A hair-raising gala

Yellow and green were the dominant colors adorning the ballroom of the InterContinental Hotel as Sunsilk Strength and Shine Shampoo hosted the first ever hair gala in the Philippines.

An array of cutting-edge hairstyles created by international celebrity stylist Charles Dujic was presented.  Dujic’s celebrity clients include Cate Blanchett, Sara Michelle Gellar, Shannon Elizabeth and Alyssa Milano. He personally styled local celebrities like Angelica Panganiban, Erich Gonzales and Mariel Rodriguez. He also collaborated with representatives from salons on the looks of Raya Mananquil, Nicolette Bell, Valerie de los Santos and other top local models.

Each hairstyle captured a facet of beauty – be it daring, romantic, rockin’, glam, chic, fresh, alive, vibrant, edgy or sophisticated – proving how women can express and reinvent their image with just a brush, curlers and the right hair care product.

Dujic partnered with Sunsilk to demonstrate what he calls the "marriage of artistry and chemistry."

The country’s top local stylists who collaborated with Dujic to interpret the Sunsilk Cutting-Edge Hairstyles were Crispin Britanico of Crispin Britanico, Henry Calayag of H Salon, Jing Monis of Propaganda, Cherry Reyes of Toni and Guy, Eric Maningat of Trendset Corp., Rocky Orejola of Basement Salon and Leonardo Vasquez of Jesi Mendez.

Also seen in the event were Unilever’s marketing manager for hair care Gilbert Simpao, Sunsilk senior brand manager Carlo Endaya and assistant brand manager Victor Hugo, Astrud Crisologo, Mia Nolasco-Cuenca and Bianca Valerio.

The Richie Cup

It was the first time the Richie Cup was held at the exclusive Manila Golf Club. Sportsman and Cinderella’s Richie Coronel Santos recently celebrated his birthday via a golf tournament named after him and organized by Sid Castro.

His family and closest friends competed and were divided into two teams with golf champions Ramon Brobio as the captain of Team Esprit and Carito Villaroman as captain of Team U2. The teams were named after two of the best-selling brands of Cinderella Marketing. Team Esprit won.

Lovapalooza at Casa Celestina

Lovapalooza producer and Apogee Productions president Albert Almendralejo and patron of the arts Rachy Cuna hosted a congratulatory dinner for the event’s committee at the latter’s Casa Celestina.

Albert and Rachy, who designed the Lovapalooza commemorative marker in Baywalk, were the evening’s hosts to a gathering of friends who looked visibly relieved and relaxed after producing the biggest Valentine’s celebration to date.

Those who attended the dinner were Kim Atienza and wife Fely, Unilever’s Mia Fuentes, Anna Fernandez and Tish Condeno, Thelma San Juan, Apa and Ana Ongpin, Calvin Millado and Gem Padilla. The group feasted on El Comedor’s paella, lechon and an array of wines and Fiorgelatto ice cream, while viewing the footage of the Lovapalooza events throughout the country, in Cebu, Davao, Angeles and Manila.

Paolo Santos serenaded the group as little Lovapalooza heart-shaped pillows were given out as tokens for everyone’s hard work and commitment.

Eva Peron’s successful run

Its English performance at the Carlos P. Romulo Theatre was a hit.  The Filipino version at Puerto Real was also a success. Alliance Francaise de Manille and Dramatis Personae presented Eva Peron, a madly hilarious satire by Copi, the late Argentine playwright and cartoonist. The play showed Copi’s disdain for the late Eva Peron, recognized as a beacon of inspiration during her husband’s reign over Argentina. Dramatis Personae’s director Lito Casaje translated the play originally written in French.

The cast included Dingdong Rosales, Gio Respall, Daniel Robert Magisa, Alfonso Deza and Linda Lupton. The show also featured costumes by Frederick Peralta and jewelry by French designer Muriel Biraghi. The show was made possible through the support of the Intramuros Administration and the Department of Tourism. 

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E-mail me at peppertstar@yahoo.com