A visit to yesterday

It has been 10 years since the last visit of international plangga, social icon and party guru Maurice Arcache to our gentle shores. He breezed into town for a weekend working and socializing visit. Primarily, it was a working sojourn. In the company of editor Anton San Diego of the Philippine social and lifestyle bible “Philippine Tattler”, photography genius Wig Tysman and his crew of two, and writer Marge Enriquez, they came to see for themselves the beauty of place and people.

Palangga Maurice is a well-known personality in these parts. When he was young and beautiful…Ooops he is still beautiful!…summers were fun with the Arcache clan headed by papa Joseph (he owned the first bowling alley in Dumaguete) with their black Cadillac, hopping from hacienda to hacienda, partying like there was no tomorrow. The Arcaches were then the toast of the Oriental Negrense party scene.

To welcome old friends, low-keyed socialite of yesteryears, Mari-Cris Teves, hosted a lunch at our ancestral home, Hacienda Santa Teresita, Bais, for the convivial group. She whipped up with her culinary fingers dishes that Maurice and his Manila bigwigs enjoyed. For starters there was a crisp fresh green salad with a special poppy seed dressing, supporting the gastronomic extravaganza was Eggplant Parmigiana and Sweet and Sour Fish, the main attraction was Chicken curry with all the imaginable trimmings. Desert was local specialty Frozen Braso Mercedes and pastries from “Chocolat”. Completing the working day was a dinner hosted by Entang del Prado Carballo in her “Casablanca” of Hacienda Florentina.

The places highlighted in this part of Negros was the Dumaguete boulevard, the plaza, St. Paul’s College garden, Silliman Hall, the Sagarbarria chateau, Dr. Rico Absin’s dramatic new Shakesperean theater style house, the Teves ancestral home, and the del Prado sugarcane fields in Bais.

The beautiful people to be featured include Mariant Escaño Villegas, Bebot Teves Laurel, Mari-Cris Teves, Jack and Prestin Raymond, Irene Villanueva Wicklin, Entang Carballo, Lucille Raymond Villanueva, Alex Teves, Marilou Ortiz, Amanda Diago Vicente, congressman Herminio and Victoria Teves, Chiquiting Sagarbarria, Dr. Rico Absin and a “surprise!”.

It was a heartwarming visit to yesterday for palangga Maurice. “Hurry up and be back soon!….NOUS!*