Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2015 i Tatler Philippines

SHOT FOR PHILIPPINE TATLER PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK DEMARCHELIER CLOTHES MUM KHAN WATCH OMEGA LADIMATIC TAKING CENTRE stage in this month's issue is one of the world's most acclaimed, beautiful, and recognised actresses, Nicole Kidman. This multi-awarded actress, wife, and mother is everything you would want and more in a woman of her stature. She was warm and engaging during our press conference held in Milan for the celebration of the brand's centennial in ladies' watchmaking, which also marked the 10th anniversary of Kidman being a brand ambassasdor. The actress accommodated everyone who requested to have a photo taken with her and did not screen any of the questions. This is not typical for most top actors, so for that, our respect and admiration for her grew even…

HOW MANY BOTTLES of wine does it take to throw a great party? For the Philippine Tatler Ball, we aren’t holding back, uncorking 400 bottles of wine—red, white, and champagne—for our guests to enjoy with their five-course dinner (which you can see more of on page 238). That’s almost a guarantee for an unforgettable night. We all know that the Philippine Tatler is not just a glamorous party, but is at its heart an avenue to give back to those in need. This year’s beneficiary is Operation Smile, an organisation that helps children born with cleft palates. It takes 15,000 pesos to fund a cleft palate operation, and our goal is to raise over 5 million—that’s over 300 lives changed. IN THE DIARY MADONNA Party with the Queen of Pop…

“ TAKE KINDLY THE COUNSEL of years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth,” Max Ehrmann wrote in 1927’s “Desiderata,” the namesake for Anton Zamora’s newest venture. The lounge takes more than its name from Ehrmann’s iconic poem; it also takes its words to heart. Tucked away in a quiet corner of Bonifacio Global City, the lounge’s ambiance and overall experience—from its cuisine and beverages to its music—is all about embracing the finer things in life with a quiet sophistication. Metro Manila already has its fair share of bars and clubs, but Desiderata sets itself apart by doing away with the noise that typically comes with the city’s nightlife, creating an atmosphere that fosters good conversation over sumptuous dishes, cocktails, and jazz music. At Unit 106, Infinity Tower, 25th Street, Bonifacio…

Life-size photographs from the pages of the Philippine Tatler’s 14th anniversary issue surrounded The Gallerie of Rustan’s Makati for the afternoon cocktails co-hosted by the chronicler of luxury and extraordinary life and Rustan’s, the premier store of luxury brands. Vying for the attention of the intimate A-list party were exquisite gowns placed beside the photographs that featured celebrities and high society personalities interpreting different fairy tale characters. To add to the fun, a trivia game was organised—with questions revolving around famous fairy tales, of course. The winners went home with great prizes courtesy of Rustan’s. Welcoming everyone to the gathering were Tatler’s Managing Director Irene Martel Francisco and Rustan’s President Donnie Tantoco. Seen enjoying the delicious nosh and refreshing drinks prepared by Bizu were Dina Tantoco, Wolfgang Weilbach, Ito Curata,…

Indulge in one of the world’s finest clichés and spend the afternoon slurping freshly shucked oysters and sipping chilled champagne at db Bistro. The vast oyster bar also serves other treats, such as Boston lobster and Alaskan king crab. For something a little more meaty (though a little less chic), chow down on the ever popular db Burger. Singapore’s glitterati flock to Flight to see and be scene. This rooftop bar allows guests to put their imaginations to good use, choosing ingredients to create their own original and whimsical cocktails for the mixologist to execute. Don’t get too carried away with the drinks, though—the foie gras xiao long bao are worth saving room for. Long Chim transports diners to the bustling streets of Bangkok. In the restaurant’s open kitchen, chefs…

The diplomatic circle was in full attendance at the wedding of Bryan Chua, son of Ambassador Francis and Betty Chua, and Micheleen Subia. The beautiful ceremony at the Santuario de San Antonio was officiated by His Eminence Caption_White Ricardo J Cardinal Vidal. The powerhouse list of principal sponsors included Lucio and Susan Co, Ramon and Teresita Ang, and Governor Faustino Dy III. The reception at the Mariott Grand Ballroom featured a sumptuous lauriat prepared by Chef Hef Law Wui Wing and a special dance number by some of the diplomats. THE INSIDER An elegant setting and attention to detail marked the Chua wedding…

