Arts & Culture

La Vie’s French Artisan Gelato is a Delicious Way to Cool Down

Made with Italian techniques and the latest technology, and with premium ingredients, La Vie Parisienne’s gelato is the perfect refreshment for the summer.

Is it officially summer yet? It might as well be, with the heat we’ve been having these past few weeks. I find myself opting for cold drinks and desserts to balance out the high temperatures.

As it turns out, La Vie Parisienne has just the right thing to cool you down.

Popular for its French-themed interiors, wines and deli menu, La Vie Parisienne has become a favorite for friends on a night out. Just recently, they added a gelateria to their offering, boasting their French Artisan Gelato.

Gelato, the ice cream’s Italian cousin, is made with a base of milk, cream, and sugar. Its flavor comes from fruit or nut purees, and other flavorings. Generally, it’s lower in fat than other styles of ice cream. It typically contains less air and more flavoring, with density and richness that makes it more indulgent.

La Vie Parisienne had brought in Chef Manuel Minelli, a gelato virtuoso, all the way from Italy to set up their gelateria. He and his family had been making gelato for 200 years in Toscana. Other than using traditional Italian techniques and the latest technology, La Vie uses fresh, premium ingredients for their gelato.

With over 40 flavors, you’re bound to find the perfect solution to the heat, and your cravings. Choose from the classics like vanilla and the different versions of chocolate. Try the fruity suspects like strawberry and mango, or the indulgent cheesecake and pistachio. If you’re really adventurous, have a taste of the balut, chili crab, and salmon. Trust us, whatever you’re craving, they’ve got it.

371 Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City
For inquiries, call +63 32 505 0274

Arts & Culture

What is Sappia? The Rice Myth Goddess of Bohol Who Helped Feed the People During a Great Famine

by Emma Gomez

The story began when the people of Bohol started to experience hunger and famine. All the livestocks were inedible and the fields were dried out leaving only weeds planted on the ground. The people prayed to the goddess of mercy, Sappia, to ask for food.

Sappia, the rice myth goddess of Bohol

Sappia, from the heavens, heard the cries of the people. She saw the dense population of weeds and offered to help them. Sappia thought of nourishing the weeds to be edible and healthy for the people of Bohol. Straightaway, she sprinkled the weed with milk from her bossom. She emptied each breast until blood came out. Before she left, she whispered to the weeds that they may be nourished and be able to feed the people.

When harvest season came, the people of Bohol quickly gathered the nourished weeds. They observed that the ones sprinkled with milk were white, while the other were red. They called the new plant rice and they replanted these in honor of Sappia, and for the people to devour.

Arts & Culture

Kimsoy’s Canvas of a Lifetime in Full Display

by Diana Gillo

There is nothing more fascinating than seeing an artist’s lifetime of work in one room. Such is the experience in Jose “Kimsoy” Yap’s third solo exhibit entitled “Kimsoy: Episodes of Mastery,” at Galerie Raphael Cebu. This serves as the truest form of homage to his enduring journey, showcasing works that span over decades.

The exhibit speaks greatly of Kimsoy’s evolution as an artist, with his shifting mediums and remarkable variety of subjects. His creations range from heartfelt portraits of individuals he encountered along his journey to detailed landscapes inspired by the different walks of his life. The room’s layout carries the weight of his years of craft with one wall lined with pastels, another with watercolors, and another with oil painting.

As the River Flows Onward by Kimsoy Yap 2020 | Oil on canvas | 82×48 inches

The exhibit transcends beyond just the commemoration of Kimsoy’s masterful periods. It wanders more into a sense of intimacy reflecting Kimsoy’s life’s journey—from his roots as a young boy in Negros Oriental, through his pursuit of greater artistic mastery in New York, to his prominence in Cebu’s art scene. All his work freehanded, created both with his left and right hand, depicts the ways in which we all leave traces of ourselves in our work and in the world.

A Friend of Mine 1979 | watercolor on paper | 24×18 inches

In a Relaxed Mood 1977 | water color on paper | 16×19.5 inches

The opening ceremony featured Ambassador Jose Mari Cariño, alongside special guests Ivy Ang Gabas, Paolo Li, Angbetic Tan, Laurie Bouquiren of the Visayas Art Fair, and Valerie Go of Galerie Raphael Cebu. The exhibit is open until March 21, 2025.

Arts & Culture

Art Fair Philippines 2025: A Celebration of Creativity

by Emcee Go

Art Fair Philippines 2025 transformed the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati City into a dynamic showcase of contemporary and modern art. From February 21 to 23, art enthusiasts and collectors were treated to an eclectic mix of visual masterpieces, interactive installations, and thought-provoking exhibits.

This year’s fair features an impressive lineup of local and international galleries, including renowned names like Leon Gallery, Metro Gallery, Orange Project, J Studio and from Cebu, Qube Gallery.