
Eem Byung-hak and Kim Naun of Goonam performs at the SF Music Matters Asia showcase at Broadway Studios in San Francisco on March 8 (photo credit: Karen Datangel).
Many indie musicians have already gathered at the world-famous SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, but before heading to the Lone Star State, some of these artists and a few others took their show to the City by the Bay for two nights of unforgettable music mayhem. From sentimental soul and slinky blues to pulsating electronic beats and fist-pumping dance-rock, the East met the West in a duo of shows, delivering something special for every music lover.
As a special preview to the newly branded CAAMFest (Formerly the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival), the inaugural San Francisco Music Matters Asia showcase brought together some of the hottest musical acts from Korea, China, and Taiwan at Broadway Studios on March 7 and 8. This Bay Area stop served as an extension of Music Matters, Asia’s yearly premier music event in Singapore. Partnered with local music promoters from the bands’ countries (DFSB Collective of Korea, Maybe Mars of China, and The Wall of Taiwan), SF Music Matters Asia was not only a rare opportunity for fans to see so many critically-acclaimed Asian artists together, but opened doors for these artists to share their music with a wider international audience.

Patrons at Chambers SF got together for Happy Hour as a preview to the annual Plate-by-Plate Tasting Benefit, to take place on September 22nd at The Bently Reserve (photo credit: Jessica Huey / Project by Project).
It was a classy and crowded evening of mingling, networking, and tasty cocktails by the pool at Chambers in San Francisco on August 1st, and for a great cause: Project by Project hosted a special preview event—a Happy Hour—for the San Francisco chapter’s 3rd Annual Plate by Plate Tasting Benefit on September 22nd at The Bently Reserve.
The world of fashion solely revolves around ever-shifting trends and fresh faces, like that of the just-announced Ford Models Supermodel of the World 2011, Filipina model Danica Magpantay.
It was last November when the University of the Philippines Diliman fine arts student strut her way to hail as Ford Models Supermodel of the World Philippines 2010.

Lala Flores (left) is not only a supermodel mom to Magpantay, but a makeup artist to many of the Philippines' models and celebrities like Angel Locsin (right).
Magpantay is a rookie when walking the line, but her catwalk lineage runs strong as she is the descendant of former 1990 Supermodel of the World-Philippine delegate and Asia’s Most Glamorous Model in 1994 Lala Flores.

Charlene "Chat" Almarvez was featured in editorials in publications such as Vogue China, V Magazine, and the New York Times in 2010.
In 2010, another Filipina model, Charlene Almarvez, was the first runner-up behind Latvia’s Katrina Karlina Caune at the 2010 Ford Models Supermodel of the World in Sao Paulo, Brazil.