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24 Hours in Cebu: Design Destinations

One day is certainly too short to see everything Cebu has to offer, but if you know what you’re looking for, one day just might be enough. Zee Lifestyle comes up with an itinerary for the design-inclined—with stops that include some of the most well-designed spots in Cebu, this is definitely a day that’ll offer up some visual inspiration.
8:00 AM – Breakfast at Yolk
Start your day right with a hearty breakfast, and one at Yolk Coffee and Breakfast will definitely set the tone for a great day. The quirky, Instagram-worthy interiors will charm you once you walk in, but the selection of breakfast items (served all day) will have you falling in love. The Chorizo and Eggs in a Pan are a hearty selection, and the Eggs Benny gives the classic a twist a calamansi-infused hollandaise. Don’t forget a cup of joe—their coffee is some of the best in Cebu.
80 Tres Borces St., Mabolo, Cebu City
(032) 231 0411 | yolkcafeph.com
10:00 AM – Kenneth Cobonpue Showroom Tour
A designer who continuously gains recognition for his fluid and innovative designs, Kenneth Cobonpue’s showroom is definitely a stop to make in the city for design enthusiasts.
3A General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City
(032) 233 4045 | kennethcobonpue.com
12:00 NN – Lunch at House of Lechon
A good number of locals will vehemently pronounce Carcar lechon as the best version of the roasted pig on the island—trouble is, tourists would have to drive more than an hour south to try the juicy meat and flavorful dipping sauce. That, fortunately, is no longer the case, with House of Lechon serving up the Carcar delicacy in the heart of the city, as well as original and spicy versions of the famous pig. And served in a cozy space conceptualized by none other than Vito Selma, it’s a pretty, photo-op worthy stop to your tour.
Acacia Street, Cebu City
(032) 231 0958 | Facebook
2:00 PM – HoliCow
A portmanteau for Holistic Coalition, and a clever play on words, Holicow is a showroom that brings together local talent and celebrates creativity and innovation. The space hosts pieces from Debbie Palao, Detalia Aurora, Hacienda Crafts, Bunso, Neil Felipp, among others. The extensive collection ranges from furniture and home decor, to accessories and even fabric dolls.
Crossroads Mall, Gov. Cuenco Avenue, Cebu City
(032) 232 0465 | holicow.ph
4:00 PM – Coffee at UNOS
The team behind UNOS Design Cafe was actually in the business of restoring vintage motorcycles, but when it came time to find a new place for their workshop, they decided to put in a cafe as well. It turns out to be just our luck, with UNOS decorated with the same attention to detail put into their bikes. From the individually hand-painted stools, the color-washed wooden tables or the mural on the white walls, your eyes will have a great time taking it all in while enjoying a cup of coffee and one of their amazing chicken curry puffs.
A. Del Rosario Street, Guizo, Mandaue City
(032) 520 9225 | unosdesign.com
7:00 PM – Dinner at Kairos
After a meaty mid-day meal, try something a little bit lighter at the Kairos Culinary Loft. The Pinterest-esque rooftop restaurant is by reservations only and serves delicious plant-based cuisine, with The Lazy Chef Chip Lopez hoping to educate Cebuanos about healthy eating. The menu changes everyday, depending on what’s available in the market or what Chip harvests from her own rooftop garden. With a wide range of flavors using spices, sauces and fresh vegetables, you’re definitely not going to miss the meat.
Mandaue City | Facebook
8:30 PM – Nightcap at Qube Gallery
What better way to end a day than with a glass of cold beer, and Qube has whatever it is that you may fancy. The selection includes beers from all around the world, as well as locally brewed ones from Cebu Brewing Company. Besides the refreshing brewskies, take time to explore the gallery’s exhibition of the moment, which usually features local artists–both young and old. It’s an artistic answer to the nightcap, and one that’s perfect to wrap up a full day.
Crossroads Mall, Gov. Cuenco Avenue, Cebu City
0918 807 4175 | qubegallery.ph
by Shari Quimbo
Originally published in Zee Lifestyle Directory, December-January 2016. Like Zee Lifestyle Directory on Facebook.
Featured image from Travelieu.com.
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Butch Carungay’s 50th in Neverland

By Emmanuel Hamoy
Cebu’s glitterati came out in full force for Butch Carungay’s 50th birthday bash at EdenClub. It was a fun-filled night overflowing with Pol Roger, trivia games whilst traipsing the light fantastic.

Butch Carungay and Janice Lin.

Gerry Laperal and Lotte Delima-Edwards

Romero Vergara and Oj Hofer

Mary Anne Aboitiz, Christine Pelaez, Tamsin Booth, Frances Siao and June Alegrado

Maris Holopainen and Carlo Cordaro

Janine Taylor and Mary Anne Aboitiz
Fashion
Lucky Colors of 2025: Harness the Energies of Emerald Green & Carmine Red for Success

by Oj Hofer
With the Year of the Wood Snake underway, understanding the significance of lucky colors can help align us with its energetic flow. Rooted in Chinese astrology and Feng Shui, the year’s fortifying shades—emerald green and carmine red—offer mindfulness and good intention attracting luck, and fostering personal growth.
Emerald green, associated with the Wood element, symbolizes renewal, clarity, and inner peace. In the year of the wood snake, its dynamic energies will empower and inspire you, fostering growth, renewal and wise transformations. The hue is ideal for moments of self-reflection, study, or creativity. Wearing or incorporating this shade into your space enhances balance and mental focus.
Carmine red, linked to the Fire element, embodies passion, confidence, and vitality. This year, which according to the Bazi Four Pillars Chart, has a lack of metal, earth and fire elements, it will bring balance and the propitious energies. It’s perfect for professional meetings, decision-making, and moments requiring assertiveness as a splash of red can energize and embolden you throughout the day.

Stella Macartney vegan Leather tote

Stefano Ricci silk tie with paisley print
To fully harness their benefits, use these colors in a contemporary, mobile context; through clothing, jewelry, bags and accessories. Alternate between these two potent tints based on your needs. For example, wear green for calmness and clarity when you are going into stressful and mind challenging meetings or appointments. Choose red when you are going into places or situations where you need courage and motivation such as fashion galas, elite socials, prestige affairs, VIP gatherings and so forth.

Saint Laurent crepe de chine mules
Optionally, you can also choose to wear these colors inconspicuously in small details, such as a garnet or jade bracelet, or a ruby or emerald pendant and earrings set. Men can wear a burgundy or forest green tie or pocket square, or casual polo shirts with poppies or with botanical prints, or jade and garnet jewelry. Doing so can subtly align your energy with the year’s vibrational flow.

Jan Leslie emerald bracelet

Daily Mood Cuff Links with red tiger’s eye tubes
The use of colors is more than just aesthetic choices or preferential picks. Colors can serve as energetic tools, reminding you of your good intentions and keeping you mindful of you daily motions. Effecting an optimistic mental state in the wearer, they can effectively shield you from negativity while fostering prosperity and emotional balance. Thoughtfully incorporating them into your wardrobe and surroundings ensures that you move through 2025 with confidence and the right intentions.
Embracing emerald green for tranquility and carmine red for strength are intentional, mindful choices that have the power to transform your energy and shape your path forward. May you have the best of luck in navigating through Year of the Snake with harmony, energy, and the power to attract good fortune.
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The Java Jive

by Janine Taylor
“Coffee is more than just a drink; it’s something happening. Not as hip, but like an event, a place to be, but not like a location, but somewhere within yourself. It gives you time, but not actual hours or minutes, but a chance to be, like be yourself, and have a second cup.” — Gertrude Stein, American novelist and poet
Coffee, that magic potion in a cup, is our morning savior and the fuel that helps us get through the day. Whether you’re a stickler for the classics and prefer an espresso or need to start your day with some café au lait or a cappuccino, and yes, we live in the tropics, so iced coffee is good too, we all need our caffeine fix!

The interiors of Eddie’s Log Cabin

Eddie Woolbright with the original waiters of Eddie’s Log Cabin
Growing up in Cebu decades ago, our earliest memories of coffee were the aroma wafting from the percolator at Eddie’s Log Cabin as soon as you opened the doors. You then stepped in for a cup of Joe and a slice of pie. For our parents’ generation, the ultimate sophistication was a cup of “brewed coffee” because, at home, it was freeze-dried instant coffee with powdered creamer and sugar. Folgers was the coffee of choice. Hyperacidity in a cup when you think about it!
Starbucks descended on our shores in December 1997, and our vocabulary suddenly expanded with venti, grande, and Frappuccino. People were willing to pay exorbitant amounts for a cup of coffee. But more than that, it was an experience. It was, all of a sudden, the place to be seen. It was trendy to have coffee at all hours of the day and not just for breakfast.
Cafes have now become the place to meet up with friends, a venue for meetings, and even a space to work from, and you don’t have to be a digital nomad. You can get caffeinated in air-conditioned comfort with WIFI and a snack.
“Seattle has unleashed this weird phenomenon called the coffee shop on the world. And the coffee shop, thanks to Starbucks, is the place where socially isolated, lonely, needy people gather together to ignore one another.”
— Mark Driscoll, American author
Armed with the adage that you can never have too much caffeine, we spent an afternoon visiting three great joints in the city.

The Spring creates the perfect escape for relaxation and comfort.

Matcha latte
The first stop was The Spring, with Scandinavian-inspired interiors and a super chill vibe. A hands-on young owner, Ange Delas Penas, knows her beans well. She was behind the counter, expertly brewing using filters I had never seen before, which she said she purchased in Taiwan. Her team of trained baristas can also whip up some tasty brews, from a cortado to a matcha latte, my latest addiction.

The inviting café interiors of Commonly Uncommon

Latte and espresso
Taking a different route to avoid a flash flood, we dashed out of the car into the warmth of Commonly Uncommon at Crossroads. Don’t let this non-descript, industrial vibe fool you; this java joint knows its craft. Commonly Uncommon uses single-origin beans and, like most cafes these days, also offers coffee alternatives. They are unpretentious and bent on giving the customers the specialty coffee they want, sans judgment. If you prefer oak milk or sugar or enjoy iced drinks, you get what you want. Hence, you will see diverse patronage, from those armed with laptops and headphones to office peeps grabbing a quick caffeine fix to ladies who have lunch and everyone in between.
Plus, they are the only café that thinks of customers battling hyperacidity by offering antacid sachets, which we availed before contemplating our orders.

Tightrope’s laid-back interiors, designed for comfort and creativity
Our caffeine-fueled afternoon’s final stop was Tightrope in the former Henry Hotel. Tightrope is the largest of the three we visited, with the same industrial vibe that is very common these days, and tattooed baristas. Large windows ensure that it is always bright, and this is where you will certainly run into someone you know.

A bold and aromatic espresso shot, ready to awaken the senses.
As this was our third stop, and yes, we were ready to run a marathon after, as we were so pumped, we decided to stick to the classics and have an espresso because you can always taste the quality of a coffee in an espresso. Tightrope has a delicious burnt Basque cheesecake that can be shared, so you can also share the calories. Winding up a well-spent rainy afternoon with great coffee and gossip, we liked all three coffee shops, but Uncommonly Common really stood out.
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