MANILA, Philippines - The French do everything with such flair that they even have the words for it, ?Oooh la la!? Everything seems so bland without that special joie de vivre, which we in Manila can taste through the annual French Spring with its multiple events covering the fields of arts, culture, fashion, dance, music and food.

Already in its 10th year, French Spring delights us Pinoys with a varied showcase of French culture. The three-month-long feast for the senses is an annual project of the Alliance Française de Manille and the French Embassy, created ?to increase artistic collaboration between France and the Philippines.? Its tremendous success is seen through the increasing number of attendees every year.

A symbiosis of art and food, entitled ?Deguste,? opened the season at the Ayala Museum. The foyer featured a wall of hands proffering sweet treats delightfully created by Sofitel Philippine Plaza?s Executive Chef, Christian Werdenberg and his culinary team.

Adding to the ambience, marshmallow-covered mimes milled around the crowd. I even attempted to bite off a marshmallow from one mime?s shoulder! The Sofitel executed the evening?s fusion of gastronomy and art, with such exciting details like having hundreds of balloons in the air holding miniature lunch boxes. Now that?s élan!

Featured artists of ?Deguste? were Stephanie Sagot and Emmanuelle Becquemin, both showing their paintings. Adding to the art side was a black-and-white photo exhibit, ?100 x France,? featuring French photographic history and techniques. The exhibit is on at the Ayala Museum until May 13. All the French Spring events are detailed at www.alliance.ph.

In June, the Sofitel?s Culinary Team will again showcase their mastery of the best and the most popular French dishes at Spirals restaurant. There?s nothing like a Sunday brunch at this mother of all buffets, and the thought of adding French wine and cheese to the mix is mouth-watering!

Unique interaction

The Alliance Française de Manille is truly at the forefront of art. At the recent ?Printemps de Poetes,? it launched ?Romanza,? the art and poetry book by Rio Almario, our National Artist for Literature, which has stunning, impressionistic watercolors and acrylics by artist Marivic Rufino and translations by Marne Kilates.

?Romanza? is a unique interaction between art and poetry, truly a collector?s item that shows the unique interaction between the ?sister arts.? A sneak preview of the book was held at an evening of poetry reading during Francophonie week.

The event was attended by diplomats, National Artist BenCab, Ms. Virgie Moreno, and leading poets who read their poems. The book is published by Tahanan Books and will be formally launched at Marivic Rufino?s art exhibit later this year.

The French invasion is everywhere, even in this paper! The Inquirer is the Official Country Representative to the highly prominent Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in France. To kick off the event, we hosted a pre-festival celebration for the paper?s top advertisers and agency partners for the previous year.

?Tres Cannes? featured an exhibit of previous Cannes Lions winners and finalists since 2004, along with the best print advertisements of the Creative Guild of the Philippines from more than two decades ago. The awesome prize is an all-expenses-paid ticket to Cannes to attend the Festival and be at the heart of the advertising world.

Smartlink won the contest with its print ad entry, ?Paper Boat,? showing a full-page navigational map with a folded paper boat in the middle that unfolds to the Smartlink ad within. I saw that ad and was pretty amazed with its unique, original concept.

The 2008 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival will be held at the Cannes Palais de Festivals from June 15 to 21. For more information on the festival, you may contact Inquirer Corporate Relations or log on to www.canneslions.com.

Hair guru

On the subject of French connections, I?ve recently discovered French hairstylist Philippe Tordjmann and his Philippe?s Salon at 2295 Jannov Bldg., 3 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City.

Philippe has given my copper-brown locks a cut-and-color treatment that can only be described as c?est magnifique! Call 8303030 or 8640658 for your own appointments. A genius hair colorist, Philippe can assess your hair and recommend a perfect cut and color.

For the launch of Kerastase?s first, personalized, overnight renewing treatment Noctogenist, the mod interiors of Philippe?s Salon were transformed into a sexy lounge bar with waterfall walls, mood lighting and a bedroom feel. The very cool and creative teams of Kerastase and Rogue magazine collaborated to set this sexy mood, with potent martinis for guests fueled by Belvedere vodka.

To make sure the crowd had sufficient nutrition, chef and co-owner of Damaso Restaurant, Bambi Gobio, created a special midnight snack menu that she personally supervised. Guests were invited to come in night owl gear and a few bravely came in skimpy mode, such as Jeweler Ciara Marasigan-Serumgard in a silk Natori robe.

Many came dressed to sample Kerastase Noctogenist, the ultimate pampering night cream for the hair. Don?t ask me how it works, but it does. My coarse hair is miraculously silky soft in the morning. Hair technology has indeed come a long way.

France might seem so far away while we are mired in the dog days of summer. But with French Spring, a little ?romance? and a bit of advertising art thrown in, all spiced up with a French hairdo, there is enough élan, pizzazz and joie de vivre to survive the summer heat.

E-mail me at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph.