"Healing" Spa and Berroni's Pizza

I swore I would never go to the spa again but the temptation was strong enough to carry me to Hotel H2O in Manila Ocean Park. The spa manager differentiated their spa with "healing properties". We were hooked with the scientific experiments and it was like we were in a lab and he was the scientist. There was the explanation about the positive ions forever present in our environment (which are unstable and mutate in the city) and his claim that a Japanese company has invented a way to balance it with materials that give out negative ions. It will increase blood flow for one and our fingers were subjected to a capillary microscope immediately. It turns out that my capillaries, the smallest blood vessels in my body, are pretty healthy (except for that one twisted capillary from the "lechon kawali"), they were visibly long and has a regular flow rate of blood, according to the microscopic evidence. When the material emitting negative ions was put in my arm near the finger, the flow rate within the capillaries magically increased. The excitement died down when the treatment started. Sadly, the material made that cute scarf cost a whopping three thousand plus pesos! The massage was normal and okay...until I was pressured to give a tip. I was also a little bothered when they were at a loss about what's next and made me wait out in the open. The hot bed was different but I was a little uncomfortable with the effects on my back shoulder henna mess. But it tickled my creativity and it was a different feeling to be in a sauna-like room lying down, at the same time alone in the dark with your thoughts. I ended the treatment after I couldn't breathe anymore. I was sweating like a pig in less than 30 minutes. The concept of the spa was nice but I couldn't get over the fact that the service was very poor and that no one was there to explain to me the connection between the "healing" intro speech and the spa treatment. Meanwhile, the little chat with the girls in the locker room calmed my nerves. It was like a spa party with friends that I never had. 

I was delighted when it was time to try out Berroni's, the pizza that I never had too. Berroni's is a quiet little place near the Valle Verde Country Club. It was named after the three sons of the Chinese owner, which surprisingly sounds very Italian to us. I ordered dinner myself without waiting for Jeff in my excitement. I ordered the Mushroom Soup, their Rockefeller Oysters, Lasagna and the Berroni's Pizza for us. The verdict was good - the ambiance is nice and it was a filling light dinner. The food though was perfect for a light afternoon snack or if you are just chilling out with your friends. The oysters were the bestsellers and the typical Berronian way to eat is with their hot sauce and some calamansi if you dare. The recipes come from an old restaurant in Metrowalk that closed down and it's a good thing that the staff still remained to revive the specials through Berroni's.