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Oppo rolls out ColorOS 6 upgrade

OPPO has rolled out the ColorOS 6 Open Beta for its F9 smartphone, with support for other phone models set to be introduced by September.

ColorOS 6 Open Beta offers users the latest Android Pie mobile operating system experience and comes with all-new customized features, Oppo said in a statement.

The new upgrade first hits Oppo’s F9 smartphone and will subsequently be rolled out for the flagship Find X by the end of August and selected Oppo devices by end-September.

All models upgraded to ColorOS 6 integrate the new features introduced by Android Pie, including improved interactions, enhanced AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities, and interface optimization.

Android Pie is powered by Google’s AI capabilities with Google Assistant, ARcore, and Google Lens, among others. Oppo’s integration of the latest software update provides a smoother experience for users.

ColorOS 6 also adopts a borderless design concept by combining light, subtle colors and a simple white background for a cleaner user interface. The operating system also shifts the navigation bar to the top of the screen and streamlines information hierarchy by replacing tapping with swiping to improve interactions.

The new OS also introduces two new photography features: Dazzle Color Mode and a brand-new portrait style. Dazzle Color Mode leverages mapping algorithms to restore vivid colors, reverse light, and improve shading in pictures.

Under the update, Oppo’s gaming optimization program Game Boost has likewise been upgraded to version 2.0. The addition of new core technologies Touch Boost and Frame Boost also improve game feel and frame rate stability.

ColorOS 6 also introduces security features to mitigate the risks of personal data leaks, including App Encryption, Private Safe, and Find my Device.

To ensure payment security, ColorOS 6 features automatic payment blocking, payment identity verification, and environment monitoring for payment apps.

AirAsia PHL names new CEO

PHILIPPINES AirAsia, Inc. has undergone top-level leadership change with the appointment of a new chief executive officer (CEO), former PLDT Global Corp. executive, Ricardo “Ricky” P. Isla.

In a statement Wednesday, the local unit of the Malaysian budget carrier said Mr. Isla will replace Dexter M. Comendador, who was appointed as the company’s chief operating officer.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ricky to our senior leadership team. Ricky has an outstanding track record of leading and transforming businesses, especially when it comes to increasing revenue and market share, customer satisfaction and employee engagement,” Philippines AirAsia Chairman Marianne B. Hontiveros said in the statement.

Mr. Isla was previously the head for business and product development, marketing and sales of PLDT Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of listed telecommunications giant PLDT, Inc.

The leadership change in the carrier comes after Romero-led F&S Holdings, Inc. raised its stake in Philippines AirAsia to be its single largest shareholder (44.4%).

The carrier is aiming to swing to profit this year from a loss of P2.11 billion last year, with revenue target set at P30 billion by end-2019. — Denise A. Valdez

Australia’s ‘golden apples’

THERE’S A belief that the many golden apples mentioned in Greek mythology — the food and playthings of the gods — were actually oranges from the East. Also, just in case you want to know, the name of the color comes from the fruit and not the other way around. Now, the fruit is grown everywhere, with 2018 data from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization stating that 73 million tons of oranges are grown worldwide.

Of these, nearly 10,000 tons are exported from Australia to the Philippines, from a “negligible” amount in 2013, according to David Daniels, Citrus Australia’s General Manager for Market Development. Market access for Australian fruits was granted by the Philippine government in 2012, but Mr. Daniels said, “We’ve actually had market access for a lot of years before 2012, but the conditions were… very difficult.”

Today, according to him, the Philippines is the ninth largest market for Australian citrus fruits.

“It just took us a few years to get the science together and to get that science to the Philippine government… that’s a lengthy process.”

The vitamin-C rich fruit was the star of a trade event at the Hilton Manila last week, where oranges were prepared as a variety of dishes, from savory to sweet, in order to show the fruit’s versatility. The dishes included a marvelous smoked duck breast with candied Australian orange, grilled beef skewers with oranges, braised lamb in couscous with oranges, and dessert, of course, with a flourless orange and almond cake.

