Diamonds truly a girl’s best friend. My own bling veers to the cheap and cheerful, but there’s no denying my desire for the pure luster of the true gem.
Every girl remembers the first time she received a diamond—whether it was a baptism, a graduation, one’s sweet 16 birthday or a wedding proposal. Whatever the event, behind every diamond is a unique story.
My Diamond (www.mydiamond.com.ph) is one of the country’s premier jewelry stores. It recently hosted an intimate dinner at Chef Jessie at the Rockwell Club, with endorsers Chris Tiu and Anne Curtis, inviting guests to “Love My Diamond.”
Chris talked about the feelings men have over purchasing their first diamond, an expensive purchase and certainly not one to be frivolously given. When a man gives a woman a diamond, it is seen as a grand gesture.
Anne, for her part, shared that she bought her first diamond after she got her first commercial. When a woman makes her first diamond purchase, it is a symbol of her independence, success and liberty.
It was a night of learning for us guests, as My Diamond’s gemologists told us about the four C’s that determine a diamond’s value: the cut, color, clarity and carat weight of the stone. My Diamond has added a fifth—a certificate that provides a guarantee that the diamond has been graded and examined by My Diamond’s experts.
I have two girls, but I have already briefed them that the only kind of bling they will one day inherit from me are the loads of chunky accessories that I like to collect.
My elder daughter, Annika, is a relaxed, free-spirited teenager. I’m lucky that she does not mind hanging out with me, as we did while shooting a TV commercial for the all-new Breeze Active detergent. We’re on a giant billboard on Edsa together with gorgeous Dawn Zulueta and her good-looking son.
Annika and I also joined three other mother-daughter tandems at the launch of the Shu Uemura Spring/Summer Collection. The Ob for Shu Uemura collection is the company’s collaboration with Ob, a 20-year-old up-and-coming Japanese contemporary makeup artist. Ob apprenticed under renowned artist Takashi Murakami.
Four fairy princesses
The Ob for Shu Uemura collection (www.shuuemura.com) is themed around four fairy princesses, and so the brand took the opportunity to recognize four prominent ladies in society to be identified with each.
The Cherry Blossom princess recognizes energetic, fashion-forward Jenni Epperson; the Forest Princess, elegant and graceful Anna Sobrepeña; the Moon princess, sophisticated and regal Rorie Carlos; and the Ocean princess, fittingly enough—me, the Sea Princess.
By hanging out with me, Annika is also learning the art of multiple social events in a single evening. She loves softball, so using her language, we recently did a double-header.
We started with the opening of Celadon Restaurant and moved to the Pelle Leather Ball at Furnitalia. Celadon celebrated its opening with a journey of the senses. Located at the ground floor of the Power Plant Mall, the resto offers the best of contemporary Thai gastronomy in a refined but cozy atmosphere, perfect for both family gatherings and business meetings.
Among the guests were Dr. Elenita Binay, Maricris Zobel, Tina Cuevas, Tetta Agustin, Tong Padilla and Helen Ong, all of whom led the ribbon-cutting.
Gracious restaurateur Ching Cruz was joined by fellow owners Maritess Lopez, Ivy and Cynthia Almario, Ditas Lerma, Glenda Barretto, Tanya Chua and Cheryl Pineda. Cheryl is executive chef and boasts of a menu of more than a hundred Thai dishes, including Dungeness Crab.
Renowned interior designers Ivy and Cynthia Almario contributed to Celadon the beautifully decorated interiors of green, complete with walls decked with fluttering butterflies and complemented with statement light fixtures that lend the place a classy but warm ambiance. For reservations, call 8981305.
Leather Ball
There’s no better way to work off a heavy dinner than to head to a party. Close friends Anton San Diego and Maurice Arcache joined us at the Pelle Leather Ball at Furnitalia’s iconic shop at Bonifacio Global City. Hosted by Raymond Gutierrez and Issa Litton, the ball was a showcase of leather at its most luxurious and glamorous. The designer-leather furniture added a sexy vibe.
Furnitalia’s furniture showcases feature signature leather pieces like armchairs, sofas, desks and beds from Italy’s premier names in home design, including Molteni & C, Giorgetti, Poltrona Frau, Cassina, Flexform and Mobilidea.
Complementing the furniture are designer lightings and accessories from Penta, Fontana Arte, Venini, Fiam and Anna Torfs.
The highlight of the Pelle Leather Ball was a fashion show featuring Tweetie de Leon Gonzalez for Randy Ortiz, Apples Aberin for Rhett Eala, and Mandy de la Rama Santos for Rajo Laurel. Florence Ko, owner and managing director of Furnitalia, has successfully melded leather furniture and high fashion over the years.
My leather costume for the evening was a voluminous, spectacular gown by Cebu designer Philipp Tampus. Danny Katalbas of Salon Privat (The Infinity Tower, Bonifacio Global City, tel. 8281888) completed my look with his usual masterful styling.
Giving me a run for my money was the equally well-dressed and debonair Tim Yap. It’s just too bad that we both did not have time to pick up some diamonds to truly give ourselves a more dashing look.
Follow @tessavaldes on Twitter or e-mail her at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph.