My Manila

"A cup of tea is a cup of peace." ~Sen Sōshitsu XVI, 16th tea master of the Urasenke family We finally have TWG Tea Salons ...

"Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were." ~Marcel Proust (1871–1922), French nov...

"Set wide the window. Let me drink the day." ~Edith Wharton, Artemis to Actaeon and Other Verses Other than the enormous flo...

"There is one fundamental fact about lighting: Where there is no light, there is no beauty." ~Ruby Ross Wood (1881–1950), New ...

"Why does no one speak of the cultural advantages of the country? For example, is a well groomed, ecologically kept, sustainably fert...

"Learn to do common things uncommonly well; we must always keep in mind that anything that helps fill the dinner pail is valuable....

"Blue jeans are the most beautiful things since the gondola." ~Diana Vreeland (1903–1989), fashion editor and columnist The...

"Everywhere I go, I always look for creative entrepreneurs, whether it's artisans and craftsmen, small farmers and gardeners, or...

A suggestion from the owners of Old Oven Art Cafe .

One wall of the Old Oven Art Cafe (see yesterday's post) displays framed photographs for sale.

The quirky Old Oven Art Cafe is filled with paintings, photographs, and unusual knick-knacks. Alone? Grab a magazine. With family and frie...

From the same chef and co-owner of Pino and Pipino restaurants comes π (Pi), which serves breakfast fare and pies everyday from 7am to 10...

Kanzhu , a small restaurant that we tried recently, prides itself in its hand-pulled noodles. It's easy to understand why—freshly made ...

When something becomes popular in Manila, it really becomes popular. During the past year, tea shops have opened in almost every block in ...

9 Spoons , the 9th floor restaurant of The Bayleaf Intramuros , overlooks the Club Intramuros Golf Course and has commanding views of the ...

The interior design may not be traditional Filipino, but Café Via Mare serves some of the best Filipino food in Metro Manila (and in the S...

The chandelier at Hossein's Restaurant —which serves very good Persian, Arabian and Indian cuisine—in Trinoma mall.   Just because I...

The beach in Boracay where we had our lunch (see yesterday's post).   I just had to join in the " It's more fun in the Phili...

Coffee mural at Pancake House . With a pancake and waffle, of course. See murals from around the world in Monday Mural .

There's a new Seattle's Best Coffee and Kenny Rogers Roasters in our neighborhood.   They're pretty small to have such an e...