“Australian oranges arguably have the best color, flavor, and sweetness of any citrus in the world,” said Mr. Daniels.

Nardia Simpson, Economic Counsellor for the Australian Embassy, said that the fruits are available in the Philippines only from July to October to ensure that “premium picks are offered to the Philippine consumer.” She also credits the increase of their products coming into the Philippines with an increase in consumer demand, as well as an increase in the number of retail stores offering their produce within and outside the capital.

While Mr. Daniels points to the extraordinary terrain and climate of Australia for their produce, he of course applauds the growers, numbering about 2,000. “Our growers are working hard to consistently and reliably deliver the best possible fruit to market.

“It’s not just luck that makes our fruit best in the world.”

It might sound like a stretch, but asking how one markets a fruit to occupy a level higher than similar produce from other markets, Mr. Daniels said, “We let the product speak for itself.” He points out, for example, that consumers are aware of oranges from South Africa, the US, and Argentina.

“When we compare against (for example), a South African piece of fruit, the flavor and the color will be different.” — JL Garcia

LANDBANK to boost lending to agriculture

LAND BANK of the Philippines said it will boost loans to the farm sector.

LAND BANK of the Philippines (LANDBANK) said Mindanao will receive the biggest chunk of the bank’s loans, with the region having the biggest agricultural area in the country.

“Since Mindanao is the biggest agricultural area, then of course Mindanao will continue to get a very large of our loans to agri,” LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo told reporters at the sidelines of a central bank event on Friday.

Ms. Borromeo said the bank is looking to increase its loan to the agriculture sector by 20% by 2020 through “intensified efforts.”

“Historically, our agri loan portfolio has been growing by more than 15% year-on-year. Probably with the intensified efforts we might reach 20% growth. Not this year (but) probably in 2020,” she added.

In his State of the Nation Address last month, President Rodrigo R. Duterte threatened to abolish the LANDBANK for supposedly neglecting its mandate to finance agricultural projects and endeavors, criticizing the bank for being “mired with so many commercial transactions.”

However, the bank earlier said it is the only bank compliant with the Agri-Agra Law. Republic Act 10000 or the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act mandates banks to allot at least 10% of their total loanable funds to agrarian reform beneficiaries and 15% for farmers and fisherfolk.

Data provided to reporters showed LANDBANK’s exposure to the agriculture and fisheries sectors amounted to P177.32 billion as of end-June, 22.17% of the lender’s total loan portfolio of P799.64 billion — 16.8% higher than P151.78 billion recorded as of June 2018.

This is on top of the P42.31 billion lent to the “mandated” sector, which includes small farmers including agrarian reform beneficiaries and their associations (P42.17 billion) as well as small fishers and their associations (P140 million).

Meanwhile, Ms. Borromeo said the bank is encouraging small farmers to join cooperatives and associations as it looks to “intensify” its lending to the agricultural sector.

“We are the biggest lender to the agriculture [sector] already. So we just need to reach out to more small farmers and their cooperatives, which is what we’ve been trying to do year after year. We just need to intensify it some more,” she added. — BML

Liquidity growth steady in June despite RRR cuts

MONEY SUPPLY growth remained steady amid slightly lower demand for credit, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported Wednesday, even as the central bank trimmed lenders’ reserve requirement ratios (RRR).

Domestic liquidity or M3, the broadest measure of money in an economy, grew 6.4% year-on-year to about P11.78 trillion in June, steady from the expansion recorded in May, latest BSP data showed.

Money supply increased 0.3% month-on-month.

“Demand for credit eased slightly but remained the principal driver of money supply growth,” the central bank said in a statement.

Net claims on the central government contracted by 3.9% in June, following the a 6.4% decline tallied the previous month, party due to the increase in deposits by the national government with the BSP.

Meanwhile, domestic claims grew 6.2%, decelerating from May’s 6.8% pace, supported by sustained growth in loans to the private sector.

The central bank said credit for production activities continued to be driven by lending to key sectors such as real estate activities, financial and insurance activities, electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply, construction, wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, as well as manufacturing.

