Captivating view at Casa Alegria

Tagaytay City is a favorite vacation place because of its cool weather and close proximity to Metro Manila. And for those looking for a place to stay in Tagaytay, having a view of the famous Taal Volcano is a must.

Nestled along a hill facing the great Taal Lake is Casa Alegria Bed & Breakfast. It is also near Talisay, Batangas, hence the close-up view of the iconic volcano.

Just recently opened, Casa Alegria has huge rooms with full glass walls offering an unobstructed view of Taal Volcano, ideal for a romantic getaway. The other well-appointed rooms, meanwhile, have window views.

Aside from the rooms, you can view the majestic Taal Volcano from the function area which doubles as the restaurant with a viewing deck on top. Some would rent it as a wedding reception as it could sit 100 people. It is also a good place for a barkada get-together as it has a billiard table, or you can just simply relax, enjoy the food and the view. A swimming pool is in the works and will be operational middle of this year.

Since Casa Alegria is near the lake, you can even ask them to arrange with local tour guides activities such as boat ride to Taal or horseback riding.

For more information, visit Casa Alegria’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CasaAlegriaInn

Disclaimer: Brunch and Casa Alegria Tour courtesy of Casa Alegria

Experience #SouthParadise with Paradizoo and Residence Inn

Looking for a different kind of staycation experience this summer? A quick getaway that is just near the Metro and where kids will surely enjoy? Then, Paradizoo and Residence Inn might just be the one you’re looking for.

Paradizoo

Experience relaxing farm living at Paradizoo in Mendez, Cavite. This 12 hectares of vegetable farm, flower garden and zoo combined is about 20 minutes away from Tagaytay City proper.

Here you can see various livestock such as ostriches, donkeys, and rabbits. For a minimal fee, you can also feed some of the animals. Kids can also try the mini horse ride or the caritela ride (drawn by an albino carabao!) There’s also a scheduled show where animals such as greyhound dogs, a five-legged cow and a camel were paraded. Paradizoo also has a goat-milking facility and a bee farm (with a short lecture) where you can buy honey.

Paradizoo is also ideal for educating the kids on different kinds of vegetables and flowers (such as Mickey Mouse flower) through their vegetable and flower farms. You can also buy Paradizoo’s produce such as pineapples and lettuce which are all naturally grown.

Other attractions are: butterfly garden, pet cemetery, meditation garden, wedding garden, zing ride, fish spa, play area, souvenir shop and a cafe.

Paradizoo recently introduced its mobile home—a trailer mobile van complete with bed, aircon and comfort room. It is only PhP 1,500 a night with breakfast for two.

Residence Inn

Located right at the heart of Tagaytay City is Residence Inn. Residence Inn has been a landmark in Tagaytay for years, known for its mini zoo overlooking Taal Lake.

Here, you can see a stable of horses, a pair of white lions, a camel and many more. You can also have a photo-op with a tiger, phyton, iguana or owl for a minimal fee. Residence Inn also has a zipline and cable car ride.

They also have scheduled magic shows that kids will surely enjoy such as Zoori (magic show with animals) and the Green Magic Show (nighttime). And if you’ve gone hungry with all the activities, they have Gazebo, a restaurant that serves Tagaytay’s famous bulalo and tawilis.

Aside from the mini-zoo, Residence Inn also has 14 guestrooms that has a view of Taal Volcano. Ideal for that cool-weather family staycation just near Metro Manila.

For more information, contact  899-9595 loc. 344/347, 09185033399 or you may visit Zoomanity’s official website at www.zoomanity.com.ph

Disclaimer:  The Paradizoo and Residence Inn Tour was part of the media conference held by Zoomanity Group last April 18, 2015.

Catch the Beautiful View of Taal Volcano at Casa Alegria

Taal Volcano is one of the Philippines' famous tourist spots. Its beautiful view will surely captivate not only the eyes but the hearts as well with its melodramatic appearance.

Good thing that there is a great place to stay in that is facing directly this nature's wonder. And this is the Casa Alegria.

Located in the heart of Tagaytay, Casa Alegria offers a very relaxing place to stay, especially this summer. This is also a good place to conduct special events, private parties, and stay in its homey rooms.

Below are Casa Alegria’s room rates and amenities:

Aside from the rooms and functional area, Casa Alegria also offers van rental for only Php8,000 for a 24-hour service.

Bed and breakfast are the two key terms of this inn since it offers free breakfast to those who avail of an overnight stay.

Surrounded by natural wonders, Casa Alegria is also perfect for pictorials, pre-nuptial videos, and weddings. This is also a good setting for movie or teleserye shoots.

Well, do you want to experience the beauty of Casa Alegria? Catch our media launch this Saturday, April 18, 2015, 7pm here at Casa Alegria. Overnight stay and breakfast will be offered to the media attendees. See you there!

Experience #SouthParadise staycation at Residence Inn & Paradizoo

Do you want to have that great getaway and get out of the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila? Are you looking for that great and memorable hotel that is near yet different from all the rest? Then, go out of the city and have your staycation at Residence Inn Tagaytay Hotel and Paradizoo Mobile Home! 

“We want to offer our visitors only the best experience that they deserve,” COO JB Badon proudly states. There are plenty of reasons why you have to choose Residence Inn Tagaytay Hotel and Paradizoo Mobile Home. Who knows, you might even stay longer than planned!

Residence Inn Tagaytay Hotel

Located at the cool city of Tagaytay, Residence Inn is home to various kinds of animals--snakes, horses, tigers and many more. Try its zipline and cable car which will definitely allow you to appreciate nature more as this overlooks Taal Volcano.

one of the rooms at Residence Inn Tagaytay Hotel

Most of all, Residence Inn Tagaytay Hotel wants you to experience its very own 14 zoo-ish styled, homey and cozy upgraded guestrooms which all overlooks Taal Volcano. Compliment your stay with Residence Inn’s very own Bulalo and many other delicious signature dishes while having long talks with the company you love.

For as low as P 3,100, this indeed is a perfect spot for a romantic getaway for two, a relaxing staycation with your family, or a weekend party with your bestfriends!

Paradizoo Mobile Home

Going for a budget hotel? You might want to try Paradizoo Tagaytay Mobile Home only for P1,500! Be in your own paradise while watching green picturesque fields together with different kinds of animals at Paradizoo.

Paradizoo's Moble Home

Feel Paradizoo’s ‘Plant Me Home’ experience, interact with interesting animals like llama, camels, miniature horses, ostriches, greyhounds, labrador retrievers or ride on a cart drawn by an albino Carabao. Indeed an all-in-one experience for nature lovers!

Whatever your life celebration is, choose an all-in-one simple yet relaxing and delightful hotel experience. Join us this coming April 18, 2015, Saturday for a Press Conference at Residence Inn Tagaytay and know more good news from us! Truly, we want you to experience that one great staycation, all-in-one place!

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Want to know how to get 50% OFF for your hotel accommodation? Take your adventure and staycation the Zoolit style!

Zoolit card is a set of discount, freebies, buy 1 take 1, souvenir coupons (and many more) made especially for your adventurous side! This card is accepted for all theme parks under Zoomanity Group. One of the many perks in having this is the 50% off to all hotels under Zoomanity Group which are the Zoobic Lodge (Subic), Residence Inn (Tagaytay), and Azotea Suites (Bel-Air, Makati City).

Get all these perks only for P399! For more information and for those who want to earn more, you may call us at 0916-629-9381 or 09228039980 for orientation.

SM to host Madrid Fusion Manila 2015

The Philippines and Spain share a deep and colorful history and what better way to celebrate these two cultures than through their vibrant and intertwined culinary traditions. This April, the world’s most anticipated gastronomic festival will celebrate the two countries’ over 300 years of shared connection through food in one global event where the world’s top chefs showcase culinary innovations and cutting-edge techniques, ingredients and recipes taking food and dining to the next level. If one wants to see the “future of food,” this is the place to be in.

