press release – Page 39 – Jellybeans in the City

The Manila Hotel joins Manila Restaurant Week from Sep 20 to 27

Manila Restaurant Week is an event under the “Manila, Support Local” Campaign, which aims to promote local food establishments in Manila that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Great food and great company are two of life’s simplest pleasures. So mark your calendars and get ready to feast on scrumptious food as The Manila Hotel’s famed Café Ilang Ilang participates in Manila Restaurant Week happening from September 20 to 27, 2020.

Indulge in a choice of starters like the savory Spinach-Ricotta Ravioli in light Parmesan Cream Sauce or Pomelo-Prawns Lumpia in Calamansi Honey Dressing; main course of sumptuous Beef Tenderloin in Balsamic glaze with marble potato and market vegetables or Pampano cooked in Tandoori Oven with Peas Pilaf rice and stir-fried Asian vegetables; and dessert of Fresh Fruits Salad with Ube ice cream or Mango panna cotta as dessert. The starter-main-dessert set is offered at only P980 nett per person, but cannot be availed of in conjunction with other promos or discounts.

Manila Restaurant Week is an event under the “Manila, Support Local” Campaign, launched by the Bureau of Permits and City Government of Manila. The city-wide project aims to promote local food establishments in Manila that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. About 80 restaurants will be offering prix fixe menus at affordable prices during Manila Restaurant Week.

Launched on September 15, The Manila Hotel played one of the hosts of the multi-venue simultaneous kick-off, which was livestreamed on social media platforms. The other hosts were Bayleaf Hotel, Lucky China Town Mall, and Robinsons Place Ermita. The virtual launch was marked by an online performance of Lea Salonga who sang her new single, “Dream Again,” the official theme song of the campaign.

“I believe we can do a lot in restoring the City of Manila back to its former glory under the leadership of Mayor Isko Moreno. We in the private sectors will always support you in this very worthwhile undertaking. Soon, Manila will be great again,” said Atty. Joey Lina, The Manila Hotel President, in his opening remarks during the launch.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuña gave their respective speeches before checking the 11 restaurants that showcased their dishes at The Manila Hotel’s Roma Salon—namely Café Ilang Ilang, Century Park Hotel, Scorched, Golden Fortune, Luneta Park Hotel, Ilustrado, Tanabe, Jus & Jerrys, Patio de Conchita, Pares Kimchi, and Harbor View—and visiting the other venues, which was watched by thousands via livestream.

The Manila Hotel and all its outlets operates in strict compliance to health protocols, so our guests are assured of the highest standards of food safety and sanitation measures in accordance with the government guidelines.

For more information, you may check us out on Facebook or Instagram (@TheManilaHotel), or call 85270011 or 09989501912. For reservations, email resvn@themanilahotel.com.

Image and details provided by The Manila Hotel in a recent press release.

Project Orange chronicles the growing pains of romance on “Play Pretend”

In less than three years, Project Orange has slowly but surely gained traction outside of Bacolod City’s relatively small but thriving music community. Thanks to their maiden singles “Ctrl + Esc” and “Sputnik Sweetheart,” the promising quartet earned their chunk of streaming listenership on cities such as Taipei, Manila, and Hong Kong—a proof that their brand of music sees no boundaries, and resonates on a universal level.

Formed by vocalist/guitarist Diana “Moose” Mapa, guitarist Ann Marie Pillado, bassist Martin Garces, and drummer Miguel Gabriel San Miguel, Project Orange returns with a distinctly laid-back affair that chronicles the growing pains of young love and the unsteady circumstances that define it.

Their new single “Play Pretend” captivates listeners with their sophisticated blend of bedroom pop and indie rock. The four-piece outfit employs a lush and dream-like palette in terms of musical approach, fully embracing a deceptively simple arrangement that wouldn’t feel out of place side by side with the breezy pop sensibilities of Clairo and Boy Pablo.

“Too many people get caught up with the immense amount of music elements these days and I try to avoid that,” lead vocalist Diana Mapa shares in a statement. “The additional portions like the distorted guitar and synths were suggested by the producers in the studio and it added a stunning perspective to the song.”

