The holiday feeling picked up in October but is now on a roll since that mega conglomerate SM had a double celebration: the formal launch of the SM Store and MasterCard’s 120 VIP Travel Packages to Resorts World Sentosa Singapore. The two events were held during the traditional Christmas Tree Lighting at the SM Mall of Asia.

Present at the ceremonial toast of SM Prime Holdings were my palangga, president Hans T. Sy; SM Store president Jorge Mendiola; Resorts World Sentosa Singapore vice president for engagement and partnership Noel Hawkes; MasterCard vice president Judith Dayrit.

“Every P3,000 minimum spend using their Philippine issued MasterCard at SM Store entitles SM Advantage Card holders to a raffle coupon and a chance to win one of 120 VIP Travel Packages for two to Resorts World Sentosa Singapore. The promo runs until Dec. 31,” said SM’s VP for marketing, and dedicated woman achiever, Millie Dizon.

Each travel package includes round-trip airfare via Singapore Airlines, hotel accommodations, and park tickets to Universal Studios Singapore and Sea Aquarium.

The lighting of the giant Christmas tree has been an annual SM Mall of Asia tradition since 2006. The 50-ft Christmas tree, said to be the tallest indoor tree in the country, has over 500 ornaments and a string of sparkling 40,000 LED lights, dahlings. It is embellished with gold metal sheets at the heart of the tree, with stars decorated in gleaming gold and silver. The base is an enchanting red brick house with a quaint pebbled fireplace. Santa’s real-life nutcracker soldiers watch over his ruby red couch.

It was a night of “farewells and “new beginnings” when Makati Shangri-La hosted “Nouveau” to bid  goodbye its outgoing area manager and general manager, the affable and charming

pal of mine Reto Klauser, and his wife vivacious Margreta,  now based in Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, overseeing the awesome Malaysian properties of the group.

Replacing Reto is another real close pal and true friend of mine, the trés, trés charmant Alain Borgers, who is back in Manille aprés the grand opening and managing the posh Shangri-La Hotel, Paris, no less dahlings. It’s a full circle for Alain, who was resident manager of Makati Shangri-La in 1994, and general manager of Edsa Shangri-La in 1999.

For this grand happening, Makati Shangri-La unveiled its new Isabela Ballroom, at the hotel’s lower lobby, dahlings, a perfect event space with its cozy and elegant regal look. Facilities include a ballroom foyer, which holds a dining room, open kitchen, bar and sala area. The ballrooms can hold up to 400 guests.

“There is no other function space in the city that offers innovative culinary concepts, interchangeable furniture, a private dining area, a dedicated bar and modern technology, all in one place,” said hotel manager Andrew den Oudsten.

Naturellement, Shangri-La’s prime asset, exotic, statuesque eye-catcher, director of communications Lesley Tan entertained invitees endlessly.

The elegant Isabela Ballroom is designed by renowned Hong Kong-based LRF Design Ltd., the group responsible for some of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ high end properties across Asia.

At the winding staircase leading to Isabela Ballroom, there is a cascading chandelier designed a la “mizu”  (Japanese for “cascading drops of water”). This leads to a gorgeous living area with leather-upholstered, mirrored coffee tables, and chrome floor lamps, among others, dahlings.

The best part, dahlings, a car entrance is accessible through the Basement 1 Parking, plus a VIP anteroom with a separate bathroom, shower and powder room. Now that’s a class-act hard to beat, n’est-ce pas?

The new ballroom has historical significance. It represents the instrumental discovery of the Philippines—Queen Isabela  and her husband King Philip II of Spain, for whom the Philippines was named, provided for the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan around the world, eventually leading him to discover the Philippines.

And Isabela of Shangri-La Makati will be a great and awesome discovery for all of us once we enter their totally new design concept. Check it out! You’ll definitely agree with moi, dahlings.

Trendy looks

Penshoppe recently unveiled its Spring/Summer 2014 collection. With its fabulously cool summer outfits, it was another show-stopping presentation from one of the country’s fashion authorities.

Well, palangga, as expected, the hip and happening affair drew top style-setters and fashion personalities, each wearing trendy looks that were mixed and matched with basic pieces.

Welcoming the crowd, dahlings, were the Golden ABC’s CEO Bernie Liu and VP for retail brands Alice Liu, plus stylish achiever Jeff Bascon, Penshoppe’s brand director, natch.

Naturellement, also present were hot namedroppables like PBA hunks Jared Dillinger, Nic Belasco, Tony dela Cruz and Alex Compton; upcoming young actress Anika Gonzales; model-host Sarah Meier; model Janne Tee; and singer/songwriter Abby Asistio. Fashion photographers Sean Armenta, Doc Marlon Pecjo and Shaira Luna, and designer Pat Santos were also present.

The collection of bold prints, bright colors and new silhouettes will definitely be next season’s most coveted style statements, palangga.

Penshoppe unleashed a fierce blast of wardrobe must-haves for its Spring/Summer collection. That’s if summer ever comes, dahlings. With climate changes, it has become a guessing game for all, di bala palangga?

Check out Penshoppe for fresh-off-the-runway fashion essentials, dahlings.