CITEM launched an upscale exhibition and retail event, Luxe Philippines, catering to the delegates and attendees of APEC Women and Economy. The opening remarks by Tourism Undersecretary and event chair Nora K Terrado kicked off the event, followed by a wine toast and a tour of Design Philippines Scenography—an exhibition that presented iconic designs by renowned designers Josie Natori, Budji Layug, and Kenneth Cobonpue. An exclusive retail event, Lux Store offered selected Philippine merchandise from 50 exhibitors. THE INSIDER Dame Wendy Pye, one of 16 exemplary women honoured in the event, is a publisher of educational resources in New Zealand…

AS THE PARTY season goes into full swing, glam up your look with necklaces that accentuate the collarbone, elongating the neck, and adding a bit of drama to plunging gowns and bustiers. A butterfly choker carved in black rhodium and set with black diamonds is one of the highlights of Georg Jensen’s latest Askill collection, designed by Australian jewellery artist Jordan Askill. The collection is inspired by the Art Nouveau period, during which the house of Georg Jensen became known for abstracting nature’s forms into silver designs. Also drawing from nature, Damiani presents an all-diamond version of its award-winning Peacock masterpiece necklace, the flexible plumes set with more than 7,000 diamonds. Timeless and elegant, Chow Tai Fook turns on the sparkle with an elaborate collar set with more than 60…

TO CELEBRATE SINGAPORE’S golden jubilee of independence and Stuttgart Auto’s 30th anniversary as the sole dealer of Porsche AG in the island-city state, the Porsche Circuit was held in the cavernous exhibition hall of the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. Ranged around the walls of the exhibition hall were a number of displays commemorating Porsche’s rich history. First off, a static feature of all seven generations of the Porsche 911, the model which, since its debut in the early 1960s, has been the backbone of Porsche’s commercial success. Next door, going further back in time, stood a solitary 356, Porsche’s iconic sports car, and the platform on and from which the 911 evolved. Moving on, the Porsche Club Singapore displayed the very same 911 Targa which Stuttgart Auto’s founder,…

EAT AND GREET Ethan Allen designed this dining space to evoke a glamorous vibe. Dine in style with classic chairs, a table with tapered legs, and a waterfall style chandelier. Available at Ethan Allen. SINGULAR SENSATION The Fernando Accent Table is a bold, sculptural iron piece with an inverted drum base and a half-sphere top. It is not just a unique table, but a statement piece, too. Available at Crate and Barrel. THE BEAT IS ON Play your tunes on fancy speakers with the BeoPlay A2. Featuring an omni-directional sound solution, this ensures that you enjoy good sound regardless of where you place the devices. Available at Bang & Olufsen. EASY DOES IT Designed by Antonio Citterio for Flexform, the Lario sofa is a fresh and contemporary creation. Available at…

SINCE ITS INCEPTION in 1983, SM Foundation has been solidly committed to providing assistance to less fortunate communities. Its current statistics are impressive: as of January 2015, the foundation has put up 67 school buildings, modernised 101 health centres, awarded 3,400 college scholarship programmes, and treated 813,685 medical mission patients. Founder Henry Sy Snr and his family have long been involved in philanthropic work. The foundation’s first major project was the SM College Scholarship Programme. Established in 1993, the project’s primary goal was to provide deserving underprivileged public high school students with a proper college education. 100 scholars were given the opportunity to earn and complete their degrees. Eventually, the foundation expanded its operations to reach areas in the provincial region. Health and wellness and livelihood programmes were added to…

JUST ACROSS THE Museum of Modern Art, a stone’s throw away from the famous shopping of Fifth Avenue, is the 550-foot tall tower that houses the Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York. The first hotel and global flagship for the 250-year-old Baccarat crystal brand certainly looks the part—the lower levels of the hotel are veiled by a 125-foot wide corrugated crystal-like curtain, making the structure glow. Adding more drama to the façade is a four-foot high eternal fireplace that harkens back to the furnaces at the Baccarat factories in France. Upon entering the lobby, guests are mesmerised by a 20-by-25-foot wall adorned with over 2,000 of Baccarat’s most iconic glasses, the Harcourt, each lit by an LED light to create a 24-hour light show. Gilles & Boissier and Starwood Capital’s…

I LOVE THE LIGHT of Madrid, and the way Spanish people know how to enjoy life. Madrid is a very comfortable city but it is also very authentic. You can smell the past and the history in the air but at the same time it’s a modern European capital. I prefer a quiet life; I don’t like being in a rush. Fashion cities like Paris, London and New York are great for trade but not for creativity. The pace of Madrid suits me very well and my day-to-day life is simple. I wake up early, I have a good breakfast on my balcony and I go to my atelier. I travel by bicycle to work as I have a strong commitment to sustainability. I really believe we have to take…

A toast officially started the celebration of beauty and wellness centre Marie France’s 30th year of leading in non-invasive slimming solutions in the country. The black-white-gold themed event was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Marie France’s President George Siy, wife Mimi Siy, long-time brand endorser actress Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo, and distinguished media partners and friends. Guests were served a scrumptious six-course meal, while a special tribute was shown on LED screens placed around the venue, which showed inspiring tales from clients and endorsers who were helped by Marie France in the past 30 years. One of the highlights of the event was the joint project presentation of the ICanServe awareness video that was created by visual storyteller Jason Magbanua, featuring Marie France’s celebrity endorsers.…

PORCELANOSA’S NEW YORK SHOWROOM OPENING WHEN 9 September 2015 WHERE Madison Square Park, New York City HIGHLIGHT Female flamenco dancers presented a wonderful and festive performance as they danced to the beat of Porvenir’s music ADORNED WITH CALLA LILIES and white drapes, a much-loved park transformed into a magnificent venue where Porcelanosaluxury tile, kitchen, and bath product manufacturer and distributor—celebrated the opening of its flagship store. Entertaining the 700 guests coming from 80 different countries were Porvenir, Porcelanosa’s favourite musical quartet from Spain, and flamenco box player Paul Nuñez. A few steps away from the celebration, special guests and VIPs toured Porcelanosa’s showroom. The European luxury collections debuted to the New York audience amid the backdrop of an early 20th-century building that was turned into an international design point of…

Abundance Providers and Entrepreneurs Corporation (APEC Plans) Chairman and President Noel Oñate graciously hosted a fabulous engagement party for renowned architect Conrad Onglao and his soon-to-be-wife, singer Zsa Zsa Padilla. The congenial host held the celebration at his legendary party house in Makati, where guests enjoyed a spread by Chef Jessie and music from renowned pianist Jim Cornejo and chanteuse Crisha Ledesma. Among those who joined the festivities were Tony Cojuangco, Tony Floirendo, and Midas Marquez. THE INSIDER Noel Oñate is all smiles with his daughter Ashley Oñate at the engagement dinner party…

Vietnam’s winning design entry for the ASEAN commemorative stamp competition, which harmoniously incorporates golden rice flowers, a pigeon, and a handshake grip, was showcased at the culmination of Philippine Postal Office’s and SM Aura Premier’s recent joint project. Dignified members of the regional diplomatic corps graced the occasion, showing that in building a solid community, one must strongly empower the socio-cultural aspects as well. The ASEAN stamp is currently sold in the country at 13 pesos each with only 101,000 printed copies.…

Dries Van Noten called time on womenswear’s ownership of embellishment with an autumn-winter collection that embraced studs, gems, and metallic embroidery, and yet was anything but effeminate. Tackling the uniform trend of the season, the designer employed the silvery embellishment techniques seen in the costumes of the Miao tribe to create heavily adorned shirts, jumpers, and coats that exuded a subtle splendour. For those still hesitant to decorate themselves, take note: Van Noten offset the shimmer with an air of nomadic nonchalance—coats were layered over other coats, which were layered over kilts, which were worn over trousers (confused yet?), while jackets were reversed to show their quilted linings. A muted colour scheme ensured the look was less Liberace and more Black Rock City. The verdict? Keep cuts casual and colour…

HERE ARE MATTERS that merit a certain level of success when kept within the family unit. One such example is running a company—heirs who express an interest in helping grow the business tend to develop a broader, deeper understanding of what it will eventually need in the future. Luxury cosmetics brand Sisley has taken this wisdom to heart; the brand continues to flourish in the hands of its new masters, siblings Philippe and Christine d’Ornano. A LONG-STANDING TRADITION Sisley was founded in 1976 by Count Hubert d’Ornano, a bonafide veteran in the cosmetics industry. His father, Guillame, left a diplomatic career track to open Lancôme with famed perfume maker Francois Coty. Hubert followed in his father’s footsteps; he, together with his brother, went on to handle the operations of skincare…

