Give all the foodies in your life a treat with Krispy Kreme, McDonald’s, Stay Up Espresso Bar and more
It truly is the season of giving and celebrating to your heart’s desire. As we near the end of the year, remember to show your appreciation for everyone who has helped you make it this far. We’ve listed down the perfect presents for all the foodies and creatives you know to make life a little easier.
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McDonald's Holiday Treats and Offerings
The holidays are right around the corner and you can bet that McDonald’s is ready to ring in the festivities!
Food plays a huge role in making out-of-town trips, season get-togethers and Christmas parties so special. During long drives, we stop by the drive-thru; any time we reunite with family, there’s bound to be a mountain of food to bond over.
This is why McDonald’s launched their holiday treats: the McCrispy Hamonado Sandwich (also known as the Honey Glazed McCrispy Sandwich), the Coffee Caramel McFlurry, Speculoos Cookie McFlurry and the Speculoos Cookie Frappe.
The McCrispy Hamonado Sandwich is made with a classic McDo Chicken fillet, elevated with a perfect pairing of savory and sweet thanks to a slice of Canadian bacon plus hamonado glaze-y goodness. If you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, the Speculoos Cookie McFlurry and the Speculoos Cookie Frappe will have all the cookie butter fanatics drooling. And with something for everybody, coffee lovers will perk up at the sight of the Coffee Caramel McFlurry.
Share the love this season by availing of their holiday offerings through Dine-In, Take-Out, Drive-Thru or McDelivery.
Nobody does Christmas like McDonald’s. Trust us.
Stay Up Espresso Bar
Themed nights over great coffee will get you pumped in this cafe’s newest branch
What better way to stay cozy during the chilly -ber months than with a good cup of coffee? Stay Up Espresso Bar opens its newest branch at 16 United Street, Kapitolyo, made for coffee enthusiasts everywhere. Bring your loved ones over for catching up and bonding sessions during the holidays and witness the fun, inclusive café for yourselves.
Priding themselves on simple yet thoughtfully crafted coffee, as well as being a pet-friendly space, Stay Up Espresso Bar takes the coffee experience to the next level. They even have themed nights and events (for only P1,500) that include tarot readings, stand-up comedy and drag performances. You get to meet people with different personalities and expand your social circle all while enjoying your favorite choice of drink and comforting food.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday, 8AM to 10PM, Stay Up Espresso Bar will definitely keep you warm on a cold night (or morning).
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Krispy Kreme Blueridge Factory Opening
We need a freshly baked box—stat!
Can you imagine anything more comforting than a fresh box of Original Glazed® doughnuts on Christmas day? I don’t think so (can you say: inner child *healing*).
Krispy Kreme opens its first-ever factory in Blueridge, Quezon City just in time for the holidays. While it operates as a factory, it’s still open to customers daily and you can dine in! The store even has a Krispy Kreme Hotlight, so you know when the best time to come in is. When it’s turned on, a fresh batch of Original Glazed® doughnuts is about to come out, hot off the line! Not to mention, this branch has a wide selection of available drinks.
Perfect to bring to any festive gathering this season, melt-in-your-mouth doughnuts are always a crowd favorite.
You can visit the Krispy Kreme Doughnut Factory for yourself at 216-A Katipunan Ave, Project 4, Quezon City, 1800 Metro Manila. You can also have your drinks and doughnuts delivered to you by calling 888-79000 or ordering through now.krispykreme.com.ph, Grabfood, FoodPanda and Pick.A.Roo.
Plain Sight Coffee
Introducing the Blend Box: A Spectrum of Coffee Flavors
Plain Sight Coffee, the coffee company with a mission to bring out the best in every cup, just released the ultimate gifting set, The Plain Sight Blend Box: A Spectrum of Coffee Flavors. Your coffee-loving friends and family will go crazy for the wide variety of flavors and the chance to taste and compare the coffee notes.
Included in the Plain Sight Blend Box is a collection of four coffee blends that showcase differences in body, sweetness, acidity and roast degree.
At the start of the Blend Box spectrum is Bonfire, which is a great starting point for those who want to try specialty coffee. If you’ve been wanting to introduce a loved one to coffee, Bonfire will do just the trick with its notes of toast, roasted cacao nibs and oats.
In the middle, Plain Sight Coffee has its best-sellers: the Weekender and Trooper. The Weekender is an original that blends South American sweetness and Latin American acidity. The Trooper, on the other hand, shows the best of Brazilian coffee. If you’re looking for chocolatey and nutty flavors, this one’s for you.
At the end of the spectrum is Dayglow, a light roast that stars sweetness and acidity, tasting of dark chocolate, roasted almonds and cherries.
Made for exploring the world of coffee, The Plain Sight Blend Box is the perfect present and makes gifting oh so easy. You’re bound to find your favorite cup with the Blend Box.
To learn more, you can visit their website at www.plainsight.coffee, their Instagram page or their Facebook page.
PATRÓN Tequila
Each sip takes you on a journey
Everyone has someone who likes to drink in their life, and with PATRÓN tequila, we know just what to get them. In the heart of this tequila is the Blue Agave, which is carefully harvested upon maturity. Their standards are high and the quality of their ingredients is even higher.
Meticulous with their cultivation process, PATRÓN tequila is everything you need and more if you like to drink with intention. You can enjoy it neat or mixed in a cocktail as each sip takes you on a journey. As you sip on the PATRÓN, you get to appreciate the process and time it takes to make a bottle. Going through periods of steaming and resting for 79 hours, milling and crushing, a fermentation process to ensure the smoothness of the drink and its aging process (where no preservatives are added), you get premium and top-tier quality.
