Category Archives: Shopping

Taipei 101 Mall (Taiwan)

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Upon our arrival at the Taipei City Hall MRT Station, Jandy, Isha and I took the escalator up to the mall where we had an unusual and quick lunch of croissants at a pastry shop.  That done, we went out the mall to a sidewalk waiting shed where, we were told, a free shuttle (scheduled to arrive by 12:30 PM) to Taipei 101 can be taken.  It was starting to drizzle when the shuttle arrived to pick us up.

Taipei 101 Mall’s atrium lobby

It was already raining quite hard when our shuttle arrived at Taipei 101’s parking lot, momentarily dashing any hope of us observing the iconic building from outside, much less taking good photographs.  Instead, we decided to enter the multi-story, 185,806.51 sq. m. retail mall adjoining the tower. One of the newest shopping malls in Xin Yi District, it was opened on November 2003, a month before the office tower’s opening.

Taipei 101 Mall’s atrium lobby

The posh mall’s 6 massive floors, 5 above and 1 basement, are home to hundreds of fashionable stores, restaurants, clubs and other attractions. Here, you can find many high-end stores of the most expensive fashion brands in the world under the LVMH group (Bulgari, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Celine, Chanel, Dior, Estee Lauder, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Swarovski, Tommy Hilfiger, Van Cleef & Arpels, etc.) as well as top Swiss watch brands such as Breitling, Cartier, Hublot, Omega, Rolex, TAG Heuer, etc., truly a paradise for rich people.  As commoners, it was much too rich for our taste so we just stuck to window shopping. The fourth floor Page One bookstore, from Singapore,  houses the highest-roofed coffee house in Taipei.

The lobby surrounded by ruyi symbols

The mall’s interior is modern in design even as it makes use of traditional elements. The curled ruyi symbol, an ancient symbol associated with heavenly clouds that connote healing, protection and fulfillment, is a recurring motif inside the mall. Many features of the interior also observe feng shui traditions.

Top brand Dior’s storefront

Taipei 101 Mall: No. 45, Shifu Rd., Xin Yi District, Taipei City, Taiwan. Tel: (+886-2) 8101-8282, (+886-2) 8101-8934 and (+886-2) 8101-8939. Website: http://www.taipei-101.com.tw. Open daily, 11 AM-9:30 PM.

Universal Studios (Singapore)

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Jandy and I planned to spend our second day in Singapore at Universal Studios, Singapore’s second integrated resort and Southeast Asia’s first movie theme park (and the second in Asia after Japan).  This would be a first for both of us as it was still under construction during our 2009 Singapore visit (it only opened on March 18, 2010).  After our buffet breakfast at Amara Hotel, we took a taxi (S$14) to get there, dropping off at the entrance of Resorts World Sentosa.  At the entrance of Universal Studios is the large and famous revolving globe.

Universal Studios Singapore

We were in luck at the ticket booth as we got 20% off the one-day ticket when I paid via my BPI Mastercard (valid until November 18). We also received a S$10 retail voucher upon presentation of our charge slip at the Guest Services Counter.

Hollywood

The main entrance area of the park is Hollywood, a replica of the famous Hollywood Boulevard. Its only attraction is the 1,500-seat, indoor, Broadway-style Pantages Hollywood Theater which is fully equipped to host plays, musicals and performances.  The theater is accompanied by several restaurants, a variety of flagship shops and also features a replica of the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Pantages Hollywood Theater

Hollywood Boulevard, framed by dynamic architecture and palm trees, made us feel that we have landed in the center of the entertainment universe. Here, there are “Daily Meet and Greet” (10 AM-7 PM) special character appearances from  the wacky Woody Woodpecker, the  glamorous Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Beetlejuice, Betty Boop, Po (from Kung Fu Panda), Frankenstein’s Monster and Winnie Woodpecker (we posed with the last three).

