Sugarplum’s Halloween toothsome sweets
JUST IN time for Halloween, chef Lovely Jiao of Sugarplum Pastries returns with “No tricks, just treats!,” a spooky series from the dessert innovator. The crowd-favorite season-inspired Cookie-Dos are back. The DIY pack includes naked sugar biscuits, which could take the shape of skulls, ghosts, and monsters. It comes with three piping bags in the colors of purple, orange, and green, as well as a variety of sprinkles and chocolate balls. Then there is Choco Smash — a surprise filled with an assortment of sweets — which this year comes in the form of a carved pumpkin, a black cat, and a friendly vampire. It features a wooden mallet for added interactivity. The line-up likewise includes Cakesicles (coated with fudge) adorned with chocolate eyeballs, skulls, bones, and ghosts. Completing the set is a range of four-inch Bento Cakes, layers of moist chocolate sponge frosted with doodles, pumpkins, spider webs, and other quirky creatures. Each piece comes in a take-out box. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/sugarplumpastriesph.
Lunch, costumes, cookies at Crown Plaza Manila Galleria
THERE ARE no tricks, only treats at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria’s Halloween Lunch Costume Party on Oct. 29, noon to 3 p.m. There will be activities for kids, sweets, food, prizes, and more for P2,900. It will be held at the Seven Corners buffet restaurant. Those wearing their cutest or scariest costume get the chance to win up to 30,000 IHG points. Meanwhile, at the Agenda in Seven Corners, cupcakes, cookies and everything spooky are available until Nov. 2. Reserve seats through 0916-631-7523 and fandb.reservations@ihg.com.
It’s a Spookfest at City of Dreams Manila
CITY OF DREAMS Manila brings out treats and tricks this Halloween season at Café Society and at DreamPlay, the interactive family entertainment play space, where a VIP Spookfest package entitles participants in a Halloween costume contest to win an overnight stay at Hyatt Regency Manila. DreamPlay’s annual Spookfest will be held on Nov. 1, with spooky adventures and surprises, games, and prizes. To join the Halloween event, a Spookfest VIP Package is being offered for P2,999 net, which comes with an all-day pass at DreamPlay’s attractions along with an access to activities starting at 1 p.m.: the Spookfest Word Hunt where special treats and prizes are at stake; pumpkin cookie-making at Cooking with Gingy; and Spookfest Halloween costume contest at 2:30 p.m. Hand or face painting and Halloween paper mask-making, and arts and crafts activities are also available for an additional fee of P250 per activity. Following the costume runway, DreamPlay characters Shrek and Fiona will tour the package participants around The Shoppes at the Boulevard for a Trick-or-Treat activity in the participating restaurants and retail outlets. The Spookfest VIP package also comes with freebies: Spookfest string bag and pumpkin-themed cookies from the Cooking with Gingy session. The promotional package is on a first come, first serve basis, for the first 150 guests only. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Dreamshop counter from Oct. 25-29. Meanwhile, Café Society lays out a totally new selection of Halloween-themed confections available from Oct. 28 to 31, including Wicked Cashew Fudge (P250), a Monster Halloween Cake (P1,500), a Mummy Loaf Cake (P1,500), Scary Halloween Cookies (P400 for five pieces), and Enchanting Almond Milk Chocolate and Bloody Cranberry (P350), among others. For inquiries, call 8800-8080 or e-mail guestservices@cod-manila.com.
A Halloween Fiesta and more at NWR
NEWPORT World Resorts (NWR) embraces the spooky season inspired by Dia de los Muertos across the expansive lifestyle destination. The Mall-o-ween festivities for young boys, girls, and ghouls start with the Halloween Fiesta followed by the Candy Crawl on Oct. 29, and a pop-up store of all kinds of toys daily until Oct. 29 at the Newport Mall. Doors to the Halloween Fiesta at the Newport Cinema 3, 4F Newport Garden Wing open at 2 p.m. to magic tricks, exclusive treats, games, and surprises. Then, the party continues with the Candy Crawl at 4 p.m. For the rest of the afternoon, kids can drop by booths from all over the integrated resort (from participating mall partners and the Manila Marriott Hotel, Sheraton Manila Hotel, Hilton Manila, Hotel Okura Manila, and Holiday Inn Express Manila-Newport City) to fill their pumpkin buckets with all sorts of confectionaries. The Mall-o-ween celebration is open to children ages one to 12, accompanied by their parent/s or guardian/s of legal age. Registration is ongoing until Oct. 28, from 11 a.m. to 11p.m., and Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Concierge, 2F Newport Garden Wing. To register, present an accumulated receipt worth P2,000 dated between Oct. 24 to 29, from any of the valid Newport Mall’s dining, shopping, amusement, and wellness establishments, and Newport Cinemas. Checked-in guests at Holiday Inn Express Manila-Newport City between Oct. 13 to 29 are automatically pre-registered to the event. For more information visit https://www.newportworldresorts.com/post/thrilling-halloween
A terrifyingly tasty Halloween with Marks & Spencer
THIS OCTOBER, Marks & Spencer (M&S) offers a collection of spooky snacks perfect for Halloween party guests or serving up to trick-or-treaters on the 31st. There are Menacing Malloweenies (chocolate shells packed with soft mallow and raspberry sauce), and the Ghoulish Gang lollies, the 10 Creepy Chocolate Foiled Lollipops and Milk Chocolate Foiled Lollipops, all scarily smooth and delicious. Create the ultimate scary pick ‘n’ mix for guests with a festive Fruity Creepy Carnival, eerie Zombie Eyeballs, and hair-raising Sour Spiders. There is also the HallowSCREAM Munch Mix — a tasty sweet and salty combo mix. Shop in-store and earn Loyalty points through the M&S Philippines Viber Community at bit.ly/MSPH-VC. Shop selected lines online on www.marksandspencer.com.ph
A Feast of Horrors at Shangri-La The Fort
SHANGRI-LA THE FORT, Manila celebrates Halloween on Sunday, Oct. 29 at High Street Café. There will be nine spook-tacular themed buffet stations cooked á la minute. When one dines at High Street Café, their children can get a special Halloween Card which allows one to purchase an Adventure Zone guest pass for P800 for a Spooky Playdate with Boni the Bull in Adventure Zone 1. The Halloween card entitles the bearer to avail of an Adventure Zone guest pass for a single child. The Halloween Card can be used one time only and is valid any day from Oct. 29 until Nov. 5, subject to availability. Advanced reservation of a play period slot is recommended. Children and adults are required to come in the prescribed dress code (cotton long sleeves, trousers, and socks for children; socks for adults.) Children must be accompanied by only one adult guardian within the activity area.
Come in costume, get free gyudon at Yoshinoya
ON OCT. 29, Japanese beef bowl chain Yoshinoya will be giving the first 100 customers wearing Halloween costumes a bowl of gyudon for free. This offer will be available starting at 5 p.m. at the Yoshinoya Eastwood store, where customers will also get to witness how it’s like to celebrate Halloween in the iconic Shibuya crossing in Tokyo as a group of cosplayers will be parading around in costumes. Yoshinoya will also be giving away free Chocolate Mochi Ice Cream when a customer spends at lease P500 at any Yoshinoya store. This promo runs from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, from 6 to 8 p.m., and is valid for dine-in transactions only.