BEAUTIFUL IN BLUE
A celebration in cerulean commemorates Lifestyle Asia’s August cover personality Charmaine Lagman and her wonderful story of finding and accepting beauty in her own terms
An intimate gathering of Manila’s finest, from business leaders to people of influence, wined and dined to bottle after bottle of Cloudy Bay wines and plates of gastronomic creations by Pinot Manila. The darling of the luncheon affair was no other than Lifestyle Asia’s August issue headliner, Charmaine Lagman. Charmaine, an epitome of beauty inside and out, was accompanied by her husband Mike and their daughter Anya.
The well-appointed space was spruced up for the occasion by Randy Lazaro and Casa Luxia, yellow tulips and white orchids bunched with lush blooms in the table setting. Guests trickled in wearing varying shades of blue as the event required—an ode to the nautical setting of Charmaine’s photoshoot aboard Chavit Singson’s yacht Happy Life.
The sea of people in hues of blue was a magnificent sight to behold. A remarkable homology to the striking blue sea where Shaira Luna produced Charmaine Lagman’s exquisite images. As expected, there was no shortage of gorgeous men and women in the noontime festivity. All eyes were on Charmaine as she entered the room, a vision in blue. Mike, ever the dapper gentleman was in a suit, with their charming daughter Anya exuding the same fresh vibe as her mom in a dark blue ensemble.
March cover personality Che Uy and daughter Chelsea dazzled, chatting with other guests. On one table, Grace
Ang and Beng Dee engaged in joyful banter. While their husbands, Felix Ang and Rikki Dee, had their own conversation. Beside their table were Sheila Romero, Loralee Soong, and Rachel Arenas connecting with one another. Warren Sy arrived soon after, another great addition to the roster of illustrious personalities.
As the event commenced, Lifestyle Asia’s Editor in
Chief Dong Ronquillo was given the microphone to greet everyone, retelling the team’s wonderful experience working with Charmaine, talking about the true essence of beauty as portrayed by the personalities present in the event, and inviting everyone to enjoy the fête. This was followed by Lifestyle Asia’s Associate Publisher Abby Laurel thanking guests for their continuous support to the brand.
As plates of food were being served, Moët Hennessy’s Clemence Defeu explained each wine paired with the dish. The first course was a serving of Warm Calamari Salad, a bed of greens with squid, garbanzos, pink onions, and parsley, paired with a glass of Cloudy Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc. This was followed by a refreshing bowl of Sea Urchin Minestrone topped with Dill Froth. For the main course, Grilled Salmon
with Vegetable and Barley Stir-Fry with Miso Hollandaise, perfectly paired with a glass of Chardonnay from Cloudy Bay. Soon after, plates of French Cheese Tartin entered, a light snack before the scrumptious dessert to follow, Tart au Chocolate with Burnt Butter Ice Cream and glass of Cloudy Bay’s Pinot Noir.
Yet even after the indulgent treat, the conversations continued. With a clamor for her much-loved company, Tessa Prieto-Valdes can be seen hopping from one table to another. Man about town Ferdi Salvador was also there, introducing people to each other and striking conversations with them. Cris Albert, with a glass of champagne at hand, can be seen laughing and enjoying a tête-à-tête with Nadia Uttamchandani.
It was already 3p.m. when everyone started leaving to attend to their own appointments and engagements. Some even had their meetings at the place itself, a testament to how much fun they had in Bonifacio Global City’s latest addition to its ever-growing list of fine dining locations.
In that afternoon, once again, the true essence of beauty was realized. One’s definition of beauty is unique and personal. But for that afternoon, the concept of beauty was one and unified—good food and great company.