Jellybeans in the City

Tasty Taiwanese dishes at FatFook Kitchen, UP Town Center

For a recent holiday get-together with my former office buddies, we settled on FatFook Kitchen at UP Town Center as our meet-up place.

For one thing, UP Town Center is easily accessible to all of us, scattered all over the metro as we are. Despite the Christmas rush, getting there was relatively easy, since most of the traffic are headed towards the opposite direction to the Makati and South areas.

Secondly, we know that we won’t be disappointed in the food. After all, Taiwanese cuisine is so close to what appeals to the Pinoy palate while offering a welcome break to flavors and textures we consider mundane.

The next challenge was ordering food for a group of five that will please everyone’s taste buds or sate their personal cravings. Fortunately, FatFook has a ready solution with its Feast for the Family offer which allows diners to order one appetizer, one noodle or rice dish, one vegetable dish and two main entrees for just Php1,1088.

Given our appetites and this amazingly affordable offer, we ordered two sets of Feast for the Family and indulged ourselves in a variety of Taiwanese dishes which included:

Appetizer.

Noodles and Rice.

Vegetable Dish.

Main Entrees.

Dimsum. Our meal wouldn’t be complete with some tasty potstickers so we ordered some of the frozen dumplings which the restaurant steamed and served to us.

We also couldn’t pass up the chance to have a taste of FatFook’s signature Taiwanese Sausages, plump and meaty links with a sweet, savory and garlicky flavor. Also, since FatFook does not offer service water, we washed down our meal with soda and TeaCo Black Tea.

Our enjoyable time together over good food was enhanced by the great service of FatFook’s staff.

I’m so looking forward to our next meet-up here.

This FatFook branch is located at 2nd Floor, Phase 1A, UP Town Center, Diliman, Quezon City, open daily for dine-in and takeout.

Other branches in the metro are located at:

SM North EDSA
Glorietta
Robinsons Galleria
Alabang Town Center
Ayala North Exchange
Ayala Malls Manila Bay

FatFook delivers frozen and ready-to-cook dishes via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

The importance of urban green spaces

Feeling tired or stressed? Unable to concentrate or feel at ease? Overcome with exhaustion or anxiety?

If the travails of life in the metro is making you feel out of sorts, it may be time to go green… that is, go to green spaces.

What are urban green spaces?

Urban green spaces are areas reserved for parks, plant life and other kinds of natural environment.

These areas provide city dwellers with places for picnics, leisurely walks, and other forms of outdoor recreational activities. They also serve as areas where people can escape the heat, air and noise pollution, as well as enjoy some peace and quiet.

Green spaces also serve to beautify the urban setting, adding welcome touches of green and other colors of nature, thereby integrating the natural environment with the built environment.

Why are urban green spaces important?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends universal access to green spaces, specifically that there should be a green space measuring at least 0.5 hectares at a linear distance of no more than 300 meters from every home.

This is because multiple studies have shown that green spaces help reduce stress, encourage social cohesion and physical activity, as well promote mental and physical health.

Other studies also point to increasing urban green spaces helping to stave off premature death.

Green spaces have also been shown to improve cognitive ability and social behaviors among children, particularly in the areas of attention restoration, memory, competence, socialization, self-discipline and stress moderation.

Increasing green spaces in cities and real estate developments are also seen to improve urban biodiversity and sustainability. With more plant species included planned green spaces attract birds and other fauna which help control pest infestations.

They also reduce the effects of Urban Heat Islands (UHIs), defined as metropolitan areas which are significantly warmer than their surrounding rural areas due to the daily activities of urban populations concentrated in a small area.

Green spaces in Metro Manila

Sadly, over the past several decades, the metro’s urban planners haven’t prioritized the provision for green spaces.

In 2019, netizen BA Racoma culled data from the Philippine Statistics Authority and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority to come up with a map indicating the few remaining green spaces in Metro Manila.

These include: La Mesa Ecopark, Balara Filters Park, Arboretum Forest, Rizal Park Nayong Pilipino and Muntinlupa Sunken Garden.

Other netizens also identified Las Piñas Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area and the Arroceros Park in Manila as green spaces endangered by proposed real estate developments.

What you can do

If you haven’t visited the metro’s green spaces, it’s high time that you do so. This way, you can experience their health benefits and appreciate their aesthetic value first-hand.

