Kobe Bryant: More than just a basketball player

Hardcore basketball fan or not, we all know that Kobe Bryant is one of the best players on the court. Even if you don’t really watch every game he plays, a simple rundown of his achievements as a basketball player proves this, without a doubt.

Obviously, that’s how great a basketball player Kobe is to the young and the old, for the girls and the boys, who have always looked up to him all throughout his basketball career.

But beyond his awards and achievements, Kobe still wants more.

Kobe continues his advocacy to help children achieve their dreams –one step at a time. Thanks to Nike, Kobe recently spent a day with kids as a part of his Take Every Advantage Asian Tour. As a part of his visit to the country, Kobe visited the kids that are part of Gawad Kalinga’s SIGA program (basketball program for kids). He taught the kids some of his moves, and gave them words of inspiration.

This is the second time that Kobe’s visited the country, and he really sees the potential that the Filipino youth has in terms of their skills and for their love for basketball.

Kobe recently established a foundation with his wife, Vanessa, to improve the lives of the youth and the homeless. The Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation or KVBFF is a non-profit organization which aims to improve the lives and families of the homeless youth.

Together with other organizations and existing programs, the KVBFF’s goal is to create permanent housing, and provide resources for education and career development for their beneficiaries –starting with the kids and families living on the streets of Los Angeles.

When asked if he has plans of extending his advocacies to beyond Los Angeles alone, Kobe says, “Homelessness is not only a problem in Los Angeles alone…..”

It’s always a breath of fresh air to learn more about celebrities and people we look up to, doing unexpectedly good things for others. And for Kobe, he’s just teaching what he’s learned, and just giving back what he himself has gained, simply because he can.

Kobe takes every advantage that he has to inspire others and achieve more than he already has –now that’s a man who’s not only known for playing good basketball, but for playing the game of life pretty well, too.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2011/august/11/lifestyle1.isx&d=2011/august/11

Have breakfast all day at Café 1771

Breakfast is downright my most favorite meal of any day.

Manic Mondays become less of a frenzy and weekend mornings are something that I’d always look forward to no matter how late I get to go home from a night out with friends because there’s just something about breakfast that is plain comforting and which makes me just feel so blessed.

To have the chance to enjoy a meal after waking up from a long night is truly something to be thankful for –and I bet after you treat yourself to a hearty breakfast meal at Café 1771 on any given morning, you’d most definitely be adding one more thing to be thankful for.

From its cozy and homey feel, Café 1771 is really another good reason to wake up in the morning. The stylish café and the adjoining lounge with a quaint library ambience provide a relaxing environment for you to indulge in a leisurely breakfast.

Have a taste of Café 1771’s early morning pleasurable treats such as the café’s own invention, the Hole-In-One Corned Beef, corned beef hash and fried egg with a slice of wheat bread. They’ve got their own version of what a Crispy Bacon is as well –and I say it’s simply a sin to miss out on this one because this bunch of crispy strips are honest to goodness the crispiest and the least oily of all the bacons I have ever tasted. Definitely a treat for the bacon lover!

But these specialties are incomplete without your choice of eggs. Bring out the egg connoisseur in you and have a bite of Café 1771’s Egg Florentine in a Boat. This one is a delightful mix of flavors served to you in one piece –in a delicate puff pastry boat stuffed with spinach, and topped with ham or smoked salmon, poached egg and hollandaise sauce. There’s also the Bacalao and Scrambled Eggs which is an unlikely mixture but is a surprisingly excellent breakfast buddy to our usually meaty companions.

For those who enjoy something sweet in the mornings however, Café 1771 has got their own sweet and savory food offerings with their thick Sour Cream Pancakes smothered with irresistible Caramelized Banana and Candied Walnuts. One bite of all these inside your mouth and you’ve definitely got a saccharine party!

On the savory side the café has their Waffle with Herbed Ricotta Tomato, Sour Cream Pancakes with Bacon and Eggs, and Smoked Salmon Omelette –simple, sinful and definitely something flavorful to perk up your mornings.

