Christmas at The Pen kicks off with concert, merienda
THE PENINSULA Manila kicks off the holiday season on Oct. 14 with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and festive music by The CompanY, 92AD, and The Peninsula Strings at The Lobby. While the lights, decorations, and stars have changed through the years, The Pen’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony has remained a quintessential Manila experience and a holiday beacon for Manileños and visitors alike since it was first lit 46 years ago in December 1976. In 1976, George Fraschina, The Pen’s first General Manager walked across the marble expanse of The Lobby to light a 45-foot Christmas tree adorned with hundreds of fairy lights in red, gold, and green, as a choir performed. Fourty-six years later, the holiday tradition continues as a message of hope and peace with current General Manager Masahisa Oba lighting up the tree with the children from Virlanie Foundation. The Ceremony will be followed by a concert featuring The CompanY and 92AD, along with The Peninsula Strings, performing holiday tunes that guests can sing along to while enjoying a merienda buffet at The Lobby. The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held at The Lobby on Oct. 14, Friday, from 3 to 6:30 p.m. The special Merienda Buffet costs P3,300 (with Champagne), P2,500 (adults), and P1,250 (children under 12). Prices are inclusive of taxes.
Marco Polo Ortigas lights up pink
TOGETHER with Marco Polo Hotels worldwide, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October (pinktober) with an annual campaign to raise awareness of the impact of breast cancer. To start with, the five-star hotel is offering special pink-themed items in selected food and beverage establishments: the Pink Highball “mocktail” and Pink Osmanthus Sour cocktail, both available in the Connect Lounge and Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge, as well as the Pink Strawberry Entremet cake, available in Café Pronto. Twenty percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Akbay Ginhawa Foundation, an independent non-profit organization which supports the healthcare mission of The Medical City. “Breast Cancer Awareness Month is very important and meaningful to the Marco Polo Hotels group as this provides a wealth of information on breast cancer and opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment,” said Colin Healy, General Manager of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila. “Our global and local hotel initiatives aim to make a substantial impact on raising breast cancer awareness together with our stakeholders, partners, and employees.” The 45-story hotel is lit up pink for the entire month of October to assert its stance. Later this month, the management team will conduct a Breast Cancer Awareness talk for all its employees as well as its annual company-wide checkup for early detection. To learn more, visit marcopolohotels.com, like Marco Polo Ortigas Manila on Facebook, and follow @marcopolomanila on Instagram.
Tapas and sangria at Casa Buenas
THIS October, Casa Buenas holds the Fiestapas y Sangria promo. For P1,500 nett, sit down with a glass of red or white Sangria and a sampler set of six tapas specialties: Quezo de Fonduta, Shrimp Isaw, Okoy de Pulpo, Tuna Tartare Kilawin, Salmon Tostada, and Grilled Sausage at Newport World Resorts’ Casa Buenas, located at the GF Newport Grand Wing. Fiestapas y Sangria offer is available for the whole month of October. Meanwhile, Bar 360 and The Grand Bar and Lounge offer the High Beer Set, a bundle of German beer and bar chow meant for sharing. Munch on Crispy Pata, fried chicken, chili con carne, sizzling sausages, and assorted cold cuts while sipping on a cold drink for P2,000 net. The High Beer Set is available all October from 6 to 10 p.m. at Bar 360 and The Grand Bar and Lounge, located at the GF gaming areas of the Newport Garden Wing and the Newport Grand Wing, respectively.
Johnnie Walker Luxury Boutique in Shangri-La Plaza
DIAGEO Philippines officially unveiled the newest Johnnie Walker Luxury Boutique at Rustan’s Shangri-La Plaza. It showcases Diageo’s lineup of Prestige scotch whisky brands, led by Johnnie Walker Blue Label, John Walker & Sons XR21, Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12YO, and Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky 16YO. The centerpiece of the Luxury Boutique is its personalization and gifting station where shoppers can personalize their whisky purchases with options such as engraving services or custom leather tags, further positioning Johnnie Walker as the perfect gift for special occasions and gatherings. All purchases also come in limited edition gift packaging. Customers can avail of the Luxury Boutique’s engraving services with a minimum order of any two bottles. After payment, guests fill out a personalization form indicating which name or short message they would like engraved on the bottles. The personalized bottles are then delivered to the customers’ homes within three to five working days. The Johnnie Walker Luxury Boutique is at the 3rd floor of Rustan’s Shangri-La Plaza, until Dec. 31.
New cake marks Conti’s 25th anniversary
TO CELEBRATE its 25th anniversary, Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant has rolled out the Hazelnut Fudge cake. “This decadent concoction celebrates our past, present, and future,” says Angela Conti-Martinez, one of the Conti sisters who founded the Filipino restaurant chain. The new Conti’s Hazelnut Fudge cake is made with hazelnut mousse and vanilla cream on a bed of crushed sugar cone, with bits of brownie brittle in between, topped with chewy hazelnut fudge. The Filipino-owned bakeshop and restaurant chain did not just survive the economic downturn brought by the pandemic, it thrived and emerged even stronger. Within the past 12 months, Conti’s opened 10 more stores in Luzon and more branches are expected to launch as the brand continues to grow. Hazelnut Fudge is available in all Conti’s stores for P1,025. Get a free special anniversary Placemat for every order of Hazelnut Fudge. Promo runs while supplies last.
Coffee and caramel in Goldilocks’ new greeting cake
GOLDILOCKS’ newest premium greeting cake is Coffee Caramel Cake. The hefty 9” round cake can serve 12 people for P649. Mocha buttercream icing covers mocha-flavored layers. To order the new Coffee Caramel Cake, visit a Goldilocks store or order online through www.goldilocksldelivery.ph.
