Where to Dine if You Want a Vintage Setting

Davao City today boasts of numerous modern and chic restaurants and cafes featuring unique interior designs. Many of the newer ones are what they call "Instagram-worthy" places. Some also offer specific international cuisines ranging from the Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Vietnamese to the Australian, Swiss and French.

However if you're the type of person who loves a vintage setting with a romantic and cozy ambiance (and I mean dining places housed in well-preserved heritage buildings), there are several worth visiting. Be prepared with your budget, though, as these places are fine dining restaurants with prices of meals and drinks a bit higher than the ones you are accustomed to.

Claude's Le Cafe de Ville 

This French restaurant is located along Rizal Street (downtown area just a short walk from San Pedro Cathedral) in the former Oboza House. Built in 1929, this heritage house has been well preserved with most parts retained including the veranda which displays several memorabilia of the Obozas (original owners of the house). French chef Claude Le Neindre is the owner of the restaurant.

Mary Kay Treats Davao Bloggers to a Make-up Session

Mary Kay, the well-known American cosmetic company, is now celebrating its 17 years of presence here in the Philippines. To mark this occasion and the birthday of its founder, Mary Kay Philippines executives recently treated Davao bloggers and local media to a fun make-up and skin care session and a healthy lunch at the cozy Sea Green Cafe.

I joined the DBS Glam Squad in the fun and enriching make-up class during which we were all made to try Mary Kay's products from cleansing and toning our face to moisturizing and applying make-up. Gian Riaz, Mary Kay Product Manager, taught us the right way to apply cream and liquid products to the face using the ring finger and using circular motions. He also demonstrated how to do the eyebrow and eyeshadow on Davao Blogger Society member Athina Angliongto.

Mother's Day Tribute: How I Make Time for Nanay

"It's all coming back, it's all coming back to me now," so goes Celine Dion's song.

Memories of my childhood and growing up years flashed back  recently that kept me thinking how strong my Nanay had been in raising all four of us. Now that I'm a mother myself raising teens, it makes me realize the difficult times my Nanay had encountered back then with four of us to attend to. I only have two kids and she has four yet there were times in the past that I felt I was carrying a burden so heavy. But thanks to her unwavering support and unconditional love, I was able to hurdle those trying times.

It's a blessing to have my Nanay around to still help us in our needs even when we already have our own families. She continues to inspire me with her strength and grace and I hope to follow her footsteps.

Worldbex & Davao Bloggers Society Host 1st Travel and Leisure Expo Davao

Davao is home to numerous tourist attractions and what better way to promote them than through a Travel and Leisure Expo.

The First Travel and Leisure Expo Davao is now ongoing at the SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang Premier and will run until tomorrow. Organized by the Worldbex Services International (WSI), it aims to showcase the countless tourist spots around the Philippines, the special travel and tour packages available for local and foreign travelers and hassle-free booking services in a trade expo environment. It is most suited for all types of travelers including the adventurous millennials who want to get the best deals for their favorite destinations.

Kublai Art Garden: A Garden Like No Other in Kapatagan

Most of us are attracted to beautifully-designed gardens filled with colorful flowers and a wide variety of plants. There are plenty of them here in the city being home to the famous waling-waling and other rare orchid varieties.

But there's also one garden in Kapatagan (Digos, Davao del Sur) that showcases not flowers or plants but art works. And they're not just the small size or medium size ones but giant-size art creations, specifically sculptures. 

I'm referring to the Kublai Art Garden of well-known Mindanaoan artist Kublai Millan. It's the first of its kind  in Mindanao and perhaps, the only one in the Philippines. Sharing here the snapshots I took of his awesome artworks during our recent trip to Kapatagan.  

Honda Motors Launches First Flagship Shop in Mindanao

Investor confidence in Davao City remains high. Proof of this is the opening of new business establishments and the upgrading of existing ones around the metro. One of the latest to do so is the Honda Flagship Shop in Buhangin, the first in Davao City and the entire Mindanao.

Last Friday, Honda Philippines Inc. (HPI) in partnership with DESMARK Corporation officially opened the largest Honda motorcycle retail concept shop in the city. Special guests during the grand opening of the Honda Flagship Shop were HPI President Daiki Mihara and the Du family of Desmark Corp. among others.

Honda Philippines President Daiki Mihara with the Du family of Desmark Corp.

Spanning almost 7,000 square meters, the shop offers top quality products and efficient service and features a showroom, sales area, parts and after-sales service area, a riders' hall and test course area. The spacious flagship shop has a modern design with a cozy lounge for customers.