Enjoy your breakfast with fresh fruit juice, freshly brewed coffee, or hot tea but what’s important is that know in your heart that you can have it all anytime of the day, every day with more style and always flavorful only at Café 1771.

Café 1771 is located in El Pueblo Real de Manila, ADB Avenue cor. Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. It’s open from 7am to 10pm (from Sunday to Thursday) and 7am to 12 mn (from Fruday to Saturday).

Champagne Room features the finest from the French

Inside Manila Hotel, there is a room filled with classy couches and table pieces, gold wrought-iron chandeliers and crystal trees. This room is made for those who want to enjoy a unique dining experience that even true blue French men and women would most definitely cherish.

A room which will delight you with its undeniable Old World elegance and charm, Manila Hotel’s Champagne Room is open for a wonderful meeting with French food and wine served to you in only the best of ways.

For someone who has a relentless goal of losing a few pounds, I still consider myself to have been quite lucky to be invited to a special dinner hosted by Manila Hotel at the Champagne Room to indulge in an eight-course menu of some of their finest French food and wine choices.

French cuisine is all about savoring good food and enjoying other people’s company in the process. There is no rush in dining because you’re in it to explore all the sensations that your taste buds could ever experience. There are a lot of good dishes to discover at the Champagne Room, but let me share with you those which delighted me the most.

Starting off my journey on that eight-course menu, it was such a pleasure to relish the first dish on the appetizers list: Poached Lobster Tail in Vanilla Custard with Oscietra Caviar, served with Vouvray, a sparkling white wine with hints of mango and pineapple flavors. It was smooth, clean, salty and refreshing, a meal reminiscent of a good morning by the beach.

We were also served with House-Smoked Duck with Salade Cesar served with Cotes de Castillion red wine with a dry but fruity flavor. I deeply enjoy salads, and this one was something familiar yet served to you in a unique way, which those who get easily bored with the look of salads would most likely delve into in an instant.

As per the main dish, I’d say I really fell in love with the Pan Roasted Giant Sea Perch with Tomato Confit and Brown Butter Hollandaise served with sparkling white wine with peach, pear and pineapple flavors all in one glorious glass. Again, this reminded me of a summer day out on the beach, simply enjoying a light yet tasty meal full of happiness.

Ending the 4-hour feat of finishing an 8-course meal, I favored the Chocolate Pots de Crème with Maple and Salted Foam as the best out of the three desserts served. This dish is basically good chocolate fudge served inside an egg shell with white salty foam on top to balance off the sweetness from the fudge. What a lovely sensation for the taste buds this meal was. I honestly could’ve had one or two more servings of it, if only I wasn’t too full to the brim!

Most definitely, I’ve come to realize the way the French appreciate the value of food as an art and as a part of their everyday life. Every meal is an exquisite artwork which is meticulously prepared and served with only the pleasure of eating it as a goal in mind. Champagne Room’s Executive Sous Chef Christine Zarandin is doing an excellent job, and she’s really an artist of food in her own right.  

With its timeless beauty and grace, The Manila Hotel’s Champagne Room remains to be one of the classic restaurants where old and new gourmands can indulge in their cravings for a truly French dining experience. For inquiries and reservations at the Champagne Room, please call (02) 527-9469. 


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2011/june/29/lifestyle4.isx&d=2011/june/29

Eating your way to being Sexy

Sisters behind The Sexy Chef: Rachel and Barni Alejandro

It’s so difficult to go on a diet. It seems like no matter what I do it’s always going to be on my yearly resolution. I’ve tried going to the gym but I wasn’t able to lose as much weight as I would’ve wanted to and I really felt that it was mostly due to my poor diet. Even if I was working out, I didn’t really give much focus on eating less or eating better because I justified it as being alright, because I did work out after all.

However, now I know better. It’s not enough that you work out, but you must also know how to handle your food intake well enough to achieve maximum results if you’re really committed in losing a fair amount of weight on your body. And with The Sexy Chef, this can be possible.

