Unbreakable bonds
“A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give.” – Laurell Atherton
The relationship between mother and daughter is one of life’s most profound and enduring connections that provide strength during our weakest moments, and joy during our celebrations. This unconditional love with an unbreakable bond defines this special relationship founded on mutual respect and trust. This connection is cellular, spiritual, and eternal with family time creating lasting affection.
Having both my daughters over for the holidays was pure joy. It was heartwarming to have my family complete and celebrate another New Year together with the rest of the relatives. My eldest daughter Jordan Prieto is turning 28 years old tomorrow. A few years back, Jordan told herself that she would spend her birthday traveling. She chose Taiwan as her birthday destination and from her posts, my adventurous daughter is having a blast.
Living in Siargao for the past four years, Jordan has established herself as a professional beach bum but she is also part of NĀGA Siargao Restaurant & Cocktail Bar and Copacabana Siargao, a boutique beach house. She is also passionate about her pottery and surf swimwear line called Junior Varsity.
Jordan and I have been sharing therapy tips and we both agree to finally be in a state of peace, grace, and calmness. Time healed us both individually and Jordan is blooming her own garden. We are both looking forward to our Easter vacation in Australia where we will be complete again with the family.
My youngest daughter Athena Valdes flew home from London for Christmas but she is sadly back for her last year in college. I am equally proud of Athena as she is able to shine in her own space with a future in communications that will hopefully land her a job in London. While she was home, she was able to reconnect with her close friends and even have her annual Christmas bash with all of the Gen Z crowd. I was just happy to see all of her former classmates looking all grown up.
Like mothers, like daughters
Friendships formed in high school are truly the ones that last. We recently reunited with my former classmates of Assumption College HS Batch 81 over a long lunch where we caught up with visiting classmate Kit McDonald. She flew in from Hawaii to attend the wedding of her nephew, Alex Barrera SyCip and Sofia Palaganas. I also attended this wedding because the mother of the bride, Grace Palaganas, is one of my close golf mates.
Another batchmate who is so proud of her daughter is Janine Dario. Her talented daughter Kiara Miren Cuenca Dario is a musical theater actress and is now based in London. She recently made her debut as part of the original West End cast of the major musical “The Great Gatsby” where she also covered the role of Jordan Baker during its 2025 staging at the London Coliseum.
Kiara will be appearing very soon as Gretchen in the famed “Mean Girls” musical that will be touring in the UK and Ireland next month until January 2027. Two Christmases ago, Kiara joined our batch Christmas party that truly elevated the karaoke singing that night. Congrats and good luck Kiara!
Heading north
After the pandemic, I was supposed to take my girls to Antarctica but plans were foiled so it never happened. I was so excited that stars have aligned for me to take this cruise this year.
At the appreciation lunch hosted by CITTI Travel lady boss Shan David, we planned this bucket-list adventure. Other guests were Anton San Diego, Joanne Ramirez, Daniela David, Tim Yap, Pinky Tobiano, and Juancho Robles.
Travel came up, as it always does when you put together people who love a good experience. Before long, we were talking about the Arctic and Greenland—destinations that feel almost unreal until you remember they’re very much there, waiting. And naturally, the conversation led to Silversea, which has become the shorthand for expedition travel that doesn’t ask you to give up comfort, style, or the pleasure of being looked after.
Greenland has a particular pull. It’s vast and dramatic, with fjords that cut through the landscape like something drawn in pencil, and glaciers that make you feel small in the best way. The Arctic, too, has that rare kind of quiet—white horizons, crisp air, and a sense that you’re seeing a part of the world that still feels untouched.
This isn’t the type of trip you do for novelty. It’s for those who want something deeper than a pretty view—a change of pace, a reset of perspective. Silversea understands that balance well. Expedition days can be full but what makes the experience appealing is returning to a space that still feels refined at the end of it all. It’s adventure without chaos, discovery without discomfort.
Shan and Daniela David, who have built a reputation on thoughtful, seamless luxury travel, were particularly keen on how the Arctic and Greenland can be done beautifully.
So, if the Arctic and Greenland have been on your mind lately, there’s a special sailing promo worth looking into—just reach out to CITTI Elite at +63 917 800 6010.
And then, as all good lunches do, we swung back home—to the city, to what’s new, and to where everyone seems to be going next.
Contemporary yet progressive
Right now, that place is Restaurant Idalia at Citrine Residences in Salcedo Village, Makati. If you’ve been hearing the name more often lately, there’s a reason. Restaurant Idalia has quickly become one of Makati’s most talked-about dining spots—stylish, intimate, and exactly the kind of restaurant that feels current without trying too hard. The room has a confident energy: warm lighting, a well-dressed crowd, and the unmistakable sense that this is where people are choosing to celebrate, catch up, or simply enjoy a really good night out.
It’s the sort of place that makes you want to linger—over the last few bites, the last few stories, the last few minutes before you step back into the rush of the city.
Sometimes that’s what lifestyle is, really: imagining the next journey while enjoying the present one.