ALWAYS LOOKING for the next challenge, watchmakers have gone beyond the usual annual and perpetual calendars to develop some of the most complicated timepieces centred around calendar functions. The Portugieser Sidérale Scafusia is the most complicated watch ever created by IWC Schaffhausen. It is the first watch to feature a patented constant-force tourbillon together with many other complications, from sidereal time to a perpetual calendar function, and individually calculated astronomical displays, including a customised celestial chart at the back of the watch. One of the most intricate watches that Hublot has created has to be the Antikythera Sunmoon, which is a tribute to the Antikythera mechanism, which was mysteriously discovered in Greek waters in 1901 and is considered the first astronomical calculator in history, dating back to the 2nd century…

IN THE ITALIAN GARDEN, THE serpent speaks not just to Eve, but increasingly tempts Adam, too. We learned this from Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, senior director of the Bulgari Watch Design Centre, when we met in Florence. “We receive a lot of customer requests for specific designs, especially for Serpenti watches—special dials, colours, or stones,” he says. “I was in London four weeks ago and two guys in the store just loved the Serpenti secret watch in diamonds, and they were trying to put it on their wrists. I was a little surprised because to me, it’s 100 per cent a ladies watch. But we’re starting to see more requests from men and they may order the Serpenti in ‘male’ colours like with onyx.” While sinuous snake jewellery comes in all-new…

SHE “GIGGLED LIKE A SCHOOLGIRL.” THIS WAS HOW Ambeth Ocampo described Yoko Ono in his new book Heritage and History of The Kudan: The Official Residence of The Philippine Ambassador in Japan as he recounted a visit that the renowned artist made to the diplomatic residence. Ocampo wrote: “In December 2012, Yoko Ono returned to her childhood home as a guest of current Philippine Ambassador Manuel M Lopez and his wife Maritess Lagdameo-Lopez. No stranger to the mansion, she had been received on previous visits by former Philippine ambassadors … When asked about her memories of the Kudan, she asked Ambassador Lopez if it was all right for her to visit the watchtower … Yoko Ono stood up and exclaimed: ‘I know the way!’ as she led everyone through the…

A STUNNING CALATAGAN ABODE SERVES AS THE CANVAS for a group of talented designers’ work. Bea Zobel Jnr’s home, lovely on its own, transforms into a storybook oasis with the addition of sturdy rattan hammocks, giant salakot beach umbrellas, and sculptural ceiling trays, among other beautiful things. These items are not for Zobel to keep, though; she is altruistic, and does not confine her thoughts nor resources to her own well-being. Products are to be sold at this year’s Designers’ Holiday Bazaar with the intention of donating part of the proceeds to charity. A Helping Hand “I FIRST GOT IN TOUCH WITH THIS TALENTED GROUP of people when I was working on a project in Dauis, Bohol,” shares Zobel. “I was there four years ago to assist in restoration efforts…

WHEN ONE SCANS the universe of car models available in today’s diverse car market, the gaze is often inexorably and irresistibly drawn to the higher end of the market. This is where the head-turners can be found—the most luxurious, most exotic, most exclusive and, yes, most expensive cars in the firmament. For many, these cars are unattainable fantasies, pipe dreams. Invariably, the conclusion is reached that these are, or must be, the best cars on the planet—quite simply because they offer the most extreme levels of luxury, performance, or exclusivity at the most excessive prices. But are they really and actually the best cars of all? Last year, a group of 69 eminent automotive journalists from 22 countries, who vote every year to decide which car model should be named…

PERHAPS IT WAS just a matter of time. After all, San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest outside Asia and the oldest in North America. It’s also Bruce Lee’s birthplace and home to the Chinese Hospital, built by Tung Wah Dispensary in 1925. Now some of China’s most prolific developers—China Vanke (US$81.8 billion in assets) and Gemdale (US$21.9 billion)—are investing heavily in San Francisco high-rise sites. At the top of the ladder, soaring above the waterfront at the epicentre of culture, technology, and innovation, is Lumina, on Main and Folsom streets. A two-tower project of 656 modern residences, it features a one-of-a-kind duplex penthouse designed by Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica. The curvilinear configuration captures iconic views of city landmarks such as the San Francisco Bay Bridge, the Ferry Building and the…

MING BLING BEIJING Being a history buff is so much more fun when you’re surrounded by opulence rather than dry academia. The Nuo Hotel Beijing is a celebration of the Ming dynasty. The rooms combine 21st-century luxury living with serious historical touches, including design elements inspired by 14th-century residences, silk walls and ancient Chinese poetry inscriptions. And that’s not all—if you’re feeling hungry, you can snack on the edible terracotta warrior on your bedside table; if you’re feeling demanding, call in the staff, who have been trained to the standard of the Ming dynasty court; and if your outside exploits have left you feeling drained, try the hotel’s subterranean spa, a relaxing haven of moon gates, trickling water features and multisensory treatments that will get your yin and yang back…

IT HAS BEEN a whirlwind month for me, what with a trip to New York, back home to Manila for a night, then off again, this time to Milan. New York was primarily to attend the Asia Society Philippine Gold Exhibition ("Celebrating Our Heritage," page 62). But there were other items on the New York itinerary. There was Tony and Gail Alvarez's 50th wedding anniversary and the US Open, which I watched twice and saw my hero, Roger Federer, play. I caught Josie Natori's spring/summer 2016 Collection, had dinner at Ralph Lauren's trendy and super Waspy Polo Bar, and stayed at the magnificent Baccarat Hotel ("Glass Menagerie," page 276). And of course, I was able to catch up with NYbased friends like Nigel Barker, Lily O'Boyle, Bernadette Cruz-Moxey, and PJ…

The streets of Manhattan around the Asia Society building on 70th and Park turned into a Filipino fiesta with banners announcing the opening of the exhibition “Philippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms.” Asia Society, a non-partisan and non-profit educational institution promoting mutual understanding and partnerships between Asia and the United States, chose to shine a spotlight on the Philippines and its treasures. From a royal past, select pieces from the gold collection of both the Central Bank of the Philippines and the Ayala Foundation were displayed in all their glory. Another exhibition, “Filipino Design Now,” featured the unique art and craftsmanship of 14 renowned Filipino designers. “Tonight we are celebrating a new era, a new beginning for the Philippines, presented through its golden past,” said President and CEO of Asia…

Influential columnist and emcee par excellence Johnny Litton celebrated his 79th birthday in grand Hollywood style at the Mayuree Ballroom of Dusit Thani Manila. Donning their Tinseltown-inspired costumes, distinguished personalities from the government, business, and high society circles joined the celebrator in this joyous occasion. Guests enjoyed premium selections of drinks with special wine from Tita Trillo of Titania Wine Cellar and Johnny Walker Gold Label Reserve from Randy Uson Christian and of Stephanie Diageo Philippines Gonzalez . THE INSIDER Johnny Litton has been society’s well-loved columnist for 28 years and an emcee at the most sought after events for 33 years…

Created with the vision of showcasing the best of Filipino hospitality and service, Anya Resort & Residences Tagaytay is poised to take you back to a time when the days biggest questions are the little things. Will it be a jog among the greenery or a quiet day by the pool? At Anya, everything is up to you. Set to open early 2016, Anya covers seven hectares located on the quieter side of the Tagaytay-Calamba Road. It is the anti-thesis to big hotels and resorts that claim to have everything. To a more discerning market, size does not matter. Anya is for the market that enjoys the finer things in life, that extra attention to detail that is lost in bigger establishments. To ensure that every nook and cranny is…

Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari’s jewellery creative director, calls Giardino di Ninfa in central Italy her favourite garden. “I used to visit it a lot when I was young. It’s very quiet and spiritual, and is full of colour. It gives me inspiration to put colours together.” Of this year’s Giardini Italiani high jewellery collection, she says, “I feel like a gardener: I start at the beginning with the seeds, the gems that I travel the world to buy; and around the gems, grow up the jewellery designs.” With each collection, Silvestri usually has what she calls a “happy necklace.” This year, it’s the Blue Iridescence necklace (pictured above). “It has about 190 carats of sapphires, which we took three years to collect. We had to be very patient to find the…

MY FIRST VISIT TO THE BLACK ROCK DESERT was in the summer of 2013. Three friends and I rented a motor home in LA and after carefully reading the Burning Man Survival Guide, filled it up with food, duct tape, and lots of water before driving the 13 hours to Black Rock City. We had each done our fair share of music and art festivals in the past. I had been to the more mainstream ones such as Coachella, Sónar, and Electric Zoo; I was quite confident that I was ready to graduate and attend the mother of all festivals, Burning Man. My limited knowledge about the festival was based on what I had seen on social media and from different articles that have popped up here and there over…

