It’s 3pm Saturday: Office pressures are a planet away, no way they can reach you now. You also have left the confines of your home. You are with your two girl friends, catching up on each other’s life—actually more like ‘month’ than life because you were together just a few weeks ago. And—this seems no less crucial—you are comparing each other’s ‘it’ bag, alright more like showing off. You do all that in between bites of bibingka, puto bumbong, and a small plate of pancit luglog, the best in town; bite size, because the yummy delicacies are in fitness-friendly bite sizes. These are among the yummies served at afternoon high tea, which by now, is bonding time for you girls.

You are on your much deserved ‘me time.’

A scene in a five-star hotel?

Far from it, you are in a mall—at SM City Cebu’s Northwing, which, since it opened in 2007, has become a premier lifestyle destination in Cebu. You are at Cafe Laguna, to be exact, which is getting known for its afternoon high tea.
 
With its interiors of modernist glass and steel, and architecture of clean lines and wide open space, Northwing has succeeded in creating a decongested atmosphere–precisely where other malls have failed.

In its high atrium, one can linger in the afternoon, relax and listen to a pianist playing (live!) favorites, or acoustics or bossa nova bands performing. The Atrium is also the favorite events venue in Cebu these days—spacious, accessible. The past few weeks, it was tire setting of two hot-ticket events: ‘Gear and Glam,’ and ‘Glimpses of Philippine Lifestyle’ held for the delegates to the 2008 UN-World Travel Organization Forum. One afternoon last August, renowned concert pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria and Prof. Reynaldo Reyes played in ‘Romantic Piano Journey.’

Another facet that sets it apart from regular malls is its wide open corridors—perfect for a day of ‘retail therapy.’ Northwing has top-of-the-line global brands and concept stores. It has more than 150 premium shops, including the only mall-based Duty Free Shop in the country.

On the rim of Northwing stretches the Al Fresco strip—restos and cafes serving specialty cuisine and comfort food favorites Cebuanos have become known for.

Among its anchor shops, aside from Duty Free Shop, are Our Home, Kultura, Powerbooks, and a Cyberzone that will make any techie—or even regular lifestyle shopper—swoon.

Since SM City Cebu opened in November 1993—interestingly, 15 years ago this anniversary month–it has become a lifestyle landmark in the South.

Built in the North Reclamation area (161,562 sq m) in Cebu City, it set the trail for a quintessential lifestyle mall—a whole shopping, dining, leisure, and social experience. It has a vast Conference Center, Traveller’s Lounge, entertainment area, bowling alley, art center, trade hall, and eight cinemas.

Next year in June, SM City Cebu will open the 400-room, five-star Radisson Hotel and a multi-function convention facility—a prestigious addition to the entire complex. An Imax Theater will also open in 2009.
 
Indeed SM City Cebu, with its Northwing, offers the best glimpse of what is best in Cebu. It gives any shopper the sense of pride of place.