This year’s Lifestyle Asia Gala was a far cry from the stiff, more formal balls that Manila is used to.
The oldest lifestyle magazine in the Philippines turned 36 with a more relaxed celebration that saw guests come in loungewear. Some ladies ditched their heels and men ditched the brogues and oxfords for sneakers.
The comfortable dinner setting by the lake at Lakehall in Nena’s Sanctuary in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, may have been more relaxed but the food promised to be as good as any other party.
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A Grand Welcome
Guests were greeted by a grand grazing spread prepared by The Home Ground that included cold cuts such as salami and prosciutto ham to fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts, breads, jams, olives, cheese, and so on. Guests helped themselves to what they wanted before dinner while having their choice of Aperol Spritz, cocktails by Sula Spirits, a new home-grown Filipino brand that creates coconut, chocolate, and coffee flavored liqueurs, or Johnnie Walker Blue served neat, on ice, or as a cocktail.
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Guests moved into the dining area to feast on a six-course dinner prepared by Florabel . Chef Florabel Yatco prepared a salad of Italian burrata, chopped strawberries, arugula, and other greens in extra virgin olive oil. This was followed by a creamy cauliflower soup topped with caviar. Three small portions of entrées were served – homemade spinach ravioli in fresh tomato sauce; a pan-fried Chilean sea bass topped with a luscious pomegranate butter sauce which was served with sautéed spinach and mushrooms; and U.S. Angus beef short ribs in Port wine sauce served with creamed polenta and haricot vert (French green beans). Mignardise in a form of a chocolate with the Lexus logo was also given after. Perrier and Altozano red and white wines from Barcino were served with the dinner.
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Guests were advised to go back to the room where the grazing table was as the same table was replaced by an obscene amount of desserts. The fabulous dessert spread had all types of sweets from Newport World Resorts, Sheraton Manila, Marriott Manila, Hilton Manila, Hotel Okura, Croquembouche Factory, and Gourmandise by Sunshine Puey. With the sheer amount of sweets, guests looked like kids at a candy store!
The choice of having a grazing table to start a sit-down dinner and to end with a dessert buffet was a perfect way to treat guests to a tranquil yet elegant type of celebration.
Banner photo by JR Ramirez of KLIQ, INC.
