What do Marilou Magsaysay & Babygirl Fricke have in common?
Celebrating their birthdays a day apart were my good friends Marilou Kahn Magsaysay and Babygirl Baluyot Fricke. Both plaid-in-the-wool Assumptionistas, it turns out that they also modeled for Aureo Alonzo when top socialites were handpicked by Conchita Sunico and our top couturiers from the 1960-1970s.
I remember that Marilou was a top society belle from Manila to Madrid and would see her photos in Hola magazine as she hobnobbed with Spain’s crème de la crème.
She has been passionately involved with the Philippine Ballet Theatre for almost two decades now as she ensures that this art form continues for the next generation.
Her loving husband, former Senator Jun Magsaysay, was on hand to welcome Marilou’s luncheon guests that included a diverse group of ladies (and a smattering of gentlemen) who always make it a point to greet a beloved friend on her special day. An added bonus was the special blessing bestowed by Fr. Ricardo Valencia right after our sumptuous lunch. He was very kind to ensure that those with health problems would be attended to and prayed over.
Tania Fricke Lichauco, every mother’s perfect daughter, took great pains to ensure that her mom Babygirl Baluyot Fricke’s 70th birthday would be celebrated with a bang, surrounded by her coterie of best friends. But the catch was it had to be a big surprise for the celebrant. Months of planning ensured that everything would flow smoothly — from the delicious dinner menu, the cute video with favorite theme songs that encompassed the various phases of Babygirl’s life to the top secret arrival of Baby’s son Franz all the way from Brussels.
Not suspecting something was brewing, Baby was brought to the Ritz Tower by good friend Conchita Toda for a supposed meeting with a VIP after attending Assumption’s velada. But what was supposed to be a quiet business dinner turned out to be a raucous night that had various groups of friends showing up, all of them having been touched by Babygirl’s friendship. For the first time, the gregarious birthday girl was speechless while her well-wishers surrounded her.
