Singapore's Jaan Restaurant Retains Michelin Star

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Jaan restaurant has retained its coveted Michelin star, celebrating three consecutive years of recognition since Singapore’s inaugural list in 2016. Announced last night at Michelin Guide Singapore's prestigious award ceremony at Resorts World Sentosa, the accolade is a well-deserved testament to the restaurant’s consistent delivery of exceptional dining experiences and Head Chef Kirk Westaway’s unyielding passion towards elevating JAAN’s every fine creation. 

Accompanying the news of this proud achievement, JAAN unveils today a brand new Summer menu with a refreshed culinary direction - ‘Reinventing British’. Shaped by seasonality, a key philosophy through the years, the new menu showcases British gastronomy reinterpreted through a modern and innovative culinary lens. Inspired by his hometown and longstanding passions, Chef Kirk’s new menu highlights expertly sourced, premium, hand-picked ingredients that are reminiscent of his fondest English memories, such as fresh seafood, strawberries and cream, and colourful salads. From the indulgent Devon Cheddar Cheese Buckwheat Pancake and the Scottish Scallops; to the Devon Cream Tea or the Strawberry Cheesecake dessert, diners at JAAN will be able to enjoy the exquisite taste of Britain, being continuously reinvented, here in Singapore. 

“It’s an honour to retain our Michelin Star and be part of Singapore’s most prestigious list of gourmet restaurants. The rest of 2018 is set to be even more exciting for JAAN as we celebrate our new menu approach, ‘Reinventing British’. We have a strong and tight-knit kitchen team who are all equally passionate to ensure that JAAN continues to evolve as one of the best dining experiences in Singapore. I’ve always wanted to give our guests a modern, experiential version of British dining that hasn’t been done before.” shares Kirk Westaway, Head Chef, JAAN.

As JAAN continues to develop its British-inspired menu through the seasons, guests will be able to enjoy Chef Kirk’s unwavering dedication to offer each diner an unforgettable epicurean journey. Serving the best produce daily, along with a stellar wine and Champagne selection and impeccable personal service, dining at JAAN brings an all-encompassing, exceptional gastronomic experience.

JAAN’s new Summer menu will launch 26^th July 2018.

Etihad Airways to Introduce Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Moroccan Capital Rabat

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Effective 3 October 2018, Etihad Airways will introduce the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its scheduled services from Abu Dhabi to Rabat, capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, replacing the Airbus A330-300 currently serving the route.

The introduction of the technologically advanced aircraft on Rabat services is a further boost to its presence in the Moroccan market. On 1 May this year, the airline placed the 787 Dreamliner on its daily flights to the kingdom’s commercial hub, Casablanca. The move to place the aircraft on Rabat flights will provide customers travelling on Etihad Airways’ Moroccan routes with full product consistency, the latest inflight technology, and increased cargo capacity to further boost trade.

Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Morocco is a very important destination on the Etihad network, underscoring the close cultural and commercial ties between the kingdom and the UAE.

“Our flights to Rabat and Casablanca have proved tremendously popular with UAE and Moroccan nationals, and residents. Adding the 787 Dreamliner on all our Moroccan services will now provide our customers flying to both capitals with the same award-winning cabins, innovative seating and products.”

Etihad Airways’ three-class version of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner features 8 private First Suites, 28 Business Studios and 199 Economy Smart Seats.

To meet summer peak travel demand, Etihad Airways recently added a third weekly service to Rabat, operating every Saturday until 29 September. The extra flight provides more choice to the increasing number of point-to-point business and leisure travellers between both cities.

Etihad Airways has been serving Rabat since January 2016, providing the only long-haul link from the city, and the only service operated by the 787 Dreamliner.

Etihad Airways has had a codeshare partnership in place with Royal Air Maroc (RAM) since May 2007, with the Moroccan flag carrier placing its ‘AT’ code on Etihad services from Abu Dhabi to both Rabat and Casablanca.