You may also opt to patronize establishments that incorporate green areas in their design in the form of gardens or mini-parks.

You may also write to your local government unit (LGU) officials about developing green spaces in your community. Also, in every local or national election, do check out the candidate’s stand on the environment and public health to see how developing urban green spaces may be included in their future policies and projects.

Urban green spaces have been shown to greatly contribute to public health and the city’s beautification. It would be a shame if these areas dwindle and disappear, leaving the metro’s residents bereft of their various benefits.

Plant pictures taken at Rockwell The Grove in Pasig City.

Home accents from AllHome to liven up your spaces

Do you sometimes feel reluctant to bring visitors to your home, thinking that they’ll find your place too blah?

When you leaf through lifestyle magazines, do you find yourself wishing your home is as full of pizzazz as those featured in those pages?

While large furniture pieces may be hard to get rid of or replace, you can easily add a home accessory to your space that will totally change its look.

Why accessorize your home?

Similar to how, in fashion, the right accessories add personality to a whole outfit, the right home accents can imbue your spaces with your own style and uniqueness.

Accent pieces can impart a seasonal feel to your decor. By choosing accessories that embody the time of the year, you can bring the changing seasons to your home.

Are you ready to accessorize your home? Here are some sensible rules of thumb to guide your selections:

Go for quality over quantity. You don’t need to fill your spaces with as many bric-a-bracs as you can get your hands on. Just go for a few choice pieces that will impart style and uniqueness to your area.
Go for pops of color and interesting changes in texture. Accent pieces should add visual interest to the room by providing contrast from large and neutral-colored pieces of furniture.
Consider how the pieces fit into the room and with each other. Consider the proportion and scale of the pieces against the space: miniscule figurines in large mantel may just appear like clutter and a large piece of artwork will crowd a small room. To get a feel of how to arrange your accessories, start with the one or two larger pieces (use such items sparingly), then add small ones to fill in the space or achieve balance.

Top Picks from AllHome

The good news is that you won’t have to travel far to get good selections of home accessories: simply drop by your nearest AllHome outlet or shop online at allhome.com.ph.

Check out some of my top picks and see which ones can be worked in to your home.

Plants. Greenery adds freshness to a space, hence the proliferation of indoor plants painstakingly cared for by the resident plantito or plantita in many homes However, if you don’t have the time to care for a real plant, getting artificial plants or preserved flower arrangements is the next best thing.

AllHome Accessories — ATHOME Imogen Decorative Artificial Plant

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Storage items. Tidy up your clutter while injecting some style to the area with chic decorative items that also serve as storage.

AllHome — Y1915 Round Woven Basket with Handle

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Tabletop decor. Add style to the various areas in the house through small but interesting pieces that can be placed on top of surfaces like tables, shelves, racks or mantels.

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Wall decor. Break the monotony of the walls of your room through eye-catching wall-mounted decor or functional items such as clocks or memo boards.

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Mirrors. Want to make a room look bigger or bring in more light to a space? You can do both with strategically placed mirrors.

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So when you feel like your home is looking a bit drab or dull, you know that you can always jazz it up with a few well-chosen accents!

About AllHome

AllHome is the Pinoy’s one-stop shop for all home needs. It offers an extensive range of top-quality home-improvement products such as construction supplies, hardware, appliances, indoor and outdoor furniture, homeware, décor, and even electronic gadgets all under one roof.

Its Metro Manila branches include:

Vista Place (Wil Tower), Eugenio Lopez Drive, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City
E. Rodriguez Jr. Brgy. Bagumbayan, Quezon City
Starmall EDSA-Shaw, Ground, Epifanio de los Santos Ave, Mandaluyong
Worldwide Corporate Center, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong
Vista Mall Taguig, Levi Mariano Ave., Taguig City
Vista Mall C5 Extension Road, Quirino Ave. Pulang Lupa Uno, Las Piñas City
Vista Mall Las Pinas, CV Starr Ave., Philam Village, Pamplona, Las Pinas

You may also conveniently shop online at allhome.com.ph to take advantage of AllHome’s wide array of original and top-quality items, easy payment methods and fast delivery timelines without leaving your home.

