Alma

Alma Samonte Conty is in Manila for the moment to show support for an ailing sister. Before she arrived from Washington we had talked about about her meeting up with the CAFAs for old time's sake. Far forward in her visit however, the busy schedule of Alma was not permitting that considering her short stay in Manila.

Close to her departure date, a break in her schedule suddenly came. We agreed to meet for lunch. Unfortunately Dinky had just left for Silay to attend to his personal businesses and thus will not be able to join. (We know that Dinky stays in Silay for a week every time he goes.) Yesterday, I finally had a chance to see Alma again after what, 40 years? Alma's last visit to Manila was 5 years ago where she did not touched base with CAFAs then.

Feisty as ever, Alma talked some about her activities in Washington where she is an official of the Fil-Am political group there. She is on talking terms with Washington politicians (at least some of them) and is quite savvy on state of the nation affairs. Otherwise, Alma is retired (from the WB) and kept busy by her UP network as well as family affairs.

Alma is clearly a born organizer. Apart from the defining and catalytic roles she has with her social and political networks, Alma is an emerging matriarch for her brood. She cannot help but be a doting wife to hubby Jun (who needs all kinds of medication and appointments for his sugar and spine problems) and Nanay to her 4 children (one married). Because of this Alma says she has little time for other activities.

One of the things that interest her though is CONCEP's professional activities in heritage conservation. It seems that heritage issues in her hometown of Pagsanjan as well as Jun's hometown in Tiaong are important to her. In this trip, Alma had gone to Laguna and Quezon provinces to see old friends as well as attend to family interests there as well.

Before leaving, Alma showed me a copy of the CAFASingers in practice in one of their sessions a long time ago. (for Alma to take the photo, it must have been one of her rare appearance in a CAFASinger session). We thus welcome Alma again into the CAFA fold which we hope can be sustained after this. Bess, Alma said she has an appointment with you when she gets back next week.



See slide show for more photos.

Small CAFA Get Together in Manila

The indefatigable globe-trotting Nore Lim is back in town for the umpteenth time this year. As far as Nore is concerned, Asia is just a suburb of NY. This time, she was invited by Citigroup Singapore and Manila to deliver a talk to officials of the bank. This is an effort to widen the field of knowledge and awareness of employees. It is part of a new approach to management adapted by some big companies.

Nore is in Manila for only a few days but Oni managed to convinced her to forego a dinner with family for an hour's CAFA chat with him. It was a sudden thing with not enough time to gather CAFAs. The two had dinner instead at a Japanese restaurant in AVenue - a new place along Makati Avenue. So what's to talk to about having just come from the PMS CAFA reunion? The next reunion of course!

It's inspiring to hear Gerry Idol offering his home State for the next big one. Of course, just like the venue for the Olympics or the FIFA World Cup, other CAFA friends who would like to have a chance to host are welcome to contest Gerry's offer (though Milwaukee really sounds good). How about it - East Coast or San Francisco guys? This is your chance to bug Gerry about how much greater is your home state compared to his. I recommend past hosts and organizers Ely, Sara and Dinky to be members of the official CAFA Committee for Reunion Sites.

While Nore is leaving Phl tomorrow for the US, she will be back in November and December. Nore is setting up for another exhibit with her new powerpack artist group. This group is the AIAE consisting of BenCab and Orlina among some other notable guys. AIAE stands for the Asian International Art Exhibition. This is a rolling exhibit that was last held in Korea this year. (Nore almost missed the PMS reunion on account of her commitment to AIAE.) During the Christmas holidays, I understand she will be spending time with Claire's family in Bali.


See slide show for more photos.

Still Great Buddies (at the Finish Line)

Whew and Wow! It’s done. The hardy CAFAs did it again. The CAFA Californians did a whale of a job in putting the 4th CAFA grand reunion together. Let’s see . . first it was Getting Ahead in Hilton Head, then it was Flaunt It in Vermont, then it was Happy Togetha’ in Manila and just now – Da Mania in California!


