Makati Archive

  • Residences Manila in Review0November 21, 2009

    Residences Manila in Review

    When I recall what AIM professor and problogger extraordinaire Anton Diaz asked me that invigorating September night in class:  ”What’s your passion?”, something stirred in me.  I felt the mounting excitement of my vision affirmed by those words. He said it would be hard to deviate from…
  • First Time Homebuyers Find Opportunity in Current Market0July 27, 2009

    First Time Homebuyers Find Opportunity in Current Market

    Looking for a one-stop-blog to help first time home buyers in the Philippines, I didn’t find any!  Doing a bit of research, I found this site from Basta Pinoy  with an article by Charles Covalesky, a Title insurance lawyer based in Florida, with info on helping you…
  • Five Things a Realtor Won't (Immediately) Tell You When Viewing Condos0July 24, 2009

    Five Things a Realtor Won't (Immediately) Tell You When Viewing Condos

    Before viewing  other condos in your Realtor’s shortlist, do bear in mind the following to have a productive trip: 1)  Allocate at least 1.5 hours for viewing  properties.   It takes at least 20-30 minutes to inspect a condo.  When scheduling a viewing, request to see  a…
  • Food and ambiance aplenty at Conti's0July 23, 2009

    Food and ambiance aplenty at Conti's

    It’s with some pride that I can say that I knew Conti’s Restaurant long before they became ultra-popular. Conti’s started out as Dates and Nuts Restaurant in BF Homes Paranaque way back in the early 80′s. I remember my parents taking us there for dinner after Mass.  It was…
  • Life and Style in Manila's Best Residences0September 30, 2008

    Life and Style in Manila's Best Residences

    Welcome to the launch of The Residences Manila. Our blog aims to give global viewers a visual tour of the choicest selections of Manila’s best-in-class residential condominiums and apartments, available for sale or rent.
Newer Entries »
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When I recall what AIM professor and problogger extraordinaire Anton Diaz asked me that invigorating September night in class:  ”What’s your passion?”, something stirred in me.  I felt the mounting excitement of my vision affirmed by those words.

He said it would be hard to deviate from what you’re passionate about when you blog, for that’s where your strengths lie. Recalling that moment I decided to do a review of Residences Manila, which I secretly conceived as an experiment for my Maven Secrets problogging class.

The spark of Residences Manila  was to blog about the lux and mid-market condo communities in Alabang, Fort Bonifacio Global City, and Makati. I wanted to capture online the snapshots and stories of what it meant to be a condo dweller living in a community.  I winced at listing blogs that described these projects, just like a product. Model units, though pretty and chic, still seemed lifeless and isolated  like mug shots of homes in a lineup. The model units were beginning to look alike.  I wanted to make the home search come alive, create some excitement, make it resonate in the reader’s mind’s eye.  I wanted to do it differently online–yet again.

Traipsing  almost daily among these three territories gave me a real feel of the ins and outs of the estates.  And I enjoyed doing this.  I love going thru Alabang, the Fort, and Makati City.  And it’s not about shopping, but the experience of the new and unknown.

As a broker who loves aesthetics and imagining what is possible in a unit of space, I could always visualize different looks of condos, in different styles–no matter how worn or how new the place looked.  And beyond that, how the pulse of the community made that relatively small space a more homey one for its resident.  That was the researcher within me observing colors, spaces, people, movement, pulsating patterns of life around the area. 

I must admit though that there are places in these territories that I resonate with more than others. My ‘goodness-of-fit’ radar is better in these 3 places. I’ll stick to that for now.

Somehow, I felt I deviated from the original spirit of this blog.  Some pressure to include listings on houses and first time home buyers  gave it less voice online.  

My stats counter  prove that my viewers do want to see these lux finds and unique apartment listings on Residences Manila.   But they also want to see the life behind and around the four walls of that pretty condo in photos. 

So I  return to Residences Manila’s  original spirit. Expect news  about the condo, the best-in-class estates, the good apartment finds around the Metro.  I will write about the urbanite apartment dweller’s usually great, sometimes challenging experiences of living in the condo.  There are surely many stories for this, as many as the units and floors for each condo estate!

