BISTRO SELERA, Raising the Bar of Dabawenyo Cuisine

(Bistro Selera's Central Management team.)

In 2009, Dabawenyo foodies were given a uniquely Davao treat: Kusina Selera, the popular Dabawenyo restaurant. But that was just the appetizer. Now, three years later, it’s time for the main course: Bistro Selera.

More Than Good Food

Owned and operated by food enthusiasts Marivi Laurel and Googie Sanga, Bistro Selera is guided by a simple principle: good food with good service. “Obviously, we want to serve food that people enjoy,” says Laurel, “but we take the idea further. We want to serve our food in a place that imbibes familiarity and comfort so our customers keep coming back for more.”  This kind of home-style dining is very popular among Bistro Selera’s patrons, and declares Sanga, “It’s not just about the food, the service is just as important - waiting time, the attentiveness and initiative of our colleagues, and the food presentation are all top priorities.” Adds Laurel with a smile,  “We want you to feel at home.”

Familiar and New

Spanning a comfortable area of 90 square meters, Bistro Selera can be found on the 2^nd Level of the Fountain Area of SM Lanang Premier. The location is no accident: here, in Davao’s grandest mall, Laurel and Sanga can cater to a broader market.

Regular Selera patrons will be delighted to find their favorite menu items at Bistro Selera: the succulent spare ribs, the flavorful paella, the delectable buchitaw (a unique combination of buchi and palitaw), and, of course, the famous Crispy Pata—arguably the best in town. But there are new offerings, as well: notably, the mouth-watering seafood curry soup, with its exotic spices and tantalizing hints of durian.

Dining and Drinking

Bistro Selera opened its doors on November 10, 2012, and already it has begun to make its mark on the Davao dining scene. But dining is only half the story. “We have a bar inside the restaurant,” shares Laurel. “That way you can have a good meal or a refreshing drink—or both.”  The bar’s cocktails and house mixes are already quite popular with the locals. “Try our Lychee Martini,” says Sanga with a smile in her eye. “It’s totally unique.”

Totally unique. Just like Bistro Selera.

Call 2852184 for reservations, catering services, and distinctive Davao dining. Only at Bistro Selera. Come visit us on the 2^nd Level of the Fountain Area of SM Lanang Premier.

Davao Hiring: Pinaccle Hotel

The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites is owned and managed by Central Parq Group of Companies, Inc. It is situated along Sta. Ana Avenue and has more that 200 guestrooms and 9 function rooms.

The company is currently looking for qualified individuals to fill-in the following positions:

MARCOM (Marketing Communications) SPECIALIST

Male/Female, not more than 30 years old
Graduate in Marketing, Advertising, or any related course or previous background in hotel marketing
Background in advertising, event planning and public relations in an advantage
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Dynamic, creative and innovative
Works well under pressure
Willing to do field work

Job Responsibilities: This would include development from initial planning, conceptualization and message crafting to production of collateral materials, such as publications, Web content and emails, video and audio spots, and positioning in earned media. Also includes event planning and direct marketing with clients.

FRONT DESK ATTENDANT

Male/Female, 21-26 years old
At least 5’4” in height for female and 5’6” for male
With excellent communication skills and works well with a team
Previous experience of the same position or any customer service job is a plus but not a required

ACCOUNTING STAFF

Male/Female, 21-26 years old
Graduate of Business Administration, Accountancy, or any business course
With good scholastic records
Excellent computer skills
Preferably a fresh graduate or with 1-2 years of accounting-related work experience

BELLMAN / DRIVER

Male, 25-30 years old
At least 5’7” in height
Licensed driver
Excellent driving skills and familiarity with the city
With pleasing personality
Previous experience of the same position is an advantage

F & B SERVERS (For manpower pooling)

Graduate of any HRM-related course
Male/Female
With pleasing personality
Experience as barista / bartender is an advantage

HOUSEKEEPING STAFF (For manpower pooling)

Graduate of any HRM-related course
Male/Female
With pleasing personality

KITCHEN STAFF (For manpower pooling)

With previous experience in a reputable hotel or restaurant
With excellent cooking skills and works well under pressure
Works well with a team

CAREGIVER

With previous experience
Preferably more than 30 years old
For referral to key officer

Please send your applications to pinnacledavao_hr@yahoo.com.

8th Mindanao Film Fest Movies and Categories

The 8th Mindanao Film Festival, happening this coming December 4-11, 2012, at the Gaisano Mall Cinemas is showing over 30 indie films made by Mindanaoan filmmakers. If you are planning to hit the theatres during this time, take a look at this menu:

Perspectives: The Mindanao Hollywood

A selection of films made by the more established regional filmmakers which are shot and produced in Mindanao; These films not just provide a window to the divergent stories and rich cultural tradition of the island but also provide the plausibility of creating a film industry in the region.

Crossfire by Arnel Mardoquio

Tambara by Orvil Bantayan

The Thank You Girls by Charliebebs Gohetia

As He Sleeps by Sheron Dayoc

Davao Films

Davao City one of the acknowledge filmmaking centers in Mindanao, annually the City produces a rich throve of films made by its burgeoning  independent filmmaking movement, the Davao Film selection for Mindanao Film Festival 2012 features short films from up and coming Dabawenyo filmmakers.

"Masaligan" by Gary Bautista

"Gugma ni Pilo" by Albert Egot

"Somnolence" by Aidx Paredes

"Migo Niño" by Sonny Campaner

"Traynta" by James Labrigas

“Bedtime” by Dawn Rufon

Films from Across the Island

Aside from Davao City, several cities and provinces like the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga counts the presence of a small but active community of filmmakers, the section features their works which highlights the growing diversity of the Mindanao film community.

"Pagsaha" by Kim Regulacion

"Sentimiento Del Maga Quieto" by Vincent Suarez

"Tsinelas ni Loloy"- by Dennis Coronel

"Ang Pagkamatay ni Wonder Woman" by Dennis Coronel

"Damgo" by Giojoe Amoguis

Documentario

The Mindanao Film Festival also presents some documentaries made by Mindanaoan.

“Under the Purple Sky” by Nef Luczon

“Sino” by Jemm de Leon

Escuela Cinema

The schools are a potential breeding ground for the future Mindanoan filmmakers, Some of the films selected represent various school-based film projects/programs created by the students.

PWCine ( films from the Philippine Womens College of Davao)

“Puzzle by Lew Andrew Avila”

“Art Room” by Paul Labang

“Gayuma” by Vannah Ang

“Labo-Labo” by Jeff Sabayle

“Me” by Alex Lara

“Paet” by Monique Patricia Azcona

“Coffee Shop” by Kethley Uy

 Batch 2 From other schools

“Salamin “ Lovely Dumagan

“Taraz” by Jaymark Fernan

Guerilla Cinema (Guerilla Filmmaking Category)

Started in 2003 and is considered as the forerunner of the Mindanao Film Festival, the Guerrilla Filmmaking Workshop and Festival was designed to share to interested individuals the basic tenets of guerrilla filmmaking. The workshop participants are required to produce short films as part of the course, it was also opened to non-workshop participants in which they have to race for a given amount of time to finish their films.

Guerilla Film Workshop

“Sintunado”  by GF9 Productions (Davao Guerilla)

“Ang Pagpadyak ni Elias” by Lalucky Productions (Davao Guerilla)

“Goyak” by Red Lines Productions (General Santos Guerilla)

“Nene” by Tambay Productions

“Stola” by Diangas Films

“Candelario” by Guerilla Icon Productions

“Medalyon” by Eyemazing Productions

“Pukot” by Stop and Stare Productions

Guerilla Open Category

“Flora Mae ang Biktima” by Bonnie Achacoso

“Bantay” by Gary Bautista

“El Pundido Luz de La Caza” by Aedrian Araojo

“Memo” by Ryan Paco

Special Exhibit Davao Pop Cinema

Smek’m shorts by Leo Jorge Bautista

Support local talents and tell all your friends! See you there! :-)

Davao Attractions Reviews: Davao Crocodile Park

(Photo from Clickthecity.com)

Undoubtedly the best zoo in Davao, despite it's size. (Of course, zoos in Manila are bigger.) However, their animal repertoire is still impressive, and you can really see that the animals are well taken cared of. 

What's more, booking and group reservations are convenient, and they even give discounts for package orders (the same company group owns a river rafting, beach and zipline facility too). 

Also, another thing-to-like about Crocodile park is that it's located in a complex where there's really good food (visit exotic resto Kaonanan), an art-full souvenir shop, a butterfly house nearby, a Zorb facility, and they even house the best ice cream shop in Davao city: Sweet Spot Ice Cream.

(Photo from Mark Maranga)

(Photo by Jojie Alcantara from angdabawenyo.com)

KAKAO KONEK Brings Exciting Events to Philippine Cocoa Industry

Kakao Konek, what could be the most attended and well-acclaimed convention of all the stakeholders in the Cocoa industry, brings together exciting side events for its entire duration. This milestone is slated to run from November 21, 2012 to November 23, 2012.

