Flowers for Natasha Morse

Without Batting An Eyelash
Friends of Natasha Morse surprise her with birthday dinner
By Maurice Arcache
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:18:00 10/20/2009

Filed Under: People, Festive Events (including Carnivals)
MANILA, Philippines—A super fun surprise birthday dinner for sultry gal Natasha Morse was given by her close pals like David Lim, Jun Jun Ablaza, Paulie Caoili and talented executive chef Danny Vu of the excellent Aquaknox Restaurant on Pasay Road, Makati.


A divine menu just for Natasha was concocted by chef Danny. The romantic ambience and table décor were created by the one and only Jun Jun Ablaza.

The affair was held at David’s gorgeous home in Forbes Park, dahlings, with the chosen invitees like charity-oriented Diether Ocampo and his head-turner girlfriend, Rustan’s asset Rima Ostwani; Mellie and Luis Ablaza; Chris Badiola; Rina Go; Bong Tan; Pepper Teehankee; Richard Tiu; Christine Love and moi with a surprise visit by Michael Defensor. Then there was a delivery of eye-catching flower arrangements from David Nugent and Chris Badiola, palanggas.

Natasha Morse, the Queen for a Day, was, indeed, ravishing, dahlings.

Golf for a Cure

Responding to a call from Sally F. Marshall, president of Manila Golf Ladies, the civic-minded, brilliant lady, president of our town golf clubs gathered to launch Golf for a Cure, which bids to raise funds for the Pink for Life Foundation (PFLF) headed by Tatler’s and Harrison Plaza’s Irene Martel Francisco.

The program advocates women with stage 1 or 2 breast cancer. Specialists from Stanford University Medical Center were also present. Leading the breast cancer specialists was Dr. Diana Cua, director of PFLF, no less.

Sally explained: “Pink for Life Foundation was singled out as the project’s beneficiary because its mission is in sync with the mission of Manila Golf Ladies, which is to provide free breast-cancer treatment for the impoverished members of society.”

The tournaments in different golf clubs is open to men and women, with participation fee of P1,000. This will serve as their donation to the cause, and they will be given certificates. Attractive trophies will be awarded to the winners. Call Remy Romero Salas at 0917-7221212 or 215-3673.

Raymond Isaac’s women

At this one-of-a-kind happening, dahlings, I was impressed with sensational visual masterpieces spread out across the private club.

They were created by renowned photographer Raymond Isaac. His photo exhibit of divine goddesses, palanggas, is simply called “Isaac’s Women.” Raymond collaborated with Make Up Forever and Basement Salon.

Rogue Magazine will feature these women in its October issue, palanggas.
With beautiful faces and flowing booze from Bombay Sapphire, 42Below and Bacardi, the bash went on and on till it was curtain time for all of us, dahlings.
Call GP Reyes at 0917-8534747 or e-mail gpreyes@gmail.com.

Monaco charity film fest

There are many ways of saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” palanggas, but few as clever as the Italian “The clothing doesn’t make the monk.” On that note, the Monaco Charity Film Festival (MCFF) celebrated its grand fourth year anniversary at the crown jewel of Europe. The event was for the benefit of “poor children around the world.”

Vicente Andres Zaragoza, founder and chair of MCFF, said, “The MCFF’s mission is to provide a platform for the new independent filmmakers and to raise money for the impoverished and abandoned children around the world.” The beneficiary was Virlanie Foundation in the Philippines.

The brilliant jury selecting the best films at a grand gala dinner held at Fairmont Hotel included Princess Nauf Al Saud of Saudi Arabia; renowned Japanese architect Shigeru Ban; leading genetic scientist Dr. Daniel Cohen; and Jean Sarkozy, son of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, palanggas.

At the end of this awesome happening was the awarding ceremony for our very own own Romela Mosqueda-Bengzon, esteemed international lawyer and Philippine Trade Ambassador to the European Union.

She provided pro bono legal counsel, in the purchase of a house and lot on the Virlanie Foundation’s behalf. The property will be used as home and shelter for the street children of Manila.

True enough, palanggas, in one of the world’s richest countries, where international celebrities and socialites while away their afternoons on the Riviera and sun themselves on gorgeous yachts, charity is still very much a part of the culture, dahlings.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20091020-231355/Friends-of-Natasha-Morse-surprise-her-with-birthday-dinner

First Pacific 25th Anniversary

Without Batting An Eyelash : Pacific-wide party for Asia-Pacific conglomerate

By Maurice Arcache
Columnist
Inquirer

Posted date: June 22, 2006

THE hottest ticket of the year was definitely the supremely elegant, completely dazzling and meticulously planned First Pacific’s 25th Anniversary. The big event had jetsetters trooping to Hong Kong’s posh Four Seasons Hotel, palanggas.

First Pacific is, naturellement, the listed Hong Kong-based conglomerate which happens to be the parent company that created the Smart mobile juggernaut and turned PLDT into the most profitable company in the Philippines for the past three years. It is also the parent company of Indofood, the Indonesian version of San Miguel, which makes practically everything found in your kitchen cupboard. It is also the parent company of Metro Pacific, the Philippine conglomerate.


