It was early March and I just returned from a quick trip to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my hubby. I wasn’t as sad as I usually am when returning to Manila, because I had my dear friend’s birthday party marked in my calendar. At the time, despite the pandemic still looming over our lives, I was pretty convinced that Covid-19 no longer existed.  In fact, I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Almost everyone I know was so ready to party like rock stars after taking a long cumbersome break.

So last 10 March, Nicole Whisenhunt — our very own “hostess of the mostest,” and one of Manila’s most sought-after jewelry designers, gathered all her friends to do just that. She celebrated at Leon Gallery with the simplest goal of making everyone happy, and WOW!  She sure did bring the fun back from the good old pandemic-free days when friends would come together to celebrate and enjoy life, worry-free. It was no doubt a night to remember!

The party invite said eight o’clock but getting ready on time is something I need to re-master.  But I sure am glad I arrived at 10 p.m.  It was the perfect time to get to the party. The band was playing while everyone was in a state of love and happiness. Entering the party was a high in itself as my date (the hubby — Daniel) and I were showered with hugs, merry greetings, and lingering handshakes from friends we haven’t seen in a while. In the middle of this heartwarming entrance, I saw Nicole barefoot and beaming in bliss!  I immediately gave her a hug and greeted her, “Happy Birthday.” What a sight!

My first instinct from that experience was to head to the bar, while Daniel (my hubby) went straight to the buffet. I must say, we were such a great tandem as there was no time to waste. We had to catch up! The first person I saw after grabbing our drinks was Loralee Soong, and we never separated since then. Daniel and I naturally gravitated towards the lounge set up on the right side of the band. We settled on that spot with our group of friends who have claimed that space before everyone else had.  Daniel enjoyed the food and drinks while he chatted with friends. I, on the other hand, barely even sat. The band made it impossible for me to do so. They played ’90s music that we all sang along with and danced to. The dance floor became my home.

Everyone was filled with euphoric energy that brought about loads of laughter, chatter, singing, dancing, and togetherness. The atmosphere didn’t have an ounce of negativity in it.  It was that kind of night. To top it all off, our bellies were spoiled by the delicious dishes of Happy Ongpauco.  If only we all had bottomless pits as our tummies, we could’ve eaten more. But there was no feeling guilty over what we ate since we definitely worked on our calories dancing the night away to the tunes of the Yellow Lane band.

The party ended, but all the guests talked about it for about a week. We laughed at all the stories that popped up from our conversations with most of them extremely funny.  I will always remember this birthday party to be a time when I truly felt like we were finally enjoying ourselves without worry.  Just like the good old days. It left me hopeful for the future and more confident that only good things will come our way.