Get ready to run for reading at McDonald’s Stripes Run 2016

Registration now open for Manila and Cebu

Now on its 7th year, McDonald’s will once again host its much-awaited annual family-friendly event. Join in the fun with family and friends while helping children learn how to read at this year’s McDonald’s Stripes Run: Run for Reading.

Runners all over Metro Manila and Cebu will get a chance to don their red and white socks in support of children’s literacy on November 26 at 30th St. corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig and onDecember 3, at Garden Bloc, Cebu IT Park, Cebu City, a first for Cebuano runners.

Proceeds of McDonald’s Stripes Run 2016 will go to one of Ronald McDonald House Charities’ flagship program, Ronald McDonald Read To Learn. In partnership with the Department of Education, this program aims to help Grade 1 and 2 public school students improve their literacy skills. Since it was established in 2002, Read To Learn has reached over 8,000 partner schools, trained 21,000 educators, and helped more than 11 million students all over the Philippines.

To register, simply fill-up the registration form available at select McDonald’s stores. You can sign-up online at mcdostripesrun.com.ph, settle the registration fee at select McDonald’s stores, and claim your race kit. Each race kit includes a pair of the iconic red and white striped socks, a singlet, a race bib, and a stub for a free McDonald’s breakfast meal at the venue.

Categories for this year’s run are as follows:

Kiddie Stripes	1 kilometer run for ages 8 years old and below
Young Stripes	3 kilometer run for ages 8-15 years old
3K Stripes	3 kilometer run for ages 16 years and up
Team Stripes	3 kilometer run for teams with 2 adults (aged 16 and up) and 2 kids (aged 15 and under)
5K Stripes	Available for participants 16 years old and up
10K Stripes	Available for participants 16 years old and up

Exciting booths and activities await the entire family at McDonald’s Stripes Run: Run for Reading in Manila and Cebu. Sign-up today and tell your family and friends all about it on social. Don’t forget to tag @McDo_PH on Twitter and Instagram! For more information, visit mcdostripesrun.com.ph or follow McDonald’s Philippines’ Facebook page, facebook.com/mcdo.ph.

Have a great day everyone! 

xx

DIET: Knorr Gastro Park - Keeping Your Palate on Trend

Unilever Food Solutions launches new kitchen innovations: 

Knorr® Golden Salted Egg Powder and Knorr® Rock Sugar Honey Sauce 

I one of the lucky people to get a chance to taste the recipes prepared by the chefs' in Knorr Gastro Park last Friday at BGC. 

In light of the demand and buzz for this new flavor that has made Southeast Asians crazy over salted egg chips and salted egg-filled custard buns, Unilever Food Solutions Philippines (UFS)—the maker of Knorr®, Lady’s Choice, Best Foods, and Lipton—brings to Manila the key ingredient in the latest trend taking over the commercial kitchens in Manila: Knorr® Golden Salted Egg Powder. Aside from this, making Asian sauces has also become easier with the availability of the highly versatile and premium Knorr® Rock Sugar Honey Sauce that gives dishes a nice sheen and aromatic sweetness.

“We at UFS understand the ever-changing palate of diners and the needs of our chefs and cooks across the country.  Because of this, we make sure to help them keep up in satisfying their diners’ cravings,” said Pat Mallari, Country Marketing Manager of UFS Philippines. “That is why we are happy to bring these latest innovations—the Knorr® Golden Salted Egg Powder and Knorr® Rock Sugar Honey Sauce—to our Filipino chefs to make sure that they stay ahead of the game in light of the growing demand for more creative and gastronomic dishes Filipinos are looking for.”

”We bring various kinds of kitchen staples from different parts of Asia closer to Filipino chefs because we want to break geographical barriers for them. We also want to enable them to bring to life their international concepts with ease and at most creativity for the delight of local diners,” she added.

Knorr® Golden Salted Egg Powder is a one-step solution for salted egg dishes. It is made only with the best quality egg yolks for better flavor, color, and aroma and to save on labor and time in the kitchen. Chefs and operators no longer have to deal with fluctuating supply or quality of salted eggs because of its consistent availability and quality.

