Entertaining with the Panlilios

There are just some families that have “game” when it comes to throwing a party. Such are the Panlilios. Famed for being purveyors of some of the best jewelry in the country, they now also have an original and down-to-earth standard of hosting.

Trish Panlilio has always been known to throw the most memorable parties filled with home-cooked feasts, seasonal cocktails and of course unique desserts mostly done by pastry artist Marta Matute.

Party planning has always been a specialty of Trish. People call her for suggestions, and she gives amazingly unique advice.

Of all people, Trish knows that all parties start with an invitation and end with a “thank you” note. It’s a signature of Trish as a hostess.

A few years back, Trish decided to take her endearing homemade cards to another level and launched Papillo. Like her down-to-earth approach to entertaining, her cards carry the same charming vibe. There are neatly elegant designs that set the mood for any festive event and for those who are young or young at heart there are whimsical and lighthearted designs that are sure to add cheer to any occasion.

Trish is one of the rare people who still sends hand-written “thank you” cards and never misses a special occasion by sending her friends and family lavish balloon bouquets. Her stationery or invitation sets are placed in boxes so extravagantly beautiful, you may think twice before opening them. All these little details show the warmth that Papillo possesses.

Urban feasters: Deanne and Alain Panlilio don’t just make hearty meals, they also cook food with soul.

“Papillo is basically a reflection of my own personality,” she says. “The name came to me because it sounds somewhat like my father and mother’s last name. That alone motivates me more in making it successful, filled with passion and dedication. It is my tribute to them as I love them so.”

Aside from cards and notepads, Papillo also carries balloon arrangements (which in itself is an amazing gift), personalized wrapping paper and the ever-popular personalized gift ribbons. Christmas, though, is when Trish’s designs truly shine. “My loved ones and I live in a home, not just a house, it’s warm and welcoming and it reflects our personal taste. Being traditional is about you choosing holiday motifs that you are comfortable with, but also being unique at the same time. Choose something you respond to and don’t just be a clone of someone else or vie for whatever is current or trendy. They should express your sense of individuality,” Trish concludes.

Papillo Fine Stationers can be contacted through the numbers 0928-3652428, 0918-9369854 and 810-5295. Ask for Emmylou or Daisy. They also have a Facebook page called Papillo Fine Stationers and you can receive updates from through Twitter@Papillo_statio.

Soul Food For Christmas

Yes, it’s time to make like Santa and pull up those drawstring pants. Christmas season has never been a friend to the skinny b*tch, so it’s time for all to surrender. However, if you are to surrender to the charms of holiday feasting you might as well have food that will create memories.

Urban Feast, the aptly named catering service of Alain Panlilio and Deanne Panlilio Montoya, bring their food made from secret home recipes to yours. “Unlike other caterers and food delivery companies, our food is honest and real. It’s the kind of food that your lola would prepare for Sunday lunch.  We don’t scrimp on ingredients. The food on our delivery menu (comes from) recipes that have been handed down over generations. It’s food we serve to loved ones for special occasions. I guess you could say that it’s really from the heart, from our table to yours,” shares Alain Panlilio.

Papillo love: Trish’s stationery and invitation sets are placed in boxes so extravagantly beautiful, you may think twice before opening them. All these little details show the warmth that Papillo possesses. “Papillo is basically a reflection of my own personality,” Trish says.

The fab home-cooked dining trend is now reaching our shores in a major way. Park Avenue dinners now serve turkey instead of snipe, creamy dips instead of high-concept canapés that look like they belong in a Petri dish. It’s down to earth, but not at all ghetto.

“We extend the love and care that we give to preparing our food, all the way to our catering. It’s all about personalized service,” Alain shares, “In fact, we don’t even accept events that are too big, since it would be more difficult to stay true to our philosophy.”

As with all premium caterers, a true love for food is key in beginning such a service. Everything else comes from empirical experience. The duo loved entertaining. Their parties were the ones their friends looked forward to. Dreaming of that perfect brisket, paella or turkey dish was what they thought of instead of being soaked in wine and gin. For a Panlilio party, the food was always the star.

Soon the household cooks could not keep up with the orders and Deanne and Alain decided to step up and created Urban Feast to the delight of their fans. Their cult followers soon spread the word on the homegrown deliciousness of the Urban Feast menu. “I guess we’ve been steadily growing from then. That was a little over three years ago. We started with just the food delivery. Now, we do full-service catering aside from the food delivery. We don’t really advertise or do any marketing. I guess we’ve grown mainly from word of mouth,” Alain shares.

For the holidays, The Urban Feasters keep it real by keeping an eye on who they’re serving. “When entertaining, you have to first and foremost consider your guests. Depending on who will be coming to your party, that’s how you develop your theme. For instance, you won’t do a tapas and sangria party if your guests are vegetarians who don’t drink,” Alain notes. “You always start with a theme; once you have that then everything else will follow your menu, your decor, the plates and utensils that you will use.”

A maxim of Urban Feast is: “Focus on the food.”

“Sometimes, we get so caught up with the frills like the decor and mood that we forget about the most important factor, which is the food,” he says, “Simple, straightforward and real. It’s honest and hearty and comforting. Nothing too fancy or intimidating, but at the same time, it’s unique and special, not what you would find in any commercial establishment.”

Alain parts with these wise words: “They say you are what you eat. I guess our slant on that would be ‘You are what you serve.’”

* * *

For inquiries call 710-7563 or 0920-9520300.