by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 3, 2023 | Food & Beverage
Fashion designer Happy Andrada-Gras and former Sofitel and MGallery F&B executive Tanguy Gras have unveiled their latest creation in style. But unlike most of Happy’s couture work, this one is rather epicurean than vogue.
Their marriage has conceived the fulfillment of a long-time dream: H&T Wine Gallery, a gourmet deli and wine bar in Kamuning, Quezon City. Located on the first level below Happy’s atelier, H&T Wine Gallery is not your typical bar and retail store. With only a seating capacity of 18, this hole-in-the-wall is a dream world for Happy and Tanguy, transporting guests from barong to baguette within the confines of their quirky imaginations.
A bar with personality

Tanguy Gras and Happy Andrada-Gras
At the launch of H&T Wine Gallery, Happy brought in 15 new designs that showcase Filipino and French styles, paying homage to the couple’s heritage and how everything all began.
“We began H&T as an online shop at the start of the pandemic and with great success. This has become a personal project for both of us, and we were very happy with how the business was received. Now, Happy and I are delighted to launch a brick-and-mortar space for everyone to enjoy our selections in-house,” says Tanguy Gras, Co-Founder & General Manager, whom you will see clad in a long waiter’s vest and a funky mustache-shaped bowtie.
“We designed H&T as a gallery where each part of the space is unique. As a whole, H&T Wine Gallery gives you a tight and at-home feeling. This is a place where friends and family can enjoy their favorite wine and deli items after meals in a neighborhood that is not so busy. You can also reserve the space for private events,” says Happy Andrada-Gras, Co-Founder & President.
Each part of the H&T space projects its own distinct personality. The counter sports a retro vibe complete with framed scenes of Manila and Nice (from where Tanguy hailed), neon light signages, and Funko Pops, while the parallel area is a vibrant splash of hot pink, from the wall and decors down to the couches. This goes in chromatic contrast against a section whose furniture is dipped in yellow, an illusion of a 2D spotlight on a wall casting its light from above. It can look like a cacophony of ideas. Even the restroom has disco lights.
At H&T Wine Gallery, art and hospitality co-exist. Particularly, H&T Wine Gallery reflects Tanguy’s vision of hospitality. A French hotelier who bartended in London and waited tables in Monaco, Tanguy is bringing all his 15 years of professional hospitality and natural sommelier experience to this unpretentious bar in Quezon City.
Wines Selection

Quality wines from all over the world
Inside H&T, Tanguy likes to take guests on a tour of vineyards around the world.
The Old-World wine selections begin at Tanguy’s homeland. In the red wine section, Bordeaux and Burgundy wines banner the top shelf among other French wines and Rhone Valley labels, followed by Italian selections, including Chianti; an extensive lineup of Tempranillo and other Spanish wines; and a special area for Malbec made in the Old World. The white wine shelf is equally impressive, with the best selection from Bordeaux and Burgundy, Portuguese, and Spanish.
The New World red and white wine selections include many representative varieties from key countries of origin, including Carmenere from Chile, Riesling from Columbia Valley (U.S.), Shiraz and Chenin Blanc from South Africa, and Cabernet Sauvignon from California and Australia, among others.
Among the sparkling wine selections is Champagne Pol Roger, a personal favorite of Second World War hero Winston Churchill, and Cava from Spain. A fine list of rosés from Provence, Bordeaux, and Southwestern France is available, too.
Deli & Dine
All these bottles sit on shelves personally designed by Tanguy and Happy, displaying not just wines but also ciders, sangria, escargot, pate, olive oil, sardines, and other food items. In the chillers are assortments of jamon from Spain (from Jamon Serrano Bodega to the finest Jamon Iberico de Cebo Campo), preserved truffles, and cheese from Europe.
Guests can buy the items off the shelf or have them prepared. The menu includes a selection of charcuterie, sandwiches, cheese, hot tapas, and sweets, and guests wanting a taste of the best deli items can order any of the samplers available.

