A grand party
for a grand guy

It was the party of the season! The fabulous birthday celebration of popular southern gentleman, Nene Rojas, was well-attended by the cosmopolitan elite, the movers and the shakers, as well as his friends and admirers from way back when.

The sprawling Rojas residence was bedecked with lights while a cool December breeze blew gently on the big crowd gathered around the vast garden and swimming pool.

Nene and his lovely wife Lourdes , with the rest of their family, welcomed the guests and made sure everyone was having a good time. Even Boy Montilla, Lourdes ' irrepressible brother, was there despite his recent massive heart attack, to greet the birthday celebrator. “How could I miss this?”, Boy exclaimed.

Each table had a bottle of delicious wine from Nene's famous wine collection (“One of the best I've seen”, according to a well-traveled British guest).

Lourdes looked like she had just stepped out of Vogue magazine with her pristine white evening attire and her drop-dead-gorgeous jewelry. The glamorous ladies simply couldn't help but stare! Most of Nene's friends kept asking how he managed to look so young and debonair all these years. With a typical twinkle in his eyes, Nene exclaimed, “Just enjoy life. Be happy”! (How aptly put!).

Everything was first class – the décor, the wine and ahh, the delectable food! The scrumptious cuisine was superb, which had the guests coming back for seconds. With his typical urbane charm and hospitality, Nene hopped from table to table, exchanging pleasantries and laughing over jokes with friends (Nene is known for his naughty sense of humor), while making sure their glasses were full. Most of the guests stayed on until late to enjoy the party. What a delightful and happy occasion. It was a fitting celebration for such a well-loved guy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NENE!