Maripi Muscat is one woman who drinks champagne and chats the night away, talking about fashion, politics, vegetarianism and, her favorite topic, yoga.
Last Saturday, she had one more reason to stay up late when she marked her birthday.
Looking cool in her Yohji Yamamoto outfit, Maripi entertained her guests. Helping her was her daughter, Nicole Monserrat-Ortega, and Nicole’s hubby, ABC president and board member in San Fernando La Union, Mannix Ortega. Their children Natalia, Julio and Santino also helped in entertaining guests. Maripi’s son Marco Lobregat could hardly keep his eyes open from a rough-rough night, to an early sun-shining day.
Gazing at Maripi, his lady love of 22 years, realtor Johnny Velasquez emceed the program. Maripi treated them to a superb 12-course Chinese dinner from Hei Shin Lou Restaurant on the fourth floor of the Alphaland building near the corner of Buendia and Ayala Avenues. The menu included Steamed Shrimp, Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup, Suckling Pig, Fried Seafood Rice with Dried Olive Leaf, Pan Fried Salted Fish, Peking Duck, Steamed Lapu-Lapu, Stuffed Eggplant in Hot Pot, Beef Broccoli, Peppercorn Duck Bone, and, my favorite, Braised Efu Noodles with Quail Eggs. Dessert was good ol’ taho.
Talk over dinner was about Jonathan Matti’s birthday in Paris this month. Going there will be Freddie Olbes (who said he will go to Prague and other European countries afterwards), banker and investor Andrew Gan, eye doctor Glenn Carandang, Victoria Preysler, Raul Manzano and moi. We’re thinking of going to Lourdes, Biarritz and San Sebastian après.
It was a perfect evening.
Bubbly cheers to you, dahling.
Piolo, Matteo
This year’s Cobra Ironman 70.3 was held at Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa. Superstar Piolo Pascual was cheered by the women who swooned over him and other ambassadors of the brand: Matteo Guidicelli, Anthony and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, Dyan Castillejo and Kim Atienza.
Popular Gotta team consisted of Mark Hernandez, Gilbert Remulla and Raymond Racaza. Polo Tri team consisted of David Charlton, Amanda Carpo-Bond and others.
Coach Ani de Leon-Brown organized the IronKids race. Tessa Prieto-Valdes came by to say “hi” and showed her support, but she was scheduled to attend Michel and Amparito Lhuillier’s fabulous 50th wedding anniversary.
Visiting from Rudy Project Italy was export manager Claudio Fantin. With him were Gabriele Boschi, CEO of Brand Gateway, Inc. (tel 5716637 loc. 107) the distributing company of Rudy Project, and his wife Julie.
Matteo Guidicelli came with his dad, Gianluca, and his sister, Giorgia, with the adorable Marco Vazzoler, GM of the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa.
It was definitely a day of strength, stamina, good health and beautiful faces. What else could one ask for, di bala, palangga?
BP to mount ‘Giselle’
Ballet Philippines (BP) with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines presented “La Revolucion Filipina,” a historical dance drama about Apolinario Mabini, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The production was mounted in connection with the 150th birth anniversary of Mabini.
The production was brilliantly choreographed by Agnes Locsin with libretto by Dennis Marasigan and music by Ryan Cayabyab.
The role of Mabini was essayed by Germany-based guest artist Sonny Locsin on gala performances and by BP principal dancer Jean Marc Cordero on matinees. Alternately playing Emilio Aguinaldo were principal dancer Richardson Yadao and Tanghalang Pilipino scholar Ricardo Magno.
Looking stunning in her formal gown, Margie Moran-Floirendo, president of BP, together with Paul Alexander Morales, artistic director, entertained the culturati and guests during the opening gala night sponsored by the UP College of Law Class of 1991.
Après “La Revolucion Filipina,” BP will present the Blue Moon Series, a two week mini-festival this September celebrating the company’s 45th anniversary. The series begins with the restaging of “Giselle” on Sept. 19, with guest artists from the American Ballet Theatre, Stella Abrera and James Whiteside, performing with the company for a fundraising gala.
Don’t miss any of this excellently choreographed and brilliant dance performances of Ballet Philippines, dahlings.
Visit www.ballet.ph, e-mail [email protected], or call tel. 5511003. For tickets, call CCP Box Office at tel. 8323704 or Ticketworld at tel. 8919999.
