Happiness in hampers

These hotels offer bliss packed in a basket. So whether you’re checking in a hotel or just checking out its goodies, here are Christmas cookies, chocolates, cakes, and other treats for the holidays.

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
November 30, 2014

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Wines 

Resorts World Manila Maxims

Give hope, love, and joy this Christmas—in their most literal (and sweetest) forms. At Resorts World Manila’s Café Maxims, share the spirit of the holidays with this season’s sweets and signature treats. Indulge in yuletide hampers like the Joy basket with a bottle of WR Rocca Chianti DOCG; the Hope basket with a Beringer Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon; and the Love basket, which comes with a Beringer Stone Cellars Chardonnay. www.rwmanila.com, tel. 02 9088833

French delicacies

Sofitel

Eenie meenie miney mo! At Sofitel, choose from baskets filled with handcrafted chocolates, premium French delicacies, and wines and delight your friends and family. Go dig  your hands into this treasure trove of aromas and heavenly flavors. www.sofitelmanila.com

Jams and biscotti

Marco Polo

Christmas hampers are supposed to be sweet—but at Marco Polo’s Café Pronto, they can also be sour. Offering two kinds of Christmas hampers, but both including balsamic vinegar, you can swim among English fruit cake, Dresden stolen, Christmas cookies, pralines, assorted macarons, salami, mustard de Meaux, Alexander Fields Merlot, marzipan Christmas stolen, pistachio biscottis, cookies, chocolate Santa Claus, ham slices, jam, and macaroon. What to choose? Tel. 02 720 7777, www.marcopolohotels.com

Chocolate pralines

Manila Hotel

The goodies are a treat themselves but the goody pot is a treasure, too. At Manila Hotel, each hamper comes in a luxurious, exquisite leather vessel fit for the goodies inside. Share the joy with sweet treats like chocolate pralines, cookies, and fruit cake among others. An ideal gift for your loved ones as well as corporate giveaway, each package is unique with hard-to-find delicacies tailored to suit everyone’s palate.  Tel. 02 5270011 local 1261, www.manila-hotel.com.ph

Pistachio double cream cheese bread

Richmonde Hotel

Never go wrong with the classics: Oreo mint mouse, assorted breads like pistachio double cream cheese bread, salted swirl bread with bacon and cream cheese, dark and white chocolate bread. All these are available at Richmonde’s café lobby. But if you want more, get your wallets ready to horde more frosted holiday donut, fried cinnamon donut, craquelin cream puff, and choco chip hazelnut cookies. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Mango chocolate

Manila Peninsula

Drown yourself to the tempting goodness and sweetness of festive chocolate box, tea, 12 pieces mango chocolate, white chocolate cranberry cookies, gingerbread tree, two fruit garden jams, traditional Christmas stolen bread. Oh! The Pageboy hamper also includes a cap, polo shirt, and a cute bear. Tel. 02 887 2888, www.peninsula.com

French macarons

Diamond Hotel

Everybody transforms into a discerning gourmand during the holidays. Your diet? It can start next year. But for now, dig into the goodness of bestsellers ube ensaymada and French macarons in festive hues. Other holiday goodies perfect for giveaways include chocolate pralines and truffles, German stollen, dried fruit kouglof, and minced pies. The cake enthusiasts, meanwhile, will go gaga over a slice or a whole box of Le Royale supermoist chocolate cake, baked cheesecake, anddelice chocolat are always a delight.

Hazelnut chocolate cake

Heritage Manila

Surrender to the tempting layers of moist sponge cake filled with a mixture of milk chocolate, butter, fresh cream, roasted hazelnut ground that Heritage Manila hotel offers this November only. Served at Riviera Café and lobby lounge, this piece of heaven is overlaid with reddish chocolate brilliant and garnished with chocolate Poinsettia flowers. Very Christmas-y indeed!

