Breathing Fresh Air at the Nurture Spa Village

Tagaytay is popular not only because of its proximity to the metro, but also because of its cool climate throughout the year. It is also a perfect place if you want a quick breather from the toxicities of the city. Here, you can find a lot of boutique and posh hotels and B&B's, as well as plush gardens that will let you bond again with nature even for a day.

Nurture Spa Village is not just a spa nor just an accommodation. It is engulfed in lush greenery and blossoming buds, a perfect venue to relax and breathe some fresh air. 

When we arrived, we were greeted by their staff with ethnic song (Think Dos Palmas) and were given this hot pandan tea. 

Greenery? I mean it! Nurture Spa Village has a hectare of zen-inspired garden situated on a cliff. You need not worry about landslides because the sides of the cliff around Nurture Spa Village was crafted like the Banawe Rice Terraces so as to prevent landslides. This was done by the Ifugaos commisioned by the owner- Ms. Cathy Turvill. The Ifugao huts in the Nurture Spa Village are also authentic ones.

They have a small pool for your dipping indulgence. This is just beside the Dulang Restaurant.

You can read a book or simply bask in the sun by the poolside while sipping some fresh mango shake.

Aside from the authentic Ifugao huts, they also have air-conditioned accommodation like the Pag-Ibig (love) room. This is usually the room they give to the bride and groom as part of their wedding package. 

The Filipiniana-inspired room reminds me of an ancestral house, only more modern.

How modern? Well it has a tub and flat screen TV! The rooms are a bit far from the pool area which gives serenity, especially for couples.

The owners of the Nurture Spa Village is also the man & woman behind the famous organic line of spa products, Amu'in. They have a small souvenir shop beside the reception area where they sell not only Amu'in products but other native products as well.

 They also have an open al-fresco gazebo where you can have your wedding or other affairs.

Hawaiian Bar-B-Que, Tagaytay City

 When we are in Tagaytay, the first thing that came to my mind is Bulalo. But since we already had Bulalo a week ago, our taste buds want something new. And since the weather was so unpredictable, we decided not to go out for dinner and just hang out at The Boutique's restaurant - Hawaiian Bar-B-Que.

If you will come from Manila, The Boutique/Hawaiian Bar-B-Que is just a few meters away from Olivarez. So from Olivarez you will see Pamana Restaurant (a sister resto of The Boutique as well), The Theodore Hotel and finally, The Boutique. 

Hawaiian Bar-B-Que belongs to the group of restaurants owned by the Ongpauco's like Barrio Fiesta, Isdaan, Singing Cooks and Waiters, Bento Box and Pamana Restaurant. So given that, you know what to expect - sumptuous food delights that are made from the finest ingredients.

We arrived at The Boutique at around lunch time and the restaurant is so full! As in table turnaround is so fast! So by around 5:30pm, we had the chance to actually have a space in there. 

Hawaiian Bar-B-Que serves, well, Hawaiian-inspired delights, so expect a lot of coconut and pineapple in your dish. The owner, Happy Ongpauco, created this restaurant because she got amazed by Hawaiian cuisine during her stay in Hawaii.

Without further ado, here are some of their specialties:

Hawaiian Shrimp Curry

It's a generous serving of prawns in curry sauce with a hint of pineapple. Between curry and pineapple, the latter is more dominant in terms of taste. So for those who wants that "Indian" curry kick, this may be light for you. But the sweetness of pineapple perfectly complements the prawns.

The Original Hawaiian Baby Back Ribs

A slab of succulent baby back ribs cooked in pineapple marinade. The meat is sooooooooo tender and juicy.  Aside from their bedtime churros, this dish made me want to come back over and over again. It's just perfect.  The next time you visit Tagaytay and you are tired of the same old Bulalo, try this and it's a heavenly as your old-time favorite beef shank soup.

And what is a gastronomic experience without a dessert? Presentamus...... Hawaiian Banana Split! (claps)

Served in half a coconut shell, this one is a perfect ending to your feast. It has scoops of chocolate and mango ice cream (vanilla, but they ran out of stock), mallows, banana, choco syrup and coconut. I am not a big fan of buko (coconut) but this one is an exemption, The coconut is so tender and it blends well with the ice cream. 

So the next time you visit Tagaytay, make sure to pass by Hawaiian Bar-B-Que. Burrrrpppp! (excuse me.)