Po (Kung Fu Panda)

Winnie Woodpecker

Frankenstein’s Monster

Outside Mel’s Diner, we also watched the 4:45 PM performances (other show times are 10:45 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:45 PM, 3:15 PM and 6:15 PM) of Daddy O’s (a boy band group singing classic surf  songs of the 1950s and 60s) as well as the 2:30 PM and 4 PM  shows (other show times are 11:30 AM, 1 PM and 5:30 PM) of Mel’s Dinettes (waitresses “shaking, rattling and rolling” to the high energy hits of the 1950s and 60s).

Daddy O’s

Mel’s Dinettes

After the show, we went inside Mel’s Drive Inn for snacks.  This classic 1950s-themed diner, based on the 1973 hit U.S. film American Graffiti, serves up all-American favorites such as delicious rocket sauce burgers, French fries, chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, onion rings, root beer floats, thick and frosty milk shakes and Cokes the old-fashioned way plus golden oldies on the jukebox.  We both dined on crispy barbecue chicken burgers with French fries and Sprite (S$10.80 each).

Mel’s Drive-in

At the Pantages Hollywood Theater, we watched the 4:15 PM (other show times are 11 AM, 1 PM and 6:15 PM) showing of “Monster Rock,” a major Broadway musical featuring the infamous Universal Classic Monsters in  a live rock-n-roll style indoor revue show with pyrotechnics. The theater is fitted with cutting-edge cinematic technology, including state-of-the-art digital projectors.  This mega-monster spooktacular features great music, dancing, comedy, special effects, and enough pyrotechnics to wake the dead.

Pantages Hollywood Theater – Interior

Before leaving the park, we dropped by the Universal Studios Store, a shopping extravaganza which offers the largest variety of Universal Studios-themed collectibles, toys and apparel from all 7 themed zones of the park. Here, I bought 2 shirts (1 with collar and the other round-necked) for Jandy, using my S$10 retail voucher.

Universal Studios Store

Too bad we missed out on the Lake Hollywood Spectacular, one of the main highlights of Hollywood After Hours.  This special live pyrotechnics show happens every Friday and Saturday night (9:30 PM) and is set to a musical score over the central lagoon of Lake Hollywood in the park.

Lake Hollywood

Hollywood also has several other restaurants. Celebrity Cafe & Bakery is a 1950’s-themed food outlet where guests can dine on freshly-made gourmet sandwiches, coffee, puff pastry pies and classic desserts.  It serves all-day breakfast.  Hollywood China Bistro is a stylish yet casual Art-Deco restaurant where guests can feast on both traditional Cantonese favorites and “East meets West” cuisine in a modern setting straight out of a Hollywood movie set.

Celebrity Cafe & Bakery

There are also a number of retail outlets.  The Dark Room is a store that sells a wide variety of camera accessories for the photography needs of park visitors. Star Characters sells exclusive Dream Works Animation character merchandise and other fun products and keepsakes. Silver Screen Collectibles offers authentic collectibles of celebrities straight from the Hollywood Walk of Fame such as celebrity photos and posters, collectibles, books, as well as Betty Boop themed souvenirs and apparel such as photo frames, shirts, sexy lips pillow, cups, combs, bags, purse, etc..

Superstar Candies is a candy store that sells a wide variety of sweets and treats with star appeal such as candy floss and homemade fudgeto park visitors with a sweet tooth.  At Brown Derby, guests can shop for headwear of all types including visors, character hats, novelty hats, wigs, Universal Studios logo caps and other stylish lids.  That’s a Wrap, at the theme park exit, also sells apparel, toys, novelty hats and other souvenirs.

Jim Thompson House (Bangkok, Thailand)

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After our Bangkok city tour, we asked our guide to to drop us off at Jim Thompson’s House, another of the city’s popular tourist destinations. We alighted at a non-descript lane, at the end of which was the entrance of the Jim Thompson House, standing on 1 rai (about half an acre) of land beside Klong Maha Nag and enveloped by verdant and beautifully landscaped gardens.

Entrance of the Jim Thompson House

Its jungle landscape (palm trees, ficus, flowering bananas, the flame of the forest, golden bamboo, rain trees and a myriad of other flowering and non-flowering plants, shrubs and bushes), in the midst of the city, gives the house its unique appeal.

