PI Upset Over GMA's 1M Piso Dinner Party In NY

The top headline today out of Manila regards a general sense of outrage... at least among the chattering class that makes up the press in The Philippines.

While in New York City, President Arroyo and her husband had a wedding anniversary party and 50 people attended. It was at Le Cirque (review), a played-out, gimmicky, high-end chain restaurant in New York City... expensive, but probably not in the top 20 restaurants in New York City, price-wise.

So how much would the bill be? Yes, exactly, a lot... but try explaining that to someone who doesn't understand prices in New York City.

I will: The bill was $20,000. For starters, there was the 20% service charge for a group of 50 people, which alone would have been over $3,000. Add in 30 bottles of champagne at $200 each, plus 200 cocktails (4 per person) at $10 each, plus 30 bottles of wine at $100 each, and you've got an additional $11,000 for the bar tab. Then add 50 appetizers at $20 each, 50 entrees at $40 each, and 50 desserts at $15 each, plus coffee and aperitifs, and you've got an additional $5,000.

So that comes to $19,000 just on a quick baseline guesstimate.

Anyway, to sum it up: For the folks here in The Philippines, $20,000 for a dinner party for 50 people at an upscale restaurant in New York City is very, very par for the course. If you don't like it, just be glad the party wasn't in London or Moscow or Tokyo.

(By the way, having lived in New York City for 6 years, I'll add in a quick link to my favorite restaurant in case anybody wants a recommendation: Becco with its $22 all-you-can-eat pasta dinner is the best pasta meal in New York City. The mushroom walnut ravioli and oxtail rigatoni are fantastic.)