Ruffa in Turkey with Yilmaz

FLASH: Ruffa Gutierrez, who now prefers to be called simply Mrs. Yilmaz Bektas, has just arrived in Istanbul with Yilmaz, their month-old daughter Lorin Gabriella, and her parents Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama.

The couple’s first visitor was Yilmaz’s mother ("Na kasing-taray ko," said Lola Annabelle) who gifted Baby Lorin (which is Kurdish for "lullaby") with a $1 million check when she was delivered (normal) by Ruffa last Aug. 3 at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. where Ruffa and Yilmaz keep a condo (by the bay) in Marina del Rey.

"Yilmaz’s mother was very excited to see Lorin," Lola Annabelle texted to Funfare, "Mahal na mahal niya sina Ruffa at Lorin."

The Bektases will settle down in Istanbul, with Grandma Bektas helping Ruffa take care of Lorin while Yilmaz attends to his businesses. The Family 3 (Ruffa, Yilmaz and Lorin) are coming home for Christmas. Annabelle and Eddie will fly back to L.A. before coming home.

Diether Ready To Get Married

At 28, Diether Ocampo feels that he’s ready to settle down. In fact, during a Hunks show in Japan recently, he already sounded off Johnny "Mr. M" Manahan about his plan to get married but Mr. M advised him to delay his plan.

"After two years siguro," Diether revealed at yesterday’s presscon for the ABS-CBN Saturday-night (9:30) show Buttercup where he plays the twin brother of Onemig Bondoc (as gay Winston).

However, Diether refused to identify the future Mrs. Diether Ocampo, although showbiz-watchers know who she is – yeah, none other than the pretty Andrea "Andeng" Bautista (sister of Bong Revilla).

Recently, at a mall, Diether bumped into his former girlfriend LJ Moreno with her basketball-player boyfriend (LJ denied reports that she and the guy are getting married). Did Diether and LJ swap beso-beso for old times’ sake?

"No, we did not," said Diether. "Diyahe naman doon sa kasama niya."

Hearing somebody say that his "present" is prettier than his "past," Diether smiled. "Dapat lang. Dapat mas maganda ang kapalit doon sa pinalitan."

Incidentally, Diether and his band Blow will perform at SM malls – on Aug. 31 (Bicutan), 4 p.m.; Sept. 7 (Bacoor), 4 p.m.; Sept. 19 (Fairview), 4 p.m.; Sept. 26 (North EDSA), 4 p.m.; and Sept. 26 (Megamall), 8 p.m.

Sis Turns 2 And Growing

It seems only yesterday when Janice de Belen and sister Gelli were launched by GMA as tandem hosts for the mid-morning show SIS which has happily weathered challenges and the competition.

"We can hardly believe that we’ve been on air for two years now," said Janice who never thought she would end up hosting a talk show. "Time flies so fast!"

SIS will be celebrating its second anniversary from Sept. 1 to 5 by launching a new segment called Sis Makeover to the Max which will provide anyone, male or female, access to cosmetic surgery – "So everyone will feel better about himself," said Gelli.

For more surprises during SIS’s anniversary week, tune in to GMA 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Mano Po Entourage Off To Shanghai

With the controversy behind it, Regal Films’ Mano Po 2 has finally started shooting a few days ago, with Susan Roces (as Christopher de Leon’s first wife, with Zsa Zsa Padilla as the second wife and Lorna Tolentino playing the much-coveted and fiercely-fought-over third wife) making a grand movie comeback after considerable absence.

Tomorrow, the Mano Po entourage is flying to Shanghai to shoot some of the movie’s highlights within a two-week calendar. Led by Regal Matriarch Mother Lily, the group includes (besides those earlier mentioned) supervising producer Roselle Monteverde-Teo, Kris Aquino, Judy Ann Santos, CarminaVillarroel, Jay Manalo, Cogie Domingo, Maxine Magalona, Gina Alajar, Alessandra de Rossi, Richard Gutierrez, director Erik Matti, scriptwriter Roy Iglesias, production designer Rodel Cruz, cinematographer J.A. Teodoro, Regal consultants (Boots Plata, Alfie Lorenzo, Joey Gosiengfiao and Dolor Gurvarra) and selected members of the press.

The first Mano Po was also partly filmed in Shanghai late last year during which Kris contacted a mysterious illness. This time, Kris knows better and will be more careful, equipped with more vitamins and minerals. Not all members of the entourage are flying to Shangahi tomorrow. Some will follow in a few days.

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)