Been There Christmas – Manila 2 (2023) was released together with this mug. It is pretty easy to get lost between Philippines releases, so here are some distinctive features of this particular mug, that will allow you to tell it apart from others:
1. The box and the inside of the mug are purple
2. The design replicates the regular mug but has a Christmas (red) reusable cup next to the name of the mug
I am finally adding Starbucks Been There Christmas – Philippines 2 here, so you can have a proper understanding of the Special Edition mugs from the Land of Smiles. This particular release was spotted during the 2023 Holiday season. It resembles the Summer Edition which I’ve reviewed recently, except instead of black, Starbucks used gold color to outline the elements of the design. When compared to the Philippines Christmas v1, this new version doesn’t have any Holiday-themed elements, except for the red cup right next to the palm tree.… Read more
Starbucks Been There – Boracay 2 – Summer Edition 2023 is the fourth and final mug from the last summer batch release. I wonder if there is going to be a new version soon. Let’s keep an eye on that.
Boracay, often hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful islands, is a tropical paradise located in the Philippines. This small island, measuring just under four square miles, is famous for its powdery white sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and vibrant marine life.… Read more
Starbucks Been There Cebu 2 Summer Edition 2023 is the third mug from last summer’s batch release. Similar to others it has the design of the regular mug outlined in black. Do you see how the Starbucks reusable cup is not red? This tells us that the mug is not a Christmas edition, but rather something else.
Cebu, the bustling province located in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines, is a vibrant tapestry of history and culture. It holds a significant place in Philippine history as the site of Ferdinand Magellan’s arrival in 1521, marking the beginning of Spanish colonization in the archipelago.… Read more
In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that last summer there were four Philippines mugs released in the scope of a mini sub-series. Starbucks Been There Manila 2 Summer Edition 2023 is one of them.
As you can see from the pictures below, it resembles the regular mug very much, with the only difference being the black outlined design.
Here are some points of interest that can be seen on the sides of the mug:
– The Manila City Hall, an iconic symbol of governance and history, stands proudly in the heart of Manila, Philippines.… Read more
What you’re seeing is the mug that popped up last summer and caused some confusion. At first glance, Been There – Philippines 2 – Summer Edition 2023 looked like the Christmas mug, outlined with black only. However, after a quick search, I found out that the somewhat official name of the new four Philippines mugs (see the last photo in this post) is “Summer Been There Series”. The cover is not different from the regular version and has no additional writing, however, the actual box is black.… Read more
Starbucks Been There Christmas Philippines mug is the Holiday Edition of the regular mug that I’ve reviewed two years ago. If you compare these two mugs side by side (see the picture below), it becomes obvious that they’re quite different. Looking back at the holiday releases from previous years, I expected small elements added or replaced to introduce that Christmas spirit: trees are replaced with Christmas trees, gifts, snowmen, candy canes, etc. With the Been There Christmas Philippines mug, Starbucks decided to go that extra mile to make it unique.… Read more
And last, but not least out of four Philippines ornaments is Starbucks Been There Ornament Cebu. Cebu province consists of the main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. Its capital, Cebu City, a.k.a. “the Queen City of the South”, is the oldest city and first capital of the Philippines.
Very much like its full-sized brother, the ornament is featuring a giant Whale Shark on the front. Cebu seems to be a perfect spot to have a swimming/diving tour with these majestic giant animals.… Read more
Starbucks Been There Ornament Manila looks similar to the full-size mug and comes with the red string. Manila is the capital of the Philippines and the most densely populated city proper in the world.
The design of the ornament is dedicated to a great mix of the city’s architecture that shows a wide range of styles from different historical and cultural periods. While browsing the city, you can notice American, Spanish, Chinese, and Malay influences everywhere.
I would like to mention the Rizal Monument (Motto Stella, “guiding star”).… Read more
Starbucks Been There Ornament Boracay is the second out of four Philippines ornaments released back in 2020. Boracay is a popular touristic destination and I made a review of the bigger mug two years ago.
The design of the ornament is all about the wide range of activities the island of Boracay can offer.
Willy’s Rock is probably the island’s most popular landmark. It is located in shallow waters near the beach and represents a tidal island with a statue of the Virgin Mary on top of steps that are carved into the volcanic rock.… Read more
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