Get-together at Mandaluyong

After a long time, the on-and-off AAA get together finally happened. Probably due to busy schedules, birthdays came and went, holiday seasons passed, and the group failed to implement their traditional celebrations in most of 2009 and early 2010.

In recent months however, AAA’s Lydia Echaus was commended by many academic and professional groups for outstanding work in her field. The distinguished groups which acknowledged Lydia’s life accomplishments are: TOFIL (outstanding Filipino), STCAA (distinguished alumni), DLSU (masters award), Ulirang Ina Foundation, City of Manila (outstanding Manilan), and Soroptomist Sampaloc (outstanding professional). Six awards in six months – mind boggling! Because of these accolades, Lydia was teased no end by AAA friends to give a blowout. With the shameless AAA gang on the alert, it’s quite risky for members to obtain any spot of achievement and good fortune at all – they will need to give a . . blowout?

Thus on July 26, the AAA finally had their long overdue blowout party. Never mind if it’s a Monday and people still had hangover from the weekend before. Lydia hosted the affair (was arm-twisted?) in the Torres St. family compound in Mandaluyong. The gracious Lydia however insisted that the party was more for the benefit of all the birthday celebrants in recent past months. These guys are Noni Dolera, Ruben de Lara and Lydia herself.

Apart from the three celebrants, the AAA diehards who were at the party were Sonny Vicente, Oni Mayo, Celia Aurellano, Tony Sotelo and Cora Claudio. As usual, Cora was late in coming so the gang had a lot of opportunity to talk about her vivacious personality. The steamed crab appetizer was great fare. Lydia’s prepared dishes were special ones: baked pigeon, blanched Bangus fillet with belly, and sinigang soup. Other food contributed by the group were noodles, a chocolate cake (that Ruben said was the greatest in the world since he baked it himself), drinks and more dessert.

The dinner conversation was typical AAA – interesting, amusing and emotional albeit with tongue-in-cheek passing shots. It was no-holds barred as the AAAs vented their sentiment on many recent events and issues, some of them quite esoteric, personal and controversial. For a while there, the AAAs became armchair analysts on sensitive topics. The AAAs has been buddies for more than 30 years and there were not many reservations between and among them. It was great fun with revelations and lessons learned. What more can I say – it’s something where you just have to be there to fully take it all in and get to be a learned person!



















And lest I forget – July 30 Saturday will be a BIG day. Tito Legasto’s daughter has a grand wedding coming and the AAA are invited to the occasion. Tito, you missed all the chismis and the opportunity to contribute your likely ineffective advise like all of ours. If only because you are FOTB however, we didn’t talk a lot about you in the party. See you all at the wedding!