Jim Thompson Museum Garden

Upon entering, we first paid the entrance fee and decided to view an exhibit of Thai silk at the Jim Thompson Art Center.  The art center also had a running video presentation of the life of Jim Thompson which we viewed.

Exhibit of Thai Silk at the Art Center

Self-made American entrepreneur James Harrison Wilson Thompson, born in Greenville, Delaware in 1906, studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and was a practicing architect in New York City until 1940.  During the Second World War, Thompson was assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a move which offered him an opportunity to see more of the world.  In 1946, he assumed the duties of OSS station chief in Thailand and had developed a certain fondness for the country and its people. He later settled down in Bangkok and went into business in Thailand, founding the world renowned Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company.  Jim mysteriously disappeared in the jungles of the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia in 1967 while on an Easter weekend holiday with friends.

After our visit to the art center, we decided to have lunch at its coffee shop and check out the souvenir shop. We then availed of a guided tour of his charming complex of six traditional Thai-style, teak houses  as well as its showcase collection of Southeast Asian objets d’art.  Before doing so, we were required to leave our bags in lockers to prevent their knocking off many of the valuable antiques in the house.  We were also not allowed to take pictures inside the house.

Jim Thompson House – Exterior

The teak structures were purchased by Jim from several owners from various parts of Thailand, knocked down, brought to the site, re-assembled again and completed in 1959.  The house’s supporting columns and walls lean slightly inward, adding to the illusion of height and grace. The relatively few, purely decorative elements are largely confined to panels carved in Chinese designs under the windows and sometimes over the doors, and the curved, stylized ends of the steep roof (characteristic of traditional Thai houses), probably adaptations of naga (serpent) motifs that adorn Khmer temples.

Jim Thompson House – Interior

The houses are elevated to facilitate the circulation of air, offer a more comfortable living space and protect the home from the risk of floods, in the monsoon season, as well as from hostile wildlife.  The open space was also used as a living area in the hot season, as storage for the season’s harvest, and as a place to keep livestock.

There were a great number of windows and doors, all carefully aligned to facilitate an uninterrupted flow and aid the circulation of air. The walls, though generally left unpainted, were sometimes oiled. The broad overhangs of its roof protect the interior from both sun and rain.

Jim Thompson House: 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok, Thailand.  Tel: (662) 216-7368 Fax: (662) 612-3744.   Open daily, 9 AM-5 PM.  Last guided tour at 5 PM.  Website: www.jimthompsonhouse.com.

Jonker Street (Melaka, Malaysia)

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The last leg of our walking tour, prior to our return to our tourist bus waiting for us at the Tamil Methodist Church, was all shopping at the narrow but busy Jonker Street (Jalan Hang Jebat). From Stadthuys, we crossed a bridge over the Melaka River to get there. The Melaka River is now canalized to resemble an Amsterdam (Netherlands) canal, with a popular river cruise service running along the river.

Melaka River

Once the rich man’s street, Jonker Street is famous for its more than 15 antique shops (antique furniture, Chinese porcelain, brassware, cast iron beds, lamps, etc.).  Also along this street are cafes (Hai Nan coffee, Nyonya cuisine, beer, etc.), several art galleries,  mini-markets and souvenir shops among others. Souvenirs sold here include items made in Melaka, China and other Asian countries (Thai puppets, Balinese masks, etc).

Jonker Street

Local food stalls sell local delicacies such as cendol (a cold mixture of coconut milk, brown syrup made from the local gula melaka, and shaved ice), laksa (spicy noodle soup), durian puffs, grapes-dipped in chocolate, caramel encrusted kiwis. kaya (a spread made from coconut) filled waffles, etc. The festively-decorated Restoran Famosa, occupying a century-old former goldsmith shop, specializes in dishes served with unique chicken rice balls, actually Hainanese Chicken Rice in the form of golf ball-sized, sticky rice balls cooked in butter and ginger.

