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

Pottery Barn Kids, for the Mommas & Poppas Really

If Pottery Barn will make you want to renovate your home so you can make it look picture perfect, equally hard to resist is Pottery Barn Kids. 

Imagine having a room like this for your boys?

The rugs and bed linens are just too adorably preppy!

Plus, towels and beach wraps for when you want to bring a touch of Pottery Barn to your weekend trips to the beach.

While not yet for sale, I know Berry will freak out over this play kitchen. There's a sink that's due to complete this play kitchen showcase actually. Even I want this for our play room.

There's a deprived kid inside me convincing me why we NEED this, haha.

How adorable are these school bags and lunch box sets? A classic lunch bag starts at Php995 and backpacks range from Php1,450 to Php3,250.

By the way, bed linens at Pottery Barn Kids are designed to be mixed and matched. You can throw on any combination and your kids' beds will always look picture perfect.

More cute towels and wraps, and linens at the back...

Any girl would be thrilled to have a room like this. Check out that vanity set too, about Php12,500.

Oh and before I finish this post, here's a tip: Bed linens, towels, wraps and slip covers for the Anywhere Chair may be embroidered right in the store for about Php350 if I remember right.

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids are exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists Inc. and are located at Central Square, Bonifacio High Street Central, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.

United Colors of Benetton Spring 2014 Trunk Show

When I think of Spring, I think bright, happy colors.

That's pretty much what comes to mind too, when somebody mentions United Colors of Benetton.

Tessa Prieto-Valdez hosted UCB's Spring 2014 trunk show in  showstopping colors, wearing a Benetton dress underneath a geometric print skirt

United Colors of Benetton recently celebrated the launch of their Spring 2014 Collection via a trunk show at their High Street store.

Four fun and colorful looks were put together by celebrity stylist Alyanna Martinez, and I loved how she playfully put together the super versatile pieces from the collection to come up with practical outfits to wear during casual days.

Loved the reasonably priced pique polo shirts for guys, and the neon dresses for girls! I ended up bringing home a piece from the collection, thanks to Johanna and Rina of Benetton - a pair of super comfy and stretchy fuchsia UCB jeans that hugs at the right places but doesn't make me sweat in this heat!

Love. Love. Love.

Stock up on your spring and summer essentials at United Colors of Benetton at:

UCB Trinoma
L2,2035 Trinoma, EDSA Corner N Ave
Quezon City
Tel: +632 901 3545

UCB Robinsons Galleria
G/F, Ortigas Centre
Pasig City, 1605

UCB Megamall
2nd Level 205, SM Megamall
EDSA cor. Julia Vargas Ave.
Mandaluyong, 1550 Tel: +632 6347952

UCB Robinson's Ermita
1st Level Midtown
Robinson's Place
Ermita, Manila
Tel: +632 2320051

UCB High Street 
Bonifacio High Street
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Tel: +632 8562551

UCB Cebu
Level 1
Ayala Center Cebu
Cebu City
Tel: +632 22320051

Re-discovering United Colors of Benetton + Win an Outfit from UCB!

Back in the early 90s, Benetton jeans were the hottest things to have, along with their colorful sweatshirts. It's fair to say that Benetton started my denim obsession actually.

It was probably the J Brand/Mother Denim/Current Elliott of my high school years, before Girbaud and Armani Jeans made us pay Php4,000 for denims, and way before a plethora of cult denim labels like Seven for All Mankind and Citizens of Humanity changed our jeanetic makeup and made us think nothing about dropping hundreds of dollars on a pair of denims.

The last time I bought something from Benetton, I was in college. 

I remember it was a pair of light blue skinny printed trousers and a cotton t-shirt from the Benetton store on Kensington High Street in London.

After that however, I had moved on from the classics and explored more trendy high street brands like Topshop, Miss Selfridge and H&M (which was called Hennes & Mauritz then). I started buying denims from Replay and Diesel then.

So it was with a bit of nostalgia when I stepped into the United Colors of Benetton store on Bonifacio High Street again. It had been years since I last went inside, after over a decade of associating it with my teenage years.

It was a pleasant surprise to see that the brand had grown up with me. Especially since I find that as I get older, all the more that I am drawn back to classic pieces.

Clothes that transcend seasons and are meant to be worn season after season. There was no semblance to the logo tees and denims of my youth.

It was like Benetton had graduated, gone to college and started a career along with us.

Take this jacket for instance. It's feminine and yet it says, "I'm responsible" heehee.

Love this figure flattering shift dress.

Light, airy tops that can be worn underneath a blazer or paired with a cardigan and pencil skirt.

Structured bags for work.

The only things trendy and playful were the shoes, such as these neon cut-out flats...

These polka dot and camo flats...

And these fun, summer-y fold-over clutches that are a steal at less than Php2,000 each.

It was the men's section that were a complete throwback to the Benetton I knew 20 plus years ago. They still had the classic polo shirts, jackets, caps and denims that I remember teenage boys were wearing during my time.

These camo sneakers for guys are very "now" though! We had none of these growing up, heehee.

My favorite finds from my recent visit to UCB? 

Thermal underwear! If you've been looking for thermals to take on a trip to some place cold, UCB has it in all the colors you'll need - nude, grey and white!

And these sandals that are still made in Italy, but retail for only Php2,250 O.M.G.

I really do have a soft spot for shoes still made in Italy. Heehee.

I just had to try it on, and they were love. Love. LOVE.

As for you my dears, 2 of you get a chance to win an ENTIRE OUTFIT (top & bottom + accessories) from United Colors of Benetton! All you have to do is:

1. Go to your nearest United Colors of Benetton store and take a photo of your favorite piece/s from the store. Better yet, take a photo of yourself wearing the entire outfit you want to win!

2. To send an entry, you have the option of 

- emailing it to me, manilafashionobserver(at)gmail(dot)com and or

- posting it on your Instagram account sharing which items you like, with the hashtag #MFOxUCB and tagging me @christinedychiao

3. Leave a comment here so I can look for your entry!

Two winners will be announced by April 30, 2013 - so join join join!

French Sole Now in Manila

This is my first pair of French Soles - soft, suede pirouettes in black.

This style has since been phased out, but was revived as the India. I've had them for almost a decade now, but I

• first shared them in the blog in 2006 
• influenced my friend Conci to buy a pair in red by 2007
• wrote about it's history + a review on it, swearing by how comfortable they are, in 2008 
• talked about sizing and styles for a reader who was asking for advice,  
• waxed sentimental on how I could not bear to throw this pair away when it became too battered in 2009, 

you could probably say I am the longest reigning, biggest French Sole fan this side of town.  I really do love my pairs.

I bought them not because Princess Diana wore them:

And I sure as hell wore French Soles way before these young girls did!

Kate Middleton

Princess Beatrice

Poppy Delevingne

Many years ago, I made my sister go to Sloane Square for my French Sole Fix because I was not compromising on shape, style, quality and comfort when it comes to my ballerina flats. Really, I don't need to convince you on why you should buy a pair. Or ten. I have written about it extensively here in the blog for years. But here's an extra push on why you can and should.

Because French Sole opened its first store on Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig!

Now if that doesn't make you want to stand up and head for the door right this minute, I don't know what will! I am kind of itching for those embroidered Heffners actually!

French Sole
Bonifacio High Street (across Krispy Kreme)
Global City, Taguig