ME and Ingrid Chua-Go of thebaghagdiaries I expected the speaker to be a much older woman because of her extensive knowledge in luxury and her experience in business. Alas, when she arrived, I met a youthful looking girly-girl woman in preppy fashion who was all smiles and kikay talk. She looked so young that I thought she was still single but she is married and has kids. With her was her mother Pacita Chua, the graceful lady who taught her all about luxury, who was also a kikay beneath the regal facade; and her ninang Kristine Yang, who is down-to-earth and warm, without any trace of arrogrance befitting a successful entrepreneur (she's the owner of Kristine's Jewelry and her family owns McDonal's Philippines).
Ladies Who Lunch (LWL) is an invitation only event for women who are successful in their chosen field so when the ladies started to arrive, I cannot help but be in awe. The exclusive list included Amina Aranaz-Alunan of Aranaz bags and the School of Fashion and the Arts (SOFA), Edith Dychiao of Lucerne (Omega Philippines), Ruby Gan of Schu, Rima Ostwani of Rustan's, Michelle Washington of MMQ Theatre, Tetta Arroyo-Tirona of Stram Events, Arlene Florentino of CQ WOW and Concertus, Venus Navalta of ZenithOptimedia, Toni Abad of Mediacom, Isabel Gatuslao of Isabel Gatuslao Graphic Design, among others. Issa Litton, tv host and in-demand events host, was moderator and this was her 5th LWL stint with us.
Ladies Who Lunch circa Oct. 15, 2010The talk was accompanied by eye popping slides of some of the world's most coveted luxury bags, as if Ingrid's detailed presentation (she even did some research to back up her talk) and intriguing side stories weren't enough. She started with sharing her first love affair with the Chanel Classic bag, telling us how she passed up meals just to save for it back in high school. Finally getting her hands on the dream bag opened a pandora's box and made her want more. By the time she got married and had to transfer her belongings to their conjugal abode, she had a sizeable collection of bags that took up most of the closet space she shared with her hubby. In order to maintain the peace and harmony in her married life, she just chose the bags she really wanted and started disposing her pre-loved bags to friends before selling them online. But soon enough, meeting up with her buyers became a hassle and so she opened Tresorie in Jupiter, Makati.
Ingrid describing the marks of a real Hermes Birkin with moderator Issa Litton-Garrido
Suffice to say, we learned a lot that afternoon -- about brands, bags and how they can be considered investments, and even how to distinguish real from imitation Birkin. All that after a sumptuous lunch buffet prepared by M Cafe. Oh! Did I mention that she brought a Hermes Birkin for us to touch and check? Heaven! If only I can take it home with me and be mine forever. She also showed us a cute Birkin parody from Taiwan aptly name Banane (or banana) thus the moniker Banana Birkin.
ME with the pink Banana Birkin and the real blue togo Hermes Birkin
We also got an earful of stories about the Paris fashion week (where Ingrid was invited to blog about) and about how some luxury brand store personnel would call 'faux fur' as 'fantasy fur'. Wow, fantasy! So now, imitation or fake is so passe...bags from Greenhills can now be called 'fantasy bags'. LOL!
Tetta Arroyo-Tirona of Stramevents, Issa Litton-Garrido and ME
Rima Ostwani of Rustan's, Blanca Mercado of BusinessWorld, Amina Aranaz-Alunan and Loralee Baron-Soong of the School of Fashion and the Arts
Ruby Gan of Schu and Toni Abad of Mediacom
Until the next LWL in 2011. :)
When I got the invitation to join the press conference of Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez, I was thrilled. This was my first time to see them up close again, the last time being some 20 years ago, back in high school when I watched their mini concert at Robinson Galleria's parking lot.
When I learned where it was going to be held, I was excited. I've heard about 7107 Island Cruises but I've never been on board one. So on February 5, my companion and I braved the North Harbor area to get to Pier 6 where the cruise ship is docked for the press conference. We made it just in time, in fact we were one of the early birds.
Martin was already there being interviewed one on one by various TV networks. To while away the time, I took photos of the make-believe wedding cake on top of a piano in front of the room. I was guessing the theme for the press con was a wedding. On top of the cocktail tables, there was a programme which indicated portions of a wedding reception -- song numbers, eating of the cake, toasts and well wishes from guests (press people) and parlor games. The press con proper started an hour after, when Pops arrived.
As they were being interviewed in front, the two seemed playful and sweet with one another, evidence that they have become really good friends over the years. Martin even shared Pops' birthday gift to him -- a printed photo album of their sons' picture as they were growing up.
When the press con ended an hour after, we were secretly led to another function room for Martin's surprise birthday (and they said that he hates surprise, ha!). As we entered a dark room, lit only by the lights from other vessels in Manila Bay, I saw that the room was decorated with balloons and the food buffet is ready. Then the door opens, in comes Martin and Pops, and everyone yells "Surprise! Happy birthday, Martin!" And he was indeed taken by surprise, happily laughing and shaking hands or hugging friends in the room as he was led to where his red and black birthday cake stood. Pops and Martin's son Ram was there to join the celebration.
Seeing them together made me wish they can be together again as a couple. But for now, I and the other fans who wish the same, will have to be content with watching them re-create the fantasy of "togetherness" and weave once again the magic that made them the undisputed Concert Royalties.
As Rem explained, Repertory Philippines' Valentine offering is Mark Saltzman's musical comedy ROMEO & BERNADETTE which is a creative spin-off of the famous pair’s story brought on by a guy who was trying to seduce his date, who unfortunately felt sad and depressed after watching a “Romeo and Juliet” play. And so the guy starts off by telling the girl that Romeo really didn’t die from the poison he drank and instead slept for 500 years (channeling Sleeping Beauty here). When Romeo wakes up, he found himself in modern day Verona and chanced upon a modern Italian-American girl (yes, Bernadette) who looks exactly like his long-lost love Juliet. The chase brought Romeo to Brooklyn where he was caught in-between warring mafia families on top of the bad fortune that Bernadette was set to marry someone else.
