Parties, parties, parties galore!

It's the season of endless parties! The invitations just kept pouring in, creating havoc on our already expanding figure. Omigosh, how did we ever survive it?

One of the loveliest outdoor garden parties we have been to recently, was the Christmas dinner hosted by our dear friends Perla and Bernard Koehn at their classy, newly-renovated residence. Bernard was the picture of a charming host as he greeted the guests at the entrance. Tall and dusky Perla welcomed us with her stylish elegance and grace. This was an international party filled with their fellow expats from the UK, Australia, France, Yugoslavia, Hongkong and the USA.

The tables were laid out with top-of-the-line silverware and China, complementing the fabulous cuisine which everyone savored with gusto. The guests were in a party mood in no time as wine flowed all evening. The after-dinner conversation was brilliant and scintillating as delightful raconteur Boy Montilla, had us all in stitches with his outrageous stories and jokes. Perla and Bernard's dinner parties are always so delightful and this was no exception. What a beautiful evening it was!

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Boy Montilla hosted his own holiday dinner party at his turn-of-the-century ancestral home few nights later. As we walked into the foyer, we were greeted by the sounds of music from the second floor! Msgr. Gigi Gaston had brought with him the evening's entertainment - a romantic balladeer named Charles Tan, whose singing style reminded one of Josh Groban or Frank Sinatra. The guests settled down with their glasses of red wine and scrumptious canapés as the romantic mood of the love songs filled the air.

After the mini-concert, we all were pampered with Boy's excellent dinner, specially prepared for the occasion. Sounds of laughter filled the air as jet-setter Edouard Garcia regaled us with his funny stories and comments. It was a most enjoyable evening of good food, vivacious guests and enchanting entertainment. A lovely time was had by all!*