Our actions have consequences
“Realize that everything connects to everything else.” —Leonardo da Vinci
Love and karma have been brewing in my life these past few months. Karma, the universal law of cause and effect, reminds us that our actions have consequences that ripple through time. As they often say, “What goes around comes around.” So, the love I shared last year is my positive karmic reward for choosing self-love and family love.
For the birthday celebrations of Tinkay Prieto, my daughter-in-law, and her kids Louie and Naia, we all headed to beautiful Balesin Island to enjoy a family vacation in paradise. It was wonderful to be back after years and to check out the exquisite villages.
With the main clubhouse as the centerpiece, the island’s seven themed villages include Mykonos, Toscana, Costa del Sol, St. Tropez, Phuket, Bali, and Balesin, and in addition to each village’s own restaurant, members and their guests can enjoy a variety of international cuisines, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and German, ensuring everything, from the architecture and interior design to landscaping and food, is authentically recreated.
There are quite a lot of enhancements to keep the unparalleled luxury experience. This includes the redesign of the villas in the signature village, Balesin Village. The villas’ new interior exudes a refreshed ambiance, featuring a lighter, airier feel complemented by elegant finishes.
St. Tropez, the island’s French-inspired village, also introduces new room configurations—great for when you’re hosting an event on the island.
For this trip, we stayed at my favorite Bali village. The villa is more spacious and the beach access is so convenient for my morning swim. Additionally, the island’s newly elevated cuisines include the new menus of Bali Warung, Casa Grande, and Han-Gang Mama Lee. Bali Warung launched a more authentic menu and dining experience with the help of Indonesian veteran chefs, who also added touches in creating a warmer ambiance in the restaurant.
Pickle ball, new spa
For my active kids, Balesin now offers pickle ball as well as tennis, archery, horseback riding, kayaking, windsurfing, and more. Another exciting activity to add to the list of Balesin must-tries is the Kingfisher Cruise, which offers an exhilarating ride aboard the Kingfisher rigid inflatable speedboat, made even more unforgettable with a snorkeling adventure or a picturesque seaside picnic.
I will have to return to enjoy the redesigned The Leea Spa, formerly Balesin Spa. It is named after the Leea flower that graces the island’s nature trails, and invites members and guests to unwind with a selection of rejuvenating treatments, from timeless favorites to indulgent new therapies.
As a members-only resort, Balesin Island truly offers a rare blend of convenience, exclusivity, and timeless charm—a private escape where families can journey through the world’s most beautiful destinations, all woven into a single enchanting island.
I flew home early to receive an award presented by the Rising Tigers Magazine. Together with InCharge Magazine and TopNewsAsia, Rising Tiger awarded the Top 50 Influential People in the Philippines. The organizers carefully selected the most influential who come from different industries but share the same characteristics: determined, a leader, and making an impact in society today.
At the exclusive Manila House in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, 50 of the influential leaders in society today were presented with a special trophy. According to owner Grace Bondad Nicolas, the awardees are effective in their fields of business, and their actions and opinions play an important part in the betterment of our country. They are the top of their industry and shape the progress of the nation.
Among the many, I was alongside Anton San Diego, Tim Yap, lawyer Nilo Divina of Divina Law, Anna Magkawas of Luxe Health & Wellness, Pia Yanson, Charisse Tinio of Nice Print Photo, Iza Calzado, Glenda Dela Cruz of Brilliant Skin, Chynna Mamawal, Rosanna Ocampo, Brian Poe Llamanzares, Justice Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez, and Leo Po of Century Food.
Celebrate love and life
It was delightful to see Marvin Agustin as well at the awarding. Together with his ’90s “love team” Jolina Magdangal, we watched the special premiere of their new movie, “Ex Ex Lovers.” Partly filmed in Malta, the romcom movie was very entertaining and touching. I even cried at the end. I am also excited to feature both in an upcoming episode of my new show in the Bilyonaryo News Channel called “Love On Top.”
We really should celebrate love and life. With the tragic passing of our greatest Filipino chef Margarita Forés, we are reminded that life is so unpredictable and uncertain. We were so saddened by the news on the same day as the premiere.
After the movie, my partner and I went to the new Lusso at The Podium to celebrate the birthday of good friend Cyndi Fernandez-Beltran. The stylish and hardworking interior designer was so elated with the kind words of friends and sparkling gifts from her hubby and business partner Mado Beltran. We celebrated the food greatness of Margarita that night at Lusso, and we will miss her dearly!
Mado and Cyndi will be my guests in “Love On Top” soon, as well as Heart Evangelista and Sen. Chiz Escudero. Gorgeous birthday girl Heart just turned 40 and also jointly celebrated her 10th anniversary with her hubby Chiz. We will be featuring their celebration and more with the help of Charisse Tinio of Nice Print. Happy birthday also to my brother, Paolo Prieto, and good friends Carlo Umali and Sunny Ku.
Let’s all honor our loved ones with love, respect, and kindness so we can in turn receive karmic love abundantly back. Happy Valentine’s Day!
