Megaworld Lifestyle Mall, by The Philippine Star

Megaworld’s mega structures: Megaworld Lifestyle Malls — Eastwood Citywalk and Eastwood Mall, Venice Piazza, Burgos Circle at Forbes Town Center, Newport Mall, The Clubhouse, Paseo Center and the newly opened Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo — is a realization of the “play” component in Megaworld’s live-work-play concept.

Today’s malls are more than just busy marketplaces where shop-pers can get a dose of retail therapy, where foodies can get their fill of their fave cuisines, or where kids can unleash their inner superheroes. These bustling mega structures now boast magnificent architectures that allow space for community interaction, for savoring nature, for bonding with family andbarkada, and even with your pet plus, a lot more!

“It’s all about living the good life,” enthuses Kevin Tan, First Vice President and Division H ead of Megaworld Commercial Division. “More than just building malls, Megaworld creates lifestyle destinations that are vibrant, energetic, and unique.”

In fact, Megaworld now adds another badge to its prestigious name — as the country’s most admired lifestyle mall developer — with the launch of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls (MLM).

“Megaworld is known as a residential and office developer but not a lot of people know that we also develop lifestyle centers and malls. That’s why we created a new brand called the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls (MLM),” explains Kevin.

The Megaworld Lifestyle Malls encapsulates all the lifestyle malls developed and operated by Megaworld Corporation namely, Eastwood City Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill, Forbes Town Center, Newport Mall at Resorts World Manila, The Clubhouse, Paseo Center, and the newly opened Lucky Chinatown in Binondo, Manila. Each of the lifestyle malls under the MLM label is a realization of the “play” component in Megaworld’s live-work-play concept. The label signifies quality and a certain class unique only to the malls under it. Each mall offers sophisticated and fine choices in food, shopping, and entertainment, which embody the idyllic lifestyle of modern professionals and urbanites.

Living life to the fullest: Eastwood City has everything — from fashion to dining and entertainment — for every member of the family, even for pets.

“We put into an umbrella brand because we have properties that each has its own character. It’s really hard to distinguish a commonality to our properties. But certain things remain the same like the attenting to detail, the service and the innovations that are uniquely Megaworld,” adds Kevin.
As a community builder, Megaworld believes in creating a holistic experience for (community) members by adhering to the live-work-play concept, which the company pioneered and popularized in the country.
“Our malls, which are located within an integral community that has residential and office developments, are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for those who live and work there,” Kevin notes.

Eastwood: The City That Never Sleeps

Megaworld’s first salvo in building mega communities is Eastwood City, the archetypal live-work-play enclave.

Situated along C-5 Road in QC, Eastwood City was nothing when Megaworld Corporation developed the area in 1996.

“A lot of people discouraged us from buying the property because the country was in a state of financial crisis at that time. But we had a vision. We wanted to make a thriving community where we could combine mall life and night life in a very safe environment,” explains Kevin.

The 19-hectare mixed-use development now reverberates with energy and diversity. Today, Eastwood City has sections for offices and BPOs, residential condominiums, gym and wellness centers, Eastwood Mall for shoppers and those with discriminating tastes, City Walk for the young and trendy shoppers, and Cyber and Fashion Mall for fashion finds and bargains.

“I think those people who were skeptical at that time now think that it was actually clever for us to push through with the project. I knew that we took a big risk with such an ambitious project like Eastwood City, but it’s now what we envisioned it to be. It’s a community where 7,000 families now live, 40,000 people work, and about 300 stores have opened shop,” he says.

Encircled by the affluent side of QC — Corinthian Gardens, Green Meadows, and Acropolis — Eastwood has become the hub of these communities.

“That was what we wanted to create when we built Eastwood. It was important for us to offer a variety of things for the different members of the family. For stores and restaurants, we looked at the favorites, but we also took a chance on new resto players and their creations.

Eastwood has three distinct areas: Eastwood Mall, Eastwood City Walk and Cyber & Fashion Mall. In all three areas, your furry friends are welcome for as long as you clean after them.

At Eastwood Mall, choosing a restaurant is really a walk in the park. The four-story building, strategically built at the center of Eastwood City, houses over 30 dining hot spots that offer a wide variety of dishes enough to entice you to go on a gourmet tour.

In terms of shopping, Eastwood Mall is a fashion haven for those who want to splurge without busting one’s budget.