SM: Official partner of Madrid Fusion Manila 2015

SM plays host to this historic affair and welcomes Madrid Fusion as it comes to Asia for the first time and puts Manila at the heart of culinary interest worldwide.  Madrid Fusion Manila 2015 happening on April 24 to 26 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City highlights the Philippines as an haute cuisine destination in Asia. A Welcome Night at the scenic SM By the Bay for the official delegates are sure to put everyone in a good mood during the first day of the congress where this time, it’s all about the best of Philippine food, art, and culture.

“SM is proud to be the venue of the historic Madrid Fusion Manila. We believe that one of the Philippines’ best-kept secrets is our rich culinary heritage,” expressed Steven Tan, SM Supermalls senior vice-president. “We also want to bring the excitement of Madrid Fusion, particularly Spain’s strong influence in our food and culture, to our mall-goers by taking these culinary festivities to our malls.” To help create national awareness for this cultural milestone, the official Madrid Fusion Manila 2015 TV commercial is being aired in all SM Cinemas nationwide.

Michelin-starred chefs to gather at SMX

Taking center stage at the congress will be this exciting encounter between Spain’s legendary Michelin-starred chefs and the Philippines’ very own culinary stars. Set to captivate Manila with their culinary virtuoso are Spain and Asia’s legendary chefs Andoni Luis Aduriz, Elena Arzak, Quique Dacosta, Ramón Freixa, Francis Paniego, Paco Roncero, Mario Sandoval, Paco Torreblanca, André Chiang, and Alvin Leung. Presenting the Philippines’ own diverse and imaginative epicurean traditions are chefs Fernando Aracama, Margarita Forés, J Gamboa, José Luis “Chele" Gonzalez, Pepe Lopez, Rob Pengson, Bruce Ricketts, Myrna Dizon, Claude Tayag, and Juan Carlos de Terry. 

A trade exhibit will focus on the finest Spanish and Filipino products from Spanish wines and cheeses, to the Philippines’ world-class exports such as rice, cacao, coffee, mango, coconut, and liquors.

Gourmet weekend market

A feast of everything delectably Filipino-Spanish shall delight foodies at the Gourmet Weekend Market from April 24 to 26 at SM Mall of Asia. A premium selection of cheese, tapas, wine, ingredients, local finds and special bundles shall be made available in partnership with SM Markets (SM Supermarket and Hypermarket).

Spanish food specials

New food concepts that reflect culinary innovation and technique will be available only this April at select SM Mall of Asia restaurants where special dishes with Spanish influence or cooked with the finest local produce, ingredients and flavors are sure to bring out your inner foodie. On April 24 to 26, irresistible dining deals await all food lovers at SM Megamall’s flagship and first-in-the-country dining destinations and the newly-opened Mega Food Hall. While savory goodness awaits mall-goers of SM Aura Premier which shall host its own Spanish-themed fiesta with music, dancing, food and drinks on April 26 at the Sky Park lawn.

Madrid Fusion Manila 2015 partners with SM Supermalls (L-R):

SMX general manager Dexter Deyto; SM Mall of Asia AVP operations Perkin So; SM Mart Inc. SVP marketing communications group Millie Dizon; SM Supermalls president Annie Garcia; Chef Margarita Fores; DOT director of market development and Madrid Fusion Manila project director Verna Covar-Buensuceso; Mielle Esteban of Arum EstratigiasInternacionalización and SM Supermalls SVP marketing Jonjon San Agustin.

For the complete schedule of events at SM malls, visit SM Supermalls on Facebook or @smsupermalls on Instagram. For more information on how to register for Madrid Fusion Manila 2015, visit www.madridfusionmanila.com. 

