Events

Your Chocolate Fantasies Came True at Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu

Chocolate is not simply some piece of dessert you’re willing to gain weight for, but for most people, it’s probably a safe space, a calming therapy, or maybe just a tight warm hug. Food, especially desserts, always have a special place in our hearts, especially in our stomachs!

If you’re one with a sweet tooth, you’ve probably been in love with anything made out of chocolate. May it be bittersweet, tangy, nutty, or surprising you with an unusual filling, any chocolate is set to make your day. We’ve all dreamed of a day where you’d get a whole new dining experience that’s made entirely out of your favorite chocolate—wouldn’t that be a treat?

One whole day dedicated to all things cocoa-based which is loved by all, whether you’re the white chocolate type or the 85% dark chocolate type, it’s a time of gathering, all for the love of sweet tooth. If legends are believed to be true, World Chocolate Day is a celebration for when this succulent goodness was introduced to Europe in 1550. Chocolate then traveled the world and became a show stopper for all our desserts, shakes or smoothies (even in main dishes!), and then the rest is history.

When you’d get your mind running on about this sweet treat, you’d stop to think if it’s even worth the calories and fat you’re gonna gain from binge eating. However, contrary to popular belief, chocolate has health benefits! Losing all the guilt for eating chocolates is surely a way to go, as it is believed to be good for the heart, strengthens immunity, strengthens brain function, and soothes digestion, to name a few.

World Chocolate Day may probably be the best thing that’s ever happened to dessert enthusiasts, and what better way to celebrate this momentous occasion with unlimited chocolate! Last July 7, we made our way to Mövenpick Resort in Mactan Cebu and took part in their grandiose Chocolate Hour, where a parade of mouthwatering and melt-into-your-mouth chocolates were served to the guests for a whole hour.

The Chocolate Hour is one of the hotel’s brand signatures, open for guests daily in its hotel lobbies all around the world. It presents eating chocolate as a brand new experience. With live demonstrations by chefs from icing cakes to topping chocolate-inspired drinks, these complimentary chocolate treats echoes the Mövenpick brand vision, “we make moments”.

As it is a much over-the-top celebration with this Chocolate Hour coinciding with the international Chocolate Day, adults and kids alike feasted their eyes and their stomach on a buffet of chocolates. Topped with chocolate chips and caramel syrup, their chocolate pizza clearly stole the show from a number of chocolate drops and bars. It was a great concoction of a warm hearty pizza with a twist of chocolate’s sweet delight.

Staying true to its promise of extraordinary chocolate experience, chocolate ice cream on top of cotton candy, chocolate bars with curry filling, and french macaroons topped with any type of chocolate and caramel cream were also the key players in the game.

Mövenpick’s newest executive chef Jean Louis-Leon shared that the chocolate desserts served during the chocolate celebration were locally sourced from the country’s best tree-to-bar chocolates, the Malagos Chocolate. Choosing Malagos chocolate as the main ingredient apart from other locally available ones was because of how the chocolate can be made into different varieties of desserts and that one truly learns when working with chocolates like Malagos on treats as it makes these treats unique, shares Chef Jean Louis.

Apart from satisfying their taste buds with the chocolates, people were also crowding over the show area where the process of completing the chocolate dishes were presented to the awed audience.

“What the hotel used to do before was just putting cakes out for people, and people would help themselves, and that’s it. But what I want is action,” shares the executive chef on the changes to be expected from his onboarding.

What makes the Chocolate Hour experience more breathtaking is when chefs establish a connection with the audience and the audience actually sees how their food is made.

“Back then I would take time to explain to the people what I’m doing with the dish, explains Chef Jean. He adds, “It’s because once you explain the dish to the people, they will have a different vision.”

It’s relationships like these with food that truly needs commemorating, for chocolate is not simply some piece of dessert you’re willing to gain weight for, but for most people, it’s probably a safe space, a calming therapy, or maybe just a tight warm hug. Food, especially desserts, always have a special place in our hearts, especially in our stomachs!

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Events

Careless’ WAVY BABY Takes Over Sinulog

Careless’ first ever music festival, Wavy Baby, is bound to make the return of Sinulog one for the books.

Wavy Baby is a two-day music festival happening on January 13-14, 2023 at the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City, Cebu with a lineup of over 20 artists recognized both locally and internationally.

Wavy Baby will feature international performers Pink Sweat$, Bambam, Sunmi, The Rose, Bag Raiders, Manila Grey, and Yultron. All artists signed under Careless namely, James Reid, Massiah, Jolianne, Lesha, August Wahh, Issa, SOS, Destiny Rogers, and A-Team will also be performing. Other Filipino acts include Ben & Ben, December Avenue, Urbandub, Franco, Denise Julia, and more. The festival will also feature local Cebuano acts such as Cookie$, The Sundown, Mandaue Nights, Three Legged Men, and Wonggoys.