With The Sexy Chef’s diet programs, not only are you going to lose weight on your body, you’re also going to lost all that weight on your conscience because you wouldn’t have to cheat your way into eating something good, because The Sexy Chef offers something good and healthy at the same time.

The Programs

The Sexy Chef’s got eight programs made available to help you achieve your goals. There’s the Sugar Buster Diet Program which is for those with a stubborn midsection who want to achieve a slimmer waist and help lower the chance of diabetes with the use of foods rich in Omega 3s, Fiber, Calcium and Vitamin D. For P1,100 a day you’ll be eating your way to lowering your blood sugar, and a sexier waistline.

SUGAR BUSTER: Chinese Chicken Salad

SUGAR BUSTER:  Shrimp Scampi

For P1,000 a day, the Pounds Away Diet Program is a nutrient dense, calorie-controlled diet program which includes all food groups –including rice –and works on the principle of eating the right weight-loss promoting functional foods in the right amount, and at the right time. This diet is more suitable for those who are very active or for those who simply cannot follow a low-carb diet like the South Beach Diet.

POUNDS AWAY: McSteamy Burger

POUNDS AWAY: Cookies & Cream cheese cake

The South Beach Diet is a two-week diet plan featuring high lean-protein recipes. In this diet, the clients eat small frequent meals throughout the day consisting lean proteins that help the body battle and regulate hunger. For P875 a day, this diet will be able to help you get the proper amounts of lean protein, good fats and fiber in every meal to help you lose weight without having to sacrifice your health. 

SOUTH BEACH DIET:  Albondigas (Spanish Meatballs)

SOUTH BEACH DIET: Spinach Frittata

There is also the Fight Fat 14-day diet specially designed for Sexy Solutions, a new service of non-invasive treatment by Belo Medical Group. This program provides 3 meals and 2 snacks every day, each containing a mix of complex carbohydrates, lean protein, beneficial fats and the 4-fat diet nutrients also in the Sugar Buster Diet Program.

The Sexy Chef also has two diet programs for those expecting babies and those who have just given birth to one. Their Health for Two Program is suited for pregnant mothers who wish to consume a nutritious and well-balanced diet during their pregnancy. They’ve also got the Body After Baby Diet specifically designed for new moms who want to lose weight while at the same time keep their energy up and get restful sleep. On this new program, new moms can shed 4-6 pounts and up to 5 inches on their waistline! All of this while still ensuring that the quality of their breast milk is not affected. Both these diet plans have been created for The Sexy Chef by U.S. Certified Nutritionist Nadine Tengco and supervised by Dr. Joey Shinshioco (OB-GYM-Perinatology).

BODY AFTER BABY DIET: Stir-fried Malunggay Noodles

BODY AFTER BABY DIET: Baby Vietnamese Shrimp Salad

Their Lose Big Diet Program is the diet program followed by the contestants of the just aired Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition, the famous weight-loss reality TV show that’s now in the Philippines. The diet features recipes that helped the contestants lose fat quickly and safely –and you can experience this too if you want big and healthy results, fast.

 Nutritionist Nadine Tengco w/ the Alejandro Sisters

Whether you’re doing it to be achieve a sexier figure, or mainly for health’s sake, going on a diet is a big step towards big lifestyle changes that you should face head on if you want to have long-term results.

So don’t be afraid to ask for assistance if you want to take this journey. Call the Sexy Chef at 72-8881 or (0917) SXYCHEF (799-2433) or visit their website at www.thesexychef.ph or www.facebook.com/thesexychef and get just the right answers to achieve the right kind of body.






http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2011/june/15/lifestyle3.isx&d=2011/june/15 

Taste The Real Thing

I’m not really a fan of soft drinks in general because I’ve always thought of it as unhealthy, and I always seem to feel like drinking in between bites would just ruin my meal because it usually overpowers the flavor of my food.

So I was never really prone to ordering soft drinks, unless I’m in a fast food restaurant because it’s always part of the meal. I only drink it when there’s no other beverage nearby, and this is just how my relationship with carbonated drinks is.

But as I have discovered with relationships in general, the only stable thing is change and we’ve got to accept that. And boy was I able to accept this recent change in my relationship with soft drinks with open arms!