For three memorable days in September, CAFAs and their family and friends came from far and wide to attend the group’s 2011 reunion in Pala Mesa Resort, Fallbrook California. Sarah and Charlie Calley came from Vermont. Eileen Robins, Rody Picar, Tong and Rita Salgado and Nore and Didi Lim came from Manhattan. Tito Valbuena came from New Jersey. Romy and Rory Ballesteros came from Texas. Alice Rancap, Ben Tuason and Tess, Dynn and Mynna Hernandez and their cousin came from San Francisco. Bess Canlas and Darrel Silva came from LA, Joey and Lina Abalos came from Virginia. Gerry and Jojo Ramos came from Milwaukee. Ely Tuason came from Chicago. Emi Masigan came from Boston. Gail Blattenberger came from Utah. Dinky and Milou Einsiedel and Oni and Billie Mayo came from Metro Manila.

And that’s not all. Friends came to participate in the CAFAs Saturday Buffet, Raffle and Mini Show. These include: Alice’s relatives from LA; Dinky’s daughter Tycel (now enrolled in a San Francisco school) and a friend from her dorm she brought with her; US-based friends of Dinky from UP High days and his Human Settlements office; and US-based La Salle HS chums of Oni, As a matter of fact, Oni’s friends (Art Sicat and Joey Zamora) registered in Pala Mesa resort together with the CAFAs in order to also play golf with the CAFA Tigers. Hope I did not miss out on anyone. It was so much fun with most everyone participating in the singing and dancing.

The successful show would not be possible without Bess’ Band from LA led by Kuya Ed aka Louis Armstrong. Given a few hours rehearsal with the performers, the band made “stars of the night” out of Alice, Tong and Sarah who rendered fully accompanied preliminary numbers. The band’s worth was really appreciated when the singing was done and the party switched on to dance mode.

A major part of the program is the CAFASingers at center stage anew. Just like old times, they dished out standards such as Cherish, Up Up and Away, Man Come into Egypt, Tennessee Babe, If I Fell, A Summer Song and Stasera. The description of the event would not be complete without mentioning the other highlights of the show. Oni and Didi who dabble in songwriting introduced their original OPM songs to the CAFAs that night. Ely with Dinky on guitar titillated (shocked?) the audience with their never-ending ribald tagalog chit-chiritsit song. Joey Abalos and Joey Zamora alternated on stage and competed for the Elvis Presley of Pala Mesa title. And the surprise of the night was the spontaneous stand up comedy show of Ely and Romy. Their typical Pinoy jokes were funny enough to warrant the Americans in the audience to be curious and ask for a translation.

Behind the Scenes
Just as much fun were the side lights of the event. These were the dinner in the old town, the chit-chat at the resort veranda, the stroll to the cottages, the golf, the song rehearsals, the swimming and sun bathing, the food trips and the final night hang out at Tambayan Restaurant. Tambayan resto is a Pinoy owned resto that was discovered by the group as they drove their rented cars around Fallbrook the area.

Tambayan is actually a Karaoke Bar in Fallbrook ran by a happy faced Pinoy proprietor. He would take over the singing chores whenever there is a lull in the audience participation. The chubby proprietor sings with gusto (complete with carcass-shaking tremolo passages) and more so when his female chef and the waitress suddenly appear to become his back up singers and dancers! The proprietor was however pleasantly surprised when Kuya Ed stood up and provided him with mean duet support for his retro “Unchain My Heart” number.

Through all this, beer and wine flowed and the orders for US style Chicharon Bulaklak, Lechon Kawali, Pork BBQ, Crispy Squid and other sinful stuff abounded. After a long night of indulging on forbidden menu, the waitress still asked the group if they want to order some more. A queasy Romy then replied: Yes we would like to order Lipitor!

Will there be a next grand reunion? Hopefully. For sure there is a mini reunion a-brewing in February in Manila. CAFAs can’t seem to get too much of each other, can they? See slide show below for more photos of the 2011 Reunion Na! event.

