Where the fashionable crowd hangs

Where you’re seen is nearly as important as what you’re seen wearing. Yes, it sounds incredibly superficial, but with today’s #ootd #selfie generation, what’s the point of spending all that time trying to look cool if nobody — at least nobody who matters — is going to see you? This week, we present a rundown of cool, new hangouts that offer novel discoveries, like specialty coffee and cocktails, a wicked Oxford shoe and even Alexander Wang at 50-percent off. And in the off-chance you aren’t spotted by the stylish set, there’s always your Instagram audience to impress.

My APT.

Pronounced as “my apartment,” My Apt. is the brainchild of Bong and Rossy Rojales, who are also behind the Heima brand. According to Bong, the idea to put up My Apt., which is decidedly more masculine in comparison to the girly furnishings of Heima, has been with the couple every since they put up the original Heima store in Cubao. “If Heima is 75-percent feminine and 25-percent masculine, we feel My Apt. is the reverse. Though it is predominantly for the gentleman, we do have a lot of female clients coming in,” Bong explains. The main draw of the store is the bespoke furniture line, which is designed and made in-house. They also feature furniture with custom-made hardware in collaboration with 13 Lucky Monkey. In fact, their collaborations with the biker silversmiths are a first in the market, having married jewelry with home accessories.

They also exclusively carry Leeroy New’s drop lights manufactured by Kalikasan, along with art pieces by CJ De Silva-Ong, Tokwa Peñaflorida and Team Manila. Those who don’t have the big bucks to drop on art and furniture can also peruse the carefully curated selection of coffee table books, magazines, vinyl records, even Tricker’s leather oxfords imported from the UK. “Aside from locally made furniture and designs, we have curated our line well with key travel finds from Brooklyn and other cities that we visited recently,” Bong shares.

My Apt. is open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is located at 225 LRI Design Plaza, N. Garcia Street (former Reposo), Makati City. For more information, visit Facebook.com/Thisismyapt and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @thisismyapt.

Archives x The Curator

Chances are, you frequented the original Homme et Femme store in Shangri-la Plaza, as well as its former location in Power Plant Mall to find Comme Des Garçons, Lanvin, Alexander Wang, Thom Browne, A.P.C., Porter and Kitsune pieces at up to 50 percent off. But at Archives d’homme et femme’s new location along Gamboa Street in Makati, which is a two-story endeavor — the first floor is women’s, while the second is men’s — you’ll find all of these brands and then some in a bright, spacious retail environment. Walking into this beautifully lit space, though, is akin to stepping into a death trap — for your finances. “Sometimes it's seeing that Céline top that you thought you could never afford, now marked down at 50-percent,” one shopper says. “It’s like suddenly running into past wants,” says another. “It’s ultimate trap for those ‘if it’s meant for me, it's meant for me’ rationalizations.”

While you deal with this inner turmoil, you can also sip specialty coffee by The Curator at the store where talkative, enthusiastic baristas tend to shoppers looking for a caffeine kick. If you enjoy their coffee, chances are, you'll also like their craft cocktails, which you can get just across the street in Legaspi Park View, along Legaspi Street. A good shot of something potent is exactly what you need after maxxing out your credit card.

The Archives is open Mondays to Sundays from 12 noon to 8 p.m. and is located along Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Speakeasy

Manila has opened its share of speakeasys and blind pigs, even though they’re completely legit establishments that don’t offer illegal alcohol. Instead, they provide dark, relaxed hideaways where people can actually enjoy their totally legal drinks with good company. Though Speakeasy offers a selection of carefully crafted cocktails created by their Russian mixologist Alyona Vinogradova-Jeffery, their menu of Western comfort food has kept the place packed even though they officially opened their doors just this week. “Basically, we asked all of the partners, ‘What’s your favorite food?’ Then chefs Mike Santos and Bam Guevarra executed the dishes, and we had numerous food tastings with the partners. Alyona, our mixologist, was also involved from the beginning, and created numerous signature drinks based also on the preferences of the partners,” say the restaurant's proprietors. The interiors were designed by Clarisse Chiongbian, who was previously with Budji Layug.

It’s best to head to the place as a group because there are a number of dishes you’ll want to try, such as the the Speakeasy Burger, which features fresh-ground beef and Gruyére cheese, topped off with a fried egg and housed in freshly baked buns. The gnocchi, with its combination of truffle and lime, is another popular order, along with the ribeye steak, truffle mac and cheese and the gambas. As for the drinks, the Exit Strategy, Old Fashioned and Horse Bite are some of Alyona’s specialties, but if you’re a teetotaler like I am, you’ll enjoy their homemade sodas. On Valentine’s Day, they already have something special planned out for customers with Bianca King popping up as the date’s celebrity chef.

Speakeasy is open Mondays to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and on Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 2 p.m., and is located on the G/F of Ground Level, Alphaland Makati Place, Malugay Street corner Ayala Avenue, Makati City. For reservations, call 0917-4993279. For more information, visit Facebook.com/SpeakeasyMakati.

Finders keepers

Most people nurse this fantasy of stumbling into a secret, out-of-the-way bar that can feel like their own place, far away from noisy, crowded bars where things never end well. Located within Black Market, Finders Keepers offers bar-hoppers a bit of respite from the usual bump-and-grind scene where people can sit and actually talk over a couple of beers and cocktails. The inside is nearly as dark as the night, with only the neon sign of the bar and the glow of candlelight to keep people from stumbling into each other. “The space incorporates old world design touches alongside industrial elements. We basically built a living room with a long stainless steel bar,” says Erick Ong, who co-owns the bar with Andrew Garcia, Jeff Ong and Borgy Manotoc.

At Finders Keepers, you won’t find a pretentious cordoned-off VIP area but if you want special treatment, you’re likely to get it from the bartenders. “Our bartenders are a team. They work together to entertain the patrons as well as maintain a fun-loving environment. The spirit of any bar comes from the people that stand behind it,” Erick notes. The drinks menu was crafted by Dondi Bolante, their head bartender and mixologist, who, as Erick tells it, “was the only guy for the job.” If it’s your first time, try ordering the Beergherita and Spice of Life, but if you’re looking for a bite to eat, there’s not much Dondi and his team can do for you — though you can hit up Joe’s Meat Shack, which stands right outside the place.

Finders Keepers is open from 6 p.m. onward and is located at Warehouse 5, La Fuerza Plaza, 2241 Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City, tel. no. 555-5555.