Dusit Thani Manila invited clients and friends to introduce and welcome its new general manager, Alex Willats, a witty and jolly British national, dahlings.
Before moving to Manila, he was the GM at Dusit Thani Bangkok—Dusit Thani Manille’s sister company under the umbrella of Dusit International. Willats brings with him lots of experience in the hospitality industry.
Willats excitedly met all the guests and personally thanked them for their patronage of Dusit Thani Manila all these years. In his welcome speech he said, “I urge you to continually support the hotel as there are so many things our guests can look forward to.” He punctuated his speech with a contagious, friendly smile, palanggas.
The affair, held at Dusit Thani Manila’s Tosca Italian Grill Restaurant, had executive chef Christian Werdenberg treating guests to juicy steaks and seafood, washed down with overflowing white and red wines, dahlings.
Hey, that’s a real, cool way of giving Willats a taste of our tourism slogan, “It’s more fun in the Philippines!”
Sailing as an ideal sport
The Anvaya Cove 13th Philippine Hobie Challenge boat race was held recently, with international and local sailors participating, dahlings.
Organized by the Philippine Inter-Island National Sailing Foundation (Phinsaf) in partnership with Anvaya Cove—Ayala Land Premier’s premium residential and leisure development—the annual sailing event welcomed participants who boldly navigated the rough waters of Luzon and Visayas and back to the Anvaya shore in Morong, Bataan.
Sixteen teams competed in the five-day event. Italian father-and-daughter duo Luigi and Yvonne Manzi won first place. Andrew Locke from Australia and Erick Tomacruz from the Philippines finished second. Another father-and-daughter team, Monchu and Bianca Garcia, placed third.
Phinsaf president Roman Azanza Jr. noted: “Anvaya Cove is a strategic partner in the organization’s venture of promoting sailing as an ideal sport in the country, a premier sailing destination in Asia.
Carla Kramer, also of Phinsaf, added: “Once again we furthered the intent of the Hobie Challenge by incorporating an outreach program that helped the communities located in and near this year’s route. Every year, the Challenge raises donations for school supplies for local public schools. For Anvaya Cove, we partnered with charitable foundations to donate solar-powered lights to aid families who do not have electricity.”
Paolo Viray, project development head of Anvaya Cove, said: “As part of this initiative, we always encourage more than 2,000 of our members and guests to only practice kayaking, paddle-boarding and sailing. Motorized equipment like jet skis are not allowed in the area since we are preserving the tranquility of the beach where the pawikan (sea turtle) live.”
Incidentally, Anvaya Cove is set to launch this year an 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course, designed for sustainable development and guaranteed with privacy and exclusivity, explained Viray to the applause of the resort’s members, palanggas.
Moi was also told that Ayala Land Premier will present its newest development, Garden Towers, a two-tower condominium soon to rise at the heart of Ayala Center. (Call 9083908; e-mail [email protected]; visit www.ayalalandpremier.com)
Delicious Bacardi
Bacardi, the world’s largest, privately held spirits company, has been working with leading mixologist, self-confessed perfectionist and romantic David Cordova, no less, dahlings.
The dashing Argentine fell in love with the art of rum-making and mixing which led him to travel around the world to share his indulgent and delicious Bacardi Daiquiri.
While in Cosmo-Manille, señor Cordova made a tour of some of our high-end chi-chi establishments and totally “loved Manila’s nightlife,” while taking part in a Bacardi-hosted private dinner for a fortunate, hand-picked number of guests at El Cirkulo.
Cordova explained the special care that went into the mixing of four Bacardi cocktails: the Bacardi Daiquiri, Bacardi Mojito, Bacardi Piña Colada and Bacardi Cuba Libre. Needless to say, palanggas, those concoctions kept everyone’s spirits high, especially moi. I loved the Bacardi Mojito.
Cordova also showed the art of proper rum combination.
The fun dinner was made more special when he recounted his research on rum from its main sources, Cuba and the Americas. Believe me, dahlings, it was an unforgettable evening because the guests came away with a new appreciation for rum.
They loved the drinks so much, their vision of 2+2 become 8 instead of 4.
Cordova, 39, lives in London, renowned as “the cocktail capital of the world”—the perfect place for him to be constantly enhancing his skills and expertise, palanggas.
