Adventures in the city

NATURE lovers and thrill-seekers no longer have to go far for their regular dose of nature adventures. With the recent opening of Rainforest Park Cebu, nature enthusiasts can just hop on a cab, head to Mabolo, and prep themselves for an exciting escapade at this “one of a kind” destination. You can get there through the Ayala Access Road, on to Panagda-it Mabolo (in front of CIE).

Literatus: A ‘dance’ toward public health

LET us pause this week from hard medical science to join in the celebration of the Press Freedom Week. But don’t you know that health journalism is much like dancing?

Neri: In the limelight

MOST talked about coffee table book in town is Inside Cebu by Zee Publications. It features 27 of Cebu’s most beautiful homes, each one an expression of the homeowners’personality and distinctive style. The book was formally launched two moons ago at the Lobby lounge of the Radisson Blu Hotel with editor-at-large Rosebud Sala and Zee lifestyle magazine publisher Eva Gullas as gracious hosts.

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Enhance Visa Services–reliable, dependable

IT IS a fact that more and more people are going out of the country to seek greener economic pastures.

To ensure that a Visa application is done right the first time, Enhance Visa Services Inc. was founded 15 years ago and has been consistently providing excellent services to Filipinos throughout the world covering Asia, Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Blue Elephant turns one

THE elephant in the proverbial room that represents Cebu’s dining scene? That would be our growing affinity for Thai cuisine, of course, since being introduced to it back in the early 2000s.

These days, dishes such as Phad Thai and Tom Yam soup are no longer unfamiliar to our taste buds; rather, they might as well have been adopted into a family of Filipino favorites.

Urban fabric meets tropical fun with Havaianas

FLIP-FLOPS, previously only a beach staple, have evolved to become a casual style essential for both tropical and urban settings. Testament to this, Havaianas never fails to introduce designs that highlight stylish ease with fashion pieces ideal for any get-up.

For women of elegance, Havaianas Slim Metal Logo Heart introduces a delightful pair of black flip-flops that features a delicate heart-shaped charm in gold or silver. Its distinct femininity is perfect for women’s dainty feet, and it is adorned with a chic yet subtle accent that complements classic and casual outfits.

Imagine, imahen, imagine

AMONG those that are initiated in the complexities of art, it is not difficult to imagine that two seemingly different cultures can be harmoniously developed as one.

Espina: Winsome smiles, startling costumes

CEBU once again conquered Springville, Utah! The World Festival of some 12 nations featured varied cultural songs and dances.

The talented performers, the scholars and alumni of the University of San Jose-Recoletos Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble (USJ-R DCE), Speechcom International, Amparito L. Lhuillier Educational Foundation and We Care Foundation, were amazing with their winsome smiles, presence and poise, startling and colorful Filipino costumes delineating the artistic fusion of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, graceful choreography and vivacity.

A beautiful heritage

THE land where Montebello Villa Hotel stands was initially intended for a group of nuns who were looking for an area where they were to build their new home. At that time, however, Banilad seemed so far from the city’s center that the nuns refused the offer. Fortunato Borromeo, on the other hand, saw the land’s potential and bought it.

Costanilla: Maestro Mil passes away

IT FEELS great to be part of a historic event no matter how small your involvement is.

Isuzu holds Family Challenge 2011 Cebu leg

ISUZU Philippines Corp. gathered families last Sept. 9 for some fun driving and bonding as well as to test the fuel efficiency of their Isuzu vehicles during the Cebu leg of Isuzu Family Challenge.

Art Balmadrid, Isuzu senior vice president for sales division, said Isuzu always holds exciting events for its customers and the Isuzu Family Challenge is a combination of two events: the Isuzu Fuel-Efficiency Challenge and the Isuzu Family Day.

Shabu-Way opens at The Terraces

SHABU, good for the health? Definitely not the shabu you had in mind!

Taken from the Japanese word that means “swish” – pertaining to the motions and the sounds that come with cooking it – shabu-shabu is a kind of Japanese hot-pot cuisine in which customers get to cook their own food.

Class ring, jewelry, metal craft firm opens first Cebu branch

BULLISHNES in Cebu’s jewelry and metal craft business has pushed a Luzon-based manufacturer, wholesaler and designer of highly crafted jewelries, class ring and metal craft to open its first branch in Cebu recently.

R & J Jewelry Class Ring and Metal Craft Inc. recently launched its first site in Cebu located in 301 F. Ramos St., Cebu City last Aug. 19, 2011.

from production lines to online: The Digital Age

WITH the imposing emergence of new media, the local press is now provided with more solutions with regards to reaching its devoted audience. It’s a different kind of “press freedom”; the print media is no longer limited to waiting for papers to come out fresh off the printing press, but now has the choice to tap into the fast-paced digital realm.

Singlestalk: Valuing our loved ones

Michelle (M): What’s great about being longtime in love is having a relationship you know you can always count on. The not-so-great thing: occasionally forgetting to appreciate what a gift your love really is.

Darwin John (DJ): The weird part really is it’s the people who love us the most who often need a neon-colored sign for us notice them. Valuing our loved one means giving them our time.

Luab: Our gift of years

SO many of us are afraid of growing old (oh yes, Including me). Being aware of the inevitable can be disconcerting and can give us queasy feeling. Who in her inferior moments enjoys the changes, especially the physical changes in her face, her arms, her waistlines and in her very bearing as she walks among the sea of youngsters?

