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If there is one thing I know I look forward to at the end of a grueling week at work it’s some “alone” time. Since even at home there is still a certain amount of work that needs to be completed, there is nothing better than finding an oasis that doesn’t take long to travel to but once you arrive, you can literally leave all other thoughts behind.
I had read the brochure and press release of the newly opened Spa 6750 several times and asked General Manager, Vicki Aldaba, which treatment would be best to guarantee a return visit. I was advised that the best would to come in half an hour earlier then my appointed time in order to be properly assessed by the therapists at hand.
Alighting on the 4th floor of the 6750 Building on Ayala Avenue I took a right and entered the glass doors of the spa. The first thing I noticed was the furniture and the minimal décor of the reception area. The lighting was low, already allowing my mind and eyes (strained from always looking my laptop monitor) a chance to relax.
After filling up a form, I was recommended the deep muscle massage which would try to soften up the tension I mostly felt around my neck and shoulder area, I was asked by my therapist, who cordially introduced herself to wait for a few minute while she prepared my room. The wait was certainly not long as they placed a warm shoulder and next “brace” made out of soft cloth on me to help in releasing some of my tension. I had never experienced this kind of treatment while waiting and it was most welcome.
The reception area
I inquired about the interiors and was told that principal Architect Emmanuel Miñana was inspired by the style of modern architecture of European luxury lifestyle houses and so used a streamline modern, contemporary yet retro aesthetic reminiscent of the 1970s.
Inside the rooms were meticulously handcrafted mother-of-pearl tables & sinks and at the reception area I was sitting on one of the cocooning woven leather wingback lounge chairs. There was a high ceiling passageway and all the treatment rooms had niches in bullgrass and nutmeg leather set against varying cuts of limestone, alternating color tones of granite flooring and zebra striped-doors.
My therapist came back and escorted me to my room and as she opened the door she actually said “This is your sanctuary for the next 90 minutes” and then she asked if the type of music (which I had chosen in the form) and the lighting were to my liking, I nodded silently. She then pointed out the separate toilet and shower area and told me that it was best if I took a shower before the treatment and had already set the temperature of the water.
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A posh treatment room
As I placed my clothing and valuables in the closet provided she turned the water on for me and left the room. It was all quite surreal at this point, and I could only imagine that during the Victorian era, aristocratic families probably got the same treatment on a daily basis.
I noticed the thickness of the towels as I dried myself off and settled into my massage bed, a minute later, as if working on a psychic radar, my therapist re-entered and my treatment began.
When first filling up the form questions were asked such as “What pressure would you prefer for a massage” and having had a long working day, I decided to put “hard” thinking with the amount of knots I gathered that nothing short of the firmest, strongest pressure would do to remove them.
It turns out that these therapists are incredibly strong and I had to ask for the pressure to be lightened a notch and was immediately greeted with a much lighter (but still firm) kneading which worked on my problem areas with great focus.
I must have dozed off because all of a sudden, my therapist was gently asking me to roll over, after a couple of long strokes I must have gone back to sleep. The 90 minutes I had booked seemed to go by very quickly as I found myself being awakened and that my treatment had come to an end.
There was a promise of warm tea at the reception but I still got dressed rather lazily as my body felt incredibly relaxed and not willing to move very much. As I sipped my tea, I actually switched on my phone to check my calendar to see when I could return for another day of indulgence.
SPA 6750 is open daily from 10am to 11pm, located on the 4th floor, 6750 Ayala Avenue Makati. Reservations are recommended. Please call (02) 815 6750 or 811 5678.
Email spa6750@gmail.com
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Art Exhibits
A Glimpse from The Past: Filipiniana
Series by Dante S. Silverio
An artist by choice is what best describes Dante Silverio who has embarked on a new passion since 1990. Remembered by many as a car racer and successful basketball coach, he never indulged in the arts until he walked into a very crowded art gallery one afternoon.
