Window Shopper: Making warm memories at Robinsons Magnolia

By Ana Valenzuela, InterAksyon.com · Thursday, January 31, 2013 · 10:00 pm

The "new" Magnolia ice cream house at Robinsons Magnolia in Quezon City. Photo by Analy Labor, InterAksyon.com.

From Sunday family lunches to humble dates, the many scoops served at the old Magnolia Ice Cream house have indeed given generations of Filipino families many warm memories.

The former ice cream plant along Aurora Blvd. and Doña Hemady Streets in Quezon City has been transformed into the newest shopping destination in the metro when it officially reopened last year. Its new incarnation, Robinsons Magnolia, is now a mall that has kept the ice cream house and old favorites like Peach Melba and Banana Split.

“We aim to be a family mall, targeting the senior citizens to their grandchildren, and in general, the families residing in New Manila, Horseshoe Village, and nearby villages and condos,” Carina Ventura Group Property Manager of Robinsons Land Corporation shares pointing out the people living nearby.

The mall features restaurants, the new Magnolia House included, lining up the al fresco area. Of course, there are also shops offering various retail brands. “We made sure that we have a store for all the members of the family,” says Ventura. “In fact, here you can see a lot of senior citizens, I think they enjoy the space because they can move around, especially for those who are in wheelchairs.”

“A lot of people have had very good memories of the old Magnolia. Having the same name, but with a new place, we hope people can have new memories about Robinsons Magnolia as well,” adds Ventura.

Security gets beefed up inside Robinsons Magnolia with mall security men in scooters—the better for them to move around and respond to security-related concerns. Photo by Analy Labor, InterAksyon.com.

These Linkin Park x Sebago boots were made for comfort, concerts, and charity

By Ana Valenzuela, InterAksyon.com · Thursday, January 31, 2013 · 10:02 pm

These pair of Linkin Park designed boots comes at a retail price of Php10,499.75. Photo courtesy of Sebago.

California-based rock band Linkin Park, which gave us hits such as “In the end,” “Numb,” and many more recently struck another one. This time, it’s a treat for the feet, as the rock band got together with renowned footwear brand Sebago.

This is the first time the band has designed any footwear, which was launched a week earlier in New York. The band chose Sebago, a premium purveyor of nautical and New England-inspired shoes, as a friend of theirs, popular New York graffiti artist Stash, was designing for Sebago, doing his collaborations with the shoe brand at the time, and that got them interested.

Linkin Park's DJ programmer Joe Hahn showing the shoe at the New York launch. Photo courtesy of Sebago.

The Grammy award-winning artists decided on making a unique boot that would be comfortable in their tours and travel. “The idea we had was for people who travel with us, (they) travel so much, not just the band but our crew and security (and) what would they like in a shoe,” shares Mike Shinoda, Linkin Park’s rapping vocalist, keyboards, and guitar in a video shown at the recent launch held in Greenbelt mall in Makati City.

“The band actually worked with our designers and made the sketch, our designers would say, ‘how would you like the boot to look like,’ and gave them options for materials,” says Gifford Chu of Sebago Philippines.

Linkin Park's DJ programmer Joe Hahn , and rap vocalist Mark Shinoda together with Nylon TV's Josh Madden. Photo courtesy of Sebago.

“We wanted to keep the boot really simple, really sturdy, really high quality so it would last forever, so we used premium leather, really tough nylon, and vibram soles,” Shinoda emphasizes. The boots has the Linkin Park (Lp in a circle) logo on the sole, and Sebago comments on its sturdiness as the vibram rubber outsole is a premium outsole maker known for its durability.

“This is the first time Sebago has collaborated with a music band. Previous collaborations we have done were with graffiti artists, shoe designers, and designers for the apparel brand,” Chu tells us, as he hinted there would be more to come.

Sebago was inspired by the creativity of Linkin Park and both teams created this boot design for the benefit of Music for Relief, a charity established by Linkin Park themselves.

Ten percent of the proceeds will go to this charity.  Joe Hahn, Linkin Park’s DJ and programmer tells us more about Music for Relief in the video. “It started as a relief organization for people who were victims of for example hurricane Sandy, and a certain point we wanted to do something preventive as well. So we got involved in a number of green measures,” he says.

