Lost in theTimezone

Timezone at TriNoma is the biggest one yet. It occupies the topmost level like an amusement park, with a kid’s carousel nearby. Downstairs, kids get to hop on furry animal go-carts for P10 per ride. Inside Timezone’s 1,230-square-meter space, you’ll find a Balloon Ferris Wheel, bumper car rides, Music Zone, and new attractions like Big Sweet Land, Maximum 3 Driving Machine and Van Gogh’s Workshop, which renders and prints out a computer “sketch” of your digital photo taken inside a booth. Choose from different art “effects” to make a unique self-portrait.

“This is for the whole family,” says Timezone manager Laurie Geronimo. “Even lolas and lolos come here.” And plenty of kids, too. School groups like the Music Zone videoke booths, while guys like the realistic motorcycle simulators and Turret Power — a 360-degree gun battle booth you enter to shoot down enemy planes. Of course, there are lots of prizes to choose from as you rack up those Powertickets inside Timezone: just swipe your Powercard to see what you can take home — whether it’s a stuffed teddy bear or an MP3 player. It’s great feeling like a kid again at Timezone.

Timezone is at the 6th level, TriNoma.

Always at home at Gourdo’s

Gourdo’s is for people who love their kitchens. The name itself refers to a chubby kitchen helper, notes store operating head Henry Galang, and the warm interiors and bright imported items make you want to start chopping and preheating. With the help of Gourdo’s buyer Susan San Miguel, the store’s six branches have assembled a boggling range of items from Japan, the US, Germany, Italy and all over. Store supervisor Fritzie Zacarias tells us, “Our store is different from other home stores. We have unique items.” True, things like imported Calphalon non-stick cookware, a wide range of Rubbermaid kitchen items, Italian glassware from Bormoili, Mikasa Oenology glassware, and Original Chocolate Factory home fondue sets can’t be found anywhere else. There are also big colorful plates to make any dining room as zestful as Martha Stewart’s or Jamie Oliver’s; letter-shaped dishes that are great for candy or nuts; home barbecue pits for the weekend griller. And for those whose kitchen expertise doesn’t yet match their design taste, Gourdo’s in TriNoma has a wide range of cookbooks to get up to speed.

Gourdo’s is located at the lobby, TriNoma.

A swingers’ paradise at Red Box

If you’ve ever seen Swingers, or ever dreamed of having your own little slice of Vegas, then Red Box is your kind of place. Located at the topmost level of TriNoma in the outdoor Activity Center, it’s a karaoke club that opens at 3 p.m. (and let’s face it: 3 p.m. is the earliest time of day people should be singing karaoke). But unlike other videoke places, this one has plush interiors, 17 themed rooms and pool tables. It’s the kind of place swingers — male or female — would love to hang out at.

The popular Red Box was imported from Hong Kong by the same entrepreneurs who brought Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Banana Leaf here, says operations manager James Aguilar. “We try to be different, with billiards and nightly poker games,” he says. “Unlike most karaoke clubs, Red Box charges per head, not per hour, so there’s no one knocking at your door saying, ‘Hey, time’s up.’” The sound system is superior, with BMB amps and speakers and an idiot-proof song selection setup. Different clientele keep it interesting: schoolkids and barkadas enjoy the afternoons from around 3 to 6 p.m.; nighttime is popular with professionals, party kids and the call center crowd; and weekends are big with families. Indeed, our photographer was scoping out a themed room for an upcoming family birthday party.

Red Box is at the Activity Center, 6th level, TriNoma.

The Mercury mission

Where would Filipinos be without Mercury Drug? Its white interiors and trademark logo have led people to health and recovery for over 60 years. Its innovations — like the Gising 24 Oras branches, the Suki Card that gives customers rebates and discounts on name medicines, Operation Bigay Lunas, and Mercury TV, offering customers in-store televised health information — have made it the nation’s biggest retailer of medicines since Mariano Que founded the store in 1945.

TriNoma has two branches at level 1 and the ground floor, and a third opens soon in Landmark. For TriNoma’s level 1 branch, Mercury went big: 746 square meters, with inviting displays offering customers a wide range of cosmetics, food and drinks. There’s a Health Kiosk that checks your weight, height, blood pressure and fat index for P5; and there’s a full line of wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen tanks and other home healthcare necessities. But it’s what’s behind the counter that matters most: the fast and professional service that has helped Mercury grow to 500 branches, selling the best branded medicines as well as safe generic alternatives. You can even call in your prescription orders 30 minutes ahead, to pick up without waiting. Mercury also offers free medical clinics: blood sugar, blood pressure and bone density can be tested by doctors and nurses on-site. No wonder people trust Mercury Drug with their health.

Mercury Drug is located at ground floor and level 1, TriNoma.