MANILA, Philippines - La Chaine des Rottiseurs in Cebu recently held a Harvest Moon party with a provincial French cuisine theme at the grand ballroom of Marco Polo Plaza Hotel. Presiding were Michel and Amparito Lhuillier. He presides La Chaine in the Philippines, she heads the Cebu chapter.

More than 60 guests signed up and most came earlier than the prescribed hour. Marco Polo’s General Manager Hans Hauri and his pretty wife Bo peeped into the ballroom from time to time ’til the décor was completed.

Wine and champagne were served in an adjacent hall, and the canapes were excellent, specially those with slabs of foie gras. Finally, curtains were opened and everyone was asked to file into the ballroom.

Well, it was more like a countryside scene—hay stacks, scarecrows, piles of harvest and a flock of trained geese. Their picket fence was opened and out they filed, straight to the door and off to a van.

Where are they going? Everyone wanted to know. “To our farm in Carmen (northern Cebu),” giggled Michel and Amparito.

Dinner was served from various stations. One dispensed juicy roast beef, another had a pile of cheese, and there were salads galore.

Dinner over, there was dance music to burn those calories. Marguerite Lhuillier was “la belle du bal, bien sur.”

New wine

There’s another French event coming up at Marco Polo on Nov. 29: Soiree Beaujoulais Noveau. This young wine, overrated at best, has become a worldwide byword.

Since its “arrival,” each year becomes an occasion for fanfare (and funfare). Le Club, the French Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, is involved. So is Qatar Airways. They will raffle two round-trip tickets, Cebu-Paris-Cebu.

Soiree Beaujoulais 2008 will be hosted by Johnny Revilla and the ever-so-beautiful Cory Quirino. Janet Basco topbills the evening’s entertainment.

Coinciding with Soiree Beaujoulais Noveau, Marco Polo in Cebu has prepared Voyage en France Nov. 22-Dec. 5. It is a festival of French food at Cafe Marco by chef Marc Aubry, films at the hotel’s El Viento and a photo exhibit of Paris scenes.

Should we expect the presence of the new French Ambassador to the Philippines?

Exhibit

Speaking of ambassadors, a frequent visitor to Cebu is Canada’s Robert Desjardins who recently came with his lovely wife, Beverly. They inaugurated the exhibit “Canadian Sceneries Through the Hands of Cebuano Artists” at the ballroom of Marco Polo.

The monumental works have been done by Meowix Flores, Fred Galan and his wife, Marivel “Gie.” They have never been to Canada, but drew inspiration from photographs shown to them.

Inspiration can also work wonders, and it’s for a good cause, too, said Canada’s Honorary Consul in Cebu Robert Lee and his wife Anna. Last year, when the Toronto Cantata came to perform in Cebu, they persuaded Philippine Airlines to allow them a tonnage of canvases, paints, brushes, and other materials.

Meowix, Fred and Marivel went through pictures of landscapes, city views, historic buildings, etc., and in less than a year they came up with a collection of great works. Well, they’re huge. They didn’t come cheap, but they sold well in the three-day exhibit.

A hefty portion of the sale prices would go to the Asian Center for Couples and Families (ACCF). This was founded in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, by Rev. Dr. John W. Tse and his wife Dr. Lettice Tse, who were present in Cebu for this occasion.

Consul and Mrs. Lee have informed us that in the course of their ministry, Dr. and Mrs. Tse were deeply concerned about their constituents’ family problems. Often, they led to broken homes. Thus, they established ACCF.

Good results were obtained by ACCF, which in 2003 set up a chapter in Manila, and two years later in Cebu. Many marriages have not only been saved, but also enriched, says Consul Lee who is grateful to those art patrons in Cebu who bought the paintings.

ACCF in Cebu plans to set up a center for counseling and other concerns, which will greatly aid married couples.

It’s a season for diplomats. Also expected in Cebu are South Africa’s Ambassador Peter Vermuelen and his wife Chrisna. They come to preside a gala dinner and launch the South African food and wine festival at Marco Polo.

It’s a “rainbow cuisine” at Marco Polo’s Cafe Marco up to Nov. 20.