The morning of the eyeball, I looked out of the hotel window at 6 a.m. and the streets below were wet, and the nearby mountains were covered in clouds and fog. But with just hours to go, I was hopeful that the rains would miraculously disappear, which they indeed did. By 8 a.m., the sun was trying to break through low cloud cover and there was a good chance of a rain-free lunch. One of our first tasks was to set the table. We vacillated the night before whether we should set up one long table for 50 or several tables of 6-8 under the long tent. In the end, we decided on one long table and I think it was the right choice. Rented tables and plastic chairs were covered in white linens (or should I say polyester blends?). While plates and cutlery were generously loaned to us by one of the guests (THANK YOU Mrs. U!). And as it always seems to do when you are crazed, a totally unplanned floral plan resulted in an interesting table dotted with lime green and several shades of burgundy or red…
We used water glasses as vases, some wooden desk accessories where I normally put my pens(!) and scattered the table with fruits and vegetables that we were using in the dishes that day or serving for dessert. It looked homemade, but it was pleasant and festive enough. Happy.
We had already purchased some white parols for our office Christmas decor so we decided to hang them around the tent as well, mostly because the gentle breezes would rustle the tails of the parols and the movement helped to make the place seem less humid…
More photos of the set-up and view in the distance…
…and we were now just an hour or two away from the arrival of our first guest…
Oh, and for those of you wondering about the green balls… I like to call them “martian testicles” but they are normally referred to as Japanese lanterns and I don’t know their scientific names…
41 Responses
MM, that’s cowboy style under the sun? That’s one very refined cowboy! =) Excited to read about the eb and I’m tempted to wait for your next post, but I gotta sleep. I’m leaving for newark airport in a few hours…
The table setting looks like the Queens garden party at Buckingham. Ang galing!
..to be the best. it was simple yet classy. hehehe.
NIce….
Wow,!!! that is one elegant cowboy/cowgirl table setting, MM …very nice!!!!!
Can’t wait for the photos MM. How about an East Coast EB for your fans?
Wow!!!! classy cowboy style!!!UGH! now, i really envy you guys!hope to join you in the next EB………….I like the setting so much..
That’s cowboy style?!?! Seriously??? Looks great! Can’t wait to see the pics from the EB.
Hi everyone. In post-EB excitement, I posted this comment in MM’s “Marketman prepares for an eyeball” so I’m posting it here where it should belong.
Just came back from the Lechon EB in Cebu. It was great! Bettyq, you should have been there. We had a blast! To say that the place and the food were excellent is an understatement. The bonuses were getting to meet MM, Mrs. MM and the Teen, and the 47+ guests — MM’s fans and friends — and bonding with MM’s readers whom we had known only by their codes or pet names. It was like a community of MM fans/readers communing with MM as he showed us how to prepare the kinilaw nga tangigue, kinilaw na shrimps, and lechon sisig. After lunch, to give us a breathtaking view of Cebu City, several of us joined a tour up the Monterrazas de Cebu. The EB was also graced by Margarita Fores of Cibo and Frank of Artisan Chocolatier.
I just checked out the pics posted by Edik (thanks, Edick!). I’m SO jealous of everyone that was able to attend :( It looked like one heck of a party!
That was a gorgeous arrangement of flowers and veggies! very creative!
hi MM. long-time lurker here. i just want to say how inggit i am. :)
Everything @ the “EB” was GREAT!!!!
Wow! That looks fantastic! Looking forward to the succeeding entry/entries of the lechon EB I was so excited about but had to miss. Hay… Maybe next time. Let’s do an EB here in Seoul. Hahaha!
there was a view?! OMG! I absolutely missed that! Only had eyes for the food hehehe
lovely center pieces. can’t wait to see the food served. wish i was there too.
“Martian testicles”? Mwahahaha! Now that’s out of the way, glad to hear the weather was great and i could just imagine munching on lechon skin while staring out at the view, parols rustling in my ear. Haaay.
