Boracay’s new ‘it’ place

The heat is on, dahlings, and that’s why planes (whether Seair or Asian Spirit ) are heading for fascinating Boracay. Many of the young and beautiful pack may have been to St. Tropez, Cannes, Casablanca and the Italian Riviera but they agree that nothing beats this island of sun, beach, love and bliss. Boracay can give just about anyone a natural high, palanggas. This paradise is incomparable when it comes to eating, drinking and partying.

Boracay’s newest "it" place is the excellent McSandro Bistro right smack at the center of D’ Mall. It is owned by moi favorite, one-and-only original off-the-shoulder palangga, Louie Cruz and his partner, muy guapo Sandro Rieta (one glance at Sandro’s exotic looks can make any lady’s bikini pop out!).

When moi asked why "Mc" was added to the bistro’s name, Sandro quickly and proudly replied, "It’s because I was with McDonald’s for 10 years. This means that this bistro maintains the highest food hygiene standard in the island." Renowned restaurateur Millie Reyes of The Plaza and popular, young smart hotelier Rita Sanson, the secret weapon of the popular Pearl of the Pacific, claim nothing has been spared to make McSandro what it is. Its kitchen is made of wall-to-wall stainless steel, just like that of any grand five-star hotel, which moi observed as moi breezed around the kitchen.

Moi also discovered that McSandro does not freeze any seafood or display its food items to prevent them from being exposed by the hour to wind-blown sand and other elements which may put the health of holiday-makers at risk. This is just one of the tres important considerations the unbeatable team of Louie and Sandro takes seriously, palanggas.

McSandro’s simple but yummy menu includes the classic, so good mechado, the favorite of Jackie Castillejo, Anthony del Rosario, Miko Pascual and chefs Laudico, Nicky Camcam and Greg Singian. This was regularly served by the most gracious hostess we have ever met, the unforgettable "Tita" Lucy Cruz, Louie’s mother and the wife of everyone’s favorite J.V. Cruz, who had served as the Ambassador to the Court of St. James and at the Hague in Holland.

Also not to be missed are the to-die-for binagoongan, simmered for hours in young coconut milk, and craved for by body beautiful Vicky Zubiri; the chicken and pork adobo, the favorite of Anet Ablan, cooked not the lazy, short-cut way with soy sauce but boiled in generous amounts of garlic and fresh cracked pepper, then painstakingly deep- fried just like grandma used to do in the days when everyone had a lot of free time in their hands.

Next is the pork sinigang which Geena Lopez, Pinky Amador, Bonjin Bolinao and Peachie Veneracion teasingly claim has a rich sour broth that should be taken with a straw.

But the biggest kept secret in Boracay is Mc- Sandro’s Seafood Special which has a very snobbish appeal, according to Victoria Yabut and Eddie Tekeli of Mango. Why? Because 1) you can’t just walk in and order the seafood special (remember, they don’t freeze crabs or anything that swims in water); 2) you don’t have to make reservations, but you do have to inform the bistro in advance how many pax you’ll be. They need advance notice; and 3) they only take advance notice when your party is a minimum of six, although the price of this nine-course mega delicious meal per pax will cost you a lot less than what one pax will have to pay for in a fine dining resto in a Makati hotel.

Here, dahlings, they serve fresh oyster with native vinegar or wasabi/soy sauce which Melissa Lopez and Gigi Perez claim you can’t find in Paris. Then, there is the favorite of Energy Secretary Vince and Leigh Perez, gourmands Alfred and Cristina Romualdez, and Benjie and Yvette Sevilla – fried crabs in a "secret" butter. Meanwhile Mita Rufino, Nini Licaros, Maritess Pineda, Maritess Tantoco, Ernie Lopez, Marc Nelson, Rita Dy, Jeanne Goulbourn, Bong Daza, and Rodgie Panganiban are addicted to the excellent steamed Lapu-lapu.

