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VOL.5 ISSUE 84 • JUNE 29 -30, 2012
EDGEDAVAO
TRAVEL
Pride of identity Hotel Vicente exudes Filipino pride Davao City is on a construction boom with office, residential, and hotel towers sprouting everywhere with designs that are leaning more towards cutting edge and modern, so modern at times that sometimes the Filipino soul of the spaces get lost in translation.
Hotel Vicente’s lobby and reception desk.
The wood and capiz shell details.
One of the three function rooms on the 5th floor of Hotel Vicente.
Hotel Vicente’s rooms are well-appointed and well designed with beautiful Filipino accents.
One day, while I was in transit along F. Torres Street, from what used to be the old Calma residence, now stands a grand five-story hotel with amazing attention to design and detail which got me excited. Unfortunately, on the day of the hotel’s soft opening, I was not able to visit, but many thanks to Carlo and his mom, Sylvia C. Lorenzana, I was given a special guided tour of their beautiful boutique hotel. Named after her father, Vicente T. Calma. The hotel stands out like a beacon along Torres Street. Upon entering Hotel Vicente, I immediately felt right at home with its cozy lobby with exquisite wood and capiz shell details that are neither gaudy nor boring. Added to the mix are original antique furniture that used to be part of the ancestral Calma house which add character and history to the spaces. To the side and behind the lobby is Cristobal, a Filipino restaurant that features recipes that were passed on by Virgina Cristobal Calma, the wife of Vicente T. Calma and mother of the Calma siblings. Cristobal also has a sidebar that also serves beautiful Argentinean wines by Lagarde. All 27 rooms of the hotel are beautifully appointed and detailed. From the capiz shell headboards to the beautifully crafted vanity tables, every room of Hotel Vicente is unique and have an air of Filipino pride. I personally love the beautifully finished bathrooms that are like those that can normally be found on bigger, more expensive hotels abroad. On the fifth level of the hotel are its function rooms which are named after three municipalities of Bulacan where the Calma family originated from. And like
the lobby and the restaurant, the function rooms also carry the wood and capiz details. I also loved the fact that they were also able to recycle parts of the old Calma house into the structure itself, from the accent beams in the corridors to the steps of the stairway, the new structure pays tribute to the old family home. Although small in scale, Hotel Vicente carries all the marks and breeding of a proper boutique hotel. Whatever it may lack in size, it truly makes up for in character and a unique stay in Davao City. Hotel Vicente is located along F. Torres Street and can be contacted at (82)2957053, 2957389 or visit their website at www. hotelvicentedavao.com Follow me on twitter @ kennethkingong for happenings around the city, foodie finds, and travel tips.
Hotel Vicente’s cozy and welcoming lobby.
Cristobal, the restaurant of Hotel Vicente.
EDGEDAVAO
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VOL.5 ISSUE 84 • JUNE 29 -30, 2012
STYLE ENTERTAINMENT
Ana Celine Estrada Go as photographed by Bob Mata on her wedding day
A brush with an artist
Model Kate Bautista as photographed by Paul Borromeo
In the realm of personal style, nothing is trickier for me than makeup. Even the thought of keeping up a routine for daily wear exhausts me. Calvin Klein explained it best when he said, “The best thing is to look natural. But it takes makeup to look natural.” Paying heed to this paradox of exerting effort to look effortless might seem needless, but I would beg to differ as these days it is not only about how great your frame of mind is but also how well you frame your face. If just for that boost in confidence that a perfectly groomed brow or a tincture of well-applied blush can lend, I would gladly continue to demystify makeup. As my luck would have it, my fascination for those who can wield makeup brushes masterfully and my leanings towards more naturallooking makeup were positively stoked
after interviewing on-the-rise Davao makeup artist, Mae Ann Cortez.
