The Feminine Touch

By coincidence, three women ambassadors successively observed the Independence Day of their respective countries. The petite, pretty Singaporean ambassador Lim Kheng Hua celebrated her first National Day here, and the Mandarin Ballroom teemed with guests for the occasion. As to be expected, the Mandarin chef prepared superb Singaporean and international cuisine.

Busba Bunnag and Lise Favre who had a trumpeteer playing our anthem at her own celebration.

It takes a woman ambassador to think of celebrating her country’s independence with a concert. Last year, Israeli’s Irit Ben-Abba had a brilliant piano duo perform, and Venezuela’s Milena Santana Ramirez delighted guests with a program featuring a soprano and string instrumentalists. For the 35th anniversary of RP-Venezuelan diplomatic relations this month, the charming and vivacious ambassador presented at the GSIS Theater a marvelous Bolivian group: singer Cecilia Todd and the Huascar Barradas Trip Acustico.

Ambassador Carmen Lynam hosted a lively reception at the Inter-Con grand ballroom for the 193rd year of Chile’s independence. Although the chic, blonde ambassador did not present a concert, she took immense pride in the success of Chilean Eduardo Browne who recently conducted the Manila Philharmonic at the Philam.

Ulrike Caetano da Silva is providing the feminine touch to the current Portuguese Week being highlighted by the display of exquisite porcelain and crystal at Rustan’s in Makati, an exhibition of Manuel Baldemor’s "Timeless Portugal"–paintings reflective of the different moods of the land and its people at Inter-Con’s lobby Art Cafe. The festival opened at the InterCon ballroom with a sumptuous buffet dinner prepared by guest chef Alex Ferreira, and with the folkloric Grupo de Dancas e Cantaras de Macau entertaining the guests. Ambassador Joao Caetano da Silva must be proud not only of the festival but also of his dynamic wife Ulrike.