Pies and chocolates

Intercontinental Manila

If life is a box of chocolates, then get ready to go to chocolate heaven! Go ahead and satisfy your sweet tooth with cutesy pralines in gift boxes, breads, pies, and beautifully packaged hampers that offer traditional holiday staples alongside teas and wines. www.intercontinental.com/manila, tel. 02 7397000 ext 771

Yule logs

Makati Shangri-La

How do you like your holiday gifts? Handmade, prepared with TLC, and hotel-bought? Yes, yes, shoppers! Makati Shangri-La grants your wish with its Christmas handcrafted hampers designed with handstitched trim, brass handles, and silk linings. Each hamper’s filled with homemade pastries like cupcakes, chocolate Santa Claus, marzipan stolen, festive flavored tea, pudding, fruitcake, jam, panettone, and a bottle of Perrier Jouet. But if hampers aren’t your thing, go for a box of cake instead. There’s Yule Logs, fluffy and moist roll cake with flavors like vanilla dream, lemon espresso, chocolate Tonka, and berry fusion.  www.bit.ly/timelesschristmas

The best ho-ho-homemade goodies for the holidays

From cookies and cakes to dips and sauces, and even embutido and leche flan, we road tasted them so you don’t have to.  Here, our picks for the best homemade goodies for the holidays.

by Nickky Faustine P. De Guzman & Sara Grace C. Fojas
December 1, 2014 (updated)

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Image by Noel b. Pabalate

Indulgence by Irene

You’ll never know the taste of a “real” cheesecake until you’ve tried these little cakes. Enough said.

How to order: 63 917 6225800  Facebook.com/indulgencebyirene

Prices: Personal size (four inches), P220 for quezo de bola, chocnut, tablea, calamansi; P250 for ube; Regular size (nine inches), P1000 for quezo de bola, chocnut, tablea, calamansi; P1,200 for ube; Sampler box (ube + other variant of your choice), P900

Ice and Cream Pastry Shop

Cheesecakes topped with generous amount of delectable blueberries served in mini cake versions. Beware. It’s addicting.

How to order: 63 917 8157969 02 4102227

Prices: blueberry cheesecake, P680; pistachio silvanas, P420

The Pastry Cart

Its crème brulee cake looks simple and plain but when you take a bite of the soft and spongy cake, the taste is just heavenly. The strawberry shortcake is going to steal your heart. Another slice, please!

How to order: 63 916 7457729; Instagram/thepastrycart; Twitter/thepastrycart

Prices: Crème brulee cake, P880; Strawberry Shortcake, P1,200

Swannies Jar

It’s happiness in a jar—with a twist and pop of colors and flavors. While leche flans are always yellow and put in aluminum llanera, these homemade goodies come in Skittle-like colors and a fusion of flavors packed in cutesy mason jars. Get ready for a bite (or a whole jar) of blueberry with Oreos, kiwi strawberry, and mango cashew combinations.

How to order: Instagram/swannies_flan_jars, Facebook/swanniesjars 63 917 5063849, 02 6421920

Prices: P170 or P140/jar depending on the flavor, P740/wooden box with three leche flan

Real Girl Toy Kitchen

While it’s easy to label any homemade goody as “real,” you can easily spot (and taste) the difference with hefty servings of “real” ingredients. Whether dips, sauces, or spreads, each serving spells fresh and healthy and comes in recyclable glass jars. And oh, did we say the ingredients are organic?

How to order: 63 917 8085302, 02 7999120; Johanna@realgirltoykitchen.com, www.realgirltoykitchen.com

Price: P400/jar

Tessie’s Homemade Embutido

Who says embutido doesn’t spell festive when it’s made from generous servings of pickles, ground pork, luncheon meat, bell peppers, and carrots? Unfortunately, the secret ingredient would have to remain, well, a secret.

How to order: 044 208 3017, 63 975 7605774, tessiesorianofoods@gmail.com

Prices: plain packaging, P1,500/15 pcs, with special sinamay packaging, P1,800 per 15 pieces

What Bonnie Baked

Get giddy with bite size, soft, and chewy homemade cookies delivered at your doorstep straight from the oven. While it’s an untimely death to go to choco heaven on Yuletide season, go ahead anyway and munch your way to the pearly gates with its bestsellers that include Reese’s dark chocolate and double chocolate.

How to order: With at least two days notice — Facebook/whatbonniebaked; Instagram /whatbonniebaked); 63 917 324562

Prices: Reese’s dark chocolate, P500/dozen; Double chocolate, P450/dozen

Sugar Lab

All hail the cookies for all seasons! Decorate your table and munch on these Christmas cookies shaped as snowflakes, Christmas balls, and candy canes. The snowman kit, which includes puzzle-like and edible pieces, will make the celebration even more fun, especially for the kids.

How to order: 63 9173285726, instagram/sugarlab_; tetmarilopez@gmail.com

Price: Sugar cookies, P55/each; snowman cookie kit, P160; banana choco chip, P150, foccacia bread, P125

Pink Wasabi

Here’s a one-of-a-kind fusion: cake and sushi. Get the taste of perfection in its Kashi Maki or petite hand-rolled cakes formed to look like Makizushi, available in 12 variants surprising you in every bite!  The rainbow profiteroles, meanwhile, are like trees of sweets filled with creamy custard fillings that come in passion fruit, green tea, chocolate, black sesame, caramel pepper, and strawberry.

How to order: 43 947 8658634, mypinkwasabi@gmail.com, www.mypinkwasabi.com, Twitter/mypinkwasabi, Instagram/pink.wasabi

Prices: Rainbow profiteroles, P700/15pcs; Kashi Maki, 18pcs/P648

Jertie’s Kitchen

Cranberry almond granola balls and dark chocolate chip cookies sound appetizing yet sinful—or maybe not. Each bite is gluten-free and vegan, so it’s yummy and healthy.

How to order: orders@jertieskitchen.com, www.jertieskitchen.com

Prices: Dark choco chip cookies, P420/dozen; cranberry almond balls, P180/8 pieces

Kooky Pam

Their Callebaut almond, red velvet, mocha walnut, white choco, and dark Belgian choco cookies are made with love and the best ingredients.

How to order: Instagram/kookypam; Facebook/kookypa;, kookypam.blogspot.com

Prices: box of six, P240; box of 12, P480; red velvet with cream cheese and Callebaut almond, box of six/P270 and box of 12/P540

Roshan

Apparently, Nutella isn’t a food fad—it’s here to stay for Christmas. The chocolate chip cookies are infused with Nutella (of course) and lots of Ghirardelli chocolate chips. We promise they are so good you’ll forget your name and your diet.

How to order: 63 917 8336286, 02 6317786; www.homemadebyroshan.com

Prices: P925/12 pcs.

French country

It’s a feast for the senses, but make sure you have time to relish the experience.

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
November 27, 2014

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Never go to Le Jardin Manila, a French experience, if you don’t have time to relish your meal. After all, this French restaurant is tres, tres French, but not intimidating. There’s no dress code, as long as you come with a hearty appetite and enough time to say aah, c’est la vie! Everyone takes small bites and chews slowly, savoring every dish.

Le Jardin is not a foodie place masquerading as something French, it is French. Its young chefs Jonas Ng and Hasset Go are trained by renowned French chef-sommelier partner Gils Brault, the man behind Vietnam’s finest French restaurant, Trois Gourmand. Gils used to work with Alain Ducasse and served the former French President Jacques Rene Chirac. The two young kitchen virtuosos went to Saigon and lived with Gils to train for six months. Hasset and Jonas barely knew any French, well, except, “kitchen French.” They struggled.

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  Visit the wine house

“We wanted to open a French restaurant for the longest time here in the Philippines. And we found Gil. And the fact that he was able to make a French restaurant successful in Vietnam without speaking English or Vietnamese, we realized (we could also do it),” says Jonas. But then again, their love for food is a different kind of language that goes beyond what is spoken, rather, what is felt, smelled, tasted, and experienced.

Gils and his culinary reputation made 10 other Filipino entrepreneurs vie to open a restaurant with him, according to Le Jardin co-owner Duke Ng. “The others only wanted to make money. He chose us because he saw how much we loved to eat. That’s what a gourmand is, it’s somebody who likes to eat, so he wanted to partner with us because well, we love to eat,” he laughs, adding that the restaurant’s goal is “for people to stay forever for lunch and have some good wine and not care about how long they’ve been here because they’re having such a good time.”

