Ambassadors share musings on food and culture and their favorite dining spots in Manila
This article first appeared in the 10 October, 2021 issue of The Manila Bulletin.
There’s nothing quite like food when it comes to bringing people together and even sharing cultures. It may seem trite but there’s no point denying it: Food is a universal language. Here are six ambassadors in Manila sharing their personal favorites here in the Philippines and what we all need to know about their homeland’s food.
This article first appeared in the August 28, 2021 issue of The Manila Bulletin.
My paternal grandmother in the Danish side of my family was a model when she was younger. She died at the age of 96 in Copenhagen around five years ago. My father still loves to mention her during our phone calls. Maybe because he’s painfully aware of how fond I am of her even though we didn’t get to spend enough time together.
He also knows that one of the biggest compliments I ever received in my life was when, during a quick visit to see her in her home, she told everyone we looked like each other. I remember feeling so chuffed that day. “She is like you, yes,” my dad said once. “One time, she broke her hip and as the nurses carried her away to be examined, she screamed at them not to forget her face creams.”
I laughed, not really expecting my father to pick up on the details of my own vanity.
This article first appeared in the August 28, 2021 issue of The Manila Bulletin.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been in a state of rushing. Rushing to school, rushing to finish a project. I was always in a hurry to grow up, to get a job. To run after sources and to finish my stories. My time as a TV reporter was a constant state of an adrenaline rush followed by a huge crash after a full day’s work. Then come the hours of feeling exhausted as I stared at the ceiling, hoping to fall asleep. In the morning, I wake up to my alarm, ready to have another go at my energy roller coaster.
I brought that way of life with me even as I left the broadcast industry. Often saying yes to so many things only to rush getting from one commitment to another. “I never run,” AA Patawaran, Manila Bulletin’s lifestyle editor, once told me. It was a balmy evening in Berlin and we were on our nth glass of port. “But what if you’re late for a flight?” I asked him. He told me no, not even. He was smiling but I knew he was serious.
AA never seems to be in a rush and that’s something that fascinates me. I’m always in a hurry and, more often than not, I often find myself in a pickle because of it.
This article first appeared in the August 7, 2021 issue of The Manila Bulletin.
Germany’s Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel arrived in Manila back in August 2019. Tall, blonde, svelte, and with a warm air of sophistication, she had seven months to get to know the Philippines before the pandemic hit. She acknowledges that she’s quite lucky to have arrived when she did. She had a bit of time to lay the groundwork for some of their projects before the world went into a standstill.
NATURE’S CONVERGENCE A Buddy Bear, one of Berlin s most memorable symbols with a whaleshark painted on its stomach, welcomes people into the German ambassador’s home in Manila
A different challenge
The pandemic hasn’t been kind to people who love to socialize. For diplomats who are required to engage in socialization and build networks to be effective in their careers, the new normal has been quite the new, untamable animal. “It’s just not the same kind of atmosphere when you are talking, exchanging thoughts,” says Amb. Reiffenstuel. “The large part of what diplomats do in these meetings is catch the atmosphere, getting an idea of what’s going on in the margins of the conferences.”
I first picked up Brigid Keenan’s Diplomatic Baggage a few months after I got married and I’ve read the book quite a number of times since. Funny enough, it was my husband who told me about the book and we searched for it in almost every bookstore in Manila until I finally got my copy. It was my companion during the first few months of our posting. We were in Kuala Lumpur and I was treating it like a portable, inanimate friend until I met people who weren’t my husband’s colleagues. When we moved to Berlin, I picked it up again for another go. It’s the book I often recommend to people who want to learn more about diplomatic life at post.
If you’ve been following me on my social media channels like Instagram, you prolly already know that I started a column with The Manila Bulletin. It’s one of the major broadsheets in the country and I’m so happy to have space in their Lifestyle Section every Saturday. So if I haven’t been writing here much, you know where to find me. 😉 Here’s an excerpt from the first column I wrote for the paper – an introduction to Almost Diplomatic and how I ended up here.
A diplomat’s wife and her stories from this world of envoys and their spouses or their dogs
“This fork is for your salad course, this one’s for dessert,” I found myself telling a woman not much younger than I was at one of Kuala Lumpur’s swanky restaurants. We were invited to have afternoon tea and the waitstaff were kind enough to bring out more cutlery than necessary when we asked for them. Their sole purpose was to enrich our discussion. It was 2016 and I’d been abroad for two years as a diplomat’s wife. My companion, a fellow freelance journalist, was interested in things that I should know for my said role. It’s how our conversation on proper dining started. She looked at me inquisitively. “How do you know all these? Do you eat like this at home? Do they teach you these in school?”
At home in Berlin with Juancho (@juanchothecorgi)
I admitted that I merely picked them up along the way, that I only brought out all manner of cutlery when we would host people at home and that no–they didn’t teach you these things in journ school.
