Maniolas

With thousands of restaurants at our disposal, who better to filter the list and suggest places worth ingesting all that carbs for than chefs? They, of all people (I hope) know what good food is and so their restaurant recommendations definitely bear meaning.   book That’s what the publishers at Phaidon thought so too that’s why in 2013, they released the book Where Chefs Eat: A Guide to Chefs: Favorite Restaurants where 400 of the world’s top chefs gave their suggestions, consequently making our decision-making a lot easier.   On February 9, Phaidon will release the 2015 edition, which will contain 80% new material as it includes in the roster 18 more countries, 67 North American cities, and 200 new chefs, listing down a total of over 3,200 restaurants worth dining in.   chef tb (Photo: antoniosrestaurant.ph) Where Chefs Eat 2015 is made more extra special as it includes the Philippines’ very own celebrated chef Tony Boy Escalante of Antonio’s restaurant in Tagaytay. He is the very first Filipino to contribute to the book and share his list of favorite food joints. His inclusion just shows how credible the guidebook is as the recommendations came from the real insiders, and not some panel of mysterious and questionable food “experts.”   This story first appeared on Coconuts Manila. For more food stories, visit <http://manila.coconuts.co/tags/food>

Cary Santiago leads the outcry against using a non-Filipino designer who certainly cannot capture the Filipino soul. All right, all ye beauty pageant lovers and bekis, keep calm. The worst is over. We lost the Miss Universe crown. And with it, our national pride. We couldn’t even win the Best in Gown title. How could we? The public sentiment is that the gown didn’t look Filipino at all. And social netizens say that it wasn’t even nice. “Huhu, parang plain white cake with colorful icings,” said James Ramos. “MJ Lastimosa’s national costume reminded me of my sister’s birthday cake,” posted Raffy Magno. The Bb. Pilipinas-Universe candidate was wearing a gown by a Colombian designer, Alfredo Barraza, who is being tortured now in social media for creating a confectionary mix of red and yellow flowers. Bb. Pilipinas chairperson Stella Marquez-Araneta says it was “inspired by the Panagbenga festival of Baguio.” Maria Stella Marquez Sawadzky won the first Miss International pageant in 1960 held in Long Beach, California. And she also won the heart of Jorge Araneta, head of the esteemed clan that owns Araneta Coliseum, the choice venue of beauty pageants for decades now. “The designs given to us were not good enough for our candidates. That’s the reason I went abroad,” explains the Colombian beauty queen who has adopted the Philippines as her home. She has, in fact, become an iconic figure when it comes to Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageants, which have always lorded it over other beauty contests. Lifestyle Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – Ferrari’s sublime California T officially made its debut in Manila over the weekend, with an exclusive test drive offered to select motoring journalists. This car epitomizes the elegance, sportiness, versatility, and exclusivity that have distinguished every California model since the 1950s.  The Ferrari California T is a car for owners whom fun behind the wheel is a priority, but who also demand a sumptuously comfortable Grand Tourer they can use every day. The California T is a brilliant expression of Ferrari’s sporty DNA, while its retractable hard top and 2+2 seating configuration make it uniquely versatile in the world of supercars. Like all Ferraris, the California T boasts cutting-edge technologies that make it absolutely unique—most notably the new turbocharged V8 engine. Turbo technology has an honorable place in the Prancing Horse’s engineering tradition, thanks to iconic models of the likes of the GTO of 1984 and the F40 of 1987. It is now also, of course, back at the heart of the Scuderia’s latest F1 car. Maranello’s engineers have managed to design a remarkable power unit that combines classic Ferrari engine qualities, such as razor-sharp responsiveness, blistering performance, superbly powerful acceleration at all speeds and an exhilarating soundtrack, with the advantages turbo technology, such as drastically reduced emissions and fuel consumption, a high specific power output and compact dimensions—a genuinely unprecedented achievement that sets a new benchmark for the industry. A seamless blend of sportiness and elegance, the California T is powered by a direct-injection 3.8-liter V8 Read More …

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine officials have removed the commander of a police special action force from his post after at least 44 anti-terror commandos were killed in a clash with Muslim rebels in the country’s south. The government’s biggest single-day combat loss in recent memory shocked many and led to fears it could endanger a recent peace deal signed with the biggest Muslim rebel group. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said Tuesday that police Director Getulio Napenas did not clear Sunday’s assault on top terror suspects in a remote village near Mamasapano town with him or the national police chief. Roxas said the commandos may have killed one of their terror targets, but also became entangled in separate firefights with hard-line Muslim insurgents and members of the main Muslim rebel group, the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He said 44 commandos were killed and 12 others were wounded. Roxas called the commandos “fallen heroes” who sacrificed their lives to try to capture Malaysian bombing suspect Zulkifli bin Hir, or Marwan. He may have been killed and efforts are underway to confirm whether that is true, Roxas said. Another terror suspect, Filipino bomb-maker Abdul Basit Usman, managed to escape, Roxas said. The United States has offered up to $5 million for Marwan’s capture and $1 million for Usman. Both have been blamed by U.S. and Philippine authorities for deadly bomb attacks and providing bomb-making training to al-Qaida-linked militants in the country’s south. After attacking Marwan, the police commandos came under fire Read More …

Exercise offers a multitude of rewards. Done properly and regularly, it can lower your blood pressure, improve blood cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.  It helps prevent and treat diabetes, enhances the immune system, improves sleep, and may even reduce the risk of some cancers. Staying physically active is vital for maintaining strong muscles, healthy bones, and limber joints, enabling us to carry out our daily tasks with vigor. It reduces falls among older people and can help relieve arthritis pain.  And it’s as important for your brain as for the rest of your body.  If that weren’t enough, it can help control weight — which is important as obesity itself raises the risk of many chronic diseases. Starting to exercise can be a marker for a “turning-over-a-new-leaf” mentality — the desire to take better care of yourself.  Even if exercise is already an essential part of your life, I hope you learn a thing or two from today’s article, which can improve your workouts. Here are 10 of the most common questions asked about exercise. 1. Q. How can I tell if I’m working out intensely enough — or too intensely? A. There are several ways. For one, you can measure your heart rate.  Start by getting a rough estimate of your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220.  If you’ve been mostly sedentary, aim for a target heart rate of 50 to 60 percent of the result. If you’re fairly well-trained, you can Read More …