Admit it. In the Philippines, November is basically “pre-Christmas,” but that rings even truer now that those living in Manila will get two sets of holidays this month.
First up is the annual All Saints Day holiday that starts tomorrow and ends on Nov. 1. The next one is longer and will take place Oct. 13-15 to make way for delegates traveling to and from the Philippines for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.
If you and your family are staying in the city for All Saints Day or if you have no plans to go out of town during the five-day ASEAN Summit weekend, never fear: Here are a few things you can do right here in Manila.
READ: It’s official, Metro Manila is getting a 5-day weekend in November
Finally try restaurants on the other side of the metro
Nightmarish traffic is a problem those living in Manila just have to deal with and accept. So apart from their work commute, most people rarely travel to other parts of the city and just stick to their own neighborhoods.
That’s too bad though, because that means those from the north have probably never tried tacos from La Chinesca in BF Homes, while those from in the city’s south have yet to try the ones from Titto’s in Kapitolyo.
But with most people are out of town for the holidays, you’ve hit one of the few times of the year that the roads are actually a breeze to drive through. This November, prep a couple of hundred pesos for toll and go on a food trip to the other side.
If you’re from the north, try these places in the south:
La Chinesca
Food: Mexican
Address: 248 Aguirre Ave., BF Homes, Parañaque City
Ramen Yushoken
Food: Japanese (Ramen)
Address: Molito Lifestyle Center, Madrigal Ave. corner Alabang – Zapote Rd., Muntinlupa City
Exchange Alley Coffee House
Food: Comfort food, cafe
Address: Molito Lifestyle Center, Madrigal Ave. corner Alabang – Zapote Rd., Muntinlupa City
Aburi
Food: Japanese (Sushi)
Address: Madison Galleries, 398 Don Jesus Boulevard, Alabang Hills, Muntinlupa City
Southern Dairy
Food: Ice cream
Address: 44-C Aguirre Ave, BF Homes, Parañaque
If you’re from the south, try these places in the north:
Titto’s Latin BBQ
Food: Latin American
Address: 16 East Capitol drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Francesco’s Kitchen
Food: Italian
Address: 863 A. Mabini St., San Juan City
Sodam Korean Restaurant
Food: Korean (Eat all you can)
Address: 17 J. Abad Santos drive, Little Baguio, San Juan City
Il Pittore Cafe
Food: Cafe/art space
Address: Unit D, 63 Maginhawa St., UP Village, Quezon City
Jiro Coffee Studio
Food: Cafe
Address: 77 Mother Ignacia Ave., Quezon City
Lounge in a hotel and have an extended staycation
If you don’t even want to think about driving during the break, a staycation might be better for you. Staying in a hotel within the city will allow you to relax and get away without having to drive anywhere out of town. It’ll also let you stay in Manila without feeling bored at home.
Some hotels you can consider are:
Cocoon Boutique Hotel
Address: 61 Scout Rallos St., corner Scout Tobias St., Brgy. Laging Handa, Diliman, Quezon City
Crimson Hotel Filinvest City
Address: 2609 Civic drive, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Discovery Primea
Address: 6749 Ayala Ave., Makati City
The Henry Hotel
Address: 2680 F. B. Harrison St., Pasay City
I’M Hotel
Address: 7862 Makati Ave., Makati City
Seda BGC
Address: 11th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Shangri-La at The Fort
Address: 30th St., corner 5th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Binge watch new shows and movies on Netflix
So you don’t mind just staying at home? In that case, there’s really nothing better to do than a binge-fest. By that we mean binging on Netflix and food you didn’t know you could have delivered.
Here’s a list of TV shows and films new (or new-ish) on Netflix that are worth your precious vacation time:
Stranger Things 2
Mindhunter
Terrace House: Aloha State Part 4
The Good Place
Gerald’s Game
Gaga: Five Foot Two
While We’re Young
For some sustenance, get food delivered from these restaurants — you don’t even have to resort to the usual fast food. They’re all available for delivery through the Food Panda app:
S&R New York Style Pizza
Frankie’s New York Buffalo Wings
Eduardo’s Peri Peri
New Bombay
The Halal Guys
Kettle
Señor Pollo
Charlie’s Grind and Grill
Don Bao
With options like these, maybe being “trapped” in Manila for the holiday isn’t that bad after all.
