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Today’s house-meal was Crispy Pork Binagoongan (crispy pork with shrimp paste) and sauteed bean sprouts. Yum! Both dishes are fairly easy to cook when you have the complete ingredients. Ivan fried the meat with ground pork fat…I was surprised how the solid pork fat liquefied and turned into cooking oil after about an hour of cooking. Our lunch turned out great and I ate a cup of rice :( Searching for hydroxycut reviews now to aid my diet, hahahaha!!!
This year, Esquire Magazine tapped Los Angeles’ premiere designers, architects and artists to turn a local residence into a model of luxurious bachelor living. Esquire sought out Corbett Lighting, Hudson Valley Lighting and Troy Lighting (brands of industry leader- The Littman Group) to provide high-end, stylish lighting for three rooms of the 9,000-square-foot house, located in the heart of Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills.
Worth an estimated $18.9 million, the 2010 Esquire House was redesigned with donations from companies like Corbett Lighting, Hudson Valley Lighting and Troy Lighting, as well as support from sponsors such as Lufthansa, Hugo Boss, Salvatore Ferragamo and Heineken. The house will go on the market after several celebrity charity events are held there in upcoming weeks. The star-studded grand opening of the 2010 Esquire House on Friday, October 15 was hosted by actress Sienna Miller, and proceeds from the event went to the International Medical Corps.
“We’re always seeking out opportunities to collaborate with the local design community and give back to charity; we’re proud to partner with Esquire on this incredible project,” said Steve Nadell, president of Corbett Lighting, Hudson Valley Lighting and Troy Lighting. Nadell continued, “The donation also lends itself to our philanthropic initiatives, as the charity events planned for the house will benefit causes we wholeheartedly support, such as City of Hope and Oceana.”
Corbett Lighting’s Bento Collection is featured in the DIY Network Screening Room, designed by Amy Matthews. Fixtures from Corbett Lighting’s Vertigo Collection are featured in the Heineken Music Lounge, designed by Lisa Delena. Hudson Valley Lighting’s Middlebury and Pelham Collections are featured in the Corum Study, designed by Mark Cutler. As an official Esquire House 2010 Partner, Corbett Lighting, Hudson Valley Lighting and Troy Lighting will be featured in the resource guide of the Esquire House Journal, which is poly-bagged with the December issue. The collaboration includes a partnership with the Pacific Design Center and will be featured on the DIY Network’s one-hour TV special on the Esquire House, set to air in January 2011.
Corbett Lighting is part of The Littman Group, which includes: Corbett Lighting, Troy Lighting, Hudson Valley Lighting, CSL (Creative Systems Lighting) and Troy Landscape Lighting. To learn more about Corbett Lighting, visit: www.corbettlighting.com.
Source: SFGate
You’re not alone if you’re excited about the new crop of Brazilian churrascaria restaurants coming to cruise ships.
Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein writes on his blog this week that pre-bookings for the churrascaria eatery planned for the line’s soon-to-debut, 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas have taken off since it was announced in late August.
Unveiled at a media preview of Allure at the STX Europe yard in Finland, the meat-focused eatery — dubbed Samba Grill — has quickly become the third most popular venue on the vessel for pre-bookings, Goldstein says.
The heat is on as the 12 finalists for SM Hypermarket’s Super Chef challenge go head to head in the four final rapid-fire final rounds that will determine who will be hailed as the SM Hypermarket Super Chef.
Catch the 12 SM Superchef Challenge finalists at Asian Food Channel this August!
Initially, 60 participants, composed of housewives, culinary students and instructors, call center agents, kitchen crew members, restaurant owners, bankers, and retirees had faced off in live cooking challenges. The 12 participants who beat out their competitors time and again are now under even more pressure as the pool of participants becomes ever smaller. To make the competition more intense, the challenges will be televised over the Asian Food Channel.
Celebrate the rich and unique flavors of Thailand as Marriott Hotel Manila brings the best of Thai in partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Embassy of Thailand and Thai Airways.
