All about freshness

It was a different one-time musical that a meat company recently staged to highlight safety and freshness of its products — to the delight of its guests. It was entitled “Know Your Meat.”

San Miguel Purefoods Co. Inc. president Francisco “Butch” Alejo III with San Miguel Foods Inc. president Tatish Palabyab and GM Dr. Leo Obviar launched “Know Your Meat,” an advocacy of Monterey, a leader in branded fresh meats. This advocacy is in support of the current campaign “Chilled is Fresh...Chilled is Safe” of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) under the Department of Agriculture.

Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Dave Catabagan and NMIS director lawyer Jane Bacayo were at the launch. Guests enjoyed a dinner prepared by Glenda Barretto and her Via Mare staff.

Jose Bengzon III entertained guests with Michael Bublé classics. San Miguel Purefoods chefs Maricel Manalo and John Chua were seen busy milling around the buffet feast. Magnolia Chicken’s Camille Juan and Monterey’s Anna Nery and Joal Arellano made sure guests were well attended to.

In keeping with the theme of “Know Your Meat,” table centerpieces at the event had figurines of cows pasturing in a farm, pigs and piglets feeding in a squeaky clean pen and hens laying eggs in a barn. All these figurines came complete with mood lighting and sounds.

Welcoming the New Year in style

Luxury home store W/17 was the perfect venue to bring in luck and prosperity for the New Year. Guests gathered together to usher in an exciting 2012…and to shop for beautiful items in this amazing store!

Owner and interior stylist Andy Vázquez-Prada and his business partner, social entrepreneur Kaye Tinga, hosted the New Year get-together that welcomed guests who hoped luck to be on their side this Year of the Dragon.

With its “bespoke approach to home,” the store inspires customers to achieve individuality for their homes by letting them customize the pieces that they want. Bring beauty into your home this 2012 by visiting W/17.      

 (W/17 is located at 2241 La Fuerza Compound along Chino Roces (formerly Pasong Tamo) in Makati City.)

Art auction for a cause

To champion the Filipino artist and raise funds for its Philippine Fellowship Program, the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Philippines will hold its annual Art Auction at the Finale Art File, La Fuerza Compound, 2214 Chino Roces (former Pasong Tamo), Makati City on Feb. 4. Previews will begin on Feb. 2.

The ACC Philippines was established in 2000. Together with ACC New York Foundation, it has been providing grants to over 60 Filipino artists in various disciplines. In 2010 and 2011, grants were given to nine Filipino artists in the field of visual arts, museology, enthomusicology, theater and music.

Some of the most distinguished visual artists and ACC grantees have also pledged participation in the event. This year’s auction features the artworks of Filipino masters and top contemporary artists courtesy of ACC gallery partners such as Artis Corpus Art Gallery, Art Verite, Big Gallery, Boston Gallery, Crucible Gallery, Finale Art File, Galleria Duemila, Galerie Joaquin, Kingkong Art Projects Unlimited, Liongoren Gallery, Mag:Net Gallery, Manila Contemporary, Pinto Gallery, Silverlens Gallery, Sining Kamalig, The Drawing Room Gallery and Tin-Aw Gallery.

 The photos of the artworks on this page will be included in the auction. The complete list with prices and specs will be shown online tomorrow at www.asianculturalcouncil.org.