Do expect to read on how to dress up your residential gem, tips on living, lifestyle and renewal for your home in the sky.  Lux means many things to many people.  But in Residences Manila, lux living means getting the most for your space, making it what you want to be, and living the life that you really want within those four fabulous walls.

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When I recall what AIM professor and problogger extraordinaire Anton Diaz asked me that invigorating September night in class:  ”What’s your passion?”, something stirred in me.  I felt the mounting excitement of my vision affirmed by those words.

He said it would be hard to deviate from what you’re passionate about when you blog, for that’s where your strengths lie. Recalling that moment I decided to do a review of Residences Manila, which I secretly conceived as an experiment for my Maven Secrets problogging class.

The spark of Residences Manila  was to blog about the lux and mid-market condo communities in Alabang, Fort Bonifacio Global City, and Makati. I wanted to capture online the snapshots and stories of what it meant to be a condo dweller living in a community.  I winced at listing blogs that described these projects, just like a product. Model units, though pretty and chic, still seemed lifeless and isolated  like mug shots of homes in a lineup. The model units were beginning to look alike.  I wanted to make the home search come alive, create some excitement, make it resonate in the reader’s mind’s eye.  I wanted to do it differently online–yet again.

Traipsing  almost daily among these three territories gave me a real feel of the ins and outs of the estates.  And I enjoyed doing this.  I love going thru Alabang, the Fort, and Makati City.  And it’s not about shopping, but the experience of the new and unknown.

As a broker who loves aesthetics and imagining what is possible in a unit of space, I could always visualize different looks of condos, in different styles–no matter how worn or how new the place looked.  And beyond that, how the pulse of the community made that relatively small space a more homey one for its resident.  That was the researcher within me observing colors, spaces, people, movement, pulsating patterns of life around the area. 

I must admit though that there are places in these territories that I resonate with more than others. My ‘goodness-of-fit’ radar is better in these 3 places. I’ll stick to that for now.

Somehow, I felt I deviated from the original spirit of this blog.  Some pressure to include listings on houses and first time home buyers  gave it less voice online.  

My stats counter  prove that my viewers do want to see these lux finds and unique apartment listings on Residences Manila.   But they also want to see the life behind and around the four walls of that pretty condo in photos. 

So I  return to Residences Manila’s  original spirit. Expect news  about the condo, the best-in-class estates, the good apartment finds around the Metro.  I will write about the urbanite apartment dweller’s usually great, sometimes challenging experiences of living in the condo.  There are surely many stories for this, as many as the units and floors for each condo estate!

Do expect to read on how to dress up your residential gem, tips on living, lifestyle and renewal for your home in the sky.  Lux means many things to many people.  But in Residences Manila, lux living means getting the most for your space, making it what you want to be, and living the life that you really want within those four fabulous walls.

Start uga_filter:

When I recall what AIM professor and problogger extraordinaire Anton Diaz asked me that invigorating September night in class:  ”What’s your passion?”, something stirred in me.  I felt the mounting excitement of my vision affirmed by those words. He said it would be hard to deviate from…

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When I recall what AIM professor and problogger extraordinaire Anton Diaz asked me that invigorating September night in class:  ”What’s your passion?”, something stirred in me.  I felt the mounting excitement of my vision affirmed by those words. He said it would be hard to deviate from…

Start uga_filter:

Looking for a one-stop-blog to help first time home buyers in the Philippines, I didn’t find any! 

Doing a bit of research, I found this site from Basta Pinoy  with an article by Charles Covalesky, a Title insurance lawyer based in Florida, with info on helping you get your first home.  Yes, it was written for the Florida residential buyer market, but a lot of the advice offered can be applied here.  There are a couple of points which the article cites, which are differently practiced here in the Philippines.  

One, in terms of financing, there is NO PHILIPPINE BANK that will give you an approved loan equal to the house’s selling price.  That means you must put in some equity, equal to at least 30% if the house is on re-sale.  The only time I’ve seen this exception is when some customers would agree to  an unscrupulous agent’s suggestion to pay off the appraiser.  What the appraiser does is to raise the value rating of the house, consequently leading to a higher approved loan value.  In many cases, it’s enough to cover the entire selling price.  But it doesn’t reflect the real asset base of the Philippines.  We in the Philippine Association of Realtors Boards (PAREB) discourage Realtors from bribing any official or network partner, as it sets a precedent of dishonesty and bad business advice.