Slide show

Rody in Manila

It’s good to see Rody Picar hale and hearty again. Rody is back in town and attending to the development of his assets in the Philippines. He is completing the interior of a new condo in Pasig and installing landscaping for a beach place in La Union.

On Wednesday night, The CAFAs tendered him with a get together affair at Travel Café in Ayala’s posh Greenbelt 5 shopping center. The trendy Travel Café restaurant had new fare starting July that the group partook of with relish. I found the Gisgis (pork with spinach, chili and coconut sauce) quite exotic and tasty.

Aside from Rody, the guys who came were Dinky, Cecille, Cynthia, Alex, Hector, Francis, Dero and Oni. Nore came directly from the airport. Nore is the doting Grandma who was just in Singapore helping Claire and Alex settle into their new home there.

Rody was particularly interested in finding out the plans of Dero and Alex for the Pala Mesa CAFA reunion. Squirming, Alex said he is still seeking that light at the end of the tunnel – whatever that means! In a way, he hints that it has something to do with the miscoordination he is having with his family (ex and kids) there in the USA. Correct ba, Alex?

Da Dero is still hemming and hawing about his participation and enigmatic as ever. Arriving late, he said he overslept having been engrossed with composing the hymn theme for the forthcoming Asean congress. I suggested that he comes up with a CD of all of his musical compositions for inclusion in CAFA’s proposed ‘Festival of CAFA Arts’ during the reunion.

The bonding was good as usual and the CAFAs overstayed at the Café. In other words, napagsarhan na naman! By gulay, reunion na!


See slideshow for more photos.

When It Rains, It Pours

Fresh from her grand Exhibit at the CCP, Nore is being asked by different parties to participate in other exhibits while she is in town. Although she deserves a much needed rest from the hectic CCP show preparation, Nore could not say no to friends and colleagues who organized a group exhibit show at the Fort. This required Nore to once more set up some of her art pieces (together with others) in this new venue.

The exhibit was interesting. Aside from the traditional paintings, the exhibit showcase included sculptural wood pieces as well as contemporary art forms such as textile mobile figures. The canapés and wine served by the organizers for the occasion were real good too. From the art show at the Fort, the CAFA gang who were present (Nore, Didi, Bili and Oni) proceeded for dinner in a restaurant nearby.

The dinner was an opportunity to discuss CAFA stuff. The reunion details were reviewed and discussed whereby later, Nore said she would be talking to Chairman Bess soon about critical matters. Meanwhile, Oni was cajoling Didi to prepare his “Cliff Richards” and be prepared to wow the audience with his hidden talent.



See slide show for more photos.

Nore Lim: Full Circle

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. In the opening ceremonies of Nore’s art show, no less than the President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines praised the art of Nore Lim. He acknowledged the technique, breadth and width of Nore’s prints that have been shared with art audiences in NY, Europe and other continents (Latin America, China, etc.). In her own speech, Nore reminisced that as a young artist in the 60s, she marveled at the grand exhibit hall of the CCP and never thought that one day she would be exhibiting there.

But tonight, February 17, 2011, UP CAFA’s Nore Lim held her art exhibit ‘Full Circle’ at the CCP. A large crowd of esteemed personalities that included politicians and national artists came in to see the show. Associates from NYC and Canada flew in to share the night with Nore. Nore’s family (including her in-law from Philadelphia) and childhood friends were of course there. And then there was the supportive CAFA gang who were artists themselves. The CAFA guys were Pearl and Vic Ortega, Cecille Ascalon, Alice Jose, Jess Abrera, Nick Ricio, Bong Bongalon, Maribel Coching, Adi Baens, Myrna Ramos and others (that escape me for the moment).

Lastly, the CAFASingers were there as usual. Prodded by the naughty Fine Arts group to join Raul Sunico at centerstage (Raul played Debussy’s Arabesque on the grand piano to highlight Nore’s lacework series) the CAFASingers haughtily declined. The CAFASingers said they doubted whether the multi-awarded international classical pianist Raul knew the chords of ‘Cherish’. The funny CAFASingers there that night were Tong and Rita, Oni Mayo, Rody Picar, Alex Villaflor and Dero Pedero.

And so it came to past that Nore has gone full circle with a major show in her own country. Lest I forget, it was typical of Nore to think of her infant grandson even in this moment of triumph. She addressed Alex and Claire’s first in her speech as the real work of art in her life. Congratulations Nore from all of us and we would have you know that we enjoyed the canapés and the usual classy presentation of your work in the big hall.

See slide show for more photos

The Salgados Visit Manila

Tong and Rita Salgado are once more in Manila. They usually come around February to visit foremost,Rita’s aging Mom, and their Manila families . This particular trip is special for Tong since he got to join his HS buddies from St. Louis in Baguio for their centennial celebration.

While in Manila, Tong and Rita got to do many things. Tong in particular was able to catch Bess while she was here and later attend Nore’s birthday bash at Polo Club. He would have linked up too with CAFA balikbayans Doc Joey and Lina Abalos except that the Chicago couple had a full schedule (social-na-social, ha!) and could not meet up with the CAFAs.

Tong had been in town since January but Rita only came in early Feb. With Rita around, the couple was able to visit New World Resort (the new casino complex - a Las Vegas wannabe - in the former Villamor Air Base land) and go to Dusit Hotel’s music bar. As we know, the Dusit Bar is where the Rocking 60s band (featuring CAFA friends Dero Pedero and Titus Santiago among other performers) also perform.

At Dusit, the CAFAs should have met up with Rody Picar also but he backed off at the last minute. Senior ills? However in lieu of that miss, a face from long ago emerged to greet the CAFAs once again. Malu Barrios - one the Three CAFASingers French Hens together with Bess and Alice - is in town. Yes, she was a CAFASinger original whose replacement is actually Sarah.

The reunion affair was not lost on Rita as she relentlessly set out to collect from the local guys. Meanwhile, inspired by Dero’s Sedaka binge on stage, Tong is already plotting out his musical number participation at the CAFA’s Night of Music event in Pala Mesa Resort.

Reunion na, ha?


See slide show for more photos

Special Announcement: Da Reunion

Finally here it is.

Over the past few months and led by industrious Bess Canlas, CAFA guys are slowly coming to terms on the possible structure of the CAFA California reunion plans 2011.


The details are:

Dates : September 15 -19, 2011 (including early arrivals)

Base place : Pala Mesa Resort, San Rafael, Ca., USA
http://www.palamesa.com/


Bess is being assisted in the reunion effort by some of CAFA’s well-meaning dames. Sarah Calley, Rita Salgado, Nore Lim and Alice Rancap have volunteered to physically help out in the implementation of necessary projects and plans. From the Philippine side, Dinky Einsiedel and Oni Mayo are steadfastly there for the group. This list of names should give the group an idea of who are committed to make it to the reunion.

There are actually more who have already committed to come to the reunion, but I will leave that for Alice and Nore to finalize and announce. Alice is working on the Pala Mesa lodging possibilities and alternatives while Nore is updating the CAFA directory. One activity that needs to be done early is the solicitation of payments so that the Pala Mesa banquet hall can be officially reserved for the planned Night of Music on Saturday, September 17. It’s $50 per pax that should be sent to Sarah or Rita. A related possible collection activity is fund raising (of a CAFA slush fund) to help out friends in need, unplanned activities and for emergencies. Expect a call soon from Rita and Sarah regarding this.

The Night of Music will be the perpetuation of CAFA’s musical past. Bess has generously promised to produce her band to hype up that night. It will be so exciting to sing with a live band for sure! There will be a specific agenda for the Night of Music which will be effectively CAFA Showtime for the enjoyment (amusement?) of everyone in the reunion. A formal set and an informal set is envisioned for this CAFA Showtime.