Chu agrees, “the band continues this charity until today, they help all the victims of catastrophes, the latest is Hurricane Sandy, they are also into educating people against global warming.”

Like, Linkin Parks’ songs, this unique pair of boots would surely be a classic. It is available in select cities worldwide, and in the Philippines there would only be a hundred pairs available selling for Php10,499.75.

Look for the Lp logo on the boots' soles. Photo courtesy of Sebago.

Old-school Converse sneakers stays cool as its flagship store opens in Glorietta

Converse strides forward with the opening of its flagship store at the reopened Glorietta 2 mall. Image from Converse Philippines Facebook page.

The free-spirited youth and creative individuals united recently as the world-famous Converse sneakers brand opened its first flagship store in the country.

The store is on the second level of the Glorietta Ayala Mall and has a 275-sq. m. area. Collectors and fans of the shoe brand are forewarned to take a deep breath before entering the store. Once in, the store keeps true to its promise of being the go-to place for the widest styles and selections of Chuck Taylor’s, Jack Purcell, Converse cons and many others in its line. The shop also has a wide assortment of Converse apparels and accessories. Converse is now under the Nike company since the former was bought in 2003.

According to Eli Bonsol, Converse’s Marketing Manager, the brand is gearing to launch its Spring Summer 2013 very soon.

“One of the reasons why people love Converse is because they feel comfortable in it. It allows you to express who you are, your individuality, something that Converse stands for also,” Bonsol shares.

And in true rock and roll form, guests seen at the Converse flagship store opening included musicians, artists, fashionistas, and all sorts of creative types. From Kean Cipriano and his Callalily bandmates, 6cyclemind, singer Gab Valenciano, actress Empress Schuck, and socialite Tessa Prieto Valdes, to name a few.

Just to refresh our memories and stepping back in time, Converse was first made outside of Boston, USA in 1908. Since then, famous artists and musicians from Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, and more recently, Justin Bieber, have been seen performing and just hanging out in their Chuck Taylors, one of the monikers of Converse besides Chucks, All-Stars, or Cons.

This is where the Spring Summer collection draws its inspiration from—Converse diehards who never get tired of wearing them.  The new collection, aptly called Well-worn, features sneakers with washed fabric and sporting a rugged look.

The Well-worn look means you and your Converse have gone a long way. Bonsol adds, “You have been with it, through thick and thin. Well-worn also means well-loved.”

Window Shopper: Spend your lucky money gift at Lucky China Town Mall

Text by Ana Valenzuela | Photos by Analy Labor, InterAksyon.com · Thursday, January 31, 2013 · 8:23 am

Traditional rickshaw await shoppers for some snapshots at Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo, Manila. Photo by Analy Labor, InterAksyon.com.

On Chinese New Year ‘s Eve on February 9 and New Year on February 10 this year, Chinatown in Manila becomes the focal point of various activities celebrating the beginning of another Chinese lunar year. This cycle, it’s the Year of the Water Snake.

During this time, “lucky money” placed in red envelopes called hong bao (in Mandarin) or ang pao (in Hokkien) is given as a gift especially to children while adults usually exchange gifts. People are encouraged to wear red, a lucky color, as well as urged to think happy thoughts to start the new year  on a positive note.  Food also becomes an important part of the celebration as lucky dishes such as tikoy, believed to aid growth and prosperity, and a whole fish with its tail and head intact, which signifies harmony throughout the year, are served and ejoyed together by the family.

Enjoy a full-on Chinese New Year experience by heading to Binondo during that weekend and where bargain shopping easily comes to mind. Who knows what lucky charms you might also stumble upon in this district.

The first Chinatown in the world—also named as one of the best Chinatown’s by CNNGo last year—is also getting a bit of a face lift as it welcomed a different mall in the area, the Lucky China Town mall, just last year.

At the atrium of Lucky Chinatown, shows and concerts are mounted during weekends. Photo by Analy Labor, InterAksyon.com.

“It used to be just a place where you can find wholesale and bargain malls. Lucky Chinatown offers shoppers the experience of luxury,” says Kevin Tan, first vice president and head of Megaworld Commercial division. “The shops here are not the typical bargain stalls in Binondo. It has a unique mix of tenants, both foreign and local, that raises the bar for doing business in the district.

