In every The Good Life: Editors’ Picks column, we round up our editors’ favorites—restaurants, cocktails, experiences, exhibits, and everything in between. Here is our latest list.

Diptyque’s Five New Signature Wax Candle Fragrances

I’ve always loved the aroma of brewing coffee. It fills my senses and awakens me, even if I can’t imbibe any caffeine.

So I’m tickled that Diptyque has added five new fragrances to its herbarium of scents for its signature wax candle, with over half a century of perfume-making expertise and tradition.

One of them is Café, with the notes of percolating coffee and wood. Pair it with a fruity, vegetal Rhubarbe candle, and suddenly the scent of coffee and freshly baked pie permeates my home. 

Diptyque’s other new scents are Ortie (nettle) a fresh green fragrance, nutty, woody Sesame Noir, and Shiso, which evokes the scent of a Japanese herb garden. 

Meanwhile, the candle’s glass vessel has been redesigned, with an oval-shaped ridge tracing the ends of its black-and-white label, featuring its trademark dancing letters and its address at 34 Boulevard Saint- Germain. – Yvette Fernandez, Chief of Editorial Content

Shop Diptyque here.

Josh Boutwood’s Osteria Pop-Up at Balmori Suites, Rockwell Center

I was thrilled to return to  Osteria at Balmori Suites in Rockwell Center, especially after how much I enjoyed chef Josh Boutwood’s pop-up in the same space last September. This limited run, happening now until  June 28, is even more special since he now returns to it as a chef with two Michelin starred restaurant, Helm.

The menu is rooted in Italian comfort food at its best, where great ingredients and simplicity in preparation take center stage. Every dish feels thoughtful without trying too hard, letting the flavors speak for themselves.

One of my absolute favorites are the mussels, which are best enjoyed with a side order of Boutwood’s famous sourdough bread and butter. The bread alone is worth ordering, perfect for soaking up every last bit of the sauce. I also loved the shaved zucchini salad, lightly dressed with olive oil and parmesan cheese. It was fresh, clean, and balanced, the kind of dish that seems  very simple but leaves a lasting impression.

The roast chicken with fennel was another standout, deeply comforting and beautifully cooked, while the bucatini amatriciana delivered exactly what you want from a classic pasta dish, rich, satisfying, and full of flavor. To end the meal, the tiramisu was excellent, light enough after a hearty meal but still indulgent.

Osteria captures the kind of Italian dining I always crave, warm, unfussy, and centered on honest cooking. It is the sort of place that makes you want to linger at the table just a little longer.

 For more information, head to Josh Boutwood’s IG account @popupsbyjoshboutwood. For reservations, please call + 63 945 516 7151

Sake Selections at Sakagura

Ever since watching sake sommelier and educator Chan Tran’s Bar None: Understanding Sake masterclass, I’ve been fascinated by how a drink made from the same handful of ingredients—rice, water, yeast, and koji—can express itself so differently from bottle to bottle. A recent sake flight at Sakagura’s omakase brought that lesson into sharp focus. Located at One Bonifacio High Street, it brought back memories of those tiny Tokyo eateries in backstreets my friends and I would get lost in.

The lineup moved from crisp and delicate to rich and expressive, with each pour revealing a distinct personality. There was the clean, food-friendly precision of Kubota Senjyu Ginjo, the bright acidity of Hiraizumi Maruhi No. 77, and the elegant aromatics of Miyakanbai Junmai Daiginjo. Ninki-Ichi Gold Junmai Daiginjo offered a softer, more polished profile, while Kuromatsu Senjo provided depth and structure without overwhelming the palate.

What impressed me most was how effortlessly the flight adapted to the meal. (But even Chan told me that one bottle works just as well throughout a meal.) One sake sharpened the sweetness of a glossy fillet of shima aji, or striped jack fish; another stood up to a rich bowl of udon; yet another found common ground with wagyu beef. Rather than competing with the food, each seemed to reveal a different facet of it.

For anyone still convinced sake belongs in a single category, this flight serves as a reminder that it may be one of the most versatile drinks at the table.

Sakagura Sake/Izakaya Bar’s 8 Course Chef’s Omakase is Php4,995+ plus Php1,995 for the sake pairing, offered daily from 6:30PM-8:30PM at One Bonifacio High Street by Ayala Malls, BGC. For reservations, call 0956 029 4791