This summer, when in Boracay, check out where most of our world travelers enjoy their lunch and dinners, palanggas – the one- and-only Mc Sandro Bistro. You’ll definitely agree that the food there is definitely prepared in paradise. Check it out, dahlings, and you’ll see why McSandro Bistro will be in Boracay for many glorious moons and stunning beautiful sunsets to come!

The colors of summer

Summer arrived in Rustan’s in an explosion of refreshing, eye-catching colors, dahlings. Inspired by world-renowned summer vacation destination St. Tropez in the French Riviera, Rustan’s showed off a hip, fun, fashionable and contemporary collection that will be a sure hit this hot, hot summer.

According to Rustan’s talented young designers and trend watchers of today, dahlings, this color explosion ranges from pink to tomato-red mixed with bold shades of blue from azure to aquamarine. Citrus orange is inspired by playful and vibrant gelato colors. Beautiful floral designs, a summer staple, complement the lush colors to give them an informal flavor. Naturellement, whites and denims are this year’s mainstays. White subdues the summer heat while denims provide that rugged casual element.

This is best seen in this season’s focus on resort wear and swimwear. For this category, palanggas, bold and optical silhouettes that complement the body show off a flirty and sexy attitude. Little Kiss, Swimwear from Spain, utilizes these fresh colors to show off the female form. Hugging the body and showing off their best details, these pieces exude a carefree and confident attitude.

RTW moves away from the body and goes for comfort and real femininity. Soft pleats and ruffles give dresses from BCBG and Jill a tres feminine delicate air. Cool embroidery mark the chi-chi clothes by Oleg Cassini.

But embroidery is not the monopoly of women’s fashion, dahlings. Men’s clothing like those of SALT now sports embroidered details. U shirts look to athletics for inspiration with numbered shirts reminiscent of basketball and soccer jerseys.

Not to be left behind are the fashionable clothes of JAM for children that come in fruity colors with interesting details like smocking and Hawaiian-inspired floral designs, embroidered and printed on shirts and shorts.

Colors of Rustan’s is not confined to fashion, palanggas. Rustan’s Home brings the colors of summer to the home via colorful picnic accessories perfect for any famille gathering. The Cosmetics and Toiletries Division showcases its sun products that protect the body from damage wrought by exposure to the sun. World-renowned products from Clarins, Clinique, Murad, Skincode and Phytoplage offer a range of products for various sun protection needs.

Get into this year’s hot summer look at Rustan’s, palanggas, and you can be sure to be a head turner wherever you go.

Party hearty

It is a tradition for internationally-renowned jeweler and watchmaker Cartier, dahlings, to hold its annual "love event" during the early part of the year. Here, Cartier showcases some of its products that are ideal gifts for any occasion.

This year’s Cartier love event was the biggest and glitziest in eons. Rustan’s official distributor of Cartier and elegant Cartier brand manager Luzanne Manlapit went all-out for the chi-chi event.

The event was held at Greenbelt 2’s swinging Restaurant and Bar 12. The tres minimalist resto was transformed into a little Cartier boutique with huge black and white pictures of such luminaries as Audrey Hepburn, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor (during her pre-fat days, naturellement), the fashionable duo of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor adorned the immaculately white walls. Four showcase boxes resembling a huge Cartier gift box were especially flown in from Hong Kong for the event. The most popular showcase was the Cartier Divan watch. Two men dressed in the full Cartier uniform (a la Place Vendoome!) were on hand to pull the resto’s door open for chic-ky invitees.

Restaurant 12’s top chef Noel Silverio prepared different types of hors d’oeuvres like salmon mousse in red cabbage; caviar on heart shaped bread; rosemary chicken on skewers; and strawberries dipped in white or dark chocolate, plus, plus. Moet & Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, and red and white wine flowed endlessly as Cartier wanted to spoil the chosen invitees, naturellement!

