A show of hands for the man of the hour
Happy Father’s Day to all dads out there! Admittedly a daddy’s girl, I make it a point to celebrate this day with a shower of love and affection in honor of Alex Prieto. He is quite an unconventional father, and I continue to learn more about the values of life from my Poplex while playing golf.
Here are some wonderful suggestions for Father’s Day gifts. First up is a great timepiece. I spotted a handsome Audemars Piguet watch at its recent launch party, held by the peerless Lucerne group and graced by Antonio Seward, Audemars Piguet GM for Southeast Asia, and Oliviero Botinelli from Switzerland.
Extraordinary chronographs
The Royal Oak Chronograph was first seen in 1997. Two decades later, its anniversary edition is making waves in hot and humid Manila. It was a night of pure Cuban elegance, and Audemars Piguet fanatics were out and about to experience the vibrant, enthralling one night in Havana at Samba, Shangri-La at the Fort.
Guests enjoyed free-flowing fresh mojitos and Cuban rum, tapas and ceviches. There were straw fedora hats for men and beautifully painted Spanish fans for women, as well as Tabacalera cigars rolled onsite to complete the Havana experience.
Audemars Piguet always astonishes with extraordinarily crafted chronographs. Seven stunning new models were launched, with two-toned dial designs and several enhancements like chronograph counters of increased size that expand at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock, shorter but wider hour-makers, additional luminescent coating for better readability of the hour, and other subtle details.
The finishes included four versions in pink gold, available with matching pink gold bracelets or alligator straps, and a choice of brown or blue Grande Tapisserie dials. Guests included Jerika Ejercito and fiancé Michael Aguilar, the Cabangon siblings, Joanna Suares, Ruby Gan, Dennis Lustico, Ferdi Salvador, Robby Carmona, Charmaine Lagman, Tessa Alindogan, Arianne Kader, Nikki Tang.
Ernest Cu and family stayed all night partying. The Sabor Latino band pumped up the party with festive beats.
Audemars Piguet is the oldest, fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families, Audemars and Piguet.
Since 1875, the company has written some of the finest chapters in the history of Haute Horlogerie, including a number of world firsts.
In the Vallee de Joux, at the heart of the Swiss Jura, numerous masterpieces are created in limited series embodying a remarkable degree of horological perfection, including daring, sporty models, classic and traditional timepieces, splendid ladies’ jewelry watches, as well as one-of-a-kind creations.
Weekend getaway
Better than a timepiece is to give daddy time. Treat your dad to a weekend at Discovery Shores Boracay! That’s what I did with hubby Dennis, when we joined the 10th anniversary celebration of this luxury resort on invitation of COO Jun Parreno.
It was 10 years ago when I was first introduced to this beautiful property along Boracay’s Station 1 beachfront. Jun was general manager at that time, and I’ve always admired how he is able to curate the guest experience with delightfully unique touches that make staying at the all-suite property such a fun experience.
A decade later, Discovery Shores has won numerous international accolades, including the No. 1 Hotel Spa and No. 1 Hotel for Families in Asia in Travel +Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.
What makes Discovery great is its “service that’s all heart” mantra, which includes innovations like beach butlers, Evian spritzes, uber-personalized amenities and daily turndown surprises. With such services, it’s no wonder Jun is now chief operating officer of Discovery Leisure Company, which includes several hotels and resorts from Manila to Palawan.
The two-day celebration included a gathering of Discovery executives, pioneer employees, travel industry partners, loyal and repeat guests, as well as select media. All converged at the White House Boracay in their all-white finery. The Discovery Shores staff was at their finest, with pride and joy on all faces.
Erwin Lopez, Discovery Shores Hotel Manager, opened the milestone event with a heartfelt speech thanking the owners, partners, guests, and of course, the heart and soul of Discovery Shores: the staff.
A tribute was held for the 18 pioneers who were instrumental in creating the magic of the resort over the decade. All of them received a trip to Osaka, Japan, from the Discovery Leisure group.
Mark Ranada, director of sales, also recognized the resort’s travel partners, the travel agencies and corporate accounts that bring in the majority of Discovery Shores’ guests.
These partners had their own separate party, to boost the fun of the anniversary celebration.
Gift for the foodie
A third possible gift for dad might be a cookbook. One recently launched cookbook is that of chef Xavier Btesh, “French Kusina.” The book has mouthwatering French and Mediterranean recipes that are easy to make.
The launch was sponsored by Fila and held at Manila House Private Member’s Club. Chef Xavier’s book is perfect for special gatherings at home.
Cris Albert, Fila CEO, congratulated her dear friend Xavier. Cris was dressed in a stunning Josie Natori outfit.
Chef Xavier learned his cooking skills by working beside renowned chefs such as Pierre
Marchesseau and Firmin Arrambide. After years of hard work, his love for the Philippines has brought him to settle down here.
Chef Xavier prepared different varieties of French cuisine for the event, like potato gratin and a bell pepper salad, chicken lemon tagine, pesto linguini, and tarragon chicken. The dishes gave everyone a little peek into his “French Kusina.”
Whichever way you go, give your dad a kiss today.