My other promdi province

Through the years, through all the good and bad

I knew how much we had, I’ve always been so glad to be with you

I’m so glad I stayed right here with you

Through the years — Kenny Rogers

also interpreted by Zsa Zsa Padilla

Whenever people ask me about my province, I always tell them that I’m from Laguna where my father’s family is from. In fact, I did an episode of Balikbayan, a Q-11 show in my hometown where I proudly showed off a street called Tatlonghari which is my family name and toured the province stopping at my favorite longganisa place, my grand aunt Zeny’s resort and a country inn/artist’s haven called Casa San Pablo.

While I’m proud of my hometown, I also fondly call Las Vegas my other province. You see, even if my grandparents both met in San Juan, Metro Manila and raised their kids there, most of my life they have lived in Las Vegas together with all five of my mama’s siblings.

My lolo, Carlos “Sonny” Padilla Jr. moved to Las Vegas after the biggest fight in the history of boxing: Thrilla in Manila where he refereed boxing legends Cassius Clay “Muhammad Ali” and Joe Frazier. In the two fights before Thrilla, Frazier complained that he was losing because Ali was always holding, clinching or pushing and the referee did nothing about it. My lolo described to me his unique style to make things fair during the match: “Tinatapik ko si Ali at tinatanggal ko ang kamay niya. Kaya pag humawawak siya kay Frazier, tapik, (I call a) break, tapos tinatanggal ko ang kamay niya.” (I would tap Ali and remove his hand from Frazier. That’s why when he’d hold Frazier, (I would) tap him, break, then move his hand). His action to the fouls made it a more exciting bout because it resulted in what he calls “non-stop boxing.” At one point, my lolo stopped the fight and held Ali’s nape to give him a warning for holding the back of Frazier’s neck. This totally shocked Ali because no other referee had enough guts to stand up to “the greatest” like that. For that, my lolo was voted Referee of the Year in 1976 in Boxing Illustrated after which he got refereeing jobs in Las Vegas. He continued on to referee boxing greats like Mike Tyson and of course Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. On top of refereeing, he also took on every job he could for his beloved family. Now, lolo reaps the benefits knowing that his offsprings live more than comfortably in Nevada.

My lolo couldn’t have picked a better spot on the map. The great thing about going to Las Vegas is that you get to see the world in just one strip. You can experience the gondolas of Venice at The Venetian, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe of Paris, the sphinx and a modernized pyramid of Egypt at the Luxor, old New York, the changing skies of old Rome at Caesar’s Palace, medieval castles at Excalibur, and underwater treasures at the Mandalay Bay.

There was one place we couldn’t find though, the Montecito Hotel and Casino which my mom kept looking for. Of course, the place only exists on TV series Las Vegas. I was looking for the show’s star, handsome heartthrob Josh Duhamel, fiancé of Black Eyed Peas Fergie Ferguson but I learned that the show just got canceled. But then again there’s never a shortage of stars in the world’s Entertainment Capital. I may not be lucky enough to have lived in the glorious days of the Rat Pack but I’m thankful to have watched Michelle Branch, Paul McCartney and most recently my future ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake in a concert. On this trip I saw two musicals, Phantom of the Opera at The Venetian and Spamalot at the new Wynn Hotel. Phantom of the Opera was extra exciting because the production value was heightened Vegas style. It’s a given that the music and acting were great but I have to hand it to the chandelier that had a scene-stealing move. The prop was broken into four pieces scattered directly above the audience and it flew around into once spaceship like chandelier after a well-choreographed routine.

Apart from the shows, the sight-seeing, the gambling, the shopping, I was in Las Vegas to celebrate my grandparents’ 50th anniversary. It’s another big day after my mom’s successful 25th anniversary concerts at the Mandarin Oriental’s Captain’s Bar. Somehow, I still can’t wrap my head around what this celebration really means. I live in an age where “monthsary” actually became a word since couples hardly ever reach anniversaries.

Nevertheless, I felt extra pressure thinking of a perfect gift since I’m the firstborn apo (grandchild). Plus, I’ve always prided myself in giving good self-made anniversary gifts because I’m very kuripot or to be more politically correct with myself, let’s just call me — thoughtful.

I fixed up a couple of video presentations for the party. The first was the usual barrage of video greetings of family and friends. I ran around the noontime variety show I’m in called SOP with a gigantic professional P2 camera which of course made the cameramen look at me with a cute smile on their faces because I looked like one of them. I also got two good-looking directors to help me out as cameramen, Dingdong and my cousin Raphe Fernandez, son of Ninang Lorna (Tolentino) and Tito Rudy Fernandez. And my friend edited the video for free. I was still right on budget.

