Twin Pines Suites Tagaytay

by Michael Martin

We passed this bed and breakfast last December and felt so at home with the modern minimalist design of the hotel. It was a mom and pop as far as we could tell, and I had interviewed the owners a little. Sadly, the material is not enough to put on a review but the place is such a good deal that I think I’ll make up for it.

First off the place was the owners previous country home, and they had renovated it post retirement. I do not have enough pictures of it, but what I have I think will suffice. I do things better when it’s enfolded in a story so I think I’ll do that now if you don’t mind.

Heidi and yours truly spent the morning racing around Manila and did some crazy shopping and pampering. Afternoon arrives and we get a text message from MJ and Jocelle asking where we were. The other members of the erstwhile Team Fuji were indisposed and after the funny incident of hide the cars in the Ayala Center parking lots we hooked up at Glorietta.

The drinking session began at Guilly’s G5 since we were too pooped (that’s what we thought) to move the cars or try and go anywhere else. After a languid session of around nine vodka Ices, six lite beers, two towering frozen margaritas and a plate of pork sisig, we ran out of smokes. On the way down Saldy confirmed that he was in the area already and we picked him up. RJ arrived soon after.

The drinks were done, and there was discontent brewing. We ended up kidnapping Saldy and RJ. It was one o’ clock in the morning by this time.

The best idea we had was the Twin Pine Suites as no one was liquid anymore and all we had were credit cards. So off we went in our tanked up buzz and devil may care attitudes to the friendly cold slopes of Tagaytay City.

The owners picked up the phone on the first try, and although it was such an ungodly hour were so accommodating (I do not recommend this, please be considerate) to these eclectic bunch of travelers. We were given the list prices - Heidi and I were in for 3,500.00 PHP and MJ, Jocelle, Saldy and RJ decided to take the double at 4,500.00. Since we were leaving in the afternoon, Instead of a usual 12 hour plus 24 hour charge, the owners charged a single day. Word to the traveler, most places are hard-nosed about these types of stuff. You find someplace as customer friendly as Twin Pines, go get them more patrons. There is more than ample space for parking, which means you won’t have to worry about your ride too if you wished to crash and hide.

Ohhhs and Ahhhs followed suit as the group went upstairs and were given a small tour of the area. We were housed in the Longleaf Pine and Loblolly Pine rooms. The rooms had dark stained wood motif and were all warm shades of brown and beige. The interiors looked like five thousand peso rooms you would find along the same stretch of the highway. The bathrooms are well maintained and have cold and hot water. There are LCD televisions in the rooms and have cable if you’d ever need it. There are books in the rooms, and they are serious entertainment let me tell you.

Despite the strong pull of sleep, we were suddenly animated and in discussion. Heidi and I shared a smile. We didn’t fail the gang. MJ saunters over to our room and upon seeing the veranda asked if we could still stay there despite the lateness. The owner assented and off we went, in high spirits and hope of continuing our nicotine induced madness.

The garden was so welcoming and friendly. We didn’t notice it was almost light as we caught up on stories, recounted old ones, made new memories and hoped for kind futures. I’m not sure if it was Heidi or Jocelle that mentioned it was near six in the morning, and we all trudged back to our rooms. I am not really sure if they were sleepy, as I sure wasn’t.

I was up by nine thirty in the morning and woke Heidi up for breakfast. The Twin Pines serve great tasting breakfasts with good service from their friendly staff. We decided to forego the dining area and had breakfast in the garden instead. The choices were either the standard Filipino silog fare or American continental breakfasts.

The place felt so warm that I was reluctant to leave in the afternoon. I’ll be back again that’s for sure and drink the place up.

Great price, great service, warm and friendly people, what else would you want from a vacation spot? Thank you Twin Pines! Four stars by my book.

You may contact the Twin Pines at:

Twin Pines Suites

185 Aguinaldo Highway, Maharlika East, Tagaytay City 4121

Mobile: 0927-8747199

Telephone: (046) 544-0265

Email: twinpinessuites@yahoo.com

Happy Returns

Our lives are composed of acts, that when strung together make up a lifetime. Every moment is a choice; fear or courage, indecision, coherence and all else – acts. We never really know what happens next, fate may lay waste to the best laid plans or may reveal after a long and winding bend, dreams further than our wildest dreams.

I wrote this nine in the morning as we were in the garden of the Twin Pines at Tagaytay. Poetry would lead me to say as usual that I am a victim of circumstance in this case, but that would be both contradicting and self serving. Also the tale is not mine. Not entirely. It’s mainly about someone else’s son. It just so happens that I consider him partly mine too.

A boy had left my orbit years ago. He left quietly, so opposite from the noise of his arrival and his intervals with me. I found myself talking to a young man last night. Somehow he learned what I sought to teach, but I think he may have figured it out himself. We never know what life brings, what we do with it is take it the best way we can, and do it with our backs straight.

I said yes without blinking when he asked me to be a godfather in his wedding.

from October 2008 *(Heidi’s Starbucks Planner) How Matt and Ivy came about

We were looking for our old photographs and found this. I think I posted this somewhere before I took all my blogs down. Reposting with minor edits.

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Sunlight filters through the curtain and lands like fluttering butterflies on my eyelids. It’s what passes for sunlight actually. The day is overcast, and it has been drizzling the entire morning. I stretch and groan, and my hands feel warmth; my heart skips a beat. It is still a pleasant surprise and I believe in my heart of hearts that it will always be so. I open my eyes a fraction, and yes, there she was. I hug her tightly and she smiles although locked tightly in sleep’s embrace. “Good Morning honey” I croon in her ear and she curls into my arms in reply.

Unimaginable really where life has led us. To the here and now. The cycles have been both kind and unmerciful. We had held on, and fought it out even as we fought for each other. We stood our ground, and somehow this storm left with us finding ourselves staring at each other in the wake of its passing. There was no spoken moment that defined capitulation. As it was always for us when things did happen, the bargaining is between souls. Agreement then follows assent. Soft eyes and silence. Fingers entwined. With that, commitment is given. More powerful than any spoken word to bind. To show up. Stay. Share.

I stand up, unwilling to leave the warmth of her side. She half mumbles, sounding the way she does when she pouts. I shake my head chuckling under my breath to not wake her up. She was still wrapped tightly in sleep’s friendly shroud. Which was good. She needed that more than she knew. I whistle softly as I proceed barefoot into the kitchen and turn on the percolator. I then start to make breakfast. Omelets, bacon, tomatoes and toast. I nod as an idea comes to mind; it would make a great story. Matt and Ivy. Somehow the morning seemed to be filled with promise. As full and varied as the aroma wafting from the small kitchen. Yes there is a fair chance. That everything will be alright.