Pejoy and Krispy Kreme collaborate this Halloween
GLICO Philippines, Inc. and Krispy Kreme Philippines jointly announce a collaboration to ring in the screams for Halloween in the Philippines with a collection of limited-edition doughnuts featuring Glico’s Pejoy biscuit sticks. Krispy Kreme has created six Halloween-themed doughnuts under the Krispy Skremes Spell Book Collection. Glico’s Pejoy biscuit sticks, filled with chocolate cream were used in three of the six creations, bearing spellbinding names — Enchanted Apple, Witch’s Broom and Magic Cauldron. To add to the element of surprise, Enchanted Apple comes in two mystery flavors — either Spiced Apple and Dark Chocolate. Customers will only find out which one they have gotten after taking a bite of the Enchanted Apple. Other creations in the collection are the Wicked Witch that comes with the Witch’s Broom as its body, the Black Cat, and the Book of Spells. The Krispy Skreme Spell Book collection is available at all Krispy Kreme stores and online shop in the Philippines from Oct. 14 to 31. Krispy Kreme will also be giving out a special Trick or Treat goodie bag at their stores nationwide on Oct. 30 to 31 (while supplies last).
Pizza Hut’s WingStreet now available on foodpanda
LEADING online quick commerce platform foodpanda recently announced a new partnership with WingStreet, Pizza Hut’s new digital brand. The partnership comes as WingStreet is set to open over 140 branches across the country. “As we finally launch WingStreet in the Philippines through foodpanda, we hope to offer our customers more ways to access their food with ease and convenience. We believe that foodpanda is the perfect partner to bring this vision into life,” said PPI Holdings, Inc. COO Chacha Juinio. WingStreet serves saucy chicken wings and dips, available in Garlic Parmesan, Honey BBQ, and other flavors, which can be ordered via foodpanda delivery nationwide. The partnership will be simultaneously launched with foodpanda’s preferred partnership program, pandapick. This will feature both restaurants and digital brands available only on foodpanda. Get with exclusive pandapick discounts when ordering WingStreet using the code PANDAPICK.
Wendy’s offers new Breakfast Rice Bowls
WENDY’s Philippines gives morning diners a new twist with its filling Breakfast Rice Bowls and creamy Frosty-ccino drinks. Customers can choose between two saucy options: the Bacon Mushroom Melt (BMM) Rice Bowl and Honey BBQ Tapa Rice Bowl. Each breakfast offer comes with a marbled fried egg and a hot steaming bowl of rice and is priced at P159 each for solo orders, and P185 for a combo meal with brewed coffee. They are available from midnight until 11 a.m. at Wendy’s Breakfast Stores. Wendy’s also presents the Frosty-ccino, a smooth, cold coffee swirled with the iconic Frosty mix and served over ice. The creamy cup costs P89 or diners can upgrade their meal drink by adding P35. Wendy’s is available via www.wendys.com.ph, FB messenger, hotline 8533-3333 and major food aggregators, Grabfood, foodpanda, PickARoo and Toktok food.
Mang Inasal celebrates ‘Ihaw Fest’ this October
MANG Inasal offers back-to-back deals this October as it throws a month-long “Ihaw Fest” at all its branches nationwide. It offers Ihaw-Sarap, Unli-Saya deals every week of the month: until Oct. 14, diners get free Unli-Rice for every dine-in order of Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal Paa Large with Extra Creamy Halo-Halo Small; from Oct. 15 to 21, its free four rice and four drinks for every takeout or delivery order of Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal Paa Large Family Size; from Oct. 22 to 28, its free Extra Creamy Halo-Halo Small for every dine-in, takeout, or delivery order of two Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal Paa Large Value Meals; and, from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, a P40 discount for every takeout or delivery order of Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal Paa Family Size. For the full promo mechanics, visit https://bit.ly/3rxycGm.
Healthy back-to school baon
ONE of the challenges of sending children back to school is ensuring that they have healthy nutrition options in their lunchboxes. So, The Goodwill Market is making it easier for parents to pack their healthy snacks, with a catalogue of baon (snack) products that can be delivered to their doorstep. Items include Gullon cookies and wafers made with healthy ingredients. There is the Mega Dueto Chocolate, a chocolate filling sandwiched between two large Gullón biscuits, while the No Sugar Added Chocolate Cream Sandwich Cookies are made with high-oleic sunflower oil, no artificial flavors, which serve as a cholesterol-free source of fiber. Traditional baon favorites are given a healthier take with the Sugar Free Vanilla and Chocolate Wafer and Sugar Free Maria Biscuits. Choices of Fruit Me Up drinks are available on The Goodwill Market including Apple Banana which is rich in potassium, Vitamin C, and fiber, and Mango Banana Passion gives a tropical vibe that is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. Fruit Me Up also has Soursop Apple and Strawberry and Pink Guava combinations. All these and more are available at The Goodwill Market online site (www.goodwill.market). Sign up for the newsletter to get ahead on promos and the latest product news and reviews.
New product: Chill Spiked Spirit
Chill is a new spiked spirit that can give drinkers a buzz minus the heavy feeling. It has 5% alcohol content, and it’s made with real fruit juice extract. Chill comes in three flavors: Red Apple, Lemon Lime, and Lychee. It also has zero trans-fat, and no artificial sweetener. A spiked spirit — also known as hard seltzer — is made up of alcohol, soda, and fruit juice. Chill Spiked Spirit is available in 330 ml cans at a suggested retail price of P51 each and can be found at convenience stores and supermarkets nationwide, as well as on online shopping sites.