The prodigal daughter is back

When Daisy Romualdez celebrated her birthday last Feb. 6, there was a special glow about her. The reason? As Funfare reported weeks ago, her prodigal daughter Danita Paner came home before Christmas last year after having been “AWOL” for several months.

It was an advance birthday gift for Daisy who has learned how to “loosen up a bit” on Danita and not to be too strict with her.

“I realized that the young today are different from those of my time,” said Daisy. “They are more impulsive, mas mapusok. Danita can go out with friends and if she comes home late, all she has to do is call me.” After all, she’s turning 20.

“I have learned my lesson, too,” admitted Danita who, without Daisy’s knowing it, was taken care of by her father, Manny Paner, who rented a pad for her and made sure that, you know, she “behaved.”

In fact, Danita agreed to be a guest singer in the Valentine concert Daisy produced under her own production.

“I have apologized to Mommy,” said Danita, “and we never looked back. Wala nang sumbatan. Move on na lang kami pareho.”

Daisy is now giving Danita a free hand in deciding whether to continue her rudely-interrupted singing career or not.

“It’s up to her,” said Daisy. “I’m sure that when she has her own children, she will understand that I had to be strict with her only because, like any mother, I just wanted to protect her. Look at Tina (Paner, Daisy’s other daughter now in Spain). Nang magka-anak, she told me, ‘Mommy, now I understand kung bakit ka ganyan.’ Danita will know when the time comes.”

FOB soloist’s girlfriend a Pinay

Patrick Stump, the lead vocalist of Fall Out Boy (which performed at the Big Dome last night), has a soft spot for the Philippines because his girlfriend is part-Filipina.

“That’s why I love adobo,” he told Funfare in a one-on-one four hours before he and fellow FOB Pete Wentz (bassist), Andy Hurley (drummer) and Joe Trohman mounted the stage. “She cooks it all the time. She’s here with me.”

It’s the FOB’s second visit here.

Asked how he usually spends Valentine’s Day, Patrick (who sat for the interview with Joe whose body is decorated with colorful tattoos), Patrick said, “Just like everybody else. But then, we are usually on the road, so I spend Valentine’s either in advance or later.”

And what song would he court a girl with?

“A Nat King Cole song, definitely! I’m a big fan of the icon.”

Before coming, the FOB guys performed in Japan and Singapore.

“We love it here,” said Patrick. “Performing here is much less stressful than performing in other places.”

The quartet’s latest album is Folie a Deux, released locally by MCA Music, Inc.

Pinoy siblings turning heads in Sweden

Here for a visit is Lariemar Duroy Krokvik with his mother, Nelda Duroy (who is from San Isidro, Northern Samar). A record producer back in Sweden where the Krokviks are based (dad is Lars Krokvik), Lariemar got his love for music from Nelda who was a performer when she was younger. He started writing songs at age 13 and soon learned how to produce his own music.

He competed in the Swedish Melody Festival, placing 10th in the finals. Now an established artist/producer/songwriter, he writes songs for other artists including his little sister Lani-Kae.

Born in 1993 in Vasteras, Sweden, Lani-Kae attended dance classes. At age nine, she won the Swedish championship in disco dancing. She started singing with the school choir.

The siblings want to try their luck here. Lariemar and his parents will be back with Lani-Kae in June.

Lucita finds a new love

Widowed for more than 11 years (her husband, character actor Rodolfo “Boy” Garcia, died in 1998), Lucita Soriano has found a new love in the person of Michael Meir, 72, whom she’s marrying today in Sacramento, California, where Lucita lives (and works for a Christian group which raises funds for the homeless in the Philippines). Officiating pastor is Wally Magdangal. A widower, Meir is a civil engineer whose three children are all engineers.

In a phone chat with Funfare, Lucita said that she and Meir met during a Bible study.

“Answered prayer,” said Lucita. “Pinagdasal ko talaga na sana Born-Again din ang mapangasawa ko.”

The newlyweds will spend their honeymoon in Texas with the family of Lucita’s son Gary Boy who is married to a medical technologist with whom he has two kids.

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