Flatiron 1771 is home to flavors you won’t ever stop craving for

New York is a city where diverse cultures come together and bring with them a myriad of flavors that always tastes authentic even with a touch of a modern twist. Flatiron 1771 fuses the Big Apple’s heartiest comfort food in a single menu—it’s part American, part Intercontinental, with a dash of Asian flavors here and there.

While its name may be borrowed from a famous American landmark, its corners feel like one of your go-to traditional Italian family restaurants. It gives a familiar scene with its mismatched seats crowding each table and vibrant Spanish tiles mapping the floor. The al fresco area has a more neutral palette soaking up the warm tones of the sun and offers a relaxing spot in the middle of a bustling district.

This Uptown restaurant serves the New York experience to the table from lunch to cocktails, and you can never go wrong with an order of steak, a no-brainer staple for a good meal. Flatiron 1771’s Prime Rib Steak (P529.99 per 100 grams) is cooked with a gorgeous layer of fat for that juicy and flavorful bite. You know the meat has been dry-aged well when it remains tender long after it’s been served.

The dish comes with three sauces: The blue cheese butter, bois baudran, and chimichurri. We loved mixing the freshness of chimuchurri flavors with the savory bliss of the blue cheese butter with our hefty slab of meat—together, a medley of tastes one can’t help but relish. The steak also comes with thick potato wedges toasted to a crisp with cheese. 

Bo’s Coffee lets you skip the line to get your caffeine fix

Fellow joe heads will understand when we say there’s nothing quite like the moment when you get your first sip of coffee for the day. Whether it’s part of your morning ritual or afternoon breather, caffeine gives that extra boost we can all count on.

The biggest local coffee chain in the country introduced an advanced ordering system that is conveniently integrated into Facebook’s Messenger. That means you can try their new service without another app eating your phone’s memory. It can easily be accessed through the mobile Messenger app or the Facebook desktop. The feature will soon be available on Viber, too.

Bo’s Coffee’s BOTTY ordering procedure feels a lot like a virtual conversation with the cashier. After inputing your location, it will suggest the nearest participating branch, and then lets you select the category of drinks you wish to order from. The current menu includes their bestsellers, from hot espresso-based options to refreshing shaken iced teas. So far, there are 36 different drinks to choose from. Bo’s shared it will slowly expand its range of available products on the platform in the next few months.

I took Penshoppe’s Beauty Pop lipsticks on a 2-week road test so you won’t have to

There’s nothing like the combination of a comfy feel and a wide color range that sets a lipstick lover in a frenzy. More economical beauty options are making quite the entrance, a trend that must be keeping the bougie brands on their toes as the newcomers of the beauty scene replicate luxurious formulations that don’t cost a fortune.

Local fashion retail giant Penshoppe recently launched its own beauty line with an 18-shade lipstick collection. I know, you probably have a lot of lippies to go through in your personal collection, but with its price tag of P219, it doesn’t hurt to add a handful to your MLBB rotation. Beauty Pop’s matte component featuring this pastel gradient is definitely a big eye-catcher, bound to add some points to your flatlay gaming. But the packaging design ultimately helps set it apart—and I welcome this sort of creativity. Plus, it’s so easy to spot inside your bags.

It comes in two formulas that were developed in Japan: The Litematte and Hydramatte. Penshoppe covers the bases when it comes to preferences, so whether you want that true-matte feel or one that glides with a little sheen, you’ll find your match in this beauty collection. Here comes the tricky part: The shades actually look way different on your lips than how you see it on the bullet lipsticks. There are a ton of options that look intimidating as these seemingly lean toward bolder looks, but its buildable formula allows it to create subtle to statement lips. 

What’s more frustrating is that Penshoppe’s own digital campaigns don’t give justice to the gorgeous colors of the collection. It seems like it only has a range dominated by chocolatey nudes, but it has notable undertones of corals, wines, and pinks that aren’t highlighted. It also seems patchy on arm swatches, but I guarantee you’ll definitely appreciate the colors more once you actually swipe it on your lips. Once you crack your lippie’s powder coating, swatching and application will eventually be a breeze, too. 

L’Oreal’s Rouge Signature line is the most underrated makeup release you should get your hands on

Having a handful of lipsticks has never stopped us from adding a few more shades to our current makeup arsenal before. But what if I told you I’ve found an essential gamechanger that’s bound to be part of your collection?

Enter L’Oreal’s newest Rouge Signature line. With the dual promise of being unbelievably lightweight while giving ultra-pigmented shades, it was only right to hold on to our reservations. But it was nothing short of a delightful experience for our skepticism to be proved wrong as I discovered that the brand’s newest lip innovation does deliver what it promises.

The Rouge Signature creations are a hybrid of the versatility of lip stains and the diversity of the liquid lipstick’s colors. It’s a long-wearing, nondrying, nonsticky, and pigmented formula. Because it is effortlessly buildable, you can go for a naturally blotted lip, trendy ombre lip, or a bold intense semi-matte one.

Pancake House’s unlimited spaghetti is a real steal

Pancake House’s signature spaghetti is easily a hybrid of bolognese and the flavors of a children’s party staple. 

It’s what I enjoyed and loved as a kid, the plate of pasta that I looked forward to during weekend family meals and province-bound road trips. It’s still a favorite dish I crave from time to time, easily dreaming of its sweet and chunky meat sauce topped generously with cheese.

Now here’s the good news: You can enjoy as many plates of your favorite spaghetti this coming June 24 to 29. It’s the first time Pancake House offered this promo which actually costs less than one large serving of spaghetti (P309) on regular days. Honestly, it’s such a steal!

