It was an awesome time to spend an afternoon with great friends... and twas time make new ones too.
An intimate luncheon was in session and I couldn't be more ecstatic to find out that it was going to happen at THE PENTHOUSE of Hotel Rembrandt. You see, this part of Quezon City is my hood. I've lived and breathed here all my life. Hotel Rembrandt used to be that sore thumb that naysayers said was crazy to actually been have put up in a residential district, but look at them now! Years after, they've been well received by the public, plus business travelers who want to be somewhere near the TV stations, fabulous restaurants of Tomas Morato and the multitude entertainment and businesses along Timog Avenue. This place held a lot of promise back then and in a way... they saw that coming. This place must have really smart owners.
Anyway, our business was to actually experience their Gin Bar which was located in the hotel's top floor hence the name of the place.
THE PENTHOUSE is first and foremost a real deal Gin Bar which means you'll get specialty mixes and concoctions made of that. Since we were in the mood for good drinks, we had them prepare everything on the bar menu. The gin concoctions were quite good, it was spiced right, had different flavors which they design perfect for the season. Aside from the signature ones on the menu, they always prepare a Drink of the Month so you've got something to look forward to if you're planning to frequent this place. I wouldn't be surprised if you do.
While waiting for everything to be prepared, we were served canisters of Cashew nuts. Judging from the way it looks, it ain't the usual ones that are roasted or mixed with Garlic. This is their Sambal Chili Cashew Nuts, it's got that zing you would expect from those Malay/Singaporean Sambal Chili dishes that I also love. That's pretty good, don't tell them I almost ate half of this container ah?!
My friends and I each had one glass, except for one because he doesn't drink (Hi Rodel! LOL). These glasses fell off of the table (or probably disappeared after a few minutes) because they used real spices, berries and even real cinnamon barks that further enhanced the notes of the drinks they concocted. If you're a little too tired to design your own drink (oh yes they can do that for Php 230), go for the Penthouse or the Manila (which were my favorites). I would love to have some more but that probably asks for another visit. We prepared ourselves for a sumptuous feast, a 13 course meal (15 if you count the three desserts we had! LOL) so let's see!
The Freshly Baked Rosemary Scones was unbelievable. Instead of the usual jam and butter combo, it was served with a small jar of honey which you can put on the nice biscuits with cinnamon sticks. I was trying so hard to actually not eat too much of it because I've seen the menu first hand, but the Rosemary scent in each bit proved to be weakening, my knees folded and I began pitying myself as I started seconds. I was preparing myself for the other dishes. Then they came!
This appetizer is called Deep Fried Anchovies. It's served with a couple pieces of green chili that's probably got a Scoville heat index of zero. It had that flavor, plus those salty anchovies fried to perfection like tempura. I could have sworn they used a lighter beer batter with it. They also dipped it with it in a garlic aioli, my mouth was watering just like you.
For starters, we had this bowl of hearty Cream Root Vegetable Soup. As the name suggests, they used root crops as the base for it. They added peanuts so it would have a different texture in every spoonful. Pretty good.
This is the Roasted Carrot Salad. To tell you the truth, this is one of my most hated vegetable right after bitter gourd but surprisingly I ate it all. It's got slivers of oranges, roasted carrots (it made it sweet) plus a puree underneath. They also used a citrus based dressing for this one to counteract with the sweetness of the carrots. They also added cheese so you get that little bits of saltiness from it. It's a miracle for me.
This is their Vannamei Shrimp Roll. It's sweet and toasty, but lovely and savory on the inside. This would be dreamy for those who love shrimps. It reminds me so much of Banh Mi sans the liver spread. The bread is special too as it is made of tapioca flour/potato flour. It's got it's own sweetness on the bread alone.
This is their Seafood Pasta. It's got the lovely clams, mussels, shrimps and all the goodness of the sea. The lemon crumbs on top provide a bit of citrus on the plate making it cut through that thick seafood sauce it's enveloped in. You get this fresh with miniature greens and cherry tomatoes, my Mom would love this for sure.
This is Braised Pork Cheek Gyoza. Now really, I thought this wouldn't work, but man I was wrong. It's like your lovely Japanese Gyozas but filled with your favorite Filipino Sisig sans the tons of onions. They laid on on a bed of pureed red cabbage and swirls of balsamic vinegar. It was not guilt free, but worth every bite.