Under the agreement, Etihad Airways places its ‘EY’ code on Royal Air Maroc’s services from Casablanca to Agadir, Marrakech and Tangier, and pending government approvals, from Casablanca to Abidjan in Ivory Coast, Conakry in Guinea, and Dakar in Senegal.

Abu Dhabi – Rabat schedule:

Effective 3 October 2018 (Timings local):

Flight No.	Origin	Departs	Destination	Arrives	Aircraft	Frequency
EY615	Abu Dhabi	10:40	Rabat	16:00	Boeing 787-9	Wednesday, Friday
EY616	Rabat	19:40	Abu Dhabi	06:20+1	Boeing 787-9	Wednesday, Friday

Acclaimed Latin American films on spotlight at new Instituto Cervantes Cinema in Intramuros

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Instituto Cervantes will feature “Four Gems of Latin American Cinema,” a series of critically acclaimed and award-winning films directed by Latin American filmmakers, every Saturday during the month of August at the new Intramuros branch of the Spanish cultural center.

The film cycle, which serves as an invitation to appreciate Latin American cinematography, will kick off on August 4, 6 p.m., with the screening of "Azul y no tan rosa" (My Straight Son), a plea for respect and non-discrimination due to sexual orientation. It won the 2013 LGBT Montreal Film Festival Best Feature and the 2014 Goya Award for Best Latin American Film. 

Directed by Miguel Ferrari, the film tells the story of Diego, a successful Venezuelan fashion photographer, who decides to formalize his relationship with his boyfriend Fabrizio by moving in with him. A tragic accident leaves his partner in a coma. Unexpectedly, he is obliged to take care of his own son, Armando, who lives in Spain and with whom he has not seen in years. Now, both of them have to adapt to each other -- Armando to the unknown, homosexual world of his father, and Diego to the closed attitude of his teenage son. 

Next to be shown as part of the film series is El método (The Method) on August 11, 6 p.m. Based on a famous play by Jordi Galcerán and directed by Argentine filmmaker Marcelo Piñeyro, El método explores the dark inner mechanisms of the corporate world.

Seven candidates are put together in a meeting room as part of final selection process for a single high-level position in a multinational corporation. Then, they are informed that one of them is not a candidate but an employee from HR analyzing their attitudes. What follows is a series of fierce tests which will question their priorities, ethics and loyalty under stress.

On August 18, 6 p.m., the masterfully-crafted thriller El secreto de sus ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes) will be shown. Benjamin Esposito, a legal counselor who is about to retire, starts writing a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and for his unreciprocated love with his superior -- both of which still haunt him decades later. 

Writing the book leads Benjamin to investigate his own past and a period of Argentina’s history marked by violence and death. Arguably the best work by talented Argentinean filmmaker Juan José Campanella, it has received more than 50 international awards, among them the Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film, and the Goya Award for Best Latin American Film.

The comedy Lista de espera (Waiting List) concludes the film cycle on August 25, 8 p.m. Directed by Juan Carlos Tabío, it tells the story of a group of passengers who wait for their transportation at a Cuban bus station. 

However, the passengers have no way to get on any bus, as all buses that pass are full. The administrator does not see any solution and intends to close the terminal. Even so, they decide to stay and repair an old bus -- as a strange and tender story is woven among them.

This film series "Four Gems of Latin American Cinema" is presented by Instituto Cervantes, the Embassy of Spain, and the Film Archives of AECID, with the support of Intramuros Administration and Accenture. 

Instituto Cervantes Intramuros is located at Casa Azul, a two-floor replica of a 19th-century Philippine house at Plaza San Luis Complex, next to San Agustin Church. Designed to complement the cultural and academic activities of the main branch in Makati, it has a 90-seat auditorium, an exhibition room, classrooms, and a library containing over 30,000 items. 

All the films are in Spanish with English subtitles. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please visit the Instituto Cervantes’ website (http://manila.cervantes.es) or its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila).