Comfort Zones in the City

When we're stressed, hurting, sick, or tired-- we turn to our comfort things. Sometimes this means having our mom cook our favorite adobo, donning our favorite dress, or watching our favorite movie. At times, we lock ourselves up in our rooms to burrow in ratty bed sheets or old pillows. While some of us prefer a bit of drama—we pack our bags and fly abroad, just like what many of our distressed celebrity damsels do, not only in Tagalog movies, but also for real. With so many troubled people trying to sort themselves out in “America”, I secretly wonder, is this why the U.S. is finally in such a beleaguered state right now? Uh-oh.

Whenever I get the blues, I often find myself singing along Britney Spears, “Sometimes I run, sometimes I hide…And all I really want is to hold you tight...” “Hey, how do you get over it?” you ask to shut me up. Well, more often than not, baby, all I need is time… and a comfort zone.

The beauty of living in such a gracious city like Cebu is that we need not walk very far to find a special place where we can feel safe and calm. From its mountains to the seas, this city breathes love and warmth. It is alive. There is comfort, inspiration and possibility in the mundane as well as the amazing-- the occasional jeepney ride, our daily trips to the mall, visits to old towns and museums, or the delightful discovery of new shops and creative ventures. For most of us, it is home. And while the city is constantly evolving, we all have our favorite nooks and spaces we constantly go back to. Here, let me share with you some of mine:

Fully Booked
Located in the Ayala Terraces, it provides a double-storey haven for artists, nerds, bookworms, pros or fashionistas – people who enjoy and understand one basic truth: that books and coffee do blend well together. What better place to people-watch and wonder if the rest of the world is as confused as we are, given our book choices? What better place to discuss if books and the rest of print media are actually getting killed by the attack of online gadgets in coffee shops? What better place to realize that ideas read and passed on, already shape our future? Whenever I feel restless or have one of those creative blackouts, I lose myself in a place like Fully Booked in the hope of finding inspiration on a back cover.

Gelatissimo Ice Cream Bar
Sometimes, finding comfort can be as profound as surrendering to prayer. Other times, it can be as simple as surrendering to a big cup of Gelatissimo’s pistachio ice cream. You can enjoy it across the coffee table while seeking advice from a good friend; or even as you walk alone in the rain, savoring the smooth icy texture melting the knots in your neck and cooling your brain.

BLU Bar & Grill
I always feel like I get the best of both worlds whenever I’m at the rooftop of Marco Polo Plaza, 1,000 ft. high above the city. I feel inspired by the mighty mountains on one side, and find comfort from the view of the calm seas on the other. At night, I can never be sure if I’m dazzled by the city lights or just the cool feeling that, at that moment, you’re on top of the world. No loud bands, no smog. Just great steaks, cool cocktails and colorful conversations with friends under the stars.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Never mind that your Piolo Pascual look-alike coffee date just cancelled to run errands for his mother. So what if you just missed your 4 AM flight? Or that smelly manong taxi driver over-tipped himself again without your consent? In times of great disappointment, just follow the smell of freshly brewed coffee to perk you up. Swipe that Coffee Bean Swirl card to go wifi and tweet the sour grapes to your heart’s delight. To soothe your nerves, have a cup of Genmaicha tea. And honey, their Toblerone Cheesecake? It’s so yummy it sure knows how to show a girl a good time! Get a slice.

The Big Oval at Abellana Sports Complex
Despite the many gyms that have sprouted, despite the rubber getting warped, somehow I keep going back to this place to run. Maybe it’s the wide open space and all that sky that frees your mind to fly. Maybe it’s the sight of so many people working out their problems in creative ways – dancing, badminton, soccer, taebo, taichi, aerobics, or yoga. There’s that energy to stretch yourself to the limit, and the smell of sweat and pounding feet keeping it all real.

K-1 Videoke Bar at Crossroads
Here, we can find comfort in familiar songs that tell the story of our lives. We can scream about the mess others left behind like Alanis, share the crispy pata and the dream to be a Billionaire with friends, or “Raise Your Glass” (that empty margarita pitcher) while we party on our own. There’s nothing like a singing marathon to teach us that whatever happens, “I (You) Will Survive” anything, even that cholesterol-friendly pochero at Abuhan during the wee hours of the morning.

I.T. Park
It’s the first and only 24-hr hub in the city. It’s the park that never sleeps. Be it 3 PM or 3AM, there’s always a friendly face to bump into, coffee to perk you up, and breakfast meals to fill you up. For the restless -- you can walk, ride, or run, and you never have to ask, “What time is it?”

The Wineshop
There’s nothing like good Spanish wine and music to warm the heart. The antique-house-turned-bar imbibes memories of home. A cozy place for gathering old friends, sharing history and deep roadside conversations punctuated by laughter and musical “Cheers!”

Timezone
Where else could you release all those negative vibes? Pound a ball, shoot someone, race cars or smash those drums… and win points to claim while you’re at it! Drown out the noise by being part of it. When you can’t beat the kids, just join them! An hour usually does it for me.

Ayala Cinema One
Just because it’s a comfortable place to explore different realities. We get to pick our seats and time. We’re happy to take control of this experience with our sodas and French fries, air-conditioned theater, convenient bathrooms. And then, at the end of every story, we go back home - changed or not, relieved or inspired.

Ultimately, at the end of it all, we go back to where our heart is. What about you? Where’s your comfort zone?


--SunStar Weekend, September 17, 2011