Homegrown brands such as Bench, R.A.F. Plains & Prints, Collezione, Bayo, Kashieca, among others, work like magnets, attracting stylistas to their tops, frocks, and pants offerings. Those who opt for designer labels should check out 158 Designers’ Blvd. located on the ground floor where Anne Klein, Kate Spade, Nine West, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, Marks and Spencers, and Marc Jacobs await.

Another source of pride for Eastwood is the personalized service they offer — the Eastwood Mall Concierge — which makes the malling experience convenient for every Juan.

The Eastwood Mall Concierge offers services similar to a hotel’s, like guest information, message handling, taxi request, weather update, and VIP seat reservations during special mall events. It can also take care of restaurant, cinema, and VIP seat reservations as well as luggage and bag storage for mall habitués.

They mean business: The Clubhouse at Temple Drive and Paseo Center are intended to serve the needs of the communities around them.

Eastwood City Walk, on the other hand, is the soul of Eastwood City’s nightlife and has earned a reputation as the place to party on a weekend or just about every night. It boasts of hotspots known for offering the best-selling beverages — and restos and clubs, which are open till the wee hours of the morning.
Eastwood Cyber and Fashion Mall meanwhile is the haven for bargain hunters. Find here retail stores, shops, and gadgets that are perfect for the hip, trendy, and tech-savvy shoppers. This is the right place to get the latest of everything and still meet the budget.
Indeed, Eastwood City never sleeps. In an energetic place like this, neither should you.

The Clubhouse And Paseo Center: At Your Service

The Clubhouse at Temple Drive in Corinthian Hills, QC, and Paseo Cen-ter in Makati City, are small, community-type developments, which are intended to service the needs of the communities around them.
Nestled between a village and a temple in Corinthian Hills, QC, the two-story edifice houses coffee shops, a salon, and Rustan’s supermarket. It’s the perfect place for families and friends to come together after a long day at work.
Paseo Center is the go-to place when hunger pangs strike among Makati City dwellers, business district employees and residents within Salcedo Village area. Here, they can have decent meals that are light on the budget.

Venice Piazza: Little Italy In Fort Bonifacio

Italian job: Venice Piazza is only the phase one of the breakthrough development project called the Venice Luxury Residences. What makes the piazza interesting is the design and, of course, the entertainment. Pigeon feeding is something guests look forward to.

Inspired by the grandeur of the Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy, Venice Piazza in McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio, is the happening place in the metro today. The complex is peppered with dining hot spots that offer a wide variety of dishes enough to tickle your taste buds to give each one a try.

“Venice Piazza is just the phase one of the breakthrough development project called The Venice Luxury Residences. Actually, the Piazza is not even 10-percent of what we intend to build there,” notes Kevin. “We put Venice Piazza there to service the needs of the exiting BPO employees.”

The second phase of the development is the retail shops to be constructed, while the third phase will be the residential and office development, which features a Grand Canal with its iconic Rialto Bridge where not just unit owners but guests as well can ride the gondola.

“What makes Venice Piazza interesting is the design and, of course, the entertainment. We regularly hold concerts by local and foreign artists in the Piazza. We also have pigeon feeding where our customers get the chance to feed the pigeons, which go down on park grounds at 4 p.m. These are just some of the things that make Venice Piazza charming,” enthuses Kevin.

From June 1 to 2, passionate foodies get to experience a Venetian-style night market at Venice Piazza. Sample the flavors of Spain, Italy, and the greater Mediterranean area from various tenants offering premium wines, cheese, imported beer, deli, and organic produce. Expect exceptional during where you can watch your food being prepared and at the same time find the perfect wine or beer to go along with your meal guided by the Venetian Market’s one of a kind color-charted wine and beer piring.

Burgos Circle: Be In The Circle Of Things

Located at the bustling Fort Bonifacio, Burgos Circle at Forbes Town Center is a hidden treasure that remains to be discovered by foodies.

Dwarfed by skyscrapers and residential condominiums, this gem of a hangout has a relaxing vibe. The place is reminiscent of quiet American suburban neighborhoods.

“It’s envisioned to be an upscale dining area. It was designed around the park, which is the focal point of the development. Each restaurant was carefully picked and unique to Burgos Circle,” explains Kevin.

Not surprisingly, families, and friends come here to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and just enjoy the best things in life.

