Flavors of the World: Incredible India

Wednesday, August 30, 2017



When you hear about India, what do you think makes it special? Is it the monuments made of love? Is it the wildlife? Is it the people? I'm sure most of you would agree it's the food! India is one of the most unique destinations to go to because their understanding of how to use spice is just unbelievable. This is why Sofitel Manila is featuring Flavors of the World: Incredible India. Now your love for spices will go to a whole new level as they feature different dishes at the best buffet spot in the Philippines (which is their restaurant) called SPIRAL. 



Starting from September 11 - 17 Chef Halim Ali Khan will prepare a full blown Indian feast at the Indian atelier featuring the best of Northern Indian cuisine. 

A representarive from the Indian Embassy spoke in front and said "India would like to congatulate Sofitel for being part of the 70th year of independence of India. I wish you all the very best!"

Chef Halim adds "Indian food is popular amomg Filipinos and tourists as well, I hope you will like the Indian food we prepared at Sofitel's atelier's. You will get to know more about our country, all our 27 provinces and how dishes differ in every region. We hope you come back this week as we celebrate our independence."

After that we had a showcase of Indian fashion courtesy of the Indian Embassy:










Now aside from the gorgeous outfits, they also have turned Spiral into an Indian inspired dining area. You'll feel, smell and eat like Kings and Queens in Manila's best buffet, so call 8326988or email them at h6308-fb12@sofitel.com if you want to reserve.



Thank you Sofitel Manila! 



Meet Kristian Sarmiento from Gentlemen of The Philippines



A dapper, confident and handsome man, that's Kristian Sarmiento. He's 21 years old, already a title holder as Mr. Quezon 2013 but feels he can do more now that he's joined Gentlemen of the Philippines 2017. He's got insecurities just like the rest of us, but he goes about to say "I do workout as a hobby, but it has made me more confident and comfortable about myself. I live with my 3 siblings and feel good that even if my folks work in another town, I have a place to call home and that to me is priceless."


He is also a very spirited dancer, so in the finals night he's willing to show his moves to prove how talented he is. He's also keen to enter showbusiness if he's given the opportunity to appear in tri-media, he'll grab it by the tail and ride with it. The dreamer from Lucban also says he's so lucky to have been able to receive support not just from his hometown but nearby cities in Quezon. He's thankful to see them go the extra mile making waves in their province, and sees this as an opportunity to also inspire them as he vies for the title of the Gentlemen of the Philippines. 



He also wants to dedicate his efforts to join this pageant to his mom who has always been supportive all throughout the competition and has given him the necessary courage to pit against other men in the contest. He loves her dearly and I think that shows how a good man he is, showing love for family and friends because that definitely doesn't make him less of a man to do it. You'll be swooned by this gentleman from Lucban, Quezon not just because he's tall, dark and handsome, but more so because he's family centric, which I deem is an important characteristic that a winner for Gentlemen of the Philippines should have.

If you want Kristian to win and know more about the competition, click https://goo.gl/HGRDpB and follow the instructions on how to cast your vote. The finals night of Gentlemen of the Philippines will happen on September 9 at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City. I'm rooting for him to win! 



KUMAGCOW
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PHILAM Life #LiveBetter Expo!

Monday, August 28, 2017



Living better is total wellness. Eating healthy, working on your fitness, your mind and also planning for your future. Promoting living better as their mantra, insurance company Philam Life is launching the #LiveBetter EXPO. A caravan which they will take places so people would be able to learn how to prepare for our future, secure it, with a matching vitality program by rewarding you for keeping yourself healthy. 


So during the expo, we had ourselves checked by a dietician. She computed for my BMI or body mass index and told me what I should eat. I needed more veggies of course but I'm in a diet which is quite close to Keto. So scratch that thought becaus I'm eating meat! Haha.

"Our activities are based on our four pillars. Working out, the proper nutrition, insurance and financial intelligence. We will make sure this goes out to other parts of Manila, and later the country." -Berns Chincuangco of Philam Life


For a bit of wise decisions, they also had us promise a few health goals. I did something straight to the point. I've been in yoyo diets and it's keeping me okay sometimes, but a bit overweight in some instances. So I'm promising not to get fat by eating the right kind of meals when I can.



There were partner brands that were there too. They have discounts during the event but fret not, they have these guys in the PhilAm Vitality app which you can avail too. I liked what The Body Shop, Garmin and Tobys Sports had on display and if you're working out with the app, you'll get different perks like that.


They also got us to do different activities from Gold's Gym. They wanted us to ultimately live healthy lives while we're under PhilAm Life Insurance. 


Speaking of which, they explained to us that with the PhilAm Vitality app, you could get more perks and higher rewards if you keep yourself healthy. That's unheard of in the insurance business, but makes total sense. If you don't get sick, if you don't have problems with your health, you'll live longer and make use of your insurance money for more financially adept investments because you're okay. 


They had guest stars during the event and they shared their experience. "I started because I wanted to live a better life and I was unhappy, I just sticked to my goals and said it's now or never! -Raymond Gutierrez

"The older you get, the difficult it is but it's better to start than not to start at all. I workout a lot but also rest and take vacations. I eat right but also cheat every once in a while, so it's just a balance that we have to do in order to be healthy." -Solenn Heussaff

"You need to enjoy the journey, I look forward to working out everyday because I am very passionate about it. It takes an hour everyday to get to your fitness goals. Make time for your self, for your body because you will benefit from it." -Nico Bolzico

So download the Philam Life Vitality App and see one of their representatives to avail of their products. They will also introduce you to investments (aside from yourself) so you can take care of your future. That's Philam Life!

Stay tuned for more Philam Life #LiveBetter Expos that's going around the country soon! Follow their social media channels for more information!


KUMAGCOW
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Pizza Hut Opens New Hip Branch in Mall of Asia



I super love dining at Pizza Hut Bistro in Gateway Mall, but this one is special. It's a new hip branch they've recently opened up in SM Mall of Asia, and if I may I'd like to quote the executive that said it's the first of it's kind in the world... so in a nutshell this is history in the making.


What's different you say? It's the OPEN CONCEPT. Probably patterned on this trend in the US, they very well know that it would work in the Philippines too. You can take a look and see the whole restaurant from end to end, even the kitchen adopts it as well. That thing in the end has glass from one part of the restaurant to the other. You'll see how your dishes get prepared and salivate on how they make your salads, pasta's, pizzas, chicken and drinks all in one place, and now all you've got to do is experience it yourself. It's a revamped menu too! Not only that, one area of this busy restaurant is dedicated to Pizza Hut merchandise which are now selling like hotcakes, I mean their pizzas, because it honestly looks good too. The whole place can accommodate a BIG crowd, as it felt like a huge food hall but really, this is just one restaurant. 

The Fried Chicken, still nice and crispy even without the gravy!

Oh and the famous THICK CRUST PIZZA! I of course want the one with STUFFED CRUST so if you can order that, please do!

Oh yes, they have desserts!


If ever they have events or see that the restaurant would be a little tight like on this day, they can set up pop up counters and sell em slices, or better yet, whole pizzas! 

If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you visit the Pizza Hut SM Mall of Asia branch today. It sits right at the center of the mall near the entrance where the fountains/wishing pond are found. After going inside, it's on the left side. You can't miss it because it's probably full of people already! They have a separate counter and the place is pretty open. You'll get to smell pizza even from afar! Haha!

Thank you Pizza Hut for inviting us in your opening! You guys rock!




KUMAGCOW
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