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. 

By Joanna Cuenco

June 13 – Cebu City | Danish lifestyle brand Flying Tiger Copenhagen has landed in Cebu, opening its first branch in the Philippines outside Metro Manila at the upper ground floor of SM Seaside City.  

Since its first store in Copenhagen in 1995, Flying Tiger has aimed to share products that not only look good, but make people feel good too. There’s something for everyone aged one to 100: toys, art materials, homeware, party supplies, workout gear, travel essentials, fashion accessories, and more. There will be fresh drops at the store every three to four weeks, so there’s always something exciting to look forward to and share with family and friends. 

Product designs range from minimalist and “aesthetic” to cute and kitschy. Find lifestyle essentials like food storage and home organizers, tea towels and toothbrush holders, to some awesome things you didn’t know you needed, like a handheld sewing machine and a beach chair for your phone. 

Even though the 200+ square meter space is fully stocked with hundreds of items, the store layout and neat display make it such a joy to look at all of the things and make the shopping experience easy and enjoyable. Flying Tiger believes a richer life does not cost a fortune, so items start at only P30, or even lower with some special promos.

The store opened with a traditional Danish cake-cutting ceremony with Jet Tan, Flying Tiger Copenhagen Store Operations Manager of APAC Region; Gladhys Rodriguez, Merchandising Manager of Flying Tiger Copenhagen Philippines; Billi Jin Esguerra-Perez, Marketing Manager of Flying Tiger Copenhagen Philippines; and JB Tan, Mall Manager of SM Seaside City Cebu. 

Zandra Len Salvador and Drew Sarmiento

Sarree Pimentel with Lian

Rizanne Tiongko, Joanna Cuenco and Anya Morrissey

Jen and Jas Sarmiento, Rere Dakay, Kirby Yu with Kayden

Jaja Chiongbian Rama with Sebi and Georgiana

Eleni Paray, Hazel Tirol and Mitchelle Lua

Flying Tiger is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Stores Specialists, Inc., the country’s largest specialty retailer that handles a network of 593 stores and 94 brands, including some of the  most recognized names in the world.

Facebook: @FlyingTigerCopenhagenPH

Instagram: @flyingtigerph