Meanwhile, loans for household consumption increased on the back of growth in credit card loans and other types of household loans in June.

Net foreign assets (NFA) expressed in peso terms expanded by 5.3% in June from 4.4% in May, propelled by foreign exchange inflows coming mainly from business process outsourcing receipts as well as remittances from overseas Filipinos.

In contrast, the NFA of banks continued to decline as their foreign obligations increased due to higher placements and deposits made by offshore banks with their local branches and other lenders.

After a 100-basis-point (bp) RRR cut across all banks on May 31, the BSP trimmed the reserve ratios of universal and commercial lenders and thrift banks by another 50 bps last June 28 to 16.5% and 6.5%, respectively.

Another 50-bp cut was implemented last July 26 to bring the RRR of big banks to 16% and thrift banks to 6%, completing the phased cuts the BSP announced in May.

BANK LENDING SLOWS
Meanwhile, bank lending decelerated in June due to slower growth in credit to the corporate sector, the BSP reported separately.

Outstanding loans grew 10.5% in June, slower than the 11.9% pace recorded in May. Inclusive of reverse repurchase agreements, bank lending growth also eased to 10.5% in June from 10.6% the previous month.

Production loans accounted for the bulk of the credit at 88% even as growth eased to 9.8% in June from the 11.5% the previous month.

Construction loans continued to log the highest increase at 42.5%, followed by financial and insurance activities at 22%; real estate activities at 13.5%; electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply at 13.5%; wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles at 6.5%; and manufacturing at 4.1%, BSP data showed.

Lending to other sectors also increased during the month except those in other community, social and personal activities which dropped 51.9%, and professional, scientific and technical activities, which declined 30.5%.

Loans for household consumption grew 15.3% in June, higher than the 14.6 % booked in May, on the back of growth in credit card, motor vehicle and salary-based loans.

“Going forward, the BSP will continue to ensure that the expansion in domestic credit and liquidity remains consistent with the BSP’s price and financial stability objectives,” the central bank said. — KANV

Voice software pioneer says Amazon used its technology in Alexa

A VOICE software technology developer is suing Amazon.com Inc., saying the e-commerce giant infringed on patents when developing software for the Alexa digital assistant.

VB Assets LLC, which owns the rights to some of the technology developed by voice software pioneer VoiceBox Technologies, said in a lawsuit filed in Delaware federal court on Monday that Amazon infringed on six of its patents covering conversational voice interfaces, commerce and advertisements.

Amazon didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

VoiceBox, founded in 2001, built software designed to help computers understand speech, and demonstrated in the mid-2000s a device that could do things like recite the weather, play music or search for recipes on command. The company provided speech services to companies including Toyota and Samsung.

In 2011, VoiceBox, based in Bellevue, Washington, not far from Amazon’s Seattle headquarters, contacted its larger neighbor to propose Amazon license its natural language understanding software, the complaint says. VoiceBox staff held two meetings with Amazon corporate development employees and technologists, but didn’t hear from Amazon afterward, according to the complaint.

Three years later, Amazon launched Alexa and the cylindrical Echo smart speaker the software powers. Alexa and the Echo were “strikingly similar to the patented technology that VoiceBox Technologies showed Amazon in 2011,” the complaint says.

Amazon subsequently hired VoiceBox’s chief scientist and held a recruiting event to encourage other employees to make the jump, the complaint says.

Mike Kennewick, then VoiceBox’s chief executive officer, sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in 2017 expressing concerns about Amazon’s recruiting and suggested that Amazon buy the firm. In subsequent meetings with Amazon that winter, VoiceBox handed over a summary of its patent portfolio, the complaint says.

VoiceBox was acquired last year by Nuance Communications Inc., a Massachusetts-based voice technology company. The patents at issue in the lawsuit filed on Monday didn’t follow VoiceBox’s portfolio to Nuance and were instead transferred to a new entity, VB Assets.

