Skip to main content

The Birthday Surprise

It happened a little more than a month ago, but it took me awhile to gather photos of that rainy Monday night in May. My friend Dinny told me that we're meeting our college chum Myrna from Las Vegas at Ten Years After, the bar across ABS CBN Studios that play good old 80s music. My friends were acting pretty weird that day, one of them, Tonette brought me longanisa from La Union but left in a huff without saying hello because she had to go to the salon. Another friend Rex, accidentally dialed our house number looking for his constant companion, Judy. Mercury must be in retrograde again, I thought to myself.
As Dinny and I alighted from our car at the bar parking lot, the cigarette vendor gave away the surprise, "may private party dyan para kay JC Buendia!" he boasted. My heart was pounding as I entered the bar, the waiters were all lined up leading the birthday song, I was just so happy to see friends all gathered in one room, from fashion, show business, high school, college, the gym and work.
I'd like to thank Lumen Teves for conniving with Dinny Lazo, Eve Maduma, John Cuenco, Noy Naredo and my secretary Eva. I felt so loved!

Ten Years After, Sgt. Esguerra, Q.C.

Oh yes, it was a surprise birthday party!

I was so happy to see so many friends all in one room!

My birthday cake was a yellow refrigerator!!

"Who organized this?"

'My Refigerator Door' cake!

Miss Protons, Kimi Lu!

Birthday squeeze from Nancy Reyes!

"Were you surprised?" ~ Dale de la Cruz

Leading the fashion contingent, Frederick Peralta!

Ed, Erica, Reby and EJ Trinidad with chocolatier Raul Matias.

Go USTe!! Marita Nagar, Jamie Rivera, Candy Ramirez-Lingao and Tonette Aquino

Franco Laurel, Michelle Tomacruz, Rey Lanada, Enrico Villanueva and Rissa Oreta.

Dong Omaga Diaz, Trishan Cuaso, Randy Ortiz, Vic Barba, Tonichi Nocom, Melo Esguerra and Gerry Katigbak.

Tastemakers, Vic Barba, Randy Ortiz and Tonichi Nocom

Our favorite model Trishan Cuaso and Frederick Peralta

Mau de Leon, Joel Ontong, Ton Lao, Michael Carandang, Sonia Agbayani and Frederick Peralta

Fresh in white, Melo Esguerra and Samir Ayeb

Judy Nuevo, Bernard Bolisay, Rex Ruiz, Maxie Cinco and Eric Pineda

Caloy Tan, Eve Maduma and Lumen Teves

Boj Iliscupidez and Brins Al-Tawil

Amanda and Candy Lingao with Marita and Pat Nagar

Ton Lao, Sonia Agbayani and Michael Carandang

Buddy bud, Johann Abellaneda!

Michelle Tomacruz

'Buds' Rey Lanada

Amigos para siempre, Franco Laurel

'Mommee' Olive Isidro

Mr. ABS Joel Mercado and Mr. abs Boom Labrusca

Jackie to my Oleg, Agot Isidro.

Big Birthday hug from Biboy Arboleda!

Through thick and thin, through sick and sin, Biboy Arboleda

Bobby Yan, Grace Molina and Lui Villaruz

John and James Zablan with Sonia and Michael

David Chua

Bong Bong and Bea Teves with Lianne Ang

Johann Abellaneda, Cathy Sy and Cherry Fulgencio

Maa and Viva Reyes

Frederick Peralta, Noy Naredo, Dinny Lazo and Bernard Bolisay

Lianne Ang, Bea Teves and the brains behind the surprise, Lumen Teves.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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
5 comments
Read more

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
2 comments
Read more

Her Name Means Peace

I started blogging five years ago after reading the book  Life On The Refrigerator Door  by  Alice Kuipers.  So touched was I from the story, I named my blog  My Refrigerator Door . Ms. Kuipers wonderfully weaved a story about a daughter and her mother who battled with breast cancer in a series of notes posted on the refrigerator door. Last Sunday, at the funeral of Tita Passy,  Paz Cojuangco-Teopaco,  I was reminded of that beautiful book. She too fought a long battle with the disease, but in her suffering, she has brought her family back together. I met the Teopacos through my good friend  Kris Aquino . In one of Kris's anniversary specials on TV, I was introduced by Kris' mother,  President Cory  to her youngest sister, Passy. After that, I got to bond with Kris's cousins, Tita Passy's daughters,  Marla  and  Rina  in a summer trip to Mindoro. Sharing the same love for sentimental music, and deep affection for Kris's son  Joshua , Rina and I became the b
Post a Comment
Read more