Music, wine and friends of mine
She is a wine-swirling “beverage appreciation” instructor at Enderun Colleges (her students work hard for their Grape Point Average) and he is a businessman-turned-DJ who preaches the gospel of House. Together they are Music & Wine, and the two have turned Martinis, the swish but sedate after-work lounge bar at the Mandarin Oriental, into a rollicking Saturday night party frequented by expats, media insiders, celebs on the downlow, hotel barflies, and Enderun students looking for extra credit.
Ines Cabarrus focuses her oenophilia on offering a selection of wines based on a theme, say South African wines for the Wild Safari night. She also creates signature cocktails with sexy names like the Foxy Lady and the French 75, which are sweet girly drinks, and concoctions with tarter flavors, like the Green Mangotini and Watermelon Basil Margarita. In celebration of Philippine Independence Day, Ines came out with the whimsical Sago at Gulaman Martini, a delicious and deviant dessert drink if there was any.
On the music end, Elian Habayeb channels the vibe of international lounge scenes like Hotel Costes and Buddha Bar, which have become chill-out staples on CD turntables everywhere. The mix of jazz, smooth R&B, Latin grooves and deep house keeps the crowd swaying, but Elian has been known to drop some beats that have made well-heeled guests whip out their backlit cellphones and dance like it was 1999. To usher in 2009, the pair transformed the bar into an all-out club, with sparkly party favors and specials on Mo. Featured in these photos are Ines, Elian and several of their supportive friends who make Music & Wine the way to pass the time.
