The Coffee Beanery: For the More Discriminating Coffee Aficionados…

First, don’t be mistaken this cafe for the “other” coffee shop, because the way they brew coffee is really something very exceptional. This café is one of Cravings’ creative extensions of its beverage line. For some who are familiar with TCB well, they are one and the same. But the management would want to place The Coffee Beanery among distinct coffee drinkers who take coffee a little more special than usual. 

Last week, I was fortunate to be invited to attend a special coffee appreciation day at The Coffee Beanery, katipunan. The master baristas immersed us in the different types of how a coffee is prepared and each one captures a different kind of blend, strength and sophistication which only a real coffee drinker can appreciate. The drinking session was more like of a wine appreciation. The Coffee Beanery baristas presented the three kinds of approaches and equipment in making the best coffee. 

POUR-OVER:

The Pour-over approach is one of the most common way of preparing a gourmet coffee, because it’s just like how a simple percolator works. But in this approach, instead of a percolator regulating the hot-pouring of water on the grounded beans, it is the barista who regulates this with correct precision, manually. In this approach, a barista can regulate the amount of water thus controlling the strength of the coffee as preferred by the costumer. In a percolator, often times gets residue of grounded beans in the pot, but through manual pouring, a barista can carefully control its flow. 

AERO-PRESS:

The Aero-press is like a French-press type but this one is more compact. The aero-press is more like an over-sized syringed with an air-tight plunger. This type of coffee maker can squeeze out all the flavors of the beans. But one can regulate this in the earlier part of the preparation which is the stirring. The longer you stir, the stronger the coffee will come out. The barista instructed us to stir only for 10 seconds, any longer will give the coffee a much bolder flavor and body. 

SIPHON:

Among the three, the Siphon style is the most complicated one to prepare. This requires a bit of “Chemistry lab” action where a barista will use a Bunsen burner to heat up the flask. Among the three, this one also is the most tedious one to do. It will take a newbie several tries to get the right boldness and right flavor. But the whole process is so fun and exciting to do. So if you order a coffee via Siphon, you will need a little patience because this will take more time to do. 

After the presentation, the master baritas called for three volunteers to get the chance to experience to try preparing gourmet coffee using the three approaches. I was task to do the Aero-Press style. It was really a challenging experience because everything needs to be precise including the amount of beans and water ratio needed to get the perfect balance of flavor. In the end, my coffee preparation turned out to be okay and passed the standards of the master baristas.  

Sophistication is what defines The Coffee Beanery. Coffee drinking enthusiasts would know better the right type of coffee to be served. Each month, they feature two different kinds of beans and they highlight all the best beans in the world. This month, they offer Argentinian Beans and Kenyan.  

Robinson’s Supermarket: Celebrate Family healthy living with Wellness Festival

Healthy living has been the steady trending culture among many Filipinos ever since the running sensation captured everyone’s lifestyle in the last decade. If there is one good culture Filipinos are making great improvements, is adapting a healthy lifestyle. At last, many of this healthy Pinoys are starting to think what’s good for his health.  

This healthy lifestyle is not only limited to exercise but extends to the very substance that we take in to our bodies. Many foods available today in grocery stores do not have enough healthy ingredients that will help keep us fit. One good news is that there are some stores that offers not just low price on food items but also give you good information that the food you are buying is tagged as DOST-FNRI certified healthy foods.

Last June 19, 2014, Robinson’s Supermarket launches its three-day series Wellness festivals in Robinson’s Magnolia from June 19-22. This Wellness Festival aims to offer Filipino Families to eat healthy foods and be informed about the right nutrition to gain a fit and Healthy Lifestyle. Robinson’s forged a partnership with the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition institute (DOST-FNRI) to certify the products that passed its nutrition standards.

The festival was also participated by various brands that supported Robinson’s Wellness Campaign.  It includes Uniliver Products, Nestle, Dizon’s Farm, Abbott, Breville and Magnolia products. These brands offers free consultations and free sample products that will show the consumers that their brands carry the DOST-FNRI certification. 

So the next time you visit Robinson’s Supermarket take notice of the color tags that comes with the price tag. Each color represent s a special feature, either price-down sale, a brand comes with a free product or for the green-tag, it means the product are grown organically and passes DOST-FNRI nutrition standards.  

