From eyewear to cognac and Chilean wines

RESORTS World Manila’s Kingson Sian, Ramesh Dargani, Steve Reilly, Martin Paz

Moi have read somewhere that when a movie star was a nobody she would go around exposing her face for the world to see. But becoming a star, she would go round wearing sunglasses even in the middle of the night to hide her identity. It’s so bizarre, ’di bala, palanggas?

VASHU Dargani, Oakley Philippines CEO Ramesh Dargani with eyecatching wife Nameeta

Going back to reality, when you hear the name Oakley, you know you’re wearing one of the best sunglasses in the world, dahlings. Naturellement, it recently presented its latest revolutions in eyewear, highlighting three of its more remarkable innovations, which, according to information materials, ensure “that consumers get the awesome performance lenses, letting individuals experience the quality of the eyewear they use.”

But Oakley has extended itself to fashion and its latest revolutionary design is the Blade II Board Shorts, which minimizes water absorption and are unbelievably lightweight, giving supreme comfort to the wearer playing a great game of golf. Oakley has also come out with the lightest performance golf shoe in the world—Cipher.

GUY Concepcion, Tricia Chiongbian-Concepcion, Ramesh Dargani, Lara Parpan, Diether Ocampo

Cipher sports the NanoSpike technology, “allowing your feet to be closer to the ground, ensuring better balance with a lower center of gravity,” said Oakley Phils. CEO Ramesh Dargani during the launch at the NBC Tent.

Showing off Oakley’s latest sunglasses were sports-adventure hotshots and aficionados that included coach Rio De la Cruz and Mikey Carreon, dahlings.

Being one of the global leaders in sports performance optics and surf and golf wear, Oakley gears up the wearer for an active lifestyle.

Hennessy XO dinner at Shang

ELIZABETH and Helen Co, Margaret Klauser, Anna Sobrepeña, Makati Shangri-La GM Reto Klauser

Makati Shangri-La’s premier Shang Palace was elegance at its best for Hennessy XO’s grand gourmet dinner with chef Richard Thong, no less.

Chef Richard is now at the helm of Shang Palace, bringing his Asian culinary flair to the restaurant. He was part of the original culinary team for Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and has over 20 years in experience as a chef, palanggas.

ELEANOR Ong and Aren Pe. Standing: Roselle Rebano, Embassy of Greece official Angeles Tsaousidis, Hennessy Philippines’ Randy Uson

So it just had to be the Shang Palace for the perfectly smooth Hennessy XO, a timeless concoction that goes all the way back, would you believe, to the 19th century, dahlings.

Although Shang Palace is the hub of Cantonese cooking, the chef’s new creations will be inspired by, take note, Sichuan, Cantonese and Asian fusion.

FRENCH Embassy Deputy Head Hugues-Anoine Suin, Janet de la Cruz, Hennessy Ambassador de la Maison Jean-Michel Cochet, Moet Hennessy Asia-Pacific Philippine representative Richard Alarcon

The awesome exclusive dinner was divine, with the taste of Hennessy’s hypnotic concoctions adding more spice and flavor to the offerings.

Superbly hosted by my pal Johnny Litton, Hennessy XO Gourmet Dinner had our town’s mega-pedigreed gourmands and connoisseurs enjoy to the last serving chef Richard’s perfect menu to go with that elegantly timeless drink, Hennessy XO, naturellement, dahlings.

Chilean wines at Tivoli

It was another awesome happening at the upscale Tivoli Restaurant of Mandarin Hotel where the dramatic setting for a fabulous wine was hosted by Tita Trillo of Titania Wine Cellar and notable wine master Nicolas del Solar of Caliterra Winery in Chile.

TITA Trillo of Titania Wine Cellar and Nicolas del Solar of Caliterra Winery of Chile

Helping them were Mandarin F&B director Chico Angeles and executive chef Remi Vercelli, all under the supervision of the hotel’s trés charmant GM, Mark Bradford, naturellement!

The dazzling stars of the evening were the award-winning Chilean wines of Caliterra, Arboleda, Cenit and Seña. Tita  said the memorable night was the product of “my unforgettable immersion in the vineyards in Chile where I personally met Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick who, in their partnership, envisioned these magnificent wines that we have the pleasure of having tonight.”

The guests expressed full admiration in the incredible six-course dinner, with each dish paired with Chilean wines, dahlings, starting off with Seña, served with a delicate array of cheeses, the first ever

JAY Sta. Maria, Alejandro Anareta, Cheng Yong, Dr. Terry Noble, Joe Meneses. Seated: Annabelle Yong, Tet de Guzman

Chilean wine to have “a 96-point rating by Robert Parker and is so far the highest rating ever given a Chilean wine,” Tita T. explained.

INQUIRER columnist Mickey Fenix, Lynette Corporal, Anna Sobrepeña

Adding drama, dessert was prepared on the spot by chefs who swirled chocolate, colorful syrups, ice cream and sweet delicacies, creating a sugary masterpiece on a round table in the center of the restaurant.

Since you don’t get this kind of masterful desserts every day, dahlings, the A-listers didn’t think twice about tasting and devouring it.

Well, after all, dahlings, when the Empress of Winery Tita calls, everyone comes, palanggas.

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