Paradise Found. This must be one of the most awaited resorts in a long time. Dedon Island, 800 kilometers from Manila, 45 minutes from Cebu by plane and located in the province of Surigao del Norte, is the latest feather in the cap of the international outdoor furniture maker Dedon.

This high-luxury resort, which has been receiving phenomenal international press coverage of late, is the new resort to go to, appealing to the jet-set, nature-loving and barefoot-luxury sort.

Dedon Island, consisting of nine villas, was a collaborative project with the noted international designers Jean-Marie Massaud and Daniel Pouzet. The design team used only local materials and employed local craftsmen, integrating their world-class furniture and creativity with the natural surroundings, combining indoors and out.

Thoughtfully incorporating the finest modern amenities, the Paradise-like Dedon Island is the ideal place to retreat to, rejuvenate and return to the world in a barefoot state of mind.

Dedon furniture founder Bobby Dekeyser says, “The first time we arrived on the island we knew straightaway that we’d found our paradise. Here we can do everything we always wanted to. We can test our outdoor furniture out in the open. We can grow our own healthy organic food. We can spend quality time with friends telling stories and create wonderful experiences under wide-open skies.”

(Visit www.dedonisland.com.)

The Bench-mark

I was asked by my good friend Ben Chan to be one of 13 judges to choose the models for his much-awaited “Bench Universe” show that will be held on Sept. 13 and 14 at the Mall of Asia Arena. I did not have any expectations since it was my first time to judge; but I felt I was in for a very entertaining and eye-popping experience. And I was proven right.

Some of the aspirants were not celebrities or models and probably would not make it to any agency’s roster, but they have dreams (of being a Bench model), guts and bodies honed through months or years of training.

I heard entertaining and heartwarming anecdotes, like that of a 39-year-old man saying it has been his dream to be a Bench model. Or of candidates travelling for 12 hours to get to the venue. There was one who, when asked who his favorite Bench model was, answered, looking directly to one of my co-judges the ever lovely Georgina Wilson, “They say I look like Borgy Manotoc, so he’s my favorite.”

For fun, Georgina gamely posed and walked with him on the runway. There were still other stories to tell (of curves and bulges), but that’s for another time. Right now, the “Bench Universe” show is touted as the biggest the country has ever seen.

Bench will be celebrating its 25th year as the Filipino brand that has started it all and raised industry standards. Congratulations to Ben Chan and team.

Tea time

Just got back from Singapore, where I was invited by SSI and its latest venture, TWG (The Wellness Group) teas, which will open in Manila in October.

TWG’s first branch will be in Greenbelt; succeeding branches will be in Rockwell and Resorts World.

TWG is set to change all you coffee-minded individuals (like myself) and experience the wonderful world of tea drinking.

The store will not only have the finest luxury tea brand in the world but will also be a restaurant, patisserie and chocolatier. (The food, macaroons and chocolates are incredible!) Its décor and packaging, which ties everything together, has an old-world ambience and is a perfect setting for all-day dining.

I believe TWG will change not only the way we see tea but also our dining culture. TWG has branches all over the world from Paris to Tokyo, London to UAE and now, Manila. Can’t wait!

Whodunnit?

At a private birthday party, a horrible crime was committed. You’d probably think it couldn’t happen in a safe, exclusive village or among a small number of guests who knew each other—but it did. About 25 individuals were invited; business people, night owls, celebrities and expats.

The victim of the crime was talking to another guest when everyone was called to gather around and sing “Happy Birthday” to the celebrator. So he or she placed his/her mobile phone on the dining table to join in.

After the song was sung, the phone was gone. The theft took all of only five minutes. The victim thought someone was playing a joke on him/her, but finally had to accept that his/her phone was gone. Some suggested checking everyone’s bags, but this did not yield a positive result.

Theft, petty or major, makes the victim feel violated. This feeling will not go away soon enough. In this case, the crime also spoilt the spirit of what could’ve been a great birthday party. The victim had no choice but to chalk it up to experience—but he/she has his/her suspects.