6 Fun and Relaxing Activities for the Eternally-Stressed Yuppie

With heavy workloads and hectic schedules plus the terrible Manila traffic, it is to no surprise how most of us are reduced to but a heap of tired bones by the end of the workweek.  It’s time to reward yourself for all your hard work! PawnHero compiles some of the coolest places where you can chill this weekend. Check out these exciting haunts:

1. Sip and Gogh

Sip and Gogh is a first-of-its-kind paint and sip studio in the country. Go on your own, with a special someone, or bring your family along for a day of creativity and fun. The place offers the perfect venue for dates/chill/UBE (Read: Ultimate Bonding Experience). You can even ask Mom to consider renting the place out for your sib’s birthday party.
Sip and Gogh gives you an escape from the real world for a while by letting you try your hands on a Frozen-themed canvas. Alternatively, you can feel every inch the artist by creating your own artwork on a blank canvas. Everything that you may need to channel your inner artist is already provided for. This includes the paints, palette, brushes, canvas, easel, and apron. All you need to bring is yourself, your creativity, and enthusiasm. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t held anything close to a paint brush your entire life—they have in-house art instructors that give step-by-step instructions through the entire painting process.
Where: G/F Capitol Greenstreet, Capitol Hills Drive, Old Balara, Quezon City. They also have branches in Ayala Heights, Eastwood, and Alabang. Note that you need to reserve a spot online or by phone.

Photo courtesy of Rappler.com

2. Coolbeans Library Café

Coolbeans Library Café is the ultimate haven for bookworms that are also food lovers, as it is the first café in the metro that offers books for reading. Novels by classical writers such as Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Kurt Vonnegut, and Ernest Hemingway line their shelves. You can also find comic books like Archie & Friends, as well as books by contemporary writers like Neil Gaiman, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Haruki Murakami. They even house very rare Filipiniana books including Filipino women’s literature, anthologies of Palanca-winning pieces, and books authored by Nick Joaquin, Lualhati Bautista, N.V.M Gonzales, and Conrado De Quiros.
They serve pastas and panini that go well with a cup of exclusively homegrown Philippine Highland Coffee (Benguet, Kalinga, and Sagada Roasts.) If you are up for still some more grub, you’ll be glad to know that Coolbeans Café stands along the famous Maginhawa Street.
Where: 67A Maginhawa St., UP Village, Quezon City

Photo courtesy of Coolbeans Cafe

3. House of Geek

Gather your (equally stressed!) barkada for a round or two of fun board games at the House of Geek. They offer plenty of games to satisfy your inner geek such as Pandemic, to challenge your strategic abilities such as tabletop role-playing games, and to get you rolling on the floor in sheer laughter such as Cards Against Humanity. If you’re lucky, you can chance upon the accommodating owner who will take the time to teach you how to play the rarer titles.
They also serve easy-to-eat meals in hefty servings such as pasta, waffle sandwiches, and my personal favorite, their cheese pops. Don’t forget to ask the owner about their “secret” milkshake blend.
Where: 24 Matalino St, Diliman, Quezon City. Reservations must be made prior to your visit.

Photo courtesy of House of Geek

4. Pinto Art Museum

If you are looking to spend the weekend appreciating beautiful art and getting in touch with your emotions, Pinto Art Museum is the place to go. Pinto is a Filipino term that means “door,” and true to its name, Pinto Art Museum is an entryway of all sorts. It is a gateway to modern art, architecture, and even emotional awakening.
Pinto features unique landscaping, lush, manicured gardens, and an indoor space that gets plenty of fresh air and natural light. Its white-washed walls is home to a charming collection of various contemporary art pieces, including sculptures, paintings, and mixed media.
Apart from several galleries, Pinto consists of a chapel, al fresco dining areas and a private residence. It is easy to find your way around the area if you follow the numbered sections, but getting lost in the midst of all these art isn’t such a bad thing. The museum has a cafe inside, run by the people behind the Bizu restaurant chain.
Where: 1 Sierra Madre St., Grand Heights, Antipolo, Rizal

5. Intramuros Tour with Carlos Celdran

If you are curious about the story behind the walls and streets of Intramuros, embark on a tour of Manila’s former prime center with Carlos Celdran. The tour starts in Fort Santiago, with several stops leading to the former Ateneo de Manila University, and finally, San Agustin Church.
See and experience bygone Manila as Celdran walks you through the Spanish and American colonial era. He introduces his audience to the splendor of the walled city before it was ruined by World War II—the picturesque sights, the architecture, and a comprehensive account of the beginnings of Manila. This is no ordinary tour, mind you. This is performance art, guised as a tour.
There is no better way to learn about history than through Celdran’s animated storytelling. The tour features background music according to each era, appropriate costume changes, and carriage rides injected with wit, drama, and a whole lot of humor.
Where: The tour starts in Fort Santiago. Visit his personal blog for more information.

Photo taken from Carlos Celdran’s personal blog

6. Ball Pit Manila

Do you remember the shrill cries the young you would let out every time your Mom would try to pry you out of the ball pit at Mc Donald’s Play Place? Many, many years later you would still look longingly at the kids as they swim happily in the ball pit, seemingly without a care in the world.
Well, you can now thank your lucky stars as the adult ball pit craze is now in Manila! Beginning on March, Ball Pit Manila will be open to adults who wish to let off some steam from all the hustle of daily life. Stop adult-ing for a while and let go of all your cares and woes, as you swim in a sea of 80,000 balls. The place is big enough to keep 20 screaming, jumping, and highly enthusiastic grownups at once. Whether you choose to invite your entire barkada along or to make new friends, it’s sure to be one refreshing experience.
Where: Campos Rueda Bldg., 101 Urban Ave, Makati City

Photos courtesy of Ball Pit Manila

 
It’s difficult to relax with a lot of things swimming inside your head. Lift the burden of finances off your shoulders to lighten the load up a bit! Turn to PawnHero for emergency cash. Get an offer for your used gadgets or designer bags and shoes when you visit PawnHero today!