BEFORE anything else, dahlings, let me whisper in your ear about this socialite who had a bit of nip and tuck that is so well done, my jaws dropped the moment I saw her.
In fact, I didn’t notice it was her until she said, “Hello, Maurice, you’re such a snob!”
When I asked her who’s the doctor who performed the fabulous job, she just smiled and said, in a cryptic tone: “In Chinatown…”
Well, I’ve eaten all the champoy, quikiam and hopia in Binondo and I still haven’t found that doctor!
When Cris A. celebrates
Woman of style and substance Cris Albert celebrated her birthday with a series of très private dinners.
Albert, president of Fila Philippines and CEO and president of Malbert Holdings Inc., gathered friends at her favorite Sala Bistro. Her sister Ana Abad Santos helped host the event.
Invitees included Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Tim Yap, her favorite photographer Alex Van Hagen, Tatler’s Anton San Diego, wedding coordinator Javi Martinez, and moi, dahlings.
The following night she went Japanese at Mangetsu with her other close amigas, like my cousin Sari Yap, as well as Len Olbes, Sheila Romero and high-school friends Irene Razon and Nini Cosca.
Still another birthday bash, this time at the rooftop restaurant Flame, had the Discovery Hotel Group’s David Pardo de Ayala and Jun Parreño hosting an intimate and bubbly dinner for Cris and hubby Butch Albert.
Butch, in particular, raved about the incredible lobster and the duck dishes.
Guests included Rajo Laurel, French chef Xavier Btesh of Nuvo, Nix Alanon, the hunks of the Philippine Volcanoes national rugby union team, Dr. Aivee Aguilar-Teo, makeup artist Patrick Rosas and my palangga, Apples Aberin.
The series of birthday treats might have reached its peak with Anton San Diego’s turn to host for Albert a succulent and intricate Chinese dinner at the world-class Canton Road in Shangri-La at the Fort.
Digging into the food were businessman Jun Camcam and wife Courtney, Yap, moi and Javi, with Tessa Prieto-Valdes coming in fashionably late.
But more friends arrived: Oh-No-It’s-Johnny Litton, Helen Ong, Shelley Lazaro, Connie Haw, Nikki Tang, Sheree Chua, Len Olbes.
But that was not the end of it. The grand finale was a party for the entire famille, held at the house of Albert’s mom, Wanda Louwallien.
Sharpening the mind
A très chic private dinner was held at Vask in Bonifacio Global City to introduce dietary supplement brand Allysian Sciences.
My palangga, PR guy Jojie Dingcong, organized this gathering of influencers in the arts and entertainment industry to hear American eight-time Winter Olympics medalist Apolo Ohno and visionary businessman Rod Jao talk about their joint venture, Allysian Sciences.
My roving eyes caught Tessa, Rajo Laurel, Pops Fernandez, Marriane Po, Ina Ayala, Lizette Cojuangco, Mark Wilson, Louie Cruz, PJ Pascual, Franco Laurel, Bambina Olivares and Anton Barretto all listening in rapt attention.
Allysian Sciences, which has offices in six countries including the Philippines, is bringing “awareness to the brain health industry through natural products designed to help memory, stress relief, mood, alertness and performance, among other benefits.”
These products are combined with a technology-driven mobile platform that allows users to access scientifically validated brain training games and other e-learning modules.
Allysian’s goal is to help improve all aspects of life, especially with the most important part of the human body—the mind. It is said to improve cognition and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Visit www.allysian.com
‘Tropical Gypsies’
San Vicente, Palawan Mayor Pie Alvarez, Natalia Zobel, Bianca Zobel Warns and Maria Parsons lent their presence and support when Philippine Tatler threw a chic afternoon-to-evening soiree to celebrate the magazine’s July glam issue, with Sandra Soriano, Monica Urquijo and Jam Acuzar on the cover, photographed by Ava Pessina.
The event, dubbed “Tropical Gypsies,” was held at the newly opened Lanai Boutique, which had stunning flora and foliage flown in from the Netherlands.
On display were fabulous one-of-a-kind home accessories, ethnic jewelry and other items distributed by Alvarez’s online shopping site, LCP (www.shoplcp.com).
Lanai Boutique is at Karrivin Plaza, 2316 Chino Roces Ave., Makati