Welcome the Year of the Water Rabbit at Diamond Hotel Philippines! Celebrate Chinese New Year this 2023 while you feast on mouthwatering Chinese dishes created by Chef Yang Yong.
Dine at the Corniche Lunch or Dinner Buffet and savor Chinese New Year favorites and other sumptuous dishes for Php 3,500 net per person from January 19-22, 2023. Every minimum of Php 7,000 spent at Corniche during this period entitles guests to “pick-a-prize” from the Prosperity Tree with a chance to win surprises from the hotel.
In addition, Corniche also features Lucky Chinese Set Menus for the occasion. Two sets are for advanced table reservations for Lunch and Dinner with prices starting at Php16,800 net, good for five persons. The Special Set Menus are available until the end of January.
For more luck, catch the Dragon and Lion dance at the hotel lobby on January 22, 2023 at 11am.
Diamond Hotel also makes it easy for you to dine at home because you can order the Yu-Sheng platter, Lucky Chinese Set Menus, and Savory Chinese Platters from onlineshopping.diamondhotel.com. These offers are available until the end of January.
City of Dreams Manila hops into the Year of the Water Rabbit, signifying peace, prosperity, and fertility. To celebrate the lunar new year, auspicious specialties await diners at Crystal Dragon, Red Ginger and TungLok Signatures.
Crystal Dragon’s Chinese New Year Festive Menu
From January 16 to 29, the award-winning Cantonese restaurant Crystal Dragon highlights its festive lunar new year menu available for lunch and dinner. For the traditional dinner table yu sheng (or yee sang) toss ritual, the salad is offered with a twist: Prosperity Roasted Duck in lieu of herring or salmon, with jellyfish, crispy vegetables, and plum dressing. Good for a group of five persons per serving (P1,600++), the ritual augurs good fortune for the group, as they stand and toss the ingredients high up with chopsticks while reciting auspicious phrases to bless all present with well-wishes.The roasted duck symbolizes wealth, abundance, and fertility; the flour crisps, prosperity, while the plum dressing denotes sweetness and harmonious family relationship.
For more abundance, Crystal Dragon offers Steamed Duo Flavor Live Grouper with signature tofu and Roasted Crispy Spring Chicken with supreme soy sauce. For luck and togetherness, the Crispy Taro and New Year Cake Pillow is not to be missed.
Other auspicious Crystal Dragon specialties to welcome the new year are: Buddha Jumps Over the Wall; Braised Sea Cucumber and Pork Trotter with black moss and brown sauce; Wok-tossed Creamy Prawns with fragrant shredded coconut; and Wok-fried Fragrant Glutinous Rice with Guangdong cured pork.
TungLok Signatures’ Yu Sheng
Singapore’s famous TungLok Signatures also highlights the quintessential Chinese New Year staple fare. The yu sheng salad, which was popularized in Singapore, and known as lo hei in Cantonese, signifies blessings and fortune. Tung Lok’s salad is prepared with salmon, a medley of fresh vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients, each representing a wish during the toss while huat ah! or lo hei! is being recited. It is believed that the higher the toss, the greater will be one’s fortune. For direct reservations, call +63 917 7024024.
TungLok Signatures’ Prosperity Yu Sheng Salad (P2,888) is available from January 16 to 24and can be shared by a group of six to eight.
Red Ginger’s Festive Lunar Menu The season’s flavors can likewise be savored at Red Ginger from January 17 to February 5, which offers five auspicious dishes symbolizing fortune, longevity, prosperity, happiness, and harmony. The ala carte dishes are: Fortune Lao Sheng, a chicken salad with plum dressing; Longevity Noodles consisting of egg noodles with crispy pork belly, and quail eggs; braised Prosperity Pork Knuckle with king mushrooms; Happiness Prawn and Squid, a medley stir-fried in curry XO sauce; and for dessert, Harmony Coconut, a mix of coconut jelly and ice cream.
For inquiries and reservations in Crystal Dragon and Red Ginger, call 8800-8080 or e-mail guestservices@cod-manila.com. For more information, visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com. Explore more of City of Dreams Manila’s promotional offers, rewards, or instantly check Melco Club points with the new Melco Club App, available for free download on iOS and Android.