Yes, I hugged and kissed this wonderful change right after browsing through The Real Thing Diner’s menu. I’ve heard many things about this place, but all I really had to know was that the whole place is Coke-inspired –from the interiors to the jolly background music to the very dishes they’ve got printed on their menu. Nevertheless, of course I had to come over there and try the dishes that caught my attention at first glance to really know if it is the real thing.

Together with my food criminal of a brother, we drove to Il Terrazo in Tomas Morato with curious minds and empty stomachs. Looking through the menu I instantly knew what I wanted to order as my main dish: The Coca-Cola Baby Back Ribs and Spinach Walnut Pasta to share. As for my brother, he ordered the Spicy Sarsi Wings and the Coca-Cola BBQ Burger. For dessert, we both agreed on sharing a bowl of some really good-looking apple pie they call “Happily Appley”.

When we got our orders, that’s when I began to rediscover the great possibilities of change in my relationship with soft drinks. The Coca-Cola Baby Back Ribs was tender, and the sauce it has been marinated in has just the right kind of smoky-sweet combo I always look for in my ribs. The mashed potato it was paired up with was a good addition to the meal too.

I had a bite out of my brother’s Coca-Cola BBQ Burger and I inevitably had to take a big mouthful because the beef patty was quite big. That burger was the kind of burger I like because it had some crunchy veggies in it, and some gooey cheese. However, I couldn’t really find the taste of Coca-cola in any part of the burger patty. But hey, I wouldn’t say I didn’t like it though. It is still a good burger and I’ve got no qualms about that.

For the Spicy Sarsi Wings –now there’s no doubt that that’s what its name is supposed to be. The wings taste like they’ve been swimming in Sarsi for so long, it just tastes so sweet and tangy and oh-so-good. I could’ve just ordered this with plain white rice and I’m good to go. I think I’ll try that next time.

To end, that bowl of Happily Appley was a good call. Even if it was very savory and filling after eating full meal of sorts, I’d still eat that pie and wouldn’t have it any other way. Great thing I had my brother to share it with though, of course.

The verdict? My visit to The Real Thing Diner has been a gastronomic experience I’d like to repeat (One order or Spicy Sarsi Wings with rice, please). I may not be a fan of soft drinks, but I am a fan of diners. And this Coke-inspired diner is true to what it claims to be and more. 

http://www2.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2011/may/18/lifestyle1.isx&d=2011/may/18

Everyday solutions behind inspiring creations

In spite of the fact that I’ve always had this unique admiration and respect for them, I can’t deny the fact that I feel envious towards people who are gifted with cooking skills –enough to make them think up of entirely new dishes from scratch.

Because when it comes to cooking or running a business that requires you to indulge in a creative endeavor, it’s really tough to find the right tools to inspire you to create something new, innovative and downright tasteful.

According to Pinky Laurena, Unilever Food Solutions’ Managing Director, they found out in a two-year study conducted around the world that every chef and foodservice operator looks for a regular dose of inspiration to stay on top of their game.

“They need inspiration to develop new dishes and to continuously improve their business,” she adds. And with this, I just can’t help but wonder –where do these people get their inspiration from?

I had my share of feeling this way when Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) held a media cook-off event. The guests were divided into three groups, and we all had to come up with our own dishes, inspired by the cuisines we were assigned with. My group, the “Media Master Chefs”, ideally had to cook healthy dishes for young, Western kids which they can eat as an alternative dish in school.

With the help of UFS’ Senior Sous Chef Ryan Rey Lastra and all their various food products, my group was able to come up with a really healthy meal: Grilled Chicken marinated in Pesto served with Ribbon Pasta Carbonara with Mixed Vegetables and fresh side salad. What a treat it was!

Another treat too is the fact that Unilever Food Solutions is giving out more opportunities to help more people with their cooking and business dilemmas with all the variety of products and programs which they are now offering to chefs and foodservice business operators.

