The Manila Podcast

17/01/2023

2022 Recap & 2023 Restart | Manila Podcast with Anton Diaz & Spanky Enriquez

We reflect on the highlights and learnings in 2022 and apply it for a fresh restart in 2023.

13/08/2022

🔴 Awesome Bhutan Tour with Karma Namgay, Mercury Bhutan Tour

Mr. Karma Namgay is a long-time expert in the tourism indus- try of Bhutan, and the founder and director of Mercury Bhutan Travels. As such, Mr. Namgay asserts that all visitors deserve an extraordinary experience of their vacation in Bhutan.

Along with his role as a travel agent, he has facilitated and hosted various high-end international conferences relating to Gross National Happiness. He is always volunteering to support local community projects, people and initiatives, and to serve the common good.

AWESOME BHUTAN FESTIVAL JOURNEY - 6 NIGHT 7 DAYS
1st to 7th October – 2022

2 night : Thimphu (3 Star Hotel)
2 night : Paro (4 Star Luxury Tent Accommodation)
2 night : Punakha (3 Star Home Stay)

Total: $3,455 for 6 night (single accommodation) in Bhutan
BKK - PBH - BKK Rountrip flight.

Destinations :
Paro ,Thimphu festival, Wangdue festival & Punakha Valley Tour :

This journey will take you to attend Annual Thimphu Tsechu one of the Popular festivals in Bhutan , Wangdue Tsechu in rural Bhutan outside the capital city. Beautiful Punakha & Paro valley cultural Sightseeing including famous Tiger nest

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS:
✅ The famous Thimphu festivals, Wangdue festival
✅ Site visit to the sacred monasteries of majestic Tiger’s Nest, Kychu Temple, historical Punakha, Paro, and Thimphu Dzong
✅ Temple of Fertility ( Chimi lhakhang in Punakha )
✅ Dochula pass 3200 m offering panoramic view of Himalayan mountain range
✅ Walk through Rice fields, old villages, and organic local markets
✅ Local Experience: Rural Bhutanese Farm House cooking and Enjoy yummy authentic Bhutanese meals not found at hotel
✅ Taking a hot stone bath is relaxing and therapeutic

BHUTAN FESTIVAL JOURNEY - 6 NIGHT 7 DAYS -
12 to 18 December 2022

Druk Wangyel Festival is held at Dochula Pass at open are at the height 3200m , very unique one day festival .

2 night : Thimphu (3 Star Hotel)
2 night : Paro (4 Star Luxury Tent Accommodation)
2 night : Punakha (3 Star Home Stay)

Total: $3,455 for 6 night (single accommodation) in Bhutan
BKK - PBH - BKK Rountrip flight.

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS:
✅ The famous Druk Wangyel Festival
✅ Site visit to the sacred monasteries of majestic Tiger’s Nest, Kychu Temple, historical Punakha, Paro, and Thimphu Dzong
✅ Temple of Fertility ( Chimi lhakhang in Punakha )
✅ Dochula pass 3200 m offering panoramic view of Himalayan mountain range
✅ Walk through Rice fields, old villages, and organic local markets
✅ Local Experience: Rural Bhutanese Farm House cooking and Enjoy yummy authentic Bhutanese meals not found at hotel
✅ Taking a hot stone bath is relaxing and therapeutic

Tour Includes:
✅ Hotel accommodation on 3 or 4 star hotel
✅ All meals + Tea and Snacks
✅ First class Toyota bus transportation
✅ Government SDF fixed 200$ per night stay in Bhutan
✅ Licensed & experience English speaking guide
✅ Sightseeing program & Monument’s fee
✅ Bangkok - Paro round trip Airfare
✅ Bhutan one time visa fee ($45)

Not included
🆇 Insurance for travel and other contingencies
🆇 Alcoholic beverages and soft drink
🆇 Personal Shopping & Tips

About Mercury Bhutan Travel:

