The Embassy of France and Alliance Francaise de Cebu launched the annual French film festival at La Vie Parisienne café in Ayala Center Cebu.
Cocktails and canapes were served before the screening, presided by Alliance Francaise de Cebu director Louis Thevenin, and Martin Macalintal who is in charge of cultural events at the French Embassy.
Present were Amparito Llamas Lhuillier, wife of French honorary consul Michel Lhuillier, her sister Anna Marie Llamas Dizon, Honeylet Thevenin, Victoria Hermosisima, and Marlinda Angbetic Tan, trustee of Alliance Francaise de Cebu.
Luncheon
Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung tendered an animated luncheon at El Comedor of Casino Español de Cebu in honor of dear cousin Flor Suico Ynclino. Flor is very much a part of Mariquita’s MSY Charitable Foundation, whose most recent grand activity was a week-long Operation Smile undertaking.
It was held at the Miller Hospital with a record number of operations on children and adults with hare lip and other facial disfigurements. A large number of volunteers came to Cebu from various countries as well as from Manila, and from Cebu province itself.
Flor’s well-wishers included Joje Decal, Yam-Yam Zamora, Minette Aliño, Belinda Wong, Fely Salimbangon, Janice Salimbangon, Meren Gepilano, Anita San Jose, Bless Patiño and Sarah Quitevis.
Add to them Flor’s colleagues from Cebu’s august list of veteran lifestyle writers—Nelia Neri, Chinggay Utzurrum and Cookie Newman.
Grand opening
That was quite a grand opening for Streetscape, a boutique mall close to the entrance of Cebu’s most posh address, Maria Luisa Estate Park. The charming owners, Jessica Go and her pretty daughter Carla, had their hands full entertaining the cream of Cebu’s business elite.
Cybill Gayatin Guynn of A-List was all over the place, weaving her way through a thick crowd that feasted on an array of specialties from Derek Dytian’s Creative Cuisine. Cybill’s main concern was to photograph as many taipans as possible.
We ran into Johan Young, who has a unit at the ground level selling health products. He also serves short orders that classify as very, very healthy, and which his clientele finds utterly delicious.
Victoria Cincunegui Moraza led us to the upper level’s restaurant offering authentic Spanish cuisine. It is named Gorliz, which is the town where David Ugarte says his grandfather was born. His partner in this project is Victoria’s duaghter Maite Moraza, who also has two other outlets on the ground flour—a restaurant serving Vietnamese cuisine and a franchise of Gelatissimo.
Cecile Cuisia is the manager at Gorliz; that night’s diners included Alberto and Celeste Miranda, Ato and Gigi Alvarez, Jimmy and Bernie Aboitiz. We’ve taken a rain check on Victoria’s invitation to sample a “chuleton.”
The tapas at Golriz are well-rated, and there’s a well-provided wine cellar.
One-man show
The 856 G Gallery at Business Walls in A.S. Fortuna presented a one-man show by Popo San Pascual. It gathered quite an appreciative crowd of art collectors and enthusiasts.
Popo has just returned from New York where he went on an artist’s immersion program sponsored by 856 G Gallery.
Welcoming the guests were gallery owner Annie Chen, curator Jing Ramos and gallery manager Pia Mercado. Popo’s paintings are abstracts in blue and white, some big enough to rank as murals.
Popo drew inspiration from the Imperial Chinese porcelains on display at the Palace Museum in Taiwan. That was what he told the four ladies who sat on a precarious bench with a commanding view of the exhibit and the people who had come for opening night—Rosebud Sala, Terry Manguerra, Chona Bernad and Merlie Zamora.
Before Popo’s exhibit at 856 G Gallery, it had been Reena Gamboa Peña who presented her collection of exportable products. The exhibit was titled “Silay,” evoking the legendary city in Negros Occidental known for its sophistication.
Reena said she drew inspiration from her garden in Silay. Looking out from her window, she turned around and focused on what the house contained. Her eyes fell on the camphor chest where her godmother Doreen Gamboa Fernandez kept her treasures, and soon enough she discovered more things around her.