Being former schoolmates in high school, Mae Ann shared with me some milestones in her life that occurred since the time we last saw each other nearly fifteen years ago. She graduated in 2003 with a degree in Biology and Nursing in 2007 but did not really pursue any passions of the medical sort. Actively involving herself in her family’s businesses in Davao and Cebu throughout those years, she decided to enroll in a six-week course in Beauty and High Fashion Photographic Makeup in L.A.’s Cinema Makeup School in 2009 to make something of the unshakeable makeup habit she picked up during her college years. Accord-
Makeup Artist Mae Ann Cortez as photographed by Ayie Hernandez
ing to the school’s website, the Cinema Makeup School is a private institution that is considered one of Hollywood’s top makeup schools specializing in beauty makeup for film and television as well as fashion and editorial purposes. Here, Mae Ann picked up the right highdefinition and in-depth education she needed. Upon returning to Davao, she immediately became entrenched in the world of
fashion photography and got right down to booking clients. Mae Ann largely credits her early exposure to her would-be clients in Davao through collaborations with local photographer Paul Borromeo and others in his group that made the rounds in networking sites like Facebook. Shortly after, she met fellow makeup artist Tiny Pinili with whom she would set up Luxelab Makeup Artistry
with. She admits that her stage of fully focusing on doing makeup for shoots of hobby photographers was a short one as she is more inclined towards the natural side of makeup. Whereas shoots can run high on the conceptual and demand a more theatrical aesthetic, Mae Ann couldn’t deny that her passions lied in creating timeless looks of a more classic strain. Mae Ann’s brand of doing makeup is one that many women can identify with and it quickly felt like we were sharing makeup tips rather than talking shop. She points out that most of her clients are more conservative but that it suits her just fine. If truth be told, the colors in her makeup kit are mostly neutrals, pinks and browns. Upon further probing, I discover she takes painstaking efforts to perfect the foundations of the face that she believes goes a long way in itself. Especially obsessed with getting the eye makeup just right, she admits to having about four different products for prepping just the eyebrows alone. As she meets me sans lipstick and devoid of heavy makeup herself with just her eyes made up with a hint of mascara, I become convinced that she knows what she is talking about. Onto the concept of beauty, which I believe, is the overriding principle that women abide by when they think of makeup, Mae Ann shares how it makes her happy that people’s idea of what makes them beautiful is slowly changing and how many have learned to embrace their natural complexion rather than demand to appear overly fair. Although her job as makeup artist is a sideline more than anything, her bookings have been steady
and it doesn’t seem like the demand for what she does is showing signs of waning. She is grateful when one trial makeup session leads to two more with the very same client and that she has accumulated her own roster of regulars such as a medical student of Indian descent who frequently calls on her services when she has parties to attend. Throughout our conversation, I can’t help but feel that she makes what she does sound maybe a little too simple when I know it is anything but. As she humbly tells me though, she likes to invite people to view her work and let her portfolio speak for itself. The territory that she has chosen to inhabit along with her makeup palette is highly challenging but other like-minded makeup gurus such as Chechel Joson continue to give her inspiration. There is something beautifully discreet and uncomplicated about Mae Ann’s work and her makeup philosophy that allows her to put her clients’ best face forward. To borrow the words of makeup mogul and style doyenne Helena Rubenstein, “Whether you are sixteen or over sixty, remember, understatement is the rule of a fine makeup artist.” It seems that Mae Ann has just the right idea. Mae Ann Cortez for Luxelab Makeup Artistry can be contacted through mobile no. +639177003699 or through e-mail address charm_skul_reject@yahoo.com. Standard rates: Bridal – P4,000 (conventional makeup) / P6,000 (airbrush); P1,500/person add on for each member of the entourage. Trial make-up or regular makeup booking – P1,500. Pre-nuptial shoots – P2,500 (half day) / P4,000 (whole day).
VOL.5 ISSUE 84 • JUNE 29 -30, 2012
EDGEDAVAO
ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT
Jon Voight gives his blessings for Brangelina wedding We’re happy to report that Angelina Jolie’s dad Jon Voight is over the moon about her engagement to Brad Pitt.
We caught up with the proud papa at the Savages premiere in L.A. where he gushed to us all about his daughter’s impending nuptials. Cue the wedding bells! “I’m always excited for Angelina and Brad and my grandchildren,” Voight, 73, told us. “I’m always happy when my children are happy, as every father is,” he told reporters. “I’ve seen the kids recently and everybody’s healthy. So it’s wonderful.”
“We truly have no [wedding] date,” Pitt recently told reporters at the Cannes Film Festival. “We actually, really, truly have no date. We’re still hoping we figure out marriage equality in the States before then,” adding that the couple’s engagement was “something that made sense.” Jolie, 37, and Pitt, 48, have been together for seven years but got engaged just over two months ago. So what kind of wedding gift do you get the couple that already has it all?! Voight laughed, “They’re just folks.” Is he trying to tell us they’re registered at Bed Bath & Beyond?
guys’ night out entail? A source tells us that Clooney chowed down on seafood pasta and sipped gin-and-tonics, and while we don’t know what Pitt ordered to kill those hunger pangs, he was drinking martinis. “They were so polite to the waitress and giggling away,” the insider said. “They were relaxed as if it was their local restaurant,
Paparazzi run-ins
Blake Lively scolds paparazzo in NYC
Savages star Blake Lively may not have gotten, well, savage on the streets of New York City today. But she did seem to give a paparazzo a bit of a scolding nevertheless. After promoting her upcoming film on Good Morning America on Wednesday, the 24-year-old actress reportedly left the studio in an SUV. However, upon noticing that she was being followed by a photog, Lively allegedly jumped out of the vehicle and insisted the pap stop tailing her. And while Lively may have been reprimanding him by waving her index finger, we certainly wouldn’t have blamed her if she had opted to use a different one instead.
Paris Hilton hits paparazzo in LA
Brad Pitt and George Clooney hang out in London Oh, to be the martini olives at that table. George Clooney, Brad Pitt and another male friend enjoyed dinner and drinks Tuesday night on the outskirts of London at Pazzia, a cozy Italian restaurant with a reputation for fine food and apparently celeb-worthy service, a source exclusively tells E! News. So, what exactly did this
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like normal people.” Tell that to the “normal people’s” fellow diners! The Berkshire restaurant isn’t too far from the White House-reminiscent home that Pitt and Angelina Jolie are leasing while she shoots Maleficent. Clooney popped into town fresh from time spent at his Lake Como home with girlfriend Stacy Keibler. MEET AND GREET THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN AT SM CITY DAVAO. The Amazing Spider-Man hits cinemas in Davao City today. To complete the movie experience, SM City Davao is not only bringing you the movie in 3D and 2D but is actually bringing SpiderMan to town to meet and greet his legion of fans. Kids and the kids-atheart will definitely enjoy this amazing experience that only Spider-Man and SM City Davao can give you.
For socialite Paris Hilton, her socializing took a turn for the worse on Tuesday evening. While heading out of David Arquette’s new Hollywood nightclub Bootsy Bellows, a paparazzo apparently got a little too close for one of her friends’ liking. As a result, the pal proceeded to grab the camera out of the photog’s hands, according to the photo agency. And that’s when things got a bit ugly. A scuffle soon ensued and Hilton, wearing a skimpy blue minidress, subsequently found herself being knocked into a wall. Thankfully, the 31-year-old heiress was not injured. While police were not called to the scene, the pap claimed that a member of Hilton’s entourage stole not only his camera but his jacket as well. No word if he intends to contact authorities.
EDGEDAVAO
A4 INdulge! EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT
VOL.5 ISSUE 84 • JUNE 29 -30, 2012
GREE air conditioner gives back through its “Agree sa Summer ni Mr. GREE” promo Winners of GREE Air Conditioner’s “aGREE sa Summer ni Mr. GREE” sales promo were in for the COOLEST summer treat! In cooperation with EMCOR Inc., one of the leading appliance stores in the country, GREE Air conditioner recently awarded the winners of its summer promo at EMCOR head office in Bajada, Davao City.
