There is a hush-hush in tinsel town, which was recently revealed to satisfy your sweet desires.  Secret Recipe, the newest trendsetting restaurant originating from Malaysia, will surely fascinate your discriminating palate for good food.  Get ready to embark on a scrumptious pursuit and follow your tummy flair.

With over 40 types of cakes and baked desserts that include its award-winning cheesecakes, desserts and fusion comfort food. The resto also carries a flavorful range of ice cream and the coolest variety of beverages.  Secret Recipe certainly has evolved into a modern-day dining experience. Now, that’s value for your hard-earned moolah.

The new graduate/owner Jennifer Tan made sure that the taste is still akin to their international counterparts. Before operating her franchise here in the metro, the staff flew to Malaysia to undergo intensive training to keep up with the global standards of the restaurant.

“We don’t compromise with the taste and also the prices are very reasonable. It’s like getting the same experience like you’re in Kuala Lumpur,” she shares. She ensures her clientele that there is something for everyone at anytime of the day whether you want a heavy meal or prefer light snack matched with your favorite brew, Secret Recipe has it all.

Their wide array of Western and Asian menu denotes a whole new meaning to the term ‘Fusion Food’. Among its authentic dishes, the best loved are the Irish Lamb Stew, Grilled Black Pepper Chicken, Singapore Laksa, Pan Grilled Dory in Lobster Sauce, and Tom Yum Kung.

And of course guests never leave without having some of their fine desserts. Their diverse offering of delights will surely make you keep coming back for more. Their cakes are well awarded by international food critics. Most recommended are its Marble Cheesecake, Chocolate Indulgence, Chocolate Banana, Fruity Special, Mango Delight, and White Chocolate Macadamia.

Aside from the long list of entrees, there’s also something endearing about Secret Recipe’s interiors.  The place goes beyond the usual café with its sleek, clean look highlighted by the intimate set up complemented with high ceilings, intricate chandeliers, and the works. Likewise, the most extraordinary feature is its beautiful façade when the Global City turns into night as it glows with such radiance.

Furthermore, Secret Recipe operates in more than 150 outlets, serving customers throughout Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Shanghai - China, and the Philippines. They have three branches in Manila namely: Level 4 of Robinson's Midtown Ermita (567-2042), Level 5 of Shangri-La Mall, EDSA corner Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City (637-0367) and ground level, 32nd St. cor. 5th Ave. Fort Bonifacio (856-2953).

Lets get started with your yearly trip to the small island. Maybe it’s about time to try out some new things other than just hanging out by the white beach and do your annual island hopping. Here are some tips on how to avoid the congestion and still have a blast at this wonderful island.

Your first stop—take a trike to Baling Hai Beach. It’s a small cove located at the northern part of the island. The serene view plus the authentic Filipino cuisine will surely be a memorable day trip with your special someone without spending your cash allotted for pasalubong.

For the extreme adventurers, dare to go Kiteboarding in Bolabog Beach. It is sure to wake up all those sleeping muscles in your body that you don’t even know existed. Not to mention the good-looking instructors and professional kite boarders residing in this side of town. It’s a nice site to just watch and giggle (Read: try Hangin Kite Center or Freestyle Academy Kite Center run by renowed local kiteboarder Ken Nacor).

For the ladies, Bora won’t be complete without strutting your stuff on the beach. Make sure you get that über wax you need. If you forgot to do it in the city, then head to Footsies at D’ Mall. Trust me on this, they do their job well.

When the sun is in its finest hour waving goodbye to another happy day, spend a few drinks with your friends the Boracay way complete with local musicians; and if your lucky, fire dancers just after dusk. Try Red Pirates located at Angol beach past Station 3. For those looking for some cozy spot away from the center, you can also ‘chillax’ at Asya located at Station 3.

Then the clock strikes at 10PM! Its time to hit the dance floor and what better place to spend it than at Hey Jude Bar, which is still the no. 1 hangout spot for tourists and locals. Get to meet a lot of interesting people over a shot of Mind Eraser and better yet, groove the night away hoping that when you wake up you’ll remember everything that happened the night before with a wide smile on your face.

 

When you’re at the Island Paradise, don’t forget to round up these hottest spots:

Blue Bayou Resort
Bolabog Road
www.bluebayouresort.com

Gasthof Restaurant
D’ Mall D’Boracay

Smoke Resto
D’Mall D’ Boracay

Freestyle Academy Kite Center
www.freestyle-boracay.com

NJ Sneakers:
A One-of-A-Kind Pair

There’s a little Imelda inside of us.  This cliché remains true not only for girls but for guys as well. Just admit it, nobody can ever resist a nice pair of footwear. For the passionate shoe aficionados, there’s something you need to get hold of and surely, these hot pick-me-uppers will captivate your flair. 