Credit ratings for consumers are only visible to the Philippine banks, unlike in the States you can pay for the service for access to the information. Your bank officer will just tell you that you get a pass’ or ‘fail’ rating.   Our loan approval system also relies on specific neighborhood information from referred friends or associates,   in addition to a review of the objective details given by the borrower himself.  That’s where the Realtor’s role is important as he acs as mediator between the borrower and the bank if he offers bank loans as a mortgage broker. 

Lastly is that though there may be an economic recession round the world, in the Philippines most people I’ve talked to, sellers and buyers, say that it’s as if  the country is much less affected than its Western counterparts.  You may also attribute it to the smaller supply of good homes  in your area of choice, which keeps buyers on their toes to look for the best house with the best deal.  But my advice is to aim for a fair price or slightly lower than market price, and grab the good property if you find a house worth negotiating for.  Don’t wait for the seller/owner to bring the selling price way down.  Every seller, remember, thinks that his house is the best.  He can be less objective about the pricing compared to the next seller.   Good houses in any market sell quickly.

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Looking for a one-stop-blog to help first time home buyers in the Philippines, I didn’t find any! 

Doing a bit of research, I found this site from Basta Pinoy  with an article by Charles Covalesky, a Title insurance lawyer based in Florida, with info on helping you get your first home.  Yes, it was written for the Florida residential buyer market, but a lot of the advice offered can be applied here.  There are a couple of points which the article cites, which are differently practiced here in the Philippines.  

One, in terms of financing, there is NO PHILIPPINE BANK that will give you an approved loan equal to the house’s selling price.  That means you must put in some equity, equal to at least 30% if the house is on re-sale.  The only time I’ve seen this exception is when some customers would agree to  an unscrupulous agent’s suggestion to pay off the appraiser.  What the appraiser does is to raise the value rating of the house, consequently leading to a higher approved loan value.  In many cases, it’s enough to cover the entire selling price.  But it doesn’t reflect the real asset base of the Philippines.  We in the Philippine Association of Realtors Boards (PAREB) discourage Realtors from bribing any official or network partner, as it sets a precedent of dishonesty and bad business advice.

Credit ratings for consumers are only visible to the Philippine banks, unlike in the States you can pay for the service for access to the information. Your bank officer will just tell you that you get a pass’ or ‘fail’ rating.   Our loan approval system also relies on specific neighborhood information from referred friends or associates,   in addition to a review of the objective details given by the borrower himself.  That’s where the Realtor’s role is important as he acs as mediator between the borrower and the bank if he offers bank loans as a mortgage broker. 

Lastly is that though there may be an economic recession round the world, in the Philippines most people I’ve talked to, sellers and buyers, say that it’s as if  the country is much less affected than its Western counterparts.  You may also attribute it to the smaller supply of good homes  in your area of choice, which keeps buyers on their toes to look for the best house with the best deal.  But my advice is to aim for a fair price or slightly lower than market price, and grab the good property if you find a house worth negotiating for.  Don’t wait for the seller/owner to bring the selling price way down.  Every seller, remember, thinks that his house is the best.  He can be less objective about the pricing compared to the next seller.   Good houses in any market sell quickly.

Start uga_filter:

Looking for a one-stop-blog to help first time home buyers in the Philippines, I didn’t find any!  Doing a bit of research, I found this site from Basta Pinoy  with an article by Charles Covalesky, a Title insurance lawyer based in Florida, with info on helping you…

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Looking for a one-stop-blog to help first time home buyers in the Philippines, I didn’t find any!  Doing a bit of research, I found this site from Basta Pinoy  with an article by Charles Covalesky, a Title insurance lawyer based in Florida, with info on helping you…

Start uga_filter:

Before viewing  other condos in your Realtor’s shortlist, do bear in mind the following to have a productive trip:

1)  Allocate at least 1.5 hours for viewing  properties.   It takes at least 20-30 minutes to inspect a condo.  When scheduling a viewing, request to see  a maximum of five, properly pre-qualifed condominiums during the first round.  Why not more?    By my experience, clients get more confused if they view so many units on the same day.  They won’t remember what they’ve seen, or worse, they’ll fail to appreciate the good qualities of the properties due to the information overload. 