You only have to pay P299 for unlimited servings of Pancake House spaghetti. You’ll be given two full hours to eat to your heart’s content. When you finish two plates of pasta, you’ve already gotten your money’s worth, as these equal to the restaurant’s large serving.

This promo isn’t made for those trying to watch their carbs intake, but it does sound like a perfectly sinful cheat day option. I suggest you skip the garlic bread and order some ala carte chicken (P89 each) to make the most out of your meal instead. It’s simply a match made in (foodie) heaven.

Each serving will take 10 to 15 minutes before it gets to your table, which conveniently gives you short breaks in between the plates of spaghetti—it’s just enough to make you crave for more. For the cheese lovers, Pancake House’s staff will happily give you a bowl of extra cheddar if you ask for it.

The bang-for-the-buck promo also comes with a glass of iced tea. I only managed to order 3 spaghetti servings each, so I’m bound to challenge that personal record once again.

One thing’s for sure: I’m already marking my calendar for its next run.

Honesty is the best policy: The real deal on Sunnies Face’s newest Airblush

The first time you rub the smooth and flawless surface of a newly opened Airblush (P445), you’ll be obsessed with its creamy and powdery texture. I found myself swirling my index finger on the pot of pigment as much as needed, which proved to be such a satisfying and addicting motion.

Unlike most cream blushes, the product glides like liquid. It’s a marriage between the texture of cushion makeup and the form of balm. My current favorite in this category is the Innisfree My Palette cream blushes, but unlike that one, the Airblush doesn’t clump on your fingers nor dry easily on the pot. The color is even all throughout prior to blending.

Bok Bok, Baby: Birdbox is my newest BGC constant

It’s funny how at just the other end of Lane P’s unending queue for bobba remains BGC’s newest and best-kept secret: BirdBox’s creamy Thai Milk Tea and refreshing Calamansi Wintermelon Fruit Tea—probably the most affordable tea options in the area at just P70 each.

Yes, the price is unreal for drinks that pack a punch. But that’s not all this take-out stall has to offer. In fact, BirdBox wants to be known for the Asian flavors they have on the menu. Their food’s novelty lies in the countless combinations customers can come up with—all spiced up by the familiar tastes of Korean and Japanese cuisine that we love.

“There seems to be a limited options [in our menu], but we wanted to make sure that you can try out different flavors and combinations. You can come back everyday and come out with a different kind of meal,” BirdBox brand manager Nina Capistrano said. 

With BirdBox around, BGC folks are treated to generous servings of juicy boneless chicken bites without the hefty price tag and long wait. Getting a loaded, non-fast food meal under P200 in the area used to be plain wishful thinking, but now, one can look forward to lunches that only cost as low as P149.

Hilton’s Hua Ting is redefining Chinese food as we know it

You already have a bit of expectation going into a Chinese restaurant. It is, after all, one of the earliest international cuisines Filipinos have grown familiar with. We immediately imagine circular dining booths, the classic rotating centerpiece, and white porcelain placed all around the table—the traditional Chinese dining arrangement.

That’s the first thing Hilton’s Shanghainese restaurant takes out of the picture—the monotony and predictability of the Chinese cuisine dining experience. Yes, it still has the staple of round tables—but entering Hua Ting restaurant is like being transported to Shanghai’s 1940s nightlife. Calligraphic steel sculptures by Zheng Lu welcome the diners into the space, where one could already witness the restaurant’s playfulness in details.

“The authenticity of what we bring here at Hua Ting is definitely unsung. The main difference on the way we do things is we’re bringing in a modern approach to how we present Chinese cuisine—from our tableware to the way food is served,” Hilton executive chef Dennis Leslie said.

Penshoppe’s We Bare Bears collection makes a comeback with the Denimlab 2019 line

Two favorite collections made their comebacks, and, as the cliché goes, it’s always better the second time around. Penshoppe came out with more collaborative pieces with the equally animated and adorable characters of “We Bare Bears” that fans of the cartoon series will go crazy over once again. 

The collection has a total of 76 pieces, in fact. There are still some pastels here and there, but it goes for a more neutral palette this time around. The design details aren’t as subtle like those before either—there are bigger graphics and more all-over prints to choose from. 

The hoodies of this limited edition collection are the real deal breakers. It doesn’t matter if you already have enough hoodies to last you a lifetime. You gotta have ones with We Bare Bears’ faces—it’s cool, casual, and great geeky merchandise. Oh, and so are the oversized tees!

Sights in daylight: Tokyo in photos

Photos by Vinz Lamorena

A K-pop pilgrimage of sorts

SEOUL, MAY 2017

It’s not hard to fall in love with Seoul. While it is a country continually reinventing itself on a global scale, it is one that also strives to preserve its historical roots. It’s precisely in this harmonious dichotomy where Seoul’s very vibrance and energy resonate.

Worldwide, South Korea is known to be the home of today’s most consumed entertainment content—from television dramas and variety shows to live and recorded music performances. The faces of its stars are not only taking over Asia, but has begun penetrating the West’s mainstream media.

The country is shaping the time’s lifestyle and culture through the television and film, music, art, and fashion that they produce, and with this we can say Hallyu or “Korean Wave” which started in the 90s has reached its peak.

Many travelers who have their eyes set on Seoul are pop culture pilgrims, visiting various shooting locations of high-rated dramas, hopping from one Korean cafe to another, and going around the areas of music agencies hoping for serendipitous idol encounters. And I was among them.

I have been a fan of Korean music for the past decade, and visiting Seoul has permanently contained me in its K-pop bubble.