Mercury Bhutan Travel is one of the renown tour agencies in the country, in terms of providing quality services and unique products. While our international business was in halt because of COVID-19 we managed to involve ourselves
in catering domestic tours, with itineraries tailored for upcoming groups across the country. Our experts have developed authentic tours based on community-based tourism, and designed to highlight unique aspects of Bhutan’s ways of life across the country. Mercury Bhutan invites you to an inspirational experience, bringing together scenic locations, unique pilgrimage sites, hidden holy lakes, small village festivals, and beautiful trekking trails. In each place, you’ll get to know local people and discover special stories.

For more info, visit www.mercurybhutan.com

07/02/2022

Anton & Spanky talks about Valentines and how to influence the influencers in this month of love :)

27/12/2021

🔴The Choice 2022! (Manila Podcast Season 4 Yearender)

🔴The Choice 2022! (Manila Podcast Season 4 Yearender)

The Choice 2022! with Anton & Spanky
+ Bonus FB vs. F&B segment on
controversies about Ninyo Fusion and
Cochi by Marvin Agustin

The Choice 2022 Categories:
1. Favorite New Restaurant
2. Favorite New Food Entrepreneurs
3. Savory: Favorite New Food Discoveries
4. Sweet: Favorite New Food Discoveries
5. Frozen: Favorite New Food Discoveries
6. Favorite Chef
7. Favorite Italian
8. Favorite Japanese
9. Favorite Filipino
10. Favorite Korean
11. Favorite Bar
12. Favorite Cloud Kitchen
13. Favorite Chinese
14. Favorite American
15. Favorite European

Favorite Movie
Favorite TV Series
Favorite Song

22/11/2021

THE MNL POD : Ultimate Taste Test 2021: What to Expect at Manila's Longest Food Event? 🎧 is out!

Anton & Spanky discussed the latest happening in Manila now under Alert Level 2 and what to expect at the Ultimate Taste Test 2021.

Listen to The Manila Podcast: just click on the link!!!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2lhghbKuZIwtsfMFvO9G1S
Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mnl-pod-the-manila-podcast-with-anton-spanky/id1505698312
Google Podcast:
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vbW5scG9k

23/09/2021

🔴 The Culinary Story of Chef Andre Guerrero with Anton Diaz & Nancy Lumen-Reyes

Chef Andre Guerrero, a highly acclaimed L.A. chef and culinary icon, was born in Quezon City, Philippines, immigrating to the U.S. when he was six to the Glassell Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. After studying painting and ceramics at UCLA, Guerrero began cooking at his family's Cal-French-Filipino restaurant, Cafe Le Monde in Glendale. From there, he pursued his passion for cooking at a number of notable L.A. restaurants including Bernard's at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel and Alice's Restaurant on the Malibu Pier. In 1993, Guerrero embarked on his first solo venture, Duet in Glendale, and has since opened several acclaimed restaurants, including Linq, named one of Esquire's "Best New Restaurants" of 2000, Max Restaurant, which also earned an Esquire "Best New Restaurants" nod in 2002, and Mexican restaurant, Señor Fred, which was recognized by Gayot.com as one of the “Top Ten Mexican Restaurants in Los Angeles.” Today, the chef owns and operates beloved "slow fast food" eatery, The Oinkster in Eagle Rock (featured on the Food Network's Diner's, Drive-ins and Dives) and upscale Italian-American restaurant, Maximiliano in Highland Park. He is also a founding partner of the Little Bear gastropub in downtown L.A.

16/08/2021

🔴 How to Share Love and Good Vibes from Home (Week 2 of ECQ)

Anton and Spanky discusses different ways to share love and good vibes from home this 2nd Week of ECQ.

09/08/2021

Join us in our discussion
with Anton & Spanky
on what to do in ECQ
Lockdown Season 3 in Manila.

