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Reliving the grandeur of Manila

EVERY time I visit Manila, I always end up staying at the Orchid Garden Suites. I can’t help but become mesmerized by the beauty and splendor of the hotel. The architectural design of the hotel makes me relive the grandeur of Manila. So that I could share with you the beauty of the hotel, I asked the management of the hotel to provide me with the history behind the establishment of Orchid Garden Suites.

The old house, built in early 1930 by National Artist for architecture, Pablo Antonio Sr., was the former house of Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Villareal. Many elegant parties were held at this house. The original patio still exists as part of the Presidential suite. As you enter the hotel lobby, you are actually walking through the ground floor of the old house and IT actually feels like seeing Gloria Swanson in the Titanic reminiscing about the old days.

After the war, the house was rented by the Russian and Indonesian Embassies and then by an antique dealer who eventually wanted to buy it. But then the owners had other plans. Their goal was to showcase old Filipino architecture by retaining the ‘30s style architectural set-up and blending it well with the needs of the modern world.

A hotel is born

It took five years to complete the hotel. The owners wanted to make sure that the structure would retain as much of the original layout as possible.

The Orchid Garden Suites finally opened in 1977. Rooms were accommodated in a medium-rise block built behind the main house.

The interiors are simple, allowing guests to soak in more completely the architerctural details of the place. The restaurant sits in a slightly expanded back portion where the dining room and kitchen used to be. The staircase is still intact, leading up to functions on the second floor, the third floor and Tutso Bar. This opens into a surprisingly large terrace where one can still enjoy a glimpse of the famous Manila sunset.

The hotel boasts a swimming pool snugly tucked into a corner of the orchid garden; hence the name. This forms the view from the café, delightful in the overall intimacy of the scale that is so off-putting in commercial hotels. All in all, the ambience is very Italian or French in a stoutly colonial way and in a tropical, distinctly Malate-esque way.

Tsukiji Restaurant
at the Century Park Hotel

In great contrast, Century Park Hotel, large and modern, sits across Orchid Garden Suites. I was invited to the grand opening of its Japanese Restaurant, Tsukiji, a place for authentic Japanese dishes concocted with love and attention.

Mr. Yuseke Katayama, the man behind Tsukiji, has two passions – golf and Japanese food. Twenty yeas ago, Katayama journeyed to the Philippines to pursue his love for golf. While he was in the country, teeing off in different golf clubs in the locale, he discovered that there weren’t good restaurants offering authentic Japanese cuisine at the time. It was then that he moved on to a more challenging course evolving from a golfer to a restaurateur. Together with his wife, Minny Katayama and some Filipino partners, he opened Tsukiji Japanese restaurant in the Milky Way building on Pasay Road in Makati. Giving Filipinos a taste of authentic Japanese cooking, Tsukiji became a huge success. Its clientele included dignitaries and celebrities.

Now the restaurant takes on a new course, emerging as Century Tsukiji, the banner Japanese restaurant of Century Park Hotel in Manila. According to Katayama, the menu of Century Tsukiji echoes the four seasons of Japan as each period is marked with a distinct assortment of culinary delights. The daily catch from the sea, for instance, varies during winter and summer, in the same way that the vegetables harvested during spring differ from that in the autumn. Century Tsukiji guarantees diners a gastronomic adventure that will delight the palate and evoke pleasure.

It all started with a stare

Yes, that was how the love story of newlyweds Mike and Marie Gaviola began. It all started with a stare, a smile, a few words, a prayer, a friendship, a relationship, and a commitment of sharing not just love but life. On February 3, 2007, Michael and Rosemarie Gaviola celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in style. They hosted a big party at the grand ballroom of the luxurious Renaissance Makati City Hotel. The guests flew in from all over the world. Top Philippine government officials, led by Senate President Manny Villar, and leading business leaders, especially in the real estate industry, were in attendance.

The couple’s children, together with their own spouses and kids were dressed in long gowns and elegant Barong Tagalogs and made their parents very proud. The 33-piece Manila Philharmonic Orchestra played an OPM medley, selections from The Phantom of the Opera, the Blue Danube waltz, “On Broadway,” and “Tequila.” Bimbo Cerrudo entertained the guests with his rendition of “Story of a Starry Night,” “Come Fly with Me,” “The Theme from Love Story,” He concluded his repertoire with “You and I.” For dancing, Route ’70 (formerly the Family Birth Control band) and Music Ventures provided the groove.

The staff and management of ONE PHILIPPINES extend their best wishes to the still happy couple, Mike and Marie Gaviola. We look forward to your Golden Wedding anniversary!

Serenity in the city

Pauwi na ako bukas, humirit pa ako ng isang special event. I was invited to the grand launching of the New Plaza Crest project. In attendance were WOW representatives from Chicago, U.S. managing partners and representatives of the Philippine Veterans Bank. Joseph Edralin, Plaza Crest Vice President for Operations, introduced the host developer and guests. This was followed by the welcome address of Democrito (Boyet) Plaza III. Michael Gaviola, PPCI President and CEO gave the closing remarks. Jojo Caro, Plaza Crest Consultant, was the launching host.

The Plaza Crest is an exclusive and intimate enclave of superbly master-planned Asian-inspired homes with qualities that will complement one’s family lifestyle. The Walk-Up condominium offers elegance, convenience and serenity. Unlike typical urban condos shrouded in noise and polluted air, it is nestled in a lush, serene and secure enclave.