Flying high in Singapore

The always-on-time and in-demand Cebu Pacific, dahlings, held a lavish to-do at Singapore’s Grand Plaza Hotel’s ballroom to officially launch its daily flights to Singapore.

The ritzy event was attended by Cosmo Manille namedroppables who were specially jetted in for the day. They included dashing Singaporean Ambassador to the Philippines Jacky Foo; chic and brilliant BID Commissioner Andrea Domingo; JG Summit’s grand patriarch, taipan John Gokongwei; and naturellement, Cebu Pacific’s handsome, dynamic head honcho, Lance Gokongwei.

In Singapore, Philippine Ambassador Ernesto Llamas with his tres charmante wife, Macaria L. and Consul General Minda Cruz welcomed the VIPersonas. Singapore’s travel and trade industry bigwigs partied in full force with the "who’s who" of Singapore’s Filipino community.

The invitees were absolutely delighted when Cebu Pacific’s attractive flight attendants performed traditional Filipino folk dances like the Maglalatik, Kalapati and Subli in colorful costumes.

Apres, the evening’s emcee, Cebu Pacific’s very own Charlie Palpal-Latoc, gave away five Manila-Singapore round-trip tickets to lucky winners.

As a treat, palanggas, Concert King Martin Nievera belted out three songs, eliciting wild cheers from the crowd. Martin N. also did a duet with a Cebu Pacific flight attendant upon the special request of Lance Gokongwei. Oh yes, palanggas, Martin staged a tres successful jam-packed concert in Singapore that same week, accompanied by his top-of-the-line manager, that maker of stars, Joji Dingcong, but who else?

Other show-stoppers were cool young CNBC TV anchor Rico Hizon; pretty, pretty Triccie Luchangco of Solomon Smith Barney; smart and sassy Margaret Cu of Meryll Lynch; and Ernie Estrella, one of the movers and shakers of Singapore’s Filipino community.

Cebu Pacific’s VP for inflight services, Tina Trinidad, was breathtakingly beautiful in her sleek floor-length number and high-necked lace top. JG Summit board member Lily Ngo Chua chatted with wine glass in hand with Cebu’s Elizabeth Gan-Go and JG Summit superwoman Patricia Go-Nisce. Cebu Pacific’s VP for corporate planning, the indefatigable, vivacious Peggy Vera was seen with a tall and gorgeous American later identified as Troy Tollen, VP of the noted US-based aircraft leasing company, Pegasus, Inc.

Naturellement, Cebu Pacific’s power boys, Dody Ramirez, Roland Nunez and Joey Macagga, VPs for passenger sales, marketing programs and corporate logistics, respectively, socialized with hot personas from Singapore’s travel agencies and such prestigious companies as U-Freight, Diners and Malaysian Airlines.

Earlier that day, the hotshot guests flown in plus the airline’s officials were grandly welcomed in a reception staged by no less than the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). They were entertained with a lion dance, ceremonial gift-giving and cake-cutting, plus delectable refreshments at Changi Airport’s Business Aviation Center. It was definitely a red carpet treatment for the airlines’ invitees as the CAAS rolled out the rose-colored matting from Cebu Pacific’s aircraft steps to the tarmac!

Cheers to another great way of jetting to Singapore, thanks to the beautiful, eye-catching bird in the sky, Cebu Pacific, natch!

Animo, Jing and Nonong!

"This is an unforgettable day. I am convinced that God is an Atenean!" So exclaimed witty Rev. Steve Zabala, dahlings, one of the officiating priests at the colorful wedding of pretty, pretty ABS-CBN reporter, Jing Castañeda and smart, good-looking businessman Nonong Velasco at Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Forbes.

Jing, a former Ateneo cheer dancer, and Nonong, a member of the Blue Babble Battalion (Ateneo’s male cheering squad) felt like true winners on their first day as husband and wife apres a year and two months of courtship. For on the same day, the Ateneo Blue Eagles won the UAAP championship apres 14 long years.

Part of the couple’s wedding preparations included watching the La Salle-Ateneo game with their familles and close pals at their respective hotel rooms. A super excited Nonong witnessed the last few moments of the crucial match, thanks to the portable TV set brought to the church by one of his gang, palanggas. Ecstatic over Ateneo’s victory, Nonong forgot to pin the boutonnieres on his dark suit by Rajo Laurel, would you believe?

Meanwhile, dahlings, Jing looked cool and radiant in a fully beaded piña gown by Sari-Sari’s Emer Lagrosa and Michelle Lim. It had an eight-meter train originally done by Slim’s and worn by Jing’s mother Rose in the latter’s 1968 wedding. Jing walked down the aisle serenaded by the entrancing Madrigal Singers.

Special personas who have helped Jing and Nonong become the persons they are witnessed the double celebratio–the couple’s wedding and Ateneo’s victory.

