The country's ambassador of beauty, Vicki Belo, pulled out
all the stops for the 18th anniversary of her beauty empire, Belo Medical Group. The Venus Ball (note the
initials V.B.) was held at the grand Rizal Ballroom of Makati Shangri-La last
August 8.
The night's theme was a Venetian Masquerade and the guests—a
mix of top socialites and celebrities—gamely dressed for the occasion.
Anne Curtis arrived looking in ethereal Dyosa form in a floaty gown with a golden breast plate.
Regine Velasquez looked stunning in a white embellished gown
and a beautiful jeweled headpiece.
His physique in excellent condition after the recent Bench
Blackout, Dingdong Dantes started the evening garbed in the costume of ancient
Rome (think Brad Pitt in Troy or the hunky men of 300) but later changed to a
dapper suit to be the perfect escort to sweetheart Karylle.
Angel Locsin, in a stylish, roughly cut and painted ball
skirt, arrived with a very handsome Piolo Pascual.
Iza Calzado, the evening's host, looked stunning in a royal-purple gown.
Of course, Tessa Prieto-Valdes was not to be outdone as she
filled her candy pink Edwin Tan gown, with its matching cotton-candy Marie
Antoinette wig, with authentic Venetian masks.
The place was set up beautifully. The foyer of the ballroom
was made to replicate Venice for picturesque photo-ops. Murals of the intricate
canals and ivy-covered windows of the Italian city lined the walls of the room.
There was an actual gondola and handsome gondoliers to pose with. A masked
announcer even called out the entrance of each guest, like they did at royal
balls in the olden days.
Apart from the excellent food and overflowing bubbly wine, guests were treated to performances by the country's top acts. Sarah
Geronimo clad in a striking Rajo Laurel ball gown, embroidered with roses,
showed off the strength of her voice, singing "Time to Say Goodbye," which has
been sung by greats like Andrea Bocelli and Sara Brightman.
Regine Velasquez, one of Belo's oldest clients and top
endorsers, and Lani Misalucha each gave brilliant performances as well. Hip-hop
sensation Billy Crawford kept it upbeat with his team of dancers.
The much-awaited performance was that of
international burlesque star Dita Von Teese. According to Saga Events head
honcho Robbie Carmona, it was a long-time dream of Dr. Vicky to bring Ms. Von
Teese to the country to perform and she finally did it for her special anniversary.
The pin-up star performed twice, first at 9:30 p.m. and later again at 11:30
p.m. Twenties-style pin curls, porcelain skin, and deep-red lips made her look
like a Vargas painting come to life.
Her first act revealed her in a brilliant crystal covered bustier
with a train of lush red feathers. She was seated coyly on a swing in a golden
birdcage. Her dance was simple and mesmerizingly sensual and she made the act
of stripping down to her jeweled undergarments look utterly glamorous and classy.
Even the women were entranced by her every movement.
The finale showcased her very famous martini glass routine.
Again Dita came on stage wearing an evening gown covered in pure crystals. Even
her long gloves and evening shoes were studded in the same crystals. She performed
every act so lovingly and gracefully that even the art of removing her
stockings was done elegantly. She finished off by swimming in a large
martini glass, popping the champagne in celebration. The crowd was on its
feet, applauding when she was through.
If anyone knows how to celebrate, it's Vicki Belo. With a
captured audience of 700 guests, she also took the chance to tell everyone
about her new foundation, Ike and Nena Belo Foundation, named after her
parents. The charity will focus on helping people with
cleft palettes, burn victims, and other deserving patients who truly need her
help.
A final line from the AVP cleverly quotes her saying, "I want to make the
country more beautiful, one person at a time." Cheers to that!
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