The new firm’s address was given in patent documents as a Bellevue residence owned by Kennewick. He is the only governing person on VB Assets’ listing in Washington state’s corporation database.

Dan Branley, a spokesman for VB Assets, said the firm is owned by a trust created for the benefit of employees and investors in the original VoiceBox. He declined to name any of them.

The case is VB Assets vs. Amazon.com, 19-cv-1410, District of Delaware (Wilmington). — Bloomberg

M Bakery offers cupcake icing classes

M BAKERY will begin offering special cupcake icing classes with a hands-on, in-store experience beginning Aug. 17. These introductory cupcake icing classes will be two-hour sessions held every third Saturday of the month, with five to 10 participants for each class. Students will learn the art of designing cupcakes from flat top icing, inscription making, piped flower designing, to even making filled cupcakes. Participants will also get to learn more about M Bakery’s signature swirl. Participants will take home six cupcakes they decorate during class. Aside from weekend classes, M Bakery also offers special scheduled classes for families, friends, and companies who want to use these classes for team-building. A class is offered to individual participants at P2,500; group reservations of at least 10 participants enjoy discounted rates. M Bakery is at the Lower Ground, 5th Avenue corner 28th Street, One Bonifacio High Street Mall, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Call 847-9829 or 0917-633-1718 to make a reservation or to place advance orders.

DMW income rises 25% in Q2

PROPERTY and construction firm D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, Inc. (DMW) grew its attributable profit by a fourth in the second quarter of 2019, driven by its residential and leasing businesses.

In a regulatory filing, DMW said net income attributable to the parent rose to P615.11 million in the April to June period, 25% higher than the P491.79 million it posted in the same period a year ago.

This followed a 21% uptick in revenues to P666.62 million.

“Second quarter was a record quarter for our residential business driven by higher percentage of residential project completion and ongoing pre-selling activities,” DMW Chief Executive Officer Delfin Angelo C. Wenceslao said in a statement.

The company topped off its first residential project called Pixel Residences during the quarter, which will be fully completed by the end of the year. It also launched the third tower of MidPark Towers in this period, following a 90% take-up since its launch in November 2018.

With the ramp up of its residential projects, sale of condominium units surged 411% to P166.74 million for the quarter, against the P32.59 million seen in the same period last year.

DMW’s recurring income business coming from rental of land, building, and other revenues, still accounted for bulk of the company’s total revenues at P489.5 million.

Meanwhile, construction contracts for the period dropped by 80% to P10.38 million.

On a six-month basis, DMW’s attributable profit climbed 17% to P1.12 billion, on the back of 17% increase in revenues to P1.26 billion.

Mr. Wenceslao added that as of June 30, the company has already deployed 15% or P1.17 billion from its initial public offering last year.

DMW has committed to spend P4 billion in capital expenditures this year, boosted by the strong demand for residential projects in the area, where most of its land bank is located.

Shares in DMW slipped 0.36% or four centavos to close at P11 each at the stock exchange on Wednesday. — Arra B. Francia

Credit Suisse defies bank gloom with new money, trading gains

CREDIT SUISSE Group AG brushed off the gloom in European bank earnings as wealthy clients added new money and revenue from securities trading rose in a quarter in which peers posted declines.

The results confirmed resilience in the bank’s key businesses following Chief Executive Officer Tidjane Thiam’s three-year turnaround. Healthy inflows of 9.5 billion francs ($9.6 billion) into wealth management contrast with outflows at rival UBS Group AG. In the trading units, fixed income revenue gained 6%, more than offsetting a 1% drop in equities.

Six months after emerging from Thiam’s painful turnaround, an industrywide slump in trading and the prospect of lower interest rates for longer are testing Credit Suisse’s new business model. The CEO has pivoted the bank away from volatile investment banking and more toward wealth management, particularly in Asia, where most of the world’s millionaires are created.

“It’s been a good quarter for us,” Thiam said in an interview. The environment “is very difficult, every quarter has been really mixed.”

Shares of Credit Suisse rose 2.8% at 9:20 a.m. in Zurich, bringing gains this year to 11%.

