Wines & Cigars

The Robert Mondavi Summer Jazz Festival was beautifully replicated in Cosmo Manille the last breezy night of our long hot summer, dahlings, at the Street Cafe in Rockwell featuring the special wines of the renowned Woodbridge famille, like the full-bodied White Zinfandel, the elegant Sauvignon Blanc and the tres fruit Merlot, plus Caliterra Wines from Chile. It was a brainchild of two great winemakers: Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick.

The participating outlets included Che, Seattle’s Best, Via Mare Oyster Bar, Struan & Tang and, naturellement, the tres popular Cork Wine Cellar and Grill which hosted the fest for two jazzy nights, featuring saxophonist Vince Lanorra. Hostess of the affair was the lady for all seasons, Tita M. Trillo, no less!

Jeff Cook and Anthony’s Wines, with Rockwell’s Anthony Cotton, prepared a superb dinner at the chi-chi Rockwell Club, which featured the excellent flavors of the Mediterranean wines. The whole event culminated with a sit-down dinner at the elegant Cheval Blanc of the collosal Shangri-La Hotel Makati, with the Best of the Best of Mondavi wines matched perfectly with the dishes of a five-course dinner. The specially chosen hot-shots were super-impressed, palanggas, and are looking forward to another event to savor the "best of the best" wines around town.

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Tanned from two days at the beach in Batangas, even with the rain, Elizabeth Roxas was honored at a tres cozy dinner at mega-restaurateur Larry Cruz’s Cafe Havana on bustling Remedios Circle. It was apropos that the dinner was held in the Hemingway cigar room, Liz having just danced the role of Carmen, the fiery cigar factory girl, with Ballet Philippines.

With Papa Ernest Hemingway looking down on them, Elizabeth and husband super New York lawyer Robert Dobrish talked dance and shopping and...oops, my lips are sealed! with the likes of new ccp president Nes Jardin, dance doyenne Alice Reyes, sister Ballet Phils. artistic director Denisa Reyes, videographer Mark Gary, finance wiz Eugene Billones, cute Tess Rances and other friends, who will surely miss Elizabeth’s dazzling presence on stage. After a brilliant career in New York that saw her headline the tres magnifique Alvin Ailey dance company, palanggas, Elizabeth is joining close pal Geovanna Lim-Haas in a top-notch real estate partnership in New York City no less! which will specialize in high-end properties for Asian investors. Show me the penthouse, dahlings!

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Remember, palanggas, "Our hearts will always be restless until they find their rest in Jesus Christ." Smile. See you.