Find your perfect home

The country’s newest, high-quality online property destination Property24.com.ph was launched by top buy-and-sell website Sulit.com.ph in partnership with South Africa’s No. 1 property search platform, Property24.com at Chateau 1771 in Makati City.

Hosted by radio DJ Cerah Hernandez, the media launch featured an in-depth presentation on the global real estate industry by Property24 chief executive officer JP Farinha, who flew in from South Africa for the launch. Joining Farinha in welcoming the guests were Sulit.com.ph assistant vice president MeAnne Bundalian and Property24.com.ph country manager Steve Santos, who gave an overview of the local property market.

Focusing on providing a more intuitive and user-friendly experience differentiating it from other property portals, the new Property24.com.ph lists properties from leading estate agents around the country, offering potential buyers a wide range of properties for sale and for rent. It provides a wealth of useful property market information, tools and tips. High-quality photos also bring the online listings to life, and with a user-friendly map view, users can see the property’s proximity to their workplace, schools and public transport.

Leveraging off Property24.com’s acumen in the online property search sphere and combined with the skills of the motivated and hands-on Sulit.com.ph team, Property24.com.ph is set to take online property searching to new heights.

Contacting a real estate agent or arranging a viewing is also made simple. Potential buyers or renters can either contact the agent directly or request Property24.com.ph to send a message on their behalf to the agent who will then contact them.

With breakthrough features from the new Property24.com.ph, finding that dream home is just a few clicks away! Welcome the season of sun in style

Here comes the season of sun! One should not forget the season’s main staple — playful and fashionable eyewear.

In line with the season, Bally collaborated with international eyewear group TWC-L’Amy for its Spring 2014 Eyewear Collection. Divided into lines of Formal, Business, Casual and Sport, the collection captures the essence of the Swiss brand’s world-renowned craftsmanship, attention to detail and trademark design.

Over 160 years after Bally was founded in 1851 by Carl Franz Bally, leather remains its medium and inspiration — a fine natural material that serves both functionality and creativity.

In 1976, Bally extended its shoe collection to include handbags, leather accessories and outstanding ready-to-wear pieces.  Today, as part of the Labelux Group, Bally is one of the world’s most enduring and unique luxury shoe and leather brands.

Acetate and metal frames, crafted from the finest materials such as titanium and carbon fiber, have been precisely engineered to offer the most comfortable and elegant fit and are customized with high-quality polarized lenses.  They come in a range of colors including dark wood, flannel, toffee, racing red, tortoise shell and charcoal black. 

Men’s models range from contemporary thin, rectangular frames to more vintage shapes such as the aviator.  For select women’s styles, Bally’s expertise in leather craftsmanship is highlighted through the use of perforated leather on the temple  and oversized shapes including the square or rounded lens, butterfly frames  and the cat-eye.

(For more information, visit www.bally.com.) Toledo re-elected to MOPC board

Media bureau head of the companies under the MVP Group and SVP for corporate affairs at Philex Mining Corp. Michael Toledo signs his oath of office following his re-election in the Board of Governors (BoG) of the Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC), as Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno looks on. With them is GMA-7 and BoG member Butch Raquel (right).

“It is an honor to again be part of this prestigious organization, and I am looking forward to working with everybody at the MOPC,” said Toledo in a recent ceremony held at the SC Dignitaries Lounge.

A lawyer and former media personality, Toledo was first elected into the MOPC with a two-year term as BoG member in 2012. Under the helm of businessman and sports patron Manuel V. Pangilinan, the MVP Group also includes TV5 and the news portal InterAksyon.

Founded in 1945, the MOPC helps ensure that press freedom is observed in the Philippines, in accordance with the Bill of Rights.

A future master’s first solo show

During the recent preview of Art Fair Philippines 2014, one of the participating galleries prominently displayed a black and white painting of a shrouded figure. The said oil on canvas painting attracted numerous inquiries and even if it was already sold, people were offering the gallery almost four times the original price just to acquire the piece. Due to this, the gallery owner and the buyer of the painting both agreed to pull out the artwork and it did not even make it to public viewing of the Art Fair.