Since Cartier is establishing a relationship with the younger hip generation that can afford, palanggas, who better to pull off the job than the guy who knows everyone in Cosmo Manille and who everyone in Manille seems to know – moi palangga, spitfire PR wiz Pepper Teehankee! No one else could have packed the place with the perfect mix of beautiful people as Pepper did!

Moi was absolutely surprised to see so many familiar faces even before moi passed into the front door. The crowd was the creamiest of the cream of Manille’s young set with a great mix of classy locals and expatriates. Hotshot Cartier men from Hong Kong like dashing good-looking retail director, Fabrice Poch and tres charmant area manager, Christophe Daine jetted in just for the happening.

Seen circulating with champagne in hand, palanggas, were Tessa Prieto-Valdes; L’Oreal’s Celine Gariel and Leica Carpo; Patrick Reyno; Joey Carpo; Renee Araneta; Chukri Prieto; Ines Delgado; Shu Uemura’s Tina Tinio and Nami’s Alexis Ledesma; Resto’s 12 beautiful first couple, Elbert and Liza Cuenca; Angelette Calero; Ana Katigbak; popular ladies’ men, twin doctors Aye and Ome Nuguid; top starmaker Joji Dingcong; People Asia’s Philip Cu-Unjieng; Bert Garcia; hardworking heiress who plays hard Victoria Vasquez-Prada; world-class architect Ed Calma and his wife Suzy; Mia Tambunting and her man, Eddie Pineda; Rustan’s Woman of the Hour, Marilen Valbuena and her husband Victor; Mia Trinidad; Gai Olivares; Philippe Ticzon; Bubut Andres; restaurateurs Malu Gamboa and Manet Dayrit; Jia and Gabby Estrella; Miko Valenzuela; Erich Edralin; Christine San Diego and Van Damme look-alike Morten Bremelhoej; columnist Bebet Timbol and Mega’s Sari Yap; pretty actress Michelle Quizon; Dale Villar; looking fabi Trish Villanueva (it must be love, di bala?); Luxasia’s Mia Nolasco-Cuenca; popular artist Mariko Jacinto; plus so many others like them.

Gorgeous Phoemela Barranda and beautiful Isabel Roces modeled the jewelry for Cartier. Hip Joel Tantoco of Rustan’s U provided the cool upbeat sounds for the night.

Naturellement, dahlings, with Pepper’s expat connections, invitees came in full United Nations force. France was well-represented by Christophe Lejeune; businessman Jacques Dupasquier; Nicolas Goullencourt; Julien Cleret; Sebastien Mangeant; Martine Vasseur; Andree Belanger; Michael Seligman; and Sabrina Heinekey. Also seen were George Hashim; Suzzane King; young female airline pilot, Charina Sabal; Charles Rappaport; Jean Hetzel; HSBS’s James Benoit and his wife Lily; Cecilia Leung; Rina Sinisalo; ADB’s Jim Lynch and Brett Coleman; Mango’s Edi Tekeli and Anne Witheford.

Naturellement, there were some social climbers who gate-crashed shamelessly and walked in to partake of the food and drinks, pretending they were actually invited. Well, palanggas, with an event as tony as this, one could expect that, n’est ce pas? My lips are sealed for now, but those invitees know who they are!

It was a bash that lasted way into the night. And why not? Great company, super music, free-flowing booze kept the night going on and on and on. It was crystal clear that Cartier’s swoon bait Fabrice Poch and Christophe Daine enjoyed themselves as they mingled with the A-list personas.

Cartier was so pleased by the turn out, they sent out "thank you" gold Cartier cards personally signed by Luzanne M. and Pepper T. with their pictures from the event attached. Now, that’s what I call a class act!

The long hot summer is here, beckoning us to enjoy fabi Boracay’s sun, sea and yummy food at McSandro, wearing cool outfits from Rustan’s, and flaunting Cartier’s latest chi-chi watches.

Catch you around, palanggas!