.

On the downside, they don't have showers. The attendants just put powder on those areas massaged with oil. This shouldn't matter if you're headed home after the massage.

Did I mention that Lotus offers affordable prices for its services? The combination massage was Php100+ cheaper than in our favorite place. I think I should stop calling it our favorite place because I obviously have a beginning obsession with this new one.

Have a relaxing weekend,

photos from the Lotus My Massage Place facebook page.

Bestfriend Beverly + Bali Blessedness = Bliss!

Beverly and I knew each other from elementary school. We were both winners in a Manila-wide features writing contest, she in 6th and I in second, or so she reminded me. We went to the same high school but I don't remember saying a single word to her all those four years.

It was only in college that we hit it together. Hard. She made our two bedroom apartment in Tondo her second home. We ate the same food, bought and wore the same clothes, talked endlessly about the same interests and ideas. We belonged in a group of 8 girls, all other 6 of whom accepted the fact that the two of us, Bebang and I, will always be the two closest to each other. Even when she transferred from Sampaloc to Cavite, we continued nourishing that special bond we were forming. We shared family problems, boyfriend problems, health problems, makeup, thesis, shoes, bags, and yes, underwear. The only thing we did NOT share was religion. Obviously we found a way to keep its discussion at bay, and it was never a problem.

Bebang wanted to be a doctor too, but her family's finances then made it appear impossible. So when most of us went to med school, she was juggling jobs here and there. She got a lucky break not long after with a famous company, where she still works up to now. We were vaguely in touch during the four years I was in med school, and before I knew it a Catholic guy in her office was willing to convert to her religion so that they'd be together.

For good. They got married when my physician's license was only a few months old. A part of me was dying of envy for the prosperous life she was having, and that made me kind of turn away, especially since we found her husband Bombet a little aloof. I turned down several offers to visit their home in Sta Rosa, Laguna. I couldn't feel exact happiness when Bea was born.

That changed when Noy , my parents and family made me feel I had a lot to be thankful for. The next five years that I spent working in Laguna was then filled with twice-monthly visit to Bebang and her family.


Eventually after our wedding, where Bea was one of the flower girls, Bombet and Noy became good friends. Before long Bebang and I didn't have to worry about keeping our husbands entertained while we chatted and caught up with each other's lives.


(I had a hard time rummaging through my external hard drive looking for bevs & bombet wedding pictures - and I can't find any! how pathetic is that? i promise to update this blog entry with those beautiful wedding pictures by Chito Vecina. Yes, we got the same wedding photographer. I hired her make-up artist too =P)

Since 2006 however we didn't have the chance to really just be with each other. I had to admit, and I bet she would too, that it's quite different having husbands and kids around while we talked about our lives and other people. So I challenged her to meet halfway, aka Alabang, to catch up and be just like old times.

She brought me to this wonderful place called Kartini Spa, an events place/restaurant/spa/art gallery with a very relaxing Bali-inspired atmosphere that makes one forget it's really just within the Alabang Town Center complex.

We had callos and gambas in comfortable rattan chairs on a sweet-looking gazebo nestled in a nicely manicured lawn accented by a koi pond. The sound of water from the mini-falls combined perfectly with the soothing overhead music. We talked and talked and talked until we felt our bladders getting heavier. We found the quaint comfort room, which accommodated only one user at a time, but we both came in and peed in front of each other. Yes we were that close!

The spa place looked so inviting we gave in to the temptation despite the growing threat of a nasty thunderstorm. Since we were the only clients we had the luxury of chatting away mindlessly while the pleasant attendants pampered our feet superbly. I never felt so amazingly refreshed. If it weren't too late I'd have a full body massage.

Too bad I was so engrossed into conversation I forgot to take pictures. I came up with these lousy ones, but you can check out Kartini's website here.

I boarded the bus home with a smile on my face. Surprisingly invigorated, I wondered, was it the food? Maybe. Was it the place? Probably, what with the beautiful intricate details and such. Was it the company? Definitely. There's nothing like a familiar warm body to radiate enough goodness to make one feel great.

One Partly Cloudy Afternoon After Work

The girls and I went to the lovely town of Los Banos just next to the city where we worked, for an afternoon of R & R. It had been a year since we had one together, so an anniversary of sorts is in order. Three of us actually live there, so it wasn’t far away at all. I find the town quite special myself, since the huge campus of UPLB is located here, where Noy and I spent time together doing a botany project, and where we got to know each other more for the first time.

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The V-Lounge is located just along the street leading to the University of the Philippines Los Banos. It’s a simple cozy place with lots of attendants, so we got to have everything done at the same time – in other words we were like having a spa party! At php400 person, one gets to have a hand spa, foot spa, and an hour-long body massage - quite a steal, huh? And I’m happy to report that none of those services failed to satisfy.

The hand spa started off a little rough for me, but experience tells me that what is “light” for others is always still “heavy” for me, so that’s forgivable. So when I told the lady, to make the scrubbing and kneading lighter, she was just like soaping me. LOL! But it worked. My hands were soft and supple afterwards.

I almost did not notice the foot spa happening since I was so into the article on Sense and Style that I was reading. I remember the soak being warm and bubbly and nice, and my feet felt really happy afterwards – no more bumps and cracks, just happy soft minty cool skin.

Now here’s the tricky part – the body massage. I’ve had a number of bad experiences with this – lousy massage, very hard massage despite the warning that I only go for the “very light”, attendants that make “chismis” while massaging, bad oil – the list goes on. This one I dare say is almost like Relaksasi’s as far as the style of strokes is concerned. Of course, the place would need a lot more sprucing up, but the attendants definitely need training on finesse and proper behavior. They weren’t harsh or bastos or anything – they just need, you know…finesse. Some points at hand – using a softer voice, more appropriate words, softer hands and slower moves.

Overall, V Lounge kind of exceeded my expectations. So yes, I might come back and even bring the hubby along. Hey, it IS affordable. And did I say their ginger tea was superb?

Walking a little more towards UPLB, we sat for snacks at Café Antonio, a cute little coffee place bustling with noisy students. I didn’t mind because they were talking intelligent things. The drink list is quite extensive for such a small space. We tried both hot & cold espresso mixes, and everything seemed okay. Nothing spectacular, but nothing was disappointing either. It’s good enough to either warm up or cooling down those degree-thirsty student stomachs. The price is kind on the pocket, too.

As for the five of us – well, there was fun. There was good relaxation. There was good coffee. But most of all, there was a rekindling of bonds. I can’t believe I already spent a year with these pretty and wonderful girls. I guess I’m having a lot of fun!