I think I'm in love

This Valentine week, Cupid’s been quite active aiming his arrows not just for hearts to go a-fluttering, but also for spirits to go a-soaring (and a lot of alco-bottle poppin’, mind you). The love virus has struck, and people don’t mind catching this feel-good flu.

Whether you’re single, double or part of an octuplet, you can’t deny the love bug has been buzzin’ around town, so why not get bitten?

My Valentine hop started when I caught the premiere screening of When I Met You, which you don’t need any introduction to. Let me, however, fill you in on the love vibrations between Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion — that’s for another column. I can tell you about the movie — it’s a guaranteed hand squeeze or two. There are many iconic moments (cinematically courtesy of Direk Joel Lamangan, and stylistically by Jenni Epperson) that will surely go down Pinoy movie history, so better ride this love bus. With Richard as the pilot and KC as the supermarket “promodizer,” the couple brings us to such great celluloid heights.

After the film, we all went to Hierarchy at The Fort Strip where we had our first dose of Cupid’s cream. There, alongside the GMA Films peeps, cast and crew, we all toasted to a tender triumph — after all, they’ve been shooting nonstop for two months for everything to fall into place at the right time.

Of course, what did fall into place were all the cocktails that were downed the night epicure Tina Pamintuan organized an impromptu Valentine soiree just for her friends at Premium Wine Exchange on Pasong Tamo. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but that night proved that there are no gender walls when food — and drinks — are concerned.

Passion And Compassion

More satisfying than bites or booze is a love that lasts. The protocol when it comes to partnership is that you go through an initial feeling, build on it and rack up a list of things you find out about the person. If you still feel the same, then keep going. For Cris and Butch Albert, this feeling has been going on for 15 years. And that list has included a house of brands (Fila, for one) and a partnership to last a lifetime.

Cris is on a nonstop learning curve, not just in her relationship, but also in her business. She is set to leave for Harvard to finish the Owners Presidents Management course while Butch now leads Operation Compassion, an organization born out of the need to reach out to victims of calamity-stricken areas of the country. Since 2004, this group has been funding housing projects for the less fortunate. At Butch’s recent birthday dinner, Operation Compassion partnered with several corporate social responsibility-minded companies and pledged their support.

In the end, pleasure can always be a product of doing things with passion. Whether you love to eat, drink and be merry, or be married; whether you take mingling to a whole new level; whether you choose to give away your love and expect nothing in return, the choice of love is always a choice to live.

Happy Valentine’s Day, dear Supremos.