Looking Beyond The Surface

My twin sister, her six-year-old daughter and I teamed up to make this gooey, haphazard, messy but oh-so-good chocolate cake.



You'll see my niece's hand in the background ... she painted her fingernails gold.

There's nothing more heartwarming than creating by hand ... with people you love. It could be anything from art to food to décor. Then enjoying it together after. Sometimes, these simple acts of domesticity, beat the fanciest dinners in high brow restaurants.

Chef = Rock Star

Last night I went to a four-course dinner by renowned Michelin-star chef Alain Ducasse. So that was officially my second Alain Ducasse experience. I wrote about my first one here.

His objective is to share French culinary expertise in the world, and created Alain Ducasse Formation ... a Paris-based cooking school. Recently, his team partnered with Enderun Culinary Center in Manila. I took a short pastry course at Enderun last January, where I learned to create desserts such as King Louis XV ... invented by Alain Ducasse.

Last night's dinner theme was "A Tribute To Nature ... A reflection of Alain Ducasse's culinary philosophy, the dinner puts great emphasis on the authenticity and quality of the produce, as it pays tribute to nature."



In Photo: French culinary star Alain Ducasse, standing at left in tan jacket

It took a year for the Enderun team to convince him to come to Manila. At the beginning, it was supposed to be a dinner for eight. But the event morphed to a dinner for 160. Guests did everything to force their way into getting a ticket. My sister and I confiscated our parents' tickets ... so that's how we got in. We had so much fun ... bumping into all the other foodies ... enjoying a lovely meal with great wine and even better conversation.

Our menu began with Wild Salmon À la Nage with Green Olive Oil Dressing, followed by Spiny Lobster in Coco Bean Purée and Chutney, then Rack of Lamb with Simmered Vegetables and Black Truffles, ending with a Crusty Praline Bar Covered with Ganache. The courses were paired with champagne, two kinds of red wine and dessert wine ... in that order.

I had my photo taken with Ducasse and was so giddy that I felt like I was standing beside a rock star. However ... these days, chefs do have rock star status. Or better put ... chefs are the new rock stars.

Back To Where I Began

I just got back from Hongkong.

When I was a child, I saw Hongkong as one big playground and amusement park. My family went to Ocean Park countless times. I spent hours in toy stores, with a large pushcart ... and I saw my Dad as someone better than Santa Claus, because he didn't wait until December to gift me with dream toys. I recall walking in very crowded, busy streets ... afraid of losing my parents. I got into equestrian sports, and ordered my horse saddle, riding boots, riding crop, cravat, and other accessories from a specialist in Hongkong ... whose atelier seemed like a mere hole-in-the-wall.

Then for almost two decades ... I discovered fashion and went wild in Joyce, Lane Crawford and Harvey Nichols. I was giddy each day, with the high one gets from the hunt and acquisition of goods. I experienced Hongkong as a party venue ... where I attended fashion shows, visited new bars and restaurants, went on press junkets and product launches. My 30th birthday party was in the newly-opened Amber. I discovered the Spa at the Four Seasons and alternated massages with shopping trips at IFC Mall. I grabbed a Luxe Hongkong Guide and went to every venue recommended.

Now that I'm a new mother ... this recent Hongkong trip was like time travel. I was a child once again ... going to Hongkong Disneyland instead of Pacific Place; experiencing cutural venues and events instead of sleeping in a spa.



The façade of It's A Small World in Hongkong Disneyland.



Large figurines in the History of Hongkong Museum.



A dragon dance for the Chinese New Year festival.

Giuliano is only six-months-old, so he won't remember any of this. But during the first year of a child's life, 70% of his brain is developed. Each time he sees a new object, smells a new fragrance, tastes a new flavor, hears a new sound and touches a new texture ... a part of his brain is mapped out. So instead of shopping away to my heart's content as I used to, I spent my time showing him anything and everything we don't have in my hometown ... even if it was a simple stroll through the Great Food Hall of Seibu.

So although I did not panic buy whatever was left of Alexander Mc Queen's final collection ... something I would have done in my 20's ... I returned from this trip feeling just as satisfied.

My New Toy

Got this over the weekend and am playing with it (instead of reading the brochure) to get acquainted.

Love Is ...

I was matron-of-honor at my cousin's wedding tonight, and made a speech that stressed on love and family ... which for me are the only two things that matter in this world.

Being Valentine's Day too, I thought of a game where blank notecards are left on the guests' tables, with a header "Love is ... " encouraging guests to write down their own definitions of love. The best responses received prizes.

But the best Valentine's message I received was from my very own Michel, who wrote:

Ma princesse
Dès le première fois que je t'ai vu, j'ai succombé à ta beauté!
Tes yeux m'ont envoutés alors que ton regard m'a hypnotisé
tant et si bien que je te vois jusque dans mon bol de café au lait. Je rêve du jour où nous nous réveillerons l'un près de l'autre.
Ce n'est qu'à ce moment que le bonheur entrera dans ma vie
Je ne peux plus vivre sans toi.
GOOD FAIR OF ST VALENTIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
your love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received a huge arrangement of yellow roses from my Dad. He's never skipped a year.

Too Bad I'm No Longer Single

Last Thursday I dropped by the launch of a new collection of rings. They are meant to be his and hers wedding rings, but the designer encouraged us to just consider them as rings that one can buy for oneself, whether married or not.



Afternoon tea included mini scones. If only there was also clotted cream on the side.



This model (the boy, not the ring) is Brazilian Japanese. I love his honey complexion and Japanese eyes.



This model is also a mix (again the boy, not the ring) ... but I can't recall if Brazilian Italian is accurate. I love looking at half-breed types of boys ... because my own son is French Filipino, and I wonder how his features will eventually develop.



This is me ... trying on a ring, as an excuse to chat with the boys up close.

CAKE A DIFFERENCE

This just came across my radar and I had to share it. Bliss is a charity that aids premature babies. This campaign calls on all UK residents to bake cupcakes and sell them, as a fundraiser running up to Valentine's Day. Click on the link above for details, or to download posters and images if you'd like to help promote this cause.



Photo above: Cupcake tower from Giuliano's christening party;