Chemist and tablescape diva Pinky Tobiano creates several “wow moments,” as she teams up anew, this time with Rustan’s Department Store, to unveil a number of table arrangements that are artforms in and of themselves. She also shares useful tips to readers to inspire them as they embark on their respective tablescaping adventures.
If there’s one thing chemist and tablescape diva Pinky Tobiano is unafraid to do, it is to collaborate with a roster of local suppliers behind select and topnotch global brands to further enhance her friends and followers’ dining experience. After all, Pinky, apart from easily channeling various disparate themes and influences to come up with the ultimate tablescape, has also mastered the art of putting things together. And these traits are very much on display in her widely followed TV show TableLove by Pinky, which airs every Sunday on ETC.
Recently, the so-called “Queen of Tablescaping” collaborated with the home section of Rustan’s Department Store to come up with not just one, but four different tablescape arrangements using mostly items exclusively found in the leading high-end department store chain. Her ephemeral works of art were on full display recently at the second floor atrium of Shangri-La Plaza Mall. The event coincided with the 70th anniversary of Rustan’s, which is hosting a month-long string of events and parties this September, highlighting its various products and sections to mark the milestone.
The event, which was hosted by Bianca Valerio, was graced by the likes of former Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson, beauty queens Bianca Manalo, Nicole Cordoves and Rosie Baeyens, society icon Tessa Valdes, Annabelle Rama, Becky Garcia and doctor-husband George Sarakinis, Marga Nograles, Michelle Takijima, Susan Joven and Joy Polloso. Also in attendance were Pinky’s hubby Juancho Robles and her daughter Pianne Sinfuego.
Once again, Pinky displayed her creativity by just being her whimsical and unpredictable self when it comes to settling on a theme and putting various accessories together to bring an entire setup to life. In return, guests indulged in the vignettes of eye candy in front of them while savoring glasses upon glasses of champagne and wine as well as savory and sweet hors d’oeuvres and desserts.
Among her masterpieces that evening were “Bahay Kubo,” which featured recycled materials like soft broom or walis tambo, as well as fabrics and accessories such as lampshades and birdcages. “Recycling is also my own statement against climate change,” she explained.
Drawing inspiration from the Filipino folk song of the same title, “Bahay Kubo” juxtaposed one of the works of renowned Filipino painter Anita Magsaysay Ho and Bernardaud plates, which are exclusively available at Rustan’s. Following the song’s lyrics, Pinky then went about sprucing up the table with tomatoes, string beans, eggplants, turnips, ginger and even peanuts.
To honor breast cancer warriors and survivors, including herself and her own mom, Pinky did a second table, a girlie-girl arrangement aptly titled “Tickle Me Pink.” It also doubled as a timely tribute to ICan Serve Foundation and Bosom Buddies, which will, like the rest of the world, paint the town pink come October.
“My mom and I are both cancer survivors,” Pinky disclosed. “‘Tickle Me Pink’ is a tribute to all the women fighting breast cancer. I salute the courage and resilience of each woman. May that table inspire all the people confronting the Big C to continue the fight with love, grace and hope in the Lord.”
The third table, “La Dolce Vita,” signifies Rustan’s 70th year of celebrating life, love, family and excellence. Mirroring Rustan’s efforts to redefine and continuously elevate upscale and luxury retailing through the years, the tablescape only promoted and evoked the finest things in life in terms of aesthetics, prestige and durability.
Evoking luxury doesn’t totally mean avoiding the use of dried and artificial blooms. In Pinky’s case, she combined the natural with the artificial without apologies. “There’s nothing wrong with using artificial flowers,” she pointed out. “What is important is that you satisfy what you want to execute.”
Again, she reiterated, it’s essential to have a theme when starting on a tablescape. Match the theme of the table with the occasion, the personalities of the guests or something they truly love, she shared. The table should also be meaningful to the host during that special moment.
It goes without saying that color plays a very significant part in tablescaping. Choose your color palette and use this to match or play around with items found on your table such as plates, glasses, picture frames, candies and flowers, said Pinky.
Accessorizing is the most important part of all, she reminded. That’s why she often utilizes the use of picture frames, custom jewelry, vases, candles and other fun as well as elegant ornaments that match the personality of the person she’s doing the table for.
Establishing various heights, volumes and textures creates the “wow moment” in every tablescaping endeavor. This explains why Pindy settles for arrangements with different heights. She also plays with flowers, books, vases and any available material to achieve volume and texture in her tablescapes. Height creates an illusion that can be a visual feast for the eyes, she said.
Since music further brings out the artist in Pinky, music that matches the theme of the table is also important to her while she works.
“A touch of love.” That is the heart of every tablescaping endeavor done by Pinky. In other words, she loves to personalize her tables. She makes sure, for instance, not to forget name cards and small gifts for each guest. “This is my expression of love and gratitude towards family members and friends,” Pinky said. “Everything I do, I do from the heart.”
