International construction magnate Philip Cruz Jr. and his gorgeous wife, restaurateur Ching Cruz, hosted an elegant sit-down dinner for Rogue magazine at the famille’s own upscale restaurant and nightspot, the popular NuVo in Greenbelt 2, Makati.

 

NuVo’s French-Moroccan guest chef Xavier Btesh spared no expense in preparing an authentic menu of to-die-for Moroccan cuisine, dahlings, which included couscous and various dishes served on North African tableware.

 

Special guests of honor were industrialist Iñigo Zobel and his wife and Rogue magazine’s principal, Maricris Cardeñas Zobel, who recently appointed Philip and Ching’s son, Ipe Cruz III, as the magazine’s new publisher.

 

“We just reformatted this March. While Rogue began as a men’s lifestyle magazine more than five years ago, 40 percent of our readers now are affluent women,” said my pal Ipe.

 

“Moving forward, Rogue will cater to this dual audience and will be the only purveyor of cool and intelligent luxury in the local magazine space,” added Ipe, who graduated with top honors from New York University’s Masters in Publishing program, and has worked closely with the editors and publishers of Time, Rolling Stone, Wired, Entertainment Weekly, InStyle and Harper’s Bazaar, among other titles, through school.

 

Ipe’s words were met with enthusiastic applause of the strictly chosen invitees, palanggas, like internationally renowned jewelers Philippe Charriol and son Alexandre; ABS-CBN Publishing Inc.’s gang including Metro Society editor in chief Raul Manzano, Philip Cu-unjieng and Toff de Venecia; painter Mariko Jacinto; New York socialite Sophie Bischoff; boutique hotelier Tina Cuevas; globetrotter Tetta Agustin and husband, tycoon Christian Baverey; Cebu Rep. Cutie del Mar with BPI Credit Card VP Richmond Escolar; international interior decorator Jonathan Matti; and top banker Andrew Gan, with Dr. Glenn Carandang.

 

With champagne flowing all night, the dinner conversation centered on the changing landscape of local luxury magazines, the booming Philippine economy, and everything in between.

 

But the star of stars, palanggas, was still our Prince for a Day, Ipe Cruz.

 

Tommy Hilfiger’s summer collection

 

I was glad, dahlings, that moi went to the Skye Lounge at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, to watch the Tommy Hilfiger exclusive event that showcased the popular lifestyle brand’s summer season collection.

 

The happening was truly a night of fashion and music— servers dressed head-to-toe in Tommy Hilfiger while offering hors d’oeuvres and chilled champagne to the guests who were listening to all-American hits performed live by Guji Lorenzana’s band Aminado.

 

DJ Callum David, meanwhile, played more American music classics and cool jazz favorites, dahlings.

 

The show was directed by the one of the country’s best events organizer, Robby Carmona, natch!,

 

Heading the cast of namedroppables were Stores Specialists Inc.’s (SSI) Mike Huang and his sister Catherine, and a dash of Manille’s new, true style-setters, palanggas.

 

The Tommy Hilfiger Corp.—whose product lines include Tommy Hilfiger, Hilfiger Denim and Tommy Girl—is one of the world’s most recognized designer apparel groups. Its focus is designing and marketing high-quality menswear, womenswear, children’s apparel and denim collections.

 

Moi had to dash off to another event, but not before keeping in mind that Tommy Hilfiger can be found in all SSI outlets nationwide including Rustan’s Department Stores. Check it out, palanggas.

 

Lifestyle Asia’s coffee-table book

 

The well-read Lifestyle Asia magazine launched its très limited-edition coffee-table book, “Home & Away,” at the Writer’s Bar of Raffles Makati.

 

Many of our town’s dedicated followers of Lifestyle Asia were très visable, darlings. They are the readers who pore over the magazine’s features on the private spaces of interesting personalities.

 

Lifestyle Asia is the first publication to hold a corporate event in Raffles, the newest luxury hotel in the country. At the hotel’s Writer’s Bar, the invitees tried the Makati Luxury Sling—Raffles Makati’s own take on the hotel’s signature drink, Singapore Sling.

 

Lifestyle Asia editor in chief Anna Sobrepeña and associate publisher and deputy editor Cheryl Tiu personally welcomed the select guests to the luxury magazine’s first event of the year.

 

World-class pianist Dr. Raul Sunico and Filipino-American singer Stephanie Reese performed to the delight of the guests, dahlings.

 

Uniformed personnel came out in formation, bearing copies of Lifestyle Asia to give everyone a chance to look through the hardbound edition as the invitees nibbled on the specially created hors d’oeuvres like foie gras crème brûlée, roast Peking duck and vegetable roll, and almond crusted cheese log.

 

Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve champagne, Colombelle wines and signature cocktails flowed endlessly through the night, providing a sampling of the exquisite cuisine at Raffles in Manille, palanggas.

 

“Home & Away” is available at select bookstores and newsstands around town.

 

Visit www.lifestyleasiamag.com. or www.facebook.com/lifestyleasiamag; Twitter @Lifestyle_Asia.

 

Erratum: Ooops, palanggas, sorry for the mistake—Techie Hagedorn was mistaken for Barbara Aboitiz in this column’s April 17 issue.