In-store photos taken at AllHome WCC and product images taken from allhome.com.ph. Used with permission.

Sweet Sunday meetup at Sundays, Marikina

During pre-pandemic times, one of the highlights of my workday is the #HappyLunch I used to enjoy with my officemates.

We used to scope out the various dining spots in the vicinity of our workplace and choose a new place in which to spend that precious lunch hour. These midday adventures not only presented us with gustatory delights, they also provided our group with a welcome break from our work environment and an opportunity for some levity in between periods of being good little workers.

Well, things happened (some officemates transitioned to other companies, and, of course, COVID-19 reared its ugly head in the metro, which curtailed opportunities for dining out), so we haven’t been able to get together for almost two years.

Thanks to the loosening of community quarantine restrictions, I was able to meet up with two of my former office friends for brunch at Sundays Cafe & Restaurant.

One of the newest dining spots in foodie-friendly Marikina, Sundays offers breakfast, comfort food and coffee. Located along J.P. Rizal Street, it’s housed in a single-story Spanish villa-inspired building, with clean and minimalist interiors well-suited for intimate gatherings as well as a pet-friendly al fresco dining area.

Quite fittingly, I met up with my friends on a Sunday morning for brunch. After experiencing some confusion in the drive over (note to self: rely on Waze, not Google Maps, for directions in this part of Marikina, especially with the one-way streets), I was able to snag the last remaining parking spot, quite ably assisted by the parking attendant.

One of my friends was later in arriving than me and had to park quite a distance away from the cafe.

In between various chika and catching up on events in each other’s lives since we last saw each other, my friends and I broke our fast with Sundays’ cafe staples, which included:

Mocha (Php145). A chocolatey version of the restaurant’s cafe latte, served hot.

Eggs Benedict (Php250). Sundays’ version of my favorite breakfast dish consists of fluffy brioche buns topped with slices of homemade bacon and poached egg drenched in hollandaise sauce, with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.

Homemade Bacon Slab on Kimchi Rice (Php320). This breakfast food given a Korean vibe consists of thick slices of homemade bacon, a fried egg (sunny side up, per our request) on top of flavorful kimchi rice served on a skillet.

Tres Leches (Php130). I indulged my sweet tooth with this light sponge cake soaked in a sweet milk mixture and topped with sweetened whipped cream with a sprinkling of cornflakes for texture.

The restaurant was still on soft opening mode during our visit so hopefully, it will be able to smooth out some kinks in its operations, particularly some delays in serving our food and in providing the bill.

That said, the restaurant was true to its proposition of providing “Great food. Great memories.” It certainly was a memorable brunch meetup with my friends over delicious food!

Sundays Cafe and Restaurant is located at J.P. Rizal corner V. Gomez Street, Barangay San Roque, Marikina City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 8am to 10pm and Fridays to Sundays from 8am to 11pm. For reservations, call +63 917 1572634.

3 reasons to reach for Biogesic to save your holiday from headaches and pains

Is the holiday stress making your head throb? Or do the sudden changes in weather give you aches pains?

Don’t worry, mommies! Relief is won’t take long if you keep Biogesic handy.

Biogesic is a trusted brand of paracetamol for over 50 years. It is typically used to relieve mild to moderate pain such as headache, backache, menstrual cramps, muscular strain, minor arthritis pain, toothache, and reduce fevers caused by illnesses such as the common cold and flu.

If you haven’t stocked up on this over-the -counter remedy yet, here are three reasons why you should:

1) Biogesic can be consumed on an empty stomach.

If you sometimes suffer from a sensitive stomach, taking medication may be a mixed blessing because some medications cause stomach upsets. With Biogesic, there’s no need to wait until you’ve eaten to take your pill and give yourself some relief as it won’t irritate your stomach lining.

2) Biogesic may be taken by children 12 years old or older, as well as by pregnant and breastfeeding women and seniors.

The 500mg Biogesic tablet may be taken by adults and children 12 years old or older, as well as seniors every four to six hours. Younger children will need to take a lower dose; fortunately, there’s Biogesic for Kids oral drops which contain 100mg of paracetamol and can be taken every four hours.

Pregnant and breastfeeding moms can also rest assured that taking Biogesic to relieve their headaches and pains is safe for them and their babies.

3) It is widely available.

