Off to a lucky start

Cheers and Kung Hei Fat Choi, everyone! Got lucky this 2025? I know I have! You typically see me closing my columns with “cheers,” but this time, let’s start with it, too, in honor of these occasions.

For Chinese New Year, I painted the town blue with a guy who really knows how to party — Johnnie Walker! And, to me, anyone who knows how to party is a friend of mine. They just launched an exclusive Johnnie Walker Blue Year of the Snake Edition to guarantee us good luck and a good time.

I was one of only 40 people invited to this exclusive celebration at the Red Lantern in Solaire Resort North, so let me give you the exclusive details! This Johnnie Walker Blue boasts an intricate artwork for the year of the snake, which was by the internationally acclaimed contemporary artist James Jean.

I heard it was tradition to share a bottle of JW for Chinese New Year, so this exclusive line can be engraved, too.

And, of course the good-looking bottles are matched by excellent-tasting whisky — a subtly spicy aroma, a hint of sweetness yet luxuriously smoky taste and a rich, golden color. It screams luxury! The perfect gift right?

But it’s so exclusive that you can only get it from two places: Chinatown Lai Lai Hotel and East Ocean Vineyard. So you had better slither into the stores before you run out of luck to get these!

Speaking of luck, mine keeps on going. My next stop for CNY festivities was with my FRENZY group and our very abundant Chinese Lauriat spread. You just can’t go wrong with Shang Palace at Makati Shangri-La, plus singing, dancing and gorgeous friends. A very delicioussss time as we welcomed the Year of the Snake together. All thanks to the "punong abala" a.k.a. our lovely friends Joanne Matschuck and Becky Garcia. Love ya, ladies!

The Year of the Snake is off to a good start! Let’s keep it going, shall we? Cheers!