Champagne, caviar and tons of love

Boracay can be cool at night, dahlings, but it can also be hot! hot! when you know where to resto hop or to club hop. Recently at the super resto Dos Mestizos, Cosmo Manille’s pack of young guards, the hip set and the preppy Forbes-y group celebrated another beautiful year in the life of one of our town’s Best Dressed Women, ultra-glamorous Lady of Style, Vicky Fernandez-Zubiri, no less, palanggas. Vicky was the dazzling Star of the Night as she and her hubby, super popular Bukidnon Gov. Joe Zubiri entertained both the young and the not-so-young beautiful pack.

At the party, you would have loved the babes in their dressy, colorful night beach wear, dah-lings. Everywhere you looked there were head turners. Leading the pack was the celebrator, naturellement, looking fabi in something short and cool in chartreuse top and a sarong skirt by Ana Sui; stunning Carol Masibay wearing a rich tan and black and white outfit; gorgeous Melissa Lopez in a red and white flowing silk dress; vivaciously fun Rissa Tapales-Lopez who was cool in a printed sarong; vibrant world traveler Sigalit Djemal in a fuchsia top and printed sarong; brilliant young miss with the four B’s Stephanie Zubiri who looked smooth in a tank top and hipster skirt; plus others just as beautiful as them.

Cocktails began with Clique champagne, Vicky’s favorite drink, plus Vodka Martinis, Margaritas and Sangrias, natch! That was enough booze for a fun party which everyone certainly had, palanggas.

Apres all kinds of tapas (a Spanish type of pica-pica), an excellently prepared dinner buffet of some of the best choices you can’t even find in our town was served. The favorites were bakalaw (which had to be refilled three times); the black and regular paella, naturellement, fried in garlic chorizo bilbao, and the Spanish-style bistek! For dessert, everyone literally attacked the Italian gellato stand, chilling out after all the drinks and rich food.

Busy behind the open kitchen in front of the hot stove was chef par excellence, Binggoy Remedios and his co-chef, palanggas.

Around one-ish, the partying crowd was still going strong. Then the pack moved over to the jumping, swinging Cocomangas Bar where tout Manille, (as in, all of Manila’s) rocked until way past 3 a.m., would you believe? As for her guests, well, dahlings, they all enjoyed themselves, and that’s for sure.

"I like the Boracay lifestyle," said our celebrator as we walked–better yet, wobbled–to our respective hotels along the beach apres all the partying. "I could definitely get used to this!" In fact, some of the invitees like the Zubiris, Zobels and Fernandezes loved it so much, they are toy-ing with the idea of getting beach homes in Boracay.

A great night with a greater hostess and honoree of the evening, moi pal and soulmate, our adorable Queen for a Day, Vicky Zubiri.

But remember, dahlings, Vicky is not all play; she is one of the hardworking and staunch supporters of the Bantay Bata Foundation, among other charitable organizations. Helping the less fortunate is her obsession. Not bad, huh? Not bad at all, palanggas.

Here’s to more champagne, caviar, tons of love and good health. Cheers(!), palangga.

Another haunt for the coffee bunch

During a gorgeous full moon, dahlings, uptown Alabang’s residents got a cool break when the famous Seattle’s Best Coffee opened its newest branch at the Alabang Town Center. Special guests at the opening were no less than popular Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., who is so well-bred he arrived on time and stayed on to socialize with the other invitees; SBC president Bernardine Siy; SBC COO Frederick Siy; Roasters, Inc. marketing director Toti Ferriols; and SBC marketing manager Michelle David.

Seen circulating with Seattle’s Best in hand were tall and handsome eligible Paco Magsaysay, Rep. Mario Almario and newscaster Cathy Ong who swooned over her favorite Seattle’s Best drinks. Also there, naturellement, palanggas, were Alabang’s hotshot residents like Rolly and Babes Yu along with Greg and Tess Yang; Mila Ferrer; Ann Pastrana; feminine Southern beauty Vicky Oppen-Revilla; vivacious Sally Hofelena; Angie Sison; Susie Sabarre; Yoly Mercado; Joe and Lindy Jalbuena; Ed Yang; Georgian Lane’s Dom and Kristine Griffith; and Larry and Linda Chew. Eye-catching babes Nicole Jacinto, Bianca Fernandez and Nikki Oppen-Revilla had many of the coffee drinkers looking their way. At 4 p.m., a special Mass was held inside the café, followed by the blessing of the venue by Alabang parish priest Msgr. Chito Bernardo. Apres, the heavenly voices of the Chorus Paulinus choir, palanggas, welcomed the coffee bunch, amid the outlet’s cozy interiors.

Seattle’s Best in Alabang Town Center treated the first batch of coffee aficionados with fine brews and dreamy concoctions the coffee company is known for. A cappella group U-Turn brought more fun with their pop music. Drinks prepared by well-trained baritas flowed with super creamy Javanilla as the evening’s most in-demand concoction.

Savor Indian cuisine

If you want to try cooking done for the Maharajah and visiting royalty, dahlings, visit the ongoing SPICE! An Indian Food Festival at InterContinental Manila’s popular Cafe Jeepney. The three-week lunch and dinner buffet and a la carte promotion has been made possible with the help of the Embassy of India, exotic Air India, our pal Philippine Airlines and the Filipino-Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Mega guest chef Sudipto Bhattacharya presented us a wide range of regional dishes that belie the general impression that Indian food is limited to just being hot and spicy. "Diners will have the chance to sample traditional dishes served to Indian royalty which are subtler and finer in flavor," explained chef Sudipto.

The superb blend of spices with the freshest ingredients characterizes India’s distinctly aromatic and savory cuisine. Among the delicacies moi returned for were Methi Murgh, a chicken dish with tomatoes, coriander and fresh fenugreek; from the royal kitchens of Patiala, Jeere Wale Aloo Khusak, a delicacy of baby potatoes stir-fried with cumin, red chili flakes, fenugreek and coriander; and Dahiwale Gobhi, cauliflower with freshly ground spices, onions, yogurt, red chilies and tomatoes.

Moi friends loved the long-grained Basmati rice with saffron, baby potatoes and dates, the roasted chicken with herbs, naturellement; Tikka Machchi Ka (tandoor-roasted pink salmon marinated in a mixture of dill, fennel, ginger, honey and mustard oil); Gosht Udayagiri, a succulent lamb cooked with fried curry leaves, mustard and freshly roasted masala; plus other yummies one must really feast on, palanggas.

Assorted Indian sweets and snacks are on sale at the Jeepney Deli Shop during the promo period for diners who couldn’t seem to get enough of Indian cuisine.

Here’s to more Indian food than curry, palanggas. Experience dining nirvana with enticing specialties from India until this Sunday, Feb. 9. For reservations and more info, do call tel. no. 815-9711 loc. 261-263.

Even if Boracay ’s main road is still like a war zone riddled with potholes, or even if handbags were snatched from the women, or tables at night spots and cellphone disappearing faster than you can bat an eyelash, our (still) crown jewel of an island is the place to go for chilling out.

And do make it a point to enjoy the fabi Indian Food Festival at the fabi InterCon’s Cafe Jeepney.

See you.