The Boutique, Tagaytay CIty: Not Your Ordinary Bed & Breakfast

According to Wikipedia, a bed and breakfast (or B&B) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Typically, bed and breakfasts are private homes with fewer than 10 bedrooms available for commercial use. I used to define B&B’s the same way as Wikipedia did, not until I had a unique bed and breakfast experience at The Boutique, Tagaytay City in the Philippines.

 Tagaytay City is the closest coolest place from Manila. In an hour or two, one will be able to have a glimpse of the world-renowned Taal Volcano with its surrounding lake. Because of the increasing tourist demands, a plethora of hotels, inns and B&B’s lined the plateau of Tagaytay City. Among these accommodations, we opted to stay in a B&B simply because we do not want the complexity of luxurious hotels. We wanted our stay to be homey and cozy, with good food, of course.

 Lo and behold, we chose The Boutique Bed & Breakfast along the highway of Tagaytay. It has 7 rooms named after different emotions, not just numbers. No two rooms are the same as each room has its own motif. We opted to stay at the “I Escape” room, among others. They also have a pillow menu where one can choose pillows for different needs.

 

 Our stay was not only homey and cozy, but personalized as well. As we checked in, we were asked to select your own room scent, soap, shampoo, conditioner and lotion from their Pamper Me line. We were also treated to a cold stone facial massage at noontime, and a serving of hot chocolate and freshly-made churros at bedtime. The room also has bedtime nibblers (yema & chips) to satisfy one’s cravings in the wee hours of the night.

Our stay’s highlight is the sumptuous breakfast. In The Boutique, breakfast is served at your own prefered time in bed. There is no need to cue on a buffet just like in other hotels. We were served with generous servings of Gourmet Tinapa (smoked fish) in Olive Oil and Capers, eggs the way you want it, garlic rice, coffee, freshly-made mango juice, oven-fresh breads with jam and butter and fruits in season topped with cottage cheese or yogurt.

Now I understand why people opt for B&B’s nowadays. The price is undeniably affordable and the experience is more mesmerizing and remarkable. Since the rooms are only a few, the owners are able to maintain consistency and excellence in their service, thus, making one long to come back over and over again.

Plus, they gave me a box of chocolates before we left the place. Sweet huh!

Wake me up with a Bag of Beans

Taaadaaaahhh! Meet my friend in white, Abel. =P

After we left Punta Fuego, we agreed to have coffee in Tagaytay because we haven't had caffeine boost in the last 24 hours. We decided to drop by the famous Bag of Beans (main branch).

I was so curious why this cafe is so famous. The dining area was almost full when we went down. The covered gazebos with the white curtains are offered for a fee, so if you want more privacy, you can take those.

The ambience is good, if you love those garden-type restaurants. But be cautious because you would need lots of insect repellent here. It must have been the bushes and the other plants around. They also have a pavilion where you book your private functions. A wedding package here costs about P30,000 more or less.

The patio

Their signage says "English Pies & Breads" but they also offer sumptuous breakfast and desserts.

And meet my gorgeous friend, Angela

They also have a souvenir shop that sells organic skin care products. My friend Angela got the Dark Chocolate Body Scrub which smells like real cocoa.

And my princess, Akisha

 Since we went here for coffee, I ordered Mocha Frappe. When it was served, I got excited because it looks so yummy! Though when I tasted it, it lacks that "coffee kick'. It's sweet, that's it. So perhaps they can improve on that. The consistency is also not that impressive as it is not as creamy as I expected it to be.

I also ordered Chicken & Mushroom Pie to share with hubby. I was about to order the Shepherd's Pie but was still too stuffed with our getaway's pig-out moments. Their Chicken & Mushroom Pie has generous fillings of chicken breast, mushroom and cream. Though I think it will be more interesting if they will add cheese on it. (Or is it just me, the cheese-addict?)

 This is their Chocolate Chip Pancakes that my friend ordered. Three-stack, fluffy and true to its name, chocolatey! Their pancakes are not just plain pancakes garnished with whatever its named after. Instead, the pancake itself is mixed with chocolate chips, thus the brown color.

Photo by Ron Dawa

 See? Even their blueberry pancakes are mixed with blueberries! Yum Yum Yum! This woke me up. And while I am writing this entry, I am craving for this heavenly goodie.

Photo by Ron Dawa

Photo by Ron Dawa

Haven't had enough of blueberries? Then try their huge serving of Blueberry Cheesecake paired with their White Mocha coffee.

Now I know why more and more people are addicted with the Bag of Beans. It may not be their coffee or hot chocolate, but their desserts will definitely kick you awake and make you come back.