The white sandy beaches along the Riviera Maya in the Caribbean have always been a favorite spot for destination weddings and now with the Karisma Hotel built along prime secluded properties, it makes the most favored spot for any vacation, especially with launching of a new concept of Karisma Hotel called “Gourmet Inclusive”. It is an entirely new concept that caters to sophisticated world travelers who have already come to expect and appreciate the fine details behind a good dining experience. Yes, everything is included. But no, this is not your ordinary inclusive fare, service or locales. Their cuisine is served in sleek and sensual sit-down locales and fashion-forward bars. You won’t find a buffet table here (except for kids-they like them). What you will find is cooking that meets the standards of the best restaurants, prepared in a way that will excite and surprise the senses. Special touches include bars equipped with real swings or hanging beds, bars with iced tops to keep drinks frosty cold, tequila lounges with 30 artisanal tequilas on offer, private-label wines from vineyards in Argentina’s Mendoza Valley chosen and offered as they would be in the best restaurants by experienced sommeliers.

We went to Conti’s to eat their infamous Mango Bravo but we also ate dinner and it was a truckload of sweets after. That day will go down in history as the day I might have had indigestion – really!

I had the usual Chicken Roulade:

I should have gone for pasta since I ate (a lot of) rice for lunch already. I do not need any more carbs (nor human growth hormone!) that day.

This was linguini pesto with shrimp.

1) Sizzling sisig 2) Crispy Dinuguan 3) Adobo Rice 4) Aligue Rice

I literally cannot breath after I finished eating so much of the food above. We took out a friend visiting from the US and had her taste Filipino food, and C2 did not disappoint. We should have been careful to eat slowly though because all the food I ate went to my head! At least we didn’t need the best acne products because of all the oil. I was craving for green tea by the night was over!

Dining al fresco has been gaining popularity these days, with most people wanting to enjoy fresh air and smoke a cigarette or two. That is why most restaurants, fine dining or casual, have an outdoor area where guests can dine.

I particularly enjoy seeing outdoor settings in restaurants because it is a different setting altogether. Effort has been given to surround the area in greens to have more ventilation and the furniture used is beautiful but sturdy enough to withstand extreme weather conditions like rains and the summer heat. Usually a patio umbrella completes the look.

You see this in Starbucks all the time, the green color is a giveaway:

Usually you see patio umbrella with valances and you normally see them in quaint dining or coffee shops (mostly pastry shops). Ever see a street in France, similar to the movie Sabrina? That is how it looks like:

There is another version called market umbrella. It has a straight edged canopy instead of hanging fabric valances. Most outdoor cafes use this type of patio umbrella.

Patio umbrellas not only add to the over-all design and ambiance in a house or restaurant setting but it will also save you from the harmful UV rays of the sun that causes skin cancer!

Most outdoor dining areas use a half umbrella too, to maximize space:

You can also have these in your home, just make sure you follow these steps when buying them:

1. Think about the area and items you want to cover, a table, a table and chairs, a chaise lounge and side table, etc.

2. What time of day are you going to be using it, early morning, afternoon or evening? Morning and late afternoon sun is hard to shade unless the umbrella has a tilt and swivel feature or a hanging valance.

3. Do you want the umbrella to be easily moved or primarily fixed in one spot? If mobility is a concern, think of the weight, size, ease of taking apart and the clearance required to move and effort to relocate.