TITO'S BIRTHDAY BASH

The Ayayay gang assembled once again courtesy of Tito Legasto who added yet another year to his Senior status. Shang Plaza was a first class assembly place and the Chinese fare was extraordinary. Oni Mayo arrived promptly at 7pm even slightly ahead of the birthday boy who came right behind him. It seems that Celia Aurellano and Temay Padero were already in the hotel but who didn't immediately proceed to the restaurant. Together with Ruben de Lara, the five comprised the early Ayayay batch in the restaurant's function room. There, they had the privilege of sniping away at those who were not yet there. The non-intellectual catty exercise was witty and refreshing, if not unusual. Clearly, the Ayayay guys were taking a break from the serious things they are known for most of the time.

Noni Dolera had advised that he was not going to make it that night due to his gout condition. When this info came out, one can imagine the snide remarks directed at the hapless Noni from the group. Mon Soriano and Tony Sotelo came later and were not spared taunts from the early batch particularly concerning their dark head of hair that made them look 20 years younger. Cora Claudio was vintage unflappable as she made her dramatic entrance into the function room. She made a beeline for Oni to show her sketches of floor plans for her proposed new abode in a subdivision in the Fort. As Cora explained the details of the plan, Oni and Temay (both in the construction business) were impressed with Cora's miracle of an idea for a minimal construction budget for the large house!

And then Lydia Echaus came. Lydia had commitment to fulfil in another affair at the Mandarin Hotel before she could join at Shangrila. When she came, the gang coyly refused to repeat what had already been discussed. Besides, it was made clear to her that part of it was about her! What the MBA gang couldn't help talking about are the economic issues of the day. As ever, the insurance (Tony) and finance (Tito) experts in the group were put to the task of explaining why and how now. The way Ruben and Cora pressured the two experts on where they might put their personal funds indicate that this group is actually far off from being impacted by the vaunted world-wide economic fall out.

The only regret that night was the absence of Ayayay stalwarts Chit Manabat, Sonny Vicente and Noni Dolera. As a penalty for being absent, the group around the table inflicted continuous outlandish fact and libelous fiction upon these missing personages even as they enjoyed dinner! Talking about that dinner, it's actually a double penalty for the absentees since they missed the delicious cold cut, seafood soup, prawn, crabs, garlic pork, braised fish and the almond jelly and dumpling dessert ordered by Tito.