The Philippines’ business whiz kid, Manny V. Pangilinan, had founded First Pacific 25 years ago with a partner, with only US$500,000 in capital from the incredibly wealthy Salim famille of Indonesia, (among the most prominent and largest business families in all of Asia) and turned it into the corporate titan it is now that does over an awesome US$2 billion in turnover. It has nearly 50,000 employees across the region and its companies are the dominant players in their markets. So to celebrate its first 25 years, a grand party was the order of the day. And what a bash it was, palanggas!

The white Carrera marble staircase of the chi-chi Four Seasons Hong Kong was decorated in silver rose petals, while the mezzanine of the Grand Ballroom had tons of overflowing roses, and a giant silver-framed photo panel.

The hotshot namedroppables who jetted in from all over the globe were enough to make you snap to attention. Heading the Indonesian set was no less than First Pacific’s honorary chair, Liem Sioe Long, otherwise known as “Soedono Salim,” the patriarch of the Salim famille. He was accompanied by his son, Anthony Salim, First Pacific’s chair and Pangilinan’s partner for nearly 30 years.

The Hong Kong contingent had super socialites such as David Tang, founder of Shanghai Tang and board member of First Pacific; First Pacific director Edward Tortorici and his elegant wife, Anita, who jet-sets between Hong Kong and San Francisco; and Philippine Ambassador to Washington Albert del Rosario, also a First Pacific board member, who later presented an award from President Macapagal-Arroyo to Manny V. P.

Heading the Philippine hotshots were esteemed former President Corazon C. Aquino and Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales. Together with them were President Aquino’s daughter, Balsy Cruz, and nephew, Rapa Lopa, and his glamorous wife, Didi.

The Inquirer’s beautiful Prieto famille were there, headed by la simpatica y elegante Marixi Rufino Prieto, PDI board chair, and her husband, businessman and golf whiz Alejandro “Alex” Prieto; their daughter, brilliant Sandy Prieto Romualdez, PDI’s president and CEO, who was looking chic in her black gown, accompanied by her tall, good-looking husband, Philip Romualdez, president of Benguet Corp.

Of course, my ever dearest Tessa Prieto Valdes dashed in late-ish. She had jetted into Hong Kong from San Francisco, and came bedecked in a gown that had all the Hong Kong crowd wondering, “Who was Tessa’s couturier?”

Loads of old money mixed with new, like, beautiful couple Pedro Roxas and wife, fashion plate Gina Tambunting R., who is on the board of PLDT, chatted with fellow board member, Tessie Sy-Coson, who was beaming with pride because of the hugely successful opening of her famille’s humongous SM Mall of Asia.

The rest of PLDT’s board were there in full force, including Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, Ateneo de Manila president; Shell chair Oscar Reyes (with wife Editha, sharing cocktails with Chari Lao and Amado Bagatsing); PLDT and Smart president Napoleon Nazareno (with petite wife Cecilia); and PLDT CEO Christopher Young (with wife Olivia).

Bert Romulo was with his super-fun wife, southern lady Olivia Montinola R.

Sen. Kiko Pangilinan was also there with megastar-wife Sharon Cuneta, who graciously acceded to sing (she was looking much slimmer). The indomitable Dolphy was there with daughter Zia. His wife, gorgeous Zsa Zsa Padilla, blew him kisses as she superbly performed on stage.

Moi doesn’t think a star-studded concert of this magnitude was ever attempted! Martin Nievera jetted in from Europe to perform, as well as the fabulous Lani Misalucha, who came to town from her headline show in Las Vegas. She got a standing ovation from the mega shakers from around the globe with her fantastic opera number, “Nessin Dorma.” Also wowing the audience were Kuh Ledesma, Zsa Zsa, Christian Bautista and Mon David, who had won the London International Jazz Festival.

World-class musical director Louie Ocampo conducted a full orchestra, set against a fairy-tale stage directed by the dynamic Robby Carmona. The concept and execution of the concert were by Metro Pacific’s David Nugent and fabulous talent manager Joji Dingcong.

Champagne flowed, fois gras was served aplenty and the best the Philippines had to offer was there to show a world-class crowd that we are nothing but world-class, dahlings.

Adorable Kris Aquino was absolutely radiant as she hosted the pre-concert program with Boy Abunda.

Manny V. P. thanked First Pacific’s employees “for their years of long-service and dedication.” Each one received a gold ingot!

The concert repertoire included everything from the musical “Gypsy” to Madonna and even Barbra Streisand. The two encores had everyone on their feet, dahlings.

After the concert ended, everyone partied in different Hong Kong clubs until 5:30 a.m.—except Manny Pangilinan who reported to his waterfront office bright and early the next morning, ready to chart the next 25 years of First Pacific’s.

Here’s to greater years ahead for First Pacific and to Mr. Wonderful himself!