Getting your hands on Biogesic won’t give you any headaches either. You can grab a pack at leading drugstores such as Mercury Drug, Watsons, Southstar Drug, Rose Pharmacy, Big Grocer and Med Express. You can also order online at Shopee, Lazada, Zalora and BeautyMNL.

So mommies, to ensure that everyone in the family benefits from #AlagangBiogesic, be sure to keep it handy by stocking it in your medicine cabinet or including it in your first aid kits and go bags.

Biogesic Paracetamol 500mg (20 tablets). For adults and kids 12 years old or older.

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Biogesic Paracetamol 100mg for Kids (60mL). For kids between 2 to 6 years old.

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Disclosure: Product sample was provided to facilitate this feature.

#PepsiChristmasHitSaSarap combo deals with Bonchon at FoodPanda

Holiday mealtimes are all-set to become a lot merrier with the latest offer from Pepsi and FoodPanda.

As part of Pepsi’s Hit Sa Sarap Christmas Campaign, the softdrink giant partnered with food delivery service FoodPanda in bringing exciting deals to the metro’s foodies:

Php100 OFF your favorites upon using the code PEPSIXMAS (minimum spend of Php350)
Up to 20% off on select Pepsi Christmas Hit Sarap Combo Deals

Can’t wait to dig in? Check these out!

Regular Bibimbowl Meal (Php165.60 from Php207).

Sate your Bonchon’s samgyeopsal-inspired rice bowl packed with savory pork strips, kimchi-flavored bean sprouts and sesame shitake mushrooms, all mixed together with that signature bold, sweet and spicy Korean sauce. Available variants include beef and chicken, which comes with a regular Pepsi drink and choice of soup, K-Fries or banchan.

2 Pcs Chicken Boxed Meal (Php172 from Php215).

Savor Bonchon’s famous crispy and flavorful fried chicken, available in Soy Garlic, Honey Citrus, Spicy, Crunchy Garlic, K-Classic Buffalo and Honey Almond Butter Flavors. These succulent pieces come with regular Pepsi and rice.

So if you’ve got serious cravings over the holidays, grab your mobile phone and order PepsiChristmasHitSaSarap combo deals on FoodPanda stat!

Similar deals are available on FoodPanda for Tapa King and Pizza Hut. Promo is valid until December 31, 2021 only.

Disclosure: Food items were provided to facilitate this feature story.

Convert your living room to foster family time

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is to value each moment we spend with our loved ones, especially our family.

However, even our best laid plans for family bonding may get derailed by the demands on our time and attention by responsibilities at work, in school and also in the community.

While the pandemic has forced us to adapt to a new way of living by converting rooms in our house to enable us to work and learn at home, we also need to remember that the home is primarily a place for the family.

The home should therefore have a designated space that foster family togetherness and bonding.

If the past few months have seen you painstakingly rearranging and buying furniture and accessories to convert existing spaces into your home office, a study area for the kids and even a home gym, then the same effort should be expended in building a space where the family can comfortably spend time together.

How about transitioning your living room into a family room?

These room concepts may seem interchangeable, the core purpose of these spaces differ significantly. Living rooms are display spaces with a more formal atmosphere for welcoming and entertaining guests during special occasions, while family rooms are more casual spaces for household members to convene and relax together.

Let’s face it: our living rooms will not – and should not – see much use for parties and gatherings for the foreseeable future due to the need for physical distancing.

Now then is the best time to convert that space into one that’s more suited for family. It won’t necessarily require a massive overhaul, just a few adjustments and rethinking on the purpose and use of some of the room’s elements.

Seating

If seating in a formal living room is geared towards having a good conversation rolling, in a family room, it is more concerned about accommodating all family members to come together to engage in activities.

Multi-seater sofas that can comfortably fit family members who want to watch TV together or just hang out will work best in a family room.

Additional seating such as benches, ottomans and throw pillows will allow more household members to join in on the fun.

Tables

In a formal living room, the center or coffee table anchors the other furniture in the room by being a focal point while also holding refreshments and reading materials. In a family room, it serves as the surface on which the family can engage in joint activities such as board games and puzzles.

Entertainment Center

In some homes, a separate media room is set up to house a large-screen TV and a sound system to make for a superb movie or video game time. However, a media center may be seamlessly integrated into the family room through a TV stand that also houses a gaming console, TV set-top box and other gadgets for the family’s communal entertainment.

