Ann Puno had no idea she was attending her own birthday party when she went to Lulu Tan Gan’s residence for an elegant dinner that was supposedly for Lulu’s husband, Josef Gueta.
A loving wife to lawyer Rene Puno and a doting mother, this sweet-natured Ilongga is also an entrepreneur who has been operating a small, home-based business for more than two decades. The Ann Puno Kitchen has a devoted number of fans who enjoy her delicious cakes and food specialties (www.facebook.com/AnnPunosKitchen ).
Ann has been a cancer survivor for seven years, a fact that makes her birthday celebrations all the more special. Turning a year older is a joyful event particularly when celebrated in the company of the people she loves.
On the other hand, Lulu Tan Gan’s birthday was an intimate ladies’ lunch given by her muse, Bettina Lopez Osmeña. Composed mostly of close friends who are also patrons of Lulu’s fine clothing line, the healthy home-cooked menu was delicious — from the pica-pica and main dishes to the desserts. We all realized that eating deliciously need not make us have to count calories.
Starting from the mid 1980s, Lulu Tan Gan’s knitwear line has been a popular choice among the discriminating fashionable ladies for its versatility and low maintenance. With the latest addition of the Filipiniana line, Lulu uses Filipino fabrics, traditional crafts and designs for her new collection.
Lulu is probably the best advertisement for her clothing line with her ultra-slim figure and hip style. The accomplished designer is an advisory board member of the Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines, of which she was past president. She is also a board member of the Alliance Francaise de Manille and a recipient of the prestigious Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Art and Letters) given by the French Minister of Culture.
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