Other than providing professional packages of well-known food brands such as Knorr, Best Foods, Lady’s Choice and Carte D’Or that deliver kitchen efficiency for business operators, UFS also has The Culinary Academy which helps their various food business partners with inspiration and support when it comes to helping them with their menu planning and preparation –from the restaurant operations down to the marketing.

The Unilever Food Solutions also release The World Menu Report bi-annually, to serve as a credible source of information on global research findings that affect the foodservice industry, giving food business operators a snapshot of the fast-changing tastes and behavior of foodies worldwide.

“We are dedicated in helping their business (food business partners) thrive in meaningful ways so we could help them develop a menu that is relevant, exciting, healthy and profitable,” shares Laurena.

“We want to inspire food operators with commitment, excellence and passion. Our goal is to work together with our partners to achieve overall success and improvement for the local food industry.”

With Unilever’s Food Solution programs and products, no doubt they are.

 http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2011/may/11/lifestyle4.isx&d=2011/may/11

Live better, healthier and be an achiever with Alveo Land & the Azkals

It’s so hard to maintain an active lifestyle when you’re living in a compact city where parks that are supposed to be filled with luscious green trees, wonderful bike trails and breathtaking views are simply turned into multi-level car parks.

James Younghusband showing some of his football moves.

Azkals right winger James Younghusband shares his thoughts about this.

“In the city, it’s hard to find places where you can play football. I think that’s why football is also more popular in the provinces than in the cities here in the Philippines. But I do think it’s important for kids to have a place where they can play sports and maintain an active lifestyle.”

True enough, it really is a rare opportunity to be able to live in a community that encourages its residents, both children and adults, to live out an active lifestyle. And during the ‘Kick Off: The Azkals Invasion’, this was greatly emphasized. The event mounted by Venare, Alveo Land’s newest multi-active lifestyle community in NUVALI South, showcased the importance of living a full and highly-driven life, together with the superstars from the Azkals.

Being an active achiever

The Azkals’ striker Phil Younghusband, together with his elder brother James, both started young when it came to their involvement in sports.

The Azkals for Alveo Land

“We started kicking when I was three years old,” Phil shares.

Their teammates, Azkal striker Ian Araneta and forward Yanti Barsales, also experienced the same good fate. Both hailing from Iloilo, the football capital of the Philippines, both players started playing at a young age because of how their families have exposed them to sports and an active lifestyle during their growing up years.

The practice of living an active lifestyle stayed with the Azkals that it’s no wonder they have become the spirited, energetic, and highly-driven team that they are today. The success they gain from scoring on the field and their passion to bring forth the Philippines in the international football spotlight is really all because of their active lifestyles.

Making room

Unlike any other urban residential community, Venare in NUVALI South provides an environment that is conducive for young achievers to live a sustainable active lifestyle that’s enough for anyone to be the next Phil or James Younghusband in their own right.

Against a picturesque view of Mt. Makiling, Laguna de Bay and Tagaytay Ridges, Venare will be approximately 75 hectares of gently rolling terrain with five multi-active thematic zones that will address every facet of an active lifestyle.

For the ultimate sports enthusiasts, the Go Zone will offer an outdoor soccer field, covered basketball court, an indoor badminton and table tennis area, as well as jogging and fitness trails, providing a wide range of high-octane athletic and recreational pursuits for its residents.

The 3-hectare Central Park will feature the Aqua Zone, with free-form pools for residents to enjoy swimming in on any hot day. It will also house the E-Zone which will house a variety of multimedia entertainment such as game rooms, a library lounge, and an outdoor theater.

The Green Zone will be all about nature-inspired outdoor activities -1.5 hectares of tree-filled landscapes featuring lush forest parts, mountain bike trails and camping and picnic grounds for the whole family. There will also be a Me Zone where residents can have a serene venue for energetic workouts or tranquil exercises while enjoying magnificent views of nature.

Choose to live an active and exciting lifestyle in a neighborhood where modern families can be as fun and spirited as those of the Azkals.

Phil and James Younghusband for Alveo Land

As Phil said, “An active lifestyle is the answer to everything –life expectancy, health issues, even social issues.” So choose to be active and pro-active and live a healthier life at Venare by Alveo Land.

