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Thursday, August 03, 2006
Magsaysay: Big ten!
By Jo Magsaysay: Whatever
No, that is most certainly not an Indian fakir, reclining on his bed of nails.
That is, of course, Jaime Picornell who is sporting a smug Cheshire-cat smile and shaking his leg in a salute as he plunges and plumps himself into the comfortable embrace of the new Marriott Hotel beddings. Along with the 2,400 hotels of the Marriott chain world-wide, utilizing over 30 million yards of cotton-rich fabric–immaculate white, non-allergenic, this one in Cebu has down, eider down, those soft fluffy breast feathers of eider duck stuffed into the duvets, comforters and pillows. Gone, indeed, are the days of the lumpy kapok stuffings!
*****
Not to be upstaged, the rest of the group joined Jimmy on the bed and you’ll find Chinggay Utzurrum, Flor Ynclino, Joe Recio looking like fat cats themselves, having just indulged in a divine dinner of lobster pasta and beef tenderloin specially prepared by Chef Robert Lilja to honor the birthday celebrators for the month. That gorgeous man, Karl Hudson, the GM himself, looks every bit the prospective bridegroom anxiously awaiting the days of the altar date with his beautiful Rose. A relatively small affair next month will be attended only by relatives. That’s Cookie Newman, Honey Loop, and Mila Espina, the trio who will be sharing birthday honors next month. That slip of a girl with a big smile is our pet, Dolly Belo and looking prim and proper is Anne Olalo who is oola-la! Director of marketing. And the fattest cat of all, looks like she just swallowed a whale of a fun time!
*****
Bedded down with a raging cough, I missed the golden wedding anniversary celebration of Nonie and Jo Mapeso, a beautiful couple and very special people who have touched many lives with their goodness and generosity of spirit. May the good Lord continue to bless you with His love, my dear friends!
The syncopated rhythm of reggae pulsated…oh momma…oh baby…through the shimmering waters, the swirling and whirling lights punctuating a Carribean night in Plantation Bay.
*****
Haven’t been there since Manny Gonzales scooped up his family to emigrate to Canada. Although he still monitors the goings-on of the resort (he is high-tech, ultra, the keyboards of his several computers at his fingertips) shuttles to and fro ever so often to look over the progress of the new pool, chairs the board meetings, Manny begged off from attending the 10th anniversary celebration of Plantation Bay. Being a family man above all others, he had just very recently been presented with a brand new baby by his lovely Ellen, a baby brother to Goldy and Clara. Besides the self-effacing president and chairman of the board knows Plantation Bay is in the good hands of GM Efren Belarmino.
*****
Perfectly fine for Millie Sembrano, Fe Sala Villarica and Vivina Chiu Yrastorza, who enjoyed the festivities as special guests of Manny’s mom, our dear friend, the elegant Titang Cuenco Gonzales. Galapagos was where the action was, where guests, carved wooden medallions dangling from multicolored beads around their necks were seated under colorful nylon tents, supported by poles entwined with brilliant birds of paradise, orchids, lobster claws and hibiscus. Finding Nemo the clown fish was a cinch! He was in every glass bowl swimming happily with his friends as centerpiece on each table. Life-size ice sculptures of a man and woman presided over a long table where a mountainous heap of every conceivable tropical fruit was amassed. And then some: plums, apples, grapes from Japan, mandarin oranges and Bangkok tamarind.
*****
Tomtoms throbbing, Edu Manzano, an "imported" talent from Manila, announced the start of the program while the guests feasted on the gargantuan buffet spread. GM Efren Belarmino, affectionately referred to as "Mr. B" by his staff and personnel, welcomed all the guests and introduced the Board of Directors including the absentee president and chairman of the board, Manny C. Gonzales, Atty. Jose Palma Jr., corporate secretary; Atty. Beth Reyes, corporate treasurer and Carmen Fernandez Beaves, Jose Jalandoni, Arthur Palou, Celine Gonzales Conejos, Nanette de Leon, George Francisco, Jose Manuel Dabao and Oscar Barrera, directors. Very special guests were Cebu City Mayor Tomas and Margot Osmeña and Lapulapu City Mayor Arturo and Paz Radaza.
*****
To the beat of more drums, a company of dancers in riotous costumes gyrated and wiggled a lively calypso, chorused a syncopated reggae and snaked their way around the tables down to the bonfire, on the beach to welcome a launch loaded with more guests, Pirates of the Caribbean.
Johnny Depp would have been perfectly at home with his rakish swishes. A razzle-dazzle of fireworks out in the Bay. That’s certainly money going up in smoke. Georgia Osmeña shushed me "Shh, my ex-in laws will hear you!"
There I go again, the party-pooper! Still and all it was a glorious ending to a perfectly wonderful evening! (Psst! Did I tell you Georgia O. almost floored me with her brand new figure? Incredibly, unbelievably and splendidly slim! High carbo diet, she shares her secret). Give-away souvenirs were CD’s of sweet and lovely cocktail music by Plantation Bay’s very own artists, Danny Sinugbuhan and Jesruel Lucero, to cherish memories.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 3, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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