I have to say I liked their Pan Seared Salmon. I don't often eat salmon but this was good. It's seared both sides, prolly put inside the oven and cooked further. They also laid it on a bed of cream risotto and a bit of micro greens. It was meaty, sweet from the light citrus sauce and a tad peppery from those small greens. I liked this and finished the plate in no time.
This is their Squid Heads. It's a good use of fresh seafood and
squid heads set on a squid ink sauce and a lot of heart warming gnocci
which was boiled and prolly cooked in butter. This is comfort food, the
kind that you fix in a bowl and curl up with a book while watching the
rain pitter patter on the window while the monsoon passes by. Okay my
mind floated there for a minute, but you get the gist right?
What you're seeing here is their Duck Duo Pan Seared Duck. This one was impressive as it wasn't gamey at all. I do shy away from the local ones because often times, they do not really raise them well. They actually use imported proteins in this hotel so that includes this one. You get what you pay for and for me, this was excellently prepared by the Chef. I think that's Spatzle if I'm not mistaken.
This is their 8 Hour Braised Lamb Shank. Again, they had this imported. The lovely mirepoix is a combination of staple vegetables from springtime in Europe. They do that and put a huge chunk of lamb on top, cooked that long to give you that super tender shank they prepared just for you. Quite good.
My friends and I were talking about the plating when each of the dishes arrived. This is the Leek Ashed Wagyu Strip Loin. Just mention anything Wagyu and I'm there LOL. Well it's not just the tender piece of meat who's the star here but the Roasted Beet Root too. It was sweet and so good that you wouldn't think it was that when you see it. They also had a beet root puree with it which functioned as part of the sauce while they had a separate gravy in another container. I like the fleur de sel which the Chef put on top of the steak slices. It was perfectly seared, medium, like heaven in my mouth. Oh wait! There's dessert!
For dessert, we had a trio of Tart Au Chocolate, Berry Pavlova and Caramelized Bananas. Nothing was overly sweet, I like that they had options with real fruits on desserts because I prefer it that way.
At the helm of Hotel Rembrandt's restaurants is Chef Chester Delos Reyes. He's donned various restaurants here and abroad including Michelin starred ones. He also trained and did further studies in Vancouver, Canada. We talked to the young Chef in the sidelines, he just got married and stayed in the Philippines because LOVE conquers all!
Listen in:
THE PENTHOUSE at Hotel Rembrandt can hold small parties and functions (could sit around 50), just call ahead of time. They also accept walk ins, they're open business hours so don't hesitate to do that as well for lunch or dinner. The place is cozy, would be perfect for short meetings, even dinner dates or afternoon breaks. Whoever said Gin bars of this stature are not accessible should definitely try and give them a visit. They're not overly pricey, the ambiance is good and the service is great. If you don't want that to happen to your day, you must be crazy. Plus, again, the good food.
For those who don't know, the hotel is under the Art Stream Hospitality Management Group. This is a company that also manages Vitalis Villas in La Union and the gorgeous Le Monet in Baguio and the majestic Hotel Luna in Vigan. So it looks like this chain of hotels are named after famous artists, doesn't that just make you want to stay in the hotels even more? That and the food of course. There's a lot of other things to discover while in Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City, the discoveries doesn't end there!
If you like what you've seen in this article, do the right thing and pay them a visit at their official website www.hotelrembrandt.com.ph or call them at +6323733333 for reservations or inquiries. The hotel is located at Tomas Morato Extension in Quezon City (very near ABSCBN). Cheers!
I had so much fun during this event. I have always regarded BlueWater Day Spa as our family's go to place for rest and relaxation. My Mom and Sister are regulars in the branch near our place and I don't even blame them at all. The superb service plus the whole experience had them hooked the first time they tried it. It's already been beneficial, when there are aches and pains because of everyday work, this serves as a refuge for them and they always invite me along if I'm free. I'm glad they still think of their well being despite being busy at home and in the workplace. I don't usually have that luxury, but I indulge if I can if time permits.
BlueWater Day Spa is not holding back on improving what they offer. They now have different varieties of wellness and beauty services. The SLASHIE life they mention is how to maintine that time to relax, take a breather and recharge even if we all have an active lifestyle. They have different ambassadors for different services.
