To each his own

The dynamic yet soft-spoken director of Instituto Cervantes, Javier Galvan, hosted a dinner at Casino Español during which "hispanistas" foregathered. Mayor Mary Jane Ortega, in fluent Spanish, exhorted those present to speak the language of Cervantes at every opportunity.

Forthwith, Sr. Galvan announced IC’s cultural program of stimula-ting conferences and lectures by brilliant academicians, choice Spanish films (with English subtitles), poetry reading sessions and lively presentations of music and dance. Have you seen the latest issue of Reseña, the colored, giant-sized IC gazette?

The despedida dinner hosted by my distinguished neighbors Terence D. Jones, undp resident representative, and his wife Trinh Thi Bic Lien was a unique encounter of East and West. To begin with, the English Mr. Jones is married to a Vietnamese. The honorees Ambassador Roland Van Remoortele and his artist-wife Sylvia are Belgian and Singaporean, respectively. Siemens President-ceo Hans Weckherlin is Swiss; his wife Chung Wah, Singaporean. Aiko Taylor is Japanese.

The buffet table pointed up the hostess’ culinary wizardry; the house manifested her imaginative and highly original home decorating skills. She even gave us printed instructions on how to carve a flower from a small, green papaya. (Such a flower was at our table.) Indeed, with Oriental touches, she has turned the family residence into a tourist attraction!

The diverse nationalities that evening led to lively and interesting dinner talk.

Well-loved Russian Ambassador Anatoli and Valentina Khmelnitski were feted at a farewell dinner by Ado Escudero in the family’s ancestral mansion in Laguna. Braving torrential rains, the Khmelnitskis had the unforgettable experience of riding on a carabao cart, with torch bearers illuminating the route to the Garden Pavilion where guests were served a sumptuous "choreographed" dinner, with each course accompanied by a dance number.

The eminent pianists Ingrid Santamaria and Reynaldo Reyes climaxed the musical program with an impressive rendition of the Concerto No. 1 in C Minor by Rachmaninoff–aptly Russian, of course, in deference to the Khmelnitskis. Applauding diplomats were from Brazil, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, India, Peru and the UK.

Table Talk bids vivacious Lucila Prieto of the Mexican Embassy a fond "Adios!", and welcomes Kenichi Kimiya, new JICC director who succeeds Eiichi Suzuki. The latter two were honored at a reception by newly-arrived Japanese Ambassador Kojiro Takano. To Mr. Suziki, "Sayonara!"

Those who subscribe to Keats’ poetic observation "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" eagerly await "Floral Fusion", the two-day event featuring "Floral Rhapsody" and the giving away of the Rachy Z. Cuna Cup on Sept. 14 and 15, respectively, at the Skyline, World Trade Center on Puyat Ave., Pasay.

For "Floral Rhapsody", Rachy Z. Cuna, the country’s incomparable floral architect, and his peers, Thai Phubast Chedsdmethee and Singaporean Anson Low will display the latest designs and techniques in floral arrangement which will surely inspire viewers to greater creativity.

On Sept. 15, the prestigious Rachy Z. Cuna Cup will give recognition to deserving amateur and professional florists. The professional recipient of the Cup will be awarded a study grant to Singapore or a P50,000 cash prize, and a trophy. To the amateur recipient will go P20,000 and a trophy.

Perlita B. Banaag, president of the Floral Arts and Crafts Design Center (FACDCI), enjoins aspirants to call tel. 722-8644–immediately!–for the few remaining slots.