Defy aging!

Cosmo Manille’s working society lady and Reliv’s top ambassador, attractive Betsy Tenchavez, dahlings, just jetted back from a conference held at the Reliv World Headquarters in St. Louis Missouri. That’s where anti-aging wonder Reliv products are developed and manufactured.

Betsy beamed with excitement when she met Reliv creator, Dr. Theodore "Ted" Kalogris, no less, dahlings. A brilliant microbiologist, Dr. Ted was paralyzed and in excruciating pain for years after being shot by a shrapnel during World War II. Challenged by his father who told him, "Be ashamed to die without scoring a victory for mankind," Dr. Ted spent some 10 years of research to formulate Reliv which was awarded a US patent in April 1988.

Dr. Ted believes that our body is a miracle and if we give it optimum nutrition, it is capable of healing itself. After two months of taking Reliv, Dr. Ted was able to walk again.

Betsy also met other hotshots like president/chairman/CEO Robert Montgomery who underwent surgery for a brain tumor. He recuperated quickly after taking Reliv.

Dr. Carl Hastings, a food science genius, also hosted a dinner for the Reliv delegation from Manille. Dr. Hastings is sometimes referred to as "Dr. Soy," being an authority on soy products. He uses this as basic ingredient of Reliv researches whose results are published in medical journals. The latter’s findings indicate that soy proteins protect the heart, combat cancer, manages menopause, promotes healthy bones and enhances the growth of children. This must be the reason, palanggas, why cancer and heart disease are uncommon in Japan and China where the diet is rich in soy.

Some people are concerned about the high uric acid content of soybeans, dahlings, since it is the main culprit in arthritis and other joint pains. Reliv specially processes its ingredient to reduce such pains. Perhaps that’s why Reliv users claim that their joint and back pains disappear.

Dr. Carl was awarded five US patents for his food supplement formulations–Arthaffect which helps prevent and reverse the effects of joint diseases like arthritis; Fiberstore which helps fight diabetes and colon cancer; Innergize, a drink for those who want to be more active and productive; Cellebrate, which is for weight reduction; and Reversage, natch!, the fastest-selling anti-aging formula. Dr Carl is living proof of Reversage’s wonders. He is almost 60 but Betsy swears he looks 40!

After receiving several awards and gaining more knowledge about Reliv, Betsy is tres eager to share and talk about them to anyone who wants to keep healthy and definitely look years younger. Check her out by calling tel. no. 911-5403 for more info.

Who says you have to age? Defy aging with Reliv, dahlings. Believe moi, it works! I should know!

A bright new start

Firma, dahlings, that prestigious Malate landmark known for its timeless style in home accents, fine art, jewelry, and accessories, opened its second eye-catching store at Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center’s latest premier shopping, dining and entertainment center. With modern interiors plus a select choice of merchandise, Firma has again set a standard for the retail industry.

Those movers and shakers, the gang of Chito Vijandre, Ricky Toledo, Markus Schmidt and Richard Danao, celebrated Firma’s grand opening with loads of old and new clients and pals at a cool cocktail reception. The event was held at the main lobby which was transformed into an elegant salon created by light and sound consultant Cocoy Puyat. Harpist Holly Paraiso’s music, which shifted smoothly from Handel to Led Zepellin, was pure enchantment.

On the menu were Bambi Sy Gobio’s French and Moroccan finger food from, natch!, her first "baby," Fidel’s resto and bar. French wine flowed well into the night

Enjoying the party, palanggas, were Ayala Land’s power ladies, Winnie Nazareth, Myrna Fernandez and Cathy Bengzon; friendly Greenbelt neighbors Tony and Mariella Cancio of Café Breton; the gang of super achievers Anton Barretto, Leah Puyat, Ana Katigbak and Anjalette Calero of the popular Pineapple, where you can find the best scented candles in Cosmo Manille; loyal Firma clients and platinum shoppers, Johnny Velasquez, Maripi Muscat and Erlinda Guanzon who got the first choice from the selection of Chito Vijandre’s couture jeweled pillows.

Josephine Knox could not resist the Proud Mary bags, which could proudly stand side by side with her Lulu Guinness and Isabella Fiores. Tessa Prieto-Valdes, glowing from a yoga session, admired the treasures from Nepal while Mandy de la Rama Santos contemplated the rare, Tibetan tantric paintings. Leica Carpo concentrated on Gemma Suzara’s Renaissance meets the ’50s jewelry. Tats Manahan and her daughter Juana M. stuck to their fave purses by Gigi de Jonghe. Film director Don Escudero was all praises for the French Indochine Art Deco furniture and the luxe line of ostrich egg and sterling accoutrements by Markus Schmidt.

Interior designers Jim Tan, J. Antonio Mendoza and Jonathan Matti were already imagining the items for future design projects. Cory Quirino and Jeannie Goulbourn raved about how the exquisite objects would be perfect for their own homes, while Tina Bonoan of Bluprint was all set to art-direct a few pieces for her magazine.

Brilliant young STAR columnist Celine Lopez and her fave engineer Victor Consunji and pals Kara Tolentino and Miguel Rosales added glamor to the party, shuttling from lobby to store for other worldly temptations.

Moi also zoomed in on Aya Perez; Havana’s energetic JR Isaac; Angelo Villanueva; New Yorker Steven Lovina; Edward Keller’s Andreas Brechbuhl and Jacqueline Rohrbach Brechbuhl who decided to party first and come back to concentrate on the objects without the crowd.

Back from Paris, vibrant Karla Delgado breezed in with her mother, Peachy Prieto who was wowed by the gorgeous jewelry of Wynn Wynn Ong, who was then in Paris, her favorite city, which no doubt is the fount of inspiration for her art. Chelo Zamora, a long-time Wynn Wynn fan, dahlings, was also dazzled by the new pieces which the store’s hip managers, Wing Chanco and Kitten Zamora tempted her with.

Top designer Mike de la Rosa and Paolo Basa discussed the items from artistic point of view with editors of leading lifestyle magazines–Anton San Diego of Philippine Tatler, Sari Yap and Liza Ilarde Cuenca of Mega, and Freida Dario and Carlo Tadiar of Metro.

The shopping lasted well into the night, but more than this, the partying pack rejoiced over the bright new start for one of Manille’s most talked about stores, Firma, no less.

A rousing success

At moi fave city in the U.S. of A., dahlings, swinging New York, Ma-Yi Theater held its third grand Annual Benefit at the splashy chic Dish of Salt Restaurant a new moon ago. The event, held annually to benefit Ma-Yi Theater Company’s arts programs, honors two outstanding Filipino-Americans in the fields of Arts and Community Service. This year the honorees were Michael Dadap, artistic director and conductor for the Children’s Orchestra Society, and our very own, tres popular Ambassador Felipe Mabilangan, now with the UN’s Finance Section and formerly the representative of the Philippine Mission to UN Headquarters in New York.

The Benefit Committee, chaired by super hot namedroppables like internationally-renowned author, connoisseur, and civic-oriented socialite Lily Gamboa O’Boyle, no less, and that gentleman of theater and the arts, Jorge Ortoll, Ma-Yi’s executive director, included brilliant business tycoon Loida Nicolas Lewis; world-class designer Josie Natori; Amador and Gloria Muriel; Elena Brim; Tom and Kamalu Buckner; Wina Kimmel; and Ma-Yi Board members Frances Tayag, Col. Odelia Tablit, Nora de la Serna, Ding Pajaron and Etan Merrick.

Breezing around the glittering event, palanggas, were chi-chi personas belonging to New York’s dazzling scene. Among them were Asia Society chairman Nicholas Platt and his fashionable wife Sheila P.; authors Jessica Hagedorn, Han Ong and David Henry Hwang; directors Michael Grief (Rent and Dogeaters) and Michael Mayer (Throughly Modern Millie); Helen Yuchengco Dee; actress Mia Katigbak and the talented producers of the Broadway revival of Flower Drum Song, Anita Waxman and Elizabeth Williams.

The night culminated with the awards presentations and highlights from an incubating musical, The Sound of Falling Light, dahlings, being composed by Fabian Obispo (book by Chris Millado and lyrics by Ralph Peña, Ma-Yi’s director).

Set in the 1930’s, the musical interweaves the tales of two brothers, one in Ilocos, the other in California, both in search of identity and country. It was a genuine crowd pleaser, dahlings, leaving the 180 chosen invitees wishing for more.

Yes, palanggas, there’s nothing like defying aging with Reliv and shopping at one of the hippest stores at Glorietta 3, Firma.

Be happy. See you!