To celebrate this milestone, Books and Borders owners, Kristine Simisim, Mary Simisim, Megaworld’s Kevin Tan, General George Ancheta, Benjamin Alves, Karylle Tatlonghari-Yuzon, Architect Paolo Grijalvo and Harry Morris, led the ribbon cutting ceremony  As guests were invited to check out the bright, cozy space, they were also treated to special dishes that were thoughtfully prepared by the resident chef. Aside from the cafe’s signature drink such as the Salted Hot Chocolate, Iced Coffee Fudge, and Hazelnut Frappe, guests enjoyed delicious comfort food like the Barbecue Liempo with Rice, Fried Tuyo with Kaesong Puti Pasta and Seafood Aligue Pasta  

  Since salons have almost always been a women’s domain, I say it’s high time for a place where men, dudes, and bros, can have that much needed pampering without being judged. Guys, let me introduce The Men’s Room, a full line of salon, spa and pampering services designed specifically for a man’s grooming and comfort. Located at the 2nd floor of Oracle Hotel and Residences in Katipunan, it’s truly a hidden gem where, as their tagline goes, guys can be guys!   

  One thing you should know about me is that I have always been picky when it comes to having my haircut. As a blogger, I can say that have tried at least once or twice a lot of the known barbershops and salons in the metro. Nonetheless, for 12 years, I have only been comfortable going back and forth to the same barbershop, to have my hair cut by the same barber--- well, until last week, that is, when I tried The Men’s Room, which, in my honest opinion, is one of the coolest men’s salon I have ever been to.  

  The Men’s Room is everything I look for in a barbershop/salon, and more. Everything - from the ambiance, to the amenities, the grooming services, the hospitality of its staff, down to its pricing- was well thought of to give us guys the maximum satisfaction we crave for and deserve. Truly, I have been pampered to my heart’s content right from the moment I entered the premises up to when I left.  

Come and take a closer look at what I love most about The Men’s Room  

1. The Ambiance  

  Imagine plush leather chairs, a separated lobby from the cutting floor, and flat screen TV to get a bro feel at home. Add that to the walls that are made of bricks and the pipes that lines the walls and accentuates the shelves - and you’ll feel like you’re transported somewhere between a gentleman’s room in Victorian England, and a railway station in Industrial New York. It’s probably the marriage of these two periods, which created this ambiance that made me feel retain my manliness even while I was getting a hair spa. No doubt that I’ll feel the same even if I had a mani-pedi HAHA!  

2. The Amenities  

  I don’t even know where to begin! First, the lobby. I love the fact that it has a mini lobby separate from the cutting floor where the customers can sit and relax while they wait for their turn. This is something lacking on so many barbershops and heck, even salons. Second, the massage room. I love how they have a legit massage room divided by curtains. Again, this is something neither most barbershops nor salons have. They either massage you where you sit, or they bring you to a separate room, which was obviously once a storage area. Not in The Men’s Room…No! Here, you’ll be brought to a separate room with a massage table and even your own bathrobe just like in spas. And third, the shampoo bowl. I know this is probably no biggie for many, but this is probably my favorite. Unlike in most, if not all, salons and barbershops, here in The Men’s Room, the shampoo bowl is just right in front of your chair so there’ll be no need for walking! Something you probably don’t know is that I always get a hot oil or hair spa. However, I’ve always hated it when they ask me to get up of my chair and walk several feet to and from the shampoo bowl; in the process, passing by so many other customers while I’m either wrapped in towels or my hair is dripping with water. Ugh. It’s embarrassing, and not to mention, downright annoying. Here in The Men’s Room, they just turn your seat around, adjust it a bit, and voila!! There it is.  

3. The Services   

  Let me divide this into two parts: the range of their services, and the quality of the work itself. As to the range of their services, believe me when I say there are a lot! Like, I probably didn't even know a quarter of their services; case in point, the Malunggay Scrub in their spa services. Just what is that exactly? I wanna try it out! Indeed, from the hair grooming services, to the facial, and massages, you'd have tons to choose from. 

  Meanwhile, as to the quality of the services itself, I can say that I was satisfied. Kuya Ares, the barber who attended me, really went into detail to determine the best haircut he could give me. First, he started by asking me what hairstyle I want. Second, he asked how I usually style my hair. And then, he interposed some suggestion on how he thought I could improve on my style. Honestly, I rarely feel good right after I get a haircut cause my hair is kind of my comfort zone but this time, I really felt good. I cannot speak of the other barbers, but insofar as Kuya Ares is concerned, I can say that he really did well. 

