Ara Mina: Will 8 be her lucky number?

Year 2007 will go down in Ara’s book as another colorful one. And not only since she figured in the news, but more so because she got involved — wittingly or unwittingly — in younger sister Cristine Reyes’ controversial career.

“It’s tough being an Ate,” Ara sighs. It is she Cristine runs to when detractors tear her to pieces. And Ate Ara, like a dutiful mom protecting her child, parries the intrigues, defending Cristine all the way. But Ara can only do so much. Cristine, after all, is already 18. She has a mind of her own. And Ara knows only too well not to overstep the limits.

“I give her pieces of advice. I even scold her at times. But I don’t nag. And I never interfere with her love life,” reveals Ara. “I don’t want a repeat of what happened before (referring to the time when they had a prolonged falling out).

Ara just shrugs when people ask her about the real score between Cristine and Willie Revillame, who were seen holding hands in Guam. Ate Ara just smiles when told that Willie, 46, is many times older than Cristine. No amount of needling will make Ara say a bad word about Willie.

“Pappy (Ara’s pet name for Willie) is a friend,” she notes. And she’s sure nothing but friendship exists between her sister and the Wowowee host.

Cristine’s career, however, is a different story. This time, Ara wants to have her say. In fact, she wants to manage Cristine to make sure the latter does not get the short end of the stick in TV and movie projects.

Next year for instance, Ara plans to produce the digital film Ate for her own outfit, Posh Productions (the same company that mounted up with her fund-raising concert). The story, as the title suggests, centers around Ara and Cristine — their ups and downs as sisters.

“I told Cristine that this time, we don’t need to act at all,” relates Ara. “All we have to do is be ourselves.”

The sisters — true to form — sizzle in sexy scenes. But this time, Ara says, Cristine has more of those eye-popping scenes on her own or with leading man Paolo Paraiso (the other stars are Eddie Garcia and Eva Darren). This way, it is Cristine, not so much Ara, who shines. After all, Ara has had her fair share of the spotlight. And it’s about time she lets little sister have hers.

Ara understands how confused Cristine is these days, what with the Dennis Trillo, Carlene Aguilar and now, Willie Revillame issues coming close on each other’s heels. And Ara can’t help but recall how mixed up she herself felt when she was in that phase of her life. Unlike Cristine though, Ara had to face her detractors on her own. Cristine has Ate Ara by her side all the time.

Lest she be misunderstood, however, Ara says Cristine is not her favorite sister. Ate treats all her siblings equally. Cristine just happens to be the most visible.

Ara herself is making her presence felt more and more on ABS-CBN, now that she has started playing the villain CassandraYnarez in the drama series Prinsesa ng Banyera.

It’s a role this Kapilya (a term Ara has coined to describe her status as a freelancer for the two rival stations) can sink her teeth into.

“You’ll see a different Ara Mina here,” she promises. “I’m very thankful to ABS-CBN Business Unit Head Enrico Santos for giving me this opportunity to do drama again.

So excited is Ara over her new role she now sports a new hair color and a different haircut to fit her character.

Her new drama series is not the only challenge Ara is looking forward to in 2008. Café Mina, a new restaurant she is putting up in Riverbanks, Marikina City, also promises to make Ara as busy as ever at the start of 2008.

The place is a lot smaller than Ara’s Osteria Italia along Tomas Morato, Quezon City, which she is giving up end of the month. The rent, explains Ara, has risen to astronomical proportions. So she’s now selling restaurant equipment like tables and kitchen utensils.

Café Mina, reports Ara, is more right up her alley since it’s smaller at 72 sq. m. (Osteria sits on a 120 sq. m. lot). The rent, she adds, is only a third of Osteria’s.

“People ask me why I’m putting up another restaurant when I’m closing down the first one I established with my partners,” says Ara. “You see, I try and try until I succeed.”

This gung-ho outlook is also pushing her to take up culinary arts next year, the better to be a more effective restaurateur.

“You will never run out of work if you only work hard,” relates Ara. “Look at me,” she proclaims, “I’ve never run out of work since I entered the business in 1993.”

She has yet another reason for stretching her wings as far as she can.

“I want a new inspiration next year,” she beams.

And, just in case her Prince Charming is not as financially blessed as she is, Ara is ready. She won’t be caught flat-footed wondering how their family will put body and soul together. Her businesses and other investments will see them through.

“We will have something to start on,” Ara says with utmost confidence.

That’s why even if dirty old men have tried promising her the moon and the stars, they did not succeed.

“I can earn the money they’re offering me,” she explains.

Diamonds, it turns out, are not exactly Ara’s best friends.