If you're hunting for a place to enjoy wine, dine and have a good chill then perhaps you'd better try out here at The Wine Bar at the 1771 El Pueblo.  It is a restaurant that not only caters to foodies and wine lovers, but also to those who aim to understand the art of wine pairing.  Just like me I want to know more about wine pairing as well.

A week before the classes starts I received a letter from the GSM Blueniversity congratulating me and informing me that the Committee of Admission has voted to offer me a slot at the GSM Blueniversity (Just according to the letter, hehehe). Though it was a general letter for most of the HRM students, future bartenders and bartenders-at-heart the feeling is still the same when I was admitted into the university. I remember myself pulling out the letter from the envelope, inch by inch, to see whether I passed the exam or I failed it. Fortunately, it seems no one failed because most of us were given a letter through our emails.


As we all know, some of the classes during college were boring but of course it depends on the professor and the subject they are teaching. Good thing and were lucky that the Dean of the GSM Blueniversity is not a grumpy old man or woman that will just spoil the night. Dean Jayce Perlas is just the right person to make the night of learning fun and exciting. Plus we don’t have to cut-classes just to have fun because the fun is already in the class at A-venue’s Capone’s Bistro together with GSM Blueniversity Professors Derick de Borja and Erwyn Unigo. The GSM Blueniversity is organized to teach people more about drinks, drinking, mixing drinks and flair-tending with the assistance of professional bartenders and mixers plus a hands-on experience in mixing your own concoctions. As what Professor de Borja quoted “GSM Blue is here to educate, not intoxicate”.

Derick de Borja briefly discussed Alcohol 101. He explained us a bit about alcohols, liquors, and spirits. He even explained the differences of each alcoholic drinks and he also mentioned a bit how they are processed. We also learned terms and different ingredients needed in mixing cocktails. We even learned that a concoction is called a punch when juice is dominant than the alcohol and it is a cocktail when alcohol is much dominant than the juice.





The Science of Mixing according to Blueniversity Derick de Borja and Erwyn Unigo has a detailed ways on mixing and preparing cocktails and drinks. Erwyn Unigo shows us his flair moves and also mixes some of the famous cocktails like the martini and some local mixes like the Whatta Whatta BlueMix of San Juan, Manila and the Baragatan BlueMixx of Puerto Princesa.

Of course, the class will not be complete without experiencing it for ourselves, so three participants were chosen to make their own concoction. As a result personalities of the mixers came out to the concoction that they have prepared. For the final round of the night three students were chosen to participate in a drinking galore to get the Toma cum laude of the class. Mommy Lariza reign victorious as she swept the whole five cocktails with a straw.

To end the final rites of the GSM Blueniversity class a certificate as Toma Cum Laude was awarded to Mommy Lariza and certificate of participation to all the participants.

Photo by Jeman

They were also announcing their annual search for Flair Idols so if you got the guts, qualified and is a promising flair idol join their search who knows you might become this year’s Flair Idol.

As a reminder to all always drink responsibly and moderately! Kampai!