Enriching the mind, body and spirit at Tagaytay
FOR those who live in Metro Manila, Tagaytay City has always been a favorite among urban warriors looking for a quick escape from their hectic schedules. This Lenten Season, Tagaytay presents another location where couples, families and friends can commune with nature, enjoy guilt-free food, and spend a few days of peace and quiet.
Summit Ridge Hotel promises a healthy, peaceful and meaningful experience, enriched by the fresh air and lush green scenery of Tagaytay.
On March 16 to 18, members of the print media personally experienced what’s in store for everyone at Summit Ridge this upcoming Holy Week.
“We conceptualized health and wellness offerings this Holy Week for our hotel not because it is trendy. We did it as a conscientious effort because we believe it can enrich our body, mind and spirit,” said Pops del Rosario, Summit Ridge’s hotel manager, to
The Manila Times.
Food for the body
Every Lent, many Filipinos practice different vows or “panata” to partake in the sacrifices made by Jesus Christ. An example is through abstinence or fasting. Different variations of fasting during the Holy Week include eating one meal a day, or not eating meat and rice, among others.
At Summit Ridge, its in-house restaurant C2 Classic Cuisine, is one in crafting flavorful food fit for fasting. To do this, Executive Chef Yvette “Bee” Luciano came up with the Whole Food Weekend Power Menu that will give everyone healthy choices from morning until evening.
“For the Whole Food Power Menu, we consider people who are very health conscious but still want to experience the flavors of Tagaytay,” shared Luciano during the food tasting event.
Guests can start the day with Mid-Morning Pickings, a light breakfast menu including vegetable crudites with mint dip, tomatomozarella quiche, and salad in citrus vinaigrette with tropical fruits and nuts.
Next is the Luncheon Delights menu that only has white meat choices for its main course, the seared mahi-mahi fillet, Hainan chicken, tuna loin yakitori, or rosemary-roasted chicken.
The dinner menu called Evening Fare also offers four main course choices including roasted pork loin with maple gravy, grilled teriyaki chicken, Hawaiian fish stew and bouef bourguignon.
Both the lunch and dinner menus are served with soup du jour, whole wheat pasta and oven stewed ratatouille.
A healthy snack menu is also available and includes Asian vegetable wrap, mango and pomelo on lettuce mélange, and crostini with chicken liver pate.
The Whole Food Power Menu promo begins on March 28 and ends on May 31. C2 Classic Cuisine is operated by the Cravings group.
Yoga for the mind
Summit Ridge is most famous for all its rooms with balconies overlooking the Taal Lake and Volcano Located at 2,000 feet above sea level, Summit Ridge is most famous for all its rooms with balconies overlooking the picturesque Taal Volcano and Lake.
The tranquility in appreciating God’s gift of nature is reflected in the Yoga classes they are offering for free on the mornings of March 28 to 30.
Practiced for more than 5,000 years already, Yoga unites the mind, body and the spirit. It is a relaxing exercise that mostly involves stretching followed afterward by meditation. In just one Yoga session, one will instantly feel fit, energetic, happy and peaceful. Other longtime benefits of Yoga are good posture flexibility, strength and balance.
These are exactly the reasons why the hotel decided to conduct classes in time with Lent.
Summit Ridge tapped gym instructor Paolo Sason of Gold’s Gym to conduct the Yoga classes. He will also lead the Zumba sessions at the hotel every Saturday until May.
Prayers for the spirit
Those who will spend Holy Week at Summit Ridge can also embark on a Visita Iglesia traversing Cavite and Batangas to say prayers of gratitude, forgiveness and wishes for loved ones.
Before going out of the city, the first stop is the Pink Sisters Chapel, just a few meters away from the Summit Ridge. The convent is most famous for couples who pray to have children.
There are three other churches in Tagaytay City, including the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, the Angels’ Hills Retreat and Formation Center, and the Tierra de Maria Haven of Meditation and Enrichment.
Last church to visit in Cavite is the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria Parish. Found in the town of Silang, the Nuestra Señora parish is one of the oldest and biggest churches in the province.
This Visita Iglesia may also be the chance to visit the iconic Calaruega Church of Nasugbu, Batangas. Famous for weddings, the church is found inside a sprawling compound surrounded by vast hills. During the walk going to the church, visitors can pass by the Way of Cross.
Conclude the Visita Iglesia at Mt. Batulao’s Chapel on the Hill also in Nasugbu. Perched on a hill, the chapel is a gazebo-like structure enclosed in glass panels giving it a full view of its surroundings.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ SummitRidgeHotel. Summit Ridge is a property of Robinsons Land Corp.