WHEN the invite comes from Lexus, it’s inviting. Always. As it was anew one recent weekday. Not weekend, mind you, because Lexus has obviously realized how important a weekend is these days to the poor prisoner of the asphalt jungle, where traffic could now virtually steal a family gathering when improperly planned—weekend or not.
And Lexus sends its invites way too early, always, so that you practically do not have any reason to say no.
In fact, that’s how it should be done. Always. Invites should be sent not days, not even weeks, but months in advance—most of the time, if not all of the time. Saves you the trouble of receiving regrets.
And what was the invite again from Lexus?
Well, in the grand tradition of Lexus, the invite was a “simple” road trip to Tagaytay City—at Tagaytay Midlands/Highlands to be exact.
No frills.
No fanfare.
No nothing.
You only get to either ride or drive a Lexus model, and that’s just about it. About close to a dozen of us did just that, and it was like you were recharged the whole year already after the trip—even if it was but an overnight stay in an imposing log-cabin type of a hotel up there in the skies.
To those wanting to play golf at Tagaytay Midlands upon arrival at the mountaintop, they got their wish.
To those wanting to have a spa or massage, or both, at Tagaytay Highlands, Frances, Winda, Kate and Lu were only too willing to oblige.
To those wanting to “just” see the sights, smell the flowers, sniff mountain chill and feed the eyes with a lake of serene green, sky of blue and lush hills of flora and fauna, indulge.
And, finally, to those wishing only to escape from life’s drudgery of city life, even if only momentarily, and just fling yourself to a pillow-laden, cotton-soft bed for an afternoon sleep (not nap, mind you), not even President Duterte could stop you.
Any choice would be very fine, as the Lexus “grand tradition” sticks strictly to what would suit its guests to the hilt.
Well, for the record, it was Danny “Sir John” Isla, the first Lexus president, who started it all.
Sometime after Lexus Manila was launched in 2009, Sir John brought several Lexus guests to Pampanga.
“What’s the trip about?” someone asked Sir John.
“Wala lang,” came Sir John’s answer. “Makalamiyerda lang sa labas ng siyudad.”
It was basically a food trip to a popular restaurant, the entourage loaded into Lexus models, and treated to a sumptuous lunch in an old house frequented by both the well-heeled and hoi polloi.
The trip had no theme at all, but that journey has remained a hot conversation topic to this day to those lucky enough to be selected to join the “wala lang” outing, courtesy of Sir John.
Well, I’m sure the latest Lexus sojourn in Tagaytay, with Raymond T. Rodriguez now at the helm of Lexus, will also be remembered for its divine dinner and dear drinks at the Steak House. The Macallan nightcap would surely add to the fabled Lexus lore of gathering its friends using the most uncanny and stunningly unexpected reason, if only to elicit a yes again to another Lexus invite. Soon.
Sometimes, if not oftentimes, the simplest of things—like “wala lang”—would stand out to be the best. Indeed, simplicity is beauty.
How do you solve a problem like Maria?
MARIA Isabel Lopez, the former beauty queen-turned-movie actress, is in hot water for crashing into the Edsa Association of Southeast Asian Nations lane reserved for delegates and personnel of the just-ended summit in Manila.
She said she committed the offense because, after three hours of being stuck in traffic, she couldn’t control her bladder anymore.
“I apologize,” Maria said. “I am only human.” But officials aren’t biting, and want Maria punished by revoking her driver’s license on top of a P5,000 fine.
I have a soft heart for Maria because after her pageant victory in the 1980s, I wrote about her victory that landed at Panorama, the Bulletin’s Sunday magazine.
And so, maybe, let’s increase the fine to, maybe, P25,000, but not revoke Maria’s license?
Denying her a license to drive is already like capturing her car, too. As a first-time offender, doesn’t she deserve a little compassion?
PEE STOP You know Christmas is just around the bend when invitations from car companies for Christmas parties start arriving in torrents—almost. Honda is first this time, holding its Christmas bash on December 1. Eon is next on December 5; Isuzu, December 7; and BMW December 8. As usual, Christmas traffic is a major factor in the scheduling of parties…. Erratum: The Vios Cup’s Race 4, “The Final Showdown,” is on November 25 at Clark International Speedway in Angeles City, Pampanga. Celebrities in the race for one last time are Fabio Ide, Ella Cruz, Dominic Roque, Gretchen Ho, Jake Cuenca, Aubrey Miles and Troy Montero. The usual race buffs will be there, too. See you.
Image credits: Randy S. Peregrino