SEPTEMBER 5 - 20, 2020 | VOL 34 NO 17 THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY SINCE 1987 BOWLING FOR BURGERS Le Burger Week 2020 is on! Two Filipino-inspired burgers are on the over 100 burger list to try. Uptown Alley on St Matthews is offering The Asian Style Beef Tapa Burger created by Filipino Chef Ben Fernandez while Moxie's Polo Park features Ube-by (Ooh Baby) Burger highlighting the purple ube bun. Le Burger Week runs September 1-7. So, if you are craving burgers, this is the perfect time to get your craving satisfied. SARAP TO THE BUN | 2, 3► Chef Ben Fernandez, Uptown Alley FilipinoJournal.com Photo courtesy: Uptown Alley KF's Filipinos to Watch Homeschooling amidst the Pandemic Femfest features Tita Collective Andi Eigenmann on the way COMMUNITY | 4► COMMUNITY | 5► COMMUNITY | 9► with baby #3 STARIRAY | 11► “The right time to plan is right now.” At the time of need or when planning ahead call Mila, your Kababayan in the business. Get organized now: Call our Planning Specialist and get a FREE Planning Kit: 204-996-2009 Glen Lawn Funeral Home & Cemetery Mila Mendoza Planning Specialist ZENY REGALADO by Arbor Memorial EVENT SALES MANAGER 204-982-7557 • glenlawn.ca Arbor Memorial Inc. CLIENT: Arbor Memorial BLEED: None DOCKET: D016327 TYPE SAFETY: 0.125” all around NAME: Glen Lawn Right Time to Plan COLOUR: 4 Colour Process AD SIZE: 3.35”w x 2”h 2 September 5 - 20, 2020 THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY SINCE 1987 Brazen Hall Kitchen and Brewery's Grand Pinoy Keso Burger was last year's first place Judges' Choice, celebrating the vibrant Filipino community Chef Ben with Rayneil Catungay and Thomeeh DeGuzman SARAP TO THE BUN: Filipino Flavours at Le Burger Week by Primrose Madayag Knazan Food Blog on Instagram and Facebook: Pegonaplate Tapa on a burger? Ube pandesal bun? Sawsawan be unique while offering beautiful presentation dip? These are a few of the creative ideas for and intriguing flavour. Here is where Filipino Winnipeg's premiere food extravaganza, Le flavours offer a cultural twist. Burger Week. Originating in Montreal in 2011, Last year, Brazen Hall Kitchen and Brewery Le Burger Week is an annual event that and has was the first place Judge's Choice with their since expanded across Canada and beyond. Grand Pinoy Keso burger, created to celebrate Moxies Grill Bar Restaurants feature a speciality burger with a Winnipeg's vibrant Filipino community. The portion of sales donated to charity. This year award-winning burger featured a beef patty, Polo Park alone, 131 Manitoba restaurants were slinging adobo cream cheese, chicharon, edam cheese, Ube-by (Ooo baby) Burger! burgers from September 1 to 7. house-made bacon ketchup, mango aioli, and Chuck brisket burger grilled to perfection, topped Uptown Alley: Many restaurateurs say that Le Burger Week fresh greens, on a toasted scallion bun, with with “Longonisa”, a cured and seasoned pork Asian Style Beef Tapa Burger sausage and white cheddar. On top of that we is their busiest week of the year. Foodies across sawsawan for dipping. This burger was strong have “Acharra” which is a Filipino sweet and spicy One 4 oz Uptown Alley hand formed burger patty, the city scour the website, planning their route to in flavour with the sweetness of the ketchup and pickled papaya, carrots and daikon. Topped with 4 oz of our famous Tapa, a crispy sushi rice patty try as many as possible, often eating four or five mango aioli balanced with the crunchy chicharon fresh greens and radishes. Sauced with a garlic and a fried egg, topped with grilled sweet onion, aioli and all this goodness sandwiched between pimento cheese, Asian style coleslaw, Havarti burgers in a single day. With so many options, and the salty-sour sawsawan. a warm Filipino Ube (Purple Yam) Bun! Topped cheese and a drizzle of our Tapa sauce – served how does a restaurant stand out? The key is to with a Chicharron! Served with fries. Enjoy on a toasted brioche bun. conitnued on page 3► All photos & articles available online! FilipinoJournal.com THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY SINCE 1987 September 5 - 20, 2020 3 The performers of BELT Fest BELT FEST 2020: Winnipeg’s Top Pinoy Singers Belt Out Broadway Tunes By Kris Ontong undreds flocked to the Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park on HAugust 22 to watch BELT FEST 2020. The much-anticipated concert featured ten of the city’s top Filipino singers belting out show tunes from well-known Broadway productions. Numerous aspirants auditioned for the concert but only ten performers brought the audience to their feet. space where they don’t often see were selected and mentored by Andrea On Facebook, Andrea Macasaet was themselves being represented. For