Good Vibes lang

what to order
what to watch
what to read
what to cook

20/07/2021

THE MNL POD S03 E15 🎧 is out!

https://www.facebook.com/ourawesomeplanet/posts/10159279371369509

THE MNL POD S03 E15 🎧 is out!
HALFTIME: How's Your First Half of 2021?
with Anton Diaz and Spanky Enriquez

Let's recap the first half of 2021 ~
Food, vaccines, life in general

Catch the next episode this coming Saturday July 24 8pm

Listen to The Manila Podcast: just click on the link!!!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2lhghbKuZIwtsfMFvO9G1S
Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mnl-pod-the-manila-podcast-with-anton-spanky/id1505698312
Google Podcast:
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vbW5scG9k

10/07/2021

🔴 HALFTIME: How's Your First Half of 2021?

Manila Podcast S03 E15
Let's recap the
first half of 2021 ~

food, vaccines,
life in general

29/06/2021

THE MNL POD S03 Ep # 14 : The Legacy of PNOY 🎧 is out!

THE MNL POD : The Legacy of PNOY 🎧 is out!

Listen to an oral history of politics in Manila that only Spanky Hizon Enriquez can tell the story!

Listen to The Manila Podcast: just click on the link!!!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2lhghbKuZIwtsfMFvO9G1S
Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/.../mnl-pod-the.../id1505698312
Google Podcast:
https://podcasts.google.com/.../aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0a.

23/06/2021

🔴 Grand Hyatt Manila Hotel & Residences: Living the Grand Life in 2021

Real estate developer, Federal Land Inc., continues to revolutionize the standards of
Filipino luxury living. This time, with Grand Hyatt Manila Residences, the first and only
Grand Hyatt branded residences in Southeast Asia. It is a two-tower condominium that maintains the impeccable service and thoughtful amenities that the Grand Hyatt brand has come to be known for. Unique to this development is the exclusive access residents have to the five-star hotel, Grand Hyatt Manila, with special privileges and offerings on the hotel’s facilities and services.

About Gottfried Bogensperger Profile
General Manager & Area Vice President

Gottfried has made significant contributions in his Grand career with Hyatt over the past 35 years. Starting his career in Hyatt under food & beverage as a Chef de Cuisine in Cancun Caribe, and was promoted to Executive Sous Chef shortly after.

In 1992, he was selected as the Executive Sous Chef for Grand Hyatt Singapore, where he successfully managed Hyatt’s largest culinary operations. He then pursued an Executive Chef role in Hyatt Regency Johor Bahru before moving on to Grand Hyatt Seoul and circled back to Grand Hyatt Singapore to continue his culinary career while learning more about the overall hotel operations.

Driven to excel, Gottfried further honed his operational skills to pursue a leadership position as a General Manager. In 2004 he was able to achieve this position and has since then consistently led the properties that he worked with to exceed performance targets.

He is currently the General Manager for Grand Hyatt Manila and has also been appointed as Area Vice President for the Philippines and Vietnam, imparting his expertise in operations excellence to the Hyatt properties under his helm.

21/06/2021

THE MNL POD : Happy Father's Day Episode 🎧 is out!

Listen to The Manila Podcast: just click on the link!!!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2lhghbKuZIwtsfMFvO9G1S
Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/.../mnl-pod-the.../id1505698312
Google Podcast:
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vbW5scG9kLw

Join Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet and Spanky Enriquez of The Philippine Star for the MNL POD, everything about Metro Manila and anything about the Philippine Archipelago too!!!

19/06/2021

🔴 Happy Father's Day! (Special Episode) with Anton & Spanky

15/06/2021

Addressing Hunger in Manila with your LANGIT POINTS, a campaign by Walang Iwanan Alliance (WIA). Listen to our Awesome! LIVE with Tito Boy Montelibano explaining the story behind the Langit Points campaign and how you can help.

