(Art Mural by @Faileart of Brooklyn, NY for #ArtBGCOne)
Manila is quite fun to drive around in during weekends and a great way to rediscover the city.
Here’s how we celebrated our Independence Day long weekend–driving in the Lexus NX200t–to rediscover a different side of Manila…
Lexus’s compact luxury crossover is a good fit for urban adventurers, along with its intuitive technology, powered by the potent turbocharged engine. Behind the wheel of the NX, we began our journey under the Fire Trees.
Fire Trees. Did you notice that the Fire Trees are in season?
Legend has it that the Fire Trees signal the head hunting season for the Bugkalot tribe in Nagtipunan, Quirino province.
It would be nice to celebrate the Fire Trees, just like how Japan celebrates the Cherry Blossoms, and teach our kids to appreciate the beauty of these trees.
ArtBGC NextAct ONE Festival last May 22-30, 2015 was a week-long mural festival, featuring a mix of international and local artists painting across the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) district.
We loved hunting down the graffiti and mural artworks produced during #ArtBGCOne. One of our favorites is the “Between the Lines” massive wall art by @cyrcle x @drewmerritt for @lebasseprojects, in front of The Forum at South Global, BGC!
Taking the picture in front of The Forum at South made us feel that the Lexus NX’s striking design is a moving artwork with intricate metallic details like the spaceman in the mural.
Lexus NX Interiors. What we noticed was that the NX’s seats conform to your body shape making it feel comfortable and elegant that you don’t mind sitting there for a long time.
The cabin was spacious enough for the boys to horseplay in even if they were buckled up. Really a joy to drive.
Lexus NX Drive. I like its handling performance – it accelerates quickly, turns into corners with ease and brakes on demand.
The gadget geek in me loves the innovative on-board technology like the remote touch interface with touch pad, and multi-information display (including a Lexus-first G sensor and boost meter), and the seamless iPhone – car audio system Bluetooth sync.
The NX’s 7-inch Electro Multi-Vision (EMV) screen makes it possible to have a fun and safe ride along with the dynamic 4.2 inch multi-information display that keeps all my driving data in one place. Quite impressed with the car’s advanced technology.
For more info, visit Lexus #NXSideofLife.
Ayala Museum Augmented Reality. Revisit Manila’s History with innovative 3D Augmented Reality (AR) Diorama Experience.
Philippine Historic scenes come to life on a smartphone through exciting animations, realistic sound effects, and voice narrations. Learning history has gotten even more exciting thanks to Ayala Museum in partnership with the Harish and Johnsen Group.
It’s a great way to introduce Philippine history to the Millenial generation.
Karen’s Kitchen Kapitolyo Lunch. Karen’s Kitchen in Kapitolyo is a love-themed restaurant and dessert cafe in Pasig by Karen Young.
We tried all the bestsellers, especially the ones you have to order a day in advance to get the freshest ingredients. We loved the mushroom truffle pasta, artichoke dip, quinoa squid ink salad, and frozen brazo for dessert!
Manila Hotel Staycation. We like taking advantage of the long weekends and going on a staycation in Manila when we can really enjoy the city with no crowd and less traffic.
We enjoyed our suite room with a view of Manila Bay, eating a feast at Cafe Ilang-Ilang and Mabuhay Palace, and having a sunset cocktail session at the MacArthur Club Lounge.
The highlight of our staycation is that we had a lot of fun driving the NX from one place to another. It’s really more about the journey than the destination.
PEPITA’S KITCHEN was featured in the Feast of the Filipino Kitchen at the Corniche Lunch & Dinner Buffet, Diamond Hotel throughout the Independence Day weekend.
I’m so excited for my friend Dedet of Pepita’s Lechon, who for the first time is featured in a 5-star hotel establishment.
The Lexus ride was very elegant, you feel that you’ve made it, and the inside interior is hip & sporty.
It makes you feel right at home on the road with a sense of security, especially when you are with the entire family.
Dreamplay by Dreamworks. DreamPlay is a Dreamworks Movie-inspired creativity play center for kids located indoors inside City of Dreams Manila.
I like that the attractions stimulate the minds of the kids and challenge their creativity. The activities are interactive like workshop classes and exercise activities for your little ones.
Aguinaldo Shrine comes to Life! The 18th-century national monument was seen in a new light through video mapping technology this past Philippine Independence Day weekend.
Video mapping uses digitally produced images based on the architectural line of a structure to create an impression and bring a structure to life.
Manila is changing fast! Make sure to take the time to savor its beauty and enjoy these historic moments in the development of our city.
Discover more about mine and other bloggers’ #NXSideofLife here.
Philippine Independence Day Weekend Series 2015:
- Rediscovering Manila with the LEXUS NX200t on Philippine Independence Day! #NXSideofLife
- PEPITA’S LECHON x Corniche Buffet Tips, Trivia & Tricks! @DiamondHotelPH (Don’t miss it!)
- Karen’s Kitchen Kapitolyo: Love-themed Restaurant and Best Dessert Cafe in Pasig!
- MANILA HOTEL: Your next Memorable Manila Staycation @ManilaHotel
- DREAMPLAY by DREAMWORKS (A Review): 11 Tips for Planning your DreamPlay Date with your Kids! @CityofDreamsPH
- Aguinaldo Shrine comes to Life with amazing Video-Mapping Light Display! (Photo Essay)
- Augmented Reality Diorama Experience of the Philippine History: First 3D-on-3D Experience @AyalaMuseum (Photo Essay)
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: This post is a collaboration between Lexus and Our Awesome Planet. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights. Read Our Awesome Planet Complete Disclosure Policy here.
P.S. Thank you to Lexus for the awesome NX200t drive last Independence Day weekend!
im very impressed that you managed to capture the different things in manila that people often do not notice or acknowledge
Great article! I actually have a friend who is a street artist, and he lives in Manila. He’s not super active on Facebook, but I have seen some of his work around the city in photographs. I would love to come visit sometime, when time and money allows of course 😛
Since I am also a bit of a petrolhead, I have to say… that Lexus looks incredible, especially the interior!