Good looking Ervic Vijandre and Benjamin Alves pushes for their favorites which are the ATHLETE's MASSAGE and the TRADITIONAL FILIPINO HILOT. They've vouched on how it could actually relax, soothe tense nerves and eliminate cold spots especially at the back area. Man of the World 2017 Winner Mustafa Galal Elezali on the other hand prefers to do REVITA SHAPE TREATMENT because of the way it tones and slims the body parts where it matters most aesthetically. David Licauco on the other hand wants you to experience the COMBO HERBAL MASSAGE with VOLCANIC STONE HERBAL PACK. It's heat treatments with Swedish and Shiatsu massage combined. I think I tried a similar treatment in their Tomas Morato branch a couple of months ago, but if they've improved that, this is exciting!
I was a bit surprised though that they also have treatment for kids. Imagine, this place has INFANT MASSAGE which is done by appointment only.Give them a call and see how you can promote health and growth of your young ones. It also helps digestion, increases blood flow and boosts their immune system. That's going to translate remarkable improvement on your kid's health if you ask me. During the program, I liked how the Mom and Fabio Ide got so crazy with the kids. They were a lot to handle! LOL!
Kim Chiu was so gracious and so approachable outside the venue. She obliged fans of selfies including me! :) She's promoting what is called MLD or Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage. It's fit for those who don't want to have skin problems, sagging skin, PMS, sleep disorders, cramps, neck pains and lower back pains. Kim even told us how she experiences these things while shooting shows she appears in on ABSCBN. She suggests you do this twice a month because she does it too. If you want to avail of this you should book their services now!
If you want to know more about prices, like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bwdspa and message them there. Or if you prefer, they have hotlines for every branch like 8173126 for Makati, 7420426 for Ortigas, 9524829 for Capitol Hills, 9151247 for Eastwood City, 09351304250 for Cotabato City and soon in Banawe QC.
I've seen this happen last year and got so envious with the people who did it... when I received an email inviting me this year, let's just say I was giddy to actually be part of it. JACK TV, one of my favorite cable channels showing some of my favorite cartoons and programs has been doing these events for quite some time now. In partnership with San Miguel Oktoberfest, we've been tasked to do JACK TV Night Crawlers. It's a pub crawl of some sort but a tad different because we're going to scour the favorite watering holes in Bonifacio Global City. It was traffic, but I braved all that and found myself lost at BGC's Burgos Circle which was the only location indicated on the invite. It became doubly hard to find the starting point because as soon as I walked around that area, it started to rain like hell hath no fury. I came alone and arrived at BUGSY's near that circle and found myself in the midst of millennial bloggers and about a handful of their Facebook contest winners, so it was quite awkward to note that I was joining a bunch of guys and gals whom I didn't know. I guess, just like the other pub crawls where you would generally have to turn strangers into friends. :)
At BUGSY's we were treated by the JACK TV team with quick mind games, asking about their shows like our life depended on it. The other team racked in points, although some of my team mates also answered really tough ones so it was quite okay even if they took this round. I bet my team mates are going to have the next ones.
We transferred to RUE BOURBON and the rain didn't let out. We stopped here and waited a bit thinking that it would eventually stop, but did the necessary things a pub crawl should have... and that's beer. Out of the local beers in the market, my preferred bottle is an ice cold San Miguel Super Dry. Always have, always will be. Oh and Rue Bourbon had those fancy nacho chips in different colors, which were quite good actually especially for beer match.
Albeit a little drizzle was trying to stop us from enjoying the evening, we got to DWNTOWN HALDSTED next. That place was almost full to the brim when we got there. There were expats, treating themselves to really good bar chow. They've got real good cocktails also going on at the bar. We had take over the whole front and play some games again. Of course as expected, our team won this round. They have very good food there as I mentioned earlier, so what better way to celebrate but by having a small dinner there.
They had a pretty good spread. From well decorated NACHOS, the SALTED EGG CALAMARES (do I need to convince you? LOL), and the CRISPY PATA (fried pork trotters). Oh and there's more! To know who would win the pub crawl matches, we went to RELIK which was a couple blocks away from our last restaurant. We had to ride the JACK TV trucks to get there.