MM, thanks for the great experience! It was a reunion of sorts for me, seeing joey again and Millet pala is a barkada of my aunt in davao and Ging pala is my vet whom i haven’t seen in a while (ging my dog’s still alive! hahaha) Mrs. U is an aunt of my best friend in high school.. grabe! it’s a small world after all. Moni thanks for the pineapple, i had it for breakfast, yum! This EB blessed us with new friends – Roy, Marla, Lee, Jenny, Moni, Siegrez, Artisan and all the others we’ve met but didn’t have time to bond longer because the lechons were beckoning to us. Everything was perfect! MM i am amazed by your energy and how you can command the weather to ccoperate! It was nice meeting the charming Mrs. MM and the Teen who’s a clone of her Dad! hahaha I didn’t want the day to end…Thanks to everybody there who made it special, specially to your crew. We’re definitely going to he next EB wherever it may be!
WOW!! those pictures could grace food and home magazines. I love the colors! hehehe–before, i was about to mention the anatomical comparison of those spherical beauties, but thought against it…glad you did, MM..they are quite hirsute, too, thus the similarity..hehe
WOW to the view, too..
To Marketman, Mrs. Marketman, the Teen, the crew, and all the new found friends…. Hope to see you all again soon!
taking another look: chartreuse table napkins–beautiful touch..goes with the balloon flowers.
everything was perfect! this view greeted us as we drove up, and then white-clad waiters greeted us with glasses of juice and bowls of peanuts, chicharon and dried mangoes. if only all cowboy parties started like this….!
nice to have finally met lee (no,bettyq, he wasn’t wearing purple pants!), moni, maryjoan, siegrez, and everybody else. it was also a treat to meet marissa, the sylvanas queen, and of course, Mr. and Mrs. Marketman and The Teen and The Crew.
I still have a hangover :-)
Although I have expressed my thanks to MM and Mrs. MM, let me cast my thanks in words. Many thanks MM, Mrs. MM, the Teen and your crew for giving us a splendid Saturday. Mary Joan is right, the EB was a reunion of sorts. I returned to Ormoc yesterday with a lechon fix that I stopped to buy lechon as soon as I got off the fastcraft. That was for my late lunch.
Didn’t realize certain cowboys have such genteel taste. The cowboys I know, eat on tins and sit around a rough campfire under the stars.
Congrats on another memorable get together, MM!
now posting pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/indiorebelstudio
also posting pics in facebook.
Thanks Lee!!!
thanks for the names on the photos, lee…at least i can attach some of the names to the faces…was that you in shock upon the sight of the lechon?
yes MarketFan. during the EB were talking about how the comments section of Marketmanila finally has faces. :) It was a great experience.
Mr. & Mrs. MM The Teen, It was such a wonderful lunch. I thought it was hard to pull a party for people who didn’t know each other except though your blog, but you’ve done it so well. Everything looked terrific and food tasted soooo good. I really enjoyed the company of my new found friends Mellit, Moni (waiting for your espasol recipe) Ging, Joan, Nina…..And everyone was just so amazingly nice. Maybe next EB will be a tea time – Filipino style with all Filipino desserts… halo halo, etc? just a suggestion… Actually so time can be longer? ’till then.
marissa, yes, that should be merienda cena (haha…like, from 4pm-9pm?).
I love the tablescape. Creative centerpieces!
lee, thanks for sharing the link to your pics. nagutom yata ako!
hi marissa. the next EB should start with breakfast and end with breakfast the next day. Di ba?
I always look forward to seeing your flower arrangements. Always “fresh” hehehe
I second the motion Lee!!!
Wuuuhuuuuu…I love those “martian blah blah”!!! You’re simply fantastic MM. Really a feat!!! Hope I can join the next one so I can meet you and the misus and the teen.
that’s a good idea lee, a lechon spa weekend of sorts? :)
Amazing casual but classy only you can make the big distinction! The weather was also watching over your big event ensuring everyone happy meals and catching up conversations.
My goodness, is this an EB or a garden wedding reception? I was anticipating on how the set-ups and everything will look like for the EB, I must admit, I wasn’t expecting something as beautiful/elegant but causal/laid-back and earhty as this! Excellent job!!! Wish I was there… :(
Wow! It’s superb. Elegantly presented.. Next eb, I hope I can be there,MM.
wow great arrangement! and i never thought those martian testicles could be used that way, used to play with those when i was small…