Things have gone wrong for Otto. “He’s led this ritualistic life, and then suddenly, everything changes for him,” says Hanks. “His wife has passed away. He is forced into retirement. New neighbors move in. He’s feeling like the only thing he has left is his daily routine, and now he thinks he’s fighting his final battle, against the relentlessness of fate.”
“The thing that Otto is dealing with really is time – relentless time that passes – and time ends up being both the villain and the hero of the piece,” Hanks continues. “Otto hates the passing of that time. He rebels against the fact that it’s time for him retire. He doesn’t appreciate the fact that his wife got older and she developed the great malady of maladies, and her time was up.
“And now, he’s trying to rush time along, to end it all for himself and join her,” says director Marc Forster. “But you can’t do that.”
That’s why he’s so grumpy, says Hanks. With the passing of his wife, Sonya – a courtship that the film lovingly plays out in flashbacks – Otto has lost the sweetness that makes life worth living. “He knew that he was made different by Sonya,” says Hanks. “And when she was gone, he thought he was never going to have that back again. And in the early part of the film, he’s actually trying to speed along time. But time takes care of itself. You can’t fight it. He lives another day and he goes from a bad day to a better day.”
Time takes care of itself with the appearance of new neighbors – who bring Otto into that better day despite himself. “It’s the last thing he’s anticipating as being the great catalyst for the rest of his days,” says Hanks.
“The thing that fills the void in our lives is each other – ourselves – our neighbors,” says Hanks. “Even if you don’t like each other, even if you have great cultural differences, religion or heritage or politics, sooner or later, they’re going to need your help and you’re going to need theirs. If you don’t know how to bleed your radiators, who are you going to turn to? When the tornadoes always hit, what’s the first thing that happens? Neighbors come out with chainsaws and U-Hauls. A Man Called Otto puts that idea forward – it is a movie about community and a movie about family.”
In Philippine cinemas January 25, A Man Called Otto is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #AManCalledOtto
To mark the Year of the Rabbit – known as the luckiest animal out of all twelve Chinese zodiacs – The Peninsula Manila is ready to unveil a wealth of experiences and tantalizing treats for sharing good fortune and blessings.
THE LOBBY CHINESE NEW YEAR DRAGON AND LION DANCE
January 22
An integral part of Chinese New Year celebrations, The Lobby’s annual Dragon and Lion Dance symbolizes good luck and success in the coming year
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 am
ESCOLTA
January 22
Celebrate prosperous new beginnings in Escolta with a limited-time only Sunday Champagne Lunch Buffet showcasing auspicious ingredients such as fish and oysters, believed to bring good luck, and classics including glutinous rice dumplings that symbolize reunion.
Sunday Champagne Lunch Buffet
P7,000 P4,500 (Adults) P2,250 (Children 6 to 12) Time: 12:00 noon. to 3:00 p.m
For inquiries and reservations, please please call The Peninsula Manila at +63 2 8887 2888 (ext. 6691 or 6694 for Restaurant Reservations), mobile +63 917 557 8014, or email DiningPMN@peninsula.com.
CHINESE NEW YEAR STELLAR-BRATION
Welcome the Year of the Rabbit at The Peninsula Manila with family and friends with a celebratory stay. Available on January 21, 2023, this package packs in a festive stay in a Deluxe Room, buffet breakfast for two adults and two children below 12 in Escolta restaurant the next morning, and, to complete your prosperous stay, front row seats to The Lobby’s annual dragon and lion dance on January 22.
For inquiries and reservations, please please call The Peninsula Manila at +63 2 8887 2888 (ext. 6630 for Rooms Reservations), mobile +63 917 557 8014, or email ReservationPMN@peninsula.com.
Taboos and Superstitions of Chinese New Year
House Cleaning
All house cleaning must be done prior to the New Year. On New Year’s Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment must be put away. If any cleaning utensils, especially brooms, are used during the holiday, it will bring bad luck because you will be sweeping out all the good fortune from your house.