Thiam has held off on drastic job cuts announced this year by competitors including Deutsche Bank AG and Societe Generale SA. Credit Suisse said it saw “healthy levels of client engagement” so far this quarter, contrasting with warnings from peers that clients were staying on the sidelines and lower rates would hurt income from lending. Thiam had earlier forecast that he was “cautiously optimistic” on the three-months through June.

SHARING COSTS
“Negative interest rates are a challenge,” Thiam said in the interview with Bloomberg TV’s Francine Lacqua. Credit Suisse will announce some measures in August to change pricing and protect income from lending, he said.

Like rival UBS Group AG, Thiam’s bank has to pay the Swiss National Bank to park excess cash at home, but it’s less affected than its larger neighbor by the reversal in US interest rates expectations, after exiting its US private banking operations in 2015.

The two bank have been exploring options to share back office costs, people familiar with the matter said last year. Thiam confirmed those discussions on Wednesday, saying they continue and make good progress.

BEATING PEERS
Net income at Credit Suisse rose 45% to 937 million francs, beating the analyst consensus of 788 million francs in a survey done by the bank. Credit Suisse said it has bought back 570 million francs from a total of a planned 1 billion francs of shares this year.

At the global markets unit, revenue from fixed income trading rose 11% when reported in US dollars, and equities trading gained 3%. The bank benefited from its skew towards fixed-income trading, which held up better across the industry. In Asia, fixed income trading slumped 29% and equities trading fell 9%.

Wall Street peers recorded 8% lower equities revenue and a 7% drop in fixed income, adjusting for a one-time effect. At local rival UBS, equities fell 9% and fixed income 7%. Only France’s BNP Paribas SA recorded similar gains as Credit Suisse, with debt trading revenue rising almost 9% in the second quarter. — Bloomberg

Nintendo misses profit estimates amid sluggish game lineup

NINTENDO Co. reported fiscal first-quarter profit that missed the lowest analyst estimate as consumers shrugged off a sluggish lineup of new games.

Operating income slid about 10% to 27.4 billion yen ($252 million) in the three months ended June, the Kyoto-based company said in a statement on Tuesday. That’s less than the 37.2 billion yen average of analyst projections compiled by Bloomberg. Net sales inched up to 172.1 billion yen. Nintendo left its full-year profit and revenue outlooks unchanged.

Nintendo in April put out earnings projections that fell far below analyst estimates despite a strong lineup of games for later this year and expectations for stronger hardware growth. The launch slate includes a new installment in the Zelda saga, Luigi’s Mansion and two Pokémon games. The company is also releasing a cheaper version of its portable Switch gaming console and plans to enter the Chinese market. The anticipation has driven up Nintendo’s shares 39% this year.

“While the first quarter is pretty light, there is a lot to look forward to in the rest of the year,” Jefferies Group senior analyst Atul Goyal said ahead of the earnings release. “Switch Lite and China should also add to the sales.”

The company kept its conservative forecast for operating profit of 260 billion yen on 1.25 trillion yen in revenue for the year ending March 2020. That’s far short of analyst expectations for 315 billion yen and 1.31 trillion yen respectively. The company expects to sell 18 million Switch units and 125 million new software titles.

The Switch sports a stronger software lineup later this fiscal year. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are slated by the end of the year. New entries in the Animal Crossing and Luigi’s Mansion series are also scheduled for this year, as well as a remake of an older Zelda title.

President Shuntaro Furukawa in April confirmed that Nintendo is working with Tencent Holdings Ltd. to sell the Switch in China, but said there’s no timeline for a launch. While demand for console gaming remains limited on the mainland, analysts say closer ties with the social media giant could lead to Nintendo releasing mobile titles in China, the world’s biggest gaming market.

Smartphone game revenue rose 10% in the quarter from a year ago to 10 billion yen. Nintendo released Dr. Mario World for mobile this month, but the most anticipated title is the upcoming Mario Kart Tour. Analysts have speculated that Mario Kart could become a billion-dollar grossing app if executed properly, but the company has delayed the title once and has yet to provide a single screenshot of the game.