THE CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL, Famille Perrin’s premier estate, lies at the northern edge of the Châteauneuf appellation, an old riverbed of the majestic Rhône river in Provence. Calling it beautiful would be an understatement. It is surrounded by rolling hills dotted with vines, hundred-year-old olive trees, truffle oaks, and a vast field of galets—round white stones that are reminders of its close encounters with the Rhône during the Miocene period. Just as its terroirs were carved by the torrential waters of Rhône and its ancient vines blown dry by the strong, north-western Mistral winds, Château de Beaucastel experienced a series of radical changes that defined its rich history. Its vineyards are witnesses to continuous stories of struggle and redemption, traditions and innovations, and the passion of its winemakers—influencing the complex…

SMOOTH AS GLASS Luxury French glassmaker Lalique has opened a premium hotel and restaurant in Wingen-sur-Moder, Alsace, close to the company’s factory and about 40 minutes from Strasbourg. Villa René Lalique boasts an impressive cellar with 20,000 bottles, including old vintages from the family cellar of CEO Silvio Denz. The restaurant is helmed by Jean-Georges Klein, who left three-Michelin-starred Arnsbourg to take on the role, and the wine is curated by Romain Iltis, also formerly of Arnsbourg, who was named Best Somelier of France in 2012. The hotel and restaurant offer six bedrooms and 40 covers, and they also double as a showroom for Lalique products, including the wine glasses and decanters of Lalique 100 Points by James Suckling. LUCKY ESCAPE The powerful earthquake that rocked Chile in mid-September, whose…

IN A WORLD where NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has just flown by Pluto, where man’s evolution from homo sapiens to transhuman is now tangible, the arrival of British sculptor Antony Gormley’s Event Horizon in Hong Kong this month—31 weighty human figures placed on buildings and pavements around the tall, small city—is an apt comment on the times. Exhibitionist yet introvert, collective yet solitary, still yet sprinting, ambitious yet nihilistic, minute yet infinite, Youniversal. Gormley’s work is troubling or triumphant, celebration or commiseration, it’s your choice, your reading, your feeling, all part of his participatory approach to life at the aesthetic edge. Gormley, 65, most famous for his Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead, northern England, is acclaimed for art that investigates the relationship of the human body to space.…

EAT The tasting menus at warm and welcoming Casa Irene offers culinary tours of the region. The restaurant’s small but sumptuous selection changes with the seasons. Past favourites have included roast pigeon with cream of artichokes and baked turbot with winter vegetables. Try the homemade walnut liqueur as a digestif. It’s best to make a booking. hotelcasairene.com STAY Location is everything when it comes to ski accommodation, and you’ll find the cool and contemporary (yet cosy) five-star Hotel Val de Neu just 45 metres from the ski lift. Book the Neo Royal suite for amazing mountain views and free-flowing hot chocolate and churros. After a tough day on the slopes, relax in the frothy outdoor jacuzzi, take a swim in the pool or slip into your fluffy robe and head…

I’ve been to this region of northern Italy, Emilia-Romagna, many times in the past year, a period when I was very much in love with someone. But that ended peaceably, and I’m now returning alone. What is becoming clear to me is that it wasn’t just my personal relationship that rendered this place so magical. I’m drawn to the food of this place, to the people—to the Emilia-Romagna region itself—with an intensity that surprises me. And I love this sumptuous tortellini en brodo. Now, I’m from the US Midwest, and we Midwesterners don’t pepper our talk with words like “love” and “sumptuous” willy-nilly. It’s not that I don’t appreciate a spritz of glam as much as the next woman. But Midwesterners, as a rule, aren’t known for being easily dazzled.…

WHERE TO GO, I wondered? My son’s departure for graduate school was fast approaching. I wanted one last weekend of quality time with him and my daughter before he took off. Since both had already done a number of beach weekends, I quickly discarded the sun and sea option. I wanted them to experience something different. “Have any of you ever done white-water rafting?” I asked over dinner one evening. “No,” they both answered, shaking their heads. I recounted a trip I took to Bukidnon in the past where I enjoyed both the rafting and a challenging canopy walk. “Why not?” my son commented. My friend Candy Lehmann of Blue Horizons Travel suggested, “You should stay at Bukidnon Country Lodge.” It would be my children’s first visit to Bukidnon. I…