The Night Lady Gaga Wept

How lucky can one get? Monday night, I was one of those lucky ones invited by Bench to watch Lady Gaga's Born This Way Ball in their private box at the Mall of Asia's Arena.

Rain clouds threatened as thousands of Gaga fans queued to get in to the stadium. This was to be the very first event at this venue. Not much of a Gaga fan, I was excited watching all those who dressed to the nines like their idol as I was seeing the marvelous sets and costumes.

I think like any artist, Lady Gaga wants to break barriers and delight us with shock. Towards the end of the show, jet lagged and fatigued, she wept as she thanked the adoring crowd. Just like any of us, she simply wants to be loved.

The spanking new Arena at the Mall of Asia grounds.

The Bench Suite at the Arena.

The Bench private box.

With fellow designer Michael Cinco.

International stars, Michael Carandang and Michael Cinco.

The front act!

Doing the royal wave!

The grand entrance, Lady Gaga on a black stallion.

The opening number.

Lady Gaga talking head reminded me of the Queen in Snow White.

After the concert.

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The House Of Dr. Luis Santos

Our tour of Malolos continues, from the Cojuangco ancestral house http://myrefrigeratordoor.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-cojuangco-ancestral-house.html , our gracious host Melecio Cojuangco brought us to the house of Dr. Luis Santos. Mel arranged the visit with one of the heirs of Dr. Santos, George Imperial . From the outside, one would already be in awe of the sheer size of the house. The house was built in 1933, according to the marker by the gate. Upon entering, you will marvel at the grand staircase, the expansive receiving room and the foyer filled with hard bound medical books and mementos of Dr. Santos' career as a well loved doctor in this town. The second floor was something else, as our group slowly ascended the magnificent staircase, my heart literally skipped a beat at the sight of the ceiling mural and Art Deco details. We found out later that the mural was painted by the great Fernando Amorsolo himself. There was a private chapel in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes

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The Cojuangco Ancestral House

Our next journey takes us to a historic town in Bulacan, thirty minutes north of Manila. My road trip buddies, my college friends who all share with me the same fascination for heritage houses were privileged by an invitation from Melecio Cojuangco to visit their ancestral house in Malolos. Mel, his cousin in law Marissa Lopa, Rima Datuin and Evelyn Bautista and I discovered each other's funny bone because of our love for the ice cream served in a huge bowl at Peninsula Manila's lobby. One evening, to justify our appetite, we pretended it was my birthday and we had the string quartet play happy birthday for me, from then on, we became good friends. Mel's grandfather, Jose Cojuangco was born at the Malolos house, very near the Barasoain Church. Jose's mother traded rice from Nueva Ecija, sacks transported by boat via the river at the back of the kamalig to Binondo, Manila. Like most turn of the century houses, the Cojuangco house uses piedra china stones f

My Refrigerator Door

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