Storage and Organization

As the family room is meant to accommodate family members, it should also have a system to house the items that that the family uses while in it.

It would be best for the family room to have shelves and cabinets that can store books, writing materials and games, as well as baskets and trays to organize these items.

So are you ready to glow up your living room space into a family room?

You can shop for your family room essentials at AllHome, the modern Filipino families’ go-to place when it comes to building or renovating their homes. It operates through three types of store formats – large mall-based stores, free-standing stores, and smaller specialty stores – across 52 outlets nationwide to make the home improvement experience more accessible.

Shop online at allhome.com.ph or download the AllHome PH app on Google Play Store and Apple App Store to your mobile phone to enjoy AllHome’s huge selection of original and top-quality items, fast delivery timelines and easy payment options.

Product images taken from allhome.com.ph with permission.

Photo credits: Spacejoy, David Libeert, Yehleen Gaffney, Minh Pham and Jane Duursma on Unsplash

These Tanduay holiday cocktails are sure to make your celebrations merrier

Get into the holiday spirit with these cocktails infused with Tanduay’s most-awarded and best-selling rum products.

Cranberry Champagne Rum Punch

Delight your family and friends with this twist to your regular champagne. We know you’re busy will all the other preparations, so we’ve made this cocktail really easy to make with the Tanduay Asian Rum Silver giving it that right kick.

Ingredients

8 oz Rosé Sparkling Wine, chilled
11 oz Ginger Ale, chilled
2 oz Tanduay Asian Rum Silver
Frozen Raspberries
Rosemary for garnish

Procedure

Mix all the liquids in a large pitcher and distribute it into a champagne glass or any glass you’d like to serve it in. Garnish it with frozen cranberries and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Hot Buttered Rum

As the months have gone colder, it’s nice to snuggle up and drink a delicious warm beverage. Find comfort in Tanduay’s version of the Hot Buttered Rum. That Tanduay Asian Rum Gold in the mix gives it notes and aromas that would remind you of summer nights in the tropics.

Ingredients

1 stick Unsalted Butter, softened
2/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
3 tsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
A pinch of Salt
1 oz Tanduay Asian Rum Gold
8 oz Boiling Water
Whipped Cream
Cinnamon Stick (optional)

Procedure

You can use an electric mixer or a simple whisk will do. Mix the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract and salt until they are well combined.
Scoop a tablespoon-full of the butter mixture into a glass and add Tanduay Asian Rum Gold and boiling water.
Stir until the butter is fully dissolved. You can opt for more or less water, depending on the level of sweetness you want.
Top it with whipped cream and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
To make it more Instagram-able, you can add a stick of cinnamon or a whole star anise on top of the whipped cream. You can transfer the remaining butter in a small ramekin to save for later use.

White Christmas Mojito

A mojito is a standard drink in any celebration and Tanduay gives its own twist to this favorite by adding its Boracay Rum Coconut. The flavor is distinctly Filipino and distinctly Tanduay.

Ingredients

10 pcs Mint Leaves
3 pcs Lime Wedges
0.5 oz Lime Juice
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
1.5 oz Boracay Rum Coconut
2 oz Coconut Cream
3 oz Cranberry Juice
2 oz Club Soda
Desiccated Coconut
Sprig of Mint
Frozen Cranberry
Ice

Procedure

In a shaker, muddle the lime wedges. Slightly scrunch the mint leaves with your hands, then add into the shaker. Scrunching rather than muddling releases the mint oils without making it bitter.
Add the lime juice, simple syrup, Boracay Rum Coconut, coconut cream, and cranberry juice.
Fill it halfway with ice and then shake.
Rim the glass with desiccated coconut and then strain the mixture 3/4 of the glass.
Top it with club soda. You can use frozen cranberries and a sprig of mint for garnish.

Boozy Peppermint Mocha

No need to line up to get your peppermint mocha fix. You can now make your own at home with this easy-to-follow recipe. Having the Boracay Rum Cappuccino into the mix makes it even more delicious. You can enjoy this drink hot or cold.

