Botanical and Butterfly Garden in Grand Villa Resort Bgry. Tranca Bay, Laguna



The Botanical and Butterfly Garden in Grand Villa Resort is a sanctuary for our best-loved summer insects. From the front door of the netted garden house, a stone path leads to a man-made well was scented summer flowers. Beyond, there's masses of nectar-rich flowers, plants for caterpillars to eat and places to hibernate over rainy days. The garden is specifically designed to be a paradise for these graceful insects.

The girls seemed a little bit tentative, unsure what to make of their new friends but Rome clearly saw from his nieces eyes the intrigued brought by the vibrant winged creatures. Ykaie and her cousins were afraid to touch the gentle insects. She saw one butterfly pollinating a flower and looks up at her mom, puzzled.




‘It’s a process, dear’ her mom seems to say as she give her daughter a kiss. Peachy, to the best of her knowledge explained the Butterfly life cycle as there was no single person inside the garden to discuss it. In fact, they've just let themselves in.




The first stage of the butterfly metamorphoses is when the caterpillar is fully grown, it makes a button of silk which it uses to fasten its body to a leaf or a small branch of a tree. Then, the caterpillar's skin comes off and under this old skin is a hard skin called a chrysalis or pupa. The second stage is when the pupa seam tears after hours (12). The third stage is when a butterfly slowly begins to emerge and tries to break free of its chrysalis that would take for about 23 hours or more. The fourth stage and the most beautiful is when the butterfly is almost free and is all but out of its shell opening its colorful wings.



It was an educational trip for the kids. Although the butterflies are beautiful and fascinating, Rome and his cousins were not pleased about their whole experience. No assistance was extended on their scheduled tour. They felt neglected.





The Ayala Triangle Project - The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

 Eggs Ben, Php 245

The Ayala Triangle Gardens - Here we went again. Me, and my office mate, Ryan, couple of Saturday mornings ago checking out what restaurant would fill in our hungry stomachs after another long hours of non-stop work at our office nearby. Most of the restaurants were still closed because majority open at 10 AM (probably another reason why I was having a hard time completing this project). The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf which by the way, one of the restaurants in the park that opens as early as 7 AM was our choice for quick breakfast and caffeine fix.

The restaurant occupies the best location in the park. From al fresco area and also inside, diners have a very good view of the lush garden; manicured green grass and towering trees. The atmosphere here is relaxed and young, with people catching up with old friends and its the Makati yuppie’s place for a casual post-work thirst-quencher.




There are wooden tables and chairs that offer homey feel and couple of tables with couch that offers comfort. The restaurant/cafe is a perfect espresso pit stop for Makati employees that comes together to have human connection over coffee. Drinks menu is offering wide range of coffee, tea, herbal and fruit infusions. However, the food should not be overlooked. I chose Eggs Ben while Ryan had Spicy Tuna Linguine Pasta.


Spicy Tuna Linguine Pasta Php 195


Eggs Ben, from the breakfast sets, was served with Today's Brew, a serving of stewed fruits, butter and blueberry jam (?). I liked the freshly-baked bread but I felt that there's something missing with in taste of my chosen dish. Ryan was satisfied with his dish but complaints about the price afterwards. The crews were polite and service was good. Overall, it is a perfect venue to have an intimate catch-up or have good conversation with with your friends.

Food Quality : 4
Ambiance      : 5
Service          : 4
Cost/Prices    : 4

The project's criteria are; Food Quality, Ambiance, Service, and Cost/Prices, where  Five (5)   indicates "Exceptional Experience", Four (4)  indicates a place "worth a come back", three (3)  means "a casual place to eat", two (2)   means "acceptable", and one (1))   means "poor".


Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
(02) 621-6112

Ayala Triangle Gardens,
Makati Ave. Bel-Air,
Makati City