Cheese Trio to enjoy with our wine
Every bottle and food item has been personally selected by Tanguy and Happy to be part of H&T Wine Gallery, and true to H&T Wine Gallery’s promise of personal service – chances are high you would be welcomed by Tanguy or Happy themselves.
H&T Wine Gallery is open from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Mondays to Thursdays and until 9:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays (Closed on Sundays). Address: 24 K-D corner K-1st Kamuning, Quezon City.
Book a table or private events through 09171752779 or co*****@***********ry.com. Deliveries are available in Metro Manila. Follow them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ht_winegallery.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 2, 2023 | Book Reviews
I have such mixed feelings about It All Started with a Dare by Seunpeace. For starters, let me say right now that I really want to like it. It is a young adult/teen romance, which usually means that it is fairly innocent. So far, the sexual undertones are very low, phew!
As I am reading this I can’t help but think about popular teen movies that may have served as inspiration for this story. Top of mind was 10 Things I Hate About You, a retelling of William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew which starred Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger. There are more, I am sure, but that was the first to get stuck in my head. 🙂
Jade transferred to this school just to finish high school. She is described as nerdy, boyish, and quiet. From day 1 she gets harassed by this cheerleader, Athena. To be honest I can’t remember how it started but for most of the book, it is to warn her off Kayden, Athena’s boyfriend … which was weird since she didn’t even know who he was.
Kayden is the hot, popular boy and Athena’s boyfriend. Early in the book he starts to show interest in Jade and seeks out ways to be close to her. This annoyed me because he didn’t even have the delicadeza to break things off with Athena first, but whatever. My question is … what’s the catch?
So much teen drama, it’s cliche, but I did derive some enjoyment from reading it (the story is still ongoing), and while my tolerance for bad grammar and spelling is better now I must admit that it still makes me flinch … especially when it hits me in the face at just about every page. sigh
I think it is safe to assume that English is not the author’s first language but that excuse can only go so far because there are apps and websites that can already help with that.
To date, there are 66 chapters to It All Started with a Dare by Seunpeace on Goodnovel and I’m only on chapter 34 and the status is still “ongoing”. I’m trying to stay optimistic as I read this as it isn’t all that bad (if you can get past the grammar issues). If you are in the mood for some teen drama, check it out on Goodnovel.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 2, 2023 | Book Reviews
Twin Alpha Kings Pup Mate by Platinumstar is a wonderful “coming of age” shifter romance story between a young girl who loves all things Disney and who grows up to become the mate of the twin Alpha Kings.
Jayden and Kayden are in their late 20s when they meet Kiara “aka Kiki” Middleton, their mate. Unfortunately, she is only 9 years old and is, therefore, too young to feel the mate bond. Nevertheless, she feels strongly drawn to the twin kings who decide to find a way to keep her close so that they could be with her as she grows up. This paved the way for a wonderful friendship that will later segue into all parties realizing they are mates when Kiara turns 18.
I loved how the author did not rush through Kiara’s childhood. We, the readers, get to watch/read her grow up before our eyes and it is wonderful! It is organic and doing it this way eliminates possible questions that may have arisen about her relationship with her best friend and other people around her.
It is not until Chapter 44 that the author makes her 17, 2 weeks before her 18th birthday, so we know we are THIS CLOSE to seeing her recognize the mate bond and I have been on tenterhooks!
Pro: This story is really, really, really good! Con: The author has not updated this story for quite some time. Admittedly, it only really bothers me because I zoomed through the chapters in less than 2 days … that’s how good the story is! I understand, though, that aside from having several books to update, Author Platinumstar does have a life outside of writing. Whether we like it or not, we just need to accept our beloved author is human, as are we, and can only do so much while maintaining her health and relationships with people outside of the literary world.