the Macasaet, star of the critically-acclaimed ecstatic in summing up the event, “We first time on one of the most popular SIX the Musical on Broadway. According accompanied all the performances John Eisma accompanied the performers bravely brought live art back into our stages within the industry in Winnipeg to artistic producer Hazel Venzon of on piano. on piano lives and my heart is soaring.” MB, there was a roster of an ALL UNIT Productions, there was tremendous Victoria Exconde was the first of After a fifteen-minute “I created BELT FEST with the Filipino cast belting their faces off. interest to be part of the ensemble, the mentored artists to perform, singing intermission, the second act opened intention to provide artists coaching You are SEEN. You are HEARD and attracting hopefuls from as far as Hawaii ‘Sexy’ from Mean Girls. Next up was with MA-BUHAY! The Musical’s and an opportunity to perform in a you are LOVED.” and even Manila. Seanne Buenafe who sang ‘Freeze Your Joseph Sevillo who sang ‘Somewhere’ The concert was also an attempt to Brain’ from Heathers. The youngest from West Side Story. Andrea safely bring back arts and culture events of the cast, Alba Manuel, performed Macasaet returned to center stage amidst the pandemic. Patrons were ‘Ring of Keys’ from Fun Home. After to sing ‘Piece of Sky’ from Yentl. required to wear masks. Event volunteers each performance, Macasaet would For the Q & A segment, Hazel stationed by the entrance were selling re-enter the stage to introduce the Venzon and Joseph Sevillo joined inexpensive disposable masks. They next singer. A moving rendition of Macasaet on stage as the two shared also handed out COVID-19 screening ‘Out There’ from The Hunchback of about their artistic journey with questionnaires to be filled up before Notre Dame was performed by Jesse MA-BUHAY! The Musical for by aLfie vera mella entering the venue. Once inside, ushers James Baris. Vina Dimayuga followed Sevillo, and Macasaet’s casting [email protected] made sure that patrons were seated in with ‘Fly Fly Away’ from Catch Me as Baby Bo, the contemporary compliance with the required physical If You Can. Shauldon Santos sang version of Anne Boleyn portrayed distancing for groups and individuals. next with ‘Proud of Your Boy’ from in SIX the Musical. Pangangampanyá The two-act program kicked off Aladdin. ‘Someday,’ another tune from For the finale, the entire cast with Macasaet taking center stage to The Hunchback of Notre Dame was of BELT FEST re-assembled on ng Isáng Alkálde sing ‘Defying Gravity,’ the show-stopper performed by Joyce Jugo. Wrapping stage to sing ‘Being Free’ from popularized by Idina Menzel from up the first act were performances MA-BUHAY! The Musical which Sayáw ríto sayáw ro'n wag nang mahiyâ the musical Wicked. After a generous from Robin Quintana with ‘Santa Fe’ Malakás ka namáng lumámon ng handâ round of applause for her performance, from Newsies, Marini Tagarda with Hílig mag-karaóke sa entabládo she welcomed the audience, provided ‘The Wizard and I’ from Wicked, and Bóses ay madalás namáng sintunádo an overview of what to expect for the Josh Caldo who sang ‘For Forever’ evening, and introduced John Eisma who from Dear Evan Hanson. Kawáy ríto kawáy roón ngitíng áso Mga pinapláno láging napápalso Paarkí-arkilá pa ng mga bánda Barát namán sa pagbigáy ng ayúda Ambilís kumargá ng batà sa kálye Daíg pa ang artísta kung magpabébe Ang lálim ng dímpols tuwíng magpápakyut Banó namán sa basketból di makasyút! Q & A segment with Hazel Venzon, Joseph Sevillo and Andrea Macasaet FJ Writer Kris Ontong and his family Anó ba talagá ang papél sa báyan-- Manungkúlan o magíng p'wit ng tawánan? from page 2 The Filipino chefs on staff Chef Ben Fernandez, offers SARAP TO THE BUN.. created the Ube-by (Ooh Baby) Filipino dishes on the regular How will Filipino flavours fare Burger using traditional flavours Uptown Alley menu. Lumpia is Beautiful. Personal. Affordable. this year? Two restaurants in this and keeping in mind the gorgeous a popular appetizer, and tapsilog, year’s Le Burger week featured proud purple hue of the ube bun. The and tocilog are featured as main pinoy-inspired burgers created by burger was a perfect balance of dishes. Come for the bowling, At your time of need or Filipino chefs. salty and sweet, with a juicy patty stay for the Filipino food! The Ube-by Burger at Moxie's and the richness balanced with the I love to see non-Filipino when planning ahead, Polo Park certainly stood out on the tangy atchara. restaurants embracing Filipino call 204-982-7550 Le Burger Week website. A purple ube The Asian Style Beef Tapa Burger flavours and supporting local pandesal bun from by Jimel's Bakery at Uptown Alley is a meaty sensation Filipino businesses.