A ‘Salo-Salo’

The many friends of well-loved Dasmariñas Villager Dr. Remedios "Meding " Suntay commented that her residence on the evening of her birthday should be called Disco Remedios rather than Casa Remedios, ablaze as it was with neon lights, star lanters and strings of tiny bulbs all over the place, including the spacious garden.

In the balcony, a mini nipa hut with ribbons dangling from it for a pabitin gave a native touch to the warm, cozy atmosphere. The long buffet tables also offered sumptuous native fare, and to make the salo-salo complete, halo-halo was served for dessert along with other Filipino delicacies.

Standing out among the guests were the personable US Cultural Attaché Thomas Kral and his vivacious blonde wife Kathy, both of whom easily mingled with the crowd. In fact, the nimble-footed Kathy won in the "musical chairs", one of the games supervised by Lizzie Palanca Honrado while laughter echoed and re-echoed among the other winners–and even among the game losers–and the highly amused audience.

Before the night was over, everyone "madly" scrambled for the gifts falling to the floor as hostess Meding pulled on the dangling ribbons.

Legendary concertist Nena Villanueva who, in levity and affection, calls Meding her "wicked fairy godmother", was spared having to play the piano to the disappointment of, among others, eminent cardiologist Dr. Augusto Camara, himself a pianist who was then due to give a concert in Hawaii along with his pianist-doctor son.

In any case, the general merriment that night made even the antique wooden Santos appear to be smiling from every nook of Meding’s elegant Casa Remedios.