Doubly heavenly birthdays

It was a memorable day at the destination of choice for fine authentic Italian cuisine and exquisite wines at Caruso Ristorante Italiano as two drop-dead gorgeous ladies Ruby Chua and Abeth Yu recently celebrated their birthdays with an intimate dinner party. In spite of being busy with all their business, civic and social works, the energetic birthday celebrators were all smiles as a gaggle of close friends were in attendance.

Happy birthday Ruby and Abeth!

(Caruso Ristorante Italiano is located at LRI Building, Bel Air, Makati. For reservations, call 895-2451.)

Good friends and good songs for a great lady

Catholic Women’s Club (CWC) president Nonie Basilio was recently feted with a birthday dinner at her Greenhills home by family and friends. The ageless celebrator was filled with joy as she was supported by her loving husband Bert and children Rowena, Melissa, Joy and Edwin. The FCCP chorale provided the entertainment for the evening with songs and excerpts from Broadway plays. It was altogether a wonderful way of celebrating the birthday of a wonderful lady. Congratulations and more power, Nonie!

Timeless friendship

Old friends get in touch with each other for at least once every year. But as time goes by, gatherings of this nature become more frequent especially with those you grew up with from childhood. This is so true when Maryknoll College girls of yore led by Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP) president Minerva Tanseco thought it best to bond once again and relive happy memories together. Life is like ice cream, enjoy it before it melts, ladies!

A happy hippie wedding

Jayelles writer Joey Araneta Ablaza and his adorable honey Jaye Celestino Bautista will be joined together in a “Happy Hippie” themed wedding ceremony on Jan. 23 at the Seven Suites Hotel Observatory at the Riverbanks Convention Center in Marikina, a spanking new cozy haven along the unpolluted Marikina river with a view of Antipolo hills. Your columnist is invited as one of the principal sponsors for the happy occasion. Best wishes, Joey and Jaye!

Ready to face a beautiful world

It gives me so much joy to see a pretty young girl blossoming into a beautiful woman who’s filled with so much passion and optimism to face the challenges of the real world. Such is what recently came about when Anjelica Anne “Jica” Coronel celebrated her 18th birthday at the Forbes Park Pavillion. This charming Marketing Management freshman of De La Salle University is the proud daughter of Arthur and Janet Coronel who made sure that this once in a lifetime event would be remembered for many years to come. The venue was decorated with a dramatic theme of the roaring ‘20s replete with a sumptuous buffet. Guests had a ball as they came in sync with the voguish motif. Father Horacio Rodriguez officiated the blessing, which was followed by an entrancing song number of Mica Valencia and a glitzy modern cotillion dance by Jica and her friends. May the world be your oyster, Jica!

The 3rd Philippine StarBall gets underway

The country’s biggest, grandest and most anticipated ballroom dance competition is set to take center stage once again. The 3rd Philippine StarBall, an ultra glamorous open international ballroom championship event, will be held at the prestigious Makati Shangri-La Hotel on Feb. 13. The event is spearheaded by organizing committee chairman Michaela “Pinky” Puno who personally invited the top competitors she saw at the Blackpool Festival and the Internationals competition in London. Top professional and amateur ballroom dancers from around the world will show their skills in what is to be the most celebrated dance competition in this part of the globe. See you there!

(For more information, you may call 812-8464.)