The 8th MegaBrands Sale comes back at the Megatrade Halls

MegaBrands Sale is considered as one of the most anticipated events where shoppers buy their favorite brands at reduced prices, and as an effective venue for exposure and promotion for great and upcoming brands in the market. 

Once again, MCT Events Management will stage the 8th MegaBrands Sale on June 27-29, 2014 from 10am to 9pm at the Megatrade Hall 2 & 3, 5th Level, Mega B, SM Megamall with its bank partner, RCBC Bankard. Soft Selling starts on June 26, 2pm-8pm, to catch the first wave of sale items.

This 3-day Mid Year / Back to School Sale will showcase more than 120 leading brands, both domestic and international. Price cuts are up to 70% discount from shoes, bags, men’s and ladies’ fashion, sporting goods and accessories, personal care, gadgets, computer parts and accessories. 

Some of the participating brands are Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Rockport, Levi’s, Roos, RRJ, Petrol, Philips, Rudy Project, Ray Ban, Coleman, Hawk Bag, CMG,  Figlia, Sebago, and many others will surely delight the shoppers with their offerings and promos.

RCBC Bankard cardholders are also in for a treat! You can enjoy 0% interest for up to twelve (12) months on your purchases at the 8th MegaBrands Sale.  Groupon Philippines will also offer exciting promos and give-aways to every shopper who will visit their booth during the 3-days event.Admission is Free and all major credit cards are accepted. 

This event is organized by MCT Events Management in partnership of RCBC Bankard, Groupon Philippines and World Vision Philippines with our media partners: WhenInManila.com, OutofTownblog.com, WhatsOnSale PH and trailsunlimited.blogspot.com.

For more details about the event, please call 239-3807/ 502-1546/ 399-2935 or email mctevents@gmail.com. You may also follow us through Facebook Fanpage: www.facebook.com/MCT-Events-Management or in twitter: @mcteventsmngmnt for more updates on this event.

   

Transformers: The Age of Extinction

Transformers, one of Hasbro’s most successful animated series adapted into a multi-million dollar motion picture has come up with its fourth extension story of the alien transforming robots dubbed as the Age of Extinction. 

The fourth chapter of the movie revolves in a whole new badass nemesis, which features a whole new set of autobots and highlights a different human character allies such as the character of Mark Walberg. 

Last June 13, 2014, SM Cinema, Paramount Pictures in partnership with Oreo organized a media sneak peek of the movie that was held at the Atrium of SM Mall of Asia. The event was graced by members of the media and also key sponsors like Oreo and Oppo Mobiles. Organizers showcase the sinister character of the movie which is Grimlock, a very powerful transforming T-Rex, whose character holds the  very critical outcome of the movie. 

It also presented the newest ad of Oreo which features the Character of Optimus Prime. In the movie, it will show why Bumble Bee transformed into a retro make over from the latest model of Camaro to a 70’s muscle car charger. It will also feature atobots Hound and Drift and together with the leader Optimus Prime, these band of super Cyber-organic machines battle with the different kind of enemy in the hope to save the world from its total extinction.  

Transformers: Age of Extinction is directed by its long-time director, Michael Bay. It will be shown in all major cinemas in the metro on June 25., 2014. The special sneak peek event was organized by MCT Events Managment Inc. 

Meltique Beef: Another good reason to Celebrate Fathers Day

Australia, a country which is quite famous for their quality cattle is bringing into the Philippines one of the best beef product – Meltique Beef.

For those who are not aware, Meltique cattles are grass-fed, Australian livestock roam freely in green pastures in wide acres of land. Because of this type of cattle raising, Meltique Beef tends to have less fatty marbling and relatively low in cholesterol. And unlike grain-fed ones, Meltique beef contains minerals that combat cancer which is Omega 3.

Last week, I had the rare opportunity to be invited in food tasting event that features Meltique beef. It was held at Stella Wood Fire Bistro in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The event was graced by the people of Meat and Livestock Australia – MLA, the very company that brought in meltique beef products into the country. Along with other members of the media and food industry, we were very fortunate to be served some of the best mouth-watering beef dishes.