For the Night of Music, CAFAs are enjoined to start selecting and rehearsing songs (or rather entertainment numbers) that they can showcase in the reunion. The song numbers should consist of rehearsed numbers which shall comprise the formal set. The music of these rehearsed numbers should be sent to Bess so that the band can study the song. I understand that Sarah and Alice have already chosen their songs.

For the informal set, the performers will be specially those who are too shy to join the formal set. They will take their chances with an extemporaneous accompaniment from the live band. A penalty is actually being mulled for those who will not participate para masaya.

Overall, Bess will be Chair of the project who will be sending out more salient details in the coming months. (Bess, you’ll have to forgive me for unilaterally promoting you in this instance). For many, the important details will be travel and lodging details and the more or less final daily agenda over the 4 or 5 days of the reunion (and even after). Your FAQs and suggestions will be welcome considerations that you should send through the Yahoogroup as early as possible.


And so . . .Alleluia, we’re finally getting there! Reunion Now!

Nore’s Birthday

Feb 7 is Nore’s actual birth date. Despite Feb 7 being a Monday, Nore’s family and fast friends attended her 65th birthday celebration. The party was held at Manila Polo Club’s Cameron Forbes Hall that Nore exclusively reserved for the party. Great Japanese food and the scenic view of the Club swimming pool made the party memorable. Francis Raquel Santos brought Karaoke facilities and Oni Mayo brought along his trusted Carvin amplifier and wireless mic that were to be the equipment for the evening’s entertainment.

Nore’s family – Didi, Claire and Alex, Justin, siblings and aging aunts and uncles - came. Nore’s first grandson (made in the USA) was the center of attention since many in the family are seeing him for the first time. Spotted also were a few of Nore’s HS friends and business associates. And then, there were Nore’s indestructible CAFA classmates and the CAFASingers from UP.

The CAFA group occupied one table and who unabashedly and typically had group fun. Dero Pedero’s suggestive jokes were even broadcasted out loud to the guests. Example:

Tanong 1: Anong saging ang maliit? (Senyorita)

Tanong 2: Anong saging and mataba? (Saba)

Tanong 3: Anong saging ang sinusubo pati balat nya? (clue – it starts with a “T”)

And after much corniness, it was showtime! The CAFASingers swung into action and did their standard numbers for the audience. One of the guests who must have heard the CAFAs for the first time told Oni soon after: “You guys were great! You can sing anywhere!” I understand that he had a strong sentiment for the “Cherish” song. Seniors make for a great audience!

Balikbayan Tong reinforced the Neos consisting of Dinky, Alex, Irene (who came with new beau Alvin), Oni and Dero. It was good practice for the California reunion. CAFA’s Rita, Bili, Pearl, Vic (Ortega) and Alice Jose could not be convinced to join in the singing but they loyally indulged the CAFASingers like days of old. After the CAFASingers, Francis, Didi and the rest took over with the Karaoke numbers.

The party was so contagious and fun that the CAFAs were still into it way beyond the Polo Club’s closing time. The successful party was just a manifestation of the gang’s affection for Nore as well as Nore’s great organizational (and culinary) ability. Kaya, hanggang sa mauulit – puspusang aming pagbati kay Nore sa kanyang kaarawan!

Of course, the California reunion topic was always in the minds of the CAFAs. Before September, we are hoping that Pearl, Vic and Alice who were listening to the chatter about the reunion will also be joining us in Pala Mesa. Dinky officialized his participation in the reunion by handing over his hundred dollar bill to Rita (Dinky carries around Dollar bills in his wallet?). The fee is for the Night of Music dinner buffet in Pala Mesa. After the talks with Rita (who just arrived from NY) on the reunion plans, Oni promised to send out the CAFA Whirl announcement regarding the reunion details soon. Abangan . . . at reunion na!


See slide show for more photos.