New Spot: ARCANA LOUNGE

If there's something that is lacking in San Juan City, it's the fact that there's really a scarcity of good bars... but here's good news. ARCANA LOUNGE finally has opened and we've got first dibs on things they offer.

Ambiance: I think I've seen this being worked on a couple months ago when a couple workers went outside and pat dust off their clothes... and I saw a new sign put up in front, I stopped and said to my self, this is interesting! When I entered ARCANA this evening, my eyes were certainly drawn on the copper clad ceiling. I felt they did this on purpose so you get to feel how large the room was. The place could seat 50-60 people (maybe more) and tables were arranged for groups of 4 or more to fit friends, family. The back side had a long bunk chair and the others were upholstered thick, pretty comfy to be seated for hours. They also had fresh flowers, dropped in several places. Design wise, it reminded me of a little mix of modern, industrial and art deco. There's a sense of it being posh, their attention to detail was astounding.

The Bar on the other had was built differently. The racks are filled to the brim with different kinds of booze as they serve hard drinks and cocktails. The bar is all clad in gold, black, aimed to complement the restaurant interior. It also has their huge logo, intimidating to look at but once you know the bartenders, you'll love them instantly.

Gourmet Nachos -Warm nachos with hearty chili con carne topping. Fresh and complements Gin, Tequila based drinks.

Purple Sour - Something they whipped up to surprise me, this was refreshing and perfect to start the evening.

Buffalo Wings - It had the flavors, not too spicy... make sure you eat it while it's hot!

Sisig Rolls - A different take on the usual bar chow. Like a mix between Filipino and Vietnamese. Again, make sure you consume while it's hot.

Truffle Pizza - One of my favorites that evening. It had the right amount of cheese, crispy crust and truffle permeated all over the top.

Sliders - If you need something filling, the sliders would surely do that. It comes with fries, which I think was also laced with a little truffle.

Fra Diavolo - Fresh pasta with shrimp, cheese and lemon on the side.

Steak Fried Rice - I liked their version, like the other items I mentioned earlier, eat it while its hot.

USDA Rib Eye Steak - They made it the way I like it. Medium, still has the right amount of fat (which I love) and buttery soft still. I would even love to have seconds. I would go back for this in a heartbeat!

Prawn Thermidor - For prawn lovers out there, here's your fix. You may have this shared but I doubt you'll do because it's cheesy good.

Lamb Rack - For those who would want something a bit more lean, get the Lamb rack. They cooked it perfectly... I'd assume this would be for those special date nights or "treat to self" days.

ARCANA LOUNGE maybe new, but fret not as they've got some seasoned Chefs and Mixologists behind all their counters. They plan very well, and honestly, the ambiance is a huge selling point. If you have guests, friends or family that need to be given a classy dinner, something to drink afterwards, this is the place you should be looking for. A plus is that they also customize drinks, just ask the friendly bartender what you prefer so they could whip up something for you.

ARCANA LOUNGE is located at the Greenhills Promenade's second level. You may enter through the stairs from Music Museum or the one on the left door of the mall's old door. I enjoyed my time there and surely, I'd be back for more!

Luxury Living with Brittany's New Condominium Towers

If you're looking for a place with true cool breeze, outdoor decks, lush gardens that promotes peace and tranquility... that's exactly what Brittany Corporations new condo towers offer. They think about how you can take refuge, with your wellness in mind, as they continue to build and develop several properties down south.

Brittany is the luxury residential arm of Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc. and they've made strides in making sure that if you choose to live in their projects, you'll get a lifestyle that promotes holistic wellness, much like Crosswinds.

The new towers at Alpine Villas

Crosswinds is a huge 100 hectare land that is tucked away from the busy city limits of Tagaytay. They built several towers, Swiss Chalet style houses developed in lush forests where you'll feel you're in another country as the weather changes. It's the perfect place to take a walk, not too hot, not too cold, enough to get you appreciate the smell of fresh pine trees, other worldly architecture you only see in movies or the Swiss alps. Crosswinds has been transformed in the last few years, and now has retail concept stores, new amenities around so you don't have to go elsewhere if you're at the enclaves all year.

Encompassing 2.8 hectares of Crosswinds is Alpine Villas, a charming enclave consisting of mid-rise towers in the style of Swiss chalets that are surrounded with charming European-inspired cafes and restaurants. They built towers Bernese, Blanc and Brienz so each resident would enjoy majestic sunsets, views, as it is 540 meters above sea level. Imagine the cups of coffee you'll enjoy as you sit in tables right outside, and the memories you'll make forever.

