At last! They exchanged, 'I do's'

No matter who among them takes center stage, dahlings–racer Juan Carlos Anton driving his car to victory or ballerina Karen Ann Navarrete pirouetting on stage– Baguio’s super-achiever beautiful couple make beautiful music together.

Named "2002 Baguio Outstanding Citizen Awardee for Sports" and with over 300 racing trophies to his name, dahlings, the gent of the hour, good-looking Carlos finally tied the knot with super head turner Karen Ann apres a courtship of over 10 years, would you believe? Karen was in her early teens and a member of the UP Baguio Dance Troupe. Determined to achieve her goals, she finished Mass Communications at UP and now teaches Polynesian Dance at her own studio at Nevada Square.

A host of the ABS-CBN noontime show aired over KTV every Saturday over Northern Luzon, vivacious Karen models on the side, palanggas, a talent she inherited from her mom, the former Carmelita Agluben, a stage actress in UP Baguio during her college days. Karen is the youngest of three children and the favorite of her dad, Salvador Navarrete. He is known for building beautiful houses and edifices in Baguio and is a retired dean of engineering and vice president of the University of Baguio.

While waiting for Karen to make up her mind, Carlos ran a successful resto business in Baguio. He did so well, his parents, Baguio’s royal couple Mike and Edna Reynoso-Anton turned over the reins of their Baguio restos to him as well. Not content with driving down to Subic, Carmona and Batangas during the racing season, the multi-awarded car racer was chosen as one of six members from a field of over a thousand applicants of the Marlboro Adventure Team that went to the Czech Republic last year. Surviving the one-week Czech Adventure–you name it, they had to do it!–Carlos then joined the more grueling two-week Moab Desert Marlboro Adventure Team with another mountain boy, Andrew Chinalpan Jr. from Sagada to represent the Philippines a month later in the US.

Befitting an event that Baguio’s social pack waited for so long for, dahlings, the wedding reception had to be transferred from the Baguio Country Club’s grand ballroom to the cavernous multi-purpose hall, a beautiful Ifugao-inspired edifice done by world-class architect, Bobby Mañosa. King Louie Farms’ Efren and Mikki Chatto had their hands full decorating the hall, transforming it into a garden in full bloom.

The new Baguio Country Club food and beverage manager, palanggas, La Salle and Swiss- educated George Lizares, together with US and Paris-trained banquet manager, Albert Flores outdid themselves in presenting a sumptuous buffet that occupied all of three sides of the huge hall. This surely made BCC president Rico Agcaoili and BCC Executive Committee chair Sylvia Ilusorio-Yap, a former culinary student of Edna Reynoso, a classmate of her younger sisters at the Assumption, proud.

As expected, palanggas, Baguio’s hottest hotshots came in full tidal wave force. Heading the list of prinicpal sponsors were three-term representative and now City Mayor Bernardo Vergara; good-looking and super intelligent persona, lawyer Pablito Sanidad, Gov. Chavit Singson’s impeachment trial lawyer; tres eligible bachelor Edgardo Nevada, the son of Doña Trinidad Nevada who owns the Philex Mines, enjoying monthly dividends worth more than her own weight in gold; respected hotelier and restaurateur Antonio Aoyong; Baguio Medical Center’s owner, Dr. Dionisio Claridad; Baguio taipan Pete Loy; and international race driver and TV host Michael Potenciano.

The lady sponsors, palanggas, were Rebecca Domogan, the wife of three-time mayor and now representative of Baguio, Mauricio Domogan; Esperanza Navarrete-Olson; Judith Strasser vda. de Pavia; Elizabeth Loy; Amy Tan; Carmelitas sisters, Bernadette Agluben-Grace and moi’s palangga, Swiss-educated restaurateur/socialite Cecille Reynoso.

The Reynoso clan came in full force, led by grand matriarch Doña Africa vda. de Reynoso. They stayed at the Baguio Country Club and the famille units at the posh Ayala Pineridge Condominium. Driving up from Cosmo Manille were Legaspi and Makati real estate magnates Tito and statuesque socialite with the four B’s, Maryann Pineda-Reynoso and son, recent engineering board topnotch, Martin Reynoso; Emily Reynoso and millionaire husband from Pennsylvania, Timothy Laws; Avon top executive Ophie Cañada-Reynoso and son David; naturellement, Cecille, with her love, brilliant business magnate and car enthusiast, Jacky Atienza. Naturellement, Carlos’ best man, tall, muy guapo elder brother Michael, the owner of a string of fast-food outlets in Manille, and a top racing champ himself, with his wife’s Cebu’s sparkling jewel, Tricia of the prominent Zosa clan of Cebu with children Mari Camille and Miguel Pocholo Anton.

For the college sweethearts who practically grew up together and who have gone through the good and bad times, triumphed and stumbled quite a lot, always ready to prop each other up and share the joyful times.

Cheers, palanggas!