For more information, visit www.alveoland.com.ph, email info@alveosales.com.ph or call (632) 848-5100 (Metro Manila) and 1-800-10-8485100 (Outside Metro Manila).

Better options served fresh at Café Verde

“We are what we eat.”

I’ve heard this saying several times before but I never thought I could ever really relate to it until now.

Just recently, I had to start going on a diet again. I’ve been having some health problems and shedding a few pounds and getting my diet back on track should really be helpful in my quest to becoming healthier.

After a week or so of eating less red meat, sweets and stuffing myself more with fruits and vegetables, I have come to truly realize the true meaning of that quote. What we eat is defined by our lifestyle, and our own personal choices. But in the cities where we live in right now it’s just so difficult to make the best food choices with all the famous fast food chains conveniently hovering us with the usual food options that are bad for us if we have too much of it.

Thankfully, there’s a new addition to the growing number of restaurants offering better food options –the newly opened Café Verde. The first vegan cafeteria offering fresh alternatives to those who want to make healthier choices. Located at the 3^rd floor in the Sports Loop of Robinsons Galleria, Café Verde is Manila’s first vegan quick-service restaurant serving appetizers, rice meals, sandwiches, pizza, pasta and more.

Zucchini Sticks

They’ve got a lot of new and exciting dishes to you can try such as the Bean and Cheese Taquitos served with homemade salsa and sour cream which is surprisingly very light despite it being a deep-fried dish. Same with the herb crusted Zucchini Sticks served with rich tomato sauce –I liked this appetizer because even if it’s also deep-fried (they deep-fry everything in vegetable oil), there is still some crunch in the zucchinis, ensuring freshness in every bite.

Café Verde’s main dishes are also winners in their own right for their unique flavors. I really enjoyed their Caramelized Onions and Cheese Panini which was slow cooked onions and cream cheese in a pan de sal panini. Their Veggie Burgers are an interesting find too. These are mini burgers made of mushroom and tofu patties that were light in the tummy but heavyweight on taste.

Caramelized Onions and Cream Cheese Panini

Veggie Burger Sliders

The Layered Beancurd with Rice meal is also a delight for those who just can’t do away with eating rice and who still want to eat something meaty. And of course, Café Verde’s also got something familiar to the palette such as their Tomato Garlic Spaghetti which was as tasty as ever.

So the next time you’re hungry, think first before ordering and choose the better options served fresh –just like the dishes served at Café Verde. Always choose what’s best for your health, eat with an open mind and an empty stomach!


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2011/may/11/lifestyle1.isx&d=2011/may/11

Filling the gap with ZestAir

For a novice Filipino traveler, going to Baguio and La Union is a must.

I think that it should be considered a requirement before someone adds “traveling” to his or her list of interests or hobbies. These places are one of the first on the “must-go-to” list of experienced travelers because of Baguio’s cold climate and fun family activities and La Union’s beaches and surfing hotspots.

ZestAir Airbus

That’s why it was such good news to find out that Zest Air has paved the way to fill the gap faster and much easier for people in the Metro to travel to Baguio and La Union without the hassles of driving 5-7 hours via car or bus. Because ZestAir is now flying to 20 destinations including La Union, and soon enough it will be flying to more places here and abroad.

Goodbye, road trips

Say goodbye to long hours on the road and say hello to traveling for an hour or less to the famous vacation spots in the north!

If you value your time and your money, and you’re still up for a quick getaway to cool down in Baguio or relish the summer heat in La Union, what better way to fill the gap from point A to point B but by flying to your destination –which Zest Air can do just for you.

Thunderbird Resort, La Union

Zest Air flies regularly to San Fernando, La Union which will take you less than 30 minutes to get there, and has available land transfers waiting for you if you’re planning to go to Baguio which will then take you there in only an hour or so. With Zest Air helping you fill that gap, you have more time to spend on the things you want to do during your vacation, and less time on actually getting there.