Thailand's famous Pad Thai
One of the Asia’s most favorite cuisines, Thai food has been gaining popularity worldwide with its worth relishing tastes. For the whole month of August, satisfy your taste buds with a delicious showcase of authentic Thai dishes by Thai chef Thanathorn Krobsuay flown all the way from one of the most contemporary Marriott properties in Asia, the JW Marriott Bangkok. A Thai local himself, chef Krobsuay shares his sophisticated style and expertise in Thai cooking which never fails to mesmerize guests and capture the palates of discerning gourmands.
You could also bring home the Flavors of Thailand as Chef Thanathorn conducts a free cooking class on August 12 at 2:30pm. Slots to the class are free by simply reserving at the Marriott Café reception and presenting a receipt.
In addition, diners who avail of the Flavors of Thailand buffet also get a chance to win a pair of roundtrip tickets to Thailand courtesy of the Thai Airways and Tourism Authority of Thailand. The prize trip includes a three-night stay with breakfast at the Rennaisance Koh Samui Resort and Spa Thailand.
The Flavors of Thailand will be available during lunch and dinner at PHP 1,350 nett for adults and PHP675 nett for children, while Sunday Brunch is at PHP 1,650 nett. Children below 12 get in for half the price and children below 6 get in for free.
Marriott Café is located at the Ground Floor of Marriott Hotel Manila. For more information and reservations, call (632)988-9999 or visit www.marriott.com/mnlap.
After a whole week of stress, who doesn’t look forward to the weekend? Those three days are a gold mine for unwinding, relaxation, and quality time with family and friends. But between Friday night hangouts and a quick Saturday weekend getaway, it’s almost impossible to find the time to sit down as one family and unwind.
Sunday nights are usually the last chance for family bonding and relaxation before going down the road of five-day stress. The best way to amp up the energy for another week is with a bowl of popcorn, a comfy couch, and your family tuned in to Star Movies.
As the perfect week-ender, Star Movies presents Sunday Mega Movies: Hollywood Box-Office Hits, which showcases the most anticipated movies to hit TV screens.
For August, Sunday Mega Movies kicks off at 9 p.m. with Night at the Museum: Battle of Smithsonian, a comedy starring Ben Stiller as the former night guard Larry Daley. In this second installment, Larry faces an even bigger adventure with his nocturnal friends on display.
Catch this Hollywood Hit on Star Movies this August 1!
Though he left the low-paying job as night guard to become the inventor of Daley Devices infomercial products, Larry is drawn back to the Museum of Natural History where he once had the most magical adventure during graveyard shift. He finds some of his old friends Jedediah (Owen Wilson), Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams), and Octavius (Steve Coogan) ready to be shipped off to the archives section. Newcomers have also entered the exhibit scene, including the Egyptian ruler Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria) and his three henchmen, who are plotting to take over the museum. Now it’s up to Larry to thwart their plans and save the day (and night) and his museum friends before the stroke of dawn.
If you happen to miss the action of Night at the Museum: Battle of Smithsonian this Sunday, Star Movies: Lunch Pass features a replay at 12:30 p.m. on August 2, Monday. Lunch Pass showcases the freshest blockbuster movies every day in time for your lunch break.
Below are some quick weight loss diet methods that have gained buzz in various media channels worldwide.
Atkins Diet: Severely restricts carbohydrates, allows a lot of protein and fat, and encourages meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese and low-carb vegetables.
Lemon Detox Diet: No solid food for up to 10 days and live on a juice of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Detoxers must also drink a litre of sea salt water every morning and a detox tea each night.
Cabbage Soup Diet: Involves eating as much of the soup as possible, incorporating a different solid food each day, including milk with bananas, steak and fruit.
Grapefruit Diet: Based on the theory that the enzymes will make you lose weight,dieters eat half a grapefruit before meals.
Gabriel Method: A “non diet” approach to weight loss that uses the power of the mind through visualisation and positive thinking to turn off the body’s “fat switch”.
(Source: New Zealand Herald)
Some people (even popular Hollywood celebrities) have attested to these diets. However, it is still best that one seek advise from professional health care experts for a suitable weight loss method that will fit your body.
Finally, a real promo for real men!
Cell phones and other gadgets are cool prizes to win but for tough guys, nothing beats those that involve two of their interests: women and wheels. That’s why Colt 45 – the strong beer for real men – is now giving men nationwide a chance to live out their dreams.
The “Colt 45 Vava-Vroom Real Man Promo” is giving away the chance for one winner to go on a weekend getaway in Boracay with dreamy Cristine Reyes and another winner to drive home a dream 4×4 tough truck – tax free!
Joining is easy: simply collect ten (10) Colt 45 silver crowns, enclose in an envelope with a piece of paper with your name, birth date, contact number, email address, home address and signature on it and drop it at any 2Go outlet. Draw date will be held on September 30, 2010.
All real men out there would definitely find this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity hard to resist. So hurry and send as much entries as you can to up your chances!
Kellan Lutz of Twilight Saga
Six packs or eight, tinsel town seems to be getting it all right. Actor Kellan Lutz has now joined the bandwagon. In an interview to the latest edition of Men’s Health India just before the release of his next film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, he shared his best-kept fitness secrets.
It was during an eighth-grade graduation party at a water park that Kellan Lutz had his fab ab moment. “Before that, I never knew abs were attractive. Where I grew up in Arizona, you would never see anyone without a shirt at school. But when I took off my shirt, all the girls were like, ‘Oh, look at your abs!’ And I was like, ‘Yeah!’”
To stay in shape, Lutz starts every ab workout with five minutes of cardio and follows it up with core work. The workouts don’t end when Lutz leaves the gym. It’s easier to stay active when fitness blends naturally into your day. That’s why Lutz hikes and swims in his backyard pool with his shepherd husky, Kola.
Food used to be a problem, though: good eating habits weren’t something Lutz had an early start on. He was one of eight kids raised by a divorced mother. “With a big family and not a lot of money, we ate whatever we got,” he says. Years later, he could still eat 10 Taco Bell tacos together.
Now, Lutz eats small meals every two to three hours, and he never skips breakfast. To keep his metabolism humming overnight, he downs a hard-boiled egg before bed.
One thing that worked was eating slower. “Even if it’s pizza, I’ll eat with a fork and knife to slow down.” Eating calmly lets your body announce when it is full before you have overstuffed yourself, the actor advises.
source: Hindustan Times
photo [via.]
Look forward enjoying Californiaberry in more locations with the opening of new branches. The first provincial branch currently operating in Gaisano Mall Davao is surprisingly receiving warm reception since it started operations. Another recently opened De La Salle University branch in Taft not only offering students an exciting dessert treat, but its also shaping itself as a social gathering place because of the sleek and comfortable store design, an inviting venue for patrons to linger.
Soon to hit the South in August is at Iloilo, the very first yogurt store in the city. Franchisee couple Mr. Reginald and Annabelle Mocling never doubted that opening a branch in SM Iloilo is going to be a great success. “Californiaberry’s fast expansion is good gauge for product patronage. When my wife and I went to Manila, we were at that time on a look out for a business and we got to try Californiaberry–instantly liking its refreshing taste and flavors. From then on, we studied about its potential if we bring it in our hometown”, said Reginald. Since Californiaberry non-fat frozen yogurt opened its first flagship store in Silver City Ortigas, it started taking the franchising scene by storm and growth was unstoppable. Currently, the company is operating 14 stores in Metro Manila with one provincial branch in Davao.
Set to open new branches in Sta. Lucia Grand Mall Cainta, Ateneo Katipunan, Festival Mall Filinvest Alabang, UST Manila, Waltermart Makati, SM Fairview, SM Novaliches, and SM Davao, fro-yo proves to be not just another fad. Francorp, a worldwide leader in franchise development and consulting awarded Californiaberry in 2009 as the fastest growing franchise store in the country with a profitable turn out.
Despite major hurddles, marketing Director Kirkland Whang says, “Blending fresh and healthy yogurt with a cool place to hang out is what makes Californiaberry popular– designed comfortably to mingle with friends with a leisurely experience for surfing the net for free, since most stores offer free wifi.”
For more information, check out www.californiaberry.net and follow us on facebook, search: CALIFORNIABERRY and be updated with the latest promotions and freebies. For inquiries about franchising, call (632) 470-1835 or email franchise@californiaberry.net
Spain has always been known as an incredible tourist spot. All over the country there are a large number of events that draw tens of thousands of people annually to witness the culture, modern nightlife, and age old traditions of the Spanish. However, there is one celebration that is renowned above all others: San Fermin.