Steeped in melancholic pulse, “Play Pretend” provides glimpses of a promising music act informed by the sound of its time, but never allowing trends to envelope the finality and packaging. It’s all heart, less feels: the more you immerse to the song’s intimate revelations, the closer it hits home.

Lyrically, “Play Pretend” demands to be felt. With its wandering verses, a bridge that makes you feel like you’re at a wit’s end, and a chorus that hits you with a sanguine yet somber tune, the song represents built up feelings that will never see the light of the day. Mapa shares, “It’s like you’re running out of time, but at the same time you aren’t. And that distorts what you think of love, whether it be imaginary or reality.”

“Play Pretend” is the third official single of indie pop collective Project Orange under Lilystar Records. Stream their new track here.

Image and details provided by Lilystar Records in a recent press release.

Go loco as El Pollo Loco opens new Makati Branch

Without the flame, it ain’t the same!

Crazy over chicken? Look no farther than Makati because El Pollo Loco is opening its new branch at the 2nd floor of Glorietta 4 on September 15!

Known for its popular flame-grilled chicken, this fast casual restaurant offers young urban professionals and families working and livng in Makati and nearby areas the chance to enjoy a fresh new level of Tex-Mex goodness!

Who doesn’t love El Pollo Loco’s healthy flame-grilled Mexican Chicken? It’s been a staple in the Philippines for 25 years among the chicken-obssessed! The meat is marinated fresh in herbs, spices, fruit juices, and garlic, then grilled the healthy just as you like it for that delectable smoky flavor.

Chicken meals are served either ala carte or loco (with rice or tortilla) and are bundled with your choice of sides, salads, soups, tacos and quesadillas. Its famed and well-loved sides are fresh tomato salsa (hand-prepared fresh daily), Spanish rice, tortilla bread, potato salad, fiesta corn, loco fries, and coleslaw—perfect for friends and family, and ideal if you need a meal on-the-go, too. They also have the Loco Bowl with Asian Zing, a generous mix of chicken slices grilled to perfection, rice, and sweet corn, then drizzled with a special sauce, perfect for lunch and even dinner.

El Pollo Loco may be all about the chicken, but it also serves their signature Crunchy Tacos (with a choice of either chicken or beef filling), Beef Nachos, Spaghetti con salsa, Chicken Cheese Taquitos, Chicken Quesadilla, and Chips and salsa.

As they say in El Pollo Loco: “Without the flame, it ain’t the same”, so stoke the flame and check out its newest branch in Glorietta 4.
El Pollo Loco’s other branches are located at SM Megamall and Inside Italianni’s Bonifacio High Street. Follow El Pollo Loco on Instagram.

Image and details provided in a recent press release.

Filipina-Singaporean singer-songwriter Gail Belmonte reclaims her happiness on new single “You Don’t”

A song about knowing one’s worth

Following her well-received debut single ‘Tonight’ in July, Filipina-Singaporean singer-songwriter Gail Belmonte chronicles her struggles of reclaiming happiness on her new single “You Don’t”– released today on all digital platforms worldwide via indie label Umami Records.

“You Don’t” tackles the importance of not taking anything for granted, but at the same time knowing one’s worth. “In the relationships I got involved in, romantic or platonic, I always gave so much of myself,” the R&B artist says. “Sometimes I would give so much of myself that when these relationships break down, I would feel so lost, like I lost a part of myself. I looked for happiness in other people and it was not until I wrote this song, that I decided to reclaim that happiness by finding it within myself.”

A rallying cry for self-discovery, “You Don’t” endears listeners with its compelling, soulful delivery and radio-ready pop hooks. It’s the second of a trio of singles Gail Belmonte is debuting in late 2020. The last of the series, ‘Restart’, is scheduled for release on 13 November.

About Gail Belmonte

R&B/soul singer-songwriter Gail Belmonte makes music full of heart, with a voice that radiates beauty and effortless delivery.

