Three ladies and a bazaar

Three women with fulfilled lives, happy with their respective families, accomplished in their professions/businesses, decided last year that their long-lasting friendship should be used to help those who are struggling and wanting some improvement in their lives. Thus, Four Season’s Creative Ventures was born, one of whose events is a regular bazaar at the Bellevue Hotel on the North Bridgeway, Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

These three women are Girlie, a retired corporate executive, Ime, a successful entrepreneur and Debbie, the matriarch of Bellevue. They aim to re-invent the bazaar shopping experience in a venue that is not exposed to sun and rain, and scheduled at regular intervals so shoppers can set their schedules. Likewise, they want to give vendors a regular venue for their products. Girlie is in charge of project management and marketing, Ime does the sourcing and Debbie provides the logistics. The over-all plan is, at the end of the year, they’d be able to donate part of the proceeds to COPA at St. James, the Parish in Tahanan and the Chan Foundation for their respective charities. Among the Foundation beneficiaries is the School for the Deaf and Blind in Cavite.

For Creative Ventures’ late July event, they had 70 participating vendors set up in the three areas of the Bellevue ballroom. Of course we zeroed in on the food section where we found some of the tiangge regulars. Mac Deli was there with old and new favorites – smoked bacon at P180 half a kilo, maple-flavored at P90 for 250 gms, American ham at P80 for half a kilo, different types of sausages – schublig, vealwurst, cervelat, Italian – plus local longganiza (Lukban). Yan Ching sells Chinese fresh lumpia at P50 per, and siomai at P25 for three pieces.

There’s Gustazo with their bottled Gourmet Tuyo. Misispi is a new entrant, the Pi representing the last name of seller, Peña. She personally bakes the crunchy oatmeal cookies and puts them in attractive boxes and wine bags. The hotel has its own place where sandwiches and cooked food are available. The pancit is particularly good.

Among the non-food products are Ime’s buntal bag collection. One of them is a three-in-one piece, a bag with handle which converts into a necklace and a clutch. They come in vivid reds, blues and blacks. The Magsajos have imported Vietnamese items, done in lacquerware. Rather pricey, but pretty – bowls, trays etc. Creatively designed ceramics, oil burners and coils are available between P400 and P420 per. Watch out for announcements about the next bazaar.

Buffet lunch at Bellevue’s Café d’Asie is almost legendary, and in the South, if one wants a real feast, he or she goes there. With a massive collection of dishes spread on the walk-about table and elsewhere, one would hardly have time to choose. That day, we met Chef Nick Robertson who elaborated on the day’s theme, barbecue. Guests choose from the main elements – seafood, meat, chicken – then the chefs will cook it per the wish of the diner. Different sauces are offered. The main attraction was roast cow’s leg, massive but so appetizing. For dessert, we opted for the bread pudding with vanilla cream, plus cherries for added topping.

Supermarkets, now very market-driven, normally give away beautiful brochures or magazine-type flyers. From Babee of South Supermarket, we got copies of the May, June and July issues of Quick Fix Magazine. Leafing through the pages, we found the recipes very easy to follow, explaining the publication’s name, Quick Fix. The next time you are there, ask for your copies. It is always good to try new recipes and discover new tastes, quickly.

E-mail comments and questions to: [email protected]