Cocaine use still prevalent among the rich

Around six years ago, an actor and his businessman friend went to one of the toilet cubicles in a club in the city to snort cocaine.

 

Today, coke is apparently still very much around, reportedly shared freely among friends in elite circles—despite a bloody drug war being waged by President Duterte.

 

Take note that cocaine is not manufactured locally, but flown in from abroad.

 

Bambbi’s birthday party

Josh Valdez, Bambbi Fuentes, Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes —HENRY FERRER

 

Now, on to more wholesome parties.

For the past several years, celebrity hair and makeup stylist Bambbi Fuentes’ birthday party was held at a restaurant in Quezon City. But on Dec. 29, 2017, she broke tradition by holding it at the Manila House in BGC.

 

Reason was that Bambbi’s mother, Matilde, and three siblings, Nikki, Bing and Rhen, all living in the United States, were spending the holidays in Manila.

 

Bambbi Fuentes’ family, from left, clockwise: cousin Andrew Familarcano, brother Bing Fuentes, Josh Valdez, Bambbi Fuentes, Tes and Rhen Fuentes (brother), nephew Marlon Fuentes, mother Matilde, sister Nikki Fuentes Smith, nephew Dylan Smith (son of Nikki)

Also spotted having a good time was Bambbi’s top client, Marian Rivera, who came with husband Dingdong Dantes. Likewise present were Bambbi’s show-biz friends, fashion designer JC Buendia, longtime pal Josh Valdez, and Wednesday club drinking buddies.

 

The guests were one in praising the food, which consisted of homemade sweet potato and taro chips with sichimi dip, nori chips with spicy tuna, shimeji with wasabi aioli, ikura and caviar pasta, salt-crusted fish, and 16-hour slow-roasted beef belly.

 

I loved the fine Montes red wine. Cheers, Bambbi!

From left: Lynette Guzman, Pinky Tobiano, Marlyn Cabungkal, Bambbi Fuentes, Malou Martinez

 Denim, flowers, live music

 

While Bambbi’s party had a touch of glam with a swinging disco soundtrack, Kahlil Durias, eldest child and only daughter of South Border leader Jay Durias, turned 18 with a denim-flowers-live music theme bash at the UP Village patio in QC.

From left: sisters Helene Inductivo-Durias, Jacqueline and Sharon Inductivo, and Dr. James Monje

On hand to celebrate Kahlil’s debut were mom Helene and only brother Jaydee. Also present were Kahlil’s grandparents, aunts and uncle from the Inductivo clan, top anesthesiologist James Monje of the Lung Center of the Philippines, and Los Angeles Music Academy-trained drummer Michael Alba.

South Border’s Jay Durias jams with daughter Kahlil. —JUDE NG

Alba runs MADP (Michael Alba Drum Program), where Kahlil recently graduated as a scholar.

 

Live musical numbers were provided by Kahlil’s brother Jaydee, South Border bassist Tabs Tabuñar’s daughter Leana, hot new Pinoy band IV of Spades doing original songs,  South Border, and the night’s highlight, Kahlil herself on drums, accompanied by Jay on keyboards and South Border’s saxophonist Edward Picache on flute and Tabuñar on bass in a rendition of Dave Valentin’s “Oasis.”

IV of Spades

Kahlil—looking cool in her corn rows hairstyle and Doc Martens 1460 boots—dedicated her performance to cousin Zalo Chua, who died in 2014. “You never left my heart,” Kahlil said. “This one’s for you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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