Without any bias, I say that Manila Bulletin throws the best thanksgiving parties!
Last year, it was a gathering of superheroes. Think Superman, Batman, Wonderwoman... See post here.
This year, we went a little exotic and did Arabian Nights
So many Aladdins greeted guests at the door
Our receptionists in Arabian garb. Check out the MB newspaper print!
I think some men were not comfortable wearing dresses! Lol!
Kathy, our AVP of Advertising, looking like a queen
GENIE!!!
Everyone had fun with the magic carpet photo booth
My cousin Jordan
And, of course, me!!! :D
Le Pavillon was transformed to create an ambiance of Arabic decadence
How beautiful are these Manila Bulletin lanterns
To dine on magic carpets!
Belly dancers pranced around the ballroom
They were so sexy it made me feel just a little bit insecure
But that didn't stop me from checking out the buffet spread! Hahaha!
I was excited because food was catered by Manila Hotel.
The folks at Manila Hotel prepared a Middle Eastern feast. This was the appetizer
station with baba ganoush, seafood salad with lemon dressing, an assortment
of olives, tomatoes, and greens
Hummus and pita
More appetizers
Warak Enab
Taboulleh
Mixed Seafood Salad
Kofta Kebab
Grilled Lapu Lapu with Tomato Salsa
Chicken Sashlik
Mussels stuffed with rice
Seafood Paella
Samosas and Lebanese Style Chicken Wings
For the not-so-adventurous eaters, there was...
Beef Stew
And Baked Mac
Desserts were baklava, savarin ring, pineapple upside down cake,
green tea chiffon, and ube roll
If you are already impressed with the indoor set up, wait till you see the outdoor area!
It was converted into a souq or an open-air marketplace
The MB Graphics team did such an excellent job!
With people walking around in costumes, it really felt like I was transported to a Middle Eastern city!
Fruits and vegetables stand
Henna tattoo station
Where guests got themselves inked
There were also games to keep everybody entertained.
Puzzle Quest
Plinko
Memory Game
And a mini golf area called "A Hole New World!" LOL!
Shisha Station
Ladies having their hair and make up done at Empire Salon
The biggest hit at the market was the Shawarma Shed
Look at that meat!
Ice cream because it is hot in the Middle East :P
These people must be dying from the heat!!! Lol! :D
There was also an Animal Encouter booth where you could get up close and personal
with this python. Some people were afraid to go near and used their GoPros.
Guess who was brave enough?
FYI, I ALSO EAT SNAKES!!!
Because weather had been quite unpredictable lately, there were
umbrellas for guests. Manila Bulletin really thought of everything!
I loved the costumes of our media partners
The program started with a spectacular performance by Folies de Mwah
Event hosts Sam YG and Giselle Sanchez were a riot and
had me laughing all night.
Manila Bulletin Chairman Basilio Yap welcomed all media partners and thanked them
for their support through the years. "114 years of business, 114 years of meaningful
changing time. Without you, we will not be here today."
And then, DINNER TIME!!!
What I ate:
It was really impressive how much preparation and effort our media partners put into their dance numbers for the competition. It was hard to choose a winning team!
The dance competition judges: Jill Ngo of Goddesses of Bellydance,
Pocholo Malilin of Club Mwah, and Liza Ilarde, Fashion Editor of MB
Last but not the least, a special number by MB's very own Advertising Team
And more glitz and glamour by Folies de Mwah
It felt like I was in Vegas… or Bangkok! Haha!
What a performance!!!
MB's Emilio Yap III presented special awards to outstanding clients and partners including
Pilipinas Shell, Megaworld Corporation, Zenith Optimedia, Starcom MediaVest, and
Ominicom Media Group. They were the most beautiful trophies I have ever seen!
Manila Bulletin also gave away raffle prizes to the lucky ones. There were power banks, portable speakers, GoPros, Instax, Tiffany & Co. jewelries, iPhones, Apple Packages (iPad + iPhone), complimentary room and spa packages at Manila Hotel, and many more!
And then, the most-awaited part of the evening - the announcement of the Grand Prize
and its two winners - one from advertising agencies and one from direct clients.
The Grand Prize was a vacation trip for 2 couples at Anantara Resort in Dubai, complete with
luxurious accommodations, meals, plane tickets, and even visa assistance!!!
The lucky winners Allen Catindig of Federal Land and Cris Zepeda of Maxus
But before the night ended, the Genie, in his strong, booming voice, announced that there will be one more grand wish!
The Chairman picked out one very lucky person
And that person was Aida Valido.
Aida, along with everyone else in the audience, was clueless about the grand wish
when she went up on stage.
Of course, I knew what it was and I was dying of excitement for her! Hahahaha!
And the Grand Wish was...
OH MY GOD!!!
One million pesos worth of wishes in whatever form Aida wanted - house and lot, car,
appliances, dining coupons (lol!)… Of course, she chose cash!!!
What an unforgettable evening for Aida and for all of us who were there to experience
the most lavish Arabian Night!
MB Lifestyle Team
The glowing Kathy So-Chua, AVP for Advertising
Congratulations, Ahia Emil!!!! You've outdone yourself again this year!
Can't wait for 2015!!!
Manila Bulletin Superheroes Night Thanksgiving Party 2013
Instagram: @manilabulletin
