Association of the Philippines’ Phoemela Baranda, Anton Zamora
Belvedere Beat Festival has landed, and it has made sure everyone knows about it.
Belvedere Beat is a series of fast-paced events in which fashion, music and cocktails meld for an awesome feast for the senses.
The tour de force opened with a smashing bash at Skye Lounge in the Fort. Host was Belvedere representative Richard Alarcon.
The most gorgeous models in Manille were seen on the runway. It was totally a procession of sexy outfits and beautiful people.
Moi rubbed elbows with the likes of gorgeous Phoemela Baranda, style maven Daryl Chang, “America’s Next Top Model” favorite Allison Harvard.
The night was extremely sultry, but the music made it even hotter, with DJ Femme from Melbourne providing the partygoers with an adrenaline-high set.
Luckily, the sweaty night-owls could rehydrate with endless flow of Belvedere cocktails.
My personal darling was the Belvedere Caipiroska, a smooth, simply divine drink with the addition of one the world’s purest and most delicious vodkas.
By dawn, there wasn’t a steady walk or clear eye in sight. After all, it was a wild and fun night.
Belvedere Beat will be hosting six more magnetic events in some of the city’s swankiest and sexiest clubs until August.
Needless to say, moi will be there, ready for another round, natch.
High Street Central
Bonifacio Global City held a grand launch of its modern and superbly designed commercial and lifestyle center—Bonifacio High Street Central.
The awesome launch was led by Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. and Ayala Land executives Fernando Zobel, Butch Campos, Tony Aquino, John Tan and Arnel Casanova.
VIPs included Bobby and Meean Dy, Cathy Bengzon, Maricris Bernardino of Ayala Land, Kevin Prassad of Sutra, Donna and Diana Tan of Sariwon, doctors Gil and TJ Divinagracia of Spex Optical Shop, Mike and Nameeta Dargani of Geisha, and, naturellement, Joseph Romero of Stores Specialists Inc, dahlings.
I’ve been to Bonifacio High Street Central and checked out the restaurants like Besos and believe moi, it’s a world-class work of art; it’s cool and breezy, with interactive spaces and an endless selection of food places. It exceeds your expectations of what an urban lifestyle hub is all about, palanggas.
Lifestyle Asia turns 25
Maxine Medina, Ana Sideco, Natasha Bautista, Kara Gozali
Lifestyle Asia’s 25th anniversary began with a ballet and ended with guests dancing at the Makati Shangri-La.
Meanwhile, the sparkling crowd sipped Moët, Belvedere and Grand Marnier cocktails, admiring the awesome Lexus GS 450h Hybrid display outside the Rizal ballroom.
The transformation of the venue had everyone admiring the work of Robert Blancaflor who dressed the venue in elegant black and white from floor to ceiling.
A tree installation designed by London-based Filipino designer Latorre Cruz was covered in light and had seeds wrapped in parchment paper. The tree was part of a continuing project to urge publishers and readers to plant a tree for every page of the magazine, palanggas.
The affair started with Ballet Philippine dancers taking center stage for the dramatic jaw-dropping “Swan” scene, which marked the silver anniversary of Lifestyle Asia.
Editor in chief Anna Sobrepeña explained to the 300 invitees the black swan metaphor—“a rare event, because not every magazine gets to celebrate 25 years.”
Associate publisher Cheryl Tiu said, “Lifestyle Asia was the first glossy magazine in the Philippines chronicling living at its finest for a quarter of a century.”
The Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco law firm and Sycip Gorres Velayo gave “special gifts” to Inquirer president Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, who represented the Gifts and Graces Foundation, and to Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte-Alimurong, who represented the Joy of Urban Farming. Gifts were also given to Operation Smile.
Mega editor in chief Sari Yap announced the change of the name from Mega Publishing Group to One Mega Group, “since we are no longer just into print but had expanded into other media forms.”
In the end, everyone went home with awesome gift bags containing the latest Lifestyle Asia issue, which sports the magazine’s new logo, and a Jewelmer pearl bracelet, among other goodies, palanggas. It was a truly memorable silver evening.