I am truly lovin’ Twin Alpha Kings Pup Mate by Platinumstar and I look forward to receiving an alert on a story update on Goodnovel. If you guys are looking for something different and refreshing, do check this story out! I highly recommend it. The innocence of the story is so wonderfully refreshing.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 1, 2023 | Book Reviews
Alpha Swap by Cooper is an amazing story. Think of it as Freaky Friday meets Groundhog Day. Your childhood is seriously deprived if you don’t get those pop culture references.
Tereshan is the Alpha of the pack and Claire is an Omega of the same pack. Tereshan is a douchebag (to put it mildly) and hardly anyone in his pack is happy. Claire is one of those people that is just greatly loved by all she encounters … she is a loving soul. They share a birthday and on their 18th birthday, they discover that they are mates. Tereshan decides to have sex with Claire and then immediately after he rejects her. His reason … he does not want a weak Omega for a mate … and things decline from there.
A year later something happens and Tereshan and Claire wake up in each other’s body and it is their 18th birthday once again. What?!? What a twist! Things should be very different with Claire in charge now, right? And it does!
I don’t want to give away too much as it would be better if you read it yourself. Alpha Swap by Cooper is available on iReader (not Goodnovel, huhu) which makes me sad because it is hella expensive at iReader! Each chapter is 180 coins. This book is so good that before I knew it I already spent more than $50 on it … it’s that good! That is my budget for Goodnovel for 1 to 2 months!
If you are NOT a voracious reader, as I am, you may not have to spend so much … just use the daily vouchers and the reading and ad vouchers. Sadly, for me, I just HAVE to know what happens next so … spend, spend, spend. Sigh! Thankfully, the story is really good, so I don’t regret the purchase as much … until I think about how many books I could have bought on Kindle with that amount.
This story deserves to be translated into film, I swear! Read Alpha Swap by Cooper on iReader today! You won’t regret it!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 29, 2023 | Business
Leading mobile wallet GCash has expanded its money remittance service as it partners with PERA HUB, a retail brand of PETNET under Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. The partnership expands the reach of GCash Padala to more than 3,000 remittance centers that can cater to millions of Filipino recipients.
With PERA HUB, GCash users can now send money to recipients who are non-GCash users with fees of as low as P5 for P500. This saves travel time for the sender by simply using their smartphones to send money to their loved ones anytime and anywhere.
To claim the transfer, the recipient simply needs to visit the nearest PERA HUB retail outlet and present a valid ID and the Padala Reference Number they received via SMS.

From left: GCash Head of Fund Transfer Products Pipo Padayhag, AVP Cluster Head for Enterprise Racquel Holazo, VP & Head of Enterprise and Public Sector Luigi Reyes, PETNET President & CEO Ian Ocampo, Head of Network Operations Arnold Dellosa, and Senior AVP for Money Remittance Jun Mallo
“At GCash, our core mission is financial inclusion. Our partnership with remittance outlets is not merely for expanding our business but more importantly, to help our users connect to their loved ones and be able to support their family wherever they are in the country,” GCash President & CEO Martha Sazon said.
This partnership further cements the position of GCash Padala as the widest remittance network in the Philippines with over 130,000+ doors through more than 73,000 partner merchants nationwide, including thousands of sari-sari store “Pera Outlets”, retail giants like SM and PureGold, and remittance leaders such as Cebuana Lhuillier, Tambunting, Panalo Express, True Money, Express Pay, and PERA HUB.
“It has always been our priority to ensure convenience and accessibility of our remittance services, especially in different provinces nationwide. Through our partnership with GCash, we are able to help Filipinos send money to their loved ones more easily in over 3,000 locations nationwide,” said PETNET President & CEO Ian Ocampo
“With this partnership, we are able to continue our commitment to make sure that Filipinos all over the country have access to convenient, secure, and affordable remittance and cash services in our counters nationwide,” said PETNET Network Operations Head Arnold Dellosa.
With GCash Padala, sending money to loved ones can now be quick, easy, and hassle-free. To send money via PERA HUB, tap GCash Padala in the GCash app.
GCash is available for free in Google Play Store for Android users and the App Store for iOS.
About GCash
GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Finance App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, 79M registered users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1,600 partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 5.2M partner merchants and social sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money, and so much more, all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.), the first and only duacorn in the Philippines.
GCash was recognized by The Asian Banker (TAB) and by the IDC in 2021 for its outstanding digital financial inclusion programs.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 28, 2023 | Entertainment
Hotel guests may witness special performances of Loboc Children’s Choir as they are scheduled to sing at the lobby of Manila Prince Hotel on April 30, 2023, at 2:30 PM and at the grand lobby of The Manila Hotel on May 1, 2023, at 2:30 PM.
Admission is free.
The renowned Loboc Children’s Choir has captivated audiences far and wide with their musical talent. Having won national and international competitions, the choir has grown into one of the Philippines’ most outstanding choirs today.
Loboc Children’s Choir was founded in 1980, and within its forty-three years of existence, the choir has received accolades around the world as they held concerts in Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States of America. They took home the gold medal in both the Youth Category and Grand Prize at the 6th International Folksongs Festival “Europe and its Songs” held in Barcelona, Spain.
For inquiries, please call +63 2 5328 2222 for Manila Prince Hotel and +63 2 8527 0011 for The Manila Hotel.
About The Manila Prince Hotel
Manila Prince Hotel, a subsidiary of The Manila Hotel, is situated in the heart of Manila’s business district, and its proximity to the city’s historical tourist spots as well as the main transportation hubs. With its 300 well-appointed rooms, 6 function rooms, an elegant lobby with 24-hour reception, a business center, a swimming pool, and gym access, the Manila Prince Hotel offers value for money and stylish comfort.
Along with excellent service and luxurious hospitality, the hotel has exciting dining experiences for you and your family at its all-day dining restaurant Marcelino Street Café. The hotel is also connected to the UN Square Mall for convenient shopping and dining. These and more, make Manila Prince Hotel a top choice for leisure and business travelers’ choice.
About The Manila Hotel
The Manila Hotel is situated in the heart of the City of Manila. Defined by its history, elegance, and world-class service, The Manila Hotel maintains to be the choice hotel of the most distinguished clientele. Over the years, The Manila Hotel continuously provides the best services and amenities for a truly memorable experience. It has more than 515 well-appointed rooms and 22 function rooms.
Apart from these, the hotel offers five-star relaxation and wellness experiences with The Manila Hotel Spa and Health Club. It has 6 dining outlets, each offering a unique culinary adventure: Café Ilang-Ilang which is a favorite spot for its extensive selection of International buffet delights; Champagne Room with its Old European style fine dining and also hailed as the most romantic room in Manila—it features European cuisine in a posh, fine-dining setting; Tap Room, an Old English pub-inspired outlet where one can enjoy an evening of live music; Lobby Lounge which is ideal for casual dining, aperitif, post-dinner nightcaps, or leisure meetings; Red Jade, a fine dining restaurant that serves authentic Chinese cuisine; and Delicatessens that offers the hotel’s signature pastries, bread, chocolates, and pralines.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 27, 2023 | Health and Wellness
Runic readings reference symbols from ancient written alphabets. The word “rune” means secret, hidden, mystery, or whisper in several languages. Find out more about runes psychic readings and learn how psychics who use runes in readings can help querents gain greater clarity and offer fresh perspectives.
Reveal Paths with Ancient Symbols

I-ching symbol
Runes are ancient symbols developed and used by Germanic tribes in Southern Europe. Evidence of runes dates back to 150 to 800 A.D. Celtic and Viking runes have similar alphabets with minor differences in the shapes of symbols.
The use of runes for divination emerged later in 20th-century occultism. Rune meanings for this purpose became standardized as recently as 1982 in “The Book of Runes” by Ralph Blum. There are a number of different interpretations of the meanings of runes, but Blum’s system is the basis for most interpretations.