Burgos Circle leads to the Forbes Town Center where an eclectic mix of shops and restos awaits shoppers and diners as well.

“For Forbes Town Center, we veered away from getting brand names that had stores already in other malls. For example, there’s Nike, but it’s called CoG, the newest spot for all things athletic,” he points out.

The store concept was introduced by Nike Philippines in early 2010, based on a similar concept in the US, catering to the skate, surf, and action lifestyles of today’s market.

There’s also Titan, the newest and hottest basketball store in the country. Apart from the shoes, what makes this store so interesting is that it houses a barbershop!

Burgos Circle at Forbes Town Center is also home to new concept restaurants that are not available in any other location such as Café Juanita, 1521, L’Entrecote, Bar Dolci, and Yakitori.

“People go to Burgos Circle and Forbes Town Center because, once again, we provide them with something different,” Kevin enthuses.

Newport Mall: Viva Las Vegas

Let the party begin: The Newport Mall at Resorts World Manila has something for the whole family. 

Las Vegas is obviously the design peg for Newport Mall at Resorts World Manila.

 Situated in the first entertainment complex in the country, this swanky happening place has class inscribed everywhere.

“Since shopping goes side by side with casinos, luxury shopping is a must. We wanted to create a mall that was grand and flamboyant. Also, we wanted to get that outdoor feel, but it had to be air-conditioned so we put a glass skyline with dramatic lighting,” shared Kevin.

With a shopping experience comparable only to Rodeo Drive, Newport Mall lets you live the high life!

Nightlife is also a very important aspect in creating that Vegas feel so Megaworld invited Republiq to open the biggest club in the Philippines. Other attractions include the Newport Performing Arts Theater, the 24-hour cinema, and the Game Zoo, a video arcade for kids.

Game Zoo is the newest addition to the growing leisure and lifestyle options offered by Resorts World Manila. The two-story funhouse features an impressive lineup of exclusive games and fun-filled activities on opening day with over 100 of the most popular arcade and video games available for the whole family.

“We want to position Newport Mall as an all around destination for families. It has to appeal to the entire family that’s why put up the Newport Performing Arts Theater and the Game Zoo,” Kevin adds.

Lucky Chinatown: Some Malls Have All The Luck

Lucky to have you: Lucky Chinatown Mall reinvents the shopping and leisure experience in Binondo, Manila.

Setting a whole new standard in lifestyle development, the newly opened Lucky Chinatown Mall is expected to reinvent the shopping and leisure experience in Binondo, Manila.

The first full-scale shopping mall in Binondo, Lucky Chinatown boasts over 160 stores scattered all through the five-story shopping complex.

“Most people go to Binondo or Divisoria not to buy stuff for themselves but to shop for items they can sell in their own boutiques or tiangge stalls. Now that Lucky Chinatown is here, they, too, can engage in some retail therapy since the upscale mall offers a wide selection of international and local fashion brands that the stylistas in Binondo and neighboring cities have long been waiting for,” notes Kevin.

At Lucky Chinatown, homemakers in the area need not go far to do their grocery shopping. Occupying two levels of the mall is the Metro Market Supermarket.

The Cebu-based company opens its latest branch in Manila, offering a large assortment of fresh food items and quality products at reasonable prices.

Beauty and grooming needs are also covered with stores like Beauty Bar, The Body Shop, Bench Fix, Shiseido, GQ Barbershop, Nailaholics, Vivere Salon, and Beijing Foot Spa. Other shops include Mango, BreadTalk, Beyond the Box, Apple Reseller and Italianni’s.

Foodies aren’t left out as the mall boasts an extensive array of eateries guaranteed to satisfy one’s cravings.

Lucky Chinatown also houses unique entertainment facilities where the entire family can have a good time.

“Completing the Lucky Chinatown Mall experience is the Chinatown Walk. It’s an exciting street concept reviving the famed Chinatown with select homegrown Chinatown restaurants, delicatessen, furniture, jewelry, and herbal medicines mixed with cafes and tea salons. It’s going to be really exciting once everything is completed,” shares Kevin.

More exciting developments will be unveiled by Megaworld Lifestyle Malls in the months to come.

“A new Megaworld Lifestyle Mall is set to open in Iloilo City by next year,” adds Kevin.

There’s really no stopping Megaworld Lifestyle Malls from expanding. The excitement heightens as MLM continues to change the entertainment and lifestyle landscape of the country for the better.