San Fermin is a festival that is held each year in Pamplona, a small city in Navarre. Beginning on the 6th of July, the afternoon Opening Ceremony draws a huge crowd around Town Hall, where the Pamplona party kicks off with the firing of a small rocket called the “chupinazo”, then leads into a huge celebration with live music, champagne, and plenty of dancing. But that is only the first day of the festival, and from then until the Closing Ceremony (14th July) there are a number of activities and events to enjoy.
The most well known and exciting events of the San Fermin festival is the Bull Run. This is a daily spectacle, and every morning a collection of bulls are run through the streets to the local arena, but the real excitement of this morning stampede comes from the many people who choose to run alongside them.
Here in the Philippines, Tapella Restaurant brings San Fermin in Manila with a twist. Tapella won’t have any opening ceremony around the town hall and definitely no bulls to run with, but a huge evening celebration of wine buffet paired with tapas , dancing and a lot of free items awaits you. Just come anytime on July 09 and dine in your all-white attire and you will be surprised with a free glass of wine, free chistorra sausage and a free redkerchief too.
“The feast of San Fermin is very well known not only in Spain but in the whole world. It’s a tradition that all the participants had wear traditional white pants and shirts with a red neckerchief tied at the front that’s why we would like to invite our guest to come in white on this day to feel the celebration and we are giving away glass of wine and sausage”, said Executive Chef- Alexandra Cacho.
Head to Tapella for the San Fermin festival, and have the time of your life at one of the world’s most famous celebrations. Tapella is open daily from 11am until 12mn. Located at Ground Level of Greenbelt 5. For more information or reservations, call 7572710 and 7572711.
GLENDALE, Calif. –DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) announced that it has reached an agreement with Dam Things from Denmark to debut the wildly popular Good Luck Troll on the big screen, introducing a new generation to one of the world’s most beloved toy lines.
Brother-sister writing team Adam Wilson and Melanie Wilson LaBracio will pen the screenplay and Dannie Festa of Festa Entertainment, who brought the package to DreamWorks Animation, will executive produce the feature film.
The Troll doll phenomenon was born in 1959 when Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam, too poor to afford a Christmas present for his young daughter Lajla, carved a doll for her based on the legendary Scandinavian troll. This modern-day Geppetto couldn’t have imagined that the Troll dolls would soon become one of the biggest toy crazes of the 1960s. The Trolls experienced a resurgence in the 1990s and their uniquely endearing faces and shocks of colorful hair continue to capture the hearts and imaginations of fans around the world.
“My father would have been very happy to know that his Troll has found its dream partner in DreamWorks Animation,” said Niels Dam, who now owns the family business. Calle Ostergaard, CEO of Dam Things, added, “We have been planning to bring the Good Luck Troll toy line back into homes around the world and we are excited to see how the talented storytellers and artists at DreamWorks Animation will bring them to life.”
“We are thrilled at the great creative possibilities we have in bringing the Trolls to family audiences around the world across a number of channels, including on the big screen,” DreamWorks Animation Head of Development Alex Schwartz said. “We look forward to working alongside Dam Things to build on the mythology of the Good Luck Trolls while delivering the sense of adventure, heart and comedy that DreamWorks Animation is known for.”
Dam Things is represented by Festa and Jay Handlin at Carlsmith Ball LLP. Writers Wilson and Wilson LaBracio, whose original material includes the feature films “Evergone” and “The Impossible Adventures of Phineas Roone,” are represented by Festa, Brad Rosenfeld at Preferred Artists, and Eric Suddleson of Felker Toczek Gellman Suddleson LLP.
OAK BROOK, Ill. – In collaboration with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and as a precautionary measure, McDonald’s USA today issued a voluntary recall of its four Shrek Forever After™ glassware recently offered in its U.S. restaurants. Customers should stop using the glasses and visit www.mcdonalds.com/glasses beginning June 8 for instructions on how to return them and get a refund.
Refunds for these glasses will begin on June 8
McDonald’s safety standards are among the highest in the industry and the company has a strong track record. To be clear, the glassware was evaluated by an independent third-party laboratory which is accredited by the CPSC, and determined to be in compliance with all applicable federal and state requirements at the time of manufacture and distribution. However, in light of the CPSC’s evolving assessment of standards for cadmium in consumer products, McDonald’s determined in an abundance of caution that a voluntary recall of the Shrek Forever After glasses is appropriate.
