Long regarded as one of Cebu’s style-setters, Teresin Mendezona is a gracious lady who tops everyone’s list when it comes to entertaining and events planning.
But there is another side to her. Together with some friends, unknown to many for she keeps it low-key, Teresin has actually been organizing social programs, and this she has been doing for a number of years now. She may have many demands on her time but, true to her nature, with her charitable works, she always makes time to help the needy.
“The time we give to people is so important,” she says. “It’s easy to give things, but the time we spend with people is priceless.” It’s only natural then that the residence she calls home is as tasteful and charming as the lady herself. Built in the early ‘70s by Architect Joseph Sy, the house has withstood the test of time. It remains one of the most fashionable and stylish houses in all of Cebu, and is the venue for some of the most exclusive gatherings in the city.
The formal sitting room, featuring a stunning canopied opium bed, opens to an outdoor lounge area with vines on trellises and a view of huge, magnificent trees. It is a visually compelling environment. Her home is a testament to her love of flower arrangements, too, and her keen botanical sense.
To the side of the sitting room is the formal dining area, with its rectangular wooden table, comfortable bentwood chairs, a hand-painted Chinese screen, and an antique chandelier. A perceptive interior designer, Teresin has filled her house with delightful artifacts and pieces that she has collected over the years, including Persian carpets and Chinese antiques.
So involved with her house is she, that when asked by her mother-in-law to choose between a stunning piece of jewelry and an antique Chinese serving tray, she chose the latter, and right away she knew exactly where it would go. Like its owner, this house exhibits a unique sense of style—warmth, hospitality, a passion for life, and graciousness toward other people.
DETAILS
The most important aspect of the house is its design and architecture and how it interacts with the lady’s lifestyle. A turn-of-the-century opium bed and an inherited Chinese porcelain plate prevail in her collection of antiques. But it is the formal dining room where the lady of the house exercises her expertise in cuisine and design. Once, for her table setting, she used a blue-and-white European china service and placed a bowl of coral-colored tambis as a centerpiece. The look is precise, yet effortless in style.
]]>Guests were pampered with beauty treatments from La Mer and MAC throughout the afternoon, until they had to dress up for cocktail hour. A five-course degustation by Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa executive chef Frank Bohdan and a raffle of exciting prizes including round trip tickets to the Maldives with a stay at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa preceded the main event of the evening—an exclusive fashion show featuring the A/W 2018 collection of Miranda Konstantinidou. Free flowing champagne, caviar and cheese kept the party going until the early hours of the morning.
The Zee Lifestyle Emerald Ball is presented by Arthaland, in cooperation with Mercedes-Benz Cebu, Rustan’s and Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu. Special thanks go out to Dedon Island, La Mer, MAC, and Jo Malone London.
photography Oliver Echevarria and Ezekiel Sullano
]]>The ceremony was led by the President of SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation Elizabeth Sy, Cebu Province Governor Hon. Hilario Davide III, Jobel Davide, Executive Vice President Peggy Angeles together with Radisson Blu Cebu General Manager Laurent Boisdron.
The hotel lobby was filled with the harmonious voices and classical performances of soprano Iona Ventocilla, leading musical theater artist Arman Ferrer, the world-renowned Mandaue Children’s choir conducted by Dennis Sugarol, the University of the Visayas Chorale and Charlene Nogra.
Marking the festivity with joy and goodwill, the hotel also launched the 30 Days of Giving, a month long give back project of the hotel’s Responsible Business together with partner organizations, Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital Children’s Ward, My Refuge House an aftercare shelter for rescued survivors of sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking, Island Rescue Organization (IRO) for rescued animals and Basadours, a volunteer group of storytellers and reading advocates.
To kick off the campaign, for every attendance the hotel will be matching the number with a corresponding pair of slippers. The evening ended with over 300 pieces of slippers to be donated to Alpaco and Mainit Elementary School in Naga City. Guests can also make their donations by making a purchase of the Signature Afternoon High Tea or a gingerbread house. Books and toys are also accepted at the Giving Corner located at the hotel lobby.
RADISSON BLU CEBU
Sergio Osmeña cor. Juan Luna St.
6332. 402 9999 | website | Facebook
The Sky Park is an elevated area set amongst a landscape of verdant foliage and soothing water features that offers a myriad of dining choices and a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Sky Park is composed of three playgrounds: the Fun & Play, Water Play, and the Sky Play. SM Seaside City Cebu tapped award-winning industrial Cebuano designer Kenneth Cobonpue to plan and execute the Sky Play, one of the three playgrounds, which brings to life the colorful world of children’s imaginations in hopes of nurturing a child’s creative thoughts through the simple joys of outdoor play. The whimsical and modern design by Kenneth Cobonpue perfectly coincides with SM Seaside City’s sophisticated design by Arquitectonica.
Kenneth Cobonpue with Marissa Fernan, vice president of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. led the opening of the “gate” last September 23, 2016 in an Alice in Wonderland themed launch. The whole crew of The Mad Hatter, The Red Queen, and The White Queen graced the celebration. This sure delighted the kids including guests of honor Jack Booth, Ambra Anzani, and Sabi Fernan.
SM SEASIDE CITY CEBU
- South Road Properties
- 6332. 340 8735
- Visit the Facebook page
Zee Lifestyle’s August-September 2016 Fashion Issue: Matteo Guidicelli (Photography by Jan Gonzales/Styling by Roland Magalang of Bergamo/Grooming by Sheryl Songsong)
Gracing the cover is the Cebuano charmer Matteo Guidicelli. An actor, singer and athlete, Matteo talks about his life in the limelight, intimate details about his relationship with a certain pop princess, and gearing up for the future with Sun Life Asset Management.