4. The Hospitality  

  The moment I entered the premises to when I left, I was welcomed and acknowledged with all smiles not just by the receptionist but by every single staff-from the barber who didn't even attend me to the masseuse who were on break, even though I didn't really get a massage. Plus, there even ask you if you want to drink anything and frequently refills it. Truly, this is the first time I have encountered a salon/barbershop like this.

5. The Pricing

  I'm not really so sure about the normal price of their other services, so for the cost, let me take their haircut and hair spa services as basis. I'm used to having a haircut that ranges from 250php-350php, and hair spa/ hot oil that usually range from 350php-650php, so I guess when it comes to pricing, The Men's Room prices their services really cheap. This didn't surprise me, though, since I assumed that one of their target market are the students from the nearby school 

  These, being said, I can say that I am one satisfied customer and recommends every bros to try this if you want to get that much needed pampering without being judged. For more, you may like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/themensroomph or add them on Instagram: @themensroomph

 

 Hey everyone, I have made a great discovery!! Have you ever wanted to design a printed tee exclusively for yourself? Or did you ever dream about launching a clothing brand but don’t have the know-how for an online shop? Well, I may have just the answer.   

  Last Saturday, my friends over at CustomThread invited me and some other fellow bloggers to their website launch, and for an afternoon of tours, entertainments, and utter delight. But first, you may ask, what is CustomThread exactly? Well, I had the same questions, so I made a little research here and there. Over at CustomThread, they take customizing apparel to a whole new level. From T-shirts, jackets, sportswear, corporate uniforms, to casual outfits, they offer personalized designs whether you’re ordering one or one million pieces.   

  Having had an experience in the fashion retail industry as an owner of a retail line once, I’ll tell you that this came as a surprise to me. I was surprised that they’re not some little kiosk that prints t-shirts, but can handle every step of your fashion needs--from creating designs, sourcing fabrics, down to tailoring little details like zippers and buttons. I mean, of course, big companies like that have always existed but they always cater business owners who order in bulk, not individuals who just want to have fun with a shirt of their own. And this, to me, is where their magic comes from.   

  For the first time in the Philippines last Saturday, they have launched an all-inclusive platform with a build-your-own-design app, cost estimate "calculator," and seamless services for handling payment to delivery. It’s every fashion entrepreneurs’ dream, indeed, but it may also be a dream come true for many of us who just want to create a shirt of our own.   

  As for the afternoon itself, I admit it was a bit hazy because of the open bar that I may have abused just a little bit. HAHAHA! I am only glad that I was able to take some outfit shots before well..you know.  

Have a shout-out on the comment section down below. Did you like my discovery? What do you think of this attire? 

 Hello, guys! Let me yet again welcome you all to my humble page. For today’s post, let me first share a realization. I was having a (maybe drunken) conversion with my non-blogger friend a couple of days ago about why I blog. He queried, “so Ronwell, why do you blog?” And I was like, I don’t know; I like doing it. I like styling myself, and I like sharing said style to others. In my mind, my only mission is to inspire my readers & followers alike to find their inner style. However, as pointed out by this friend, I never really considered that as a Filipino blogger, maybe I should aspire for something bigger; that is, to help promote local clothing brands for so many reasons such as to help Filipinos overcome colonial mentality, help those who cannot afford foreign brands feel assured and proud of what they wear, etc. And that got me thinking.  

 One problem with so many Filipinos (myself included) is that a lot of us would rather buy foreign rather than local brands. Some do this by choice, others by habit. Personally, I just never really got used to buying local because…well I don’t know; I never got used to doing so. I excused this by saying that local brands are of inferior quality, but really, we all know that’s not true for all. There are many of those that strive to be as competitive in terms of design and quality as their foreign counterparts. My friend then went straight to pointing out that after a year of reading my blog, he never saw me wear any locally produced/marketed piece of garment. And this, he said, raises a problem. First, it supports colonial mentality, and second, it is insensitive to those who can’t afford foreign brands. To be honest, I never realized this at all because…well, I never really (over)think things but when I did, I realize he was right. As a menswear blogger and influencer, I have the ability to help others give local brands a try, to help them see that it’s not so bad at all. So let me make a promise that I’d be more patronizing of these brands, especially those sold by small enterprises.

  Anyway, here I am, wearing my SM Youth apparel from head to ankle HAHAHA! Shoes are from Dr. Martens so I couldn’t really say head to toe TEEHEE.

To say a few words, I love how the shirt has adopted that long tee street wear addiction right now; it’s very 2016. I also love how the bomber jacket is just as good as its foreign counterparts in terms of design, while having in mind the condition of the weather here in the Philippines in terms of its production. I mean, unlike foreign brands, it’s not as think and thus not as hot, perfect for the tropical weather here in the country.