The painting was by Dino Gabito, who is one of the most sought-after young painters today. Born in 1989, Dino finished his Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Painting at the University of Santo Tomas. He is affiliated with One Hand Group and Creative Painter’s Group by Norris Castillo. He joined a group exhibit in 2011 followed by three in 2012. In 2013, he joined nine group exhibitions and this year, he is having his first solo exhibit. 

Called Shroud, his first solo gig is scheduled on March 15, the Ides of March.  His paintings and sketches will primarily focus on shrouded figures and flowing fabric, which have made him a favorite of both new and seasoned art collectors. The exhibit will be at The Metro Gallery and will be by invitation only. The exhibit will be open to the public from  March 16 to 29.

(The Metro Gallery is located at 455 P. Guevarra St., San Juan City.

For more information, call 0917-8115399 or e-mail [email protected].) Feast of Colours with Geoffrey Zakarian

It has been said that winning the cooking competition The Next Iron Chef is the probably the Holy Grail of the global culinary world. Unlike other competitions in which the contestants are home cooks looking for a career change or up- and-coming chefs looking to make it big, The Next Iron Chef’s contestants are already established names of the global culinary scene. They are already successful restaurateurs, celebrity chefs, successful culinary book authors; or a combination of two or three. These chefs are willing to risk their reputations, often more than once, because to be the next Iron Chef is the culinary world’s ultimate prize. The Next Iron Chef Season 4 winner chef Geoffrey Zakarian will give Filipinos a taste of heaven for one night only on March 20 through a dinner gala called, Feast of Colours.

Zakarian’s win was particularly impressive because the show’s fourth season was themed “Superchefs.” Every chef contestant was an executive chef at a famous, multi-awarded restaurant, most were hosts of their own cooking shows. Among those who fell by the wayside were chef Anne Burrell, host of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef; chef  Marcus Samuelsson, a judge in three Food Network cooking shows; and chef Alex Guarnaschelli, who went on to compete again and win the show’s fifth season. So small is the elite circle of chefs that can be tapped to compete on the show that contestants who didn’t win are welcome to try again in the next season. Zakarian joined only in the show’s fourth season and won on his first try.

He first appeared in the culinary scene at Le Cirque where in just a few years, he worked his way up from pastry sous chef to chef de cuisine. He then went on to become executive chef at the 21Club. A year later, he became the executive chef of 44 at the Royalton Hotel.  Finally, in 1995, he opened the Blue Door at the Delano Hotel in Miami. He opened his first restaurant Town in 2001, which was awarded Three Stars by The New York Times. His second restaurant was called Country that paired his passion for quality food and wine. Country was awarded a Michelin Star on its first year along with Three Stars from The New York Times. 

In the fall of 2010, Zakarian opened both The Lambs Club, featuring his signature modern American cuisine; and The National, an American bistro open day and night. Three years ago, Zakarian also opened a neighborhood gastro-café, House, rated as 2012’s Best Hotel Restaurant in Miami.

Zakarian is also an accomplished writer with his 2006 book Geoffrey Zakarian’s Town/Country, noted as one of the best cookbooks of the year. His second book will be published sometime this year.

On March 20, Zakarian prepares a spectacular, out of this world gastronomical experience with Manila’s most discriminating food lovers as guests. Food lovers will also get to sample dishes that Zakarian will prepare for them.

Making this night even more extraordinary, Zakarian will be serving up well-loved Filipino food, but with his own unmistakable touch. The menu will include pork adobo, crab cakes as well as maja blanca. This will be the first time the food we know and love will ever be elevated to such global gustatory greatness.    

As befits this once in a lifetime event, the night’s entertainment will be first rate as well; diners will be treated to a selection of Broadway songs to be performed by Robert Seña and Isay Alvarez, accompanied by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. The proceeds will be for the benefit of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation.         

(Feast of Colours dinner gala tickets are now available online. You may purchase tickets at www.ticketnet.com.ph or at any Ticketnet outlet. For inquiries, call 911-5555.)