Holiday Greetings
During this season, greet everyone with a “Kung Hei Fat Choi” which means “All the very best for a prosperous New Year.”
Bringing in the New Year and Expelling the Old
Shooting off firecrackers on New Year’s Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old and welcoming in the New Year. Firecrackers and loud gongs are also used to scare away evil spirits who may disrupt one’s good fortune. On the stroke of midnight, every door in the house and even windows have to be open to allow the old year to go out.
Wear Red
Everyone buys new clothes to celebrate the New Year. Red clothing is preferred during this festive season since it is considered a bright, happy color and assures the wearer a sunny and bright future. Coincidentally, many retail shops have sales at this time.
Lai See for Luck
Children and unmarried friends, as well as close relative, all receive lai see or “lucky money” in red envelopes from friends and family for good fortune.
Pay Up
All debts have to be paid before the New Year. Nothing should be lent on New Year’s Day, as anyone who will do so will be lending all year.
No to Broke
The year will get off on a bad start if food is served or eaten from broken or chipped crockery, as this signifies eating into your own capital. Do not use knives or scissors on New Year’s Day Day as this may cut off good fortune.
To more information, please call The Peninsula Manila at +63 2 8887 2888 (ext. 6691 or 6694 for Restaurant Reservations or 6630 for rooms Reservations), mobile +63 917 557 8014, or email diningpmn@peninsula.com.
How does one become an artist? Does art come calling like a voice in the wilderness? Insistent, commanding. Does the urge to create art appear like a burning bush out of the vortex of the mundane, seeding one’s spiritless heart with a feverish flame? How does art become flesh?
For Andrei Solmirano, the muse arrived early: as other kids were playing with toys, Andrei as a 10-year-old child was always immersed in art materials and art books. Painting was her hobby during weekends, holiday breaks, and when she got home from school. Art became a path to escapism, a way for her to recreate the things around her that caught her attention: sunsets, flowers, the beach, and — for Andrei, the most beautiful at all — her grandma’s garden. From landscapes and seascapes, she would later on paint portraits of people and pets as well dabble in abstracts. Those abstract textures gave her — according to Andrei herself — “complete freedom” and allowed her to be “playful” with colors with “hints of imperfection.”
The girl, who comes from a musically inclined family, also loved singing. That muse overpowered the other muse. Andrei pursued singing as a part-time career — from doing gigs during family reunions and college programs, to appearing in big events. Painting took a backseat as she took on various jobs in the corporate world. But in 2020, the voice in the wilderness, that burning bush reignited Andre’s love of art. As a New Year’s resolution, she took up the brush again.
Sea of Galilee (Version 7)
That gesture led us here: opening on Jan. 16, Monday, at Robinsons Land ARTablado in Robinsons Galleria is Andrei Solmirano’s exhibition titled “Yadah to the King: Celebration through Art and Music.”
Andrei explains, “Yadah, taken from the Hebrew word for “hand” or yad, means ‘to throw, extend, or lift hands in thanksgiving and praise.’” For this self-taught artist from Caloocan City, art has become an expression of her faith and an “invitation for others to lift their eyes and experience God’s love and goodness.” Art is also a reminder for Andrei to be humble and that miracles do happen.
It is fitting that the artist is exhibiting at Robinsons Land ARTablado since the gallery has become a platform for artists with humble roots and who have gone on to do miraculously impressive art.
“This is a surprise blessing for 2023. Amazing,” she shares. “It is an answered prayer. It is a testament to ArtAblado as a supportive platform for new artists such as me. It feels like home.”
“Yadah to the King” is a collection of artworks that celebrate God – who He is and what He does: (1) The lion for the “Lion of the tribe of Judah to display His absolute authority and power over all creation”; (2) Abstracts reminding us that He is our firm “Foundation” and the chief “Cornerstone”, that He is King but He chose to be a humble “Carpenter”, that just like in the mount of “Moriah” He still provides, that just like in the “Sea of Galilee” miracles still happen; that there’s “Open Heaven” for those who believes and trusts Him; (3) Florals reminding us of our identity – we are loved, beautiful, valuable and more.