To win in the final game, we had to use a contraption that had a ring on it. We had to drink a mug of draft beer first though which made us a little woozy. I'm so glad I listened to my team mates Brent, his Dad and his family. I mean who would have known that the ones who won the Facebook contest were actually relatives, that's how far I got to the conversation. It was nice to actually nice to know how they were enjoying the whole thing, I loved how I connected with them quite well because it was like they were cool with anything. They had interesting stories in between bottles, and now they're my Facebook friends. :) This was the part where I enjoyed it most. RELIK Restaurant and Bar played music during my heydays and the people on my table were all singing the same tune. We were like kindred spirits... we were a little drunk but hey, we WON! It was just the right place and right time to have CHICKEN SKIN and BUFFALO WINGS! It was so good we had to have seconds. Thank you so much to ZOMATO and JACK TV for having us in this JACK TV Night Crawl!
Thanks to you I now have new friends, I had had so much fun too that evening. I hope I get invited in the next ones because I heard they are planning a lot of events in the future! Thanks again JACK TV!
If you want to experience the same things I did, head on over to the JACK TV Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/solar.jacktv/ and their official website www.jacktv.ph.
I am so happy that Roald Dahl's MATILDA The Musical is having it's Manila staging at the Meralco Theater this November 10. We've got very talented kids and I'm sure it was a breeze to actually see talent in the country fit for a Broadway musical. I love the movie so much that up to this day I still look forward to the HBO reruns for the movie version. It would be quite interesting to see how they would be able to translate that and tell the story through music.
This book by Dennis Kelly has gone and taught a lot of kids around the world about being good, about hope, friendship and love and for sure Tim Minchin already proved how his music and lyrics would encompass age as this will also be entertaining for adults. It will run from November 10 to December 10 and if you haven't planned anything to do this Christmas, wouldn't it be a good thing to have an early gift for a change?
Esang, Uma and Kyle will be alternating in Matilda's role. The kids uttered:
"Yes actually I've watched the broadway musical, this is a dream role for me. It teaches us to never give up if we have our dreams!"
"I've watched the movie and also adore the book. I am dreaming because this just feels surreal for us. Even if you're little you can do a lot. I have always wished to become someone like Lea Salonga."
"If you want something, you can do it and never give up!"
It's one of the most exciting musicals this year and Atlantis Theatrical Productions have done a really great job choosing the kids and the rest of the cast. We talked to them right after a short press conference at Marco Polo this evening.
We sat down with Joaquin Valdez who's playing the character of Harry Wormwood who is the father of Matilda. He says "It was a character that was completely out of our personal image so in a way it's a bit difficult. I play an escapologist, Matilda likes books and I go between that and a fantasy story, like a dual role of a slimy abusive father and that perfect one she wishes for. It's an interesting take because it's not done in the broadway version, a personal touch of Direk Bobby. Matilda can move things, because her mind is that strong. He sent me a message a couple of months back and this was really a stretch, I just jumped in. People who know me were really surprised.
This is the first time I'm playing this character and I think it's a test, it's a nice dynamic. We get to discover a lot of new things especially with the kids. I started out in theater when I was 11 and when puberty hit, I couldn't play roles. I signed up with a pop vocal group, I studied film making, but I still go back to theater. Until recently I made a decision to do this full time. I went into advertising, but this was really something that I looked for. You'll really go back to theater. I am more comfortable with English, it's nice to do an original but my training has been really there."
Jamie Wilson (whom I loved in Kinky Boots by the way) plays Agatha Trunchbull the evil head mistress. In broadway and west end, they require to actually have the man play the part because of the physical requirements they have to have like throwing kids and stuff around. He says "I play the principal of the school, the antagonist, I get to scream at kids, provide horror. It's a female character which initially I didn't know was actually commonly played by men in different stagings. I'm going to be in an outfit. It may have been played by a female one in the movie but there's a lot of magic on stage that happens, she's an olympic hammer throw champion. I was shocked initially because they made me learn Ms. Trunchbull's part. I may or may not have a harness, but there's a lot of theater tricks because it's really exciting. It's a matter of building trust, of safety, of guidance, even if it's repetitive, it's a nice opportunity for professionals. They're like midgets, like adults in small bodies.
