Café Bossa Live!

Everybody who is anybody, or who wants to be somebody, made their presence felt the night the Negros Oriental Convention Center was turned into a large “boite” thousands of miles northwest of Rio de Janeiro.

It was a Valentine’s party to end all. Notables from different sectors of NegOr came in droves dressed in dinner chic (thank heavens I did not see any tacky baggy shorts strutting around), to swing and sway with Bossa Nova music, now the rage of the social scene.

The pre-show dinner buffet, so meticulously prepared by McNeloy’s La Caviteña, had the prime ticket “who’s-who” holders enjoy large crisp “Lechon”, “Pasta” with a choice of ala “Bolognese” or “Carbonara”, “Bistek Filipino”, “Fish Sticks with Sauce Tartar”,  “Roast Beef”, a generous fresh “Salad Bar” and  “French Pastries with Ice Cream.” Spirits, and red wine were overflowing in the open bar, all for free. Such a deal it was! Mega producers ED and Stella Du and Tyrone Tejam did wonders with the place. Black mantled tables centered by candles and flowers were sheer romance. Meters and meters of black and red fabrics draped the stage.

Now the star attraction: “Utimo (oohchimo)! La garrohta tem alma carioca! Bravo, Sitti Navarro really has Carioca soul! Close your eyes and you’d think that it’s a young Astrud Gilberto crooning bossa nova in some Rio dance hall. Her rendition of memorable compositions of Antonio Carlos Jobin, Vinicius de Moraes, and George Ben, et al was done with near perfection. Her Portuguese diction is truly native Carioca (residents of Rio). Sitti cha-chaed, sambaed and moved with such grace and fire that many were filled with the “macumba” spirit.

Let me tell you, it was the cheapest way to spend Valentine in Rio; in feel that is! Kudos to Ed and Stella Du, Tyrone Tejam and off course their very kind sponsors for a super production. Thanks for the night...................NOUS!*