It’s a logical development as Chinatown, a significant finance and business district, has its share of affluent Chinese families as residents.

Lucky Chinatown has three parts, the mall itself, Chinatown Walk and the soon-to-open museum. As a heritage project, it plans to open a museum showcasing the best of Chinese culture, paying tribute to the history of Old Binondo as well as highlights the rich history of Chinese immigrants and the cultural diversity of Manila. With these, it aims to revive Binondo back to its glory days as a thriving commercial, shopping, and tourism hub in Manila.

Have a lucky meal on Chinese New Year at this seafood restaurant or in any of Lucky Chinatown mall's many Asian and international restaurants. Photo by Analy Labor, InterAksyon.com.

“Lucky Chinatown also aims to complement the lifestyle of the residents of Binondo. Most cities have full-scale malls that are booming. It was only right for the busy district to finally have its own,” says Tan. The mall gives a friendly door to business owners and students looking for some relaxation without having to go to another mall in the next city.

The mall includes cinemas, coffee shops like Starbucks,; restaurants like Tao Yuan, Kig Chef, California Pizza Kitchen, Bon Chon Chicken, Uncle Cheffy, Kuse, Sumo Sam, and Red Crab Alimango House; retail stores like Bench, Mango, Cache Cache, Penshoppe, Maldita; and a host of service shops such as spas, salons, and telecom stores.

Established shops such National Book Store fill Lucky Chinatown mall, no need to go to the next city anymore for the malling experience. Photo by Analy Labor, InterAksyon.com.

“We are overwhelmed with the feedback that customers have been giving. Shoppers are delighted to find that such a mall now exists in Binondo and it shows as the sales of our tenants were beyond their expectations,”  Tan shares.

• Lucky Chinatown is located at Reina Regente St. corner Dela Reina St., Binondo, Manila. Mall hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

At Lucky Chinatown mall, familiar retail brands and shops found in shopping centers elsewhere in the metro are now available. Photo by Analy Labor, InterAksyon.com.

Iconic Camay brand gets fresh-faced Angelica Panganiban as its newest girl

Text by AnaValenzuela | Photos by Peter C. Marquez, InterAksyon.com 

With a long line of regal women, such as beauty queens Sabrina Artadi, Cita Revilla, and  Paquita Roces Revilla who have once posed as endorsers, iconic brand Camay recently unveiled its newest Camay  girl, Angelica Panganiban.

Like the new Camay soaps and shower gel, Panganiban is confident, fierce, and irresistibly attractive, which makes her perfect for to be this generation’s Camay girl.

Known for its classic Romantique Rose variant, Camay now comes in both soap and shower gel, and with added variants such as Dynamic Grapefruit and Creme Vanilla. Image from Camay Philippines' official Facebook page.

Apart from these qualities, Panganiban also disclosed that she pampers herself with long showers or baths. She starts her day with a bath, with the different Camay soaps and body wash ranging from Romantique Rose, Crème Vanilla, and Dynamic Grapefruit of course. “[Thanks to Camay] My skin becomes soft and scented so I feel even more beautiful,” she says. “Sisimulan mo yung araw mo na mabango ka,and fresh na fresh,”

Then, at the end of a long day for the actress, nothing beats treating herself to a hot shower for de-stressing and relaxing. She shares, “I really love Camay for the luxurious experience it gives me.”

Hosts Bianca Gonzalez and Tim Yap introduce new Camay Girl Angelica Panganiban. Photo by Peter C. Marquez, InterAksyon.com.

On her relationship with John Lloyd Cruz, Panganiban reveals that they only have  brief moments to share, “bihira talagang magkita, bihirang magkasama,” the Kapamilya star says. “Kapag may free hour kami like for example, tapos na ‘yung gathering ko with my family, puwede ko siyang puntahan and vice versa. Sinusubukan naman naming magkita at least once a week.”

Still, when they are together Cruz has only one thing to say when he gets hold of that radiant smell. “Mabango!” she says with a laugh, talking like a true, fun, and fearless modern-day Camay girl.

The Camay Philippines team, from left Clint Navales, Country Communications Manager; Raffy Fajardo, Country Marketing Director; beauty queen Krista Kleiner; event host Tim Yap; Deirdre de Padua, Brand Communications Manager; and Chad Sotelo, Country Marketing Manager.