Should you be at a party where guests literally let their hair down, frolic and dance atop benches, then you know you are at an Oktoberfest.  Organized jointly by the Mandarin Oriental, Manila and the German Club of Manila, this 9th Oktoberfest celebration was held recently at the NBC Tent, the Fort.  It was a two-night revelry of  beer drinking and feasting on assorted Bavarian sausages, sauerbraten, leberkaas, spit hendl, roast pork knuckles, to name a few.

The Gunther Friedmann band flew in from Munich to lend authenticity to this rip-roaring affair.  Fun-loving local and expat executives and party people cheered for their best bets in the yodeling, the Ms. Oktoberfest and of course, the beer-drinking competitions. German Ambassador Christian Ludwig Webber Lorstch and his lovely wife, Trang, who looked chic in a dirndl, led the celebration, along with Mandarin Oriental GM, Mark Bradford and German Club President Michael Scheile.  Host was Albert Robert, who flew in from Germany. 

The Lady HB Potpourri…

The ‘Week-That-Was’ had the party set hopping from Grace Glory Go’s launch of the Philippine Yearbook at the Makati Shangri-La to the opening of Escolta at The Peninsula Manila.  Looking lovely in her braided hair was the First Lady of The Pen herself, Beliz Crook, who greeted guests alongside her husband, Jonathan.  Seen were P. L. and Madeleine Lim, Ambassador Isabel Wilson, Evelyn Lim Forbes. ..Also attended the launch of the 59th fl. Penthouse of the St. Francis Shangri-la Place. Chatted with Shangri-La’s top honcho, Andy Bautista, who was brimming from ear to ear over the three-storey penthouse, which boasts its own infinity pool.  Johnny Litton was the evening’s host and we ran into Jojo and Henry Zabarte, Lili Adina, Lilibeth and Paqui Campos… There’s the Arturo Luz’s ‘Performance’ of New Paintings and Sculptures at the Crucible, at SM Megamall….Last night was the Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration of Ronnie and Menchu Concepcion, held at La Veranda in Antipolo. …. On Sunday night is the dinner party of Dr. Ramon And Cynthia Pastor, at the Conservatory of the Pen, on the occasion of Ramon’s birthday. Going through the décor plans over salad lunch were Jun Jun Ablaza, Cynthia P,  Rupert Jacinto with our visiting daughter, Jacqueline, her husband, Peter Zuratynsky and myself.   The ‘Week-To- Come:” Town & Country and Preview Magazine’s exhibition and book launch of Salvacion (Slim’s)  Higgin’s at the National Museum,  the Furnitalia cocktails, and of course, the much-awaited Philippine Tatler  Ball, where the fair ladies will once again parade in their fab red carpet gowns.  See you there!