Elabram Systems Group joins Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2015 #AdMe

Mikel Yaw is the CEO and Managing Director of Elabram Systems Group (ESG) (http://www.elabram.com) with Headquarter in Malaysia & offices in the Philippines, Indonesia & Thailand. ESG main solutions are Network Planning & Optimization, Talent Acquisition & Deployment, Business Process Outsourcing & Knowledge Process Outsourcing. Mikel receives awards from Huawei China just this February 27, 2015 for his project contributions. Mikel also won different awards in Malaysia & Indonesia as Entrepreneur of the Year. For two years, Mikel participated as one of the speakers at LTE World Summit in Amsterdam & in USA and as a speaker for the upcoming LTE Middle East in Dubai this May 2015.

Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2015 #AdMe will be  on July 26, 2015 at SMX Convention Center at BGC Taguig, Philippines and expecting 1000 attendees with 30 corporate companies to showcase their products and services.

At Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2015, different top executives will join together to share the future of Online Marketing in the Philippines and in Asia Pacific region with the following points:

•       The digital economy of the Philippines
•       Positioning the Philippines as a gateway from East to West and West to East
•       Is the Philippines ready to be a cashless society?
•       Disrupting tradition and embracing innovation
•       Technology and Entrepreneurship driving inclusive growth
•       Micro - multinationals E-commerce connecting SMEs to ASEAN and beyond

Partial list of speakers are as follows;

Constantin Roberts - Managing Director, Zalora Philippines

Earl Valencia- Head Corporate Development/Innovations, Smart Communications

Kristian Melquiades- General Manager, Viber Philippines

Richard Upton- President, John Robert Powers Asia

Donald Lim- Chief Digital Officer, ABS CBN

Janette Toral- E Commerce Advocate, Digital Club Filipino

Robert Yupangco- President, Yupangco Group of Companies

Chinkee Tan- Best Selling Author, Motivational Speaker, Radio Host and Wealth & Wellness Coach

Rebecca Bustamante Mills- CEO, Chalre Associates & President, Asia CEO Awards

Mikel Yaw- CEO, Elabram Systems Group

Carlos Celdran- Brand Ambassador, Tour Guide

Maria Camille Montejo- CEO, NWSteel Technologies & Tree Top Adventure Inc.

Pocholo Gonzales- CEO, Creative Voices Productions

Tanya Llana- Marketing & Sales Director, Victoria Court & 

General Manager, Hotel La Corona De Lipa

James Jimenez- Director, Commission On Elections

Lloyd Luna- CEO, Lloyd Luna Corporation

For more information, you may visit www.asiadigitalmarketing.ph. For partnership and sponsorship, you may contact TAG Media & PR at 09166299381 or at grace@asiadigitalmarketing.ph

Azalea Residences supports the Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2015 #AdMe

Azalea Residences, a 99 suites hotel in Baguio City and TAG Media & PR signed a partnership agreement for the upcoming Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2015 #AdMe that will happen on July 26, 2015 at SMX Aura, Taguig. The organizers are expecting to have different corporate companies as participants with their senior level managers with a theme: Empower, Connect, Inspire & Learn.

Miss Karen Castro (left), the marketing manager of Azalea Residences and Engr. Grace Bondad Nicolas of TAG Media & PR signed a partnership agreement for Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2015 last April 7, 2015 in Makati City.

At Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2015, different top executives will join together to share the future of Online Marketing in the Philippines and in Asia Pacific region with the following points:
• The digital economy of the Philippines
• Positioning the Philippines as a gateway from East to West and West to East
• Is the Philippines ready to be a cashless society?
• Disrupting tradition and embracing innovation
• Technology and Entrepreneurship driving inclusive growth
• Micro - multinationals E-commerce connecting SMEs to ASEAN and beyond