Ultimately, what Andrei Solmirano aspires for her art to be able to do is admirable.
“Let my art cause you to dream and hope,” she concludes. Art should “spark joy, faith and inspiration.” Sparking, kindling ineffable feelings the way Art — or an entire universe unfolding with a single brush stroke — opens up to a child for the first time.
Netflix has dropped a new trailer for Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre, which is set to bring to the screen more works from the legendary horror mangaka Junji Ito. While many of his works have been adapted into anime and live-action titles, Netflix’s new series will adapt many of his stories that have not been seen onscreen yet.
Check out the new trailer for Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre below:
Junji Ito Maniac will feature 20 stories from Ito’s wealthy lineup of works, including Hanging Blimp, Tomie・Photo, Four x Four Walls, and Intruder. Shinobu Tagashira serves as the director, with a screenplay by Kaoru Sawada. The cast includes Rie Suegara, Yumiri Hanamori, Yuji Mitsuya, and Hiro Shimono.
The anime series will premiere on Netflix this January 19.
There isn’t enough being said about Coron, Palawan. In an archipelago of over 7000 islands, our country is blessed with many gorgeous beaches but the islands of Coron are probably some of the best beaches you can go to locally. With travel restrictions loosening up, the island of Coron is seeing the return of tourists. All we needed was to show our vaccine cards and we were allowed to go straight into our Coron adventure from the airport.
The thing about Coron is its close proximity to over 50 islets and you will have to take a boat to visit the different tourist spots and beaches around the area. From a previous trip (pre-pandemic) I had in Coron, we had to book a boat separately at the port to go and visit Kayangan Lake or the Twin Lagoon or Siete Pecados. Because of the protocols from the coast guard, you would usually leave by 9 am and you’d get to all the beaches and diving sites at the same time as everyone else.
But on this most recent trip, we booked at Casa Fidelis, a gorgeous forest resort away from the hustle and bustle. What separates Casa Fidelis from other resorts is that you can customize your Coron trip with them, as they provide meals and boat rides for your entire stay. You don’t have to book the boats separately, everything is handled by Casa Fidelis for you – including meals.
Casa Fidelis at night.
For our trip, we had a jam-packed 5-day, 4-night adventure. On our first day, we visited one of the calm and quiet beaches around the area as we had just arrived at the airport. On our second day, we had a jam-packed day as we visited Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Barracuda Lake, Banol Beach, Siete Pecados, and Maquinit Hot Springs. Our third day had us take a trip to Pass Island, where we slept overnight under a blanket of stars before heading out to Black Island and Dibutanay Island. And for our last day, we decided to stay in the resort, swim at their pool and relax until it was time for our flight.
The Cave at Black Island
I was with my friends who are active and energetic and so they wanted such an itinerary. All of this was arranged through Casa Fidelis. They picked us up from the airport and, as they have their own boat and their own separate port, they can leave earlier than 9 am so, on our second day, we were able to get to Kayangan Lake by 7am before any other tourists were there. We had the whole place to ourselves!
We also had lots of fun eating delicious meals on the boat on our way from one island to the next.
Lunch at Banol Beach.
That’s what’s great about this trip, it was completely customized to the experience that we wanted. This group wanted to make the most of our trip. If I had been with my other set of friends, we might have requested for less destinations per day and maybe added more cultural side trips – like a visit to the St. Augustine Parish Church or a visit to Culion island – or we could have stayed in Casa Fidelis on our third day just to relax and enjoy a trek in their forest. There’s no signal at the resort so you have no choice but to go on full vacation mode, which can be such a blessing, surprisingly.
Having their own boat and port is such a blessing because it meant we can go wherever we wanted and at whatever time was convenient for us. Since we didn’t mind sleeping early and waking up early, we were able to make the long boat trip to Pass Island so we could see the gorgeous sky filled with stars at night. I thought the sand of Banol beach was some of the finest I have encountered, but there’s nothing like the sheer beauty of Black Island and the fine white sand there.