Celebrate the holidays with your closest friends and a bottle (or two) of PATRÓN.
Ayala Lights is back
The holiday spirit is alive in Makati
It’s not Christmas without all the festive lights and decorations! With Ayala Land, you get to witness the biggest and brightest (literally) celebration with the people who matter most to you!
With several events to look forward to in Makati, the holiday spirit is alive, kicking and incredibly vibrant.
Starting November 10, the Festival of Lights is back and live at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. The show will be a 360-degree experience with dancing string lights, magical laser lights with floating shapes and a 3D animated video. The 3D projection, which was created in collaboration with Kroma and Acid House, will undoubtedly have a magical start to the show.
You can also drive down with your family and friends for the best celebration at the Christmas market located in Ayala Triangle Gardens from December 2 to 31. The Christmas market merges French and Filipino cultures. Showcasing French restaurants and products, as well as Filipino artisanal goods, you’ll have a multitude of options to choose from.
A warmer and well-lit Christmas season is upon us with Ayala Land!
For more updates, you can visit Ayala Land’s website at www.ayalaland.com.ph, their Facebook page and Instagram Page. You can also check out Make It Makati’s Facebook and Instagram.
Betsy
The digital creative hub, Betsy, is now up and running—ready to showcase the creative work of Filipino artists and artisans. Betsy gathers local talents and empowers and enables them to start making a profit through their craftsmanship.
Being the brainchild of Netherlands-based Filipina Judy Anne Santos-Sierszula, Betsy empowers Filipino creatives by giving them the recognition they deserve. They showcase special pieces handcrafted by artists themselves and make these pieces more accessible.
Betsy makes buying unique, local pieces so easy that you’ll definitely be running to the site during the holidays.
If you’re an interested artist, artisan or crafter, you can sign up at www.betsyph.com. After registering, you will be guided on how to set up your virtual store.
The Vegetarian Butcher
Meat your plant-based match made in heaven
The common misconception about plant-based meat alternatives is that they don’t taste like the real deal. Some believe that such options lack certain flavors or can’t mimic the texture we all love in meat. On the other hand, finding establishments with vegetarian and vegan-friendly options that don’t involve only greens upon greens proves to be a struggle. But let me tell you that there exist plant-based meat alternatives that would prove these otherwise and exceed your expectations. Just in time for the Holiday season, too!
Enter: Unilever’s The Vegetarian Butcher. The brand aims to provide options that give the meat flavor while keeping the products made of vegetarian protein. Honestly, this provides a win-win situation for those who want to explore more plant-based options without sacrificing the best things about eating animal-made products.
Luckily for those around the metro, the brand partnered with select restaurants to show that plant-based options can taste the best in different cuisines. So from the flaming grills of Mexicali, the umami flavors from Ikomai or the comfort food brought to you by House of Lasagna, their plant-based dishes are powered by The Vegetarian Butcher. And believe me, after swinging by House of Lasagna and Mexicali to try out the dishes, I couldn’t even tell the difference.
A sneak peek of Mexicali’s Plant-Based Menu, powered by The Vegetarian Butcher
Meat your plant-based match by trying out the dishes at the participating restaurants and branches until supplies last:
- Crying Tiger at 4986 P. Guanzon St., Poblacion, Makati
- Mijo at 4987 P. Guanzon St., Poblacion, Makati
- Cosmic at G/F 4980 P. Guanzon St., Poblacion, Makati
- El Chupacabra at JV Building, 5782 Felipe St., Poblacion, Makati
- Mexicali at Glorietta 2
- ARMY NAVY at 74 Jupiter, Brgy. Bel-Air, Makati
- House of Lasagna at Dela Rosa Carpark 2, Dela Rosa St., Legaspi Village, Makati
- Ikomai G/F ACI Building, 147 H.V. Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati
- Sushi Nori G/F W City Center, 7th Ave. cor. Lane Q, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Learn more about The Vegetarian Butcher on Unilever’s website.
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Jazz It Up with Shake Shack
ICYMI, Shake Shack introduced a limited-edition menu inspired by the classic flavors of New York Steakhouses. The star of the menu? The Horseradish Peppercorn Burger and Fries. The burger is oozing with umami flavors of sauteed mushrooms and fried onions complemented with the creamy tang of horseradish peppercorn mayo. Meanwhile, the fries are topped with the same sauce and crunchy bacon bits.
The meal is best paired with Shake Shack’s Shackmeister Ale, Blackberry Lychee Lemonade or a glass of Shack Red. We suggest the red and a sweet after, like the Tiramisu Shake.
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So jazz it up this holiday season, Shake Shack style!
Shake Shack is located in BGC (82553240), Megamall (83664059), Greenbelt 5 (79336724), ATC (79336724), and Mall of Asia (85360174).
Gaviscon
Don’t let heartburn and indigestion stop you from the festivities! Get 2-in-1 relief from Heartburn and Indigestion with Gaviscon Double Action. Gaviscon, with sodium alginate as its main ingredient, relieves acidity by creating a protective barrier in the stomach and stopping acid from rising to prevent heartburn. Other super ingredients, like calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, neutralize the excess acid in your stomach, addressing indigestion problems.
You’ll also be happy to know that Gaviscon Double Action also works as fast as 3 minutes and lasts up to 4 hours so you can focus on the fun.
Stay #AlwaysG and make sure you have Gaviscon for when heartburn or indigestion strikes. Available in drugstores and leading supermarkets nationwide. Prefer to shop online? Gaviscon Double Action is also available in Lazada, Shopee and BeautyMNL.
These Wonder treats for gift-giving season are all you need. Which ones are you getting for your loved ones (or yourself)?
Words Julia Makalintal
Art Macky Arquilla