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=6100

Bejeweled Event

Without Batting An Eyelash
Bejeweled crowd gets more bling
By Maurice Arcache
Inquirer
First Posted 15:49:00 04/07/2006

Filed Under: Lifestyle & Leisure
Published on Page C2 of the April 7, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

JUST as the invitation had promised, palanggas, “Bejeweled!” was the fabulous launch of the precious stone-encrusted Shu Uemura’s false eyelashes and Motorola’s cool RAZR V3i mobile phone. Also sponsored by Smart Infinity, it was the most dazzling happening of the week.


Cosmo Manille’s low-profile crowd was out mixing with our town’s chic-hip partying regulars. They thought they had seen it all until brilliant and young Carissa Oledan Coscolluela of the renowned Oledan jewelers decided to embellish the latest beauty accessories from Shu Uemura’s Tokyo Lash Bar, with no less than—yes—diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, dahlings!

And to complement the eyelash collection, Carissa came up with gorgeous, awesome bejeweled Motorola RAZR V3i Phones encrusted also with fantastic precious stones.

Highlight of the night was a makeup demonstration by Shu Uemura’s chief international makeup artist, Kakuyasu Uchiide. Smart Tina Tinio had organized the program; she made everyone feel at home as we nibbled on the yummy, limitless flow of cocktail finger food courtesy of Zen Restaurant and booze care of Bailey’s.

Also making us feel at home were good-looking Motorola marketing manager Mari Litonjua and handsome Smart Infinity boss Tom Valderrama.

Invitees breezed in with their own interpretation of “dazzling glamour.” The “most dazzling people of the night” became winners of the limited jeweled collection.

Moi breezed in with Linda Oledan, who was, naturellement, trés proud of her daughter’s fantastic work; Bibing Montelibano Villanueva, blooming Anna Oledan Rodriguez and brilliant Chickie Locsin, who came with her pretty daughters, Bea and Farah.

Moi zoomed in on mother-and-daughter tandem, fashion plate Mary Ann Cuenca T. and Alessandra Tinio; popular Rep. Edmund Reyes, with his stunning wife, Camille; and hardworking socio-civic lady, Kate Gordon, on one of her rare nights out.

Hey! You’d think only the women would be interested in the bejeweled goodies, but moi spotted loads of gentlemen intently inspecting the prized items, palanggas: Duty Free Philippines top honcho Michael Kho; Carissa’s father, Buji Coscolluela; Michael James Chua; Rustan’s Dino Tantoco Pineda; and architect and Pineapple store owner Anton Barretto (who missed winning a Motorola studded with precious stones for not being there when his name was called. Pity!)

Also there were Metro Pacific’s corporate communication official David Nugent, who was with his close pal, well-liked Ipe Cruz, and Super! Tim Yap, who dashed in late.

Beautiful faces were almost everywhere: Ruffa Gutierrez Bektas; Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski; and stunning Audrey Tan Zubiri.

Two beautiful gals worked behind the scenes to make the affair a success: fab Shu Uemura team members Tessa Dragon and Xeng Zulueta.

The grand moment was the awarding of the jeweled eyelashes to the night’s dazzling lookers. Savannah Lumen received the lashes adorned with green and white diamonds; fab fashion plate Michiko Tachibana won the ruby-studded lashes; Kelly Misa won the diamond and sapphire lashes; and Hazel Espinosa won the Madonna-inspired all-diamond lashes.

Statuesque Marivic Pineda went home with Motorola’s RAZR V3i, studded with diamonds, and blue and yellow sapphire; our palangga , Margot Vargas Osmeña, brought back to Cebu the cell phone with diamonds and pink sapphire; debonair businessman Rick Yupangco won the diamond, ruby and sapphire version; and Ruffa G. got the diamond Motorola RAZR V3i.

As if all that luxurious celebrating wasn’t enough, Addict Mobile, headed by brilliant young hotshot, Luis Ang, treated everyone to an after-party celebration at Embassy’s Cuisine, with über-flowing Smirnoff Vodka.

Definitely a dazzling way, to end a stunning evening with those fabulous brands, dahlings.

Humble birthday boy

Juanito Rosales, the vice president of Ayala Corp., gave a fun birthday dinner held at the exclusive Executive Lounge of 6750 in Ayala Avenue, palanggas.

While most would mention the work and sacrifice they had to go through before they made their first million, or how they received their most prestigious award, Juanito R. humbly told his invitees he was gratified that people “recognized my contributions and took the time to attend my birthday dinner.”

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales celebrated the Thanksgiving Mass. Well-wishers included Ayala’s pillar of strength, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, and charity-oriented, Doña Bea Miranda Zobel de Ayala, Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Jaime Ysmael Sr., Antonio Aquino and Sherisa Nuesa, dahlings.

During the bash, Nitoy recalled, “My thoughts that night were, sino ba ako that all these people would actually make time for me and accept my invitation?”

The answer is simple, sir. You’ve really come a long way, birthday boy. N’est ce pas? Cheers, palangga!

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20060407-986/Bejeweled_crowd_gets_more_bling