My whole family has been in theater, and I have been doing this for 37 years. My father is Johnny Wilson but he discouraged us, I was one of the first MTV VJ's, even before Donita Rose. I did a few movies, but the process of theater was just so good. I was really bit by the theater bug. We had 2 months of rehearsals, you've seen Atlantis do productions and they invest in this heavily because they have international standards. Theater has been here quite long, but it never became as big as this. Now you have shows every week, people can choose, from Shakespear, to activist shows. Internet made it easy to market everything. They are attracted to something live, to sing big songs, the risks, the tensions and it's not practiced. So you'll see a lot of that in this project."
Mrs. Zinnia Wormwood is played by Carla Guevara Laforteza, a star magic artist. She says "She's a neglectful mother, always with her DI and only wanted money from her husband. She had hate for Matilda, but these kids are so much of my babies. These children, they are like the future of international theater but they are such naturals. They can teach get the international actresses a run for their money. I'm not a dancer but I had to study for this one. I have three children at home, but here it's a gazillion. They run crazy, but I always go early so I can prepare myself. I have been in the industry for about 25 years. I've worked with children before but not this many. I did Hansel and Gretel, I played a Nun, but this was a real mother to child thing.
They are very disciplined when they passed the auditions, they briefed them and had child wranglers while we are at work. They are kept busy, sometimes have too much fun but they are controlled. I watched the movie, I watch adaptations but I watch it because I want to make sure I don't duplicate them and just bring out a personality that is natural or similar to me so I can play it like my own interpretation. If you watch it here, it's got more heart. It's not mechanical, that's the difference. It has more heart and that's what make it special. In this one, it's going to be a woman that doesn't care what her husband does, but I'll try to be more lovable. That's what I was trying to do in this case."
Ms. Emeline Celis Guinid plays Ms. Phelps the librarian. She's on one of the most pivotal scenes because she's the librarian who's going to make Matilda's mind soar high. She says "This musical is much like a gold mine, if you see the kids perform, dance, even if I don't have songs I have to interact with her storytelling. I have to listen to it all. Esang can pick up lines easily, I think that's what is good with the kids because they can absorb fast. They might be three kids, but they have their own strengths and they really tell the story legibly. You naturally just pay attention. I did one day of audition for this and waited for their call. This is a great experience all in all!"
The soft spoken and pushover Ms. Honey will be played by Cris Villonco. She utters "Oh my god, having 20 kids around, I'm not really used to that. It's a lot of fun watching them focus, and enjoy the music and choreography like it's not work for them. They sang the songs with so much gusto, so much energy. They knew what exactly what to do, even know the script better than me at times. They were singing, I was crying at times because in my time it wasn't like this. Their parents must be really proud. It was hard to keep them quiet at times, but man, they get all the choreography without dumbing it down. They had 4 hours to do it and it wasn't a challenge for them at all. You'll see the songs come alive, I hope even in Meralco you get to see their heart in the show. I think the adults learned more from them, we get to teach them accents but they know their music and lines. I come in one day and they even know OUR parts. They are good, even if they are tired from school takes discipline to do a show. Their grades are monitored too, I applaud the parents for trusting the handlers because these kids are so good.
This play isn't about us, it's about them. Every child is different, they could learn a thing or two about them not being alone. It was Matilda who pushes Ms. Honey to have more courage. Kids handle bullies, adults handle bullies, all in live theater. Whether mistakes are made, you'll love the magic and I hope children see this in schools. I hope they enjoy it as much as we do. I auditioned when I was 9 for Les Miserables, but I wasn't as talented as compared to these children. It's simply overwhelming seeing them dance, sing and you wonder where it comes from. They do it with love. I guess the exposure to different talent shows, to Youtube, they're learning a lot and knowing there are talented kids around the world too. The Philippines should be recognize as a hub for talent. There's no talk about that yet in putting them in international staging, but some of the boys in the cast are already part of Lion King. My character is more pushed around in this show, some little stunts will happen. Let's see when we do technical rehearsals because we are moving there on Sunday for the first time. It will be magical, I promise you that!"
Oh and for a great parting shot, let me share with you this performance earlier. If you're impressed, remember to buy a ticket eh?
Again, MATILDA The Musical will start on November 10 until December 10, 2017. If you're interested in making your kids watch the show, make sure they are around 7 and up as we don't want to make kids bother other theater watchers okay? It's a great way to bond with your family over a great story, great songs and show. You may purchase tickets at Ticketworld.com.ph or call 8919999. I'm watching too, hopefully on the actual opening date!
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