Hottest hangouts of Manila’s glitterati

Hottest hangouts of Manila’s glitterati

They wear designer duds, drive Jags and BMWs, and live in exclusive subdivisions or premiere condominiums. But where do Manila’s high and mighty hangout and have fun? Here’s a lowdown of the hippest venues this side of Manila.

The recent opening of Greenbelt 5 made the Ayala Mall’s Greenbelt complex an even more exciting place to hangout and be seen. The newest development provides a unique shopping experience to the chic and the savvy fashionista, the hardworking businessman, and the family. It houses international fashion and cosmetics brands such as Paul Smith, Kiehl's, Rafe, Celestina, Michael Kors, Escada, Marc Jacobs, DKNY, Bally, Kenneth Cole, Furla and Escada Sport. The Greenbelt 5 also showcases Philippine design and artistry via its Filipino Zone which features boutiques by local fashion, accessories and furniture designers. There is also a spa and gym where one can relax and get in shape after a hard day’s work.

Another promising haunt is Serendra at The Fort in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It’s a high-end condominium complex that boasts of five star amenities, lush gardens and a posh retail promenade, called the Piazza. The shops at Serendra provide the best in Asian, Filipino, European and Continental culture and cuisine. Just a few steps away is the Bonifacio High Street, another stretch of shops housing international brands and fine dining and casual restaurants. The shops at Serendra and Bonifacio High Street actually compliment each other to provide everyone a unique shopping and dining experience. Some of the shops and dining places in Serendra and Bonifacio High Street are A Different Bookstore, Guava, Abe, Barolo, Kape Isla, Calvin Klein, and Nike.

Another very busy spot, especially at night, is the Fort Strip also located at Fort Bonifacio. The strip is composed of different bars such as Jaipur, East of St. Louis and Embassy Bar where the music gets cranked up and loud at around 11pm till sunrise. Socialite Shawn Umsted, a habitué, says he loves Embassy for its ambience, cool music and great crowd! Embassy Bar is the hippest watering hole of celebrities, young socialites and tourists.