Double birthday

Although it was high season for traveling, our National Palanggâ Maurice Arcache pulled all strings so that I could attend his birthday bash in Imperial Manille. Knowing my penchant for hotel rooms, he bribed me with a stay at the Dusit Hotel in Makati.

Arriving at the front desk, I checked in effortlessly and found myself in my room in 10 minutes flat. However, much to my distress, I could hear some hammering sounds coming from the floor up. Yes, dahlings, the hotel will soon have a complete new look. So, I called the front desk and in a jiff, I found myself in an upgraded executive suite overlooking the Makati skyline with my own living room-office, small kitchen bar and guest powder room, a sprawling bedroom with a walk-in closet and a bathroom filled with luxurious amenities fit for a sheikh!! Inspecting all the cabinets around the suite, I regretted not bringing five wardrobe changes a day…

Staying in a hotel is a necessary luxury when in Manila. When you want to see your friends, make them come and visit you, instead of you braving the traffic, risking life and money to a hold-up and getting kidnapped in a worse scenario! So, I had a steady stream of guests starting with top interior designer Jonathan Matti, banker-financier Andrew Gan and socialite Jay Cu-unjing.

When the birthday boy gave me a buzz, I was ready to beg out from socializing fatigue. But, Maurice knows how to press the right buttons. Sending La Infanta Cristina "Bibing" Villanueva to pick me up in her limo, we proceeded to Shangri-la's Conways Bar where we waited for Maurice to make his entrance. He should have been the one suffering socializing fatigue since he was out of his house from brunch, lunch, merienda, cocktails and dinner-all in the day's agenda with different socialite groupies honoring his special day. But for his intimates, it was the evening revelry that had his best friends lining up as the Spirit of '67 Band played "Happy Birthday" as he entered the dance floor. As usual, drinks flowed; a cake was brought in by his social belles and champagne corks popped like well, popcorn? To make things more sosyal, as midnight approached, Philippine Tatler's All Woman title-holder in their March issue, stylish blonde bombshell Sigalit Djemal blew her birthday candles in the arms of her loving hubby Sinai. When the band ended their jig, we partied till dawn in King of the Night--Louie Ysmael's new Citrus Bar. It'll take me another 10 years to gather enough energy for a Maurice Arcache birthday, let me tell you!!

My Prayer: When I am in the cellar of affliction, let me look for the Lord's choicest wine!*