Can’t wait for AND 1’s next

Anxious fans and some of the PBA’s brightest hot stars dashed to the Cinema 6 of Glorietta 4, dahlings, as the renowned AND 1, the basketball footwear and apparel leader sponsored a sneak peak of the critically-acclaimed rap superstar Eminem’s Hollywood debut, Eight Mile. Before the movie started, AND 1 superstar hotshot basketball endorsers, Rob Duat; Mark Telan; Vince Hizon; Jojo Lastimosa; and Alaska Milk’s newest rookie sensation, Mike Cortez were on hand at the theater foyer signing autographs and posing for photos with excited fans. As everyone took their seats, palanggas, AND 1 president and GM Robert Bachmann took center stage and raffled off CDs of the movie’s original soundtrack plus loads of AND 1 gear.

Since it was established in 1993, AND 1 has given cagers worldwide products that express urban street ball culture. Jimmy Smith Jr., Eminem’s character in the movie, conveyed this message in the hard-hitting drama about how life on the streets can really be. As the credits rolled at the end of the film, those lucky enough to have watched the much-awaited premiere had nothing but high regard for the rap artist-turned-Hollywood actor.

Basketeers who were part of the PBA Draft the Premiere like Eugene Tejada; Rob Johnson; Sonny Boy Margate; Harvey Carey; Richard Hardin; and William Villa. There were so many ballers, one would think that there was a tournament going on, with the likes of Asi Taulava; Mike Hrabak; Alvin Castro; Rodney Santos; Alaska Aces head honcho Tim Cone and his wife, Christina were part of the mob with assistant coach Luigi Trillo and his wife Ria. But it wasn’t all stars from the basketball court that were around, one couldn’t miss hot names like Hans Montenegro; gorgeous Maritoni Fernandez; good-looking TJ Manotoc; and basketball gurus Bill Velasco and Quinito Henson and his daughter Cristina.

AND 1, dahlings, the leader in basketball footwear and apparel for the hoopster with the attitude, in cooperation with United International Pictures and Viva International Pictures, started this year with this stellar showcase and will continue to deliver topnotch events throughout the year.

Can’t wait for the next one, palanggas.

Ten Noodles

Ten Noodles first opened its door three years ago at the Harrison Plaza, Manila. A brainchild of food entrepreneur Irene Martel-Francisco, the restaurant’s trendy yet simple concept–a one-stop shop for noodle lovers who might crave for the spice of Pad Thai or the distinct flavor of Indian Mee Goreng or just Chinese wanton noodles–became an instant hit.

"In the past, one had to go to a Filipino restaurant to enjoy Filipino noodles, then to a Thai restaurant for Thai noodles," explains Irene. "But with Ten Noodles, we make it possible for Filipino diners, especially noodles lovers, to experience the flavors of Asia in one convenient place." In 2001, Ten Noodles’ second store opened at Level 2, Glorietta 1 of the Ayala Center.

The detailed menu and the helpful display of the noodles themselves are set amidst a modern Asian ambiance. Having maintained its reasonable prices since it opened three years ago, Ten Noodles continues to let Filipino diners experience authentic noodles from all over Asia, like the Philippines, China, Thailand, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia. Only the freshest ingredients are used in preparing each of the Ten Noodles featured in the menu. No MSG is used at all.

A whole meal in the new menu comes with prices ranging from as low as P90 to P120. The Hainanese Chicken Rice, a classic Singaporean mix of sliced chicken, cucumber and chili ginger sauce tops the list, followed by Cantonese Pork Stir Fry or a steaming dish of Gyudon, thinly sliced beef and shitake mushroom with raw egg await the foodle. The Squid Curry is a mouthwatering, mildly spicy dish while the Tahu Goreng tops your rice with a chilly hot vegetarian dish of fried tofu with tamarind sauce.

Aside from the best-selling Pad Thai’s Char Kway Teow, Indian Mee Goreng and lomi, two new noodles make their "debut" this month. First, there’s the Hokkien Mee, a Singaporean favorite of lomi and sotanghon noodles with spinach, prawns and Chinese togue and then, there’s the Miso Ramen, a flavorful vegetarian soup with white miso from Japan.

A new addition to their starters is the Oriental Chicken Sald, crispy sotanghon noodles with chicken strips, carrots and turnips mixed in the restaurant’s very own unique sauce, definitely a steal at P90. This appetizer joins the esteemed company of Ten Noodles’ Veggie Spring Rolls, Vietnamese Crispy Rolls and Fried Wantons.

To cap the meal, there’s a new take on local delicacies that makes dessert a must–the Buko Pandan Loco, the Ten Noodles Turon, and the new kid on the block, Fried Banana with Mantecado Ice Cream. Mmm... they are all so good!

Check out this real great noodles resto. You’ll definitely be back for seconds and thirds, palanggas, especially with its super value treat going on at their two outlets: Harrison Plaza’s main mall and Level 2 at Glorietta 1.

From the highland of Baguio to the lowlands of Cosmo Manille, that’s how the pendulum swings. Have a great weekend and do drive carefully, palanggas. See you!