Meanwhile, Knorr® Rock Sugar Honey Sauce is another kitchen delight as a premium one-step honey sauce that can be used on its own or as a base sauce. Made from premium yellow rock sugar and real honey, it saves time and labor, perfect for dishes like marmite chicken, glazed spareribs, or any new dish creations through the creativity and boldness of brilliant chefs.

Make sure your palate and menu are on trend. Visit www.ufs.com to get your hands on Knorr® Golden Salted Egg Powder and Knorr® Rock Sugar Honey Sauce and create exciting and gastronomic dishes.

The Chefs’ Takes on the Knorr® Salted Egg Powder and Rock Sugar Honey Sauce

The best part of this event is that we had a chance to taste all the food prepared by the Chefs' using Knorr Salted Egg Powder and Rock Sugar Honey Sauce. Guys, I will feel sorry in advance because all food are so delicious and I used Huawei P9 to take all of them!

To showcase the versatility of these products, Chef Alan Wong of UFS Malaysia showcased different ways to use these ingredients in his own recipes. For Hors D’oeuvre, he used the salted egg powder with his “Curry-Salted Egg Veloute”— a spanner crab salad with spiced chicharron. Meanwhile, the rock sugar honey sauce was used in his “Seventh Heaven Pork Belly Cooked Twice” dish, which was described as Gochujang Caramel Sauce, Pickled Daikon, and Korean XO Sauce.

Cathryn and I 

This is my favorite!

Aside from Wong, UFS Philippines Sous Chef Carlos “Pipo” Aluning also shared his own dishes. Inspired by the richness and soft consistency of the Knorr® Golden Salted Egg Powder and the sweet aroma and natural glaze that the Knorr® Rock Sugar Honey Sauce gives off, he prepared these irresistible dishes: Fried squid balls with ginger miso glaze and spicy honey glaze, Salted egg shrimp poppers, Salted egg ice cream topped with crumble and soured candy bits.

“It is important for chefs like me that the key ingredients in our kitchen enable us to flex our creative hats in innovating new and exciting dishes for our diners, help us be efficient in managing our time and resources, and most of all, guarantee consistent satisfaction of our diners’ evolving tastes,” said Chef Aluning. “This is why these new Knorr® Golden Salted Egg Powder and Knorr® Rock Sugar Honey Sauce are perfect additions to the kitchen staples today.”

Cathryn's favorite by Chef Wong

In addition to this, he has also prepared a Chinese Platter consisting of “Roulade of Pork Rind” (Chicken Oyster and Shrimp Stuffing, Asian Vinaigrette, Aromatic Salted Egg Gravy) and “Fragrant Glutinous Rice Pot Sticker (Pork Liver Pate, White Fish Paste, Bean Curd Skin, Fermented Kung-Po Sauce, Lardons). Wong is the Chef de Cuisine for Chinese Cuisine of UFS Malaysia and Lead Chef for Asian Sauces for UFS Southeast Asia. 

Congratulations Knorr and Chefs'  

Filipino Cuisine:  

Fernando Aracama, Executive Chef of Aracama

Pauline Benedicto, Executive Chef of Rekado Filipino Comfort Food

Western:

Joshua Boutwood, Executive Chef of The Bistro Group

Fusion:

Kenneth Cacho, Director for Culinary Arts of ISCAHM

Kimberly Solejon, Cucina Idol Grand Winnder and PCC 2016 Best Chef

Desserts:

Michael Miko Aspiras, Pastry Chef at Le Petit Souffle, Scout's Honor Cookies PH

Have a great day everyone! 

xx

The Newest Tambayan Capsule Hostel in Manila

Photo from Tambayan Hostel

Wohooo! finally sharing you my experience in the newest tambayan in the heart of Manila. 

Tambayan means a place to hang out with friends or family. 

Tambayan Capsule Hostel is the newest luxury hostel in Manila and is designed for the new generation of adventurers and travelers.  Yes, "Capsule Hostel" I was thinking of "Japan" where is everybody's goal to visit one day. When I first saw the photo, I told myself "I will definitely stay in this newest tambayan in Manila this weekend." 

Here's the lobby:

Feels like a Princess in a grand entrance

Above photo from Tambayan Hostel 

Backstory: (you can skip this...)

