Brazilian carnival at Manila Polo Club; Miss World 2012 visits Manila

By: Maurice Arcache, Philippine Daily Inquirer

The 2013 Fila Polo Cup at the Manila Polo Club in Forbes Park was more colorful than ever because of its unique theme, “Brazilian Carnival!”

By 6 p.m. there was more glitz than ever before, dahlings. Superbly hosted by handsome Fila endorser Fabio Ide, the affair had endless entertainment by Guarana, Escola de Samba de Manila Dancers, Maracuja Dancers and “Talentadong Pinoy” hall-of-famer Astroboy.

Leading the Fila officialdom present were president and CEO of Fila Philippines, Cris Albert, and husband, chair Butch Albert, who was marking his birthday on the polo field that day, palanggas.

Astroboy had everyone amazed with his fiery display of fierceness. No wonder he is Manille’s premiere hoop artist and “Talentadong Pinoy” Grand Champion.

JEENA Llamas Lopez, moi, Deena de la Cruz, Maricris Albert

“Why a Brazilian carnival”? moi asked Cris A. “Merely because when it comes to emotion, color, atmosphere, and sheer over-the-top joyous celebration, there’s nothing that beats the Brazilian method and rhythm. This is a perfect welcome for Fila’s bigger direction in 2013, which has stayed true to boldness, color and design,” said the chic Cris, as she sipped her chilled flute of Dom Perrignom, dahlings.

The Rio de Janeiro-style Mardi Gras performing at the polo field sent the men and the young-at-heart rushing up front to get a 3D view of the women dancers. Wow!

The carnival was capped by kaleidoscopic fireworks.

QUEENIE Rehman,Mark Field, MissWorld 2012Wen Xia Yu

All in all, some 800 guests enjoyed the night. That’s Fila for you, dahlings.

(More info on Fila? Log on to www.fila.ph.)

Mandarin festivity

Somehow I enjoy Chinese New Year’s Eve more than the traditional New Year’s Eve. And this year was no exception when the elegant Mandarin Oriental Manila held the grandest lunar new year bash outside of Binondo with the 17th edition of its lunar fest welcoming the “Year of the Water Snake.”

RUBY Chin, Cris Albert, Ana Abad Santos

It began with cocktails led by major sponsors BMW, Hennessy, China UnionPay, Enchanted Kingdom, Universal Harvester Inc., Dragonair, Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou and  Makati City at the chic MO Lounge.

Guests of honor were Makati Mayor JunJun Binay, with his daughter Alexi, Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing, Netherlands Ambassador Ton Boon von Ochssée, with his wife Martine; Singaporean Ambassador VP Hirubalan, with his wife Mano; and Indian Ambassador Amit Dasgupta.

SHEILA and Mikee Romero

Miss World 2012 Wen Xia Yu of China joined the celebration, palanggas.

Colorful ceremonies followed outside the hotel, at the corner of Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, where Master Joseph Chau performed the Paai-Shan ceremony.

Sharing the honors of dotting the five lions “waiting to be awakened” were dashing hotel manager Oliver Kreuzer, Jardine Matheson Group of Companies in the Philippines country chair Nonoy Colayco,  Mayor Binay, Metropolitan Museum of Manila president Tina Colayco, philanthropist Rose Marie “Baby” Arenas, Jocelyn Kreuzer, Pangasinan Rep. Rachel Arenas, Jullie Yap Daza, Asian Carmakers BMW president Maricar Parco, Moët Hennessy Asia-Pacific manager Randy Uson, and of Universal Harvester, Inc. EVP Mila How.

JIM Garcia, Raffy Llamas

Enchanted Kingdom fireworks lighted up the sky at midnight, as guests witnessed the awesome video projection of a colorful snake slithering down the column of the hotel’s exterior, would you believe?

Executive Chinese chef Hann Furn Chen and executive chef Rene Ottik cooked up prosperity dishes, such as Steamed Live Garoupa with Superior Homemade Soy Sauce; Braised Chicken with Dried Oyster, Black Moss and Golden Garlic in Oyster sauce; and Tin Hau’s signature tikoy.

CRIS Albert, Jason Luengo

Après gorging all that after midnight, it was time to party some more and burn out all that calories, dahlings.

Yes, palanggas, Mandarin’s traditional Chinese New Year was totally hard to match, dahlings.

Philippe Starck building

Century Properties has scored another real-estate coup with its newest project, Acqua Iguazu Yoo, inspired by world-class namedroppable Philippe Starck no less, dahlings.

The fifth building within the Acqua Private Residences, a 2.4-ha property on Coronado Street,  Mandaluyong, was recently inaugurated.

GP REYES, Cat and Carlo Antonio

The hotshot invitees enjoyed the eye-catching Acqua Iguazu showroom.

Breezing around, moi noticed Iguazu has a breathtaking multilevel amenity deck called the Cielo, and common areas that have the unmistakable imprint of Yoo, the design firm founded by top design mind Philippe Starck, natch.

British real-estate magnate John Hitchcox said in his welcome speech: “Because these spaces will be home to a lot of people, we have made our creations unique and very special. You have the privilege to see them now at the Iguazu showroom.”

“I am so very proud to present the first Yoo-inspired, Starck-designed building in your beautiful country and I am so delighted to be a part of this very exciting project,” said a smiling Philippe Starck in a video message.

Century’s hard-working COO Marco Antonio said, “Acqua is the perfect place to showcase Yoo-inspired by Starck’s sensibilities: edgy and fantastical yet functional and environmentally conscious.”

FILA endorsers Fabio Ide, Tim Yap, Georgina Wilson, Borgy Manotoc
MISS World president Julia Morley, Miss World 2012Wen Xia Yu, Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing

“Yoo inspired by Starck’s design for Acqua Iguazu will forever change our standards for residential living,” said Robbie Antonio, Century’s head of international collaborations.

Because of their exclusivity and design, the units were grabbed and reserved on the spot faster than one could bat an eyelash. Iguazu buyers were rewarded when they brought home Philippe Starck branded gifts as souvenirs. (Visit www.acqua-iguazu.com.)

Design superstar Philippe Starck’s Filipino-inspired designs

By Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo

This Starck-designed chair has a Philippine monkey-eating eagle sculpture for a headrest.

For a design giant to notice the Philippines must be a dream come true, something a Filipino real estate developer just turned into a reality.
French genius Philippe Starck, considered as the world’s most influential designer, heavily incorporates Filipino accents and elements into his first and, so far, only venture in the Philippines, Acqua Iguazu, the fifth tower of Acqua Residences by top Filipino realty firm Century Properties.
“I am so very proud to present the first yoo inspired by Starck building in your beautiful country and I am so delighted to be a part of this very exciting project. Those of you who have experienced our designs before are in for another surprising, inspiring and delightful journey,” Starck says in a statement.
“We want to give our fellowmen the chance to have Starck’s design philosophy every day and not only as transient hotel guests,” enthuses Robbie Antonio, Century Properties managing director and head for International Collaborations.

A chandelier with anative Filipino wicker body, resembling the walis ting-ting (stick broom) Filipinos use as a metaphor for unity.
The partnership began, says Marco Antonio, Century Properties co-chief operating officer and managing director, when Century met international property entrepreneur and Starck’s business partner, John Hitchcox, in Boracay.
Acqua Iguazu is the first residential Eden in their portfolio, Hitchcox said in a press conference. Starck and Hitchcox’s company, yoo, has been working with international developers for residential, hotel and commercial projects throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, North and South Americas and the Middle East. They have designed over 10,000 homes in 31 cities. Hitchcox claims to be among the pioneers in developing rundown London Soho apartments in the early ’90s.

“Today’s homes are different than what we had then because our lives now are different, so we need designers,” he espoused. “A home is a place of stability and confidence so it really needs our attention.” 

A home, for Starck, is “your own egg, where you will be very at peace to be a part of nature.”

Such is his vision for his designs for Iguazu’s lobby, walkways, elevators, rooftops, multifunctional bar, pool, library and movie rooms. Robbie says the designs will combine whimsical European flair with indigenous details such as native Filipino wicker chandeliers and an accent chair with a monkey-eating eagle sculpture as headrest. All colors will be natural, clean, pure and white, faithful to the Starck trademark.

An accent wicker dining table chair reminiscent of where Filipina beauty queens used to seat to receive their crown.
The P1.3-billion, 50-story development will have about 400 units crowned by the multi-level amenity deck, “Cielo,” chock-full of Starck’s design. The Cielo will have a gushing waterfall with a swimming pool, a bar, a DJ booth and dance floor, function room, an indoor and outdoor library, a movie room and dining area. The roof will have a cut out of a quote from the Little Prince written in Starck’s own handwriting.
For the units, three interior design inspirations following the themes of Minimal, Nature and Culture were opened at the showroom. These will serve as reference motifs for homeowners who wish to decorate their units in true Starck style.

“The lobby will have so many magic, all things to remind you that everything is possible,” Starck assures.
From everyday products like furniture and lemon squeezers, to revolutionary mega yachts, hotels that stimulate the senses, phantasmagorical venues and individual wind turbines, Starck never stops to push the limits and criteria of contemporary design.

Nito placemats

Starck infused indigenous materials like dark wood into his designs…

As well as local woodcarving, as in the frame of this bed:

Blocks of locally salvaged wood as sidetables

Starck (center) with Century Properties’ Robbie and Marco Antonio

Published in The Daily Tribune. Official link to the complete article:
http://www.tribune.net.ph/life-style/item/9733-starck-the-year-right