The namedroppable sponsors included Speaker of the House Joe de Venecia; lawyer Ricardo "Dong" Puno; Emmanuel Pimentel; Jesus Maderazo; Dr. Alexander Wong; Teodoro Ebarvia; Dr. Alejandro Paves; Juanito Rosales; Dr. Virgilio Velasco; Ernest Castañeda; and Federico Gutierrez.

Society guests of the smart set included Evelyn Fuentebella; Virginia Davide; Georgina "Gina" de Venecia; Ma. Azucena "Manay Ichu" Maceda; Asuncion Ampil; Lolita Sy; Anita Panes; Aurora Arnaez; Elena Fernandez; Elaine Lim; and Cresencia Bongcayao.

Speaker Joe de V. had to dash off apres the wedding ceremonies to attend a meeting in Malacañang. He dashed back to the reception, though, as always keeping his word. After all palanggas, he is a die-hard Green Archer who always keeps his word, n’est ce pas?

There was more of the Ateneo euphoria at the reception held at the Hotel Inter-Continental ballroom, dahlings. The real party began with the couple’s entrance to the tune of the Ateneo Cheer and Blue Eagle, the King.

Guests beheld a three-tiered white wedding cake with blue trimming, a gift from Red Ribbon’s Ricky and Beck Mercado on center stage.

Invitees included some 400 famille members and pals who jetted in from Cagayan and the US just for the couple’s big day. Partying real hard were pals from Ateneo, St. Theresa’s, Ayala Life, Novelco (Nonong’s company which distributes high-quality oil for industrial use); ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs, CEFAM’s Rev. Fr. Mariano Ranera and Rev. Fr. Ruben Tanseco, S.J., both of whom were officiating priests, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.

Jing’s pals at ABS-CBN News presented a special video that traced the couple’s love story, starting with their friendship in 1994. It then recounted the unexpected proposal that happened in front of Ateneo’s Church of the Gesu late last year. The AVP was complete with little-known facts divulged by Jing’s parents Emy Castañeda and Rose Castañeda and Nonong’s parents Dean Manny Velasco of the Ateneo School of Management and Rosie Velasco.

James Lim, president of the Liga ng Barangay, offered Jing and Nonong a tres unique gift–a top standup comedians. Renee Facula who was a funnier, albeit thinner version of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Izel Sarangelo who impersonated Kris Aquino.

To cap a seemingly never-ending fun night, the newlyweds and their invitees toasted the event with blue vodka as they watched a hastily-edited though highly-enjoyable music video of the day’s proceedings by videographer Benjou Eljincolin.

But that didn’t end there, palanggas. Jing and Nonong rushed to the Ateneo campus the next day to have more portraits taken by photographer Ariel Javelosa.

A few days later, the new Mr. and Mrs. Velasco jetted to Europe for a three-week honeymoon, making a promise to visit Lourdes to thank Mother Mary to whom the couple are devoted.

What else can moi say but "Animo, Jing and Nonong!"

Watch up?

The Metropolitan Museum was transformed into–lo and behold–a house of fashion. But not just any house of fashion, mind you, dahlings! It transformed into no less than Christian Dior’s House of Fashion.

The Dior fashion style is perhaps best embodied in the words "seduction, creativity, femininity and luxury," the qualities which allowed Dior to resuscitate femininity in the post-war era with his first collection.

Dior, however, has gone far beyond haute couture if the high-profile fashion show staged by top-of-the-line Robbie Carmona at the MET is to be believed, palanggas. According to Pia Guanio, the pretty, pretty, host that night, "Dior’s avant-garde spirit and desire to bring together creativity and quality from the couture house and fine Swiss watchmaking gave birth to Dior watches, now a part of the LVMH Watch and Jewelry." Well, if you must know, palanggas, LVMH is the world’s leading luxury group. LV is for Louis Vuitton, in case you’re still not in the know.

Truth be told, Dior watches are crucial accessories at the heart of the Dior brand. So on that beautiful night, Cosmo Manille’s finest witnessed the unveiling of the bestseller among the Dior watches–the intelligent and humorous Malice!

The new Dior Malice Watch collection boasts of seemingly alike yet never quite identical styles. How, you may ask, is this possible?

Malice’s secret is its interchangeable bracelet that can easily slide into position, thanks to the two special pins on either side of the case. So by changing bracelets, you have two Dior watches in one. Amazing! And that’s not all; there are six chic-ky styles to choose from.

No it wasn’t surprising that TV persona Claudine Trillo and MYX VJ Michi Valeriano swore by their Malice Admit and Pink Varnished, Malice Dior.

Yes, palanggas, you can choose from six different personalities with a Malice watch to suit your taste and preference. They’re classic, daring, simply beautiful and interchangeable like only Malice Dior watches can be.

Imagine, dahlings, there are 50 countries where you can get your own Dior Malice watch. In the Philippines, check out the leading watch stores and pick the Malice watch that suits your type of persona.

Smile and see you!