Vask opens its doors

 Vask Manila has fully opened its doors following its soft launch in the middle of this year. The restaurant has become a favorite of many for its innovative Spanish cuisine as well as classic favorites by chef J. Luis Gonzalez.

The restaurant also unveiled its four different “settings” — Vask Dining Room, Deck, Curve and Vask Gallery. Its casual dining experience is featured through tapas at the Vask Dining Room. It is a setting where modern and traditional menu choices of Spanish dishes are offered. It is open from Monday to Saturday for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with dinner sittings between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

The restaurant also has a viewing deck and lounge aptly called the Deck, where the menu from the main dining area is also served. A selection of tapas and pintxos can be enjoyed at the Deck with the restaurant’s signature cocktails. The Deck is open from Monday to Saturday, 6 p.m. onwards. It features cultured musical ambiance from resident DJs.

Good food and good art meet at the restaurant’s newly opened lounge called Curve. The pieces of art displayed in this area are in constant evolution as handpicked by architect Carlo Calma. Industrial light fixtures by Lilianna Manahan, unique chairs decorated by various designers and artistic friends, as well as acrylic tables filled with teddy bears are just a few of the visual fanfare at Curve. The lounge boasts of a classic menu that features premium items such as caviar, lobsters, oysters, pigeon and duck dishes, which can be accompanied by champagne or champagne cocktails. Curve opens at 6:30 p.m.

Vask Gallery, on the other hand, is the exclusive fine dining area that features chef J. Luis Gonzalez’s creative conceptual cuisine. This special room can only fit 20 persons. Guests are expected to seat themselves between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to fully enjoy the 14-course degustation menu.

Guests enjoyed sumptuous food during the restaurant’s grand launch. There was also a photography exhibit by artist Jay Yao at Curve and a demonstration of molecular cuisine at Vask Gallery. Wines and champagnes were provided by Moët et Chandon, Premium Wine Exchange, Classic Fine Food, The Wine Club, Werdenberg, Artisan, Barcino Corp., Bodegas Hidalgo, The Straits Wine, Wine Depot, Belvedere, Johnnie Walker, Ketel One, Singleton, Sommelier Selection, Alternatives and ESV.

(Vask is located at 5/F Clipp Center, 11th Ave. cor. 39th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

For reservations, call (02) 217-6563 or e-mail [email protected].)

Of talent & beauty

Expect a better and bigger Little Miss Solane 2014 as the country’s top LPG solutions provider Solane teams up with the organizers of Mrs. Philippines-Globe to search for the most adorable and talented Filipino “Cuties” aged six to 10 years old and “Teenies” between 11 and 14 years old.

The renewal of partnership was led by Isla LPG Corp. chief operating officer Ramon Del Rosario and Mrs. Philippines-Globe national pageant director Morena Carla Cabrera-Quimpo.

Del Rosario said, “It is only fitting that we entrust the second year of Little Miss Solane to the Mrs. Philippines-Globe organization after the success of this year’s pageant. We are confident the 2014 Little Miss Solane will be bigger as Solane becomes instrumental in discovering talented kids and further nurturing their talents.” 

Cabrera-Quimpo added, “Mrs. Philippines-Globe has always been on the lookout for women of substance. It is a great honor to be at the helm of Little Miss Solane, which we consider the younger counterpart of our national pageant.”

On its second year, Little Miss Solane will thoroughly search the country by holding screenings and regional pageant competitions in key cities and provinces. Out of all the applicants, 12 finalists per category will be chosen to represent their region in the national pageant night.

Interested parties may download application forms at www.mrsphilippinesglobe.com. Deadline for submission of entries is on Feb. 15, 2014.

(For more information, visit facebook.com/littlemisssolane or e-mail [email protected].) The beauty of colors

Professional Artist Cosmetics (PAC) Philippines announced the final three winners of its 2013 Contemporary Makeup Competition — Aryan Ang, Jefferson De Guzman and Veronica Maclang-Pena. They were part of Team PAC Philippines that represented the country in the International Makeup Competition in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The final competition, held at the Atrium of SM North EDSA, featured a live makeup show where the top five finalists were given 10 minutes to complete their avant-garde makeup in front of a panel of judges, executives from Martha Tilaar Indonesia and the media. In creating their masterpieces, the finalists had to use PAC products particularly the newly launched Liquid Eyeliner Color, Eyeshadow Pencil Duo and PAC’s Professional Face Painting products.

Immediately after the 10-minute mark, the models, who all wore Francis Libiran gowns, walked the runway and brandished their looks. The difficulty of deciding the final winners went to a group of technical makeup artists and beauty experts that included PAC Martha Tilaar International makeup artist Teddy Lim, makeup artists Jen Delica and Angelo Justin, Abbygale Arenas-de Leon and Miriam Quiambao.

The three winners received an all-expense-paid trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, P25,000-worth of PAC products and an intensive pre-competition training with professionals from PAC Philippines and PAC Martha Tilaar Indonesia.