Grand Lunch for Mellie A.

That lady who never ceases to amaze Cosmo Manille’s social set with her theme parties, mega-socialite Mellie Ablaza, was going to celebrate her birthday out of town with husband Louie A., dahlings, then come back for a small dinner with just famille, but close pal Ben Farrales had other plans. He wanted to give her a surprise as his way of "thanking her for her big, big help during the ‘Fashion for a Cause’" that benefitted the Philippine National Red Cross. Ben got together with Mellie’s close pals Letty Syquia, who’s her in-law, and mi amiga Bambi Harper, to plan a grand lunch for her, and when he learned of her trip, he lost no time in convincing her to postpone, and that was the end of his surprise.

The fabi get-together held at the tres elegant Cheval Blanc of the Makati Shangri-La, palanggas, turned out to be a fashionable gathering of our town’s up-upscale society ladies, including colorful ladies of the diplomatic corps and close pals from the different organizations Mellie belongs to, like Joanne Salgado, Letty Hahn, Luz Cullen, Fanny Blanco, Telly Aldana, the Ablaza gals Cris and Nita, Maggie Macatulad, Mary Jane Abacan, Lydia Reyes, Nenuca Blardony, Fe Rodriguez and other namedroppables.

Mellie’s son, decorator Jun-Jun Ablaza, used richly hud Thai silk to dress up the tables, and accessorized with his collection of Chinese jade dragons and other objects. Single cut cymbidium orchids floated in Indian marble bowls, while strands of gemstone beads pulled the look together–a dragon lady’s chest of jewels which were taken home by the invitees. Needless to say it was a fantastic lunch for our royal lady of the hour, Mellie Ablaza.

Remember, palanggas, "In a changing world you can trust Jesus Christ’s unchanging words." Smile. See you.