I’m starting with everything positive this year. All my negativeness last year has been completely deleted from my being.
The Philippine Tatler marked its 11th year last month with its annual Anniversary Ball, which continues to raise the bar in social events and civic consciousness.
That bar received further boost last year when the magazine collaborated with Century Properties Group, Furnitalia, Lexus, and TWG Tea and Visa, dahlings.
Members of Manille’s true alta sociedad entered the Makati Shangri-La lobby which had a huge Tatler “T” centerpiece embedded with 4,000 red roses.
The 500 chosen invitees enjoyed the yummy canapés and the chilled Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial at the mezzanine. Welcoming the creamiest of the cream were the trés charmant Barrie Goodridge, CEO of Asia Tatler Group, with his wife Rita G., and the Philippine Tatler team led by managing director Irene Martel Francisco, editor in chief Anton San Diego, managing editor Chit Lijauco, Tatler’s Travel Magazine editor Mia Borromeo, and lifestyle and social editor Maurice Arcache, natch!
The grand Rizal Ballroom was a magical sight with over a hundred flickering candles in the Tatler signature scent and lush flowers by Mia Lozada of Bloomwoods. Soft materials looking like clouds hung from the ceiling.
The A-listers had their taste buds treated with the 2009 Louis Jadot Couvent Des Jacobin Bourgogne Rouge and the 2011 Louis Jadot Couvent Des Jacobins Bourgogne Blanc, as well as the five-course dinner of Peking duck ravioli, lobster bisque with crabmeat and lemongrass, Tatler sorbet and pan-seared seabass, topped off with saffron-poached tonka bean pear, nougatine parfait and autumn berry.
Tatler’s southern connection came in full force, such as Marjorie Florete, Pauline Banusing, Caroline Gorriceta, Mark Gorriceta, Frances Anne Gorriceta and Nonoy Ybiernas. Mags Cue of Mags Boutique jetted in from Cagayan de Oro in an exquisite Rene Salud gown.
The Philippine Tatler Ball has always been more than about sumptuous food, glittering jewelry and dazzling couture; it’s also renowned for being a showcase of civic awareness through its yearly auction, whose beneficiary this year was Teach for the Philippines.
Myla Villanueva, Diosdado Banatao and Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo were the auction’s generous winners. Their prizes included a Tokyo visit, a trip to Bordeaux and a Chopard limited-edition watch.
D. Banatao received the 2012 Philippine Tatler Award as Icon of Business. Other honorees: Jessica Kienle, Most Promising Young Lady; Johnny Velasquez, Bon Vivant Award; Nanette Medved-Po, Most Stylish Woman; and Jaime C. Laya Patron of Culture and Heritage.
Gary Valenciano performed to the wild applause of the guests, paving the way for the dancing that got on a roll to the tunes spun by DJ Callum David.
GBA Events Asia provided valuable logistical support, naturellement.
Cheers to the Philippine Tatler!
To diet and other to-dos
And with the new year comes new wishes and promises, dahlings.
I wish I don’t have to go through another year of doing the South Beach Diet, which I jokingly call the “SOB” diet, because the first phase of 14 days is when one has to be determined and disciplined so as to continue the two next phases of the diet program. But after the first phase, you’ll see and feel the amazing results of your struggle. Yeehee.
The next phases are as easy as batting an eyelash. But you must continue with the combination of sugar, carbohydrates and calories.
My other promise is that I’ll get to travel to more countries and see Discovery Channel’s 1,000 places to see before you die. And to think I’ve only been to 220 of those places listed!
Another promise I hope to keep is not to scream at my brilliant secretary who, even after several times, still makes the same booboos with the names of some of my friends such as Sharmila Hiran and Johnny Velasquez. (She puts z instead of s in Valdes, grrrr!)
Another wish is that when I talk to my pal Anton San Diego about certain ideas or individuals to be featured in Tatler, he will not drop his head on his arm which is resting on an arm-piece and tell me, “Don’t talk to me now, tell me later. I have a headache.” But I really think it’s actually funny. In all fairness to him, he does listen (although rarely) and gives me an explanation why the idea is great or not worth it.
Another promise I hope to keep is to indulge more this year on rice (the red and black kind), bread (whole wheat, multi-grain and whole meal), potatoes (in any type of cooking), and to gobble down tons of real fatty, calorific yummy ice cream. Ah, what a high!
Last but not the least, I wish my gorgeous girlfriends would find their Mr. Right: Samantha Eduque, Tessa Dragon, Liana Romulo, Celine Lopez, Rosanna Prieto, Christina Brander, Vicky de Leon, Abba Napa, Frances Lim, Margarita Araneta Fores, Bea Locsin, Malou Gamboa, Divine Lee, Mayenne Carmona, Katrina Holigores, free-spirited Marguerite Lhuillier, Catherine Huang, Jessica Kienle, Becca Dosch, Bianca Valerio, Leah de Guzman, Cristina Cu, Amanda de Guzman, Bea Tantoco, Mia Borromeo, Wendy Puyat, Cheryl Tiu, Michelle Pamintuan.
I wish that they would find someone who would sweep them off their feet and finally say that magic, loving, or “execution” words: “I do.” N’est pas? As in, di bala?