“Nintendo has yet to announce the release date for Mario Kart Tour, which is due this summer, and that could serve as a share price catalyst,” Goyal said.

The Switch Lite will retail for $199.99, or $100 less than the original device, in time for the all-important holiday shopping season. The new console will be released Sept. 20 and comes in yellow, gray and turquoise. The cheaper Switch is aimed at expanding the market so more people will buy the company’s games.

“Switch Lite is a nice replacement for people who are still playing on the 3DS,” Goyal said. “That installed base is about 75 million, and with the Lite model Nintendo can start appealing to them.” — Bloomberg

Restaurant Row (08/01/19)

Kids Eat Free at Pancake House on Weekends

WEEKENDS mean family time, and at Pancake House kids dine for free on weekends. From Friday to Sunday, children 12 years old and below with two adult companions can get a free meal. They can choose from Children’s Classic, Kids Mac n’ Cheese, or Mini Classic Pancakes with Candy-coated chocolate bites. Kids can now also try brand-new items for a limited-time only: the Mini Waffle Foldover (P120) and Cookies and Cream Milkshake (P130). These special offers are valid for dine-in transactions only, in participating Pancake House stores until Aug. 31. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/PancakeHousePhilippines.

Mooncakes at Shangri-La the Fort’s Canton Road

CANTON ROAD at Shangri-La at the Fort invites guests to partake of its sumptuous mooncake selection. This year, Canton Road marries classic and contemporary flavors in its selection: traditional Pineapple, White Lotus with Salted Egg Yolk, Red Bean and Pine Nuts, Mixed Nuts and Black Sesame, and contemporary flavors like Matcha, Ube Macapuno and Apple Cinnamon. Prices for individual mooncakes starts at P388++ per piece. Canton Road also introduces the Stellar Snow Skin Collection, miniature snow skin sweets available in Mango, Salted Egg Yolk Cream, and Ube Macapuno at P388++ per piece. The restaurant also offers customizable mooncake hampers with goodies like Ming Cha Pu Er tea, Anakena red or white wine, flower dry mushrooms, Vegetarian XO Sauce, or cheese cashew nus. Prices may vary depending on the content of the hampers. There is also a mooncake counter at the hotel’s lobby on Level 2 where custom boxes of mooncakes are available for prices ranging from P2,888++ to P4,088++. Orders are open until Sept. 12. Customers can enjoy 25% savings when they pre-order their mooncake boxes and hampers until Aug. 10, while Golden Circle members can avail of 10% savings on all mooncake boxes until Sept. 13. For orders, reservations and inquiries, contact the restaurant at 820-0888 or e-mail cantonroad@shangri-la.com.

All-you-can-eat at Ogetsu Hime

AT Ogetsu Hime — which brings in seafood from the famous Tsukiji Market in Tokyo regularly — customers can enjoy a selection of Japanese fare at an order-all-you-can price with its buffet experience. Customers can also enjoy unlimited US Angus Tenderloin, premium sushi, and more than 100 specialties on the clean plate price when they dine in the restaurant’s two branches. Pay P988 for lunch Monday to Friday; P1,088 for dinner from Monday to Friday; and P1,088 Lunch and Dinner during holidays and weekends throughout the year. Check out Ogetsu Hime’s Facebook page for the full details. Ogetsu Hime branches are at SM Megamall and SM Aura Premier. For inquiries and reservations call Ogetsu Hime at SM Aura Premier at 519-9840 or 0917-809-6585 and SM Megamall at 470-8241 or 0917-576-2377.