Taken in as an “observer” by national Artist Cesar Legaspi, it still took Silverio two more years before he mustered up the courage to pick up a paintbrush and work on a small piece. This April 17 at 5pm he holds his first exhibit which is a tribute to Filipino Women at the Glorieta Art Space Center in Glorieta 4 Makati. The paintings are a series of portraits of Filipina women that are also compiled into a book of the same name: A Glimpse from The Past: Filipiniana Series and is sponsored in part by the Legacy Art Gallery.
The Hummingbird at Serendra
“The Hummingbird” is an exhibition of the highly-anticipated new works of artist Blet Bolipata which opens on April 16 at Serendra in Fort Bonifacio. The art pieces will be used as illustrations for similarly titled Japanese eco-fable, and will be published as part of a full-color trilogy of environmental short stories in October 2007.
The exhibit is Bolipata’s first show since she returned from her art residency as Freeman Fellow at the Vermont Studio Center in the United States. Reflecting her uniquely whimsical and colorful style, the show includes an oil and collage on linen artwork (3x4 feet), and five limited edition digital art pieces and marks Bolipata’s return to oil, as well as her initial foray into new media. Call (02) 901-3152 or email info@canvas.ph
Painting Shakespeare at Ayala Museum
The exhibition features paintings inspired by the plays of William Shakespeare, as well as other recent works by Carlos, the artist. Being fascinated with the bard’s literary genius, Carlos has painted his own impressions of scenes and themes from the plays.
Sometimes working in symbols, taking the scenes out of their settings and into a different time and place, or depicting the scene as Shakespeare had written it, Carlos presents the paintings in his distinct style without altering the playwright’s intentions or purposes.
Some plays translated by Carlos in canvas include “Measure for Measure”, “The Merchant of Venice”, A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Othello”, and “Love’s Labour’s Lost”, among others. The exhibit runs until May 11. At the ArtistSpace, second floor, Glass Wing, Ayala Museum. Call (02) 757-7117 ext. 231.
Dance
Poetry of Dance
The annual ballet performance dubbed “The Poetry of Dance” will be held on Apr. 15 at 8 p.m. At the CCP Main Theater. Phone (02) 832-1125.
Summer Workshop Recital at CCP Main Theater
The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company will hold a Summer Workshop Recital on Apr. 21 and 22 at the CCP Main Theater at 8 pm.
Film
Italian Film Festival offering for May is “I Giorno Dell’ Abbandono” (The Days of the Abandoned) will be shown on May 15 at 4 and 7 pm at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’(CCP) Dream Theater, CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. Directed by Roberto Faenza, it stars Margherita Buy, Luca Zingaretti and Goran Bregovic, it tells about a quiet and contented woman who is suddenly abandoned by her husband and is sucked into the darkest depths of her soul. With English subtitles. Admission is free. Call Philippine Italian Association Secretariat at (02) 815-1310.
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Throughout the months of May and June of this year, Europe takes center stage in Manila’s leading cultural venues for the celebration of the signing of the Treaty of Rome that eventually led to the founding of the European Union.
Perhaps considered as a revolutionary project for the European Union in the Philippines, several arts and cultural events as well as a golf tournament will kick off starting May to June of this year.
The month-long celebration of culture involving EU members’ foremost cultural organizations is lined up for the month. Dubbed Europe Month, the cultural activities will bring Europe to bring closer to the Filipinos.
Members of the media got a glimpse of what will be happening in the coming months to celebrate EU’s 50 milestone years. The events are spearheaded by the British Council, Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institut, Instituto Cervantes, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the commercial offices of the European embassies and in cooperation with the Ayala Corporation.
All representatives of the cultural organizations and several embassies prepared something special for everyone. Among the events that are lined up are a drawing contest, several exhibits, dance and performances, a golf tournament called “Golf Challenge” sponsored by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and the commercial offices of different European embassies here. Now on its seventh year, the golf tournament is a recognized avenue for networking and leisure for both ECCP and non-ECCP members. It will be held on June 4 at the Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club.
“We are making big steps to bring European cultural relations to the masses,” said Martin Makalintal of the Embassy of France. |
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