While protocol and etiquette have always been interesting, they’re things you have to either learn extensively or pick up along the way. Goodness knows I only learned the difference between wine glasses three years prior to that conversation. I studied to be a journalist and while learning the difference between writing for print and broadcast, cutlery for formal dinners was never mentioned. Not all students end up in the diplomatic beat, after all.
Having a beer in one of Prague’s monasteries.
I grew up middle class and attended university to become a journalist. It’s all I ever wanted to be while growing up, watching TV with a hairbrush in my hand as my microphone, imitating Christiane Amanpour. “I’ll be her but with better hair,” eight-year-old me once said. I wasn’t brought up to be overly polite, you see. I was brought up to be competitive and do well in the career I would eventually choose. Classic Asian-tiger parenting.
I’ve been lucky to meet people from all walks of life and learn from them as a journalist, as a diplomat’s wife, and even as just a woman with her dog, waiting for the train from Charlottenburg to Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin.
A year after graduating, I found myself covering foreign affairs for a local English news channel. I’d interview diplomats about their time and work here as well as senior foreign ministry officials, usually about our country’s maritime and territorial disputes—hot topics during that time. At night, I attended diplomatic events with my fellow reporters where I learned through observation. Things like the difference between appetizers and hors d’oeuvres, why I shouldn’t have offered my hand to the Iranian ambassador, and the acceptable volume of one’s laugh. Spoiler alert: Mine went way over than what was pleasant to the ears.
There are fun events but that’s NOT the ONLY thing we do.
A former foreign minister loved to tell me to take the Foreign Service Officers’ (FSO) exam and his deputies often echoed his sentiments. I did toy with the idea but never got around to it, knowing that leaving journalism would be rather heartbreaking for me. Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t. Goodness knows how much trouble I’d cause as I had this terrible habit of not knowing when to stop talking. Thank goodness that’s under control now.
Probably one of my most requested videos is on how one can actually become a diplomat. So I thought why not ask diplomats themselves? It’s such an honour to have Amb. Maria Theresa Dizon-de Vega to talk about these topics. She shares her reading list and some movies you should see to get inspired. She also talks about her experience with the exam, what course should you take in uni, and the things you should expect as an FSO.
One of the things I often get asked about is my Modern Filipiniana wardrobe. For real and not just that thing influencers on Instagram say to justify an overshare. A Filipiniana section in my wardrobe is something that I’ve started building back in 2014. This was when my husband got assigned abroad.
I continue to build said wardrobe as we do need to attend a lot of events where wearing Filipiniana is actually a good way to go. This isn’t just to follow the dress code but to make sure I also get to do my part in promoting a really interesting bit of our culture.
One of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe is my terno top. It’s so versatile that it makes mixing and matching it with different pieces a breeze.
In this video, I share some tips on how to build your own modern Filipiniana wardrobe. I also show how I style my custom-made terno top with different modern pieces that I already own.
Hope you enjoyed this post and found it useful. If you did, please do share it! It would really make my day. Here’s a Pinterest-friendly graphic to make it easier!
A couple of friends have told me before that giving gifts to a diplomat is pretty tricky. “What is it exactly that they do, even?” is a question I often get asked a lot about my husband and his colleagues. “We need to know so we know what to give him/her for ____*insert occasion here*___.” This marks the beginning of my lengthy explanation which covers almost everything I learned while being a Foreign Affairs journalist. Contrary to popular belief, gifts for the diplomat in your life are quite easy to find.
To make things more fun, I asked some friends in the field as to what they would love to receive for the holidays. Here, I’ve put together a list that can fit any budget and you can get online. It’s a week before Christmas and I know some of you are not up for braving the holiday crowd. I’m the exact opposite but I’ll tell you why in another post (either here or social media). This time, however, everything will be available online so all you have to do is get your credit card ready.
I’ll also have options both for my readers in US and Germany. Disclaimer: Most links are powered by Amazon affiliates which gives me a commission every time you buy something. This is of no cost to you and helps me keep running Almost Diplomatic. Enjoy! 🙂
Booze
Entertaining is never complete without a drink or two. So, giving your diplomat friends a bottle of booze to replenish their stash is always a safe bet. Our friend Michel from the US was actually quick to reply that this is one gift he’d be glad to receive this Christmas. He’s someone who throws a mean party that everyone enjoys so this actually comes as no surprise. Everyone who was at his last Cinco de Mayo celebration is still talking about it so we should trust him on this.
Learn their preference or make it more interesting by getting them something that’s from your country (assuming that you’re someone who’s of a different nationality as your diplomat friend). If you’re planning on giving Champagne, check out my friend Tamas’ Champagne Therapy website for some really good deals.
It’s no secret that diplomats travel a lot for work and these Carry On Cocktail Kits will definitely be helpful to that friend who’s still an anxious flier despite his job. Getting through major turbulence or even the stress of having to go through airport security are also things they would never get used to. So a pick-me-up should be a welcomed gift.