Runes are ancient letter symbols that can be compared to the eight trigrams and 64 hexagrams of the ancient Chinese divination system called I-Ching. Querents can connect with readers who provide runic or real I Ching psychic readings online.
A Clear Vision Ahead

Fehu
Each rune stands for a letter and has associated meanings that offer insight into life situations. For instance, the rune Fehu suggests wealth and good fortune. Some runes can also appear reversed in a reading. Fehu reversed is a warning that something desired may not come to fruition or that the subject of a query may experience difficulties related to health or money.
There are 24 letters in the Runic alphabet, each of which has distinctive meanings and connotations. A few runes that could show up in readings include Uruz, which represents strength and can suggest sudden change; Raido, which indicates an internal or external journey and Wunjo, which signifies joy and alignment with the true self.
Runes In Psychic Readings
Psychics who specialize in runic readings can provide insight into how the meanings of runes apply to particular queries. Runes for use in readings may be carved into or engraved on materials such as bone, shells, stone, or wood or printed on cards. Runes are often kept in a bag or cloth to make it possible for a reader to draw runes guided by intuition without seeing the selected rune. Cards with printed runes can be shuffled face down before being drawn.
Runes are letters, but these symbols are rarely used to write for divination purposes, as is the case with real automatic writing mediumship online. A common method of reading runes is a three-rune reading that involves pulling and placing three runes on a surface from right to left. The first rune on the right provides an overview of a situation, the second rune in the middle suggests challenges and the third rune on the left predicts an outcome.
Psychics who use runes for divination have relatively consistent interpretations of the meanings of runes in this context. Runes can strengthen a reader’s connection to spirit guides or the source to deepen insights and guide responses to inquiries.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 26, 2023 | Book Reviews
Single Dad’s Surrogate by Krista Lakes is a book I encountered when checking out the books on sale during Goodnovel’s 3rd birthday bash. Money (and Goodnovel coins) well-spent!
Wyatt is a widower. His wife, Caroline passed away a year ago from cancer. When they were newly wed they discovered that because of her cancer treatment, Caroline would not be able to have a child. Thus Caroline and Wyatt decided to go for surrogacy.
Lily is the surrogate they chose 5 years ago. Her one condition to agree was that she be allowed to remain in the child’s life and they agreed immediately. In all that time she was loved and treated like family. Maggie, their daughter, even calls her Aunt Wiwee.
Wyatt’s housekeeper, Mildred is leaving for vacation for 10 days. Because he knows how much his daughter, Maggie, loves Lily he came up with the idea of asking her to be Maggie’s temporary nanny while Mildred is not around. With pay, of course. He even offered to add $100 compensation to each of Lily’s workmates who will cover her shift at the coffee shop.
Lily loves Maggie with all her heart and would have done it for free if not for the bills she still needed to settle. She immediately agreed and made arrangements at work. It didn’t hurt that she would get to feast her eyes on the object of her affection and the star of her wet dreams.
What I love about this story is that it is so organic … it is believable and possible. It does not feel forced. The fact that Wyatt is a billionaire is incidental even. The mansion, the private playground, the pool, the Lamborghini, etc. are just indicators of his wealth. He could have been a fairly well-off man living in a condo and the story would have still unfolded the same way.
There is no great conflict in the story other than the ghost of Caroline … only as this prevented Wyatt and Lily from getting together sooner because of guilt. It wasn’t until they both felt that Caroline would be okay with them being in a relationship that they are even able to be together.
I mentioned that I found this book on Goodnovel. Happily, it is also on Amazon, so those of you who don’t want to pay per chapter can get it there for 4.99. Strangely, when I checked Goodreads for this book it turned up but appears under a different author! Same title, the same preview, and the same book cover. In Goodreads, Single Dad’s Surrogate is credited to Cassandra Zara and Annie Young. So who is the real author?
