Dario lays on all-Brazilian treat for Conrad celebration
TO the Conrad, where last night we joined 1,500 other ''close friends'' (as GM Dario Regazzoni addressed us in his invitation) for the Pacific Place hotel's third anniversary.
It was not a good night for the usual crowd of free-loaders that turn up. Strategically placed minders ensured that only the invited ''friends'' got in.
And Dario was on hand to hug and kiss the chosen few.
Since this was an auspicious occasion, the Conrad GM felt a bit of extra grooming was in order.
He told us that he had smartened up by taking a hair-cut - word is that when the hairdresser stared down at Dario's glowing pate the instruction he got was: ''Keep it casual.'' The theme for the night was rumba, samba and everything else Brazilian, with musicians and dancers flown in especially for the party.
Even though he's just returned to Hong Kong after a month's holiday back home, Brazilian Consul-General Arnaldo Carrilho joined the performers on stage to give them some guidelines with a few deft moves.
Varig Airlines regional manager Rino Vitale was hoping that the enthusiastic response shown for the dancers might encourage some of the guests to go back for more to Brazil.
Incidentally, Vitale, a native Italian, who speaks fluent Portuguese (a must for anybody with Brazilian connections), practises his Italian with Dario.
''I'm always speaking Portuguese, and the only chance I get to speak Italian is when I'm with the likes of Dario.'' With that he was off to join the dancing girls before you could say ''Mama mia''.
