Sampling Cocktails of the Month

By Sandra Scott

Recently we visited the Philippines for the first time. We spent several days exploring Manila. There is a lot to do in Manila, but the traffic can be daunting and the heat intense. We found our all-butler hotel, the Pan Pacific, a wonderful respite after a day of touring.

One day we took the hour-long ferry to Corregidor, an island in the entrance to Manila Bay.  Its strategic location made it a focal point for the naval defenses of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. A trolley tour took us to all the WW II sites on the island. We visited the ruins of the Mile Long Barracks, saw the light and sound show in the Malinta tunnel, and visited other WW II sites. It was here the General Douglas MacArthur uttered his famous words, “I shall return.” And he did after the Japanese surrendered in 1945.

At end of the day we sought refuge in the Pacific Lounge on the top floor of the Pan Pacific hotel. The lounge, with towering floor-to-ceiling windows is the perfect place to relax and watch the sun set.  From the Pacific Lounge, with views of Manila Bay, Manila looks so serene!  Before dinner we ordered Pacific Sunset cocktails, which seemed appropriate. The cocktail is a neat blend of grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, lime, soda, honey and rum. When Rino M. Santos, our English-trained butler, delivered our drinks he said, “Enjoy.  This is one of our cocktails of the month.”

“I guess we will have to come here on the last night of the month, stay until after midnight. That way we can have your featured cocktails for one month before midnight and then your new cocktails for the new month after midnight!” John commented.

Butler Santos chuckled, “Come back tomorrow night I will make you the Cocktails of the Month for this month and also last month!”

At the Pan Pacific it is all about the view. The view from the Pacific Lounge is outstanding but our room had the same view and the bathtub was in front of a picture window with the same view. In the morning we had our buffet breakfast in front of the window of the Pacific Lounge, We spent the day wandering around historic Intramuros, Casa Manila, and Mall of Asia, which is the largest mall in all of Asia.

We returned to the Pan Pacific and to the Pacific Lounge.  The Lounge has a beautiful gazebo on the roof.  It was a clear night and with the trickling fountain and greenery we felt like we were in a garden not in the middle of a city.  True to his word, Butler Santos presented four cocktails of the month – two from the current month and the two that were featured from the previous month!

The Gazebo is often the setting for weddings so the Secret Love and Cupid’s Tropicolada cocktails seemed fitting.  Secret Love combines a blended mix of vodka with cantaloupe, milk, Galliano, and grenadine. Cupid’s Tropicolada combines rum, mango, lychee, and blue curacao.  Along with the Pacific Sunset we had enjoyed the night before we tried Pacific Zest - gin, Tri Sec, rum, and pineapple.

“I was thinking.  If we show up on New Year’s Eve maybe we could celebrate by trying all the cocktails for every month of the year.”

Butler Santos said, “It could happen! Sounds like a great idea.”

“It’s a deal!  Like MacArthur, we “shall return!” we told Butler Santos.

For more information check www.panpacific.com/Manila and www.tourism.gov.ph.

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