I saw a meme that said, “If 60 is the new 40, then 9 p.m. is the new midnight!” Luckily, neither 60 nor 9 p.m. is anywhere on my horizon. It’s okay to party and celebrate milestones at all hours.

 

At the festive celebration of her 60th birthday, Wilcon Depot driving force Rose Ong welcomed family and friends in the business and retail industry. The Isla Ballroom at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel was bursting with extravagant flower arrangements, making the occasion more beautiful and elegant.

 

With her family performing a song-and-dance number, the night was filled with surprises and smiles, laughter and love. It was truly a party to remember.

 

Through the years, she has built friendships and partnerships as she worked as senior executive vice president and chief operating officer of Wilcon Depot and was newly elected president of Philippine Retailers Association. Rose has bloomed in a male-dominated industry.

 

A few weeks later, Rose was treated to an intimate dinner hosted by Lifestyle Asia at VU’s Sky Bar and Lounge at Marco Polo Hotel in Ortigas. We enjoyed dancing the night away with a view of the beautiful Ortigas skyline.

 

Wilcon Depot and Lifestyle Asia Magazine have been supporting the Red Charity Gala for many years. We are very grateful to the growing number of sponsors who have helped raise funds for the Philippine Red Cross and the Assumption HS ’81 Foundation Inc.

 

Good friend Becky Garcia, who also celebrated her birthday recently at Fashion Interiors Showroom, also generously donates to our charities.

 

Generous friends

 

Apart from our major sponsors like Bench, Globe Platinum, Sun Life Financial, Megaworld, Jewelmer and Ultherapy, to name a few, we are deeply honored to have generous friends who, aside from buying tables, also actively participate in bidding for auction items.

 

This year, we had for auction a handsome Omega Planet Ocean watch for men from Lucerne; a wellness package from St. Luke’s Medical Center; Ultherapy treatments; Bernhardt Jet Set bed frame and side tables with Uratex Premium king-size mattress; Gorenje Special Edition Volkswagen retro refrigerator; a Viking range; and several beautiful jewelry items from Diagold, Jewelmer, JMA, Jul B. Dizon and Royal Gem.

 

We also auctioned so many travel packages, including a presidential suite stay at the new Nuwa Hotel (formerly Crown Towers until the rebranding early this year).

 

Our biggest auction item was a Balesin Island Club Gold membership donated by the private island club owner himself, Roberto Ongpin.

 

This year, we had the most number of Boracay Island resort packages. These included Crimson Resort & Spa Boracay, Discovery Shores Boracay and Shangri-La Resort & Spa Boracay—very timely, with this weekend’s reopening of the world-famous island.

 

At the store opening of the Gifts & Graces Foundation, I chatted with Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat about Boracay and the joint efforts of the government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Tourism. We should all do our share to keep this incredible island a pristine treasure.

 

I am quite excited to accept the invitation of Discovery COO Jun Parreno for a much-needed vacation at Discovery Shores very soon!

 

Fresh and captivating

 

Every year, Rémy Martin supports our gala. Their latest collaboration is with visual artist Matt W. Moore, infusing a bold and exciting energy into the VSOP universe.

 

More than a fresh and captivating packaging design, Matt has crafted a new graphic language for VSOP, reflecting Rémy Martin’s rich heritage as well as the brand’s forward-focused mind-set.

 

This new visual narrative blends natural elements like grapes and leaves, as well as many cherished symbolisms, such as the the mythical centaur, in an array of colorful geometric patterns and semiotics.

 

Moore’s stylish art (which has come to be known as Vectorfunk) appears in the Matt Moore Limited Edition VSOP bottles exclusively available at all S&R outlets.

 

Inspired by the Cognac environment, the team-up with Moore shows Rémy Martin’s direction to expand its vision as its range of products grows finer with age. The partnership is meant to give a fresher perspective to a liquor brand that has been around for years, yet is willing to bring something new to the table.

 

Rémy Martin VSOP embodies the perfect harmony of powerful and elegant aromas. Extremely versatile, it is composed of eaux-de-vie which comes exclusively from the highest-quality vineyards of Cognac, the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne.

 

To mark the launch of the Matt Moore Limited Edition VSOP bottles in the country, Rémy Martin recognized “Art & Style Icons”—the who’s who in their respective fields, established individuals who embody Rémy Martin’s love of the art.

 

Some of the Art & Style Icons include a fashion model, a furniture designer, an entrepreneur, chefs, a singer-songwriter, a painter-sculptor, a DJ, writers, a film director, a TV host, photographers and a restaurateur.

 

These standout individuals were honored during the event, awarded with a plaque and a Matt Moore VSOP Bottle.

 

Rémy Martin will also work with local visual artists to showcase the exemplary talents of Filipinos through a mural art installation, appropriating the bold energy and vibe of Matt Moore’s work. It’s the world’s first brand activation that leverages ARKit technology through an art perspective.

 

Happy birthday, Kaye!

 

This grand, busy weekend has been one big party. At the Red Charity Gala on Saturday, we also celebrated the birthday of my gracious, generous and ever-so-stylish co-chair Kaye Tiñga. I only wish her the finest things in life and excellent health to enjoy lots of weekends at the beach!