A taste of America

NOW that Eddie’s Log Cabin is gone, where does one get a taste of America other than American fast food places? At Beverly Café along F. Manalo St. that’s where. Alice Woolbright, daughter of the late Eddie Woolbright, oversees the café operations and is making sure Beverly Café serves the food Eddie’s Log Cabin was known, done and served in exactly the way her father wanted it.

Drink to that

TAKE food away from a man’s table and he survives for up to three weeks. But take away his economic freedom and you would see a man willing to exchange his life for a full table for just a few days.

This is exaggeration, of course, but it highlights the importance of freedom.

Shangri-La’s epicurean delights

A HANDFUL of epicurean delights await you this September. Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa opens its doors to anyone who seeks not just sun and sand, but also good food and even a chance to learn cooking. Check out the following.

Flavors of India. Immerse yourself in the heady aromas of Sanskrit cuisine.

Sira-sira store: Beauty queen DIET

THE Philippines has not yet recovered from the Shamcey Supsup Fever. Our lovely Miss Philippines bagged the third runner-up position in the recent Miss Universe sweepstakes.

Her family name is also a Cebuano word, but I might get deluged by hate e-mails if I give you its meaning and then play with the word, so as a responsible columnist, I will keep my mouth shut.

Gown in review

AMIDST all the controversies surrounding the result of the recently concluded Miss Universe 2011 in Sao Paolo, Brazil, it cannot be denied that—we have to give it to the girls!—they have all put up a good fight well enough to prove that they are not mere beauties but also brains.

This year’s court is composed of Leila Lopes (Angola, top winner), Olesia Stefanko (Ukraine, first runner-up), Priscila Machado (Brazil, second runner-up), Shamcey Supsup (Philippines, third runner-up) and Luo Zilin (China, fourth runner-up).

Serna: Shamcey deserves crown; Lauper mangles US anthem

LET me doff my hat off to Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2011 Shamcey Supsup for winning the third runner-up slot in the prestigious global beauty contest in Sao Paulo, Brazil last Tuesday.

It was a tough act for Shamcey considering there were 88 other beauties from around the world who aimed at bringing the crown back home. Shamcey was more pressured to do well since she came close to the heels of Venus Raj (fourth runner-up last year).

UBIX Corp. strengthens its mark in the digital printing industry

UBIX Corp. with Konica-Minolta as its business partner for the last 37 years, is committed to continuously develop products that are “innovative, creative, and dynamic.”

A testament to that is its Bizhub C8000, which is a high level digital press that offers a wide range of printing capabilities. It can produce high image quality and definition that is nearly equal to offset printers and can print in color at a speed of 80 pages per minute with ease, thereby promoting business efficiency and productivity.

Rainy Day Sale at De Los Reyes Optical

CONSISTENTLY serving the eye care needs of its growing clientele, De Los Reyes Optical is holding a store-wide “Rainy Day Sale” where two pairs of complete set of quality eyeglasses are priced starting at P999 only!

This awesome eye fest lasts all through the month of September throughout all De Los Reyes Optical branches which include Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, downtown P. Gullas St. and Colon St. and in Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City.

Ayala Center Cebu to hold Bike Out 2011

PREMIER developer Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI) continues to integrate sustainability initiatives with its business operations and thrusts as it promotes an environmentally-friendly wellness lifestyle.

The first Ayala-led biking activity, coined Bike Out 2011 will be held this Saturday, Sept. 17, starting at 5:30 in the morning.

Waterfront Cebu welcomes new GM

AN AUSTRIAN national, Alfred Portenschlager brings with him vast international hotel experience from across four major continents, namely: North America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Prior to the 1990’s, he was part of the Mandarin Group for eight years with assignments in Mandarin Oriental Hongkong, Mandarin Oriental Manila and Oriental Singapore. He also spent years of experience in Indonesia and the Bahamas. His stint in the USA also brought him to assignments in Ritz Carlton, Remington Hotel, Pier 66, Hilton in Texas and Opryland Hotel in Tennessee.

13 schools compete in BTC Knowledge Challenge

THIRTEEN private schools will compete in the next three weekends in the 2nd Knowledge Challenge, an inter-school quiz bee series at Banilad Town Center (BTC).

Twelve of them will challenge Bethany Christian School as last year’s overall champion for having five teams that finished champions out of the eight contest levels.

Captivating Camotes

THE moment I stepped on the island, I had a feeling I would want to visit the place again. With its beaches, natural attractions and old-world charm, Camotes Islands certainly claims the title of being the perfect island destination.

Utzurrum: A residence so close to home

THE Baseline area was where I practically spent most of my married years, so conveniently located, peacefully private, distant from the hustle and bustle of the rat race yet centrally close to the business centers, churches, schools, supermarkets, hospitals, etc. Why, I could easily hike to Cebu’s most famous landmark, Fuente Osmeña, in five minutes. I wouldn’t choose any other place. I love it here!

Fetalvero: Affordable tourism

A FRIEND of mine who I met in the United States has never traveled outside the US-Philippine route even though he is earning well and certainly can afford a trip to Europe or a cruise vacation. Instead of embarking on what one would consider a dream vacation, he comes home to the Philippines to spend time with his poor relations.

I got curious (it is not my business how he spends his money), so I asked him why he has never showed interest in touring the rest of the world.