A Seda Staycation

If you are looking to do a staycation in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, transiting from the airport to head out of Metro Manila in a day or so, or are in town for business, and you want to be right in BGC, close to Serendra and the shops by High Street, then Ayala-owned hotel, Seda BGC, is your best bet.

The view from our room, Bonifacio High Street and the BGC skyline!

More of a business hotel than a luxury hotel, it has the basic, functional comforts one would expect from any decent hotel.

A bright, modern lobby and front desk

The seating area at the lobby showcases Philippine designed furniture, and is right across One Serendra, very close to the restaurants

Check emails or do some quick Googling at the e-lounge by the front desk

For health and recreation, there's an outdoor pool that's open from 6am to 8pm and a 24 hour gym on the second floor. Plus the whole of BGC is runner friendly.

The rooms are spacious enough. We got to spend a night at their 45 square meter suite room with a king sized bed, and while we've stayed in bigger hotel rooms, I think the beauty of Seda BGC is that the location can't be beat.

All one-bedroom corner suites like ours have a separate bedroom and living room.

And kitchenette with microwave. 

We brought along one yaya, and the staff at Seda happily set up a bed for her at the living room. We also asked for a baby cot for Tepper, and it fit into our room, no prob.

For meals, there's Misto, a restaurant at the ground floor, and Straight Up Bar on the roof deck, but everyday meals like breakfast and afternoon snacks are taken at the cozy Club Lounge on the 15th floor.

 

unlimited drinks at the Club Lounge

If you're looking for something stronger, head up to Straight Up Bar. There's plenty of good reason why - a complimentary buffet of canapes for any order of alcoholic drinks. This happens daily, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Winner, winner. Almost like having dinner. Hahaha.

Because of Seda BGC's spot on location, it has excellent facilities for meetings, conferences and events as well. They have four fully-equipped function rooms that can accommodate small meetings of 14 persons to cocktail receptions for 150.

the corridor leading to the 2nd floor function rooms, accessible by stairs and elevators

 classroom style set-up in one of the function rooms

If you're looking for a hotel that guarantees you value for your money, you've found the place!

Seda BGC is located 30 minutes from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and just 15 minutes away from the Makati Central Business District (CBD).  Other Seda Hotel locations are Seda Centrio in Cagayan de Oro City, Seda Abreeza in Davao, and Seda Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Seda BGC
30th Street corner 11th Avenue
Bonifacio Global City Taguig City, 1634
Philippines
T: (632) 9458888 | (632) 5885700
F: (632) 9458891
Email: bgc@sedahotels.com

Habitat in Manila!

When my friend Jown Lim-Co invited Dada & I to the Habitat store opening on the 3/F of Abenson in BGC, Dada said he couldn't make it because he was going to be in Hong Kong. But I told Jown, I would still go. I love home stores. Love them.

All the more because this was Habitat. Home of European chic home furnishings and home ware, without the sticker shock. 

Founded in 1964 in the UK by Sir Terence Conran (who got his knighthood in 1983 for his services to design and who also happens to be the father of designer Jasper Conran), the company was once owned by the Kamprad family of IKEA in the early 90s before being acquired by CAFOM, a French company which continues to keep the Habitat spirit of aestheticism, innovation and practicality alive.

You can see how design plays a huge role in their  store. Everything is thought out, well-made and beautifully constructed, and the prices aren't scary high at all.

They have everything from beds and linens.

To accent pieces like these pretty candles with thoughtful and pretty covers, so you don't have to deal with the dust settling on the surface of the wax.

Dining tables and an assortment of chairs.

Dinnerware...

Mostly basic whites, but there are also special ones such as these marble inspired plates.

Drip coffee pots.

Barware such as stainless steel cocktail shakers and wine glasses.

Even the trash cans are chic! My friend Kat calls these Oscar the Grouch trash cans, and we were racking our brains trying to think of a reason to get one, hehe. Ganda no?

Shall we head to the living room?

This could work on a library too. I love the ladder on the book case. It doesn't slide, but it's moveable.

Here's another option. There are plenty more, actually.

Of course, there are plenty of throw pillows. Mostly basic ones though.

Then, there are work desks and cabinets.

As well as desk organizers and file boxes, and small office supplies like paper clips, notepads and pencils.

Even scissors of all shapes and sizes. There are even giant ones, heavy and sturdy and worthy of ribbon cutting and inauguration ceremonies.

Some nice leather envelopes for whatevs.

And the lighting section! Hallelujah! So many chic lighting options from pendant lighting to table lamps to floor lamps. So plenty! We are almost spoilt for choice. In most home stores, it's so hard to find nice lamps, but here, I couldn't even decide which was nicest. Which is a welcome change, for once.