Ingredients

2 oz Simple Syrup
0.5 tsp Peppermint Extract
10 oz Whole Milk
5 oz Heavy Cream
1 tbsp Unsweetened Coconut Powder
1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
2 oz Boracay Rum Cappuccino
8 oz Espresso
Chocolate Syrup
Whipped Cream
Candy Cane (optional)

Procedure

In a small saucepan, sift the cocoa powder and whisk in the heavy cream until the cocoa powder is fully dissolved. Add the milk and place the pan over low heat.
Stir until the mixture starts to steam, then turn off the heat.
Add the chocolate chips and whisk until fully dissolved. Transfer the mixture into a blender and add simple syrup, peppermint extract, espresso, and Boracay Rum Coconut. Blend it until it becomes frothy.
Get a cup and drizzle it a bit of chocolate inside for design. Pour in the mocha mixture, then top with whipped cream. Drizzle again with chocolate syrup and garnish with a candy cane.

If you prefer something cold, you can put the chocolate milk mixture in the refrigerator and wait for it to cool down. Instead of espresso, use cold brew. Then serve it over fresh ice.

If you want something ice-shaken, just add ice into the blender with your mixture.

Whichever Tanduay holiday cocktail you plan to make for your celebrations, you and your guests are sure to enjoy them. In creating these cocktails, you bring a part of the Philippines, a country known for celebrating Christmas as early as September, into your own homes during this season of joy.

Cocktail images and recipes provided in a recent press release.

Photo Credit: Jia Jia Shum in Unsplash

La Germania’s kitchen cleaning hacks for a better holiday cooking experience

La Germania shares 3 easy-to-follow hacks to take your kitchen cleaning to greater heights

This holiday season, a lot of people will be spending time in the kitchen not only to prepare their delicious Noche Buena dishes but to make mouthwatering treats for everyone. Because of the amount of time you’ll be in the kitchen, it’s important you make sure your kitchen is clean at all times.

By maintaining a clean kitchen this season, you reduce your family’s exposure to indoor pollutants and bacteria. To add to this, it’s so much easier to navigate around and cook in a neat kitchen. That’s why La Germania is sharing kitchen cleaning secrets every Filipino family should take note of.

While You Were Sleeping

Did you know that you can clean your La Germania range oven while snoozing? You don’t even need fancy cleaning equipment to get the job done. Making this homemade cleaning spray will leave your oven squeaky clean and free from bad odor.

Combine 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar, and 1/2 cup baking soda into an empty spray bottle.
Remove the grates and coats inside your oven. Spray the solution to the insides of your oven. Make sure you avoid the heating elements of your oven as you spray away.
Close the oven door and let the DIY spray do its magic for up to 12 hours.
Once you’re up the morning after, clean the oven with soapy water and dry it with a plush cloth.

Rack It Up

Your power detergent isn’t just for your laundry pile. You can bring back the original shine of your La Germania range oven without potentially damaging it by leaving your racks in the bathtub or basin.

What’s great about this particular hack is that you already have everything you need in your house already. You can even opt to leave the racks in the detergent overnight. You just have to make sure the racks are free from soap suds before you start cooking up a storm again.

Pour some washing detergent into a bathtub or large basin.
Leave the oven racks in the solution for at least four hours.
Rinse the racks with clean water, and wipe dry with a wash cloth before you return them into the oven.

In the Hood

It’s important to keep your La Germania range hood clean so it can remove airborne grease, and clear your kitchen from smoke and other pollutants. To make sure it does its job well, all you need is some hot water and baking soda. Just make sure you wear gloves because the filter will be super hot while you’re in the process of cleaning it.

Remove the dry layer of dust on your range hood with a brush.
Boil hot water in a large pot, and gradually add baking soda to the pot. Next, you need to place the filter in the pot to soak. Leave it there for 15-20 minutes. If your pot is not big enough to accommodate the entire filter, you might have to soak each side separately.
Rinse the hood with warm water and let it dry for some time. Wipe it dry with a towel or microfiber cloth.

For you to enjoy your kitchen equipment throughout the holidays and beyond, it’s imperative that you give them the care they need. By applying these cheap and easy kitchen hacks, your holiday cooking will be a much more enjoyable experience.

