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Step into sporting history with a stay at home of founder of modern Olympics, now on Airbnb

Built in the 16th century, Château de Mirville is where the young Coubertin developed a love of sports that would eventually inspire him to revive and evolve the ancient Olympic Games into the modern Games as we know them today.

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With almost a year until Paris 2024, the childhood home of Baron Pierre de Coubertin has been transformed to take guests on a journey through time. For one night only guests will get the opportunity to immerse themselves in Olympic history in Château de Mirville, an iconic stop on the Olympic torch relay in 2024.

Built in the 16th century, Château de Mirville is where the young Coubertin developed a love of sports that would eventually inspire him to revive and evolve the ancient Olympic Games into the modern Games as we know them today. And on July 18, one night in the historic home – recently restored to its original grandeur with the support of the IOC and Airbnb’s Heritage and Local Tourism program – will be opened to a unique stay on Airbnb for €24 in honor of Paris 2024.

Jacques de Navacelle, Coubertin’s great grand-nephew, will host the stay and share tales of how the château inspired his illustrious forebear.

“Château de Mirville is considered by many as the birthplace of the modern Olympics Games. It is in this home that the seeds of a global sporting revolution were sown. It gives me great pleasure to welcome guests in our family home to celebrate the one year countdown to Paris 2024” – ​Jacques de Navacelle, Host and great grand nephew of Pierre de Coubertin.

Emmanuel Marill, Director of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Airbnb, adds: “As proud worldwide Paris 2024 partner and now Official Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay in France, we are honored to offer a truly unique experience in the historic Château de Mirville. Airbnb is dedicated to showcasing the rich diversity of France’s regions and the rich Olympic legacy of this special home will make for an inspiring stay.”

Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024: “What a joy it will be to have the opportunity to sleep in the mythical Château de Mirville, embarking on a genuine voyage through time in search of the origins of the modern Olympic Games ! In Paris 2024, we are hosting the Games in a new era, but we also care deeply about traditions and history where we come from. Well done Airbnb, and good luck to those who will try to live the experience!”

About the stay

Château de Mirville is nestled deep in the Pays de Caux valley in Normandy, France. In the heart of the château, Coubertin’s private study has been transformed into a remarkable sporting suite that pays homage to the building’s legacy in the modern Olympic Games history. Guests who secure a booking will take a journey through time and Olympic greatness. Prepare to enjoy:

  • The opportunity to play with n°1 French professional tennis player Caroline Garcia on the grounds where one of the first games of lawn tennis was supposedly played in France.
  • A private tour of the entire estate by your Host, Coubertin’s great grand nephew, Jacques.
  • A punt on the lake where Coubertin developed his love of rowing, followed by a picnic of French delicacies on a specially constructed floating pontoon.
  • An immersion into the origins of the Olympics including exclusive access to historic memorabilia such as Coubertin’s 1892 Olympic Manifesto, a personal document featuring the rings for the first time as originally sketched by Coubertin and an original ticket from France’s first Games in 1900[1].
  • A selection of items from the very latest IOC Olympic Collection named in honor of Pierre de Coubertin[2].

How to book

Guests may request to book this overnight stay on July 18, 2023 from 6:00 PM CET at airbnb.com/coubertin. The unique overnight stay will take place on July 26, 2023 and cost 24 euros*, in honor of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

Maximum occupancy is two persons. Guests are responsible for their own transportation to and from Château de Mirville, France.

Airbnb, official partner of Paris 2024 Torch Relay

Through this unique partnership, Airbnb Hosts will participate in the Torch Relay and act as local cultural ambassadors for the towns and villages they call home, celebrating the arrival of the Olympic Flame throughout its journey across the country.

More than half a million[3] visitors are expected in France on Airbnb during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, trips that are expected to generate more than €1 billion for the French economy and nearly €86 million in gross income for Hosts in less populated communities according to a recent Deloitte study.

With a community of Hosts representing more than 23,000 cities all across France, a third of whom are in the least populated cities[4], Airbnb is dedicated to showcasing the rich diversity of France’s regions and spreading the long-term benefits of the Games throughout the country.

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Dining Out

Heading to Cavite to try Som Thai Silang Bypass

We go to Silang to check Som Thai Silang Bypass.

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There’s this venue in Silang in Cavite that started referring to itself as “Little Bangkok”. And why not, when – in a compound – there are various Thai-related offerings, helmed by a Thai resto called Som Thai Silang Bypass.

We checked it, and… how was it for us?

@outragemag

Looking for #LGBTQ #thai #cheapeats in #Cavite? We checked Som Thai Silang Bypass to see if it's worth visiting

♬ original sound – outragemag

Una, this place is closer to Tagaytay than it is to Manila. So magbaon ng pasensiya at pera sa biyahe… considering that, yes, you have to allocate more time and monetary allocation for the gas and tolls just to check this place.

Ikalawa, the actual resto isn’t grand; it almost looks like a karinderya in the province. But then again, it reminds me of the micro and small entrepreneurs in rural parts of Thailand, where locals convert their houses into mini-restos for lunch and for dinner. Just don’t expect much when here.

Ikatlo, the service people were nice (e.g. they’d ask you if things are okay), but they were… slow (e.g. I had to approach the teller to pay the bill).

And lastly… the food; how was it for us?

  • The Som Tam (papaya salad, ₱120 for the solo serving) was – in a word – malansa (fishy). There are different ways to prepare this, with some adding shrimp paste (bagoóng alamáng) or dried shrimps (hibi). But the version of Som Thai Silang Bypass tasted like it used fermented fish (bagoóng isdâ) from Pampanga. Now… if you’re familiar with Pampanga’s bagoong, you’d know what I mean when I say malansa.
  • The Tom Yum seafood (₱291 for the solo serving) was, at least, malasa (tasty) and contained lots of seafood.
  • The Pad Thai chicken (₱249 for the solo serving) was… tasteless. This is sorta disappointing because when a Thai resto can’t make a proper Pad Thai, you start to have doubts re authenticity.
  • The Mango Duo (two pieces of half-cut fresh spring rolls + mango sticky rice + garlic mayo and peanut sauce, ₱265) is a cheaper way to get spring rolls and dessert. Nothing special here, but the mango slices used were really sweet.
  • The Chicken Satay ((with peanut sauce and vinegar, ₱210) was bland. We were anticipating red curry (or massaman curry) or at least peanutty taste, but neither was noted. Even the peanut sauce did not taste peanutty.
  • Be warned that the servings here are small – i.e. when they say “solo”, they’re serious in limiting you from sharing.
  • Be warned, too, that some Thai condiments – e.g. tamarind paste – aren’t available. “Ubos na,” we were told.

If there aren’t other Thai restos in the area, Som Thai Silang Bypass should suffice. But this is Silang, a municipality in the Province of Cavite that has too many restos to count. So yeah… you can try if you want, and considering its limitations. Otherwise, let’s just discover more lafang venues.

Som Thai Silang Bypass is located along Bypass Road, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Cavite.

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Dining Out

Still trying to find the promise of Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña

#Pizza, #lasagna, #babybackribs aren’t Pinoy staples, and so – as we look for a venue where they’re properly offered – we ended up in Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña in Quezon City.

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Truth: Pizza isn’t a Pinoy staple food. So even if we know that – when properly done – pizza can be really, really good, it can be challenging to find a local venue that knows how to properly make one. Heck, even the supposedly “award-winning” venues in Makati City aren’t that good, truth be told!

@outragemag Looking for #pizza #lasagna, #babybackribs in #QuezonCity? We #LGBTQ ♬ original sound – outragemag

The search for a good slice (or slices, preferably) of pizza led us to Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña, which – seemingly belying its name – is making a name not just because of its lasagna, but also because of its pizzas (with some of them looking mouth-watering in socmed reels, yeah).

So… how did we find Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña?

Una, the place reminded me of small eating venues in non-touristy streets in Paris – e.g. turned picturesque thanks to hundreds of fake flowers that added character to multi-colored decors. So when there, you can’t help but think they have a very specific market in mind – i.e. socmed people.

Ikalawa, the staff were actually nice – e.g. they even provided us (and the guests in another table) with a phone stand for the selfies. And when you make inquiries online, they respond fast, ha.

Now – ikatlo (and lastly) – how was the food?

