May 15, 2012

Kroketten: Fun and Healthy Potato Dutch Snacks with Filipino Twist

Here's another way to enjoy potato! Have fun, filling and healthy Kroketten experience! Potato Dutch Snacks, Kroketten is with a Pinoy Twist.

If there’s one type of carb that Filipinos have a strong penchant, that’s potato. Whether it’s mashed, fried, in a salad and soup, we so love the flavor and feel of the tiny grains that melt wonderfully in each bite.

Since snacking on potato is one of the most popular sustenance and enjoyment in the country, we introduce a unique variety that is surely yummy, appealing, and extra healthy. It’s also interesting to know that it’s made affordable for all! Introducing Kroketten, Netherland’s favorite snack as the Dutch word means a little, round ball.

“Kroketten is one of the best ways to enjoy potato—crunchy, filled with cheese and meat, while they’re deep fried in a healthy corn oil. We’re now located in twelve branches which amazingly garners an impressive response since we started operations fourth quarter of last year”, says Kroketten president/owner Maribel Bosch.

A former hotelier boasting a vast exposure to the best cuisines of the world, there’s no denying that Maribel is also an expert in the kitchen and has discerning taste buds. Having been based overseas with her husband and kids, she discovered that croquettes deserve to be in the Philippines soon for its simple and delicious taste which she thought will appeal to all levels of people. True enough, her gut feel proved to be true as Kroketten is growing and is now trending in Manila.

Kroketten offers three varieties: Original Kroket, the original oblong shape with ground beef, chicken, and cheese; Kroketballen, by far Filipinos’ most favorite and has three pieces of crunchy potato balls which come with dips; and the miniballen, the bite sized potato balls considered best for sharing. If you plan to tweak your group’s usual snack gathering at your place, Kroketten’s potato balls are worth serving, for only P35 per order. Since the product can last days if stored properly and has the same great taste when properly reheated, Kroketten is an absolutely healthy snack that will satisfy your guests whether for private gathering or a party!

With Kroketballen’s assorted flavors, it’s no surprise that this type is deemed the most popular. From cheese, chicken, beef, bacon, hotdog, longganisa, pork adobo, mango, and tuyo flakes, all flavors offer an exciting taste with a Filipino twist, especially when paired with the tasty dips. “Our company aims to reach all levels of market A to C, for everyone to enjoy quality, healthy and good food. We never want our products to be intimidating that’s why we came up with a combo meal-- our five pieces mini ballen (P20) and our four pieces mini ballen with the 6.5 oz revitalize 10 or Nutri 10 fresh fruit drink (P35)”, adds Maribel.

Speaking of fresh fruit drink, it’s also amazing to know that these delicious balls are best paired with invigorating fresh fruit juices one can ever imagine! And why not? They’re made of the purest and natural fruit juice minus the white sugar, branded exclusively by Vers En Snel by Kroketten. A Dutch word means fresh and fast, it has two signature thirst quenchers. One is a certified health booster made of mango and guyabano, the Nutri 10 while the other one is made of succulent combo of strawberry and passion fruit called Revita 10. “Since these drinks have no preservative, our health buff habitués can’t surely get enough of it! If one needs an immediate vitamin boost, we recommend the Nutri 10. But if you’re feeling tired and heavy, our Revita 10 gives an instant uplift. “And because of the ever growing demand for this product, we’re also working on bottling these drinks soon so anyone can take with them this healthy beverage”, exclaims Maribel.

These perfectly composed and polished potato balls are also considered a masterpiece without the guilt. The taste is impressive since it offers a snacking experience that is never boring despite its flavorful taste.

Confident about the potential of the product, the company is also open for franchise for a very affordable total investment of P195, 000 (vat exclusive). To date, it operates in twelve malls with Mall of Asia in Pasay coming up very soon. Ultimately, the brand’s international flavor in design with a unique Filipino appeal will surely make history for being the first healthy Dutch potato snack to expand in the country.