On the first day, CIDAMI (Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao, Inc.) will open the event with an opening address from President Charita Puentespina at the Apo View Hotel Business Function. A 3-day exhibit of Cocoa products, collaterals and sponsors will commence there.

All throughout the event, the organizers will hold several B2B matching mini-events, where various actors in the cocoa value chain can meet over a 2-day period. Dedicated locations for the B2B Matching will be provided and facilitators will get to interact with buyers, sellers, distributors and other key industry players.

On the second day, Kakao Konek launches “Kakao Kulinarya” and “Sikwatehan sa Barrio”. The former is a cocoa-based culinary competition and showcase aimed at challenging our local talent to riase the standards of culinary and hospitality service excellence. The chocolate carving contest and cocktail concoction competitions will serve as its main attractions. This will run from 10AM to 6PM in the Abreeza Mall activity center. “Sikwatehan sa Barrio”, on the other hand, is an engaging networking and gala night where delegates make the most of the opportunity to meet new people while expanding their business and social network. This special networking event will also commence at Abreeza Mall activity center, after Kakao Kulinarya.

Kakao Konek caps off this exciting 3-day affair with Kakao Farm Tours, an entertaining and adventure-filled way to learn and appreciate cocoa farming techniques.

BLIMS Furniture Opens Davao Branch

High-end furniture retailer BLIMS Fine Furniture just made its debut in Mindanao with the grand launch of its Davao outlet on October 26.   The Davao branch is located at the 3rd Floor of Abreeza Ayala Mall, along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City.    

BLIMS Fine Furniture business development manager Sam Gregory Lim said the Davao branch is the first of several stores the company will put up in Mindanao starting this year.  

The premier source of top of the line furniture pieces and accessories designed to exude elegance, luxury and distinction, BLIMS has been in the furniture retail business for over 35 years. It takes pride in having a wide selection of  internationally- acclaimed products that perfectly complement a healthy and elegant lifestyle.

“We have the world's best-selling recliner - La-Z-Boy, the innovative designs of Cellini furniture, and the stylish pieces of Maestro sofa, and we continue to search for products to include in our ever-growing portfolio of global furniture brands that will be made available to Filipinos,” Lim emphasized.

Lim said the Abreeza branch, which is BLIMS’ 15th showroom in the Philippines, is strategic because of its high-end market, adding that with BLIMS bringing in luxury and high-end furniture to Davao, this will make it easier for customers in Mindanao  to secure superior,  high quality pieces for their homes or businesses.

“High-end furniture is hard to find, especially if you are not living in Metro Manila. To get your dream sofa or La-Z-Boy recliner, you really have to get a good designer who can customize it for you. Fortunately, Davao customers with exquisite tastes need not scour the entire Mindanao or import items from Metro Manila just to get luxurious furniture,”  Lim explained.

BLIMS has been the gold standard in fine ready-made furniture, rightfully so since the company began the ready-made furniture craze in 1977 when Blims opened its first showroom in Makati City.

“We are not just a furniture shop, we are defining and selling lifestyles, whether you are a bachelor or newly married or a family man, you’ll find something in BLIMS,” he enthused.

Before BLIMS, Lim explained, nobody really thought of selling ready-made quality furniture in the Philippines. Custom-made furniture was then the rage but BLIMS went against the tide.

To meet market demands, BLIMS focused on great design and quality in every piece. Lim said they fused functionality and aesthetics and then pushes the boundaries a step further in pieces that are sold in every BLIMS branch.

For inquiries, please call 470-9185 or 470-9170, or email info@blimsfurniture.com, or visit www.blimsfurniture.com.ph, or visit BLIMS showrooms in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Cebu and Davao. 

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Photos by Kenth O. Bajo

Animal Blessing at Davao Crocodile Park

Last Sunday, October 14, 2012, Davao Crocodile Park celebrated the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron of animals, with a fun-filled day for pets and pet-owners alike.

The event started at 8:00 with a mass officiated by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel M. Gonzaga, parish priest of St. Francis of Assisi, Maa. After that, Father Manny went around and blessed the pets brought by the park’s guests and then toured the park for the blessing of animals.

It was indeed a very memorable day. Over 30 pets were “christened”, cultural performers lit up the program with their dance numbers and a free flowing pica-pica affair capped off the morning. The best part? Entrance to the event was FREE! St. Francis would be very happy. Thank you Crocodile Park!

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