Lush launch

Tossing away all modicum of modesty, since the tone was set right at the book launching last Thursday, this author impinges on your patience, and imposes the following exercise in breast-beating.

I believe it was good ol’ buddy Pete Lacaba whom I overheard mock-griping at the Champagne Room of The Manila Hotel (even as he had reduced anew the amber-colored contents of the third single malt whisky bottle propping me up at my author’s signing table): “How can anyone else launch a book now, after this guy’s set the bar so high?” Or something like that.

A similar comment was voiced by another good ol’ buddy, National Artist for Literature Rio Almario, who more or less opined to us in private: “Ang yabang mo.” Or something like that. Heh heh. Well, flaunt it if you’ve got it, an abiding principle goes, especially when it has to do with the magical power of friendship.

It so happens that I dine and drink regularly with a gracious couple, Ricky and Ginny Banaag, at La Regalade French bistro on Arnaiz Avenue, where hearty dalliances are conducted with perennial host Bubot Quicho, the first ever Pinoy GM of a five-star hotel in Manila (the Hyatt, way back when).

Sometime ago Ginny became a Veep at The Grand Old Lady, which everyone now says has acquired more than just a facelift, maybe since she helped take over the proceedings, from décor to menus to getting the once-fabled Tap Room back as a livewire jazz venue, with maestro Romy Posadas headlining the scintillating live performances on a nightly basis — various divas alternating on voice — plus Sandra and Jun Viray and the recently departed (with much lament) Koyang Ed Avenir.

When Cirque de Soleil was in town, hosted by Manila Hotel, we were invited to a post-performance party at Champagne Room. We hadn’t seen it decked out in such classy finery for ages, but that night it was back in exquisite form, as elegant as they come for convivial parlors, with crystal palm trees by Impy Pilapil.

Then last month Philippines Graphic magazine held its annual Nick Joaquin Awards for the Short Story at Maynila Hall, and again we saw how this venue, last visited when then President Erap gave out millions in cash prizes for the 1998 Centennial Literary Awards for the Novel, had not only had its patina burnished, but proved captivating with such ambience as can be provided by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin’s original design.  

Somewhere in Pasig, closer to home? Maybe at Midas Touch, helped run by Bedan buddy Jun Diangco, where a large terrace offered a good view of Marikina Valley awash in lights once the sun went down. But what if it rained? Booklover friends might scurry to the casino tables and lose their shirts before they could pick up a copy of my 26th title.

Then I thought of texting amiga Ginny. What about Manila Hotel? I was pleasantly surprised to see her SMS reply in bold, “Amin na yan!” Or something like that. She asked how many guests we would expect, said something about Sampaguita Hall having been newly refurbished. I said I liked where we partied with the sirkeros, having retained good loving memories of my date that night, er, rather, the night altogether.