Christmas treat

These holiday seasons are the few hours that make life worth living!

What with all the parties, gift-giving and a small number of reflective flashes, our aches and pains, disappointments and sorrows are temporarily cast aside and, "voila", life is lived to the fullest. Dumaguete's highlight of the fete spell is the annual Christmas Gala that our quintessential working social figure, anesthesiologist in demand Dr. Rico Absin, and the City Tourism Council hosts to benefit the indigent street children of the neighborhood. For seventeen years now, our local "Papa Noel" feed three hundred or more deprived children with a special Christmas Day breakfast, were the kids get to taste the finest feast fare and experience what it is to be special with the gifts they receive.

This year's much looked forward to social event "Christmas Treat" had a change of venue from Dr. Absin's ancestral home, dubbed Dumaguete's Christmas House on Hibbard Avenue, to his new manor (he unassumingly calls it an entertainment center) in Doc's subdivision, Pueblo Genovivo. "Dahlings, let me tell you," this chateau is a must see, with murals, classic frescos on the walls, grand staircase, gigantic chandeliers, spacious rooms, cathedral doors and elaborate furnishings, one wonders if this is a mini Sistine Chapel transported to Dumsville, the Palacio de la Moncloa, or the grand lobby of an Intercon. Amiable Dr. Rico A. simply calls it his Puerto Rico Entertainment Center.

Tickets to the Benefit gala, "Christmas Treat" was sold out a few days earlier. Six hundred of the ville's "who's-who" "who-wants" and a few "who's that", dressed to the nines, trooped to the party place to dine on the finest cuisine of the "Negros Oriental Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association." A well stocked bar with fine wines and spirits heightened the anticipation of watching the comeback concert (her last concert here was 25 years ago) of "Asia's Queen of Song" legendary icon Pilita Corrales.

The concert commenced with a pair of local singing cherubs Kyle Juliano and Angel Ordoñez, followed by several songs rendered by matinee idol and hunk to the max Alfred Vargas. Complete in costume and character, Ernest Hope Tinambacan did the "Impossible Dream" number from Man of La Mancha. The trio of Rimar Donna Elesterio, Blanche Banot and Toby Dichoso charmed the audience. Local boy Chris Verne Arbon proved that there are local talents. Grand diva Pilita Corrales was a marvel as she thoroughly floored the gazing crowd with a repertoire of well known and much loved songs. She did encore after encore! Undoubtedly Pilita is still a diamond to watch on stage.

Truly an evening of treat for all seasons! May "moi cher lecteurs" have a fabi new year ahead..NOUS!*