MILESTONES AT LEON GALLERY
From the enormous crowd that night, it looked like some 4,000 nouveau society guests banded together to celebrate the 40th birthday of Jaime Ponce de Leon, the gentleman with an eye for art and objets d’art, palanggas.
As founding director of the country’s biggest auction house, León Gallery, Jaime has set the pace for art and artists in his famously charming southern way.
That night, art, ivory furniture and historical documents and other objets d’art collectors gathered to toast this happy occasion.
León Gallery also celebrated another milestone: achieving top art sales in the country and several world records “for 11 out of 12 most expensive paintings in the Philippines.” The gallery showcased portraits by Juan Luna y
Novicio and Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto, among other greats.
Chef Gaita Fores missed the event having flown to Japan for her own celebration en famille, but personally prepared an elegant Italian menu — prosciutto, roast ribs and five-spice ducks for carving, truffle and cream cheese crepes, insalate di mare, and an overflowing pasta station, with the popular lobster spaghettini — to the delight of guests.
Naturellement, a classical quintet followed by two DJs kept the crowd energized the entire night with many of them dancing, surely ’til they almost dropped. Music was by the effervescent Robbie Santos. Enjoying the festive atmosphere were Rep. Imelda
Romualdez Marcos (gorgeous in emerald green), as well as Tingting Cojuangco, mega power-couples Paulino and Hetty Que, Senator Miguel Zubiri and wife Audrey, Aga Muhlach and wife Charlene Gonzales, Andres and Iya Barrioquinto with Derek Flores and Melot Sunga, Mayor Richard Gomez and southern beauty Rep. Lucy Torres, Ces Drilon, Ricky Carandang, as well as George and Lala Ong. Kit Ongpin Roxas arrived with historian Ambeth Ocampo; gallerist Tina Fernandez was seen with bosom buddies Jia Estrella and Michelle Tomacruz. Among those making the rounds at the towering Pavlova birthday cake were heritage maven Tats Manahan, social
raconteur Toto Gonzales, furniture mogul Timothy Tan, sought-after interior designer Paolo del Rosario, art impresario Tonico Manahan, jeweler Nicole Whisenhunt, renowned personalities artist Betsy Westendorp and concertpianist Ingrid Santamaria, Trickie Lopa for Art Fair Philippines, vivacious ladies Vicky Zubiri, Bambina Olivares, Nicole Ortega, Tats Manahan and Irene Marcos-Araneta, Ernest Escaler of Asian Cultural Council, lighting expert Mark Wilson,
Dr. Vicki Belo, interior designer Pico Gonzalez, Martin Lopez of FEU, Pancho Francisco, Malu Gamboa and Bambi Harper, palanggas.