Born and raised in Singapore, of Filipino descent, Gail Belmonte loved singing and performing from an early age and has been practising professionally from the age of 18. Gail was champion in the vocal solo category of Singapore talent competition Impresario 2016, a finalist of China Super Vocal 2016, a finalist in Mediacorp Singapore’s The Final 1 (2013), and also appeared in Season 4 of ABS-CBN’s Pilipinas Got Talent (2016). Gail made her theatre debut in Pangdemonium’s staging of the Tony award-winning musical, Fun Home, in 2017.

Gail Belmonte has featured on tracks by artists like fulses, thecolorfractal, Fingerfunk and Tim De Cotta, and is finally ready to put out her own music with 3 singles planned for release in 2020 via indie label Umami Records, in which she explores the effects of love, heartache, falling apart and putting yourself back together again.

About Umami Records

Umami Records is a Singapore-based indie record label founded in 2013. Much like the “5th taste” reputation of its namesake, the label strongly believes in discovering new, interesting sounds that run underground and away from the mainstream. The label’s tight-knit, curated roster includes releases from Linying, The Steve McQueens, brb., Evanturetime, CampFire, Martin Baltser, Phoria, Oriental Cravings, and more.

Image and details provided by Umami Records in a recent press release.

Aiah makes selling online easy for small businesses

In the Philippines, small and micro enterprises form 98% of businesses. Out of 1 million SMEs, only ten percent are online, and out of this pool – only one percent have a website.

However, the average Filipino spends almost 10 hours a day online and ninety-seven percent of these internet users are on chat apps such as Facebook Messenger.

This is a wide gap – and gives a big opportunity for these small businesses to reach this wide audience of consumers. However, small businesses think that automation is too expensive.

This is why the Aiah Commerce platform was built.

With Aiah, a small business can build a fully functioning commerce platform on chat in just thirty minutes. The digital store can automatically speak to customers so it frees up time and effort for the business owner.

It can also easily track orders, payments and deliveries in real time. Business owners can also update product and service information in a few clicks. They can even send rewards to loyal customers.

As small businesses have the potential to help uplift the economy at this difficult time, they need to all the help they can get. Therefore, automation should be easy and accessible for small business owners in the Philippines.

Aiah believes in using tech for good. To help more small businesses grow today, it is currently offering its services for free.

Image and details provided by Aiah.

Ben&Ben launches official fandom “Liwanag”

Fresh off the success of their BBTV episodes, Ben&Ben have launched their official fan club “Liwanag” as an initiative to help spread the band’s message of faith, hope and love. The initiative also celebrates the community’s unwavering bayanihan spirit and optimism to advocate for meaningful change and unity through music, despite the challenges that the nation is currently facing.

Presented with the opportunity to instill a deeper purpose in building a community that inspires people and connecting with fans on a more meaningful and intimate level, and after considering the suggestions of their music fans and conducting a careful deliberation process with their management team, the award-winning band decided to rename their fan base “Liwanag.”

“”Liwanag” is the new, official fandom name of Ben&Ben! We have heard your suggestions. We want to honor our Filipino heritage, at higit sa lahat, kayo ang Liwanag namin. #BenAndBenLiwanagFandom,” says Ben&Ben in an official statement.

Ben&Ben recently broke the Internet with their second batch of K-Pop covers featuring songs by BTS, GOT7, EXO and more.

#BBTVkpoptwo trended on Twitter Philippines at #1 again, similar to the previous BBTV episodes.

Join the Ben&Ben House here.

Details and image provided by Sony Music Philippines in a recent press release.

Asian-American rapper Blahza drops new single “Bandz”

Los-Angeles based Asian-American rapper Blahza recently released his first solo single ‘Bandz’ under Umami Records on all digital platforms worldwide.

The latest single follows his previous collaborations with Singaporean electronic producer Xinister on ‘Break’ and with Malaysian lo-fi producer OnlyM on ‘Perfect.’

On the sparse, trap-influenced track, Blahza rhymes about hustling in life, minding your own business, and keeping your cool when the chips are down. Blahza shares the story behind ‘Bandz:’ “The hook is about not worrying about what another person has. And when you don’t have it yourself don’t hate – just go out and get it for yourself.”