Restoran Famosa

Pedestrians here share the same road with passing vehicles and trishaws during daytime but, during weekend night markets (6 PM-12 midnight, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays), the road is closed to traffic and its atmosphere turns carnival-like.

Jonkers Street

A living proof of Melaka’s rich Baba-Nyonya heritage, its buildings are immaculately constructed with elaborate carvings on its pillars and walls.  Also along this street is the Hokkien Huay Kuan, a well-preserved clan house. Its front porch has a pair of symmetrical pillars with dragon relief.  Beyond it are a striking set of door and wall panels with intricate carvings and bold colors. Two rows of Chinese characters frame the entrance door.

Hokkien Huay Kuan (Clan House)

Restoran Famosa Chicken Rice Ball: No. 28-30, Jalan Hang Kasturi, off Jonker Street, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia. Tel: 06-286 0120. Website: www.chickenriceball.com

Jadi Batek Gallery (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

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From Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom, we moved on to the Jadi Batek Gallery, a family-owned batik and handicrafts retailer.   It has a spacious 30,000 sq. ft. gallery.  Though we didn’t buy any of their impressive array of batik and handicrafts merchandise, we did observe, up close, the batik making process.

Jadi Batek Gallery

Batik is a fabric dying method using wax to create patterns and designs. This method makes use of a resist technique; applying areas of cloth with wax (a dye-resistant substance) to prevent them from absorbing colors when the cloth is dipped into dye. Not only as a dye-resistant substance, the wax applied is also used to control colors from spreading out from a particular area to create motif when the dye is painted.  The use of batik has also extended from clothing to everything from home furnishings and table cloths to handicrafts.

In Malaysia, there are two major types of batik: hand-drawn batik and block-printed batik.  We observed the making of the former.  In the hand-drawn batik is usually produced in 4 m. (used for women’s wear) or 2 m. (for men’s wear) lengths.  Designs are drawn on the fabric (cotton, rayon, linen, voile and silk) with hot liquid wax by using a metal object called canting.

Design Outlines Being Drawn on the Fabric

When the wax outlines are done, artists use the brushes to paint the dyes within the outlines. The use of brush allows for the creation of shaded and multi-hued designs.  The fabrics are patterned with floral and geometrical motifs, arranged in various layouts as dictated by current trends.  Besides shirt and dresses, hand-drawn batik is also made into scarves, pareos, craftans and even as framed art.

Brushes are Used to Paint the Dyes Within the Outlines

In block-printed batik, the canting is replaced by a copper block or a wooden stamp with artistically patterned bottom.   The block is dipped into the wax and printed onto the fabric, which is then dip-dyed. Then the wax will be removed and batik with single color is produced. To create multi-colors and complex batik, waxing with different blocks, dying and de-waxing has to be done many times.

A Gallery of Framed Batik Art

Jadi Batek Gallery: 30 Jalan Inai, Off Jalan Imbi,  55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  Tel : (60) 3 – 2145 1133.  Fax : (60) 3 – 2141 0179.

Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

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From Merdeka Square, our Indian tourist guide brought us to the Crafts Village where we visited Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom, the largest chocolate showroom in Malaysia and a Malaysian manufacturer of quality chocolates with a regional expansion. Located just opposite the Dorsett Hotel (where we were staying), this outlet, opened in 2006, is housed in a converted bungalow.

Beryl's Chocolate Kingdom

Heaven for a chocolate lover like me here, they offer taste tests inside for their many selections which included chocolate with chili, green tea or durian flavor; chocolate with your favorite fruit flavor, or chocolate with tiramisu and almonds (introduced in 2003), all dark chocolates.  The choco milk version is also available. You name it they have it. Bar chocolate (raisins, almond, coconut, etc), camior bar chocolate, Ghana chocolate, tiramisu chocolate and gift packs are the popular buys.  I bought some boxes of tiramisu chocolates.

The Showroom

The company, formerly called Real Chocolate Industry,was incorporated in 1995, starting out with 3 products – the Triangle Bar Chocolate (replaced by Camior in 1998), Popcorn Chocolate and tinned Almond & Assorted Nuts Milk Chocolate.