Cathryn and I arrived at Pedro Gil LRT Station, we asked the pedicab driver to take us in Bocobo St. where is the hostel's located. We asked how much is the rate going there and he said "PHP40" and we assumed maybe for the 2 of us or PHP40/each. When we reached the establishment he said "PHP140" and we were shocked and nothing to do about it, so I paid him and let go. We were surprised that it was just walking distance from the LRT station and just near the Robinsons Place Manila. Huhuhu We were doomed, but yeah that's life. The security guard said that the usual rate is PHP70/pax for pedicab ride. Sigh. 

Moving forward...

I got the Double Private Room with a Private Bath for me and Cathryn because guys, it's affordable and they have a 20% discount for their soft opening from PHP1,500 it is now PHP1,200! Plus some of our friends were out of town at that time, private group room is not applicable for us. Sayang! 

Tip: 

If you are staying with your friends get the Private Group Room good for 2 to 8 people. #SquadGoals

We checked out the place, ugh, so lovely!

Cathryn was amazed by their chandelier. 

View from above. :)

They have tight security only guests are allowed to go upstairs, so safe and sound!

Well, well, well.... 

"Romeo saves me I don't want to be alone..."

(insert Taylor Swift's song: Love Song) 

Staircase with old Manila history photos on the wall. 

 

I love  Philippine History (my favorite subject in High School) 

so these are amazing for me!

Wonderwall

They have books! Hopefully, when I come back again, they have more books. 

My favorite spot for board games and card games, perfect for barkada!

Private Rooms are located on the ground floor.  

Here's our room 

Manila City Hall Clock Tower history painted on the wall. 

(excuse the bag hahaha) 

I love the space! Perfect for a mini-studio for photoshoot? :P

I like their shower room! 

Hello?

Our TV had no cable yet because they just launched last February and I think they need to add closet too.

Shared Rooms and Private Group Rooms

I had a chance to tour and checked it all with the help of their staff Sheila to see how their capsule bed looks like. They have private group rooms for 2-8 persons which can be booked by parties of 2, 4, 6, or 8 persons.

Spell: Squad Goals!

 If only friends were completed that time, I definitely go for private group room. This is perfect for us.

OMG! This is so comfortable, I could not help it, so I went inside to try.

Rooms are air-conditioned and this little electric fan is additional if you want more air also there's an exhaust fan, mirror, sockets and light!

Blinds curtain for privacy :)

Each room has a historical landmark in Manila painted on the wall. Interesting! 

This room is big and different, the beds are double-decks (sideways) and there's a veranda near the Gastrobar where you can hear the noise from there, but you can close the door and have a good night sleep. 

Blinds curtain so you can rest without any distraction.

Their shared bathrooms are clean, I swear!! 

You can check more on Tambayan Hostel gallery here.

Tambayan Gastrobar

You don't have to worry where to eat because they have  cocktail bar and restaurant located on the roof deck of the hostel.  I'll tell you, there were so many people having a good time with their food and drinks. 

Our dinner! 

This is open for all, not only for guests. Read about Tambayan Gastrobar here. 

Tambayan Kitchen + Bar

The next day for our late lunch we tried their restaurant near the lobby. I love their cafe ambiance so chill and pretty.

Here's what we ordered for lunch: chicken and fish. 

Even the placemat is so Pinoy! :)

What's special about our stay was we celebrated Cathryn's birthday there. 

Birthday cake from Tambayan team! :)

Their special Halo-Halo is good for 3 - 4 persons!

Great to share with friends.

So big! Perfect to beat the heat this summer. 

Spoon

Stress-free stay in Manila for Adventurers and Travelers

For backpackers who are exploring Manila and to have an easy access to local culture this hostel is perfect for you. :)

Or if you are looking for a place to relax and unwind or distressed from your busy schedule at work or catch up with friends, but no time to go out of town, this newest Tambayan Gatrobar is the perfect venue to have a good time. 

More? Watch this video:

#tambayancapsulehostel#tambayangastrobar
Posted by Tambayan Capsule Hostel on Wednesday, 3 February 2016

Visit: 

www.tambayanhostel.com

1602 J. Bocobo Street Malate, Manila

Tel No. (02) 521-88-50

Email: booking@tambayanhostel.com

www.facebook.com/tambayanhostel

Have a great day everyone! 

xx

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