The Manor Hotel, Camp John Hay in Baguio

Maybe you can stay at Baguio’s The Manor Hotel and have a fun and relaxing time with your family while enjoying all the other amenities inside Camp John Hay. Or have a few days off and spend a night or two with your special someone at La Union’s exclusive Thunderbird Resort and enjoy the great views and the ultimate peace and privacy that the resort boasts off.

Better late than never

It’s not too late to book your flight and experience summer 2011 to the limit because

no matter what you’re up for –whether it’s golfing, playing at the casino, partying or relaxing at the beach or in your hotel, make it happen for yourself with the help of Zest Air.

Zest Air flies to 20 Philippine destinations. It flies five times daily to Cebu and twice daily to popular stops such as Bacolod, Davao, Iloilo, Tacloban, Tagbiliran and Puerto Princesa. Zest Air also has regular flights from Manila to Boracay, La Union, Legazpi, Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman, Kalibo, Masbate, Marinduque, and Mindoro. Passengers can also avail of their international flights to Incheon and Pusan in Korea, and to Shanghai China.

Soon there will also be local flights to Zamboanga and Cagayan. Zest Air will also be acquiring two more Airbuses and 2 B-777s for their long haul flights to the Middle East later this year.

For more information, visit the Zest Air website at www.zestair.com.ph or call Zest Air’s customer reservation hotline at (632) 855-3333.

Worry-free weddings at the Legend Villas

I would never admit it (and if you ask me, I will deny saying it), but having a grand wedding not a cliche.  

Someday when I find ‘the one’ for me, just like any girl it’d be nice to experience how it is to be a bride –all the grandeur and celebration, the glorious feast and utmost merriment with family and friends. But when I really think about it, eventually I tend to back out on the whole idea because just the thought of planning every detail makes me feel like it’s going to be a never-ending feat and the essence of the wedding will be lost throughout the process.

But after finding out about The Legend Villas’ Crystal Wedding packages, I realized that preparing for a wedding can now be as worry-free as simply going to someone else’s party and enjoying yourself, not thinking of the fact that it is actually your wedding you’re going off to!

The Wedding Package

You’ll be surprised at the extent of what The Legend Villas’ Crystal Wedding package has done just to create an offer that any bride and groom will be foolish not to consider. For a starting package rate for a 100 persons which only costs P155,000.00, you can have that wonderful wedding that you’ve been waiting for to happen because The Legend Villas’ has got it all covered for you.

 

The couple can choose from two lovely themes: The whimsical Quartz theme, and the stylish Onyx. The Quartz package is reminiscent of a fairytale-like wedding with classical table settings and luminous décor. The Onyx package is a little bit more modern. Its monochromatic theme evokes drama and class for the simple yet elegant couple who want something different for their special day.

Together with the theme options, food and catering will not be a hassle for the bride and groom as well because the The Legend Villas offers sumptuous feasts served buffet-style, which is already enough to kick-start the wedding celebration.

The wedding package will also include the personalized scented soap boxes as souvenirs, wedding day coordination kit, and the services of a wedding day coordinator and a master of ceremonies.

Topping it off

If you prefer an enjoyable wedding celebration without the hassles of moving from one venue to another, you may hold your nuptials within The Legend Villas hotel ceremonial hall which will have a very intimate set-up for the couple’s solemn exchange of vows. 

And besides all the wedding reception offers, an overnight accommodation with breakfast for two in a Villa Suite Deluxe prior to the wedding and an overnight accommodation with breakfast for two in a Honeymoon Suite on the night of the wedding will also be included in the Crystal Wedding packages. If the couple would like to get rooms for their family and friends, the hotel will give a 40% discount on the published room rates. Now isn’t that just wonderful?

As The Legend Villas’ Chief Operating Officer Ginger Villavicencio said, “Stressful weddings are now a thing of the past as The Legend Villas is now your one-stop shop for worry-free weddings.”

Indeed. With the luxury of personalized service, set-up and wedding feast that The Legend Villas has to offer, the thought of planning a grand wedding doesn’t have to be too dreadful after all.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2011/april/7/lifestyle1.isx&d=2011/april/7