In 2000, new varieties of chocolate were developed and introduced and the company changed her name to Beryl’s Chocolate & Confectionery Sdn Bhd. In 2001, Beryl’s introduced her new and improved Camior chocolate bar that included a new shape and packaging. In addition to that, Beryl’s introduced the Black Bitter Chocolate and 500 g Jar Panned selection to the Malaysian market. In 2004, the Black Bitter line of chocolates was refreshed with new and improved offerings.

Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom: 38 Jalan Utara, Off Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603-21458211. Fax: 603-21459211. Email : lausanne@berylschocolate.com. Website: www.berylschocolate.com.my.

Bona Jade Store (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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On our third day, after breakfast at the hotel, we were to proceed to our tour’s piece de resistance, the Great Wall of China.  Along the way we dropped by Bona Jade Store, one of the largest jade stores in China, taking the seventh exit of BaDaLing Expressway.

Bona Jade Store

Bona Jade Store manufactures and sells more than a thousand kinds of gorgeous jade ware and jewelry (necklaces, rings, earrings, pendants) that embodies thousands of years of Chinese culturing. Its 2-storey sales hall covers about 6,000 sq. m. and can accommodate several thousand customers. Its big parking lot covers about 8,000 sq. m..

Bona Jade Store Sales Area

Upon entering the store, we were assigned a store guide who briefed us on everything you need to know about Chinese jade.  Jade was prized by the Chinese for its durability; its musical qualities; its subtle, translucent colors, and its alleged protective powers (it was thought to prevent fatigue and delay the decomposition of the body). Chinese jade, renowned throughout the world, is classified according to their beauty, hardness, mellow color, soft feel and pleasant sound. At the sales area, we all bought some jade pixiu necklaces, said to bring good luck, while  Gil bought a ring.

A Display of Jade Ware

Bona Jade Store: Er Bo Zi Road East, Huilongguan, Changping District, Beijing 102208, People’s Republic of China. Tel: 0086-010-80796761. Fax: 0086-010-80796762. Website: www.bonajadestore.com.cn.

Return to Banaue (Ifugao)

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The narrow streets of Banaue

My first trip to Banaue, Ifugao and its showpiece, the stupendous Batad Rice Terraces (the “Eighth Wonder of the World”), was way back in April of 1998 (http://firingyourimagination.blogspot.com/2011/08/ifugao-day-tour-of-batad-rice-terraces.html) with my then 11-year old son Jandy. Back then there were no celphone signals (making my celphone useless) and the camera I brought with me was an instamatic Canon Sureshot Joy using now rarely-used roll film.  Since then, I have been pining for a return. Well, wishes do come true and I have returned. Though now without Jandy (he had a cold) or my daughter Cheska (she had commitments), I was traveling with seasoned professional photographers –  Mr. Steve Albano, Mr. Jun Bagaindoc, Mr. Jules Capucion, Mr. Nonie Castillo, Ms. Mel Dimapilis, Mr. Rene Enriquez, Mr. Bebet Gaudinez, Mr. Lawrence Bryan Lee and my good friend and frequent travel companion Ms. Rosevie Sevilla; all members of the Ayala Alabang Camera Club.  Our group also included master guide Mr. Lester Susi plus sisters Pearl Giselle and Phoebe Uno, Ms. Ivy Belimac and Mr. Arvic Camua.  To put on some professional air, I brought with me my daughter’s Canon EOS 500D digital SLR which I recently bought in Singapore. However, this was mostly for show as it was set in automatic.

View of the town from People’s Lodge

We left Manila on January 26, 9:30 PM via an airconditioned GV Florida bus at its terminal along Lacson St, near Espana Ave. (near U.S.T.).  One thing nice about this bus was it had its own toilet, convenient for this long-haul  341-km./10-hour trip which including stopovers.  As soon as the bus left the terminal, we all tried to grab some shuteye.  Our trip was uneventful and our bus arrived in Banaue 7 AM the next day.  Our group was picked up by a hired AUV which brought us to People’s Lodge and Restaurant for breakfast. Nostalgically, this inn was the same place me and my son Jandy stayed in during our first visit.  While waiting for our food, we tried out its balcony.  Here, we had a panoramic view of the town, its backdrop of rice terraces and the winding Ibulao River which was traversed by a hanging steel bridge (which, in the past, I tried to cross but chickened out half way).