Enter the hand-painted and uniquely designed NJ Sneakers that’s currently making waves in the local fashion scene. Imagine an art painting uniquely drawn in a plain white canvas sneaker.  These artworks are a product of imaginatively planned styles that range from different pop genres and subjects.

Name it from the coolest anime characters that you can imagine to the eccentric Japanese punk and pop even to the gothic-grunge, quirky-cool creatures and sensual feminine portraits, NJ Sneakers gives life to your shoe panache and mind you, each pair denotes an exclusivity to its owner. 

Behind this creatively conceptualized biz is the avid sneaker collector and budding entrepreneur Neil Paras, who first started his ingenious endeavor just last year. He collaborated with some Japanese and Filipino artists in designing and initially worked on the first 15 pairs, which eventually became a hit among the pop art frenzy generation.  And as they say, the rest is history.

“I can say that NJ Sneakers is not the usual type of rubber shoes that you see anywhere else. Every pair reflects your personality and highlights your individuality on its design. As much as possible I don’t want NJ Sneakers to be a fad but a lifestyle. I want the shoes to become a legacy,” he enthused.

At first impression, you can say that Neil is just some lucky guy who happens to hit it big time since he knows some key personalities that can help him elevate his brand. But then again, it’s all about getting to know the whole picture on how he ventured his passion into something worthwhile.

“Going into fashion industry was the farthest thing in my mind. Admittedly, I’m a shoe addict.  I feel grateful for having this lifetime opportunity and those people who have helped me in my journey. Things really do happen for a reason,” he related.

With NJ Sneakers, Neil is hands-on on the every detail of the business. He made sure that every pair is uniquely conceptualized for its future owners. He make sure that every pair is uniquely conceptualized for its future owners.

Right now, the styles are slowly branching out from hand-painted pairs to patent sneakers that will be launched sometime this month.  Neil’s excited because his plans for NJ Sneakers are becoming solid.

For the time being, Neil continues to improve in the next coming years and is keeping his options open.  He’s in no rush now because he wants to grow together with his venture and become more productive in the future.

NJ Sneakers are now available in Philosophy in Serendra and Mall of Asia; Traffic in Eastwood, Rockwell, and Trinoma Mall; Religioso in Edsa Shangri-la Mall and Greenbelt; Backstage in Serendra.

The Sole Craze

With summer months all coming, there’s no better way than to enjoy the season with a comfy pair of footwear that can keep us going a long way. Whether you’re hitting the beach or trekking the highlands, just make sure you have happy feet all throughout your trip.

Walk like a supermodel with Ipanema’s hottest summer collection of stylish flip-flops inspired by supermodel Gisele Bündchen dubbed as Ipanema’s G2B Collection which features five exciting designs that compliment this summer’s fashionable mood like the Solar Fem, Aranha Fem, Thong Classic Fem, Thong Fem, and Sandal Fem.  All of which were designed with utmost comfort and style. 

Experience a different pursuit of happiness in your footwear with Sanük, a young surf brand that creates jellies, indoor-outdoor carpet flip-flops, Guatemela blanket thongs and the super cushy, super commercial sandals. If those aren’t enough, only Sanük has crazy Tarzan prints or variations of indigenous folk art themes on their sandals.  Lastly, check out their Sanuk Sidewalk Surfers collection, an interesting series of a sandal-shoe hybrid that has the comfort of a sandal and respectability of a shoe.

Get dynamic with Gola Classic “Harrier” style which fuses both aesthetic and athletic attributes in one footwear. If you’re among those who are into rough sports, then this one is for you.  Amazingly, the brand has already surpassed the rigid performance over the years of existence with its casual, rugged and trendy fit for men and women.

 

Where to find:
*Ipanema Gisele Bundchen G2B is available in Shoe Salon outlets at the Glorietta, Rockwell, Shangri-La Mall, SM Mall of Asia, The Podium, Eastwood, Alabang Town Center, Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Ermita, Gateway, Metroeast, SM North EDSA The Block and TriNoma.

* Sanük store is located at the Glorietta mall. Sanük is also carried by Res-Toe-Run at Trinoma, Rustans Dept store, Shoe Salon and selected Bratpack, Stoked Inc., and Chocolate Clothing boutiques.

*Gola Classic are available at AKT!V store in Trinoma or nearest GOLA corner in leading department stores.

Food

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