AMBER FOLKMAN, FOUNDER OF A MOMMA ABROAD

By Valérie Chaperon Giusti, our contributor in the Philippines.

Amber Folkman, an American expat based in The Philippines is a social media personality among natives and expatriates. On her blog www.amommabroad.com, Amber spreads her positive attitude, enthusiasm and love for this country. Her chronicles are the daily dose of good mood, laugh and beautiful pictures that you need in the gloominess, hectic and chaotic life in Manila !!! "A Momma Abroad is a blog aiming at helping expats and Filipinos alike to anchor their life in Manila. I promote positivity in hopes that Manila dwellers cannot just survive but thrive!" she explains. Real treasurer hunter, she is also known to have a good eye to find incredible handicrafts, furniture and textile made in The Philippines. Amber is not only a writer, sewer, blogger, designer, TV guest but also a forever momma to 3 adorable boys. She loves to take them around town to find inspiration for her posts and today she takes us on a journey around her favorite kid-friendly hangouts in town.

• Tell us a bit about Manila...

Metro Manila itself is a giant sprawling city with pockets of slums, high rises, villages and more. We spent our first year living in Bonifacio Global City, the new hub of international business with a high concentration of expats. Our next couple of years were spent in the heart of Makati, the financial district. Eventually we landed in a secondary district, Ortigas/Pasig (think Brooklyn, vs Manhattan), and we are far happier and spend far less time in traffic on our end of the city. We live in a gated community, known locally as a ‘village’. We rent a stand alone home with a pool and small yard with a lush community park only a couple of blocks away.With a current population of 17 million the city seems more vast than it actually is. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and you definitely feel it. Never go to a mall on a Sunday if you don’t like crowds. Manila has barangays (neighborhoods), villages (gated communities), high rises, slums/squaters, malls, markets and rivers (not usually clean). We still live in the city but in a gated community a few minutes from one of the old financial districts. We are located within walking distance of two brand new malls, a major freeway, grocery store and a track for running. We neighbor a number of other villages as well. If you haven’t noticed, I have mentioned malls several times. Manila is a city of malls. Almost everything is located at the mall - grocery stores, movie theaters, banks, salons, hardware stores, pharmacies, etc. Malls are everywhere. I could probably list 20 off the top of my head if you asked.One of the reasons I love Manila is because we are just a short drive away from the mountains, the beach and dense jungle. There is so much beautiful nature just a short drive away.

• One word to describe your city.

Gritty.

• A kid-friendly restaurant you like going to.

Manila has so many global brands so my kids eat a variety of foods. They currently love Genki Sushi which is sushi served on an automated belt. They order their cucumber rolls on a tablet and a race car zips out on a track next to the table with their plate of food.

• For the sweet tooth out there, what yummy snack can we get in Manila.

Since we are always at malls I let them get French fries from a small vendor called, ‘Potato Corner’. They make the fries fresh and add your choice of toppings. They are by no means healthy.

• What do you do with your kids on a sunny day in Manila?

Go explore a farm, a mountain, a new park or a beach.

• It's raining, what should we do?

Indoor play places, Korean water spa or laser tag. Usually something in a mall.

• What cultural activity do you like doing with the kids?

We have tried to visit as many museums in Manila as we can. Our favorites tend to be the small off the beaten path museums and a lot cheaper than Mind Museum and Kidzania. We love the National Museum, Philippines Science Centrum and Quezon City Experience Museum.

• Where can you take a peaceful walk with the stroller?

Since Manila doesn’t have a lot in the parks department you find whatever patch of grass you can. It may seem morbid but on Sundays we usually find ourselves at the American Military Cemetery. We admire the soldiers head stones and and talk about how my maternal grandfather served on Corregidor Island (just a few kilometers from Manila). We enjoy the well maintained grass and tress respectfully.

• Let’s shop! Any shops you like for kids?

In terms of clothes I am pretty basic and love the global brands such as Cotton On and H&M. Otherwise, for food, I actually prefer taking my kids to market and letting them pick out a new piece of fruit or a yummy rice snack.

• A kid-friendly hotel in Manila you would recommend to friends?

Airbnb all the way! Stay in the Rockwell Makati area for a nice flat and close to many amenities. I prefer to stay in Airbnb because hotels are expensive here.

• A week end escape out of the city.

Yes! I would highly recommend the Lotus Pod for a budget family getaway (See our review in our Hotels We Love section). If you want a more high end option try the The Farm at San Benito is dreamy and kids are welcome.

• Your favorite spot in the world for family vacay?

Our family travels to Sedona every summer and I would highly recommend that area if your family loves hiking. Make sure you stay in a hotel with a nice pool. We love Los Abrigados.