And why would diners dash to the exit right away when, in true French fashion, Le Jardin Manila boasts of its own wine library and cheese house? Gils is an expert sommelier so Le Jardin’s collection of wine is so much more than what you can see and buy in stores. Each bottle is carefully selected by Gils.

And true to French dining culture, Le Jardin serves artisan and homemade cheese, aged differently and infused with flavors like rosemary, nuts, and olive, to cap the dining experience. Diners can choose from three, four, or five-course degustation meals. Or go a la carte as they please. Take your pick from favorites including puree de pommes de terre aux truffles (seared scallops, truffled mashed potatoes), escargot de Bourgogne (Burgundy snails in garlic and parsley butter), grilled tuna steak with foie gras and truffle sauce, and braised beef cheek topped with pan seared foie gras, dessert de Gils, and truffled scrambled eggs, among others. As the chefs puts it, their method is traditional but their recipe isn’t. Chef Gils, obviously, loves to experiment.

Complementing the food is the chic yet relaxed atmosphere. Le Jardin transports its diners to a place not so much of French elegance as of French country charm, sunlit and cheery like the south of France. Its setup, drawn from the imagination of Frenchman Gils himself, is like a secret garden on a mountaintop (it’s located at W Building Penthouse) overlooking the city. Its interiors are clean, predominantly white and green, easy on the eyes. There’s a mini horizontal garden upon entrance. There are bonsai trees growing in the center of some tables. Industrial lights add a unique touch to the framed black and white photos and dainty knick knacks. The smoking room has cutesy framed photographs of characters like Darth Vader and The Adventures of Tin Tin as well as black-and-white portraits of such icons as Madonna, Marlon Brando, and Marion Cotillard with a cigarette between their fingers or ribbons of smoke swirling lout of their lips.

“Le Jardin Manila is a reflection of the way we see the French dining experience. It’s not just the food itself but the combination of the food, wine, décor, interior design, and service that creates an atmosphere that is distinct and memorable,” says Hasset.

 Le Jardin is at Penthouse, W Fifth Building, 5th Avenue corner 32nd street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. 639 178176584 www.lejardinbgc.com

Shake your groove thing some more

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is back with a vengeance.

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
December 1, 2014

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Images by Noel B. Pabalate

And so it’s back. Just months after its successful local and international productions in Manila and Singapore last May and October, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert will hold a limited run at Resorts World Manila from Dec. 5 to 7, allowing those who have yet to experience the glitz, glamour, and glitters from all that colorful frocks that rock the whole house down to see for themselves what all the fuss is about.

“Now the heels are higher,” Red Concepcion says laughing. “We had to re-block and restage and took out what’s the best from the first run in Manila and in Singapore and put them all together. We hope this is the best of both shows,” he says. He plays Felicia

HOT STUFF Raymond Concepcion, Michael Williams, and Red Concepcion play three drag queens in the heartwarming and funny must-see musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Images by Noel B. Pabalate)

Jollygoodfellow, one of the va-va-voom drag queens who likes to play and have fun, and is comfy in her own skin.

The storyline, songs, and setup are all the same, but not the stars. Original cast members Jon Santos, who played Bernadette Bassinger, a stark contrast to Felicia because she’s prim and proper, and Leo Valdez who played Mitzi Mitosis, a married drag queen who walks away from his home and his own son, have other commitments. Red’s father, renowned theater actor Raymond Concepcion plays Bernadette while director Michael Williams, who is also a celebrated theater star, plays Mitzi. The trio was a big success in Singapore.

“We were wary. We were all Filipinos and did not know how they would receive a full Filipino production because they have their own thriving theater scene in Singapore. But they loved us. The big theater was almost full every time. They were so enthusiastic, they’d even ask for our autographs. I felt it was an achievement in Philippine theater,” says Raymond. Michael adds that the audience would sing and dance during the finale.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert tells the story of two drag queens Felicia and Mitzi and transsexual Bernadette who all hopped aboard the “budget Barbie camper” bus named Priscilla to go on a trip for a gig in an isolated Australian desert. Along the way, they confront life’s challenges on a funny, riveting, and sometimes poignant stage. Among the songs that you’d hear in the play are “It’s Raining Men,” “Finally,” “I Love The Night Life,” “Color My World,” “Shake Your Groove Thing,” and “I Will Survive.”

