MANILA, Philippines – The world-renowned lady of class, taste, and mega-talent, Betsy Westendorp, may have been born a Spanish señorita with Dutch lineage, but she has always been a Filipino at heart. She first set foot in the country in 1951, dahlings, when she met her husband, the late Tony Brias, a Filipino-Spanish businessman in Madrid and made their home in Manila. She gave birth to all her three daughters here.

Today, with hundreds of glorious paintings treasured as private collections and displayed in galleries in Europe and the Philippines, including Malacañang Palace, Betsy shows that a five-year absence magnified the yearnings for her works, palanggas, as proven by an awesome successful exhibit, which opened at the Mandarin Oriental Suites in Gateway Mall of Araneta Center, with no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as guest of honor.

A great art experience for mall-goers and art aficionados alike, Betsy’s paintings have been lauded as “poetic expressionism” and “abstract dreams playing with light.” Now 81 and young at heart, she continues to paint a range of subjects, from landscapes, floral paintings, portraits, plus, plus.

Betsy is respected and greatly missed by Filipino art lovers like PLDT hotshot brilliant president Manny Pangilinan, himself a proud owner of a Westendorp painting which hangs in his Hong Kong home. He attended the exhibit, palanggas.

How has her art changed since her first visit to the Philippines? “Come and tell me,” la simpatica Betsy warmly told me. Betsy continues to explore it with her heart and eyes, yielding beauty in the process, dahlings.

BenCab Museum inauguration

It was close to having a traffic jam at Tuba, Benguet, dahlings, when Cosmo Manille’s art collectors and lovers went to cool Baguio one weekend for the grand inauguration of the modern eye-catching BenCab (Ben Cabrera) Museum on Asin Road.

“It has been BenCab’s dream to build a museum for his vast collection of Cordillera artifacts and Philippine contemporary art for the past 40 years,” said witty and respected BBC anchorman Rico Hizon, the perfect master of ceremonies, palanggas.

In his speech, BenCab said “I had longed to leave some kind of legacy behind, to share my art collection with the next generations of art enthusiasts.”

BenCab then thanked all involved in the building’s design and construction, like talented architect Raymund Sarmiento, among others, and recognized his pals who helped him set up the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards for the past 15 years. And last but not least, his ladylove, la simpatica Annie Sarthou. “Without her, my life would have been a blank canvas,” said BenCab, which brought whistles and loud applause from the tons of invitees, dahlings.

BenCab also acknowledged the members of his Art Foundation, who are entrusted with the museum’s collection, and the Coseteng family of Mariwasa ceramic, who witnessed the unveiling of the unique ceramic mural “32 Variations on Sabel,” which BenCab executed in the Mariwasa factory in Batangas. It was led by Philip Morris Manufacturing Philippine rep. Chris Nelson and his namesake, “Christopher” Nelson of Philip Morris Asia, who assisted Coseteng matriarch, Regina Coseteng, during the unveiling.

Glenn Gaerlan, Baguio’s resident tenor, blew the minds off the invitees; then mezzo soprano Mia Protacio took over, followed by Glenn’s final aria, the super demanding “Nessun Dorma” from “Turandot,” dahlings.

BenCab then opened three of the galleries, including popular Erotica Gallery (children not allowed inside, palanggas).

Cocktails were served at the Museum’s Café Sabel overlooking the lush forest, named after Cab’s icon, the madwoman and scavenger “Sabel,” whom he painted for over four decades. Flowing wine courtesy of Bacchus, Pernod Ricard Philippines, Enchong Formoso of Duty Free Philippines, plus other close friends.

Fireworks then lit up the sky as the grand finale to an awesome unforgettable day—a tribute to a man with great vision and generous heart who is an inspiration to all artists, dahlings.

Get real with Havaianas

With a history that can be traced nearly 50 years back, Havaianas certainly has good reason to take pride in its heritage.

The first to fuse the Japanese Zori’s simplicity with the laid back ease of a tropical aesthetic, Havaianas front-lined innovation on comfort and durability, and was the catalyst for turning flip-flops into the global symbol for bohemian chic.

Brazil’s dynamic export, the renowned Havaianas, held a fantastic happening, dahlings, which brought together unique personalities and one-of-a-kind fashionistas.

“As part of our vision to celebrate all things original, we are now taking this initiative online,” adds Anne Gonzalez, managing director of Havaianas Philippines, by logging on to www.havaianasphilippines.com/original, no less, dahlings. After all, “Havaianas is a brand that is proud of its integrity and originality,” said eye-catcher Anne.

Be a part of the original Havaianas story, palanggas, available in All Flip-Flops and other outlets near you. For provincial outlets, visit www.havaianasphilippines.com.

Erratum

To correct my article last Wednesday, May 6, Linda Legaspi Rosal, a woman of substance, is the diehard Hermes-Birkin bag collector, not undersecretary of education Vilma Labrador.

I spotted Albert Rosal, with so many ladies batting their eyelashes his way, palanggas, not “with so many ladies.” Oops, sorry for the mix-up, dahlings.