I did it in La Carmela

I have been friends with Boy So of La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel for eternity now. Since then, I would hie off to his resort paradise whenever I want to flee from the “insanity” of the city. And always, Boy is there with his smile that soothes aching bones and spirits.

With its white sand and blue waters, Boracay has become a favorite destination of tourists both local and foreign. La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel located at Station 2 near the Tourist Center is one of the best resort hotels in the island that offers beachfront convenience at very reasonable rates.

La Carmela recently opened its Premier West Wing to accommodate the growing demand from people who want to spend a vacation in Boracay.

Then my friend Boy and his efficient staff were in a quandary on how to decorate the interiors of the lobby of the new wing. “Why don’t we do it?” Bong Quintana, my partner suggested. So we bravely did it after dabbling in the interiors of the houses of some of our friends. And Boy was very encouraging.

He said he did not know a thing about interior design. An engineer by profession, he has built buildings but has not decorated any! Neither have we “interior-ed” anything but the past months I have been wickedly intruding into the houses of friends who are willing victims of my delusions as an interior designer.

We started to work on various concepts, studied the lobby, went through design books and journeyed to various furniture hubs, including Industria in Pampanga. From among all the designs, we decided to collaborate with brilliant industrial designer Jude Tiotuico of Industria. Frenzied exchange of e-mails ensued until designs of furniture, lighting fixture and accessories were agreed upon.  

Now, when you enter the lobby of La Carmela Hotel, you will be greeted by its colorful chairs, massive lights and unique mirrors. Acrylic paints were used for the yellow, red, blue and green chairs. A double powder coat was used to protect the metal from corrosion.

The big orange-red light which stretches from floor to ceiling is an oversized cocoon while beeweb pendant lights hang in front of the reception counter. There are three hanging lights looming over the colorful chairs: A standard turban, an elongated turban and the salakot.

On the lobby wall, unique mirrors quickly catch the attention of visitors. The rustic brown round-shaped mirror is called iguazo while the rectangular shaped is dubbed the nuvo twig mirror.

“Using these pieces is La Carmela’s way of supporting Philippine-made products. When the lights and mirrors were being assembled at the lobby, guests were riveted. After everything was set up, people rushed to have their pictures taken beside the new fixtures. Nakakatuwa because they appreciate the pieces,” said Boy.   

While in Manila, it’s a cool summer at Sir Boy’s Food Republique, also owned by La Carmela Group. Famous for its affordable and delicious buffet, Sir Boy’s Food Republique makes dining more fun this summer by adding entertainment to the menu.

Billed Summer Special Musical Treats, this is a series of special shows with top musical artists. The series kicked off last March 15 with a show featuring Sitti, who treated the audience to a selection of bossa nova and smooth jazz hits. Other shows will feature Duncan Ramos and Laarni Lozada, Kim Idol and K-La Rivera.

The restaurant also has regular Friday Acoustic Nights featuring different artists like R&B singer Thor with Serenata. The Friday Acoustic Nights are free with the P299 buffet, while the special shows are priced at P500 per head, inclusive of a generous eat-all-you-can and drink-all-you-can buffet.

The special shows start at 8:30 p.m., while the buffet is open as early as 6 p.m.

Joy Gutierrez, sales and marketing head of Sir Boy’s Food Republique, said that the addition of musical offerings to the menu was a response to the clamor of Sir Boy’s regular patrons who would come in and ask if they had any featured performers. “We really wanted the focus to be on the food. But when people come in, they would ask if there were artists performing. They expected to see celebrities here.”

Always, the emphasis is on value for money. “Ever since, Sir Boy really wanted this to be about providing affordable food for everyone; by adding entertainment, we just enhanced the dining experience,” said Joy.

(Sir Boy’s Food Republique is located at 29 Panay Ave. corner Roces Ave., Quezon City. For details, call 376-0123 or 0917-6388003. For La Carmela De Boracay sales and reservations, e-mail at [email protected] or call [36]288-5423, [36]288-5921 and [36]288-4376. You can also call its Makati booking office at 0922-8166942 and 0939-9183859.)