Philippines – Manila Davao Borocay – Travel Food Entertainment

 

SM MALL of ASIA, a Guide to Hot Spots

 

The SM Mall of Asia is the staggering centerpiece of the Sy family’s Mall army. The Sy’s have always been known for their great and beautiful malls located all over the Philippines. Each mall outside of Metro Manila has practically become a tourist destination especially for the unique ones such as SM City Baguio.

 

But to say that SM Mall of Asia is just like any other mall is like saying that a Rolls Royce is just like any other car.

 

To discuss Mall of Asia in length would take a long time and you still wouldn’t be able to see how awesome it is. Malls are meant to be walked through, not discussed in an article. But here’s a short guide to show you some of the awesome spots anyway.

 

1)      IMAX Center- Unequivocally, the SM Mall of Asia is best known for its IMAX theater. Nowhere else can one have the IMAX experience in the Philippines and this is primarily why a lot of people want to watch movies here especially when the movie is in 3D.

2)      Concert Area- A phenomenon happened a few years ago and a lot of concerts started finding their way to the backyards and other spots around Mall of Asia. A lot of international stars and local artists found their way showcasing their wares in the SMX Convention Center, the grounds behind MOA or the awesome concert hall with a backdrop of the world famous sunset behind it. Tens of thousands make the drive to MOA just to see them and it’s usually an incredible show.

3)      Restobars- Lining up the Manila Bay, several restobars have cropped up right outside the main mall. These bars used to be along Roxas Blvd. but they have sice relocated to Mall of Asia. I think it’s a great thing.

4)      Ice Skating Rink- SM Mall of Asia revived the ice skating craze in the Philippines of the 90s in their spectacular mall. The skating rink is amazing and they have various programs that help train rookies and, surprisingly, some world champions in the ice skating scene.

5)      Sightseeing spot- Like I stated, SM Malls have become tourist attractions. Manila Bay itself is an amazing sight and the Mall of Asia helps maximize this priceless beauty by setting up areas where one can enjoy the view. They have viewing platforms and bridgeways to help people out. And when the World Pyolympics arrive for their annual competition involving fireworks, the place simply explodes.

Three Delicious Reasons to Visit Shano’s Bar

 

I guess it was pretty much unexpected when it happened. I was with a close friend of mine when I was in Pampanga and he took me to a bar for lunch. Honestly, I thought we were just going to some restaurant serving local food and if that happened, that would be great as well as I was really hungry already. However, he took me somewhere else and kudos to him, it was somewhere great.

 

Located at the heart of Angeles City, Pampanga is Shano’s Irish Pub. This sprawling restaurant is one of the most popular spots in the entire city and one would wonder how something like that would sprout out in such a location. Reportedly, it is run by Australians mostly and it seems that they are taking care of it pretty well. If this hasn’t convinced you to visit the place yet, here are three Delicious Reasons why you should.

 

1)      The Set up – The minute you step into the varnished wooden double doors of Shano’s, you are immediately transported to a different world. It’s like one of those pubs that you see in English movies or if you remember the bar in the sitcom Cheers, you will see how it is. There are several booths to one side and then there are tables for four on the other. In the middle is a huge bar with several television sets showing sports shows. The walls are also decorated with sports memorabilia both local, like Pacquiao photos and posters, and foreign, such as rugby jerseys and football memorabilia. There are also billiard tables and a poker room as well for those who are up to it. The place is absolutely fantastic on all counts.

2)      The Food – Like I said, I went there to eat and as good as a place is, if the food is below average, I’ll never recommend it. I mean what’s the point right? Luckily, the food is just as good as the way the place looks. I had a double patty bacon cheeseburger and it was really something to die for. I’m not a big burger eater but that one time, it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. I also had mouthwatering buffalo wings with delicious dip and humongous onion rings as well. It was truly a gastronomic experience.

3)      The Ambience – Everything changes once you get inside. Outside, it could be hot and humid with the streets lined up with lower class bars but once you step in, it’s like you’re protected from everything outside. Shano’s plays music but not too loud that you’d have to shout over the table just for your friends to hear you. It’s great place for conversation which makes it ideal for family gatherings as well as business meetings. It’s a truly relaxing environment and you could feel that you could stay there for hours and just have a good time.

 

If you ever travel to Angeles City, Pampanga, do yourself a favor and try to visit Shano’s. Trust me, it’ll be a great expeience.