The Philippines celebrates National Independence Day every June 12th and for the past five years, F1 Hotel Manila (read my hotel review, here) has aptly been highlighting Filipino food to showcase the diverse flavors of our local cuisine. This 2017, the fifth edition of LuzViMinda (which stands for the three main islands: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) is themed Gastronomical Fusion and features chefs Mikel Zaguirre, Dennis Uy, and Kalel Chan.

LuzViMinda 5: Gastronomical Fusion was launched last June 8 with a ribbon cutting ceremony initiated by the hotel’s Director of Sales & Marketing Cindy Brual together with Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre, PEZA Director General Charito Plaza, LuzViMinda 4 guest chef Nancy Lumen, and Ms. Philippines Earth 2016 Loren Mar Artajos. 

Just in time for the celebration of Independence Day, LuzViMinda 5 highlights modern culinary techniques while preserving the delicious familiarity of the Philippines' traditional dishes. The culinary team was headed by Executive Chef Decker Gokioco who was joined by the three guest chefs and their creative ideas.

According to Mikel Zaguirre, who represented dishes from Luzon, "It’s an honor to do Filipino food and uplift Filipino cuisine." He described each item as inspired by an heirloom dish that was meticulously crafted along with some adjustments to adapt to the modern palate. What challenged him the most, he said, was unleashing creativity by presenting classical cuisine in a modern setting.

Dennis Uy, the featured chef for Visayas, shared that his technique is about blending flavors and getting inspiration from his travels around the archipelago – that of cooking the traditional way but plating each dish contemporarily. He affirmed, "Sharing our cuisine by giving back to guests is what food is all about." 

Although not a native of Mindanao, Kalel Chan wholeheartedly accepted the challenge of coming up with an array of sumptuous dishes from the region. Armed with his passion for food, Chan studied the classical Mindanao cuisine and did more research by tapping some of his friends before injecting his personal touch in the modern way of cooking. His advice to budding chefs, "You should try everything." Starting from the experimental stage, he and his team devoted a lot of time in research and development to come up with his creations. All the efforts exerted, he disclosed, "are the things that make these worthy."

Experience a gastronomic fusion at F All-Day Dining from June 9 to 30, 2017 and indulge in the burst of flavors to be found on the wide choices of Filipino dishes that were crafted with a twist of modern culinary artistry but retains the traditional essence of classical cuisine. Lunch or dinner buffet is priced at P1,699 per person. 

  

LuzViMinda 5 is made possible through partnerships with Destileria Limtuaco, Masflex, Top Chef Enterprise, Onesimus, Raflora, R. Lapids, Aging’s Food Delight, D’ Original Tablea De Alfonso, Bestworld Beverage Brands Inc., The Crescent Moon Café, Eurobake Original Inipit De Leche, Figaro Coffee Company, Golden Wines, Jalees Farms, Titania Wine Cellar, Hogsmith Aprons,  together with Maybank, Foreign Post, and Cook Magazine.

For reservations and inquiries, call 908-7888 or visit www.f1hotelmanila.com.

We are still in the first quarter of a new year and if you haven't begun working on those fitness goals yet, it's really time to start now. Make 2017 the year to finally achieve the kind of body you really want to have!  

The Lisa Macuja School of Ballet, the country's premier school for classical dance, is offering a graceful way to a leaner and healthier you! While the school is well-known for producing some of the most accomplished Filipino dancers worldwide, it's also an institution that puts equal value to the wellness of people as well as the arts. In fact, the company is slowly garnering a following among health enthusiasts thanks to the ballet classes that adults can enroll in.

I had the pleasure of joining a Ballet for Fitness class the other day held in Yoga+ Express located at the Venice Grand Canal Mall in McKinley Hill, Taguig. The most amazing thing about this? It was conducted by Prima Ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde herself! 

To say that I was apprehensive about joining a ballet class for adults was kind of an understatement. It has been quite a while since I attempted to dance ballet (the last time was in elementary P.E. class so imagine how long ago that was!!!) and I never became flexible enough to do graceful poses that ballerinas are known to do. 

Still, I figured it would be good to give it a go since I am a staunch believer of the saying, "If it doesn't challenge you, it will not change you." (BTW, I just finished my first 16k race yesterday, so there 😉 ) Plus,  joining a class being taught by Ms. Lisa would definitely be a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Much later, with words plié, port de bras, relevé, etc. dancing delightfully in my head, I could definitely say I learned a lot and had fun while doing so. Yes, I am not (yet?) as graceful as I would like myself to be but I listened to and followed the directions well so I think I deserved an invisible pat on the back for showing up and taking on the challenge. Besides, with such a patient and encouraging teacher, it was easy to forget about making mistakes and instead simply enjoy the moment.  

Ms. Lisa, the school's founder and director, explained that they developed the ballet for adults class a few years ago when they started getting inquiries about using ballet as a form of exercise. "To be honest, it's such a pleasant surprise that people are so interested in the health aspect of ballet. It's such a great form of exercise as every part of your body gets the workout it deserves," she described.

"In addition, it is very holistic, which means that you are not just building the strength of your muscles, but also your stamina and flexibility, and you're doing all these while enjoying the art." Ms. Lisa also told us that ballet is a great way to prevent Alzheimer's Disease because the dance's vocabulary of French terms, along with the combinations a dancer has to memorize for each performance, literally and figuratively keep her on her toes.

Apart from adult ballet, The Lisa Macuja School of Ballet Manila offers classical ballet classes for all levels as well as modern ballet and street dancing. As part of its summer workshop program, the school will also be offering Bollywood Dance, Floor Barre, and Mat Pilates classes. 

As a testament to their commitment to quality, the Bollywood Dance classes will be taught by two choreographers to be flown in from Mumbai. These class are meant to broaden the creative scope of ballet classes already offered.

On the other hand, Floor Barre and Mat Pilates aim to augment the students' training in strength, stamina, injury prevention, and recovery. Teaching these classes would be Victoria Vargas, a faculty member of Joffrey Ballet, one of America's most prestigious ballet companies.

The school's faculty members include accomplished Vaganova style-trained classical dancers who are considered some of the best in the country such as Jonathan Janolo, Sofia Sangco-Peralta, Gerardo Francisco, Eileen Lopez, Czarina Villegas, and Ms Lisa who directs the school alongside co-director Osias Barroso.

For your added information, The Lisa Macuja School of Ballet Manila is the only ballet school in the Philippines with direct links to the Russian Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg, Russia. As such, the school is often praised by ballet enthusiasts for staying true to the principles of the art form and for teaching the rigorous Vaganova Academy method of dancing, which is widely accepted as the highest standard of style when it comes to classical ballet.

See the complete list of courses and schedules offered by visiting www.balletmanila.com.ph or calling telephone numbers 400.0292 and 525.5967 (Pasay City branch) or 285.1343 and 285.1353 (Quezon City branch). You may also email info@balletmanila.com.ph for inquiries and follow Ballet Manila on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep updated.

* Thank you so much ARC Public Relations, Inc. for the photos and the Kangaroo Nuts snacks! 

One of the misconceptions a lot of coffee lovers have is that one can only get a great cup of coffee from commercial coffee shops. That's not true. In fact, there's now a growing appreciation for home brews and this does not only mean coffee prepared at home but also an increasing love for locally sourced coffee. 

In support of this movement, Robinsons Supermarket recently partnered with Silca Coffee, a roasting company based in Silang, Cavite and held a coffee appreciation class at Robinsons Supermarket Ermita. There, I learned a lot more about the beverage I have grown very fond of.

Michael Asuncion, the son of Silca Coffee founder Enrile Asuncion, explained to us how much work it entails to process coffee starting from picking beans from the tree until they are dried, milled, sorted, roasted, and brewed until the aromatic beverage ends being served in a cup. 

These days, saying "I Do" has become lavish affairs that couples thoroughly plan for to create a truly memorable event. In the Philippines, Conrad Manila is the latest wedding urban destination to provide soon-to-be husbands and wives with their dream weddings.

The idyllic venue brings to life dream nuptials with the help of its dedicated and inspired team of individuals who ensure that guests' needs are impeccably met and every detail immaculately executed. Conrad Manila further features pillar-less, high-ceilinged ballrooms and a spacious outdoor garden able to accommodate various kinds of affairs that range from intimate to big social celebrations.

But, aside from being conveniently located near the city's grandest churches, this hotel is also perfectly situated such that weddings and other important gatherings could have the romantic detail of the picturesque Manila Bay sunset vista as their breathtaking backdrop.

Any mom who does household chores knows that washing dishes is made harder when you use the wrong kind of dishwashing product. There are those that don't remove grease very well while others may cause skin irritation, or even leave the taste of soap on our dishes.

keeping a home in tiptop shape is already challenging so an inefficient dishwashing product should not be added to the equation

Having these kind of problems add more challenges that we don't need because we lose more time in keeping our home in tiptop shape, spending time with our families, and taking care of ourselves. Thus, I am glad to have discovered Might Mom Dishwashing Liquid, a line of de-greasing, anti-bacterial, and deodorizing household products developed by KOHL Industries.

Mighty Mom provides value for money, time efficiency, and a hassle-free, cleaning experience

Scents can give us a way to control how we feel whether we'd like to boost our mood or take away the stresses from a long day. JAC Tripon, a marketing practitioner turned scent crafter, is a firm believer in the power of aromas. It was her dream to provide the Philippine market with quality and long lasting scents at affordable prices.

This is why she decided to start FAVORI, a handcrafted home fragrances brand that allows customers to create a favorite feeling through their selected scents. FAVORI means favorite in the French language. It was chosen to express JAC's desire to capture every individual's preferred scent in each variant she designs.

"I want my customers to be able to identify with a scent that they can call their favorite," shared JAC who understands that scent preferences vary depending on a person's personality, mood, lifestyle, and specific needs. 

Channel some cool mediterranean inspiration with  the FAVORI Rain Dance and Olive Branch Aroma Oils

I've been a fan of Freeway's National Artist Collectors' Series ever since the F. Sionil Jose Collection was launched in 2011. The pieces they always came up with have very nice designs that beautifully incorporate each artist's specialty.

This year, Freeway pays tribute to the first and only Moro honored as National Artist of the Philippines to date. Named National Artist for Sculpture in 2006, Abdulmari Imao was not only a sculptor but also a painter, ceramist, photographer, film maker, and writer. 

Known as a patron of Philippine Muslim Art and Culture, Imao had his own unique adaptation of traditional Muslim motifs such that his artworks exude a strong sense of nationalism and passion for his culture and heritage. Clearly, he made pieces that are fine examples of unity through diversity. 

Good music performers cannot play well if they don't have quality instruments. In the Philippines, most local guitarists have switched to imported guitars because those being made here do not exactly meet the standards they need. Imagine if all Filipino guitarists can play good quality instruments crafted by local luthiers. That would be a great "Proudly Filipino" combination!

good performers need good quality instruments

You see, for guitars to have decent sounds, they should be made of good materials such as solid or high quality plywood for the sound board, back, and sides plus select hard wood for the neck. Concert level guitars are created using imported and extremely expensive solid woods such as spruce, cedar, or rosewood and are used by advanced players and professionals. Entry level guitars, on the other hand, are made of cheaper materials and are recommended for beginner and intermediate students. These are the kinds of guitars that most Filipino luthiers construct. However, most classical guitar professors from top universities and music institutions in the country recommend beginners to buy imported entry level guitars because of their better sound quality, playability, and build design. 

Gitara ni Juan

Last year, a project called Gitara ni Juan was initiated by the College of Music and the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI) of the University of the Philippines - Diliman. It is funded by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD). Gitara ni Juan's team is composed of project leader Asst. Prof. Nathan Manimtim; engineers Crisron Lucas, John Dewitt Dalisay, Ivan Reyes, and Adel Sta. Maria; musicologist Bernice Go; and luthiers William and Jayson Alama.

Gitara ni Juan team with wood experts and project consultants  from the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI)  in UP Los Baños

Filipinos are known worldwide to be hardworking people. It isn't surprising why many of our fellowmen keep being recognized in various countries by different award-giving institutions for excellence in many fields.  

Unilever's Gina Lorenzana affirmed positive Filipino traits and successes

Indeed, our country's greatest asset is its people. Day after day, hardworking Pinoys take on multiple challenges while remaining optimistic as we all keep on dreaming and working towards a bright future for our loved ones as well as wishing for a better and more progressive Philippines. 

The positive qualities in Filipinos allow us to continue smiling and to go above and beyond the call of duty. These traits, along with the much-needed sense of national identity, created the New Pinoy Mover, a Filipino who recognizes that every move makes a difference and strives to inspire and empower others by serving as a good example.

Marc Nelson and Apples Aberin hosted the Rexona MotionSense and Pinoy Movers launch at the Marriott Grand Ballroom

I've read in some articles that people go to coffee shops not really for the coffee but for the ambiance and a place to hangout with friends. But I believe how the coffee tastes is also a big factor why patrons frequent certain establishments.

Me? I prefer coffee shops that not only serve good coffee but also prepare good food. Right now, Cafe Laya tops my list of favorite coffee shops because, aside from the delicious food and flavorful coffee, the place likewise inspires creativity while also helping local artisans.  

Cafe Laya is a coffee shop in an art gallery (or vice versa). There, you'll find beverages and food made from local ingredients and homemade sauces. The coffee beans are 100% Arabica sourced from the Benguet Province and used as base for hot and cold, classic and exciting mixes such as Salted Caramel Latte and Mocha, Dark Chocolate, Cookies and Cream, and more.

For many of us, glass is simply something we use for drinking, for a clearer vision, and for seeing out of a window or car windshield. In 1975, architect Ramon Orlina innovatively painted on 25 pieces of glass panels and had a sold out exhibition at the Gallery at Hyatt on Roxas Boulevard.

Ramon Orlina in the Reflections Gallery

In 1976, he pioneered the use of glass as an artistic medium of expression in sculpture. A visionary, Orlina saw beyond the humble origin of industrial glass, and went on to hone a unique craft that made his name synonymous with glass sculpture in the Philippines. Since then, he has had extensive exhibitions in the country and in other parts of the world.

the award-winning Silvery Moon

In 1999, Orlina first used optical glass for his entry in the Toyamura Sculpture Biennale in Japan where “Silvery Moon” was declared winner of the Mr. F. Prize. In celebration of his 40th year as an artist, Orlina is unveiling 23 pieces of recent sculptures carved out entirely of clear optical glass as opposed to his signature green glass and the other hues in crystal glass he is known for such as amber, azure, lavender, and pink.

(from left) Radiant Streams, Startling Definitions, Sensuous Curves

I can no longer remember where I first saw an Orlina glass sculpture several years ago but I was fascinated since then and became an avid admirer of his works of art. So it was with delight and excitement that I accepted an invitation to visit the Museo Orlina last weekend.

with Mr. Ramon and Mrs. Lay Ann Orlina

Ramon Orlina graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Sto. Tomas in 1965. After working as a licensed architect for 10 years, he ventured into the field of Fine Arts in July 1975 and started work on industrial glass.

the museum with a beautiful view and wonderful natural lighting

Now, 40 years and many awards later, he is known for a significant body of works, many of which can be enjoyed by art enthusiasts at his private art museum located in Tagaytay City.

the very ornate and awesome Pintado 07 one in a series that consists of female torsos ornamented with tattoo designs such as those found in a number of ethnic groups in the country

Pamaypay ng Maynila

This October, one of the Philippines' top favorite dining establishments is celebrating its 70th "birthday." Max's Restaurant, home of the famous fried chicken, can be literally described as a palatable source of Filipino pride.

For many Pinoys, especially those who come home as balikbayans from abroad, Max's is the go-to place for perfectly seasoned, satisfyingly crispy, and delightfully comforting fried chicken dish made from a recipe that has been passed on across generations. It is said to comprise much more than secret seasonings and undiscovered cooking techniques. 

Jim Fuentabella, Max's VP of Corporate Marketing, shares that it is their goal to carry the same taste to all of their stores. "They say that the chicken at our original branch tastes better, so it is a priority for us to replicate this experience of excellence in each restaurant."

I have several reasons why Quezon City is close to my heart. It is where I was born and where I first worked right after college graduation. I lived by myself in the Frisco area for almost a year when I was a fresh grad trying to make sense of adulthood and "the real world." 

I still have to see a lot of places and landmarks in Quezon City so I was really glad to be invited to The Quezon Heritage House a few days ago. Armed with a passion to be more immersed in Philippine History as inspired by the blockbuster Heneral Luna movie, I consider it serendipitous to find myself in this place that's filled with significance.

There, I learned that the house was actually transferred from its original location in Gilmore Street, New Manila to the Quezon Memorial Circle.  I like what I read just inside the front door: "[This house is] a testament to a bygone era so inextricably entwined with the birth of an independent nation." That is a beautiful description!   

One of my family's frequented restaurants is Max's Restaurant. We like ordering their definitely Pinoy dishes, including those for meryenda. For the past 70 years, Max's has provided consistent service while offering its signature Sarap to the Bones Pinoy Fried Chicken to families and friends here and abroad. 

It's only recently that I discovered Max's started in a home where original family recipes and refreshments were served to American troops many years ago. Then until now, Max's Restaurant continues to make and serve food with love, which stems from Filipinos' inherent hospitable nature. 

Our fast-paced lives today, however, do not give us the luxury of time to enjoy full meals regularly. With this in mind, Max's Restaurant offers the latest addition to their menu to recreate the Max's dining experience that fits people's busy lifestyles. Introducing -- Max's Classic Chicken Burger.