WHERE do you go to chill in Uptown Bonifacio?
From a garden cafe named after the wife of Java’s vice governor, to Hello Kitty cafe—the treats are many firsts in the country
Surrounded as it is by offices and residential condos in bustling Bonifacio Global City, Uptown Mall and Uptown Parade have become favorite places to chill for office workers and residents alike. On a recent visit, we saw families with small kids enjoying the sweet and savory treats in the country's first Hello Kitty Cafe, women having their nails done at Nail Tropics, and couples sharing freshly made waffles at Gelare.
"One of the key strengths of Uptown Mall is that it is home to a formidable collection of 'First in the Philippines' brands," said Tefel Pesigan-Valentino, senior AVP and head of marketing and business development of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls.
Aside from housing the first Hello Kitty Cafe with its matte gold birdcage theme, the mall lays claim to several firsts in both retail and dining segments. The Spanish undergarments brand Punto Blanco opened its first store in Southeast Asia at Uptown. Popcorn, a Hong Kong-based store, carries items from the coveted brand Supreme, among other street apparel brands. Its store at the Uptown is the first in the country and includes caps embroidered with the word Supreme retailing at P6,000 or 7,000, and nylon gym and duffel bags at P16,000 each.
Several vendors of ladies' apparel and accessories (eyewear, strappy leather sandals) on Instagram now share one physical store, Mercer St., also the first of its kind.
"As a mall developer, we want to stay relevant in our tenant mix versus a traditional mall so we are continuously looking for new ways to elevate the lifestyle of Filipinos," Pesigan-Valentino said. "At the core of our service is bringing township residents, employees, students, en- trepreneurs, and visitors the utmost convenience."
SIP AND DINE
If chilling out is more your cup of tea (or coffee), the mall has several options like the Singapore-based Olivia & Co., the Australian Gelare brand, and the aforementioned Hello Kitty Cafe. All three opened their first stores at Uptown and have only been operational in the last few months.
Olivia & Co has a garden cafe concept with wooden shelves affixed to the walls filled with cartoon figures. Marketing supervisor Jean Munsayac said that the cafe was named after the wife of Thomas Stamford Raffles, vice governor of Java. Some of its specialties include the Hangover burger, chicken wings and pasta. The cafe can seat 70 in its indoor and al fresco areas. Until the end of the month, customers can linger over their chosen brew as drinks are slashed 50 percent from 2 to 6 p.m.
Gelare might look like any other ice cream shop with its 24 flavors cooling inside a refrigerated showcase but what it really has going
for it are the freshly made waffles and ice cream cones.
Drizzled with syrup and topped with puffs of cream or a scoop of ice cream (they have vegan and halal scoops made with coconut milk), the waffles manage to keep their crispy exterior but are soft and chewy inside. Customers who prefer savory over sweet can order the chicken and waffles with a side of gravy.
Business development officer Mayrick Esplana said that almost everything in the store is made in or imported from Australia. The waffles are as big as dinner plates and are often shared by couples or friends who linger over their Australian flat white coffees.
Fans of Hello Kitty are sure to like the cafe with its Kitty-branded tables, chairs and water tumblers. The menu lists pastas and French-inspired mains like Beef Bourguignon and Pork with Herbes Provence but customers seem to prefer the tiny cakes and pastries topped with Hello Kitty's trademark ribbon.
At Hook by Todd English, groups of three or four inevitably order the Raw Tower, three tiers of raw seafood including salmon, scallops, ceviche and oysters to go with their cocktails. The restaurant prides itself on its daily supply of fresh oysters flown in from Aklan.
Uptown Mall is connected to Uptown Parade by a footbridge on the second level so mall goers can simply cross over for a selection of services from dental work to depilatories, all located on the second floor.
Lay Bare waxing salon has opened a more upscale salon called Silk, Nail Tropics has curvy seats where customers can comfortably enjoy a foot scrub and pedicure, and hair stylist Jing Monis recently opened Salon Privat with its Parisian-inspired interiors. Longtime clients know that Monis, who owns several other salons in the city, makes his weekly rounds and is there on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"Uptown Mall is the only mall destination in the Philippines with its own nightlife complex that is at par with global standards. The Palace at Uptown Parade consistently places in global super club rankings and we try to uphold Uptown Bonifacio's youthful vibrant energy with even more nightlife activities and entertainment," said Pesigan-Valentino.
"We regularly feature bands and buskers to entertain our guests, and host a diverse variety of events from toy cons to car shows," she added.
With the holidays fast approaching, Uptown Mall and Uptown Parade are your perfect destinations. It’s chill lifestyle!