Careless’ CEO, Jeffrey Oh, says “We’re really excited to do Wavy Baby in Sinulog because it’s the biggest and most historic festival in the Philippines. We want to build a festival that brings the best of the Philippines and the world together to meet and celebrate life and culture, which is what Sinulog is all about. We call it Wavy Baby because we want a wavy lifestyle and a wavy mindset. It also pays homage to Sinulog because the Sinulog symbols are water and the baby Jesus so it’s also a nod to that as well. We’re excited to be part of the Cebu family and build something special that hopefully we can repeat year after year.”

The festival itself will be held at the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City, Cebu. There will be an Artist Lounge, VVIP Lounge, a VIP Area in front of the stage, Cocktail Pods, Sponsor’s Hives, and Market Pod.

The Cocktail Pod serves as an area for anyone to purchase drinks at the venue while the Market Pod is designated for food and other merchandise that will be sold. The Sponsor’s Hive will be where Wavy Baby’s brand partners will have different booths that festival goers can visit.

Regular Tickets are priced at Php 8,510 for VIP and Php 4,260 for General Admission. One-day Passes are also now available at Php 5,540 for VIP and Php 2770 for General Admission.

Keep up to date on all things Careless.

Follow Careless and Wavy Baby on their respective Social Media Accounts.

Careless Instagram – @carelessph

Careless Twitter – @careless_ph

Careless Facebook – @CarelessMusicOfficial

Wavy Baby Instagram – @wavybabyfest

Wavy Baby Website – www.wavybabyfest.com

Events

CEBU KALEIDO: A Night of Fashion and Celebration at Crimson Mactan Resort and Spa

Miranda Konstatinidou’s beautiful beach wear and jewellery worn by her guests at an intimate beach party at Crimson Resort in Mactan. Konplott is Miranda’s luxury fashion accessory brand sold in Europe, worn by fashion icons and celebrities (no, it’s not sold locally) while her exclusive beach wear in silk are fabric designed by her, are also sold in high end resorts around the world. Meanwhile, Crimson Resort in Mactan will officially close temporarily for a makeover as most of their beachfront villas were damaged heavily by last December.s super typhoon Odette. Here’s to a great reopening of Crimson in a few months. (photography by Steffen Billhardt)

Events

Largest Skechers Store in the Philippines  Opens at Ayala Center Cebu

Skechers, The Comfort Technology Company™, is continuing its expansion in the Philippines with the opening of its largest store in the country at Ayala Center Cebu.

Following the recent opening of five (5) locations in Metro Manila and one (1) in North Luzon, the new Skechers store in the queen city of the south, Cebu City, is in the heart of the region’s premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination, and sets the global lifestyle brand up to deliver stylish and innovative footwear and apparel to more Filipinos in the Visayas.

“We are delighted to continue our expansion in the country with the opening of our largest store in the Philippines here at Ayala Center Cebu in Cebu City,” shared Skechers Philippines country manager Sue Pasustento. “With its prime location and an extensive offering of Skechers footwear, apparel and accessories, this store will be a showpiece for the brand and allow more Cebuanos to directly experience the comfort, style and innovation that defines Skechers around the world.”

Located on the 1^st Floor of Ayala Center Cebu in Cebu City, the latest Skechers store in the Philippines features a mid-century modern style inspired design, opening the interior space to bring in the outdoors. The 3,400-square-foot store will offer a wide range of Skechers footwear, apparel and accessories including fashion product, lifestyle looks and Skechers Performance shoes for sport enthusiasts, including Skechers GO WALK, one of the brand’s best-selling categories.

Skechers’ offering is enhanced with the company’s signature comfort innovations—including its patented Skechers Arch Fit Technology™, Skechers Max Cushioning Technology™, Skechers Hyper Burst Technology™, Skechers Air-Cooled Memory Foam®, Skechers Relaxed Fit Technology™ and Skechers Stretch Fit Technology™.

Skechers’ wide selection of versatile and functional apparel, which include hoodies, jackets, sportswear and shirts, as well as socks, backpacks and hats, allows consumers to dress head-to-toe in active lifestyle looks.

Established in 1992, Skechers’ reputation for style, innovation, quality, and comfort have helped the brand expand worldwide. In 2021, the company transitioned its operations in the Philippines, becoming a directly owned operations and expanding its capital investment in the country. Skechers now has five stores in Metro Manila and seven total retail destinations across the Philippines.

About Skechers USA Philippines, Inc. and Skechers USA, Inc.

Skechers USA Philippines, Inc. is operated by Skechers USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), The Comfort Technology Company based in Southern California. Skechers designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company’s collections are available in over 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through digital stores and 4,308 Company- and third-party-owned physical retail stores. The Company manages its international business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint venture partners, and distributors. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.