Solaire’s Luxurious Sky Tower

Solaire’s Luxurious Sky Tower

O ha! Perfect ang aking backdrop! (My backdrop is perfect!) Colorful na colorful! (It's very colorful!) Kabog!  (Loud thump!)

Are you looking for a perfect getaway from the hustle & bustle of the Metro but can't afford to be gone for a long time? Urban dwellers, rejoice!  Solaire's luxurious Sky Tower is now open for your enjoyment! 

Yes, darlings!  I am so grateful to the one who invited me.  I can't thank you enough, my angel.  Huggy hugz!  I was one of the media/ bloggers who got invited to an exclusive peek of its newest luxurious wing aptly called the Sky Tower before it was opened to VIP's and general patrons of Solaire Resort. 

As you all know, Solaire Resort is located in the Entertainment City on Aseana Avenue, Parañaque.  Ever since it opened its first phase March of last year, it has already been synonymous to luxury.  And to add to its already-existing glitz and glamor, it introduced more reasons for all of us to visit with the opening of its all new spacious and splended leisure complex, the all-suites Sky Tower.

Welcome to Waterside Restobar at the Solaire's Luxurious Sky Tower

Before the start of our tour at the new Sky Tower, we had a sumptuous lunch at the Waterside Restobar, one of the new restaurants in that wing.  It is surrounded by fountains and has a majestic view of the wonderful sunset of Manila bay. 

It provides a relaxing dining experience of Latin American and Mediterranean dishes.  It serves a wide range of tapas (appetizers or snacks, in Spanish cuisine) alongside classic cocktails and spirits.  It has an extensive selection of wines from the restaurant’s own wine cellar.

After lunch, our walk-through began. Our first stop was the Oasis Garden Café. It is set in a garden setting where diners can enjoy their breakfast or snack amid live blooms and exotic plants and lively piano music. The cafe is also suited for short business meetings over snacks or cocktails. The green ambiance is completed by an indoor waterfall installation nearby. The gentle sound of splashing water adds to the soothing vibe of this establishment.

Oasis Garden Cafe looks so inviting with its garden setting and refreshing man-made waterfall background.

And just across Oasis Garden Cafe is this beautiful flower wall.

Almost every wall and corner at Solaire's Sky Tower is perfect for a photo opp! Take for example this beautiful wall of polyurethane flowers imported from Hong Kong, these flowers feel like real flowers to the touch. 

Wonderfully made real- istic bed of roses, errr flowers. Ha, ha, ha, ha! I think real touch flowers or shall we say natural touch flowers are the very best in artificial flowers because they are waterproof, fade-resistant, and crushproof. They are made from polyurethane material. These flowers will maintain their color, texture, and beauty forever.

The flowers in the hallway are so gorgeous, too.  I love seeing the flowers and greenery showing their pretty faces!

I always love paintings. I love to create pieces of art and add a little beauty to our world when I was a child, so whenever I see art pieces, I could not just ignore it. Like for example, this eye-catching replica painting of Mona Lisa.

The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait of a woman by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci, which has been acclaimed as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world".

This hallway at the Sky Tower temporarily showcases paintings of different versions of the Mona Lisa. All of these pieces are personal collection of artist and gallerist Soler Santos. You can view "The Mona Lisa Project" by West Gallery until January 15, 2015.

By early next year, this aisle will be called The Shoppes. Top designer brands and international specialty stores are slated to open and provide the ultimate shopping experience to Sky Tower guests at this very spot.  As early as now, I'm very excited to find out the brands that will be giving Sky Tower guests the ultimate shopping experience. My friends L, B, R and A will be so happy because they're shopaholics and they are always at Solaire.

Art installations.

Amazing sculptures and splendid pieces that stand out from my view point.

Walk-through of the Grand Suite rooms at the Sky Tower

Grand Suites at the Sky Tower. The Sky Tower of Solaire Resort is consists of a 312 all-suite hotel, additional VIP gaming areas, an exclusive Chinese restaurant and whiskey bar for VIP gamers, state-of-the-art meeting rooms, and a lyric theater.

According to Thomas Arasi, BRC president and chief operating officer, “The Sky Tower elevates Solaire to another step higher into the very top tier of world-class integrated resorts, and is a tremendous game-changer in providing best-in-class guest experience.”

I was in awe when our guide told us that the newly opened wing has gold-plated accents on the ceiling, piano-finished doors, rooms with a majestic view of Manila Bay, artworks by prominent Filipino artists, VIP areas, swimming pool and other luxurious features.

The luxurious features of Solaire’s newly opened all-suites five-star hotel includes multi-million peso chandeliers

Solaire Resort was designed by world-renowned architect and designer Paul Steelman of Steelman Partners based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The five-star hotel is a 258,721 square meter expansion of the 8.3 hectare resort development that targets the gaming, corporate, as well as family markets.

