Celebrations, the Mandarin way

The Mandarin Oriental Manila, one of the premier hotel destinations in the Metro, recently welcomed the Year of the Water Horse with another successful celebration. Hundreds of revelers joined the festivities, highlighted by a propitious parade along Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue. Mandarin Oriental general manager Helmut Gaisberger, whimsically dressed up as Genghis Khan in a Chinese opera costume, and geomancer Joseph Chau mounted two horses to lead the auspicious parade.

The traditional ceremony of eye-dotting five lions was participated in by Makati Congressman Teddy Boy Locsin and stylish wife Louie, Makati Mayor Jejomar and Dr. Elenita Binay, Manila Mandarin Hotel chairman Nonoy Colayco and wife Tina, Helmut and Vina Gaisberger, media personality Jullie Yap Daza, socialite-philanthropist Rosemarie Arenas and Motorola marketing manager Ellen Suarez, among others. All the guests oohed and aahed as firecrackers burst for more than 10 minutes to ward off bad luck and negative energies.

What a way to go, Mandarin!