MANILA, Philippines?It was a happening that no one wanted to miss, palanggas.

Hot Citigold clients filled the massive NBC Tent in Bonifacio Global City when the world- renowned Citibank Philippines hosted its super-fun Chinese New Year celebrations.

Retail banking hot director Agustin Davalos and Citigold brilliant wealth management director Judith Go, together with Citigold branch heads and relationship managers, stood at the entrance for what seemed like hours to welcome tons of invitees who came not only to toast the Chinese New Year, but also to hear the latest market updates?here and around the globe?from Citi?s resident experts, dahlings.

Agustin D said: ?As your financial partner, we realize the importance of giving you all the information you will need as you review your portfolio, and determine your investment decisions in the coming months.?

Judith G added: ?We take pride in our ability to provide our clients complete and easy access to Citi?s vast resources here and abroad and I am proud to say that Citi?s research proposition remains unmatched by any local, regional, and global competitor.?

Applause, applause from the reassured invitees, dahlings.

Whatever it is they want to know, Citigold clients are assured of getting relevant insights to aid them in making financial decisions.

The most anticipated moment was when renowned geomancer Joseph Chau generously shared advice on how to invite more prosperity in this Year of the Rat. He also talked about how to avoid mishaps and sickness, and what to do to invite tons of luck before the clock struck 12 midnight and the Year of the Rat began, palanggas.

Après the endless flow of booze, complemented by cocktail food, the grand finale, a raffle of prizes, was held. But everyone went home with gift bags that included the Chinese New Year pudding, better known as tikoy, natch.

So, here?s to this rat-ty year: Kung Hei Fat Choi, my palanggas!

Coffee break

They were so much fun and tres interesting three days of getting together for a unique book that deserved an equally unique launch, palanggas.

The country?s first coffee table book on coffee, simply called ?Kapihan: A Celebration of Coffee in the Philippines,? was finally unveiled during three launches in the country?s top bookstores?Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street, PowerBooks Greenbelt and National Bookstore Power Plant, dahlings.

Instead of the usual cocktails, tons of warm cups of yummy brewed coffee were served to us as we watched a cooking demo showcasing the surprises that coffee could offer.

Tres visible were the two hotshot experts, the author, Paris-based Filipino food critic Noel Sy-Quia, and mega top photographer Neal Oshima, with publisher Tina Colayco, founder of Art Post Asia and dean of the University of the Philippines? College of Fine Arts, dahlings.

Mega executives of Nestlé Philippines, makers of Nescafé, chair and chief executive officer Nandu Nandkishore and coffee business unit head Bruno Olierhoek, circulated among the invitees, palanggas.

Providing the book with fantastic recipes was chef Thaddeus Gayanelo of the American Hospitality Academy (AHA), whose president chef Gene Cordova and chef-instructor Jam Mendoza gave a cooking demo of the recipes in the ?Kapihan? book.

Most of us got super excited over coffee adobo.

Check out this truly must- have book, ?Kapihan: A Celebration of Coffee in the Philippines,? now available in the three bookstores, palanggas. You?ll absolutely be amazed.

Hey, Adobo Coffee anyone?

Call 8115876, e-mail cindy@artpostasia.com or visit www.artpostasia.com/ourservices/books/kapihan.html to order this limited-edition book.

Art competition

The 40 regional winners of the Philippine Art Awards will vie for the six top prizes of the national competition in Manille. Ten artists each from Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will participate in the Philippine Art Awards 2008. Some 600 artists joined the regional contests this year.

Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. (PMPMI) is the sole sponsor of the competition that has a new format this year making it even bigger and more exciting.

Each regional winner received a cool P40,000 cash prize and a trophy. In the national competition, Five Jurors? Choice awardees will be named, each receiving P120,000. The Grand Prize Winner will receive an awesome P350,000.

On top of this, all six winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Hanoi, Vietnam. Now that?s hot, dahlings.

First held in 1994, the PAA was conceived as part of the Asean Art Awards with our local winners competing with their counterparts from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

All the 600 artists who joined this year are all winners in my book. Keep up the good work, palanggas.