I also made a simple slideshow of pictures with my Mac laptop. I added pictures from CDs and USB sticks until the very last minute in my Kate Torralba party dress to make sure that everyone had a nice moment in the presentation.

The crowd favorite during the party was a short video called Secrets to a Happy Marriage starring Dingdong as my lolo, my sister Zia as my grandmother Kating Perez Padilla or Manga as we fondly call her, and my blonde bunso (youngest) cousin Cayden as himself. The lead actors were both very funny. Dingdong gamely donned a bow tie and bugged me to lend him my eyeliner so that he could draw a mustache to complete my lolo’s referee look best known in his classic Family rubbing alcohol: ”Di lang pampamilya pang-isports pa” commercial. He has only met my grandfather twice but he did a great impression of him. I cast Zia as my grandmother because she always copies her especially on moments when I tell her I miss our lola. The granny kiss/smell move, the mannerisms, the voice, she’s got it all down packed. Plus she didn’t really need a script, because she was able to improvise from the outline that we made. She was so funny that I had such great trouble holding the camera still. I had to be replaced by my mom award-winning actress/”newbie” camerawoman Zsa Zsa Padilla who I learned is better off in front of the camera than behind it because the actors’ heads kept getting cut off in the shots. In her defense, we didn’t have a camera rehearsal and the cord of the camera was still plugged onto the wall. Anyway, I shouldn’t be one to complain, what else can you expect from what I like to call a “10-peso production.” It’s a good thing that Zia’s last-minute editing was able to save the mini movie.

In contrast to my cheap gift, my mom’s sister Tita Suzy planned out the Golden Celebration very well. The renewal of vows happened at a new restaurant that was dressed up for the occasion. Relatives and friends from Las Vegas, LA and San Diego were mostly present. There was a lot of ballroom dancing and of course a little bit of videoke singing afterwards like most Filipino parties.

The highlight of the evening was the actual ceremony. My grandparents looked stunning. Sweet Tita Suzy gave my lola a manicure and pedicure and my lolo a haircut. Mama, who is spoiled by one make-up artist, a hair stylist and a yaya (assistant) fussing about her during shows took on the task of putting my lola’s make-up. I have never really seen my grandparents holding hands or anything sweet like that but watching them renew their vows was a sight to behold. I even stood up to get a better view. My mom was trying to hold back her tears but when she looked over to her elder sister who was also crying she let go and cried. The guests let out a big Pinoy “Yihee!” when my lolo recited his vows with much feeling.

All of my grandparents’ children, grand children and great grand children were present, the grand children were present except for my sister Nicole who is studying in Australia. It’s nice to be one big happy family. Sometimes, I can’t help but wish that the rest of the Padillas lived in the Philippines with us so that we could have little family gatherings and reunions more often. On the brighter side, it’s always great to brag that I have to go to my province, “The City of Lights” to visit loved ones. And since I have a celebrity mother, it’s nice to be away from the limelight and go to a place where we can be a normal family, where mama cooks spaghetti and sinigang, does the laundry and cleans the dishes. My favorite, funny moment was when mama insisted to go to the grocery store in her cute pink pajamas. We ran into some Filipinos who asked to take a picture but she felt no shame in her attire because she was so happy that she couldn’t care any less about how she looked.

Simple joys run in the family. My lola was so happy to receive my modest pasalubong, a book of famous Filipino lullabies and folk songs called Antukin. She loved my gift because it is her one hope to make her Filipino values live on in her Americanized grandchildren and great grandchildren. Like the many saints and family pictures scattered all around the house, my grandparents and their milestone anniversary are simple reminders that define who we are. No wonder why Lola Manga and Lolo try to maintain a Filipino atmosphere of food from the Filipino stores, sound of GMA Pinoy TV and The Filipino Channel (TFC) on the background, flowers and fruits in the garden, and Lolo’s pet rooster crowing in the yard, it is their way of preserving the family and their traditions in a place where forgetting is easy because of the many new sights to behold and places to discover. Las Vegas with all its glitz and glamor is no match to the love that surrounded the golden couple and our family during their wedding anniversary.

What a great trip and it ended on a perfect note too, as the plane landed in Manila people started clapping. It was really a trip worthy of a hearty applause, so, I clapped along since there’s nothing better than being true to yourself and unleashing the probinsyana within.