2)  Before entering the condo, ask the owner or tenant if you need to take off your footwear.  There are some nationalities that mind your stepping into their abode in shoes or slippers.    Others don’t. Be culturally sensitive.

3)  Do not ask for the owner’s or tenants contact details.  Realtors won’t come out with this request at all!  But part of the ethics of viewing condos:  please don’t request for the contact details of the owner in case you get to meet him in the viewing.  And in case the owner voluntarily gives his card, accept it as part of courtesy–but surrender it to your broker immediately after the meeting.  As many units shown to your are not necessarily the broker’s exclusive listing, keep the trust by dissipating any thoughts that you will contact the owner directly without your broker’s knowledge.

4) Check if the condominium property can still accomodate digital and internet lines–and if they’ll have enough allocation for you if you apply.  Believe it or not, there are still some condominium projects in Makati and other areas that can no longer install a digital phone line nor DSL internet line. This is true of PLDT if you want to have broadband internet.

 If they’ve reached a cap on PLDT, check with the administrator’s office which service providers do they accept.  Not all condos can install Globe, Smart or Bayantel.  Unless you’re willing to use a cellular landline (there have been mixed reviews about using the latest Globe Duo due to dropped calls), check out this capability early before plunking down your hard-earned money in that condo.  It’s like  a thread that’s waiting to unravel your entire condominium investment.

5)  Check the electrical loading capacity of the unit.  There are some condominium projects, especially the newer ones, whose electrical loading or breakers are underrated. Do check it out especially if you can accomodate at least the  basic loads with no danger or need for re-wiring your unit.  I’ve had a client do this for his Forbeswood Heights unit.  Another client couldn’t even install an electrical range oven that’s more than 1000 watts due to this limitation.

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Before viewing  other condos in your Realtor’s shortlist, do bear in mind the following to have a productive trip:

1)  Allocate at least 1.5 hours for viewing  properties.   It takes at least 20-30 minutes to inspect a condo.  When scheduling a viewing, request to see  a maximum of five, properly pre-qualifed condominiums during the first round.  Why not more?    By my experience, clients get more confused if they view so many units on the same day.  They won’t remember what they’ve seen, or worse, they’ll fail to appreciate the good qualities of the properties due to the information overload. 

2)  Before entering the condo, ask the owner or tenant if you need to take off your footwear.  There are some nationalities that mind your stepping into their abode in shoes or slippers.    Others don’t. Be culturally sensitive.

3)  Do not ask for the owner’s or tenants contact details.  Realtors won’t come out with this request at all!  But part of the ethics of viewing condos:  please don’t request for the contact details of the owner in case you get to meet him in the viewing.  And in case the owner voluntarily gives his card, accept it as part of courtesy–but surrender it to your broker immediately after the meeting.  As many units shown to your are not necessarily the broker’s exclusive listing, keep the trust by dissipating any thoughts that you will contact the owner directly without your broker’s knowledge.

4) Check if the condominium property can still accomodate digital and internet lines–and if they’ll have enough allocation for you if you apply.  Believe it or not, there are still some condominium projects in Makati and other areas that can no longer install a digital phone line nor DSL internet line. This is true of PLDT if you want to have broadband internet.

 If they’ve reached a cap on PLDT, check with the administrator’s office which service providers do they accept.  Not all condos can install Globe, Smart or Bayantel.  Unless you’re willing to use a cellular landline (there have been mixed reviews about using the latest Globe Duo due to dropped calls), check out this capability early before plunking down your hard-earned money in that condo.  It’s like  a thread that’s waiting to unravel your entire condominium investment.

5)  Check the electrical loading capacity of the unit.  There are some condominium projects, especially the newer ones, whose electrical loading or breakers are underrated. Do check it out especially if you can accomodate at least the  basic loads with no danger or need for re-wiring your unit.  I’ve had a client do this for his Forbeswood Heights unit.  Another client couldn’t even install an electrical range oven that’s more than 1000 watts due to this limitation.