The chef of the house served us three special beef dishes. The first one is the Alder Chip Smoked Australian Beef Tartar with Burnt leeks and shaved Picorino. This dish is actually raw maybe a little off to eat. For me it was a discovery, because I get to appreciate good quality beef in its purest form. And even though its raw, the meat is so tender and it’s very easy to chew, plus you get to appreciate it better with its smoky flavor.

Since I like salads, this one is really a treat. Grilled Australian Striploin with Bokidnon Organic Greens Quinoa, and Pickled Watermelon Radish with Honey Lime Vinaigrette. The striploin is actually the tenderloin part of Meltique beef, very tender and flavorful. The Greens were also very fresh and the mixture of Vinaigrette jives well with the whole concoction.

The main course is the Herb Crusted Wood-fired Australian Cube Roll with Roasted Bone Marrow Potato Puree and Heirloom Vegetables. This is a Rib-eye dish, approximately 200 grams one inch thick medallion beef cube roll.

Of course, a fine dining will not be complete without desserts. The serving is a platter of three different kinds of desserts; French Vanilla Bean Cream Brulee, Lemonlime Sorbet and Spiced Chocolates. I like the presentation of the Cream Brulee, because it was creatively placed in an egg shell. The Spiced Chocolates were really spicy with sprinkle of chili. But that’s okay because I like chili.

For those who wish to celebrate father’s day with a taste of Meltique dishes, you can drop by Stella Wood-fired Bistro at BGC. If you wish to have a personal take of this quality Australian beef at home, you can get them exclusively at S&R Supermarket.

Adidas Men’s Body Care Products

Adidas, the leading sports shoes and apparel brand has extended its line of products to cover athletes' needs even after the game is over. With its newest hair and body care line, an athlete is sure to have a holistic Adidas experience.

Adidas Ice Dive is a refreshing hair and body shower gel specially developed for athletes who wish for a cooler feeling. With the scent of marine extract, it’s a 2-in-1 shower gel that takes care of your body, eliminating the sweat and odor from a long game in the field or court. It also acts as a shampoo to clean your hair of all the dirt from a long trail-run or a tiring cross-country bike ride. It’s an ideal body care solution for men like me who are not fond of bringing a lot of products during out-of-town races. 

The Adidas Anti-Perspirant comes in two applications. One is a roll-on, which I am not much a fan of, and the other one is a body spray. Personally, I like the body spray type better because the scent is so good that I can even use it not only on my underarm but also as a spray cologne to be applied in other parts of the body. These anti-perspirant products are guaranteed to work for 72 hours to help keep your body cool and dry all day long. 

Last week, I joined Run United 2 and finished a 32 kilometer race, barefoot. The run was tough and yet very fun and exciting. It was my first time to run at the new Cavitex, a super highway that connects  Roxas Boulevard from Pasay to Bacoor, Cavite. The road condition was very nice for barefoot runners like me as it is all paved with asphalt. 

I was able to finish the run at over three hours; not my best time for a 32k but it was a decent and strong finish. After the race I managed to freshen myself up in one of the clean restrooms at the Quirino Grandstand. There was no shower, so I just used a wet towel to clean myself. It’s a good thing I brought my Adidas body spray to give me the refreshing feeling I needed after the race. 

OPPO Arrives in the Philippines with the Find 7

OPPO, the newest player arrives in the Philippines with its flagship product model FIND 7. Oppo is an international phone brand from China that is committed to conquer the market of mobile smart phone across the globe. 

Recently, the mobile phone brand finally launches its opening to the Philippine mobile community at the premier Hotel Sofitel. Little did many people know, Oppo has been in the mobile technology industry for more than 10 years already capturing global markets in more than 140 countries. 

Its mantra is to provide the ever developing consumers a better alternative to smart phone experience, and that is to fuse art, functionality and technology. The company is constantly in pursuit to adapt to the changing times and changing preference of the young smart phone users. 

In the Launch, Oppo executives from China presented to the audiences how Oppo phones can be very versatile with their several models, each possessing a unique feature that clads to the a specific personality of a smart phone user. 

FIND 7:

The Find 7 is Oppo’s forefront model smart phone which changes the landscape of how a mobile phone should look like. The frame is made from aerospace qualified Titanium Alloy  which is so light yet so durable. The screen is made from Gorilla Corining glass making it virtually scratch proof. It is powered by a quad-core processor under 2.4Ghz, making it the fastest in processing among its class. It also has a 13 mega pixel camera which is quite the standard in pixel size comparable to Samsung Galaxy s5, Lenovo k900 and others. 

