In a show biz that can’t keep secrets, Anne Curtis just kept the news of her pregnancy secret—its first trimester, at least.
So when she finally told the world that she and husband Erwan Heussaff are expecting their firstborn, the traditional and digital worlds rejoiced, and netizens relished her photo showing a baby bump.
Last Wednesday, her friends, led by her ninang, Virgie Ramos, the builder of Swatch brand in the Philippines, took the celebration an ingenious notch higher by gathering for a “gender reveal.”
In the rooftop of the Swatch building that was decked out like a cool garden, complete with transparent tent, Anne and Erwan kept their friends in suspense.
On a warm Wednesday afternoon, as cars piled up in weekday traffic on a Makati street, the couple’s friends—a mix of show biz and style celebrities—waited for the couple to cut the cake in this woodland-meets-rustic venue decorated with celadon, beige and brown touches.
The cake would reveal a baby’s gender. To cheers and happy screams, Erwan, the famous chef, cut a huge slice of a multilayered cake—a boy if they were blue sprinkles, a girl if pink.
It was pink!
There were only 50 guests, among them the Kramer family, Monique Jamlang, Zhara Banal, Steph Abellada and Jacque Gutierrez of BLK, Bea Alonzo, Angelica Panganiban, Isabelle Daza-Semblat, Liz Uy, her glam team Robbie Piñera and Raymond Santiago, handler Warren Dimen, Anne’s dad, Jasmine Curtis and her boyfriend, Jeff Ortega, Dr. Vicki Belo and Dr. Hayden Kho with Scarlet Snow, Nicole Andersson, Nico Bolzico and Solenn Heussaff, and the parents of Erwan.
Instead of gifts, guests were requested to donate to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
Anne hosted the baby bottle chug game—the first to finish won a cash prize and a Big Bold Swatch.
Margarita Forés’ Cibo prepared the food, while Moss Manila did the venue set-up.
Just two days before, Virgie Ramos hosted a polka-dot-theme Christmas party for family and close friends.
The Swatch rooftop really looked like a happy place, its twinkling lights a magical imagery against the evening city skyline of high-rises.
In this evening holiday landscape, Scarlet Snow romped around amid the adults who included her mom Dr. Vicki Belo, Derek Ramsay with sultry girlfriend Andrea Torres, National Artist BenCab and Annie Sarthou, Louie and Jojo Ocampo, Mia Borromeo, Susan Joven, Paul Cabral, Philip Cuazon Jr., Gino Gonzales, Jappy Gonzalez, newlyweds Ian and Giorgia Dato, Gianluca and Glenna Guidicelli and youngest son Paolo, Paul Cabral, Rowell Santiago who did the blocking for the souvenir shot, Dr. Jaime Songco and family.
SM executive Steven Tan led the dice game after dinner.
The guests didn’t know that Swatch pioneer Virgie Ramos really had good reason to celebrate Christmas. We learned that the Filipinos’ loyalty to this Swiss watch brand is so strong that even when Filipinos travel or live abroad, they patronize the brand. It’s a strong affinity that cuts across classes and ages.
It was so amusing how Scarlet ran to a young Paolo Guidicelli for a selfie, and when invited by Paolo’s mom Glenna to come over and visit for a swim, she readily said, “I can already do butterfly!” So cute.
Indeed, while grownups cope with the hustle and bustle of Christmas, it’s the children who know how to put a smile on your face. Ask Santa Claus.
