by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 8, 2020 | Events
Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, partners Asia’s leading entertainment and lifestyle company CJ ENM to bring KCON, the world’s largest Korean culture festival, online for the first time. KCON is a highly-anticipated annual event for Kpop fans across the globe, entering its ninth year of bringing the ultimate Korean culture fan experience worldwide including the US, Japan, and Thailand.
It will go online for the first time in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, with Shopee as the official live stream partner for the KCON:TACT 2020 Summer concert. This partnership will see Shopee air live performances, concerts, and more from KCON:TACT 2020 Summer for free to users on Shopee Live.
KCON:TACT 2020 Summer will be the highlight of Shopee Live Kpop Fest, which will kick off on June 10. Launched in collaboration with CJ ENM, the festival aims to meet the growing demand for online entertainment amid social distancing measures in the region. Popular Kpop groups including GFRIEND, (G)I-DLE, ITZY, MONSTA X, and Stray Kids will also make special appearances on Shopee Live, while Shopee users can enjoy daily Kpop themed streams and challenges.
Agatha Soh, Head of Regional Marketing at Shopee said, “Shopee is proud to be the exclusive partner of CJ ENM to stream KCON:TACT 2020 Summer to fans in Southeast Asia and Taiwan for the first time, as part of Shopee Live Kpop Fest. This partnership builds on our efforts to connect people through entertainment and shared experiences, and comes after a series of successful collaborations with Kpop stars.”
“Shopee Live Kpop Fest and KCON:TACT 2020 Summer reflect our commitment to meet evolving needs, as people around the world stay home and turn to online entertainment. We look forward to more exciting collaborations with CJ ENM in the future.”
Don Kim, General Manager of Global Festival at CJ ENM said, “KCON is the largest festival of Korean culture in the world. Bringing the festival online, we have lined up an amazing experience for KCON:TACT 2020 Summer including interactive events with state-of-the-art technology, a star-studded concert lineup, and more. We are excited to go above and beyond what fans have experienced so far, and we are excited to partner with Shopee for fans in Southeast Asia and Taiwan to join the festival.”
From June 10 to 26, avid Kpop fans can look forward to a wide range of live streams and challenges daily at Shopee Live Kpop Fest, including:
- Exclusive appearances by popular Kpop idols, WJSN and Weki Meki on Shopee Live at 8PM (GMT +8) on June 10 and 15 respectively. Users can enjoy first-hand access to the groups with exciting performances, interviews, games, and more in each stream.
- Daily Kpop themed challenges for fans to show off their knowledge, recreate iconic Kpop looks, and more. The best fans stand to win attractive prizes such as vouchers and signed merchandise from their favorite idols.
Shopee will mark the finale of Shopee Live Kpop Fest by screening KCON:TACT 2020 Summer on Shopee Live from June 20 to 26, 2020. Shopee users and Kpop fans can look forward to seven consecutive days of non-stop entertainment, including live concerts and interviews by some of the biggest Kpop stars in the world, including GFRIEND, (G)I-DLE, ITZY, MONSTA X, and Stray Kids.
Stay tuned for more updates on KCON:TACT 2020 Summer and Shopee Live Kpop Fest at http://shopee.ph/m/live-kpop-fest. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 11, 2020 | Events
Segundo, the 20th auction for Lhuillier-managed Casa de Memoria presents close to 300 lots of fine European objets d’art and collectibles. The online auction completes two days of offerings from the weekend of May 30 to 31 using Invaluable as its platform. Proceeds from the online event will support the construction of the emergency quarantine facility (EQF) at Sta. Ana Hospital, Manila.
The auction house joins other local art and culture venues as it presents a veritable selection that entices the connoisseurs who remain home with the Enhanced Community Quarantine. The curatorial team has put on display items—from portraiture to furnishings and silver—thus, enhancing a well-lived home style. The Casa De Memoria salutes the frontliners in this two-day virtual auction.
Spotlighted are artworks by three well-respected painters: Tabuena, Alcuaz, and Westendorp de Brias.
Still Life

Still Life by Romeo Tabuena

Still Life with Vase and Glass Center by Federico Aguilar Alcuaz
Romeo Tabuena’s (1921-2015) Still Life (Lot 002) is a tribute to the international artist’s affair with cubism, painted in 1995.
Still Life with Vase and Glass Center (Lot 026) by National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (1932-2011), is an oil on canvas still life by the painter, acknowledged as Philippine National Artist for Visual Arts, Painting, Sculpture and Mixed Media.