Ifugao woodcarving

Once done with breakfast, Mel, Rosevie and I explored the nearby handicraft stores for some souvenir shopping.  The shopping options include different kinds of traditional fabric like the woven bark cloth and dyed ikat cloth, wooden objets d’art  such as bowls, trays, oversized spoons and forks, antiques, entirely alien statues of American Indian chiefs and smiling, pot-bellied Chinese gods, and the traditional bul-ols (statues of rice gods).  Curio souvenirs include handwoven wall hangings, crocheted bedroom slippers and pfu-ong (traditional jewelry) representing good luck in hunting or prosperity of children.   Once done, we returned to our group and the AUV for our trip to the jump-off point for our hike to Batad Rice Terraces.

The Strawberry Fields of La Trinidad (Benguet)

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Bernard and Rodel again joined Jandy and I as we proceeded to the Benguet provincial capitol of La Trinidad, where we visited the Strawberry Farms.  The Trinidad Valley is home, aside from vegetable farms and flower plantations, to strawberry fields that are in full bloom between November and May.  We headed for Km. 6, the easiest place to visit. 

Ibaloi farmers hard at work at the fields

Tourist usually go here to pick strawberries, either to bring home or consume while on vacation, alongside hardworking Ibaloi farmers.  Strangely though, the strawberries you pick here cost twice the market value.  The other half is for the activity itself.  Still, its cheaper than the ones sold in Manila. We weren’t into this fun activity though.  Besides, the best time to do this is early in the morning and we arrived late in the afternoon when the best strawberries have already been picked. 

Souvenir stalls

Rather, we were going for the finished products sold at souvenir stalls, selling strawberry products and other Baguio delicacies and souvenir items, within the farm ground, just across the road from the fields.  We bought a couple of jars of strawberry jam, some sweaters and, from an ambulant vendor,  a snakeskin wallet.  Still, the strawberry fields were still a sight to behold, producing the best, disease-free (due to a process of tissue culture pioneered by Benguet State University) strawberries in the country. 

SM City Baguio (Baguio City, Benguet)

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From the hotel, Bernard and Rodel hitched a ride with us to SM City Baguio where they had some business to attend to.  This being our first visit to the mall, we decided to hang around the place.  With a floor area of 107,841 sq. m. (1,160,790 sq. ft.), this enclosed shopping mall, the largest in the Cordillera Region, was opened on November 21, 2003.  Situated on top of Session Road, overlooking historic Burnham Park and opposite Baguio’s City Hall, it sits on an 80,000 sq. m. (860,000 sq. ft.) land once occupied by  Pines Hotel, the grand, old landmark which burned down in 1973 (killing 4 firefighters).  
 
SM City Baguio
On thing I noticed with this 6-storey (including basement parking) mall is that it doesn’t have an airconditioning system (with Baguio’s cool climate, it doesn’t need one) and makes use of natural lighting (some stores are roofed with translucent white fiber, enabling sunlight to illuminate the interior on a clear sunny day).  Being the biggest mall and one of the biggest buildings in the city, this cruise ship-patterned mall houses more stores (300+ including 15 anchor stores), entertainment centers and shops than any other mall located in the city.
 
The veranda of the mall
At its veranda, we had a good view of some of the city’s main tourist attractions (Burnham Park & Lake, the City Hall, the Athletic Bowl, Session Road) as well as towering pine trees and beautiful lush gardens.
 
The mall’s atrium lobby
SM City Baguio: Luneta Hill, Upper Session Rd. cor. Gov. Pack Rd., Baguio City, Benguet. Tel: (074) 619-7838 to 43.