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The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s Single Serve Beverage System

To call it a ‘coffee maker’ would be an affront to what the machine can actually do—especially since it’s a machine that has been fated to set off a coffee and tea revolution.

To call it a ‘coffee maker’ would be an affront to what the machine can actually do—especially since it’s a machine that has been fated to set off a coffee and tea revolution.

Meet the CBTL—the iconic, single-serve beverage platform du jour that is taking the world by storm. This is where Italian design and espresso-making expertise meets The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s distinct specialty coffee experience in one sleek and reassuringly simple package.

The question is, which CBTL is the right one for you?

The Contata

The draw of all things simple and sleek is hard to ignore. This makes the classic CBTL Contata’s contours a premium choice. Its inherent sleekness mirrors the kind of ease that the confident and well-travelled set carries. The Contata comes in classic colors (black and gray) typifying the machine’s elegant appeal, where the accomplished jet-setter’s eye for aesthetics, global ideals and effortless class is reflected. In the simplest terms—it’s globally sleek—two words that completely sum up the Contata owner.

The Kaldi

A more vibrant incarnation of the classic style, the Kaldi stands out with its dynamic colors and design that bears its own distinct personality.

The Kaldi

Kaldi Blue

Still rooted in the ease and simplicity that is essential to the CBTL, Kaldi in blue celebrates the sporty and masculine appeal of its vibrant hue. It’s a seamless fusion of sport and luxury—the compact look of the machine mirroring the active effortlessness that everyone from young dads to sports enthusiasts exhibit.

Kaldi Red

The deceptively simple yet distinctly individual look of the Kaldi in red is laced with an inherent sexiness that defines a feminine and bohemian vibe. While most machines will succumb to abstract references of art to convey its artistic sensibilities, this one makes an impression through sheer looks—much like a siren—whose energy is heightened by a certain je ne sais quoi.

Kaldi Gold

It’s a machine that is as eye-catching as it is unassuming—displaying an innate sense of earthiness that allows it to tread the fine line between prominence and subtlety for anyone making room for the Kaldi in gold in their homes. The auspicious hue makes it an ideal choice for anyone who values the unpretentious vibe of a must-have item that celebrates its practicality as much as it does its exceptional design.

Kaldi Silver

It’s a fusion of European design with edgy aesthetics that break convention that appeals to urban denizens who are constantly on-the-go. Kaldi in silver promises quick and effortless interaction with those who value efficiency in a modern and compact design. The machine reflects an inbuilt functionality highly valued by those whose schedules permit mere minutes of downtime, best spent with a gourmet cup of coffee or tea, served fast, fresh and piping-hot.

“Quite simply, CBTL is redefining the idea of instant coffee and tea, as we know it. No longer do we have to settle for watered down cups of morning brews; because now, a single push of a button can create a cup of café-quality coffee or tea—one that will not disappoint even the most discerning connoisseurs”, explains Walden Chu, President of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Philippines.

Business

bai Hotel Cebu named 2024 PH’s Leading Business Hotel at World Travel Awards

bai Hotel Cebu VP Operations and General Manager Alfred Reyes with World Travel Awards Founder and President Graham Cooke.

bai Hotel Cebu has emerged victorious as the Philippines’ Leading Business Hotel at this year’s prestigious World Travel Awards. Standing out among the nine other contenders from across the country, bai Hotel Cebu claimed the coveted title, solidifying its position as a premier business hospitality destination in Cebu.

The award was presented to VP Operations and General Manager Alfred Reyes Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications Carlo Rivera in an awarding gala ceremony held last September 3, 2024 at City of Dreams Manila.

Held at the City of Dreams Manila, the award was handed over to VP-Operations and General Manager Alfred Reyes and Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications Carlo Rivera last September 3, 2024 at City of Dreams Manila.

This accolade, being the first of many this year, reaffirms bai Hotel Cebu’s steadfast commitment to providing world-class Filipino hospitality. “I would like to thank our guests for continuously supporting and for patronizing bai Hotel Cebu,” GM Alfred Reyes said. “This win is also yours as your loyalty inspires us to deliver the exceptional service bai Hotel Cebu is known for,” he continued.

bai Hotel Cebu’s department heads celebrating its accolade as PH’s Leading Business Hotel.