Pass Island (Photo by Mark Lim)
Because the trip is completely customized, the price range adjusts depending on the itinerary and the size of the group. We were a group of ten, staying for 5 days and 4 nights, and we had a jam-packed itinerary so we were charged a little over 7k per person per day (exclusive of airfare and entrance fees to the various destinations).
When you consider how much we were able to do and that all the food and transportation were covered, it was quite a steal. The resort itself is large, comfy, and filled with the comforts of a great resort – hot water, A/C, comfortable beds – and they even have life vests and snorkeling gear.
Coron is really a place that everyone has got to go to and as tourism is beginning to pick up now, it’s really the time to book a flight and experience it before the large influx of tourists comes. Coron can be overwhelming and complicated but you can simplify your life and customize your trip before you even go by booking at Casa Fidelis. They’ll take care of everything the moment you land on Busuanga Airport.
This 2023, Chowking is giving everyone a special treat as they launch their Lazada Flagship Store to give Filipinos a more convenient way to celebrate special occasions with fresh, flavorful Chinese-sarap meals through Lazada-exclusive deals and bundles.
What’s more, Chowking is kicking off the Chinese New Year with a One Day Sale on January 22 that you definitely shouldn’t miss out on! You can get up to 20% off on select bestsellers:
2 Siomai Chao Fan Family Platter Bundle
Now only P517 (From P647), save P129!
Dimsum Chao Fan & Halo-Halo Combo Bundle
Now only P156 (From P195), save P39!
2 Fried Chicken Lauriat Combo Bundle
Now only P348 (From P435), save P87!
Aside from these exciting Lunar deals, 20 other bundles and promos are also up for grabs all year round! Chowking fans just need to go to the Chowking Lazada Flagship Store to avail vouchers for different food bundles in time for their next celebrations.
They will receive vouchers in the form of digital codes via SMS, which they can present in all Chowking stores nationwide to redeem their orders for dine-in, take-out and drive-thru. The vouchers are also valid up to two months after purchase so it’s definitely a must-buy during double digit sales!
The new Chowking Lazada Flagship Store aims to make Chowking fan favorites more accessible for everyone. It features Chowking’s Lazada-exclusive good for sharing combos and bundles that are perfect for your special occasions. Now, you can easily find delectable food bundles with great deals for a hassle-free family celebration, barkada get-together, or office party!
What are you waiting for? Add to cart your favorite Chinese-Sarap meals at Chowking’s Lazada Flagship Store now!
“Avatar: The Way of Water” filmmakers James Cameron and Jon Landau were honored with a Handprints and Footprints Ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX® in Hollywood. Among the attendees at the ceremony, in which Cameron and Landau put their handprints and footprints in cement in the legendary movie palace’s forecourt were ”Avatar: The Way of Water” cast members Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang. Stills are now available.
This honor comes on the heels of their nomination today by the Producers Guild of America (PGA) for producing “Avatar: The Way of Water,” the most successful worldwide release of 2022 and the seventh highest grossing film of all time worldwide. In addition, the film has been nominated for six Critics Choice awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and two Golden Globe® awards, for Best Picture and Best Director, and has been selected as one of the year’s top films by the AFI and National Board of Review.
Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
Directed by James Cameron and produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, the Lightstorm Entertainment Production stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and Kate Winslet. Screenplay by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. Story by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver & Josh Friedman & Shane Salerno. David Valdes and Richard Baneham serve as the film’s executive producers.
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The Cultural Center of the Philippines presents the Philippine Madrigal Singers in cooperation with the City Government of Lipa, Batangas in a night of beautiful and uplifting choral music on January 18, 2023, Wednesday, 7pm at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, Lipa City.
Together with the “Madz’” choirmaster, Mark Anthony Carpio, the concert features crossover violinist Jobry Cimafranca. This special outreach concert is a project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines that aims to cultivate and enhance public interest and appreciation for the arts and culture, bringing them closer to the people, especially to the regions.
Tickets are free and are open to the public. It will also simultaneously be live-streamed via the Cultural Center of the Philippines Facebook page.
For more information, visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates.