Speaking of photo quality, Find 7 does not only take good pictures but it also captures crisp images with its Sony IMX214 CMOS Sensor with wide aperture to take in more light in taking pictures even in a very low light conditions. 

Another unique feature of Find 7 is the battery feature. It has the VOOC rapid charging technology which increases the charging speed by up to 400 percent. The battery has a 3000mAh capacity but it can be fully charged approximately in 30 minutes. This boosts practically increased the life capacity of the battery up to 75 percent. The SRP for this phone is competitively pegged at P26,000. Much lower compared to Samsung Galaxy S5, but a little pricier than Lenovo k900 which is like P21,000.

N1:

Other Oppo Phone is the N1 which features a rotating camera. But for me is more of an aesthetic feature since almost all smart phones now has a reverse camera feature. Plus a part of the phone that moves mechanically compromises its durability. But one cute feature of the N1 is the O-touch, which allows you to scroll the screen by swiping the back panel of the phone. Now, you don’t have to worry about smudges on your screen if in case your finger tips are dirty, because you don’t have to touch the screen and still find the images you’re looking for minus the smudges.  You may want also to check Oppo’s top phone models such as R1, Find 5 Mini and Neo. 

DOUBLE DOSE OF FUN FROM REX NAVARRETE

PRESS RELEASE:

Double up with laughter as Rex Navarrete serves a double dose of his antics on May 31 at Bar 360 in Resorts World Manila and on June 4 at Strumm’s in Makati. 

“I can’t wait for this and for the audience and I to have an intimate moment together,” says Rex who will be in town for the shows and some scuba diving. This year has been busy for the Fil-Am comedian who began his career on stage in 1990. “I’ve been doing shows all over, I just came back from some gigs in Australia and New Zealand,” he shares.

Mike Unson, who’s opened for American comedian Rob Schneider back in November 2013, will open both shows for Rex. Unson has been in this coveted spot since 2004. 

Sponsors include Resorts World Manila, Strumm’s Makati and www.wheninmanila.com.

Tickets are at Php 1,500 and are only available through Ticketworld.  Call 891-9999 or log on to www.ticketworld.com.ph for inquiries.

Meatless Mondays @ Harina

Healthy living is no longer a lifestyle of the “new age”eccentric few, but many are now becoming converts because of the adverse effects of process foods readily available to the fast-pace urban yuppies. On top of the chemicals and un-natural preservatives these food contain, most of these fast-foods dishes are beefed up with animal meat which contains cholesterol, animal fats, high contents of uric acid, etc. 

Come to think of it, man to begin with, is not a meat eater. According to history, the early man only started to eat meat when he discovered fire. They normally hunt the animals for self- preservation. Because if they don’t hunt the animal it will hunt them, and the only use for the animals are their hind and fur to protect man from the cold weather.  So, originally, we are all created vegetarians. So why do I know this? I accidentally stumbled upon this trivia when I was doing a research on barefoot running  years ago. Okay, so now you know. 

On another side. What other benefit we can get from eating meat aside from protein, where we  can also get it from non-meat food? Barely little, actually. Many medical experts even agree that man can get more illnesses in eating meat than drinking (regulated) alcoholic drinks.

So, I guess we need to give our-selves a break from the animal meat consumption and try to enjoy eating vegetables and fruits for a change.  

One can start by doing it on slow winning pace, say…Mondays? Since Monday is the start of the week, we can start it with a good and healthy food consumption. For some of you who are familiar with Monsee’s Restaurant along White Plains, you will come see Harina Café and during Mondays, the restaurant offers 100% NO MEAT menu for those who are vegetarians, vegans, newby vegetarians or those who want to simply dedicate a day to go meat-less. 

Last week, Hariana Café invited me and some of my blogger friends to experience 100% meatless dishes. The unique food tasting event was graced by the members of the food-blogging community and of course by our host the owners, Atty. Marina Demetrio and Ms. Sally Yunez, who are vegetarians themselves.

The hosts, served us some of their must-try dishes which at first one might think that it contains meat but not, actually.