Nevertheless, I have a feeling you will enjoy this book as much as I have. Do check it out!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 24, 2023 | Health and Wellness
Many people spend a considerable amount of their day sitting at a desk, typing away at a computer. This sedentary lifestyle can cause various health issues, including poor circulation, back pain, and muscle stiffness. Fortunately, there is a solution that can alleviate some of these problems – a massage chair in the office makes wonders and ZION Philippines, which is the leading brand to deliver the highest-quality massage chairs, recliner chairs, carbon saunas, foot, and eye massagers provides some of these benefits of having a massage chair in the workplace.
- It alleviates stress
- Reduces muscle tension
- Improves circulation
- Enhances productivity
- Boosts morale
- Cost-effective
To put it briefly, having a ZION Philippines massage chair has numerous benefits, including stress relief, reduced muscle tension, improved circulation, enhanced productivity, boosted morale, and cost-effectiveness. Even leading influential business owners like Ms. Anna Magkawas, CEO of Luxe Beauty and Wellness Group who trusts her ZION King massage chair, and Mr. Gerry Santos, Founder & CEO of Mr. Freeze Tube Ice Inc. with his very own ZION Executive massage chair for both their relaxation and unwinding.
If you’re considering investing in a massage chair for your workplace, it would be a wise decision that benefits both your employees and your business as ZION Philippines offers a variety of top-of-the-line massage chair models to choose from depending on the budget and features.
To know more about what ZION Philippines, please follow @ZionPhilippinesMain @OfficialZionPhilippine on Facebook and @zion.philippines on Instagram or check out their website at www.zionphilippines.com.
The innovative features of the and , such as Advanced Zero Gravity System, Specialized Heating Rollers, Whole Body Stretching Program, Smart Voice Control System, and more advanced features that work together to provide you a full-body massage that relieves tension, reduces stress and promotes overall wellness.
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Send a message now for huge discounts! Visit our website at www.zionphilippines.com
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 23, 2023 | Advocacy
One Meralco has marked a significant milestone in its sustainability journey with the successful planting of over two million trees across the country as the world celebrates Earth Day 2023.
A total of 2,037,450 trees have been planted and nurtured in different parts of the country under the One for Trees environmental advocacy program led by One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Meralco.
According to OMF President and Meralco Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer Jeffrey O. Tarayao, the successful planting and nurturing of over two million trees are a testament to the power of grassroots partnerships to impact lasting change.
“One for Trees goes beyond reforestation and embraces sustainability by working with communities to ensure that the trees they plant will also benefit their own families,” Tarayao said.
The One for Trees program, Tarayao explained, advocates multi-dimensional sustainable solutions to address reforestation and environmental protection, and conservation in the Philippines while empowering communities through economic and social development.

RAISING AWARENESS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. Meralco employees join a tree planting activity in Siniloan, Laguna as part of the One for Trees program of the One Meralco Foundation. The One for Trees program recently marked a significant milestone with two million trees planted across the country.
Since its launch in 2019, One for Trees has contributed to a greener future in different parts of the country including Bohol, Bukidnon, Aklan, Agusan del Norte, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Quezon City, as well as Panay, and Cebu, where reforestation sites of Global Business Power Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meralco PowerGen Corporation, are located.
One for Trees also provides new sources of income for tree-farming families through partnerships with people’s organizations. These strategically contribute to the program’s aim to plant five million new trees by 2026 in biodiverse landscapes in the Philippines.
“Our reforestation efforts are in line with One Meralco’s holistic approach to embed sustainability not just in our business operations, but also in the development of the communities we serve. As we continue to engage more stakeholders in environmental protection and conservation, we remain committed to helping ensure that the responsibility and benefits of investing in our planet are shared by all,” Meralco President and Chief Executive Officer and OMF Vice Chairman Atty. Ray C. Espinosa said.
Centered on preserving and protecting the planet, One for Trees is a key initiative under One Meralco’s sustainability agenda called “Powering the Good Life” which is deeply rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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