Summer Nights in Madrid by Betsy Westendorp de Brias

“Summer Nights in Madrid” by prolific painter Betsy Westendorp de Brias
Prolific painter Betsy Westendorp de Brias’ (b. 1927) “Summer Nights in Madrid” (Lot 024) finds its way to the Casa De Memoria auction book. The oil on canvas is reminiscent of her style. In an interview with Provenance Gallery owner Joanna Preysler for Metro Style, she notes “Betsy’s works are a soothing, healing balm—a much-needed treat for the soul and for the eyes especially in this time of chaos and disorder. She’s very constant and dedicated to her art. … She was born to be a painter. And she knew it. And she worked on it and she got where she wanted to get.”
Westendorp is a Lazo de Dama de la Orden de Isabel la Catolica awardee, bestowed by King Juan Carlos, and a Presidential Medal of Merit for Art and Culture grantee, given by former President Gloria M. Arroyo.
Lithograph by Pablo Picasso

Lithograph by Pablo Picasso
A unique offering that raises the Casa De Memoria diverse auction curation is a lithograph (Lot 009) by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) of a historical poster of the exhibition “Sala Gaspar, Drawings by Picasso, April 1961,” with hand-made drawings by the artist. Signed in plate and dated 1961. In a limited edition of 500 copies. It will be remembered that on Auction 17, another Picasso was made available and sold at PHP 280,000.00.
Casa de Memoria’s Segundo Auction will be held on May 31, 2020, at Palacio de Memoria, 95 Roxas Boulevard, Brgy. Tambo, Paranaque City. Online bidding powered by Invaluable. Proceeds will go to funding the construction of an emergency quarantine facility (EQF) in Sta. Ana Hospital, Manila. For more information, email he***@***********ia.com or message +63 949 196 1813.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 9, 2020 | Events
Happy Mother’s Day!
As the old adage goes, “Behind every great man there’s a great woman.” Mayor Francisco Domagoso or simply YORME, shares his heartwarming Mother’s Day message to a great woman behind his great success and to all the Filipino MOMS – the Real VIPs!
As the elected City Mayor of Manila, endearingly called by most Filipinos as Yorme, he never wavered amidst adversities hurled at him for taking several steps in making a better version of the city he fondly calls his home and crowning glory.
On this special occasion, Yorme encourages all Filipino moms to be stronger for their families while consciously maintaining a healthy work-life balance and to continue their selfless dedication amidst the uncertainties of this pandemic war – “Believe in yourself! You’ve got nothing to lose.”
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Formulated with 19 of nature’s finest ingredients, NOVUHAIR® offers a natural hair loss solution that helps address the early warning signs especially for those in search of a natural alopecia treatment – nothing doubtful compared to home remedies for hair loss, nothing worrisome versus chemical-based treatments and nothing disadvantageous, unlike most instant fiber hair loss solutions that provide temporary baldness cures. Find out more at www.novuhair.com
#NothingToLoseNovuhair #ChooseNatural #NovuhairCares #NovuhairVIPmoms
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 9, 2020 | Events
The U.S. space agency National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are inviting coders, entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, artists, and technologists to participate in a virtual hackathon on May 30-31 dedicated to putting open data to work in developing solutions to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the global Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge, participants from around the world will create virtual teams that – during a 48-hour period – will use Earth observation data to propose solutions to COVID-19-related challenges ranging from studying the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and its spread to the impact the disease is having on the Earth system. Registration for this challenge opens in mid-May.
“There’s a tremendous need for our collective ingenuity right now,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “I can’t imagine a more worthy focus than COVID-19 on which to direct the energy and enthusiasm from around the world with the Space Apps Challenge that always generates such amazing solutions.”
The unique capabilities of NASA and its partner space agencies in the areas of science and technology enable them to lend a hand during this global crisis. Since the start of the global outbreak, Earth science specialists from each agency have been exploring ways to use unique Earth observation data to aid understanding of the interplay of the Earth system – on global to local scales – with aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak, including, potentially, our ability to combat it. The hackathon will also examine the human and economic response to the virus.
ESA will contribute data from the Sentinel missions (Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-5P) in the context of the European Copernicus program, led by the European Commission, along with data from Third Party contributing Missions, with a focus on assessing the impact on climate change and greenhouse gases, as well as impacts on the economic sector. ESA also is contributing Earth observation experts for the selection of the competition winners and the artificial-intelligence-powered EuroDataCube.
“EuroDatacube will enable the best ideas to be scaled up to a global level,” said Josef Aschbacher, Director of Earth Observation Programmes at ESA. “The pandemic crisis has a worldwide impact, therefore international cooperation and sharing of data and expertise with partners like NASA and JAXA seem the most suitable approach.”