If you’re looking for kitchen partners that can last you throughout the demands of the Christmas season, it’s imperative you invest in excellent quality kitchen equipment. Built to the highest standards with the most advanced European engineering and design, La Germania has stood the test of time as your trusted kitchen partner in creating perfect dishes with ease and style. Each appliance is imagined, designed, and produced to perform to the highest standards and meet a specific need.

La Germania products are available online through La Germania’s official e-commerce website www.lagermaniaph.com and e-commerce platforms on Shopee and Lazada. For more information on La Germania and its products, you may follow the official Facebook and Instagram accounts of the trusted kitchen and appliance brand.

Photo Credit: Sidekix Media on Unsplash

5 reasons to hold your next get-together at Sometimes Music Barbecue Hotpot Restaurant

Ah yes, the holiday season…

It’s the time of warm wishes, gift-giving, and, of course, get-togethers!

Whether its an intimate gathering of the gang or a boisterous office party, Christmas shindigs are all about fun, friends and food.

And here are five reasons why you should enjoy all of these at Sometimes Music Barbecue Hotpot Restaurant.

1. It’s very accessible.

Located at the corner of Mayapis, Bakawan and Yakal Streets in Malati’s Barangay San Antonio, this restaurant is a just short ride from the CBD’s office buildings.

2. It has a well-stocked bar.

Nothing gets us into the holiday spirit quite like, well, spirits! Feel free to let loose and enjoy your favorite tipple or discover new ones at the bar, such as: local and imported beers, classic and signature cocktails as well as a wide array of liquors including blended whiskey, rum, tequila, cognac, single malt, vodka, gin, wines and liqueurs, as well as non-alcoholic beverages.

3. It’s great for big events.

With its sprawling dining area that can seat up to sixty people and above, complete with dining amenities, use of audio equipment plus buffet packages starting at Php1,100 per head, organizing a rockin’ shindig for a large group becomes easy and hassle-free.

4. It also has function rooms for smaller gatherings.

If you’re with a smaller group but would like to have a space all to yourselves, you can also opt for a Videoke or VIP Room.

5. Here you can enjoy unli hotpot and barbecue from 11am to 9pm.

Eat all the hotpot and barbecue you possibly can for just Php688 per person from Mondays to Thursdays, or for Php799 per person from Fridays to Sundays.

Start by ordering your soup base (one soup per person). Choose from Sizhuan Spicy, Thai Tom Yum, Mushroom or Satay flavors. Then select up to eight food items for your hotpot (maximum of three orders per item) such as:

Meats: Beef Karubi, Pork Belly Slice, Lamb Slice, Beef Throat, Shrimp Slip, Crispy Bell Roll, Duck Blood, Duck Intestines, Chicken Feet, Chicken Gizzard, Beef Tripe and Quail Egg
Balls and Tofu: Sea Urchin Ball, Taro Stick, Cheese Ball, Mini Sausage, Lobster Ball, Crab Stick, Squid Ball, Beef Ball, Fish Ball, Chiba Tofu, Fish Tofu, Cold Tofu, Skin Tofu, Fried Yuba and Fried Tofu
Seafood: Fresh Shrimp, Fish Fillets, Scallops, Squid Flower
Rice and Noodles: Special Fried Rice, Plain Rice, Fried Noodles, Noodles, Sotanghon, Ramen
Vegetables: Enoki, Crab Mushroom, Korean Radish, Japanese Corn, Togue, Fungus, Seaweed, Tomato, Baguio Pechay, Lettuce, Water Spinach, Taiwan Pechay, Winter Melon, Potato, Cucumber and Cabbage

You can also order freshly grilled barbecue such as BBQ Chicken Wings, BBQ Skewers, BBQ Pork Belly, BBQ Sausage, BBQ Gizzard and Fried Mantou.

So if you’re looking for a place to accommodate your group, as well as your appetites, Sometimes Music Barbecue Hotpot Restaurant just might be your best bet.

Sometimes Music Barbecue Hotpot Restaurant is located at Unit 2 Southway Condominium Building, Mayapis Street corner Bakawan and Yakal Street, Barangay San Antonio, Makati City.

It is open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 2pm and Fridays to Sundays from 11am to 5am.

To book your tables or inquire for your events, call +63 927 5781253 or +63 923 5183734.

Disclosure: I attended a food tasting event hosted by this restaurant. Food items served were not paid for by the attendees.