Share drinks at the 22 Prime Lounge

22 PRIME LOUNGE at Discovery Suites in the Ortigas business district has two Happy Hour Deals: Beer O’Clock, which offers 3-in-1 beer flights from Engkanto Craft Beers, highlighting their Lager, Blonde Ale, and Pale Ale; and Cocktail Away! which offers buy-one-take-one cocktails like Red Square Dancer, Madras, Lemon Drop, and Gin Cucumber, with more flavors coming in succeeding months. Unlimited Sangria & Mojito is also set to be launched this month. Happy Hour at the 22 Prime Lounge is available daily from 5 to 10 p.m. The Lounge is located at the 22nd floor of Discovery Suites, 25 ADB Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Classic European cuisine at Pinot

ONE of the newest restaurants in town, Pinot presents classic European cuisine by chef Markus Gfeller in a relaxed fine dining setting. The menu combines classic European cuisine such as premium roasts along with new items in Prix Fixe sets that are crafted for every type of celebration. The prix fixe menu that has options for two-course, three-course, and four-course meals. This menu includes popular starters such as lobster and crabmeat salad, duck liver & truffle pate, lobster sago, or the seared foie gras. Mains include Wine-braised beef cheeks, Rack of Bobby veal, and Kurobuta pork belly. Dessert selections include Pineapple Colada, White Chocolate Flan, Praline Chocolate, Raspberry Semi Freddo, and Tart au Chocolate. There are also carving selections like Whole roasted maple leaf duck served two ways (Breast with black berry coulis and Ragu a l’Orange with coconut adlai), a whole Rack of lamb that is herb crusted with ratatouille and garlic potato purée, and US Ribeye on the bone with Bearnaise and Red Wine sauce, mushrooms and creamed spinach and French fries. There is also a seven-course chefs tasting menu. There is no corkage fee for guests who want to bring in their own wines if they order a full meal, which at Pinot starts at P1,500 for two-course, P1,900 for three-course, and P2,300 for a four-course prix fixe. Pinot is at The Spa Building, Lane P, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, and is open Mondays to Saturday from 5 p.m. onwards. For reservations, call )998-586-4230.

Flair@5 at Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge

IN CELEBRATION of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s 5th anniversary, Metro Manila’s most sought-after flair-tenders showcase their skills at Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge on Aug. 16, 10 p.m. Flair-tending, or flair bartending is the skilful play of cocktail-mixing movements through the use of bar tools and bottles, being thrown in the air for a show. For reservations, call 720-7720 or e-mail restaurant. mnl@marcopolohotels.com.

Popeyes opens in Alabang

POPEYES fried chicken restaurant opens its second branch at the ground floor of Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa, with a menu featuring original honey biscuits, Cajun fries, and fried chicken that’s packed with distinct Cajun-inspired flavors from Louisiana, USA. Also on the menu are hazelnut and white chocolate biscuits and Popeyes Spaghetti, their exclusive addition to the menu in the Philippines. To learn more, visit www.popeyes.ph.

Park Inn by Radisson Hotel soon to open in SM City North Edsa complex

SM HOTELS and Convention Corp. (SMHCC) will soon open the Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa in Quezon City.

Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa is a 238-room hotel that is linked to SM City North Edsa, and is part of the 675,000-square meter (sq.m.) development.

The hotel is targeting both domestic and international travelers with amenities such as a fitness gym and an outdoor pool.

Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa is an ideal venue for meetings and social events, with a 162-sq.m. function room Banahaw which can accommodate up to 100 persons and the Makiling Grand Ballroom that can accommodate up to 600 persons.

The main lobby on the 7th level welcomes guests with a view of the outdoor pool. The “The Living Room” concept allows guests to socialize and unwind at the lobby.

Casa, Urban Table is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant with an option for alfresco dining. Terraza on 7 is the poolside bar that provides guests with a city view. The hotel also has a grab-and-go corner Dash that is open 24/7.

Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa is within short driving distance to Quezon City’s prime business and entertainment districts, as well as transportation hubs.

SMHCC’s portfolio of hotels and convention centers include: Conrad Manila, Radisson Blu Cebu, Taal Vista Hotel, Pico Sands Hotel, Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club, Park Inn by Radisson Davao, Park Inn by Radisson Clark, Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo and the SMX convention centers located in Taguig, Pasay City, Davao and Bacolod.

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