Flying high with Thai

Spirits were high as Thai Airways International, on its 48th anniversary, hosted an appreciation party for its top corporate clients, travel agents, frequent flyers and members of the press at Members Only at The Fort in Taguig City.

Thai Airways started its operation from Bangkok to Manila in 1962, two years after its inauguration. The airline, a member of the Star Alliance program, now flies around Asia, the US, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and South Africa.

Thai Airways GM in the Philippines Nivat Chantarachoti attributed the sustained success of the company to the agencies, media personnel and the corporate staff. He added that the progressive visibility of Thai Airways in the Philippines allowed it to achieve its sales target for the summer of 2008.

Guests were entertained by The Angelos. Raffle prizes included dining vouchers, hotel accommodations in Thailand and plane tickets from Thai Airways. The evening went on smooth as silk with its renowned sponsors — Tourism Authority of Thailand, Dusit Thani Hotel Manila, Dusit International Hotels and Resorts, Ralph’s Wines and Spirits and Haagen-Dazs ice cream.

(Check out www.thaiairways.com)

Spanish history on the dining table

It was a night of historical culinary delights when Camara Official Española de Comercio, Industria y Navegacion en Filipinas (La Camara) and Spain’s Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce jointly hosted Sabores Historicos de Castilla La Mancha. Juan Carlos de Terry of Terry’s Selection prepared a special menu tracing the history of Spanish cuisine dating back to the time of the ancient Phoenicians (2050 BC) to the Cervantine era in Spain (1616 AD). De Terry showed to the crowd how present-day Spanish cuisine evolved, chronicling the journey of exotic spices, from their historical origins to the dinner tables of the present day.

This culinary dinner was the culmination of La Ruta Gastronomica (The Gastronomic Route), La Camara’s series of dinner events featuring Spanish specialties from the country’s different regions. These dinners served as venues for networking among its members and potential business partners and highlighted the chamber’s role in promoting Spanish companies’ products and services to the Philippine market.

Drinks for the evening consisted of overflowing Spanish wines from Barcino Gourmet and Cava from Terry’s Selection. The evening’s highlight was La Camara’s donation to Les Toques Blanches Philippines, to help finance the association’s ongoing training courses for aspiring chefs. This was presented by La Camara treasurer Jose Primo Santos Jr. and GM Emmanuel Lopez Gamboa to J. Gamboa of Cirkulo, who is also director of this national chef’s association.

Of course there were raffle prizes such as a weekend holiday at a Fuego Hotel won by Chi Lansang and gift baskets with Spanish food items, won by Helen del Rosario, Katherine Yao Santos and Gabriel Gamboa. The event was made possible by Amoroso Solera.