Jose Ma. “Boy” Montelibano has been an active advocate of community development for three decades, twenty years of which, up to now, as head of Special Projects of Gawad Kalinga. Currently, he has given special focus on hunger and believes that if the hunger of our poor is not resolved, it is not possible to resolve poverty as well. Looking at hunger as a perennial problem, Tito Boy says that only a radically different perspective and approach can effectively break the pattern of hunger in our country.

12/06/2021

SINO SANA ANG SUSUNOD
NA PANGULO NG PILIPINAS?

Vote here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Vote2022

Please answer our survey and
listen to the results tonight!

Vote for your Vice President
and Senators in 2022 too!!!

Listen to our 🔴 Happy 🇵🇭 Independence Day!
8:00pm tonight
with Anton & Spanky
XMA Header Image
Who Would you Vote for in 2022?
surveymonkey.com

08/05/2021

🔴 Fighting for F&B with Chef Myke Tatung of Simpol & Chef Mike Santos of Nanka Restaurant

In Manila Podcast S03 E10 LIVE, we discuss how Chef Restaurateurs are fighting for the Food & Beverage Industry in Manila! Join us during the live discussion on what we can do collectively to fight for the F&B of this country.

01/05/2021

🔴 RESTAURANTS REOPENING + MOTHER'S DAY GUIDE ❤

Anton & Spanky discuss Mother's Day part 2 focused more on the restos with alfresco, takeout and delivery services that are in desperate need of help, Grabe ang hagupit nitong ECQ MECQ!

29/01/2021

The Manila Podcast 2021 Predictions by Anton Diaz and Spanky Hizon Enriquez

00:00 Welcome and Recap of Ultimate Taste Test 2020

00:08 Introduction of 2021 Predictions: Manila Re-Opening

00:12

#1: Gen Z will vote become more influential and vote the next President of the Philippines

00:25

#2: Monday Food Trips and Roadtrip to Off the Beaten Path is the new gimmick.

00:32

#3: Work from Islands and Open Distance Learning from AirB&B

00:43

#4 Local Cruising Bubble Travel Trend

00:47

#5: The Air Fryer Craze in Manila

00:52

#6: Home-Based Concept & Deliveries will Continue to Win in 2021:

Korean-Filipino Craze and Plant-based Trends

1:08

#7 Start of the Next Tech Boom: Clean Technology, Financial Technology, and BioGenomics

1:15

#8 Why Lyka Gems could be big for the restaurant and hospitality industry?

1:22

#9 Ransomeware / Hacking will be on the Rise (specially one year before the elections)

1:25

#10 More People will have Ergonomic Issues and best way it to prevent by adopting Ergonomic Practices

1:28 Final Thoughts

When can we Watch Movies in the Cinema again vs. Home Theater watching with the family?

1:34 Romance and High Tech S*x in the New Normal?

1:37 NBA Prediction: Lakers would Win

1:40 Final Movie Recommendation to Watch

https://www.manilapodcast.com/episode/2021-predictions-philippines

The Manila Podcast 2021 Predictions by Anton & Spanky

29/01/2021

Live recording of our first episode about our 2021 predictions!

25/05/2020

Ending Season 1 of Manila Podcast with a special Manila Podcast livestream.

Discussion Topics: • Laging Gutom Controversy • The Danger of Collabs • Resto PH efforts • Dine In when?

25/05/2020

Episode #8: When Can We Dine-In Again? (and the Season 1 Finale)
https://www.manilapodcast.com/listen

Anton, Rache, and Spanky discuss the efforts of the Restaurant Industry to overcome the severe challenges of a summer in quarantine;

the surprising surge of home-based food businesses;

and the controversy that’s shaken the reputation of the so-called “influencers”: The Spaghetti Scandal

P.S. Watch this follow-up Manila Podcast LIVE: https://youtu.be/u8AQJ2w3Ft0

Restaurant Industry's quarantine challenges; the surprising surge of home-based food biz; The Spaghetti Scandal of so-called “influencers”: