Mid-autumn festival at the Mandarin

The night the moon was at its fullest and brightest brought families and friends together at the Mandarin Oriental, Manila’s elegant Chinese restaurant Tin Hau to celebrate the traditional Moon Festival. The festivities were highlighted by a colorful lantern-lighting ceremony officiated by renowned geomancer master Joseph Chau and a gastronomic nine-course lauriat feast of oven-baked lobster and double-boiled shark’s fin prepared by chef Hann Furn Chen. Mandarin Oriental, Manila GM Mark Bradford and director of communications Charisse Chuidian were simply proud of the more than 18 varieties of moon cake that night that the guests simply could not have enough of them.

Among the prominent guests were feng shui advocates Rey and Baby Fernandez and sister Pauline Lim from the hotel’s popular Yin & Yang Shop of Harmony, Allana Montelibano and Sandy Syjuco.

Peace and prosperity to all!

(From left) Tessie Rodrigo, Chloe Periquet, soprano and FCCP member Anna Tirol, FCCP president Nene Leonor, Ester Rosca and Gilda Salonga.

An outstanding cultural presentation

In line with its mission to enlighten the youth about the indigenous and western form of art as well as the rich cultural heritage of our country, the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP), led by hardworking president Nene Leonor, recently held its first outreach project, “Kulturang Handog ng FCCP sa Kabataan ng Pasig.” Some 2,060 eager Rizal High School students filled the Tanghalang Pasigueño auditorium to witness this unique cultural presentation. The program featured enthralling performances by the world-renowned Bayanihan, the Philippine National Folk Dance Company, captivating soprano and FCCP member Anna Tirol and brilliant FCCP scholar and cellist Guissepi Diestro accompanied in the piano by his father, former Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Nonoy Diestro.

Congratulations FCCP and looking forward to more remarkable projects!

Dancing their way to the top

(From left) 22nd Singapore Lion City International Dance Sport Championships (Latin Asia Open Senior II) second place winners Blandina and Kenneth Lee (Singapore), first place winners lawyer Gilda Lim and Glenn Sto. Domingo, third place winners Helen Looi and Steven Ng (Malaysia) and fourth place winners Ellen Jung Wing Shan and Chan Yu (China).

Congratulations to the ever dazzling and graceful lawyer Gilda Lim who, together with brilliant partner Glenn Sto. Domingo, recently won first place during the 22nd Singapore Lion City International DanceSport Championships (Latin Asia Open Senior II) in Singapore. They were the only couple from the Philippines to win in the competition, considered to be one of DanceSport’s major events worldwide.

Mabuhay!

Greetings

Happy birthday to our celebrators today, champion golfer Cora Suntay and superb diva Verni Varga.

Advance birthday greetings to Crispina Martinez-Belen, Junjun Ablaza, Ramon Tomeldan and Raffy Zulueta, Oct. 24; 2008 PCS Best Dressed Women of the Philippines Style Icon Olga Severino-Martel, Oct. 25; Harry Limtong, Oct. 26; socialite Techie Velasquez, Oct. 27; CATS Motors president Felix Ang, Oct. 28; Presy Psinakis, Titang Montinola, Silverstar Communications’ Louie Kierulf, photographer Lorna Llanes and Jeanette Reyes, Oct. 29.

So, how was your week?

(For comments or inquiries, please e-mail me at jjlitton@indanet.com)