The Grand Suite features a state-of-the-art technology and a majestic view of the Manila bay and the swimming pool. It has a floor-to-ceiling windows with a luxurious feel and very spacious. This air-conditioned suite can accommodate up to 2 guests. A 55-inch flat-screen TV, an iPod dock and tea/coffee making facilities are available. It has a separate living and dining room, a functional kitchen, Heating, Minibar, Refrigerator, Coffee machine, Electric kettle.The suite has a gold leaf ceiling finish and lavish yet timeless interior and décor. It has a carpeted floors, telephone, desk, Flat-screen TV, Cable Channels and Wake-up service. And boy was it huge! Grand Suite has a floor area of 158-square meters with a whopping P35,000 per night price tag. The luxurious king-sized bed has a 350-thread-count bedsheets.

It has a spacious walk-in closet with slippers, high quality bathrobe, hairdryer, safety deposit box and iPod dock . It also has a separate powder room, and a stunning bathroom that has a luxurious Salvatore Ferragamo bath accessories plus a separate walk-in shower, a bath tub and twin vanity marble sinks.

During the tour, muntik na nila akong iwanan habang yakap yakap ko ang pinto (During the tour, they almost left me behind while I was hugging the door). As in, I was so amazed with its piano-finished door. 

The Door

It also boosts of its connecting/adjoining rooms for big family. In the top left picture, you can see two separate rooms and doors, with the occupants having an option to close the main door for utmost privacy. 

The top right picture showcases the walls in the corridor.  Mind you, according to the guide, the walls in the corridor have gold linings. Naku, tutuklapin ko nga sana ng tinidor eh! (Oh, I was planning to pry them with a fork eh!). Ha ha ha! Joke!  Note: Children, don't do that!  I'm only joking plus note that its corridors have several HD CCTVs.

Popular among VIP gaming guests are the House of Zhou, which offers contemporary Chinese cuisine, and the Macallan Whisky Bar. Both exclusive food establishments are located on the third floor.

Guests with business purposes can also hold events in its spacious and state-of-the art rooms.  Sky Tower features The Forum—a 2,000 square facility has eight meeting rooms, two boardrooms, and a column-free grand ballroom with a flexible pre-function area. All rooms are equipped with presentation equipment and are provided with full banquet and catering facilities.

The Sky Tower also boasts of a 1,760-seat lyric theater, which is equipped with superior audio-visual technology suited for theater plays, musicals, dance performances, and concerts. 

Did you know that for the convenience of guests, The Theatre is connected to a new multi-level parking garage that can accommodate and secure over 3,000 vehicles?
I would love to personally experience how it is to watch inside the The Theatre and to check in on one of its grand suites. That would be so cool!  I am excited to recommend it to my balikbayan friends.

Congratulations Solaire Resort for the opening of your new wing -Sky Tower! 

I definitely can't wait to be back.

Solaire Resort
1 Asean Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo
Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 888-8888

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LISA MACUJA: Talks About Swan Lake Manila

LISA MACUJA: Talks About Swan Lake Manila

When I was a little girl, I dreamt of becoming a prima ballerina like Lisa Macuja. I took ballet lessons in Colegio De Sta. Isabel for several summer.  I couldn't believe my luck last night because I was able to interview my childhood hero face to face for #SwanLakeManila.  I was #Starstruck.

The #BalletManila (BM) Artistic Director doesn't look her age. She's very fit. To this day, she has maintained her whistlebait 24-inch waistline. She lights up the whole room from corner to corner.  She's a total package. Beauty and brains. She has witty answers, regal poise and contagious smile.  I can't believe it when she told us that she's already 50 years old and has been dancing professionally for 30 years now! Most of western ballerinas retire after only 15 years.  Lisa Macuja, a Filipino icon and a ballerina superstar, made it her life-mission to bring ballet in the lives of the masses. She does weekend shows at Star City and other venues like the mall for free. And I love her more for that. Not only that, because in 2008, Ballet Manila launched Project Ballet Futures, a scholarship program to give free ballet education to elementary and high school students from public schools, mostly kids from marginalized communities. Plucked out of a life of grime and poverty, these young scholars (Ballet Manila now has 29 under its wing) are given free ballet shoes, milk, vitamins, and nutritious meals to help them keep up with the rigors of training. They may have less in life, but these young kids now have a whole future ahead of them as they’re given the chance to dance ballet on stage and maybe to reach for their dream to be a prima ballerina like Lisa someday. Isn't she amazing? #SuperIdol 

She admitted that she felt lost whenever she got injured and has to stop dancing. 

Lisa Macuja is the first Filipino prima ballerina and the first foreign soloist to join the renowned Kirov Ballet. She has danced in Russia, Philippines, Lithuania, Cuba, South Korea, Latvia, Ukraine, Japan, Armenia, Malaysia,  US,  Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and many others..

Lisa shares that dancing the Swan Lake is difficult.  She also said that it is a ballerina's ballet.  It is every ballerina's dream role because you get to do two roles at the same time. You have to be the good and the evil, the white swan and and her cunning doppelganger, the black swan. It is like you're a bipolar. You have to portray two very different personalities while dancing.  One is virginal and the other is very sexy, sultry and evil . So, it is really hard! You turn, you jump and you act also non-stop for two hours.  

The lead role can make or break the show. 

"But when you are able to finish it, it’s a great accomplishment!" she quips. Lisa also shared that she felt very happy and accomplished every time she dances. Lisa had done Swan Lake so many times already that she lost count how many times she portrayed the role. The role demands for the famous 32 fouettes and Lisa is all praises to BM’s finest ballerinas Mylene Aggabao, Dawna Mangahas and Abigail Oliveiro who will be also taking on the challenging dual role of Odette and Odile in the ballet classic Swan Lake Manila. 

Lisa also shares that her Russian teachers told her that she can dance anything except Swan Lake. So, when the opportunity arises in Cuba, she's a bit hesitant at first because she was given only 4 days to learn all the steps of the lead role.  She took the challenge head on and proceeded to be both Odette and Odile successfully.

Lisa admitted that at 50, her spirit is willing to dance a full length role but her body (flesh) is weak. She is now behind the scene as Ballet Manila's (BM) artistic Director. She relinguished and assigned the lead role to BM's young amazing ballet dancers. But for me, there will only be one Lisa Macuja.

Do you want to meet and greet and ask questions to Bavarian State Ballet guest artists Maxim Chaschegorov and Katherina Markowskaja together with Ballet Manila Artistic Director Lisa Macuja Elizalde?  

Then buy the special meet and greet tickets from Ballet Manila.

You have two dates to choose from:

•  ticket for the performance on November 15, 7:30pm with the meet and greet after
•  or the ticket for a performance on November 16, 3:00pm, Q&A after. 

Call Ballet Manila at (02)525-5967 or (02)552-7502 or 400-0292 or you could send an e-mail at info@balletmanila.com.ph or visit www.balletmanila.com.ph;to reserve your space and tickets! 

#swanlakeinmanila #meetandgreet #QandA #teamwhiteswan #teamblackswan

Swan Lake in Manila promises a fabulous show! Get your tickets now! 

Ticketworld.com.ph or 891-9999.

Ballet Manila’s 19th performance season is presented by the Manila Broadcasting Company and sponsored by Aliw Theater and Star City, along with ACS Manufacturing Corporation (Pride and Shield Bath Soap), First United Travel, BPI Express Credit, Island Rose, Ralph’s Wines and Spirits, Krispy Kreme, Hen Lin, Papa John’s Pizza and Crunchybelly by Carlos Kitchen

RUPTURED ANEURYSM SYMPTOMS

RUPTURED ANEURYSM SYMPTOMS

Whenever a new friend learns that I am a ruptured brain aneurysm survivor they always ask me what I felt when my aneurysm ruptured.

To give you a guide, let me share to you the list below:

•Sensitivity to light (photophobia). I had abnormal intolerance to visual light.  I thought it was just migraine.
•Sudden severe headache; the worst headache in your life. It was as if someone hit you with a baseball bat on the head.
•Loss of consciousness. I was in and out of consciousness.
•Nausea/Vomiting.  My vomit was like that in some horror movies where the trajectory was 90 degrees. Grabe, akala ko only in the movies.
•Stiff Neck.  The worst stiff neck in my life. Sobra!  Even after my coiling and stent.

•Drooping eyelid.  I thought I just need some shut eye.
•Sudden blurred or double vision. Kahit after my operation duling daw ako sabi ng doctors ko. Ha ha ha!
•Sudden pain above/behind the eye or difficulty seeing. Nag blackout ang left eye ko after the operation.
•Sudden change in mental status/awareness  You will not comprehend what other people were saying.
•Sudden trouble walking or dizziness
•Sudden weakness and numbness
•Seizure

Other people may have experienced different symptoms, but what I shared with you are the exact things that I felt when my aneurysm ruptured. 

UNRUPTURED BRAIN ANEURYSM WARNING SIGNS

I am a ruptured brain aneurysm survivor.  

That is an amazing fact.  God is so good.  

He let me live to share that fact.  

A lot of people are unaware that Brain Aneurysm is very deadly. Ignorant as they are, they tend to make fun of brain aneurysm because they never experienced it first hand. Prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Don't be ignorant. Get scanned if you happen to experience any of the following symptoms:

•Localized Headache
•Dilated pupils
•Blurred or double vision
•Pain above and behind eye
•Weakness and numbness
•Difficulty speaking

Credits to bafound.org and joenikro.org

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OLX: P21 B Unused Items Are Waiting to be Sold

OLX: P21 B Unused Items Are Waiting to be Sold

OLXers, mag YES na sa nakatagong YAMAN mo!

Did you know that there's P21 billion worth of unused items in working condition that are just sitting in your very home, gathering dust, and left to waste? That's right. OLX's commitment to educate Filipinos on the “hidden” wealth inside their homes and the value of selling pre-loved items online continues with the “Yesss, Yaman!” campaign.

Sellers can earn extra cash from stuff they don’t need while buyers can get a better deal because pre-loved items usually sell at a much lower price than brand new items.

Yaman Study of OLX Philippines