CRIMSON PARADE

» 2010 October
Red is the Gods’ Colour

• • • • The Crimson Resort and Residences private launch was a great way to end the week. Recently opened in a prime location along one of Mactan island’s coast, this FilInvest project [»] boasts the ease and dreamy atmosphere of island living edged with sharp international class. We have the honor of being a part of this, as my dear Truffle ottomans, as well as some choice pieces, find their nook in the rooms and furnishings of the hotel.

Bamboo Niño coffee table  as the central piece in the private villa sitting room. Taken from the Crimson Resort website.

The white and the brown Truffle ottomans from the Ali+Baba collection!

Four of our bugsay—Cebuano for ‘oars’ or paddles—line the entryway, as if in blessing: initially conceived as an inspiration from this sun-kissed island I call home (and the many number of outriggers lined along the coasts and harbors), as well as the metaphorical allusion to my husband and family giving me ‘direction’, I’m hoping the same feeling of providential direction imparts itself on guests and staff alike! Entering Crimson, one sees the ocean from the reception area, as the long infinity pool streamlines towards the blue. As the sea is often a symbol of freedom, here’s to a guided freedom, that brings all to newfound shores, instead of dreary doldrums!

One model is the double-headed oar commonly used in steering the versatile outriggers of the island. This is similar to a kayak paddle, and lone riders often use this for efficiency. The karakoa is, I believe, one of the more cleverly designed small-time maritime crafts, as either end can serve as prow in an emergency. The tough bamboo outriggers on both sides provide perfect balance for the boat, despite the many little typhoons and storms that tend to brew off-islands! My husband’s cousin (who is now based in the UK) recalls and fondly attests to the strength and sturdiness of the bangka, which bore her and her family in a tense, inter-island trip from a devastated Manila to the relative safety of Iloilo. The second model is a single-headed, single-handled version, which is common in crafts rowed by more than two people.

A karakoa docked at the coast of Snake Island in Palawan.

It’s not all the time I get to run into old friends of mine at major events! Alright, I admit, it’s because I’m a little more on the private side, so I naturally prefer the company of intimate friends over candle light and a dinner (specially made with love!), to a night of fast strobe lights and cocktails. But I’ve known this very down-to-earth, lady of substance for a long time now, and I remember how she wanted to see the site of our then-yet-unbuilt house, just because I was a little too excitedly rambling about it.

20 or so years is a very long time, and with many events roiling in between, to see a familiar face after such a lapse is a warm feeling indeed. I wish them the best only, and the strength to always move forward.

It’s true that this country is wracked by storms—both literal and figurative—and the aftermath of former regimes, and there are certainly more along the way. Family is the outrigger that keeps the craft afloat, so that by the end of the evening, and after the rain, we’re all wet but still afloat.

Photos by K Batiquin [»] and Gus Palao.