“Even though it’s a fun musical show, it tackles gender equality. And it could be in light of Jennifer Laude the transgender woman who was murdered. I hope they come up with a better awareness. At the end of the day we are looking for the same thing. Whatever your race is, or your gender, or your sexual preference, at the end of the day, everyone just wants to be accepted,” says Red.

Michael adds that the play is “something vital. But it’s couched in this easy to digest presentation. It’s a family show, believe it or not,” he says.

For information, call 02 908 8000 loc. 7700 / or check out www.rwmanila.com/priscilla

Chicago, pizzazz, and all that jazz

Chicago, Pizzaz, and ‘All That Jazz’

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
November 24, 2014

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Terra Macleod and Bianca Marroquin play Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, respectively. (Images by Noel B. Pabalate )

It’s a play like no other. After all, it’s the longest Broadway show ever (it will stage its 7,486th performance in November).  Here’s what to expect: Little costumes and small movements, but powerful voices, pure talent, and live music orchestra. It’s Chicago on stage, baby.

Brace yourself for a hot, hot, hot year-end treat as Broadway’s award-winning, smash musical hits the country in a strictly limited season from Dec. 2 to 21 at Solaire’s newest luxury theatrical spot, The Theater. It’s slick, sexy, and sassy. Rawr.

Choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of world-renowned multi-slashie choreographer/actor/screenwriter/director Bob Fosse, who directed All That Jazz andCabaret among others, lead actresses Terra Macleod and Bianca Marroquin say, when on stage, less is more, a philosophy passed from Bob Fosse himself.

“You got to have timing to add Matisse to your painting, which is what you’re doing, you’re performing every night with a black canvas and you start painting. Or like a singer where you sing and you start breathy and put the vibrato and the belt after. You cannot sing the whole song in belt. People will get tired listening to you. As you approach the performance, you have to know where to bring it all down,” says Bianca, who plays Roxie Hart.

Set amid the razzle-dazzle decadence of the flapper 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer, who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media, and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly (played by Terra Macleod), by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her crime into a torrent of sensational headlines. “It’s a dark humor with a global theme. The story is very relatable. It’s full of social satire, love, intrigue, betrayal, friendship,” says Terra.

Think it’s too dark for your liking? It is highly acclaimed! International newspapers like the Times UK dubs it as “the sharpest, slickest show on the block.” Newsweek says it’s “ravishing,” and Entertainment Weekly raves it’s “Broadway’s most electrifying show.” Chicago has also been honored with six Tony Awards, including best musical revival, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy for best musical cast recording, and thousands of standing ovations in between.

You may have watched its 2002 film adaptation, which starred Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, but then again, a film is way different from a live play.

“We loved the movie but you cannot compare it because the energy of the theater is more palpable, it’s live. A movie is a movie,” says Bianca. Adds Terra:“People have an idea in their mind of what to expect when they come to see the live version, as most have seen the movie. So they already have a vision in their head. When they see the simplicity in the Broadway production, I think it takes them a minute to take it all in. That the dancing, singing, lighting, and very minimal set tell that story is enough.”

Based on a 1926 Broadway play written by Chicago Tribune journalist Maurine Watkins, who covered the sensational trials of two women accused of murder while under the influence of booze and jazz, Chicago the musical was created by the legendary Broadway trio: John Kander (music), Fred Ebb (book and lyrics), and Bob Fosse (original director and choreographer) in 1975, but Bianca thought it was “ahead of its time.” It became more glorious when it was revived in 1996. Now it’s going to be 18 years in history.

There’s one requirement though: Participate. “The more we hear you the better. So be more vocal and participate with us. It’s a fun show ride with us. If you allow yourself it’s gonna be a good ride. We touch all the emotions there are,” says Bianca.

Chicago is produced by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, David Atkins Enterprises, and Concertus Manila and presented by VISA and Smart Infinity, in cooperation with Solaire Resort and Casino. 02 891 9999, www.ticketworld.com.ph