Recently, they built a new one called Biel. It's a 9 storey condo tower with 58 units. You can choose between studio, one bedroom spaces, two bedroom ones, or ones with balconies in different measurements (30 to 90 square meters). This costs around Php 9 to 31 Million per unit, but with the amenities like gyms, exercise spaces, parks, pathways, green gardens, views, that are priceless. These are units that can make you feel that you're re-connecting with nature. The lush vegetation, quiet surroundings, would take your meditation sessions to a whole new level. This would be perfect as a second or vacation home for those who would want to escape the city.

It's also got CCTV and security working 24/7, following safety precautions and guidelines set by the LGU so the community remains safe, with less worry... so you can enjoy the time with family, friends, all day. You can also choose this as an investment, as every sane person would want to experience this for a few days, months, even years. Brittany also has properties in Portofino which you can find in Alabang. There's also La Posada in Sucat Paranaque and Georgia Club in Sta. Rosa, Laguna if you want to experience the same luxury elsewhere too.

If you want to know more about it, visit their official website www.brittany.com.ph or their social channels by searching Brittany Corporation.

Making Sure Budget Plans Work

The pandemic has taught us a lot about how good financial management remain as a valuable skill not just for personal survival, but giving ease to the lives of your family - the closest people for you. We determine budget plans early on, with proper forecasting you get to have peace of mind yes, but in rare occasions, we all struggle. When one gets sick, incapacitated, restrictions happen and people lose their jobs, when businesses decide to close shop, these are emergencies nobody gets prepared for so it is wise you get to evaluate your budgets regularly and learn to properly make adjustments when the need arise.

Managing Finances Effectively

You need a good bank, know where you are putting savings, things for investments, for entertainment (because you deserve that too) and an emergency fund (when the unimaginable happens).


Allocate Appropriately

I always make it a point to have funds directed to a specific goal. A huge chunk of course goes to bills, food and shelter (about 50%), 10 percent goes to entertainment (if you want to go to a vacation, buy something for yourself or your loved one you need to set aside something for this purpose), then 25% goes to investments (if you prefer digital currency, bank deposits, stock market, insurance premiums or money market you need to do this early on). 15% goes to emergency fund so in times you wouldn't be able to work or pay for medical bills if you or your family gets hospitalized, you have this to get funds from. There are a lot of other things to consider and customize these rates, you need to weigh what works for you and stick to it. If you need to adjust, go ahead and make that play. You need to be a little aggressive in making sure your budget works for you.

Monitor Your Investments

Since a huge part of your funds go to investments, you need to have this checked a few minutes a day. Make smart choices if you are looking for short term ones, relax on the long term goals. You don't need to watch lines go up and down and spend hours for it, so only do it when times are volatile, and be aggressive if you have the money to do it with. Familiarize yourself with the market and slowly make your way to grow your funds. You also have to find one that fits your lifestyle. If you want to delve into business, or become an entrepreneur, pick up  a loan with easy payment terms and lower interest rates because a lot of it is out there. 

Manage Your Debt Wisely

Loans, credit card bills are of course part of the game. If you've got a lot of these, consider plans to pay more than the minimum monthly payments to reach your goal of zero debt. You can schedule payments for some purchases for ease of doing business and everyday transactions. Know when interest rates would be okay for you or not. See if you are going to benefit in the long run because remember, some loans and credits are not taxable and if you pay them earlier, it won't be too painful to see where your funds go. Give debt consolidation a try so it would also be manageable to pay for things. If you want information on that, click here.

These are what I do now in order to manage funds, if you've got one that serves the purpose, follow your own strategy and adjust when you see the need to. The market isn't constant just like change, think of more ways to grow your money and see if your budget plans work today.

BEKO Sale at the Megatrade Exhibit Hall On May 22

If you're looking for big savings, this is the time to choose Beko over at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall this May in Mandaluyong City. Imagine getting a whopping 23 percent off usual price of Beko appliances, loved in the EU and is now available in the Philippines.

This means if you're looking for Freezers, Stand Alone Cookers, Ovens, Refrigerators, you can get them at discounted prices only til then. The fridge freezers have HarvestFresh tech that keeps all your veggies fresh. Beko’s crisper drawer technology uses a three-color light system so your fresh produce feels like it's still growing in the garden, making it last longer, who wouldn't love that. 

This would make your meals a lot healthy, as you get the vitamins and minerals in an even better state, Beko Cookers and Ovens on the other hand are at the 20-23 percent discount mark so if you are a home entrepreneur or just like a few more burners (or elextric cookers) on your stove, they've got that all.

Gurhan Gunal the Country Manager of Beko says "We love seeing our products being enjoyed by Filipino families and we are commited to have more of these benefit our patrons while having the environment safe, in a better state for future generations to come."

These are available in large appliance centers and they plan to expand to more areas very soon. So if you are in the lookout for more of these products, make sure to try a Beko!