Start uga_filter:

Before viewing  other condos in your Realtor’s shortlist, do bear in mind the following to have a productive trip: 1)  Allocate at least 1.5 hours for viewing  properties.   It takes at least 20-30 minutes to inspect a condo.  When scheduling a viewing, request to see  a…

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Before viewing  other condos in your Realtor’s shortlist, do bear in mind the following to have a productive trip: 1)  Allocate at least 1.5 hours for viewing  properties.   It takes at least 20-30 minutes to inspect a condo.  When scheduling a viewing, request to see  a…

Start uga_filter:

It’s with some pride that I can say that I knew Conti’s Restaurant long before they became ultra-popular. Conti’s started out as Dates and Nuts Restaurant in BF Homes Paranaque way back in the early 80′s. I remember my parents taking us there for dinner after Mass.  It was such a treat. 

The diminutive restaurant was a venture-in-the wall of seven 4-seater tables, one cake freezer, and a lot of yummy, home-cooked goodies.  Though their signature baked item was the namesake  Dates and Nuts bar,the most popular item  was their to-die-for Peach Walnut Torte.  With heavenly baked-meringue base topped with an ethereal puffy crown of white cream, bejeweled with shiny peach slices and walnuts, it was truly a most coveted treat that we looked forward to after every meal.  I even recall Sharon Cuneta would bring a then 5-year old KC Concepcion there to take a bite out of the sweet yummies. 

I remember too the Conti sisters–Angie, Carol and a third sister whose name now escapes me–were passionate about their food as they were about ensuring that their catering services enhanced the memorable occasion.  Yes, they do catering, til this day.  My mom got them for my debut bash at home.  I recall that my guests raved about the great dishes–especially the lengua, the baked salmon, the roast beef, the pasta, and of course, the to-die-for dessert table.  And Angie and Carol, with their eternally gracious demeanor,  were there attentive to every detail. I recall too one time Angie explained to me that they try to teach this posture of service to their staff by example.  I believe they’ve succeeded to this day.  The Conti’s waiters are consistently  solicitous and gracious.

After the old logo and image morphed into the now familiar green-and-yellow symbol that is Conti’s, the addition of a food take out service counter in the last 5 years really set off a boom in the business. It’s only in Conti’s outlets wherever I visit–whether in the old BF Homes outlet, Serendra, or Trinoma–that I see queues of people waiting for their turn to grab a box of desserts, order for food for a quick party, or select yummy savory and sweet pies for the daily baon of the kids. Christmas time at Conti’s is like lining up for enrollment in UP or Ateneo.  The now  familiar lines of customers wait for what seems like hours under white tents set up outside the restaurant to place their orders, or claim their pre-ordered dishes.  They’ve also recently opened an outlet in exciting Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna.  Good that the genteel Southerners will not have to treck all the way to BF or Fort for their heavenly food. 

The draw of Conti’s is on the whole because of their food, but in part because of the resto’s ambiance.  It’s bright, tastefully done, and comfy.  It’s a family restaurant with leather-feel seats, warm white lighting, zen-style common toilets, always-fresh news dailies, fresh flowers on the table, a never-empty glass of water, and of course freshly cooked, piping hot food on trays constantly floating over to a customer’s table.  Food is artfully arranged (though I wish the food portions were a tad bigger like before!).  Definitely a couple of notches higher than a fast food burger or chicken restaurant’s functional interiors. 

Conti’s managed to  evolved into a bakeshop-restaurant whose owners have gotten the food pulse of the upscale, urban Pinoy’s quickening lifestyle.   Food has to be served hot, fast and nutritious.  So when you select dishes from their take-out counter freezers, you’ll see that frozen foods that are simply blast frozen versions of their good ‘ole  menu items.  They also added pates (artichoke dips and chicken liver pate are my FAVORITE) that go well with the crisp, dry bruschetta. Tasty dips, salad dressings, and spreads add savoury counterpoint to the beautifully made sweets: cakes such as Mango Bravo, Strawberry Shortcake, Sans Rival, Mango Creme Cake and the classic Peach Walnut Torte; handy treats such as cheese turnovers, the classic Date bars, lemon squares, brownies, lenguas de gato.  You’ll see party favourites in their brochure, in various permutations of menus:  laing, siomai, roastbeef, rellenong bangus, russian potato salad, lasagna for baking –the list is endless.   As long as the line of people that wait for their turn of a slice of goodness.

