Guests were pleased when the star of the evening greeted them at the doorway of Blackbird. It was not a person, but a car, the latest Aston Martin DB11 V8 to be exact. The evening was as special one, as Lifestyle Asia and esteemed British luxury car brand Aston Martin collaborated for the first time for an intimate dinner to present the latest model to a group of car enthusiasts. The dark red vehicle sat at the entrance of the Makati restaurant, capturing both the attention of invited dinner guests and passerby’s stuck in Friday night traffic. Luckily, Aston Martin CEO & President Marc Tagle graced the event with his presence, answering any and all questions about the new DB11 V8.
Guests excitedly swarmed around the vehicle, champagne glasses in hand, for a chance to discover the “beauty, power and soul” that the new Aston Martin had to offer. Cellphones were quickly taken out of bags and pockets as the privileged invitees were keen to upload their photos with the car on their Instagram accounts with the hashtag #RSVPLifestyleAsiaxAstonMartin. Marc Tagle’s wife, Michelle, was also present. She was the consummate hostess to car lovers, meeting and greeting guests with a smile on her face.
Blackbird was closed down for the evening. Cocktails were served at seven in the evening sharp while dinner for 30 was being prepared in the kitchen for 8PM. The conversation about Aston Martin bustled, with guests talking about what the new car had to offer. People were also impressed with how modern and sleek the car looked. A guest was quick to remark his first Aston Martin memory, saying he always remembered Sean Connery as James Bond driving his tiny silver Aston at the Swiss Alps in the 1964 film Goldfinger. “This one is for the modern James Bond,” he continued while photographing the DB11 V8 on his iPhone.
When cocktail hour concluded, dinner commenced. The tall glass doors to the dining room were opened, and guest found their place cards on a long table covered in candelabras and blooms. Expectations for good food was high, as everybody was well aware of the good reputation that the Makati-based restaurant had. When dinner was served, One Mega Group’s CEO Sari Yap welcomed the guests and thanked Aston Martin for believing in their partnership. Marc Tagle took to the stage next, sharing that the new DB11 V8 was built to have all things a luxury car should have, including: beauty, power, and soul. He left the dinners with a speech that was short and sweet, allowing everybody to enjoy their food over fine wine and good company.
Over dinner, singer Cara Manglapus performed jazz tunes. Some sang along (especially when Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” began to play), while others continued to talk over their dinner, which included a main course of tender grilled wagyu flat iron steak, served with a large portabella mushroom and a potato fondant. Everybody agreed that it was the highlight of the evening’s menu.
When dessert was had and stomachs were full, Sari Yap stood up from her seat and toasted to a fine night. Everybody raised their glasses of champagne in celebration of the partnership between the premium car brand and the Philippines’ #1 luxury magazine. Though the night was getting late, guests were willing to stay at the venue and continue talking about cars. They moved to the lanai space of restaurant and continued sipping wine for a few hours more, all while chatting about the new car which was just released on March 20, 2018. The night was over, but the memory of the Aston Martin DB11 V8 remained in everybody’s memories.
Scroll down to see more photos from the RSVP Lifestyle Asia and Aston Martin event…
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By Chino R. Hernandez