With the Philippines’ fashion industry evolving, it’s only appropriate to focus on homegrown talents, from the pioneering efforts of Jennifer Rimaz and Dexter Alazas to utilize local fabrics, to the various fashion-related endeavors of Celyn Sala, Jojo Martinez, Abegail Sanchez and Darren Morandante.
Young Cebuano talents also take the spotlight, with designers Free Barbusa, IA Coca, Rachel Rama, Rachelle Lim, Danica Hermoso, July Gelantaga-an, Dannah Paclibar and Janine Reserv showcasing their most promising pieces. Kiko Kintanar, Edward James Castro, Ixa Escario and Bree Esplanada also inject a bit of art into their designs, inspired by artists Thom Jopson, Daot, Golda King and Kenichi Wani.
Meanwhile, the most respected names in Cebu fashion Arcy Gayatin, Philip Rodriguez and Cary Santiago, with the special participation of Jun Escario, sit down with fashion editor OJ Hofer for a challenge—determining the city’s style setters. Timeless beauties Annie Aboitiz, Margot Osmeña, Rosebud Sala, Teresin Mendezona and Amparito Lhuillier lead the roster of Cebu’s most fashionable, along with Danessa Onglatco, Fiona King, Christine Taylor-Pelaez, Jenifer Martinez and Christina Garcia-Frasco.
Read all these and more on Zee Lifestyle’s Fashion Issue, out this month. Grab your copies at National Bookstore and Fully Booked. For subscriptions, click here or download Magzter on your mobile device.
]]>As a way of saying thank you, the hotel kicked off celebrations by giving back. On April 3, more than 900 runners gathered for Run for ERUF #TimelessAt10. Php 130,000 was raised for the benefit of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundations.
Weekly events with different themes were also held, inviting friends and guests to intimate gatherings. Games and raffle prizes were given away, and no one went home empty-handed.
In the succeeding months, the celebrations will continue with the “Timeless at 10” theme, with Marco Polo Plaza upholding its standard of excellence that can only come from Cebu City’s Finest.
Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills
Apas, Cebu City
6332. 253 1111
website | Facebook | Twitter
Born in Northern Italy, Gianni, father to Gianluca and grandfather to Giorgia, Matteo, and Paolo, moved to the Philippines in the late 1970’s, fell in love with the country, and never left. All throughout Gianni’s life in the Philippines, Gianluca shared that despite the number of Italian restaurants in town, his father always preferred home cooking from their very own kitchen.
Time caught up with the food-loving Gianni, and he passed away last year, leaving two of his helpers, Antonia and Jean, with no one to attend to any longer. Since then, the idea of putting up a family restaurant has always hung over the head of Gianluca. As a result, Trattoria da Gianni was created. The fruition of the restaurant gives Antonia and Jean something to take care of now that their beloved Gianni is gone. It’s also the family’s way of thanking the two women who have served them for more than two decades.
Trattoria da Gianni, which translates to “a small Italian restaurant by Gianni,” is casual and unpretentious. All the love that goes into the restaurant doesn’t only reflect in their food, but it extends to their cozy and inviting interiors as well, giving you the warm-hearted welcome you’d get at an Italian friend’s home. As a family restaurant, Trattoria da Gianni serves the best of Italian home cooking with time-honored recipes right from the Guidicellis’ kitchen.
One thing that sets Trattoria da Gianni apart is that instead of pizzas, they have a wide variety of bruschettas. With toppings ranging from Parma ham with figs and fresh ricotta, to Taleggio cheese with apricots, the Guidicellis make the Italian staple more exciting than usual.
Diners can also expect freshly made pastas with homemade sauces for that personal touch, different kinds of mouthwatering mozzarellas, a variety of fresh salads, traditional Italian cold cuts and cured meats, premium Italian cheeses, hearty soups, and of course, delectable desserts. The menu also indicates which dishes were Gianni’s personal favorites. Some of these include the minestrone, spaghetti with pesto Genovese, ragu della Nonna (spaghetti with tomato meat sauce and Parmiggiano Reggiano), and tiramisu.
Crafted out of love, Trattoria da Gianni is the Guidicellis’ way of welcoming everyone into their kitchen, hoping to spread the love that Gianni had for food across Cebu. At Trattoria da Gianni, home is where the heart is.
TRATTORIA DA GIANNI
Crossroads Mall, Banilad
63. 977 842 2786 or 998 846 4996
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To maintain exemplary quality and ensure optimum storage and holding conditions, Bibendum utilizes refrigerated containers and climate-controlled storage facilities, including Vinecaves. At Bibendum Wines, you can try the wine prior to purchasing with their enomatic machine, which contains 8 different kinds of wine. The first taste is free, and the succeeding tasting portions are at a minimal amount.
With wines coming from France, USA, Chile, Spain, Australia, and South Africa, to name a few, choosing from perhaps the widest selection in Cebu may seem daunting. For those who simply do not know where to start, Bibendum provides a point system to make the selection process a lot easier. Professional wine critics have been using a simple 100-point rating to score wines, which is the quickest and most convenient way to determine the quality of wine.
Choosing good wine is made more convenient by looking at these ratings, which are indicated in Bibendum Wines’ labels. Bibendum Wines prides itself in having the best wine portfolio at the most affordable prices.
The Streetscape branch also has a small deli with the best sausages, cold cuts, and cheeses from premium shop, Santis Delicatessen to pair with your wine. An al fresco area with tables and chairs are available for those who want to enjoy their selection right there and then.
Bibendum also gives you the option to have wines delivered at your doorstep through Food Panda or their website.
BIBENDUM WINES
Streetscape, Maria Luisa Road
Banilad
6332. 261 6777
Open 10:00 a.m to 11:00 p.m.