The blog
Plans and ideas for nights out in Metro Manila. Every place named is in the checked list and links to its sources.
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Anniversary Date Ideas in Manila for Three Budgets
Three anniversary evenings for two, at about ₱2,000, ₱6,000 and ₱15,000, with the sums shown: flowers, dinner, a view and where to stay.
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Art in Island Date: Tickets, Timing and Dinner After
Plan an Art in Island date from Cubao: when to arrive, the Monday closure, the short ride from Araneta City and Korean dinner once you are back.
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Museum in Makati: An Ayala Museum Date with Dinner After
An Ayala Museum date, planned: opening days and hours, tickets, a 4pm start, a walk in the gardens and where to have dinner after.
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Ayala Triangle Gardens: A Christmas Lights Date Plan
A December date at Ayala Triangle Gardens: the free lights show, dinner at the Triangle, a rain fallback and ways to turn it into a bigger night.
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The Barkada Captain: Things to Do with Friends, Booked for Ten
A night out for ten from the friend who books it: bowling, a buffet and a taproom in Cubao, plus group tables in BGC, Makati and the Pasay Bay Area.
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Bars in BGC by Budget: Speakeasy, Rooftop, Club
Bars in BGC sorted by price and closing time: two speakeasies, a Tatler-listed bar, a rooftop on the 60th floor, and The Palace clubs until 4am.
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Bars in Cubao: Dive Bar, Taproom, Speakeasy, Rooftop
Bars in Cubao sorted by type: dive bar, taproom, speakeasy, rooftop and hotel bars, with closing times and which one takes a big group.
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Best of Luck, Cubao Expo: What to Order for Two
What to order for two at Best of Luck in Cubao Expo, with dated dish prices that land dinner near ₱800, the Monday closure and what to do before and after.
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Affordable Restaurants in BGC: A Date for Two on ₱1,000
A BGC date for two on about ₱1,000: dinner under ₱500 a head, a free ArtBGC mural walk and a free High Street stroll, plus what would break the budget.
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BGC Date Ideas: Dinner, a Mural Walk and a Hidden Bar
A three-stop BGC date: an early dinner, the free ArtBGC mural walk in the middle, and a speakeasy to finish, with costs for two and a rain plan.
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BGC Murals Walk: Two ArtBGC Routes for an Easy Date
How to do the BGC murals as a free first date: the two mapped ArtBGC routes of 10 and 12 works from Burgos Circle to Serendra, rain plans and dinner.
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BGC Restaurants by Occasion: Date, Group or Budget
BGC restaurants sorted by occasion and price: a date for two, a group table, a tight budget, a one-star anniversary dinner and a night with a show.
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BGC Speakeasies: Bank Bar and The Back Room
The two BGC speakeasy bars compared: where each door is, what a night costs, closing time, and which one suits a first drink, a rainy night or a gin lover.
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Where to Celebrate a Birthday in BGC with Ten People
Where to celebrate a birthday in BGC with ten people: three group-friendly restaurants, a comedy show, The Palace late, and what to book first.
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Bowling in Quezon City: A Group Night at Paeng's Gateway Bowl
Bowling in Quezon City at Paeng's Gateway Bowl: 24 lanes and six billiard tables open until midnight, how to reserve for a group, and where to eat first.
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Buffets in Cubao Compared: Vikings, Cabalen, Food Exchange
Five Cubao buffets compared on cuisine, cost per head, opening hours and group booking, from Vikings and Cabalen to Dookki and Romantic Baboy.
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Cafes in Cubao: Where to Talk, Stay Late or Have Dessert
Cafes in Cubao sorted by purpose: three quiet ones in Cubao Expo for a first meeting, two open until 11 PM, the mall cafés at Gateway and the dessert counters.
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Christmas Party Venue in Manila for a Barkada of Ten
A booking guide to Christmas party venues in Manila for a barkada of ten: tables that take big groups in Cubao, BGC, Makati and Pasay, sorted by budget.
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Comedy Bar in BGC: Brick Wall Comedy Club at Uptown Parade
A barkada comedy night in BGC at Brick Wall Comedy Club, Uptown Parade: stand-up, open mics or trivia, where to eat first and what to ask before booking.