The promo ran from March up to May of this year which aims to help establish GREE as the primary aide of every household when it comes to air conditioning and thank its loyal customers for their continuous patronage through these years. We, Filipino’s, are very much acquainted with the summer heat. Living in a tropical country like the Philippines, we’d usually look for anything that will soothe us for this blistering season and GREE knows just how to serve us all right. The promo also introduces Mr. GREE as one of the brand ambassadors. Having Mr. GREE depicts GREE’s unwavering commitment to service and unrivaled air conditioning experience. Mr. GREE is designed to answer ANY of our air conditioning queries and hitches. So as long as Mr. GREE is around we are assured that we can always keep our cool. 10 winners from all over Mindanao were given different air conditioning units from GREE. 5 of them won one GREE KC-15P each which boasts of its rapid and quiet cooling feature. Being the most basic unit in the whole of GREE AC line up with .6 HP, KC-15P is doing well in the market and is selling like pancakes. “I have been using GREE ever since and I’ve never been happier. My unit has been with me for years now and it’s still functioning well so when I needed to set up another unit for our new room, GREE was a no-brainer choice. For me, joining and winning the promo was just a bonus. Thank you GREE!”said Jovita Jamero, one of the GREE KC15P winners. Gracing the awarding event was no other than EMCOR Inc.’s President, Mr. Celso Villegas and Mr. Boy
Pictured from Left: Melende Ferraren (Bajada Store Manager), Armando D. Enero (Senior Consultant) Celso Villegas (President and COO of EMCOR Incorporated), Sheila Dusaban from Kidapawan City (winner of KC-15P), Back row from Left: Glenn Beni-Dy (Business Development/Operations Manager of UTHINC), Carlo M. Pineda (Executive Vice President of UTHINC), Danilo M. Talaban (Senior Consultant), Archie Escuadro (Panabo Highway Manager), Oneil R. Santa Cruz (Regional Sales Manager of EMCOR) Front row from Left: Annalie S. Diao from Panabo City (winner of KC-15P), Mary Cris Sevilla and her mother from Mintal Davao City (winner of KW-23AP)
Arriba VP for Marketing together with Ugong Trade & Holdings Inc.’s (UTHINC) front runner Mr. Juan Carlos M. Pineda and its Business Development Head Mr. Glenn Beni Dy. UTHINC is the sole distributor of GREE Air Conditioner here in the Philippines importing directly from its principal, GREE Electric Appliances of Zuhai in China. “This promo couldn’t have been this successful without our valued customers who continuously support all our efforts to bring GREE closer to the people and of course our trade partners like EMCOR who serve as our medium,” Pineda said. “You can be assured that it all doesn’t end here and it’s definitely going to get better next year,” he added. Three of the 10 winners got to take home one GREE KC-19AP unit each with .8 HP. One of its winners, Rainier Mariano from Davao City was literally jumping up and down when told about the good news. “I couldn’t believe it at first. After a minute, that’s when it all came down on me. I am very thankful to GREE for the coolest summer treat ever,”said Mariano when asked about how he felt when he was informed that he won the promo. Just like Mr. Tobias, Ms. Mary Cris Sevilla of Mintal Davao City was speechless when she was told about it, only twice as much because she won a GREE KW-23AP unit with 1HP which is best for her living room that can keep their family bonding cool and at ease. Aside from the gift of efficient and formidable air conditioning experience, the winners were also
treated to a special gastronomical delight together with EMCOR and UTHINC’s officers because no celebration can be complete without feasting. This has been truly a one-of-a-kind experience for the winners of “aGREE sa Summer ni Mr. GREE”. “We would like to thank all of those who participat-
ed in the promo, who now turned out to be GREE’s raving fans, for allowing us to be their air conditioning partner. Let this be our way of giving back to you for sharing with us your complete trust and confidence,” said Glenn Beni Dy, Business Development Head of UTHINC to everyone who joined the promo.