For that diplomat who is the usual host and serves up a mean Old Fashioned, why not something they can keep and use every time they host you? These mixology sets are not only useful, but they would also look good at any home bar.
I have mixed feelings over Edward VIII or the Duke of Windsor after his abdication. However, there’s a quote attributed to him and was recently used on an episode of The Crown which resonated with me ever since I stumbled upon it on an old magazine. He once said that the most practical form of diplomacy is actually entertaining.
Friendships, negotiations, and even networking are done best over good food and drink. Since we’ve covered alcohol by this point, let’s go over kitchen and dining. Our friend Ralf, who’s currently posted in Spain, is a spectacular host and prefers to receive such gifts this season.
You’ll never go wrong by giving a high-quality Chef’s Knife. People who don’t have them yet will thank you for it and those who already have one (or two) can always use another one. It’s the most versatile knife in the kitchen and anyone who loves to cook will find it useful.
Speaking of versatility, another thing people could always use is a skillet. For all those one-pan recipes that all people do when the day gets a little too busy.
Another thing that’s essential to a diplomat’s entertaining arsenal is good a charcuterie or cheese board. Who doesn’t love good cheese, cured meats, and wine? You? Err. Thank you, next.
There’s nothing quite like a well-thought-of book as a gift. It’s both professional and somehow personal (without going overboard) at the same time. Our friend Raisa who, aside from being a diplomat herself takes such gorgeous photos which you can find on her Instagram, says that she loves getting books about another country or a historical event. “I think in general, we love to read. So, giving us books that help us understand something about the person giving the gift would be great,” she added.
When we were posted in Malaysia, books were also my go-to gifts. I would spend hours at the Big Bad Wolf Sale which happens annually around the first week of December. Just in time for your Christmas shopping.
Planner
Think diplomats just sit around all day and attend parties at night? Think again. My husband’s work schedule in November was so packed with work-trips, we hardly saw each other. Phooey. Help the diplomat in your life stay on top of his/her schedule by giving them a traditional agenda. Writing things down as opposed to entering it to a digital calendar even helps improve memory!
Oh, and for the love of all that is holy, don’t re-gift those corporate giveaway planners. That’s just too tacky.
For the quirkier diplomat, may I suggest a planner made by my amazingly creative friend Ivi? She uses positive psychology and lots of creative tools to help make you more productive. You can get The Hashtag HERO Planner via this link.
Travel Essentials
For all those trips they will take, they’ll need quality items that can get them from A to B. A luggage set is a great gift for a diplomat you are very close to (think significant other) and are willing to splurge for. If you’re looking for something that’s a bit friendlier to your wallet, toiletry cases as a good option. I find high quality and roomy toiletry bags as great gifts for people who travel a lot. Once you get to your destination, it makes settling down a lot easier — even if they’re just there for a few days. They also make packing up easier. Every single traveller I’ve met has appreciated such a gift. My father – a commercial real estate guy who often travels within Scandinavia for work – included. I got him one for his birthday and he was so happy with it as he always forgets to get himself one and nobody else seems to think of gifting it to him.
If you’re dating or married to a diplomat, you already know how much they travel for work. Sometimes, you get to tag along too. However, it’s always more work and they hardly get to know the place they went to since they’re usually in a conference, a meeting, or in the middle of helping one of their citizens who’s in trouble.
Book a holiday wherein they can actually have fun at a new place without having to worry about their next schedule. (Shameless plug: Book using the widget above for some really good deals!) Let them explore something that interests him/her at his/her own pace.
Do something new. Join an unconventional tour or go on a food hunt. There are lots of options that you won’t get from a store or even off the internet.
Thanks for reading and I hope this was helpful! With that said, I hope you guys enjoy the holidays!
Do share this on Pinterest if you found this helpful! 🙂
If you have some items to add, feel free to comment below! I’m always looking for new ideas. 🙂
I love me some tea. Even more when it comes with scones, finger sandwiches, and tiny pastries served on elegant, tiered serving stands. Afternoon Tea is something I simply adore doing with my girlfriends. So much so that one of my first articles for Forbes was about it. There’s just something so attractive with this dainty tradition that goes all the way back to the 1800s. It’s so feminine and quintessentially British.
With that said, let me walk you through this tradition based on what I’ve learned through experience as well as research. From its history and the modern-day adaptation that was started by the Mrs. Caroline Astor of the St. Regis in New York.
Hi, I'm Carol! A 30-something international relations TV reporter, turned multimedia lifestyle reporter and diplomat's (undiplomatic) wife.
Welcome to my lifestyle blog where I write about how one can live a good life without breaking the bank. It's also where I share our travels and my daily adventures as a lifestyle journalist and a diplomat's wife.
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