Season’s Best
’Tis the season to celebrate the things that make our heart sing. I have always loved this period, not only because of all the noisy merrymaking, but also because it’s the perfect time for quiet reflection. Those qualities may seem at odds with each other, but I personally choose to embrace the inherent duality.
In the Philippines, the holiday season starts once Mariah Carey and Jose Mari Chan start their annual radio takeover, and it goes full throttle until just about Christmas Eve. Those days are filled with parties, presents, and a lot of last-minute work. It’s a potent cocktail that I cannot resist. I adore seeing friends and toasting to successes and milestones. I love the back-to-back events and the extra sparkle in everyone’s eyes and outfits. I like the giddy vibe the permeates everything, even my coffee the morning after the celebrations.
But once the actual holiday hits, I also love getting away from it all. The time I spend offline, being with just family and close friends, is equally wonderful. During this period, I mull over the things that really matter, who and what truly brought me joy, and try to come to terms with the mistakes and—yes—even the regrets.
The ability to do both is a luxury that I am grateful for. This is something that our cover star, Sarah Lahbati Gutierrez shares. The fashion star has had another prolific year that has seen more exciting collaborations and new achievements. Truly, she has found her footing as the woman of her house. Get a peek into her life in “I See Me,” as she leads a stellar lineup of sparkling individuals.
Each person in our lineup this issue is a star, and we are eager to share their joy to everyone. Our fashion pages show off a range of talent: from the masters Michael Cinco, Cary Santiago, Jojie Loren and Lulu Tan-Gan in “The Greatest Show” to Anthony Ramirez’s unadulterated take on glamour in “Quiet Thinkers,” Oliver Tolentino’s dazzling Spanish-inspired collection in “When in Spain,” and the cool new suiting styles from young designer Keith Sacasas in “Suit Status.”
In Beauty, our team brings forth an edit of delectable products, from top-shelf perfumes to delightful miniature stocking fillers—head on to page 110.
In Features, we give you the details on the latest gastronomic hotspot Origine on page 82. We also put the spotlight on Cristalle Belo-Pitt, who inspires us with her no-nonsense approach to achieving the body and mindset she wants for her life as a career woman, wife, and mother to two young children. Also on center stage are theater muses Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Carla Guevara Laforteza, and Yanah Laurel Siguion-Reyna, who more than reassure us that our acting tradition is still golden. Lastly, dig into Relationship, where we discover what it takes to be a throuple (yes, you read that right) and why this polyamorous approach to romance might have merits beyond the surface.
Happy holidays!