Venice, Venus... Vicki!

“In life, as in art, the beautiful moves in curves.” — Edward Bulwer-Lytton

 Dr. Vicki Belo, medical director of the Belo Medical Group, recently launched the Ike and Nina Belo Foundation in honor of her parents, lawyer Enrique “Ike” Belo and wife Florencia “Nena”, who instilled in her the value of charitable giving. The private foundation was created for the education of needy children, rehabilitation of burned victims, surgery of children with cleft palate and environmental awareness. “The foundation carries the legacy of my parents and it is Belo’s way of giving back after 18 years of being in the business,” Vicki says. “We want to be part of shaping people’s lives by fulfilling their goals and giving them a sense of value and satisfaction.”

The launch came at an opportune time when the Belo Medical Group celebrated its 18th anniversary in the field of dermatology and cosmetic surgery in a Venetian ball at Shangri-La Makati. Guests came in their Venetian medieval attires. The party was complete with the lavish costumes of ball gowns, hand-crafted masks, stilt walkers, jugglers, opera singers, well-chiseled models who posed as Greek gods, hunky gondolier, harlequin-clad acrobats, a harpist, a town crier, ballet dancers, a beautiful Venus and handsome Adonis in the persons of young actress Anne Curtis and actor Dingdong Dantes respectively. New York-based Broadway production designer and scenographer Toto Sicangco created the opulent stage, which provided the perfect backdrop for the Venetian party. Noted interior designer Cynthia Almario dressed up the dining tables of the hotel’s Rizal Ballroom and its foyer, complete with a gondola. Vicki flew in the “Queen of Burlesque” Dita Von Teese from Paris to perform two of her famous dance routines — Bird of Paradise and Champagne Glass, which capped the evening’s program.

Congratulations, Vicki!

Greetings

Happy birthday to our celebrators today, Freddie Elizalde and Mark Dy.

Advance birthday greetings to lay minister Robert “Bob” del Rosario, Larry Amante and Marivic Madrigal Vasquez, Aug. 18; designers Letlet Veloso and Randy Ortiz, Aug. 19; former Foreign Affairs Secretary Manuel Collantes, Consul of Monaco Fortune Ledesma, businessman Bernie Concepcion and actor/comedian Noel Trinidad, Aug. 20; Nini Layug, top designer Jeannie Goulbourn and The Bellevue Hotel’s marketing and communications officer Jehn Domingo, Aug. 21; Asia’s Queen of Song Pilita Corales and Silk Cocoon’s Frances Lim, Aug. 22; Jenny Zamora, Aug. 23.

So, how was your week?

(For comments or inquiries, please e-mail me at jjlitton@indanet.com)