Metro – Page 6 – Travel Up

Outdoor dining and al fresco restaurants in Maginhawa

UPDATED: November 2021

With most tourism establishments still closed and travel still generally restricted, going to a restaurant to eat out is one of the few allowable activities people can do in the city. Dining out gives people a semblance of normalcy and a break from staying home and cooking the entire week.

While it’s still safer to get food delivered compared to dining in, if you do choose to eat out for special occasions or in between errands, it’s best to choose places with outdoor seating and good ventilation. A lot of restaurants in the area have evolved with pandemic times and changed their dining set-up to cater to meet the restrictions.

Street Art Guide in and near Maginhawa

Maginhawa Street in Quezon City is popularly known as an “Eat Street” because of the number of restaurants in the area. Recently, I’ve noticed a lot of new street art and murals around the neighborhood made by local artists who live in the area. Some serve as decorative elements adorning gates or walls outside food parks, restos, or other business establishments.

National Museum of Natural History in Manila: New Guidelines (June 2021)

Museums have just started to reopen again in Manila at a restricted capacity, with limits on the number of visitors and online reservations systems in place. One of the country’s top museums that recently reopened is the National Museum of Natural History, one of the three main museums inside the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) complex, which also includes the Museum of Fine Arts and Museum of Anthropology.

My last visit to the Museum of Natural History was before the pandemic hit, but I’m sharing the latest guidelines and new features as of June 2021 for reference for those who are looking for somewhere new to go in the metro.

Review: 2021 Nakto Ranger All Terrain E-bike

Biking has really boomed during the pandemic, both for daily commuter use as people face problems with public transportation, and as one of the few allowable socially distanced leisure activities you can do outdoors. However, with the sizzling summer heat, daily commuters and employees who rely on pure pedal power to get to and from work may find biking regularly too tiring.

Review: Lenovo M2 electric scooter

Lenovo, a tech company best known for their PCs and laptops, has hopped on to the alternative mobility game with their launch of M2 electric scooters in the Philippines. With the limited travel options and concerns over riding public transport these days brought by the ongoing pandemic, Lenovo’s M2 Electric Scooter provides a fun, compact and affordable two-wheeled option for Pinoy commuters.

Outdoor dining and al fresco restaurants in Marikina

Since the pandemic started, people have opted to stay safe indoors and get food delivered at home instead of dining out. But for those who are out on errands or bikers on exercise rides looking for a bite to eat, the safest option for dining in is at al fresco restaurants with outdoor seating. Dining with members of your own household offers a relatively safe option compared to dining in mall-based and enclosed indoor establishments.

Here are just a few restaurants with al fresco dining and safety protocols in place where you can enjoy a pleasant meal in Marikina.

Kaulayaw Café: Coffee & craft beer with a view in Antipolo

Antipolo has its fair share of restaurants and cafes that offer stunning views overlooking the city. Kaulayaw Café is one of the newest dining destinations along the Antipolo ridge, specializing in locally sourced coffee. Because of the ongoing pandemic, open-air dining destinations with nature views are much more preferable for dining out rather than enclosed indoor restaurants in malls.

Batala Bar: Cozy craft beer bar in Intramuros

Batala Bar in Intramuros recently reopened! Right before the lockdown restrictions in March 2020, I met up with good friend Mica of Senyorita for a “business meeting” in the area and we spent a chill afternoon with mugs of local craft beer here. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed random meet-ups with friends over drinks and it’s nice to know that more establishments are finding ways to reopen with the proper health and safety measures, like contact tracing and health declaration forms in place.

Romantic sunrise & sunset resto in Antipolo: Maura’s Place

I’m always on the lookout for unique places to eat for road trips. These days, with the restrictions because of the pandemic, we’ve been dining mostly at home, or in accessible spots where we can enjoy fresh air and nature views not far from the city. To kick off the new year, we checked out a new place in Antipolo that’s been getting some buzz online for its rustic and romantic look.

Biking safety tips during the COVID-19 pandemic

A lot of people got into biking last year because of the lack of transportation and as a recreational activity. This year, more people will probably be interested in venturing further from the cities for bike exploration or are planning to meet up with friends for group rides. While borders have started easing up, we’re still not out of the woods yet. As long as vaccines are not yet available, it’s better to err on the side of safety.

That being said, biking is a physical exercise that’s beneficial for maintaining health, fitness, and the body’s immune system. When done alone or with members of your household, it can be a relatively safe and rewarding activity.

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