  • The Famous Beef Lasagna (₱289) was hefty… for its price. Di tinipid. It was yummy, said Arthur, though a bit sweet for me. But we both agreed that the accompanying garlic bread was really good.
  • Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña has various 12” types of pizzas to choose from, with the prices ranging from ₱520 to ₱590. To be on the safe side, we just ordered the Primo Pizza (₱590), which paired half of the 4 Cheese Artisan Pizza with half of Pizza de Barcelona (pepperoni and cheese with meat sauce and three kinds of cheese). And that proved to be – this has to be stressed – an intelligent decision. Because while the pizzas looked IG-worthy, and appeared to have lots of sahog, the very first bite wasn’t pizza-like. That’s because the dough used can be likened to pan de sal and not what’s usually used for pizza. It was more similar to the garlic bread served with the lasagna, actually. And for me, that it didn’t even seem well done was also an issue.
  • The baby back ribs with shrimp aglio olio pasta (₱490) was… okay. Admittedly, the ribs were somewhat dry even if the flesh was soft enough to seemingly peel off the bones. At least the pasta (cooked al dente) was quite good.

Considering the many offerings of Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña, you are bound to find something that will please you if you decide to pay it a visit. That’s good for you… and for this business.

Admittedly, we have misgivings… like those pizza slices that left us with not-too-great memories. But that’s all good, as we continue discovering good lafang places.

Reach Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña HERE.

There are three branches.

Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña P. Noval Manila Branch is right beside UST, and is open from 10:30am to 10pm; parking is available along P. Noval St.

Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña Sta. Mesa Branch is in front of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, and is open from 9:30am to 10pm; parking is available in front of the restaurant.

Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña QC Branch is located at 27 Roosevelt Ave. corner Gen. Lim St., right beside Fisher Mall, and is open from 11am to 11pm. Parking is available in front of the resto.

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Dining Out

A taste of Thai in Pasay

We checked Soi Chicken in Mall of Asia in Pasay City. This is one of a handful of Thai restos in MOA, including Jatujak and Soi.

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Okay… let’s be honest: Thai cuisine is among the best in the world. Particularly – this has to be stressed – those that were not sanitized to please foreigners’ palates. But this is also why it’s tricky when you look for Thai food outside of Thailand since you’re bound to get something that claims to be Thai, and yet not taste Thai at all.

@outragemag

#thaifood craving in #MetroManila? We checked out #SoiChicken in #Pasay for this #LGBTQ #foodtrip

♬ original sound – outragemag

And so we checked Soi Chicken in Mall of Asia in Pasay City. This is one of a handful of Thai restos in MOA, including Jatujak and Soi.

So… how was it for us?

Una, the place itself was not bad – e.g. it was clean, walang sirang furniture, Thai-inspired decoration, et cetera. Yeah, the music playing wasn’t Thai or even Thai-inspired, but at least the overall vibe was.

Ikalawa, the place was not THAT busy. At least when we went there, past lunch time, it was more empty than full.

Ikatlo, even if there weren’t a lot of customers, service was still slow. Don’t get me wrong: the staff was nice. They were chatty. They provided you what you needed. Et cetera. But… they weren’t always there. As example: I had to stand to ask for the bill.

And lastly, the food was… okay. But – take note – hindi siya memorable.

  • We started with Som Tum (papaya salad with salted egg, ₱295), which tasted like it needed more palm sugar and lime. The addition of the salted egg was inspired, though, making this special.  
  • The Pad Thai Soi (₱495) was not bad, too. But it was not as flavorful, either. It was almost like the chef wanted to be safe… which sadly deprived us of the flavors we were looking for. But at least the noodles weren’t overcooked, and there was acceptable amount of sahog, considering its price.
  • The Tom Yum (₱485) was, perhaps, what disappointed Arthur most. Again, this wasn’t bad; you can tell that they didn’t use powder, but prepped this fresh. But it tasted… kulang/lacking – e.g. of lemongrass, and galangal. BTW: We ordered Jasmine Rice (₱69) but ended up not eating it.
  • For dessert, we grabbed the Black Gulaman with Gata (which sounds more Filipno than Thai, we know; ₱225) that tasted like macapuno ice cream with gulaman pieces.

But you could all try for yourself, if you want.

But for us: babalikan anytime soon? Not really.

In the end: Yep, it IS hard to look for good Thai resto in Metro Manila… or even in nearby provinces. But we continue looking anyway. So come join us look for more good lafang places.

Soi Chicken is located at the ground level of North Galleon Bldg., MOA Eats, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

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