Newsmakers

Dinner by the dancing fountain

THE PEPPER MILL - Pepper Teehankee - The Philippine Star

May 28, 2019 | 12:00am

Okada senior manager for F&B Damien Planchenault and Vintage Wine Company’s Daniel Blais.

I recently discovered Villa Maria, a very good and reasonably priced wine, at a wine-pairing dinner held by Okada Manila’s famous fountain. Its name may sound Spanish but this excellent wine comes from New Zealand, imported by Wine Depot for the Philippine market.

Guests were welcomed at the wine-pairing dinner by Wine Depot’s Brett and Hazel Tolhurst and Vintage Wine Company’s Daniel Blais. Villa Maria Winery’s Michelle Lam flew to Manila for the special dinner to discuss about the wine and its history.

The Okada Fountain light-and-sound show.

Okada senior manager for F&B Damien Planchenault said it was the first time an event was held outside Okada’s restaurants. Dinner at the private space by the fountain was by La Piazza Ristorante Italiano. Guests wined and dined while listening to a band and watching the hourly fountain light-and-sound shows.

The sumptuous buffet included Italian antipasti, cold mussels and prawns, roast chicken, roast beef, baked salmon, risotto and those wonderful, thin-crusted pizzas from La Piazza.

Roast chicken.

In 1961, a 21-year-old George Fistonich leased five acres of land from his father in Mangere, Auckland and started with just an acre of vines. Fistonich produced his first vintage and made his first wine under the name Villa Maria in 1962. He also made dry red and white wines, sourcing grapes from the greater Auckland regions. Today, Villa Maria grows 28 different grape varieties and exports wine to over 60 countries worldwide.

It was a great wine-pairing evening amidst the backdrop of a beautiful fountain light-and-sound show at Okada Manila.

(For more information, visit www.winedepot.com.ph.)

‘Festival of Possibilities’

Filinvest Alabang Inc. project development assistant manager Bryan Bautista, project development officer Tracey San Pablo and project development assistant manager Mark Castaño.

There are endless possibilities down Metro South as Filinvest City recently hosted its second “Festival of Possibilities,” a rocking fair aimed at bringing the community together through music and play.

Held at the Filinvest City Events Grounds to highlight the summer season in the Metro South, the festival gathered about 11,000 attendees. Guests enjoyed music from the country’s hottest bands like Itchyworms, Rivermaya, Spongecola, I Belong To The Zoo and This Band.

Itchyworms.

Fun attractions and activities like stilt walkers, arcade booths, board games and a food bazaar were also a hit.

Filinvest Alabang Inc. vice president for townships Don Ubaldo said, “We’re extremely pleased that the Festival of Possibilities 2019 was another huge success. Here at Filinvest City, we believe in creating a community that’s conducive for work and productivity as well as fun and leisure. As such, we expect to mount more fun events like these in the near future.”