A restaurant to Thai for!

A new restaurant has been making Thai food lovers get their authentic Siamese food fix at Thai at Silk in Serendra Promenade in Fort Bonifacio. People who have tried the food there keep coming back for more!

During the grand opening, Thai at Silk owner and chef Cecille Ysmael, along with husband Louie, hosted cocktails for guests who all came to support the couple’s newest offering. Thai at Silk partners Ching Cruz, interior designers Ivy and Cynthia Almario (who are responsible for the contemporary interiors), Tanya Chua and Agnes Huibonhua were there to make sure guests had a great time. Dunhill was also a sponsor for the event giving out free cigarettes to guests, including their three new menthol blends.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago in this column, what makes Cecille’s food great is her uncompromising attitude with her Thai cooking. She only uses authentic Thai ingredients, some of which she even grows at home (such as her betel leaves and kaffir lime) to get the flavors right. She has in fact just come back from Thailand to get more ingredients for the restaurant. She has had several months of extensive training in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai to acquire such skill.

The ceramic bar and al fresco area are two spots in the restaurant where guests can enjoy Thai at Silk’s relaxing ambience and music while sipping a glass of wine.

Thai at Silk is located at the ground floor of Serendra Piazza, 26th St., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

(For reservations, please call 856-0386 to 87.)

Dancing in Ilocos

It was the sixth anniversary of Museo Ilocos Norte and, like every year, it coincided with the Governor’s benefit dinner-dance held at the Grand Ballroom of Fort Ilocandia.

Formally attired men and ladies who came in their brightly colored inabel gowns were welcomed at the door by the Friends of the Museum. Gov. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. gave his welcome remarks with warm greetings and expressed gratitude for the generosity of the benefactors of the museum. Although he will no longer be the governor at the next benefit dinner-dance, he looks forward to be among the audience mingling with the guests and enjoying the entertainment.

Marcos awarded two Ilocanos with the Gameng Lifetime Achievement Award for their exemplary dedication in preserving and enriching the Ilocano cultural heritage. The two awardees were Heyasmin Aida Acang Fernandez for her outstanding contributions in the preservation of loom weaving which defines the identity of the Ilocanos and Ernesto Ocampo Olarte for his exceptional contribution in the field of music, translating the daily lives and aspirations of the Ilocanos into folk songs.

With Olarte’s song and guitar accompaniment, Marcos and his lovely wife, lawyer Louise Araneta Marcos, led the first dance.

Benefactors for the event were Fort Ilocandia, Venvi Development Corp., Currimao Green NIPA Resort Corp., PAGCOR, LifestyleAsia, Plaza Maestro, Tropical Villas Subdivision, Jonathan Gan, Gov. & Mrs. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Hon. Mariano Marcos II, Irene Marcos-Araneta, Friends of the Museum and former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

Life’s a fiesta

Consolidated Distillers of the Far East, Inc. unveiled the newest additions to its range with two festive launches. Filipinos got a taste of the best of Jerez de la Frontera in the South of Spain, the home of flamenco and fine brandy with the launch of Amoroso Brandy. Gracing the event were chairman of Grupo Estevez, the makers of Amoroso Brandy, Jose Ramon Estevez and export director Miguel Montero, who both flew in from Spain. Guests were treated to a buffet dinner of delicious Spanish fare created by Gene Gonzalez at the Café Ysabel in San Juan. Guests were entertained and impressed by Filipino dancers performing the flamenco.

Boone’s Fiesta was introduced as the newest member of the Boone’s family of fruity wines from sunny California. The Robinsons Galleria Supermarket wine section had a fiesta-like atmosphere as it launched Boone’s Fiesta Sparkling Wine in peach and strawberry flavors. A capoiera performance, delectable creations from Gene Gonzales and free-flowing glasses of the fruity sparkling wine were enjoyed by guests like senior VP and group GM of the Robinsons Retail Group Robina Gokongwei-Pe, VP of sales for Consolidated Distillers Gerry Francia, Robinsons Supermarket GM Jody Gadia, senior VP of Consolidated Distillers Winston Co and VP for merchandising for Robinsons Roena Sarte. Boone’s Fiesta is a steal being the only sparkling wine priced below P200 and is exclusively available in Robinsons Supermarkets.

A showcase of art and technology

BTicino has recently launched its showroom, Galleria BTicino, located along Don Chino Roces Extension, Makati City. The event was attended by guests from the construction and electrical industry.

BTicino is the world’s specialist in products and systems for electrical installations and information networks. The brand name exists in more than 60 countries around the world and has been part of the Legrand Group since 1989.

In the Philippines, its products are popular for their functional and decorative elements and offer more than 53 colors and finishes of cover plates, such as those for light switches.

Galleria BTicino is open from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and also on Saturdays by appointment. Please call 892-8972.

(E-mail me at [email protected])