JAXA is making Earth-observing data available from its satellite missions, including ALOS-2, GOSAT, GOSAT-2, GCOM-C, GCOM-W, and GPM/DPR.
“JAXA welcomes the opportunity to be part of the hackathon,” said JAXA Vice President Terada Koji. “I believe the trilateral cooperation among ESA, NASA, and JAXA is important to demonstrate how Earth observation can support global efforts in combating this unprecedented challenge.”
Space Apps is an international hackathon that takes place in cities around the world. Since 2012, teams have engaged with NASA’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space. The COVID-19 Challenge will be the program’s first global virtual hackathon. Space Apps 2019 included more than 29,000 participants at 225 events in 71 countries, developing more than 2,000 hackathon solutions over the course of one weekend.
Pinoy developers used NASA’s free and open data to solve real-world problems on Earth and space.

Many Filipinos participated in this annual hackathon since 2016. Recently, a dengue mapping forecasting system was developed by data scientists from CirroLytix using satellite and climate data with the goal of addressing the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.
This web application, called Project AEDES won globally for the best use of data. “Earth observation data has the potential to be used in fighting epidemics and outbreaks threatening humanity nowadays, as well as to analyze its socio-economic impact,” according to software developer Michael Lance M. Domagas, who led the Philippine hackathon in collaboration with De La Salle University, PLDT, Department of Science and Technology, United Nations Development Programme, and the U.S. embassy. The very first Philippine winner used citizen science and environmental data to develop a smartphone application informing fishermen the right time to catch fish. ISDApp is currently being incubated at Animo Labs.
Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized globally in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse. The next annual Space Apps Challenge is scheduled for October 2-4.
Registration opens on May 12. https://covid19.spaceappschallenge.org/
#SpaceApps #SpaceAppsPH
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 24, 2020 | Events
Let your little Home Foodie master chefs enjoy a hands-on Facebook cooking & baking session. Resident Home Foodie chefs will do a live learning session of 5 scrumptious, kid-friendly recipes.
Home Foodie will post a collage of all participants who joined, so don’t forget to take a selfie while cooking!
Click going in the Home Foodie FB event page to confirm your attendance and be updated on this online event on April 28, 2:00 PM (GMT+8): bit.ly/HFKKC!
Don’t forget to read the guidelines, the waiver, and the recipes! #homefoodieph
Before the live session:
-
- Read the recipes and the tools/equipment list in advance.
- Prepare the purchase list and buy ingredients ahead of time.
- An adult should help in the preparation.
- Prepare the needed ingredients and materials before the session. Make use of the time as a pre-bonding session with the kids participating.
- Make sure the tools and equipment are working and clean.
- Arrange needed tools by recipe unless it is a common tool.
- Pre-measure the ingredients in advance.
- Some notes on the ingredients that need to be pre-measured:
- A bar of Magnolia Cream Cheese is considered as 1 cup so for a 1/2 cup requirement, just cut the product in half.
- Use measuring spoons, solid measuring cups for dry ingredients (marshmallows, breadcrumbs, Magnolia All-Purpose Flour, sugar), and a liquid measuring cup or glass for liquid ingredients (Pure Oil, Cookbest, Golden Fry, corn syrup, water).
- Use a spatula to level when measuring solid ingredients. For liquid ingredients, place measuring cup or glass on a flat surface and read at eye level … you will see two lines, use the lower line as the basis for the amount.
- A coarse or fine grater for Magnolia Quickmelt Cheese is okay to use.
- The size of the Magnolia brown egg should be medium or large.
- The needed pasta should be cooked in advance. Follow package instructions.
- Slicing/cutting of ingredients will be done live so that everyone understands how it should be done.
- Have pot holders/cooking mitts and aprons ready for protection.
- Have a first aid kit ready in case unforeseen cuts or burns happen.
- Read the Waiver and Release of Liability Clause below. Home Foodie assumes the authorized guardian/parent has agreed with the waiver and release of liability if the participant joins the activity.
- For questions and clarification, please leave a comment at bit.ly/HFKKC.
During the live session:
- An adult should be around to supervise.
- For cutting/slicing, either the adults will do this part or have the kids use a plastic knife.
- Kids must wear aprons and long hair should be tied.
- Kids must wash their hands well with soap and water before, during, and after food preparation.
- Kids whose height is at least waist-level above the stovetop/burner can be allowed to do the cooking, subject to adult consent and supervision.
- Separate tools used for raw and cooked items.
- When frying, gently put in the food item to be fried. Do not throw in the pan with the hot oil to prevent burns and fires from happening.
- Cooked items should never come in contact with raw items. Keep these separate.
- Cooked food, if not cooled and stored immediately, should be consumed within four hours.
- Store leftover cooked items and no-bake dessert in covered containers in the chiller. Cookies must be kept in tight containers.
- Cooked items must be consumed in three days.
- Participants with finger cut/injury should have their wounds covered in a bandage and use disposable gloves during the session to prevent potential food safety issues.
- We will try to answer questions as much as we can during the live session given the number of participants. To save time, it is best to read the recipes and materials needed and review the guidelines in advance.
Waiver and Release of Liability
Please read this waiver and release of liability
In connection with my and my child’s participation in the Kids Kitchen Camp Home Foodie Live Series (the “Activity”), I hereby waive, hold harmless, release and discharge San Miguel Foods, Inc., its affiliates and personnel, from any and all liability for our death, disability, personal injury, property damage, or incident of any kind that may occur to us as a result of our acts or omissions during the Activity.
I recognize that various photographs, video recordings, and other media, will be taken during the Activity. I agree to grant San Miguel Foods, Inc. and its affiliates full permission to use our photographs, video recordings, or other media of the Activity that contain our likeness for any legitimate purpose.
I agree to assume sole liability for any damage we may suffer or incur as a result of our participation in the Activity as above provided.
I hereby declare that I have read and fully understood this Waiver and Release of Liability Form in its entirety and that, by participating in the Activity, I agree to all of the terms and conditions contained herein.
Recipes for the kids and parents to do during the event
Here are the recipes that will be executed in the event. Don’t forget to review them ahead of time and make sure you have all the ingredients.

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 29, 2020 | Events
The Philippine art scene has just elevated itself a notch with the third run of the award-winning Ortigas Art Festival, which has expanded Filipinos’ art consciousness and masterfully brought art within the grasp of more people.
Recognized and awarded in the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards and International Business Awards 2019 for their continuous and innovative effort in making art more accessible to ordinary people, this year’s art festival, which is again held at Estancia at the Commons, promises guests even more to enjoy this year.
For one, international artists have joined the exhibit, which was specially curated by the highly talented and multi-awarded Renato Habulan, resident curator of Eskinita Gallery.
As an added plus, the festival is featuring bocetos through Papelismo Boceto for the first time, not only to highlight the artists’ creative process but also to allow more art enthusiasts the opportunity to own the works of renowned artists at more affordable rates. Over 300 bocetos from over 100 artists will be showcased at the exhibit.
Among the artists whose works are on exhibit are independent artists:
- Amel Borja
- Richard Buxani
- Allison David
- Sam Penaso
Joining them are:
- Amel Agawin
- Julio Austria
- Jeho Bitancor
- Gala Caki
- Justo Cascante III
- Michelle Dawson
- Reynold de la Cruz
- Feliciano Gallardo
- Processo Gelladuga II
- Katrinn Hamann
- Sahid Kazi
- Leonor RS Lim
- Alfonso Medilfo
- Dengcoy Miel
- Rey Padernilla
- Made Palguna
- Manuel Rubio
- Joel Soliven
- Art Zamora
- Jose Zulueta
Also on exhibit are works from three galleries, among them, Eskinita Art Gallery, Kaida Contemporary Gallery, and vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery.
“We have always believed that art should be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, and the best way to promote art appreciation is by bringing art exhibits right where people converge, which are malls. Over the past three years that we’ve had the art festival at Estancia, we were -surprised to see the great and growing interest in art among Filipinos, both young and old. This is why we have continued with the art festival and added features which we think will be of added interest to more people,” said Arch. Renee Bacani, VP of Ortigas Malts.
Complementing the exhibit are workshops by local and international artists for those who are eager to develop their skills. Seven workshops have been lined up for learners of all skill levels.
- On Feb 29, there will be a Mixed Media demonstration by international artists Gala Caki, Sahid Kazi, and Katrinn Haman.
- On March 1, learn Multimedia from Michelle Dawson, Made Palguna, and Rey de la Cruz.
Get inspired by the sheer artistry and talent on show at the exhibit, which runs until March 8. ADMISSION IS FREE! And don’t forget to participate in the comment board by the entrance of the exhibit!
For more information on Estancia’s Ortigas Art Festival, visit their social media pages at https://www.facebook.com/EstanciaPH/ and www.instagram.com/estanciaph, and subscribe to their newsletter at www.ortigasmalls.com.
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