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Staycation in Pasay: An Anniversary at Conrad Manila
An anniversary staycation in Pasay at Conrad Manila: dinner at the hotel's Chinese restaurant, a bay-view lounge until late, and a slow morning at MOA.
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Where to Celebrate a Birthday in Quezon City for Ten at ₱800 a Head
A Cubao birthday plan for ten on ₱800 a head: food court dinner, reserved bowling lanes, a cake and flowers, with caps per stop and a walk-in fallback.
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Cubao Date Ideas: Dinner, Flowers and a Nightcap
A three-stop Cubao date: dinner at Gateway, a bouquet from the 24-hour flower stalls in the middle, and a choice of endings, a rooftop or a speakeasy.
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Cubao Expo Bars: A Four-Stop Crawl on Foot
A four-stop route through the Cubao Expo bars: dive bar, taproom, vinyl bar and speakeasy, ordered by closing time, with every stop two minutes apart.
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A Cubao Expo Date Night, Stop by Stop
A Cubao Expo date night in order: flowers at Farmers Garden, a gallery, dinner, a mirror photo and a speakeasy behind a photobooth door, all on foot.
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What to Do in Cubao Expo on a First Date for Under ₱1,500
A timed four-stop first date for two inside Cubao Expo: coffee, shops, a shared dinner and the mirror, costed at ₱1,004 with an easy exit after each stop.
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Cubao Expo Food Under ₱300 a Plate
The cheap plates and snacks in Cubao Expo: siomai, bao, noodles, takoyaki and rice meals, with 2024 dish prices and the hours of each stall.
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Cubao Expo Guide: What Is Inside, Hours and Closed Days
A practical Cubao Expo guide: what is inside by type, opening hours, the Monday closures, what is open after 10 PM and the walk from Gateway and Ali Mall.
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Cubao Expo Restaurants, Sorted by Occasion
Which Cubao Expo restaurant suits which night: a date, a first date, an anniversary, a Monday, a group or a sober table, with hours and cost per head.
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Cubao Expo Ukay, Vinyl and Antique Shops to Browse
The Cubao Expo ukay, vinyl and antique shops with their opening hours, the order to browse them in before they close, and how to use one as a free stop.
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Dampa sa Farmers Market, Cubao: Paluto for a Barkada
How paluto works at the Dampa in Farmers Market, Cubao: buy the seafood, have it cooked for the table, what to check first and where the group goes after.
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Date Ideas in Manila by Budget: ₱500, ₱1,500, ₱5,000
Date plans for two at three spends, across Cubao, BGC, Poblacion, the Makati business district and the Pasay Bay Area, with the sums shown.
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Date Ideas in Quezon City: Seven Cubao Nights by Mood
Seven date ideas in Quezon City, one per mood: artsy, active, quiet, cheap, late, rainy and splurge. Each is two or three stops in or near Araneta City.
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Dr. Wine Poblacion, Makati: A Rooftop Start to the Night
How to use Dr. Wine's open-air rooftop in Poblacion, Makati as the first stop of a date: when to go, where to eat after, and the indoor swap if it rains.
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The Easygoing Regular: A Simple Dinner Date in Manila That Works
Dinner plus one stop, nothing more: five easy pairings in Cubao, and one each for BGC, Makati and MOA, for couples who do not want a project.
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Farmers Garden Cubao: The 24-Hour Flower Market
Farmers Garden in Cubao sells flowers 24 hours a day. Here is how to add a bouquet stop before, during or after any night out in Araneta City.
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First Date Ideas in Manila: Short, Public, Easy to Exit
Five rules for a low-pressure first meeting, and one plan that follows them in each area: Cubao, BGC, Makati and the Pasay Bay Area.
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The Food Tripper: A Food Trip in Manila, One Crawl per Area
Eat-as-you-walk routes for people who plan around the menu: a stall, a main event and a dessert in Cubao, BGC, Makati and MOA, with the cost of each.
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Gallery by Chele for an Anniversary: Cost and Booking
Gallery by Chele in BGC for an anniversary: one Michelin star, tasting menus at ₱5,000 to ₱7,500, what two people should budget and what to ask when booking.
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The Gallery Wanderer: Art Galleries and Museum Dates in Manila
Art-led dates that cost little: two galleries and a café in Cubao, the mural routes in BGC, a museum and an art garden in Makati, a galleon by the bay.