According to the Umami Records hip-hop artist, the first verse was written to document his struggles and humble beginnings, trying to make a fortune out of hard work and perseverance. He lays down the second verse with details about his romantic preference, seamlessly changing subjects like a pro. Blahza says, “When the beat played the hook came to me instantly, I felt the message so clearly when I was writing it. The cadence is so catchy.”

‘Bandz’ is the lead single from Blahza’s upcoming EP, Sad Songs For Happy People, scheduled for release in 2021. Blahza also has several collaborations dropping later this year.

About Blahza

Los-Angeles based Asian-American hip hop artist and producer Blahza makes music with a larger than life sound about his afflictions, aspirations, and accomplishments, inspired by the American counterculture of the late 1960s and music from the early 2000s.

Blahza recorded, mixed and mastered Blueface’s record ‘Next Big Thing’ in 2018. In 2019, Blahza opened for Members Only at the first stop of their album tour, and released his EP ‘Bloom’. Blahza has been featured on major playlists including Spotify’s Beats & Rhymes, New Era: Asian Hip-Hop, Border Beats and 都会の空と音楽と.

Born and raised in Van Nuys, of Chinese and Puerto Rican parents, Blahza grew up surrounded by music and diversity. He fell in love with rap music and especially how it bridged different cultures.

About Umami Records

Details and image provided by Umami Records in a recent press release.

Rico Blanco releases fun, upbeat single “Happy Feelin”

Alternative rock icon Rico Blanco spreads love and positivity amidst difficult times on his new single, “Happy Feelin”—now out on all digital platforms worldwide.

On his second release this year under Sony Music, the award-winning producer and singer-songwriter delivers a bright, upbeat number that soars with an inescapable chorus and a rockabilly vibe.

For someone who has spent a career pushing pop music to exciting new places, Rico Blanco succeeds in releasing a diverse selection of tunes that blends crossover appeal with an adventurous edge. Count “Happy Feelin” as the latest addition to his winning streak: a finger-snapping, retro-leaning bop that finds Blanco dialing down his sonic ambition for something that resembles a big ball of sunshine.

“Happy Feelin” is the second song written and produced by Blanco in his home studio during the lockdown period. It’s the follow-up single to “This Too Shall Pass,” which was released on the first week of May 2020.

Stream Rico Blanco’s latest single here.

Image and details provided by Sony Music Philippines in a recent press release.

Season 2 of HIS DARK MATERIALS debuts this November on HBO GO and HBO

Debuting this November on HBO GO and HBO, the second season of His Dark Materials begins after Lord Asriel has opened a bridge to a new world, and, distraught over the death of her best friend, Lyra follows Asriel into the unknown. In a strange and mysterious abandoned city she meets Will, a boy from our world who is also running from a troubled past. Lyra and Will learn their destinies are tied to reuniting Will with his father but find their path is constantly thwarted as a war begins to brew around them. Meanwhile, Mrs. Coulter searches for Lyra, determined to bring her home by any means necessary.

Season two series regulars include Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, Amir Wilson, Ariyon Bakare, Andrew Scott, Will Keen, Ruta Gedmintas and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Joining the cast this season are Terence Stamp, Jade Anouka and Simone Kirby.

His Dark Materials is produced by Bad Wolf in association with New Line Cinema for BBC One and HBO. Executive producing the series are Jane Tranter, Dan McCulloch, Joel Collins and Julie Gardner for Bad Wolf; Philip Pullman, Jack Thorne, Tom Hooper; Deborah Forte, Toby Emmerich and Carolyn Blackwood for New Line Cinema; and Ben Irving and Piers Wenger for the BBC.

HBO Original Series as well as live channels are also available for streaming to SKYcable subscribers on HBO GO for as low as Php99/month. To subscribe, call your local SKY office or fill up this form.

Subscribe to SKY Fiber and get your first three months’ access to HBO GO courtesy of SKY Fiber. More details on this promo here.

Show details and images provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.