Some of the dishes that made a mark to my taste palette is the “Dinuguan”. It is a rich black stew teeming with black mushrooms, banana blossoms, and soybean curd (it provides the black consistency) best served with rice or puto. This dish is so recommended to my INC friends out there who wish to have a taste of Dinuguan without sinning. 

Another memorable dish is the Kimchi Fried Rice with BBQ. Best for people who love eating Korean food without meat. The pseudo meat in this dish is the barbecued beancurd skin. This one taste like real meat but again, it’s not. The flavorful mix really made the difference that made you think its meat. 

And for the drinks, the server offered and allowed us to taste two types of fruit juices. One is the cumber juice and the other one is the watermelon juice. Both are really good. 

But the most memorable of all is the Red Planet, because it’s my first time to eat such dish in my life. It is a thick slice of watermelon, topped with cheese, arugula and crushed walnuts and peanuts drizzled with balsamic glazed. For those who wish to try the meatless Mondays of Harina, never leave the restaurant without trying this dish. 

So if you’re thinking of considering to go vegetarian, you might want to visit HARINA at MONSEE’S. these are vegetarian dishes with a twist without compromising the taste.

Clear Dream Match: The Final Challenge

On its third year, Philippines’ football Icon siblings James and Phil Younghusbands will come head to head on its final challenge for the Clear Dream Match. Three years ago, teams James and Phil drafted some of the best football players in the land and held its first dream match in University of Makati’s football field. The game was concluded by a victorious win of the Team Phil. The Second year, tables were turned and the victory was grabbed by Team James. 

So now, the odds are even for both teams, one-to-one. This year’s Clear Dream Match will be the final challenge and a decision maker whose team will ultimately come out to be the best. Last April 30, 2014, Unilever, the makers of Clear Anti-Dandruff shampoo and sports celebrity brothers Phil and James Younghusband held a the final draft of the third and final leg of the Clear Dream Match. The event was held at the Hive music and bar with some friends, football players of various teams, fans and members of the media.

Phil and James took turns in picking up tiny soccer balls that contained the names of the players who were drafted. In the end, these are the line ups for the both teams.  

Team James                    
Co-captain: Nate Burkey

1.  Daniel Gadia Amateur
2.  Joaquin Canas UFL
3.  Simon Greatwich Meralco
4.  OJ Porteria Kaya FC
5. Anton Del Rosario Kaya FC
6.  Misagh Bahadoran Global FC
7. Steve Yambou Pachanga FC
8. Jeffrey Christaens
9. Andrew Liauw Kaya FC
10.Dae Han Kang Phil. Army FC
11.Marvin Angeles Global FC
12. Joo Yeoung Lee Meralco
13.Chieffy Caligdong Green Archers
14.Emmanuel Mbata Kaya FC
15.Roland Sadia Global FC
16. Francisco Jose Primo Santos Amateur
17. Eduard Sacapano Phil. Army FC
18. Izzo Elhabbib
19.Daisuke Sato Global FC

Team Phil
Co- captain: Carlie De Murga

1.  Mikko Mabanag Amateur
2. Chris Greatwich Kaya FC
3. Samuel Bonney Meralco
4. Mark Hartmann Global FC
5. Anto Gonzalez Pachanga FC
6. Baba Sampana Meralco
7. Ruben Doctora Stallion FC
8. John Cain Philippine Army FC
9. Matthew Hartmann Meralco
10. PJ Fadrigalan Meralco
11.  Nicholas O’Donnel Kaya FC
12. Roxy Dorlas Meralco
13. Kenshiro Daniels Kaya FC
14.Floriano Pasilan Green Archers
15.Yoshiharu Koizumi Amateur
16. Javier Gayoso Amateur
17. Darius Joseph Diamante Amateur
18. Patrick Deyto Green Archers
19. Simone Rota Stallion FC

This coming May 26, 2014, the two teams will have the opportunity to pick another two football legends. These are Paul Scholes and Andy Cole of Manchester United. Each Younghusbands will pick an import players to join them. 

On June 7, 2014, Team James and Team Phil will take on a final battle in the world of football. With them are the country’s top players and of course two football icon legends Paul Scholes and Andy Cole of Manchester United. The final game will be held at the football field of University of Makati. Tickets to this epic game is available at all SM Ticket Net.