So much to be grateful for

Mama Rosing (center) with Alita, Algier and Amor. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The last hurrah of the year 2015 has given us so many reasons to celebrate and feel grateful.

It began weeks ago, when our friend Alita Divino’s dear mother, Rosario Lontoc Divino (Mama Rosing), marked her 100th birthday with a festive dinner-dance party at Oasis Manila! It was attended by her loving children, Alita, Amor Divino Baldos and Algier, relatives and friends from Pola, Mindoro.

It’s a rare gift of joy to be able to celebrate a loved one’s 100th year, and drink deep of the “centennial” continuum she embodies, so the celebrant’s well-wishers were thrilled to effusively wish her—an even longer life!

Next came our dear friend and theater producer, Lay Ann Orlina, who marked her own natal day more simply—since she still has a long way to go before having to blow out 100 candles!

Cheloy Dans HKPINOYTV

Lay Ann is one of our favorite people due to her many sterling qualities—which she prefers to keep out of public view as the wind beneath acclaimed sculptor Ramon Orlina’s wings!

As luck and pluck would have it, the month of December started with an even bigger and brighter bang when Cheloy Dans took us to Tagaytay last week, to attend Ramon’s own celebration of his 40th year as an artist, which was held at his very own Museo Orlina.

In only a couple of years, the beautiful building has become a “must” destination for art lovers. The celebration was timed to coincide with his latest exhibition of glass sculptures, which gleamed with the pledge and promise of 40 more creative and prolific years to come!

Wisely opting to avoid the heavy traffic on the way back home, Cheloy decided to spend the night at the beautiful Sonya’s Garden, where we were able to enjoy, not just a blissful sleep, but also a healthy and yummy dinner, and breakfast the following day!

Best of all, we were treated to a miniconcert featuring singer-guitarist Mang Sofronio. The resort’s resident kundiman exponent is the best and best-kept secret in Tagaytay—so be sure to request for his special harana the next time you’re at Sonya’s.

The following day, before we parted ways, we wished dear Cheloy a happy, happy birthday on Dec. 9.

As fortuitous coincidence would have it, another dear friend, Butch Francisco, was also born on the same day—so, we wished him happy birthday in advance as well when, last Dec. 5, we went with him to attend the Inquirer’s 30th anniversary dinner and book launch at the Marriott Hotel.

We were trapped for hours in traffic gridlock, but the arduous experience was rendered less traumatic by the fact that Butch was such a cool and interesting conversationalist—and cogridlockee!

Next came theater producer and Mabuhay Restop owner Rose Cabrera’s natal day last Dec. 8, which we made a point to celebrate, because Rose is one of the very few lovers of Philippine arts and culture who have actually put their money and passion where their mouths are.

And, last Dec. 9, we made sure that we were present and all accounted for at the Inquirer’s 30th anniversary bash—because we owe this paper and its many readers a lot of what we are today!

So much to celebrate and be grateful for—and it’s only Dec. 12! There are more celebrations to look forward to—capped by Christmas, which still means the world to us, because it’s the season, reason and frisson for giving, living and loving!