“When the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission approached McDonald’s about cadmium in their current movie-themed drinking glasses, the company responded quickly, agreed to cooperate fully and acted on the side of caution,” said Scott Wolfson, Director of the Office of Information and Public Affairs, CPSC. “The glasses have far less cadmium than the children’s metal jewelry that CPSC has previously recalled.”
McDonald’s has a longstanding, cooperative relationship with the CPSC, and continues to follow their lead as testing protocols and new scientific information becomes available.
The Shrek Forever After glassware was offered in four glass designs at McDonald’s restaurants beginning May 21. The four designs include Puss n’ Boots, Shrek, Princess Fiona and Donkey. Customers can get instructions to return the glassware and request a refund by visiting www.mcdonalds.com/glasses beginning June 8. Customers can also call McDonald’s toll-free number at 1-800-244-6227. Previous McDonald’s promotional glassware is not involved in the recall.
LOUISVILLE, KY – America has spoken and the Colonel listened. The wildly popular KFC Double Down™ is going to remain on the KFC menu past May 23, when the “Limited Time Only” promotion for KFC’s first-ever bunless chicken sandwich was scheduled to end.
While the launch of the unique Double Down created unprecedented buzz for the brand, it also received a warm reception from KFC customers. Later this month, KFC will sell its 10 millionth Double Down. As a result of this continuing demand, Double Down fans will be able to keep enjoying the sandwich for an extended time period at participating KFC locations.
“This truly is an example of ‘popular demand,’” said Javier Benito, executive vice president of marketing and food innovation for KFC. “Our plans were to feature the product only through May 23, but millions of Double Down fans have spoken and we won’t disappoint them. You’ll continue to be able to get the Double Down at KFC this summer.”
The one-of-a-kind Double Down features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce. And no bun, of course.
Even before the product was officially introduced on April 12, public and media interest in the Double Down reached a fever pitch. Once the Double Down hit the market, it quickly became an online sensation, with Double Down fans blogging and posting videos and photos of themselves enjoying the product.
“We’ve really never seen anything like it,” added Benito. “From real-time Twitter reviews and YouTube videos of people eating the sandwich to Facebook fan pages and Flickr photo albums, the Double Down has become a social media sensation.”
The Double Down contains 540 calories, similar numbers to many of the burgers available at fast food restaurants today. The Double Down is also available in a grilled version, which checks in at 460 calories. For fat, cholesterol, sodium and other nutritional content for the Double Down or other KFC products, visit www.kfc.com/nutrition.
SM Hypermarket has launched the latest and greatest edition of its Super Chef series by turning it into a reality show – think Iron Chef meets American Idol meets Survivor.
Super Chefs is open to anyone who can cook, be they housewives, carinderia owners, culinary school students or professional chefs. The competition is divided into three stages: 1) audition; 2) elimination; and the 3) grand finals.
The Super Chefs grand finals will be aired on the Asian Food Channel and hosted by Chef Tristan Encarnacion.
To get qualified for the audition round, interested participants just need to present a P1,000 single or accumulated purchase from any SM Hypermarket inclusive of the sponsors’ product together with your cooked dish on the submission day. Throughout the competition, their creations will be judged by celebrities like Winnie Cordero and the country’s top chefs like Reggie Aspiras, to ensure that only the best survive.
The grand winner of the SM Hypermarket Super Chefs will get to take home a kitchen showcase worth P100,000 and go on a 4-day all-expense-paid trip to Singapore for a culinary training. Runner-ups will also win a P50,000, P25,000, P15,000 or P10,000 SM gift certificates.
The contest runs from May to July 2010. For details, visit any SM Hypermarket branch, log on to www.smhypermarket.com, or like Super Chefs on Facebook.
SM Hypermarket Super Chefs 2010 is sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, Nestle, San Remo, Purefoods, Selecta, Kraft Miracle Whip, Cheez Whiz, Eden Cheese, Mccormick, Lee Kum Kee, Kikkoman soy sauce, Clara Ole and San Miguel Beer.
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