Then of course, there are outdoor accent pieces for candles, etc.

There's a cute bar cart that would work indoors and out.

Ah! There's a small section for kids, and the toys are adorable! The littles ones who went to the store opening all wanted their turn on this old fashioned toy car. It's mahal thought, about Php10,000 but looks hefty and solid.

Oh, and close to the cashier are plenty of tchotckes, mostly refrigerator magnets and laundry clips. Na chic.

Honestly, I've barely skimmed the surface here. I suggest you head out to Habitat on the 3rd level of Abenson in Bonifacion Global City to see for yourselves what's in store!

Habitat Manila

3rd Level, Abenson

28th Street and 4th Avenue

Bonifacio Global City

(beside Ascott Bonifacio Global City)

KidZania in Manila!

"Oh wow, this is so fun Berry! We didn't have this growing up!", I excitedly told Berry as we entered KidZania, an 8,000 square meter play city for kids in Bonifacio Global City set to open on August 7, 2015 - where they get to choose from 100 role play activities:  from firefighter, pilot, courier, to cashier, doctor, even recording artist, and live out their dream career.

I spotted an LBC, National Bookstore, Oishi store and Healthy Options, all built to scale for kids, and it was just so cute! How come we nobody thought of doing this when I was a kid?

It really looked like a shrink gun semi-shrunked a city, complete with paved streets and a transport system. The stores, offices and schools are made small enough to make the kids feel like grown-ups in the real world. 

The fun began at the Cebu Pacific ticket counter. Online ticketing goes live by August 3, 2015 at manila.kidzania.com. But tickets will also be available for purchase here at the KidZania Manila ticket counter starting August 7, 2015.

We were required to wear an RFID (radio frequency identification) security bracelet. 

It is their policy for each child to be matched with a corresponding adult who will also wear an RFID security bracelet. No child is allowed to leave the facility without being accompanied or picked-up by the registered adult.

As an extra precaution, professional security and other measures such as CCTV monitoring cameras, paging system, emergency facility features, and a first aid team are on standby to ensure that each child remains safe while inside KidZania Manila.

KidZania partnered with over 40 real world companies, all providing children with reality-based activities and skills that they can use in real life.

When kids work, they earn wages in KidZania's currency called "KidZos". The more they work, the more they earn. Of course, they can choose to save or spend what they earn.

They can encash checks, open bank accounts, deposit money and withdraw at BPI.

They can take care of the babies in the nursery at St. Luke's Medical Center Kidzania.

Shera Tiu shares the cash registers at Healthy Options prints out real receipts. I love!

There was a Shell gas station there, but they were closed already, 30 minutes prior to the 4 pm closing time. In real life, if I was the gas station owner, and found out that they closed ahead of schedule, these people are going to get fired.

There's a beauty salon. For when the kids get stressed from too much work I guess. Oh wait, they're supposed to work here too pala.

As in real life, there's a tax collection center too. Because kids better know early on that this is one thing in life that is certain.

Sorry if that sounded like a downer. Hahaha.

Back to the good news! KidZania Manila will be on soft opening starting August 7, 2015 with limited slots available, just to make sure kids don't have to wait long for their "work shift".

It will be open 7 days a week, with one shift Mondays through Thursdays, from 9AM to 4PM, and two shifts Fridays to Sundays and national holidays, from 9AM to 2 PM for the first shift and 3PM to 8PM for the second shift.

Ticket pricing is set to increase after the soft opening period:

Other than the medyo mahal price, this is fun stuff. Imagine being able to get to experience different jobs early on so you can really zoom in on what you like and are good at?

I appreciate how kids now can get a feel of what it is like to be an adult, with the chance to figure out what they really want to do when they grow up through play.

Because role-play at KidZania is not only fun, authentic and legit with all these real companies on board, it's a powerful developmental experience in itself.

I can't wait for Xavi to turn 4, so he can participate in the activities. I was telling Dada we might just throw a KidZania party for him there to celebrate!

About KidZania

KidZania, locally franchised by Play Innovations, Inc., a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corporation, is an interactive kids’ city combining inspiration, fun, and learning through realistic role play for children 4 to 14. Kids can independently explore a kid-sized city with over 100 exciting roles. Each experience is designed to empower kids, giving them the confidence to be their best selves, and inspiration to be great global citizens. 

One of the world’s most inventive, most awarded, and fastest-growing kid’s educational entertainment concepts, KidZania has 20 locations in 17 countries, including the Philippines. 

KidZania, Inc., headquartered in Mexico, was founded in 1997, opened its first park in 1999, and is privately held. 

For more information about KidZania Manila, visit manila.kidzania.com or follow @KidZaniaManila on Twitter and Instagram.