Kroketten is located in twelve branches:

* Festival Mall Alabang
* Albang Town Center
* GT Tower Makati
* Market! Market!
* Starmall Edsa Shaw
* Robinsons Galleria
* Robinsons Metro East
* SM North Edsa
* SM Lipa Batangas

For inquiries on franchising, please call (632) 822-5711 or 09178596623.

Kroketten Philippines - Taste Teaser Game at Alabang Town Center (ATC)

Bigfish’s Innovation White Annual Party Hits Manila in June!

Bigfish’s annual white party hits Manila in June 23 , 11 p.m at the World Trade Center!

“Purity. Unity. Seduction. Sensation.”

This is the maxim of Bigfish Innovation White.

Clearly, at this party, you’re in for one heck of a musical ride.

Come, Sing and Dance, Spin and Have Great Fun ! Bigfish and Freedom Music present Bigfish Innovation White 2012, the country’s biggest musical congregation of white-clothed clubbers, happening on June 23 at the World Trade Center.

This year’s lineup is a who’s who of the most promising acts in electronic music today: Cosmic Gate,Myon & Shane54, Bobina, and Emma Hewitt, who are joined by Bigfish’s John Paul Lee and Chris Raeuber.

German DJ/producer duo Cosmic Gate made the global dance community snap to attention when they jumped 43 places to land on No. 19 of DJ Mag’s Top 100 for 2009. That was the same year they teamed up with the striking, silken-voiced Australian songstress Emma Hewitt for the single “Not Enough Time”, a dance music hit that earned them nominations for Best Trance Track at the 2010 International Dance Music Awards and Best Selling Trance Act at the 2010 Beatport Awards.

Hungarian duo Myon & Shane54 are another European trance tandem that’s carving a name for themselves as they gig from continent to continent. With a list of solid singles and fierce remixes to their name, even trance luminaries Armin van Buuren and Above and Beyond are fans of their work, having featured them on their respective compilations.

Also on the bill is Moscow-based trance master Bobina, whom Ferry Corsten has called “one of the most talented music producers ever to come out of Russia”. Having released the country’s first #1 electronic dance album and being the first Russian DJ to snag a spot in DJ Mag’s Top 100 roundup, Bobina is hailed as a dance music god in his home country.

Joining these trance greats at the Innovation White stage are Team Bigfish’s main men John Paul Lee and Chris Raeuber.

Head to the World Trade Center on June 23 and be part of this massive trance movement!

Let’s keep things pure—let’s all come in white.

BIGFISH Innovation WHITE 2012 Official media partners: AXN & Sony Be TV, Magic 89.9, Animax, Focus Media, Killer Bee, Mellow 94.7, Wave 891, 99.5 RT, Myx, Velvet, People Asia, FHM, Where, Clavel, Uno, Garage, Metro, Maven, Adobo Magazine, The Philippine Star, Business Mirror, Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, Business World, Philstar.com, FemaleNetwork.com, SPOT.ph, StyleBible.ph, Focalcast, Media Magnet, ClicktheCity.com, and Cosmo.ph. Special thanks go to official residence partner Diamond Hotel, O Music and Video, Oliver’s Super Sandwiches and Gold’s Gym. Supported by The Philippine Department of Tourism.

For ticket inquiries and VIP table reservations, please contact (02) 6327762 or (02) 6348238. For more information, visit www.bigfishmanila.com.

May 14, 2012

Rebecca Ferguson debut album "Heaven"

Rebecca Ferguson featuring the debut single “Nothing’s Real But Love”, debut album “Heaven” is out.

If pop music is infinitely surprising then the often circuitous route that brings a major star to our attention is surely exemplified in the wonderful Rebecca Ferguson.

Just over a year ago, this painfully shy, woefully under confident single mother of two was shown auditioning for The X Factor. In what is surely one of the best audition sequences ever shown on the programme, her story of dignified resignation – pregnant at 17, then again at 19, with no money and little hope – struck a chord with the nation. It seemed that this was a voice destined never to be heard. Then she opened her mouth and her stunningly raw rendition of Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change Is Gonna Come” set the bar on the show, oh, just a million miles higher….