So whether you’re throwing an intimate family reunion, just too lazy to cook, or need to bring a gift of goodness to a friend, Conti’s has plenty to offer for food for the stomach, as well as kindness for the soul.

(Note:  This writer wrote the above article review independent of Conti’s invitation.  We do this as a service to our blog readers who are interested to know of good places around the communities that Residences Manila hangs around in).

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It’s with some pride that I can say that I knew Conti’s Restaurant long before they became ultra-popular. Conti’s started out as Dates and Nuts Restaurant in BF Homes Paranaque way back in the early 80′s. I remember my parents taking us there for dinner after Mass.  It was such a treat. 

The diminutive restaurant was a venture-in-the wall of seven 4-seater tables, one cake freezer, and a lot of yummy, home-cooked goodies.  Though their signature baked item was the namesake  Dates and Nuts bar,the most popular item  was their to-die-for Peach Walnut Torte.  With heavenly baked-meringue base topped with an ethereal puffy crown of white cream, bejeweled with shiny peach slices and walnuts, it was truly a most coveted treat that we looked forward to after every meal.  I even recall Sharon Cuneta would bring a then 5-year old KC Concepcion there to take a bite out of the sweet yummies. 

I remember too the Conti sisters–Angie, Carol and a third sister whose name now escapes me–were passionate about their food as they were about ensuring that their catering services enhanced the memorable occasion.  Yes, they do catering, til this day.  My mom got them for my debut bash at home.  I recall that my guests raved about the great dishes–especially the lengua, the baked salmon, the roast beef, the pasta, and of course, the to-die-for dessert table.  And Angie and Carol, with their eternally gracious demeanor,  were there attentive to every detail. I recall too one time Angie explained to me that they try to teach this posture of service to their staff by example.  I believe they’ve succeeded to this day.  The Conti’s waiters are consistently  solicitous and gracious.

After the old logo and image morphed into the now familiar green-and-yellow symbol that is Conti’s, the addition of a food take out service counter in the last 5 years really set off a boom in the business. It’s only in Conti’s outlets wherever I visit–whether in the old BF Homes outlet, Serendra, or Trinoma–that I see queues of people waiting for their turn to grab a box of desserts, order for food for a quick party, or select yummy savory and sweet pies for the daily baon of the kids. Christmas time at Conti’s is like lining up for enrollment in UP or Ateneo.  The now  familiar lines of customers wait for what seems like hours under white tents set up outside the restaurant to place their orders, or claim their pre-ordered dishes.  They’ve also recently opened an outlet in exciting Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna.  Good that the genteel Southerners will not have to treck all the way to BF or Fort for their heavenly food. 

The draw of Conti’s is on the whole because of their food, but in part because of the resto’s ambiance.  It’s bright, tastefully done, and comfy.  It’s a family restaurant with leather-feel seats, warm white lighting, zen-style common toilets, always-fresh news dailies, fresh flowers on the table, a never-empty glass of water, and of course freshly cooked, piping hot food on trays constantly floating over to a customer’s table.  Food is artfully arranged (though I wish the food portions were a tad bigger like before!).  Definitely a couple of notches higher than a fast food burger or chicken restaurant’s functional interiors. 

Conti’s managed to  evolved into a bakeshop-restaurant whose owners have gotten the food pulse of the upscale, urban Pinoy’s quickening lifestyle.   Food has to be served hot, fast and nutritious.  So when you select dishes from their take-out counter freezers, you’ll see that frozen foods that are simply blast frozen versions of their good ‘ole  menu items.  They also added pates (artichoke dips and chicken liver pate are my FAVORITE) that go well with the crisp, dry bruschetta. Tasty dips, salad dressings, and spreads add savoury counterpoint to the beautifully made sweets: cakes such as Mango Bravo, Strawberry Shortcake, Sans Rival, Mango Creme Cake and the classic Peach Walnut Torte; handy treats such as cheese turnovers, the classic Date bars, lemon squares, brownies, lenguas de gato.  You’ll see party favourites in their brochure, in various permutations of menus:  laing, siomai, roastbeef, rellenong bangus, russian potato salad, lasagna for baking –the list is endless.   As long as the line of people that wait for their turn of a slice of goodness.

So whether you’re throwing an intimate family reunion, just too lazy to cook, or need to bring a gift of goodness to a friend, Conti’s has plenty to offer for food for the stomach, as well as kindness for the soul.

(Note:  This writer wrote the above article review independent of Conti’s invitation.  We do this as a service to our blog readers who are interested to know of good places around the communities that Residences Manila hangs around in).

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It’s with some pride that I can say that I knew Conti’s Restaurant long before they became ultra-popular. Conti’s started out as Dates and Nuts Restaurant in BF Homes Paranaque way back in the early 80′s. I remember my parents taking us there for dinner after Mass.  It was…

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It’s with some pride that I can say that I knew Conti’s Restaurant long before they became ultra-popular. Conti’s started out as Dates and Nuts Restaurant in BF Homes Paranaque way back in the early 80′s. I remember my parents taking us there for dinner after Mass.  It was…

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Raffles Residences Manila

Welcome to the launch of The Residences Manila. Our blog aims to give global viewers a visual tour of the choicest selections of Manila’s best-in-class residential condominiums and apartments, available for sale or rent.

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true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg File extension found Absolute URL, remove hostname from URL Start uga_get_option: prefix_file_links uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: prefix_file_links (/downloads/) Start uga_remove_hostname: www.residencesmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/living_area_17.jpg Stripping everything up until and including first / Ending uga_remove_hostname: wp-content/uploads/2008/09/living_area_17.jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: /downloads/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/living_area_17.jpg Ending uga_track_full_url: /downloads/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/living_area_17.jpg Adding onclick attribute for /downloads/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/living_area_17.jpg Ending uga_preg_callback: Raffles Residences Manila Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.residencesmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/unit_5-a_kitchen_063008-02.jpg Start uga_is_url_internal: www.residencesmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/unit_5-a_kitchen_063008-02.jpg Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com) Checking hostname www.residencesmanila.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname residencesmanila.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.residencesmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/unit_5-a_kitchen_063008-02.jpg, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg File extension found Absolute URL, remove hostname from URL Start uga_get_option: prefix_file_links uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: prefix_file_links (/downloads/) Start uga_remove_hostname: www.residencesmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/unit_5-a_kitchen_063008-02.jpg Stripping everything up until and including first / Ending uga_remove_hostname: wp-content/uploads/2008/09/unit_5-a_kitchen_063008-02.jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: /downloads/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/unit_5-a_kitchen_063008-02.jpg Ending uga_track_full_url: /downloads/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/unit_5-a_kitchen_063008-02.jpg Adding onclick attribute for /downloads/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/unit_5-a_kitchen_063008-02.jpg Ending uga_preg_callback: Ending uga_filter:
Raffles Residences Manila

Welcome to the launch of The Residences Manila. Our blog aims to give global viewers a visual tour of the choicest selections of Manila’s best-in-class residential condominiums and apartments, available for sale or rent.

Start uga_filter:

Welcome to the launch of The Residences Manila. Our blog aims to give global viewers a visual tour of the choicest selections of Manila’s best-in-class residential condominiums and apartments, available for sale or rent.

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level 0 Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Ending uga_filter:

Welcome to the launch of The Residences Manila. Our blog aims to give global viewers a visual tour of the choicest selections of Manila’s best-in-class residential condominiums and apartments, available for sale or rent.

Start uga_wp_footer_track: Start uga_get_tracker Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level 0 Ending uga_track_user: 1 Start uga_get_option: account_id uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: account_id (UA-10079915-3) Ending uga_get_tracker: Start uga_insert_html_once: footer, Footer hooked: HTML inserted: Location is FOOTER Inserting HTML End uga_insert_html Ending uga_wp_footer_track: Start uga_shutdown Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level 0 Ending uga_track_user: 1 Footer hook was executed Start uga_get_option: footer_hooked uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: footer_hooked (1) Start uga_get_option: debug uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.residencesmanila.com,residencesmanila.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-10079915-3', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => true, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => false, ) Ending uga_get_option: debug (1) -->