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The Game Night Menace: Arcade, Bowling and Board Games in Manila
Where a competitive group can play in Metro Manila: an arcade and a 24-lane bowling alley on one floor in Cubao, plus trivia in BGC and a theme park by the bay.
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Gateway Cinema Date: Dinner and a Recliner Movie
Plan a Gateway cinema date in Cubao: the dine-in recliner cinema costed at ₱1,980 for two, the regular screens, and where to eat around mall closing time.
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Gateway Mall 2 Restaurants That Seat a Big Group
Four Gateway Mall 2 restaurants that take big groups: two food halls and two unlimited tables, with floors, hours, what to book and where to go after.
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Gateway Mall Restaurants: Where to Eat, Floor by Floor
Gateway Mall restaurants in Cubao listed floor by floor across Gateway Mall 1 and 2, with prices per head and the kitchens that stay open after mall hours.
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The Gig Rat: Live Music in Manila, Planned Around a Set Time
Where a gig-first night works in Metro Manila: two show venues, a taproom and a dive bar in Cubao, a listening bar in Poblacion and theatres by the bay.
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Greenbelt Cinema Date: A Rain-Proof Makati Evening
A Greenbelt cinema date that stays indoors: coffee in Greenbelt 2, a film at the reopened Greenbelt 3 screens and Thai dinner, plus what to do if it sells out.
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Habanero Kitchen Bar: Oyster Sisig and When to Go
What to order at Habanero Kitchen Bar in Cubao Expo, what two people spend at 2024 prices, its hours, the Monday closure and a backup table.
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The Hidden-Door Hunter: Speakeasy Bars in Manila by Area
A speakeasy in Manila for each area and how to find the door: a photobooth in Cubao Expo, a convenience store in BGC and a Braille sign in Makati.
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Hikiniku to Come BGC: A Date Night Built Around Hamburg Steak
Hikiniku to Come in BGC is known for charcoal-grilled hamburg steak served three ways. How to build a date night around it: a mural walk, dinner, a hidden bar.
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Hotels in Cubao for a Staycation: Novotel or ibis Styles
The two Araneta City hotels in Cubao compared for a couple's staycation: pools, bars, restaurants, what to ask about rates and an anniversary night at each.
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INT.Bar, a Quezon City Speakeasy Behind a Photobooth Door
How to find INT.Bar in Cubao Expo, which nights have film screenings or DJ sets, what it costs, how to book and what to pair it with.
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Kanto Freestyle Breakfast and the Last Stop of a Poblacion Night
Ending a night in Poblacion: Kanto Freestyle Breakfast on P. Burgos, what runs until 4am, and the Salcedo kitchens that serve to midnight.
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The Kilig Classic: Romantic Date Ideas with Flowers and a View
The traditional romantic night, planned properly: flowers, a sunset rooftop and a table for two in Cubao, with a view and a dinner for each other area.
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Late-Night Food in Cubao: What Is Open After 10pm
Late-night food in Cubao, sorted by closing time: the kitchens open until 11 PM, midnight and 1 AM, plus what stays open around the clock at Farmers Market.
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Gay Bar in Makati: Apotheka and a Queer-Friendly Poblacion Night
Apotheka is the Makati club on Travel Gay's list of Manila gay dance clubs. How to plan an LGBTQ+ friendly night in Poblacion around it, dinner first.
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Locavore BGC: A Filipino Group Dinner at Forbes Town
Locavore BGC for a barkada or visiting friends: Filipino food at Forbes Town, indoor and alfresco tables, what it costs, what to book and where to go after.
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The Main Character: Instagrammable Places in Manila at Night
The places people photograph on a night out in Metro Manila, built into real plans: a rooftop and a mirror in Cubao, a canal near BGC, sunset at MOA.
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Where to Celebrate a Birthday in Makati: Three Tables for Ten
Where to celebrate a birthday in Makati with ten people: three restaurants that take big groups, compared on food, price and how late they run.
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Makati Date Ideas: Six Evenings from Legazpi to Poblacion
Six Makati date ideas by mood and spend: a museum and dinner, a rain-proof film night, two hidden bars, tacos and wine, Poblacion, and a starred splurge.
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Where to Watch the Manila Bay Sunset near MOA
Free and paid places to watch the Manila Bay sunset around MOA: the esplanade, a rooftop park, a burger with a view and a hotel bar, and when to arrive.
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The Mind Museum Date: Hours, Tickets and an Early Dinner
A daytime first date at The Mind Museum in BGC: open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm, how to time the visit, and where to eat when it closes.
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Restaurants near MOA Arena: Before and After a Concert
A concert-night plan for MOA Arena: where to eat in SM MOA before the show by group size and budget, and a bay-view hotel bar that stays open after.
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A MOA Birthday for Ten: Buffet Dinner, Then SM Game Park
A MOA birthday plan for ten people: a buffet that takes big groups or a private room, a budget by head, and bowling at SM Game Park.
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MOA Eye at Sunset: Planning a Golden Hour by the Bay
A golden-hour date around the MOA Eye: the Ferris wheel first, then the free esplanade, a rooftop fallback and a bay-view drink.
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MOA Ice Skating Date: How to Plan It
How to plan a MOA ice skating first date: coffee before, dinner after inside the same mall, and a free rooftop to finish.
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MOA Restaurants by Budget, and Which Ones Face the Bay
Seven places to eat or drink at MOA sorted by price, from a burger with a bay view to Chinese fine dining at the Conrad.
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Monthsary: What It Means and 12 Ways to Celebrate
What monthsary means, how it is spelled, and twelve date plans for a year of monthsaries, sorted by area and budget across Cubao, BGC, Makati and Pasay.
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Museo del Galeón Date: What to Know and What to Pair
A first date at Museo del Galeón, the galleon museum that opened at MOA in May 2026, with coffee and a rooftop sunset after.
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New Frontier Theater Night: Where to Eat and Drink
Dinner before and a drink after a show at New Frontier Theater in Cubao, with walking times, mall closing times and what is still open late.
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Newport Performing Arts Theater Night: Dinner, Show, Whisky
Plan a night around the Newport Performing Arts Theater's 8 PM curtain: dinner before, the show times, and a whisky bar in the same resort after.
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Okada Fountain Show: Schedule and a Date Around It
The Okada fountain show is free, every 30 minutes from 7 PM, to midnight Friday to Sunday. Plus dinner before and a free-entry revue after.
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Payday Date Ideas: Where a Little Extra Goes Furthest
Payday date ideas for the 15th and the 30th: one upgrade per area in Cubao, BGC, Makati and the Pasay Bay Area, with the usual night and the step up.
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Poblacion Bars: A Five-Stop Crawl in Closing-Time Order
Five Poblacion bars in a workable order: natural wine first, two cocktail rooms, a listening bar before its 1am close, and a club that runs to 4am.
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Poblacion, Makati: A First-Timer's Night Map
New to Poblacion, Makati? How the four main streets work, why narrow sidewalks and rain matter, and a first night in four stops.
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Poblacion Restaurants: Where to Eat Before the Bars
Five Poblacion restaurants for dinner before a night out, from smashburgers and claypot rice to a one-star tasting menu, with what each costs.
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A Rainy-Night Cubao Date That Never Leaves Gateway Mall 2
An all-indoor date inside Gateway Mall 2 for a wet evening in Cubao: a photo stop, dinner on Level 4, dessert before the counters close, bowling until midnight.
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Rainy Season Dates: Indoor Activities in Manila, Area by Area
One fully covered date plan for each part of Metro Manila, ordered by how rain-proof the area is, starting with a Cubao night inside one mall.
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Restaurants in Cubao by Budget: Under ₱500 to ₱1,500 and Up
Cubao restaurants grouped into three price ranges per head, with the floor, the hours and the one thing to know about each.
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Romantic Restaurants in Makati for an Anniversary
Five splurge-tier restaurants in Makati for an anniversary: two with Michelin stars, three more at ₱1,500 a head and up, and where to go after.
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Romantic Restaurants in Quezon City: A Cubao Shortlist
Five romantic restaurants in Quezon City's Cubao, sorted by what each makes easy for two: a booked table, a late finish, a rooftop upstairs or a 12-seat room.
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Salcedo Market on Saturday: A Morning Date Plan
A morning date at the Salcedo Saturday Market: when to arrive, how long to stay, where to walk and have coffee after, and what to do if it rains.
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Salcedo Restaurants for a Quiet Date, by Closing Time
Three Salcedo restaurants and a wine bar for a quiet date in Makati, sorted by how late each runs, with prices and streets.
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Restaurants near Araneta Coliseum: Before and After a Show
A concert-night plan for a group at Smart Araneta Coliseum: where to eat early, when the malls close, and what stays open after the encore.
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Speakeasy Makati: The Blind Pig and the Red Door at Creekside
Two hidden bars in Makati and how to do both in one night: the Braille-marked door of The Blind Pig on Legazpi St and the red door at Creekside Mall.
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Star City with the Barkada: Open Days, Rides and a Plan
Star City is open Wednesday to Sunday in the CCP Complex. A barkada plan with the three headline rides, sunset at Harbour Square and a group dinner.
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Tago Jazz Cafe: Plan a Night Around the Jazz Room
Tago Jazz Cafe is a live-jazz room on Main Ave in Cubao. Where to eat and have a cocktail around the set, and what to do if you cannot get a seat.
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The Tambay Loyalist: A Chill Place Near You That Stays Open
For people who want one table and no agenda: Cubao cafés and bars sorted by closing time, plus where to sit in BGC, Makati and by Manila Bay.
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The Edge Skyview Bar: A Quezon City Rooftop Bar at Sunset
A guide to The Edge Skyview Bar, the Level 22 hotel rooftop in Cubao: when to arrive for sunset, how to book, what it costs and dinner downstairs.
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The Peak at Grand Hyatt: BGC's Rooftop Bar, Costed
An anniversary evening at The Peak, the rooftop bar on floors 60 to 62 of the Grand Hyatt in BGC: three budgets, when to arrive, and what to ask.
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The Spirits Library, Poblacion: Building a Night Around It
The Spirits Library in Poblacion: when to slot it into the night, where to eat first, what a round costs and which bars to pair it with after.
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Things to Do in BGC After 6pm, Mapped by Street
Things to do in BGC after 6pm, grouped by address: a free mural walk, dinner, comedy at Uptown, two hidden-door bars and a rooftop bar 60 floors up.
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Things to Do in Cubao That Are Not a Mall Lap
Things to do in Cubao besides eating: bowling until midnight, an arcade with karaoke rooms, two galleries, a 3D art museum, shows and a 24-hour flower market.
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Things to Do in MOA Besides Shopping
What to do in MOA beyond the shops: a free rooftop park, a galleon to board, the bay at sunset and a late hotel bar.
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Timezone Gateway: Arcade, Karaoke Rooms, Short-Lane Bowling
What is inside Timezone at Gateway Mall 2 in Cubao: arcade games, private karaoke rooms, short-lane bowling and VR, its closing time and what to pair it with.
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The Tita at Heart: Cafes in Manila, Markets and an Early Night
Daytime and early-evening plans for people who want a seat and to be home by ten: quiet cafés and an early dinner in Cubao, markets in Makati, coffee at MOA.
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Valentine's Date Ideas in Manila Beyond the Set Menu
Valentine's date ideas in Manila that start with an activity, not a set menu: picks by area and budget in Cubao, BGC, Makati and the Pasay Bay Area.
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Venice Grand Canal Date: The Gondola Ride, Then BGC
A Venice Grand Canal date plan: the gondola ride and its price, why McKinley Hill is a ride from BGC and not a walk, a rain fallback and dinner after.
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Where to Celebrate a Birthday in Manila, by Group Size
Birthday plans sorted by headcount, not by area: what works for 2, 6, 10 and 15 or more, which places take group bookings and what to reserve first.
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Where to Eat in Makati: Bib Gourmand Picks Under ₱1,500
Where to eat in Makati without a tasting-menu bill: six Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants and three Michelin Selected kitchens, all ₱1,500 a head or less.
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World Kitchens at Gateway Mall 2: Dinner, Wine, Whisky
How to run World Kitchens at Gateway Mall 2 as a three-stop date on one floor: the wine room, dinner from 15 show kitchens and the whisky bar, with hours.
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Xylo at The Palace: A Group Night Plan for BGC
A group night around Xylo at The Palace in BGC: a sharing dinner, a comedy show to fill the gap, and the numbers to settle with the club before you go.