It’s immaterial that she came second on the show – perhaps even preferable, as it has meant that the last year has allowed this Liverpudlian world-class singer/songwriter to hone her writing skills and to channel that remarkable soul voice into a selection of songs that will establish this 25 year old as the voice of her generation, and a global superstar.

With a writing skill that belies her years, Rebecca Ferguson’s debut album does not pander to fashion. It’s not a hybrid of every current hip musical genre, shaken around a bit and mixed into an amorphous lump. This is soul; raw emotion pours out of every fibre of every note making the others sound... ordinary. Fiercely proud of her working class Liverpool roots, Rebecca’s route here hasn’t been an easy one, but it’s given her a dignified fighting spirit, which bursts through her lyrics and informs the path she hopes her career will follow. Basically, she is a true artist, in it for the long haul.

Until now all Rebecca’s admirers have had are her TV appearances. That audition of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ has had 2.9million views alone on YouTube, whilst her inspired renditions of Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams’, Chris Isaac’s ‘Wicked Game’ and Candi Staton’s ‘You Got The Love’ showed that her range of influences was stunningly diverse. But the show itself gave Rebecca something that money can’t buy. “It completely changed me as a person. I’m strong now. Singing used to just be a dream, now it’s my focus. I had begun to give up hope and then the show happened and now, with this first album, I just wanted to get to a point where my voice and my songs are as good as they can possibly be”.

It got her here, to her first single, ‘Nothing’s Real But Love’; passionate yet displaying the control that only a great singer can muster, the subject is one close to Rebecca’s heart - what’s really important in life - “No money, no house, no car, can beat love.”

“People used to say to me ‘Being rich doesn’t make you happy, Rebecca’’’ she says. “And I’d think I’ve got no electricity, nothing - tell that to my empty fridge. But now I’m doing okay, I realize, they were right. It doesn’t matter what you’ve got, as long as you’ve got love. I know that sounds cheesy, but that’s everything”.

It’s a theme continued on much of her searingly honest debut album. “I spilled my soul out. A lot of it comes from writing about relationships I’ve been in, so I think everyone can probably relate to the lyrics – we’ve all been there.” A self-confessed perfectionist, Rebecca, who has always written her own material, wrote a song every day for months. “People just made an assumption, ‘She came off The X Factor she won’t be able to write. We’ll just write her songs.’ Then as time passed they realised, ‘Oh, she can actually do this!’”

"Heaven" is out this April 2012, only from Ivory Music & Video, the exclusive licensee of Sony Music in the Philippines.

Rebecca Ferguson - Nothing's Real But Love

"Nothing's Real But Love"

Standing in a line

Wonder why it don't move

Tryna get a hand

Watching people break the rules

And maybe the man in charge

Doesn't like my face

But then this world's not always good

And nothing's real but love

Nothing's real but love

No money, no house, no car,

Can beat love

They watch us open-mouthed

As we joke around like fools

See who can be the worst

Watch what I can do

But then the door gets slammed,

Slammed right in my face

And I guess this world's not always good

And nothing's real but love

Nothing's real but love

No house, no car, no job

Can beat love

It won't fill you up

No money, no house, no car

Is like love

La la la la la la la la

Yeaaah

I put it all away

Holding it back for a rainy day

But what if that day don't come

I need love

No money, no house, no car

Is like love

It don't fill you up

It won't build you up

It won't fill you up

It's not love!

And nothing's real but love

No money, no house, no car

Is like love

Nothing's real but love

No money, no house, no car

Is like love

=================
Rebecca Ferguson - Heaven - Track by Track Part 4

Exciting Treat from Classic Savory and SM Department StoreAdvantage

I am a Classic Savory lover, enjoying the food and the ambience every Classic Savory branches. The legend of humble “panciteria” in the 50s to an established restaurant chain at present, Classic Savory continues to give customers nothing but the best dining experience.

And now, there's a new exciting treat from Classic Savory! Classic Savory continues to give us not just the dining experience but also the best dining and shopping treat.

Renew your SM Advantage at any participating SM Department Store branches, you will be entitled to one (1) voucher equivalent to a free special order of their choice of Creamy Mushroom Fish Fillet or Pancit Canton.

See below for the list of the participating SM Department stores: