Freeway presents 'Jose Garcia Villa'

Last year, Freeway successfully paid tribute to two National Artists by featuring the works of Nick Joaquin and the paintings and sketches of Ang Kiukok through its limited edition fashion collection.

Recently, Freeway has once again paid homage to another National Artist for Literature — Jose Garcia Villa. The much awaited third part of the series features the literary works of Villa, known for his “comma poems” and his collection of short stories. In 2008, well known publisher Penguin Classics launched Doveglion (short for Dove, Eagle and Lion, which Villa used as a pen name for himself) as a centennial edition of his collected poetry including rare and previously unpublished material. Villa was considered as a powerful literary influence in the Philippines throughout much of the 20th century, although he had lived most of his life in the United States; thus earning the name “Pope of the Greenwich Villages.”

Luis Francia wrote in Asiaweek magazine: “In a world of English language poetry dominated by the British and Americans, Villa stood out for the ascetic brilliance of his poetry and for his national origin.” Villa received the American Academy of Arts and Letter’s Poetry Award, the Shelley Memorial Award, the Guggenheim, Bollingen, and Rockefeller fellowships for poetry. In the Philippines, he received honorable in the Commonwealth Literary Awards, 1940; first prize, UP Golden Jubilee Literary Contest, 1958; an honorary doctorate of literature, Far Eastern University, 1959; Rizal Pro Patria Award, 1961; Republic Cultural Heritage Award for poetry and short story, 1962; and an honorary doctorate in literary from the University of the Philippines, 1973. On June 12, 1973, he was named National Artist in Literature.

Freeway features some of Villa’s works as interpreted in the collection, which includes graphic tees, leggings, outerwear, woven tops, woven dresses, tote bags and clutches. The merchandise has combined high-technology printing and colorfully creative graphic works and layout to achieve the wonderful pieces that represent the series. The Villa National Artist Series will carry some of Villa’s poems in Pilipino as well as some of his own hand-drawn sketches. All items will have their own gift packaging, a swing tag of Villa’s bio and a Jose Garcia Villa authenticity stamp printed on the merchandise.

(To view the entire collection, visit www.freeway.net.ph. Plus get fresher updates at the brand’s Facebook Fan Page, search for “Freeway Online”, or follow http://twitter.com/FreewayOnline.)

Of wines and spirits

It was one glorious night of wines when Mandarin Oriental, Manila presented “Wines and Spirits 2010” that took guests on a hedonistic journey throughout the culinary capitals of the world, courtesy of the country’s top wine dealers. The event was a night for oenophiles who didn’t only enjoy the drinks but also the international cocktail buffet prepared by Mandarin Oriental’s executive chef Rene Ottlik and his team.

It was the third time the hotel staged this grand fete of wine and fine food, together with the support of 12 of the top wine dealers in the country, namely Moet-Hennesy/ Ram’s House of Wine, Wine Depot, Barcino’s, Manny O, Sommelier Selection, Straits Wine Company, Titania Wine Cellar, Bestworld Beverage Brands, Future Trade International, Le Cellier, Philippine Wine Merchants and Brumms.

Mandarin Oriental, Manila’s GM Mark Bradford and executive assistant manager for food and beverage Oliver Kreuzer were on hand to welcome guests to a ballroom punctuated with vineyard scenery and the music of the David Starck Quartet. There were different wine dealers pouring glasses of their wines for guests to sample. Mandarin’s wine expert Mirko de Giorgi was a busy man that night along with Moet-Hennesy’s Olga Azarcon and Randy Uson; Wine Depot’s Brett and Hazel Tolhurst and Vic Gelano; Philippine Wine Merchant’s Raymond Joseph; Bestworld Beverage Brands’ Edna Diaz; Barcino’s Uri Singla and Rafael Rostoll; Brumms’ Marina Schroeder; Future Trade’s James Du Vivier; Sommelier Selection’s Jerome Philippon; Le Cellier’s Bernard Flour; Straits Wine Company’s Rachel Martelino; Manny O’s Yes Dumagan; and Titania Wine Company’s Jose Meneses.  

Other wine enthusiasts spotted included blogger Chinkee Clemente-Koppe and husband Matt, Tony Alleje of Rizal Dairy Farm, International Wine and Food Society’s Freddie Pio de Roda, Jardine’s Guenter Taus, Paco Sandejas, The Picture Company’s Javi Berenguer-Testa, crooner Ariel Rivera, Kipling’s Barbara Cumagun, Butch Lagdameo, Thai Airways’ Nivat Chantarachoti, Enderun College’s Thomas Wenger, Annette Ablan, David Lim, Marivic Vazquez, Jose Mari Trenas, and food writers Mario Villamor and Troy Barrios.

Vice Ink and the Untouchable Tuesdays

Manila’s hip crowd got a taste of old-school rock and roll when they trooped to Capone’s Bistro for the launch of Vice Coffee & Ink, the city’s latest trendy tattoo parlor and coffee shop. Rauol Olbes and David Rapaport envision their latest endeavor to bring the world of tattoos and body art into a comfortable, safe and fun setting. This is their vision coming to life. You can come and have a latte or cappuccino from their menu while arranging to get a tattoo. And just to give the guests a taste of things to come, they had a live tattoo demo during the party.

Rocking the house that night was Capone’s very own house band, Velcro; and newly reunited rockers The Breed, composed of Charlie Ysmael, Manny Amador and Johnny Besa. Both bands had everyone singing and dancing. Joining the festivities were birthday celebrators Lala Gamboa-Lejeune and Brian Quebengco.

Helping make the night special were Bacardi, which kept the drinks flowing, and Paez Philippines. Bacardi Cocktails are reasonably priced on Capone’s Untouchable Tuesdays.

(Capone’s Bistro is located at the 2nd Flr., A. Venue Mall, Makati Ave., Makati City. For more information on Vice Coffee & Ink, please call 0917-8448423 or 964-1250.)