Flavours of the Visayas at the MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MANILA!

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

My dear friend Pauline Goriceta-Banusing is once more bringing the flavours of her beloved Illongo cuisine to Manila!  I can never get enough of her beautiful food which always makes my heart and stomach smile.  The festival last’s only for a week and will culminate on mothers day.  I was lucky enough to sample the food yesterday and my personal highlights were the fresh lumpia, the Kansi which is the Illongo version of sinigang na baka and the Capiz shell fish which was delicious.  Don’t miss out on the Batchoy soup as it was really fantastic.  Overall  I do declare that we have a winner dining experience just waiting to be enjoyed!

I found these servers with Illongo delicacies moving around the tables quite novel and fun.

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MY BIG BIRTHDAY SALE 2013!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

It’s the most anticipated annual SALE that gets all my friends and clients heart flutter!  It’s my birthday month and it is tradition that I hold the biggest sale of the year!  It’s going to be AMAZING as we bring down the most coveted samples and give GIGANTIC discounts that reach 90% off!

Block all your calendars ad the SALE begins on MAY 11 and you only have 2 weeks to get your hands on the BEST DEALS ever!!!!!!  It’s my way of thanking everyone….THAT MEANS YOU READING THIS!!!!!!  Thank you for making it possible to do what I LOVE to do!

 

So see you all at the HOUSE OF LAUREL for the sale and come early!  As the say the early bird get first DIBS!!!!!   This will be really really FUN!!!!

HUGS TO ALL,

RAJO!

 

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Aiming to be AMBASSADOR!

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

The past few weeks has proven to be quite hectic and fun at the same time for my schedule.  My dear high school friend Joy and her husband Marc is in town for a month and they took their friends over to our lovely islands to show them how really “FUN IT IS IN THE PHILIPPINES”!   I met all of them when Joy & Marc got married a year ago and we Joy’s friends decided to show her California gang  a  really good time.

We were joined by the talented Kate Toralba who gamely danced with the ring side girls.

I on the other hand took them on a red light district tour of P.Burgos where we enjoyed midget boxing and discovered this really fun bar called Mixed nuts!  I really loved the music and all the beautiful transgendered women that we met.  It was one of those super fun spontaneous evenings that our visitors will not soon forget.

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CURA V – Au Courant!

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

The ladies of CURA-V are again gathering together to wet all our appetites with their glorious  designs and finds!  They are now joined by more creative forces that will surely make everyone swoon with delight.  The event is happening tomorrow MAY4 at the Manila ballroom A & B, Makati Shangrila hotel!  The doors open at 4pm so come in early and have first dibs!  I have added some photos here as a sampler but there are certainly more delicious goodies on display!  Shop away my dears!  Congratulations and Kudos once more to the Cura-V ladies!  We love your style!

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My #NINONG Duties!

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

I take becoming a “ninong” or god father very seriously.  I think it’s a great honour, privilege and blessing to be asked by parents of your friends to become a ninong.  My life has been totally enriched by having all my god children around me.  This weekend was a bit of a right of passage for me as there were 2 events that solidify my thoughts of becoming a god parent.  First was the debut of my god daughter Juliana Ocampo who is the daughter of my friends Rico and Tina Ocampo.

This is my god daughter Juliana in one of her fittings.

I loved her “Burlesque” theme and Juliana who is so bright, bubbly and has one of the most beautiful personalities you could ever have was more than game to have her her debut with a full on girlie show!

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A Sunday at the PINTO art museum!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

I love ART and I love Museums and when I get the chance to spend a whole day with these 2 combined then I am a truly a happy camper!  We spend a full Sunday afternoon at the PINTO art museum because we were having a board meeting  with the Asian Cultural Council.  I took my dear friend Robby Carmona with me as were working on a project together at the end of they year.

My super fashion friend looking fantastic that afternoon. Here he is at the entrance.

 

What began as  the weekend home of Dr. Joven Cuanang who I consider my “art” mentor  has now evolved in one of the most incredible private art collection I have ever seen.  I have visited the gallery when it opened and now Dr. Cuanang added a brand new wing that houses more of his new collections.  It was really a fabulous experience. What I love about this is that it’s open to the public and for 150 pesos you can enjoy the lush grounds and soak in all the breathtaking art.  The Pinto museum also has a gallery which currently is showing my friend Mariko Jacinto’s paintings.  Her art deals with a moment in her life when she was always going to clubs and parties and I recognised several party people in her paintings.

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Phoenix Home at CROSSINGS Department Store!

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

I am so proud to inform all of you that Nix’s furniture and home accessories are now available at CROSSINGS department store in the Shangri-La mall.  He had a lovely intimate opening with dear friends and family over the weekend where he had a conversation with Crossings Xandra Ramos and we all were privy to the design process and mindset of Nix.

This is PHOENIX HOME!

I for one am obviously a huge fan but I think that all of you should check out his collection for the store as they are so well made and really well priced.  The last time I checked the items were flying off the floor but there are still lots of amazing finds for everyone to take home.  I just want to congratulate Nix for an amazing job and I am really so proud and happy for you!

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Gyu-Kaku!

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

If there is one  type  cuisine that I can eat everyday it has got to be Japanese!  So when my foodie group organised for us to try the newly opened Gyu-Yaku Nix and made sure that we would be available.  Gyu-Kaku is a famous Yakiniku restaurant in Japan and I have tried it in Tokyo and I really enjoyed it.  http://www.gyu-kaku.com   So for this to come to our shores was indeed a real treat.

Excited to ty this new place out.

 

I suggest that you make a reservation as new restaurants tend to get full as everyone wants to try it.  Happily our super efficient friend Marielle Po took care of everything!  When I say every thing  I mean it!  I love how she just takes charge and all we have to do is sit back and catch up and literally just eat!   After a few moments plates of food appeared and we all had a fantastic time cooking our food and and just trying practically everything on the menu.  My personal high light for me were the oysters and the wagyu beef slices marinated in a sweet teriyaki marinade/glaze.

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Win a Year’s Supply of Magnum by Catching #MagnumParty2013!

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

Get the chance to win a year’s supply of #Magnum by catching the #MagnumParty2013 on Starworld! Don’t miss the chance, there’s one airing today at 12 noon! Follow @magnum_ph on twitter to find out how!

Here are the air dates!

April 23 – 7:30PM
April 24 – 1:25AM
April 25 – 4:30PM
April 27 – 12NN
April 28 – 11PM

 

HUGS!

RAJO!

 

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Janet Hsieh “Discovers” Philippine Fashion!

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Rajo Laurel

I love playing dress up!  It’s a throwback to my youth when my friends and I would play endlessly and live in a  fantasy world where we all wore ball gowns and make believe parties.  Fast forward to today and this make believe world has become a reality for me. This became once again apparent, when my friend Bianca Gonzalez took her friend Janet Hsieh over to my studio.  Janet is a television personality and model based in Taipei, Taiwan. She is the host of the Discovery Travel and Living Channel’s popular series FUN TAIWAN.  This is her website http://janethsieh.net   I love her show and watch her on TV quite often.

Janet and Bianca in MALI!

 

Janet is in Manila to do a special show on the Philippines!  I was more than happy to show her our Philippine fashion and together with Bianca play and dress up with my collections and frosted with the most beautiful accessories found in my store.

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