Operating since 2018 with 668 rooms, 8 restaurants, and over 13 function halls, bai Hotel Cebu has established its presence in the industry having just been awarded as Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Tourism Standard Awards – ASEAN MICE Venue (Meeting Room Category).

We also extend our heartfelt congratulations to the country’s Department of Tourism headed by Secretary Hon. Christina Garcia Frasco for being recognized as Asia’s Leading Marketing Campaign award for its “Love the Philippines” campaign and as Transformation Leadership in Tourism Governance.

Based in London and established in 1993, the World Travel Awards is dubbed the Oscars of the travel industry that acknowledges, rewards, and celebrates excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. It is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

Events

A Feast for the Senses

Crimson Chefs - Masahiro Kinoshita, Naoki Eguchi, Daniel Johnston, Javier Garcia, Allan Barios, Andrew Simpson

By Joanna Cuenco

June 8 – Mactan, Cebu | For one of its biggest dining events of the year as part of the highly anticipated Cebu Food and Wine Festival, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan curated an epicurean journey that brought guests on gastronomic flights of fancy, fine cuisine. A Feast for the Senses showcased the creativity and excellence of the resort’s culinary team through a dine-around event at its four dining destinations that invited guests to sample the best that each restaurant had to offer: international cuisine at Saffron, Spanish at Enye by Chele Gonzalez, Japanese at Aka by Naoki Eguchi, and desserts and more drinks at Azure Beach Club.

Maria Paz Perdices, Ambra Anzani, Ema Onda,Kate Anzani, Kumiko Onda, Daisy Barns

Tamsin Booth, Didier Belmonte, Frances Siao, Celeste Miranda, Bert Miranda, Bob Booth

Spirits were high and beverages flowed freely the whole evening, thanks to Philippine Wine Merchant, A Wine Company, The Wine Club, Don Revy, Sommelier Selection, Engkanto Brewery, M. Lhuillier Food Product Inc., Future Trade International, Happy Living Philippines, Equilibrium Intertrade Corporation, and Bauhinia Brewery.

Allan Barios at Saffron dessert station

Ulysse Jouanneaud

Margarette Lhuiller and Perl Jacalan

For the after-party and entertainment at Azure Beach Club, renowned mixologist Ulysse Jouanneaud took over the bar, crafting cocktails with Bacardi, Don Papa, Cointreau, and Sula Brands. Chef Allan Barrios presented a dessert spread that included key lime pralines, vanilla bourbon truffles, honey coconut cryos, and tiny flower-potted bamboo shoots that turned out to be made of pistachio. These little works of art were planted alongside vibrant green foliage, smooth stones, and a faux fog effect that created a tropical rainforest diorama out of the dessert table.

Lechon belly station at Saffron

Dessert display at Azure Beach Club

Yellowfin tuna tataki

Grilled mackerel with laksa boullabaise

The night sky and the distant lights of neighboring islands were the perfect backdrop for a high-energy LED dance performance and fantastic fireworks display that left guests in awe and applause.

Rose Hudson

Chele Gonzalez

Brava potato with chorizo at Enye

LED and Tron Dance

Aka Private Room

The Cebu Food and Wine Festival is supported by the Department of Tourism – Philippines, Visit Central Visayas, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cebu Business Month, and Cebu Pacific Air.

Events

The First NUSTAR BALL

Janine Taylor, June Alegrado, Jackie Lotzof, Frances Siao, Ina Ronquillo and Christine Pelaez

The NUSTAR Ballroom, a magnificent venue at the NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu, sets the stage for last night’s first-ever NUSTAR Ball.

Black was the color of night at the Zee table.

Glamorous guests from Manila and Cebu converged at the NUSTAR Ballroom, an exquisite venue within the NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu. The evening unfolded with a seated 5-course dinner. The opulent feast started with Beetroot Salmon Gravlax, adorned with caper berries, caviar, set with delicate edible flowers; and a main course of Compressed Pork Belly with Crackling Skin and Baby Scallops. Another highlight was the auction of coveted items like Dior and YSL handbags, a limited-edition Bulgari watch, and an exclusive 2-night stay in Nustar’s opulent 3-bedroom villa—complete with a private pool and a dedicated butler. The charity evening benefited the Cameleon Association, an NGO based in Iloilo City created in 1997 that developed a global approach to act on the causes and effects of sexual violence against children.