The Most Popular Traditional Filipino Drinks

The Most Popular Traditional Filipino Drinks

Every culture has its own history of brewing and distilling liquor and spirits from local ingredients. When Ferdinand Magellan and the rest of the Spanish conquistadors first arrived in the Philippine islands, natives offered them local goods like fish, figs, and coconuts. They also gave them a jar of local alcohol, which historians claim was either arack, which is wine made from palm, or tuba, wine made from fermented coconut nectar.

The culture of drinking in the Philippines has continued into the present, with different bars, pubs, speakeasies, restaurants, and the like serving a wide variety of liquor and alcoholic concoctions. If you’re looking to explore locally-made spirits and wines made from native ingredients and rooted in cultural history and tradition, here’s a list of common Filipino drinks worth trying out.

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10 Local Foods to Try When Visiting the Philippines

10 Local Foods to Try When Visiting the Philippines

Filipino food can be considered an underdog when it comes to internationally-acclaimed cuisines, but according to an article by Vice, it’s been slowly gaining traction and charming palates from around the world.

The slow rise of the global popularity of Filipino cuisine might be due to its complexity, with its various elements and the wide variety of culinary traditions in the archipelago alone. Food website Pepper.ph says that the food traditions of the more than 80 ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines can be hard to capture. Add the fact that most ingredients that are staples in Filipino cuisine can be hard to come by internationally, which makes authentic Filipino cuisine difficult to achieve in other countries.

This only proves the fact that the only place to enjoy the best Filipino food is in the Philippines itself. Here’s a list of local food dishes you definitely have to try.

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Wineries and Wine Culture in the Philippines

Wineries and Wine Culture in the Philippines

Although the Philippines might not be well-known as a wine region, Filipinos don’t fall behind when it comes to enjoying a good glass of red or white. With quite a number of wine bars carrying only the best European wines, you don’t have to be afraid of missing out on your wine of choice. The Philippines is also home to varieties of wine cultivated from locally-grown crops and fruit, with flavor profiles distinct to each region. Whether you call yourself a true connoisseur, or if you simply enjoy having a glass after a long day, here are different ways to enjoy your favorite nightcap.

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The Best Sangria Spots in Metro Manila

The Best Sangria Spots in Metro Manila

Being in a tropical country, you’d be forgiven for craving the occasional sangria. Originating from Spain, it is made from wine and fruit, among other things.

So, if you’re on the lookout for some trendy spots to get your sangria fix, here’s a list of places where you can enjoy a fruity glass (or a pitcher, perhaps?) of sangria with some equally delicious food.

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Prepping for the Avengers

Prepping for the Avengers

If you haven’t been living under a rock the past few months, you’d know that we’re only a few hours to the opening of one of the most anticipated movies of all time. Philippine comic book fans, geeks, and casual moviegoers all over the country are preparing to sit down to the final installment to the current story arc in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: The Avengers: Endgame. If you haven’t bought your premier ticket yet, are killing time until your showing, or really have been living under a rock, then take a look below at this brief backgrounder into the movie event of the season.

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The Best Items on Starbucks’ Secret Menu

The Best Items on Starbucks’ Secret Menu

When you’re working in the city, there’s no more familiar sight than that of the local Starbucks. True, there are probably a thousand different coffee spots in and around the Metro, with all sorts of offerings. But when it comes to Starbucks, at least you can be sure what you’re getting into. When you need to grab a quick caffeine fix before work, or recharge in between meetings, this is one place where you can get your old favorites with no fuss.

However, sometimes your usual coffee order won’t cut it, and that’s when the Secret Menu comes in. These are “off” the menu drinks, and need a bit of digging around to find. Starbucks’ secret menu has been well-popularized, to the point that fans have even curated a website guide to the Secret Menu items. If you’re feeling a little bit more adventurous on your next coffee run, here are some of the items you might want to try.

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The Best Non-Meat Food Options for Lent

The Best Non-Meat Food Options for Lent

Living in a predominantly Catholic country like the Philippines means that a lot of your daily life is influenced by religion. The Christmas season in this country famously lasts several months, big events like the Translacion can derail an entire workday or two, and every Friday of Lent means no meat or chicken anywhere.

According to this article in Crosswalk, Lent for Roman Catholics is a period of fasting in preparation for the sacrifice of Easter, when Jesus Christ finally gave up his life for humankind. The forty days correspond to the forty days Jesus spent in the desert being tempted by the devil. To symbolize his sacrifice, people tend to give up specific things during the Lenten period. There’s also a rule about fasting every Friday, which means less than three meals and no meat.

Exercising your faith is a human right, but it can be pretty tough to keep thinking of meals without meat for a whole forty days. Here’s a short list of restaurants that have what you can eat, and where to find them.

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Oscars 2019 – What to Expect

Oscars 2019 – What to Expect

Film brings together emotion, art, entertainment, and the universal human condition. In addition, advents in filmmaking technology, movies are bigger than ever, and there’s nowhere better to celebrate the magic of moviemaking than during awards season. While every film award is of course a huge honor, if you ask your everyman on the street what the biggest one is, they’d definitely say the Oscars.

The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, is one of the biggest if not the biggest yearly event in the film industry. Awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, this year the Oscars are 91. With some of the biggest changes to the formula this year— no host, Netflix movies, and more presenters than ever— let’s see what the 2019 Oscars have in store for us.

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