Inspired luxury in Manila

Filipinos have a lot to be excited about as Conrad Hotels and Resorts made its debut in the Philippines with the opening of Conrad Manila.

Owned by SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., a subsidiary of SM Investment Corp., and managed by Hilton Worldwide, the 347-room Conrad Manila is located at the forefront of the Mall of Asia complex, in the heart of the 42-hectare Bay City development, a destination earmarked as a shopping, leisure and business hub.

The hotel’s opening started with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a toast led by Conrad Manila general manager Harald Feurstein, Hilton Worldwide president for APAC Martin Rinck; Hilton Worldwide regional general manager for Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines Peter Webster; SM Prime president Hans Sy and SM Foundation board member Felicidad Sy with SM Hotels and Convention Corp. SVP Peggy Angeles and president Elizabeth Sy.

“We are pleased to work with Hilton Worldwide in bringing the esteemed Conrad brand to Manila. Amidst the robust tourism outlook, the most anticipated opening of Conrad Manila will definitely be a game changer in the already exciting Philippine hotel scene,” Elizabeth Sy said.

After the ceremonies and a media conference, guests were treated to a sumptuous lunch at the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant Brasserie on 3, which offers an eclectic mix of sustainable and organic dishes ranging from hearty to healthy dishes.

As the day came to a close, an intimate cocktail gathering was held at the C Lounge where Conrad Manila executive chef Thomas Jakobi prepared a lavish feast, set up against the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offered a magnificent view of the iconic Manila Bay sunset.

There is also China Blue by Jereme Leung, which presents a modern interpretation of the traditional Chinese cuisine, artfully curated by Chinese celebrity master chef Jereme Leung. A first for a Chinese restaurant in the Philippines to partner with a celebrity chef, China Blue by Jereme Leung takes Chinese dining experience to a new high with its authentic cuisine.

(For more information, visit www.conradmanila.com or call 833-9999.)

Fostering creativity & imagination

Anton San Diego, National Book Store managing director Xandra Ramos-Padilla and Bea Ledesma.

National Book Store (NBS) recently launched Caran d’Ache, a Swiss brand known for its sophisticated writing and drawing instruments.

NBS managing director Xandra Ramos-Padilla said, “National Book Store has always been known for having the widest selection of books, school and office supplies. This year, we are honored to launch Caran d’Ache from Switzerland. This brand represents the famous ‘Swiss-made’ quality label, a combination of expertise and aesthetics. With its carefully curated writing instruments, fine arts and drawing materials, we are hoping that our customers’ passions will be ignited and open them up to bigger creative possibilities.”

Caran d’Ache president Carole Hubscher added, “Our brand aims to reach more and more artists, young professionals and creatives all over the world. We are very excited to collaborate with National Book Store to bring our extensive collection of Swiss-made art and writing products to Filipinos. We have just celebrated our centennial last year and we are looking forward to expanding further and being more accessible. We believe that Caran d’Ache will be a great partner of Filipinos in fostering their creative minds and imaginative spirits.”

We saw the Caran d’Ache pencils and pastels over lunch at chef Jordy Navarra’s Toyo Eatery where the food was superb. Even Carole said she was surprised that Filipino food was so good!

Located in Geneva since its inception in 1915, Caran d’Ache combines the finest materials with the most advanced, innovative skills including some that are extremely rare like the exceptional art of authentic Chinese lacquer. “Caran d’Ache” is the pen name by which Russian-born French illustrator Emmanuel Poiré achieved worldwide renown in the 19th century. A salient choice, “karandash” is the Russian term for pencil, coming from the Turkish root “kara tash,” which refers to black stone — the origins of graphite.

Caran d’Ache products include its fine arts line, school line, office line and fine writing line. The fine arts line includes brands such as Luminance, Museum Aquarelle, Neopastel, Neopastel I, Neopastel II, Pablo and Supracolor.

(Caran D’Ache products are available at National Book Store in Glorietta 1 and Shangri-La Plaza Mall. The fine arts and school lines are available at selected National Book Store and Powerbooks branches. For more information, call 888-8627.)

Skin in a new light

Nicole Aguinaldo and event host Janeena Chan.

Beauty experts and beauty bloggers recently gathered for a Kojiesan tête-à-tête at La Creperie in Salcedo Village, Makati City.

Event host Janeena Chan was joined by experts Dr. Lindsay Gail Wilson-Torralba and professional makeup artist RB Chanco.

Kojiesan Lightening Soap, which was introduced to the market in 2007, is manufactured in the Philippines by Beauty Elements Ventures Inc.

According to Torralba, the whitening process often involves the use of synthetically produced chemicals for the skin to achieve the desired level of fairness. The chemicals used in the process can be harsh and could result in hyper-pigmentation especially among older women. Lightening, on the other hand, involves the use of products made with natural ingredients like kojic acid and papaya. Lightening ingredients inhibit melanin production in the skin so it becomes fairer over time.

Kojiesan marketing director Trisha Gregorio said, “Whitening has always been one of the goals of most Filipinas today. However, not all whitening products are the same and not all so-called kojic-acid formulated soaps are as effective and safe like Kojiesan.”

Spotted at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament

President Rodrigo Duterte meets FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann and MVP Group of Companies chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan together with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officers Al Panlilio and Ricky Vargas during the opening night of 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)