The top-notch speakers are:
Constantin Roberts - Managing Director, Zalora Philippines
Kristian Melquiades- General Manager, Uber Philippines
Richard Upton- President, John Robert Powers Asia
Donald Lim- Chief Digital Officer, ABS CBN
Janette Toral- E Commerce Advocate, Digital Club Filipino
Robert Yupangco- President, Yupangco Group of Companies
Chinkee Tan- Best Selling Author, Motivational Speaker, Radio Host and Wealth & Wellness Coach
Rebecca Bustamante Mills- CEO, Chalre Associates & President, Asia CEO Awards
Mikel Yaw- CEO, Elabram Systems Group
Carlos Celdran- Brand Ambassador, Tour Guide
Maria Camille Montejo- CEO, NWSteel Technologies & Tree Top Adventure Inc.
Pocholo Gonzales- CEO, Creative Voices Productions
Tanya Llana- Marketing & Sales Director, Victoria Court & General Manager, Hotel La Corona De Lipa
James Jimenez- Director, Commission On Elections
Lloyd Luna- CEO, Lloyd Luna Corporation

According to Azalea Residences, "We believe in the power of technology especially digital marketing and because of the ASEAN Integration, more and more companies are becoming competitive thus needs to have the information to be sent faster and digital marketing is the way to do it."

"At Azalea Residences in Baguio City, Philippines, you’ll bask in cozy retreats and also take pleasure in excellent offerings for a superb holiday experience. Here, all rooms boasts modern interior design and are generously appointed with travel essentials, such a kitchen and dining area, cable TV, mini-bar, and private toilet and bath. Absolute pampering is also ensured by amenities which includes a concierge, coffee shop, bar lounge, and banquet services."

For more information, you may visit www.asiadigitalmarketing.ph. For partnership and sponsorship, you may contact TAG Media & PR at 09166299381 or at grace@asiadigitalmarketing.ph.

The Girl + The Bull

Finally able to try this interestingly-named restaurant along Aguirre Avenue in Paranaque when a friend treated us for her birthday a month ago. The Girl + The Bull in BF Paranaque is quite hard to find because they don’t have a signage. When I saw what looks like a restaurant on the ground level of a white building called NGMi along Aguirre Avenue, I thought to myself, “Is this The Girl + The Bull?” Then I noticed the sign on their door that says, “Yep, you’ve found us” I knew then that dinner will be definitely an adventure.

First stop is the Wild Arugula Salad. Thin slices of apple, bacon slices, radish and arugula are tossed in pommery mustard and light vinaigrette dressing. This is topped with parmesan shavings and served with poached egg on the side. The sweetness of the apples and the saltiness of the bacon complimented each other. And oh, I just loved the poached egg!

Wild Arugula Salad, PhP 295

Next is the Roasted Pork Belly. This is The Girl + The Bull’s take on the classic lechon kawali. The pork belly is very flavorful and tender. It was my first time to have beetroot puree (this scary looking sauce served with the pork) and I must admit, it really tastes good with the roasted pork belly, giving it a unique taste.

Roasted Pork Belly, PhP 440

We also tried the Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin. Well, the grass-fed beef tastes the same with the regular-fed beef. But the real winner here is the sauce—made of squid ink, blue cheese and brown butter. We “scraped” the plate just to finish off this sauce!

Grass-fed Beef Tenderloin, PhP 530

We also had Wagyu Flat Iron. It was served with salsa verde, baby carrots, cherry tomato confit and burnt onions in a sweet corn puree and CEP (mushroom powder) sauce. The tenderness and taste of the beef is just okay.

Wagyu Flat Iron, PhP 695

And lastly, The Girl + The Bull’s signature dish which is only available on Fridays and Saturdays, the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. The fried chicken was comparable to other fired chickens (you know, crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside) but what was exciting was the balsamic maple syrup and the brioche French toast, it really complimented well with the fried chicken and it was really innovative! (and I liked the toast!)

Buttermilk Fried Chicken, PhP 430

They only have a few items on the menu but each one is plated and presented in a painstakingly work of art. Got to give them credit also for the novel ideas in pairing unusual ingredients, hence the taste bud adventure guests will experience.

Address:                                            346 A. Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque 
Store Hours:                                     12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
                                                           closed on TUESDAYS and WEDNESDAYS

Reservations highly encouraged:   +63 905 572 2556