More on Vi’s Roman (and L.A.) holiday

Curtain-raisers:

• I got the following text message from Liberty Ilagan:
Look what happens if you rearrange the letters of the following words:
• Dormitory – Dirty room
• Desperation – A rope ends it
• The eyes – They see
• The Morse Code – Here come dots
• Slot machines – Cash lost in me
• Animosity – Is no amity
• A decimal point – I’m a dot in place
• Snooze alarms – alas, no more z’s
• Astronomer – Moon starer
• Mother-in-law – Woman Hitler
• Eleven plus two – Twelve plus one
• Election results – Lies, let’s recount

"Amazing, isn’t it?" said Liberty
• And this touching little poem, too, reportedly written by an African child and was nominated for the Best Poem in 2005, forwarded to me by The STAR night editor Sonny Mirasol:
Wen i born,
i black.
Wen I grow up,
i black.
Wen I scared,
i black.
Wen i sick,
i black.
when i die,
i still black.
And u white fella,
wen u born,
you pink.
wen u grow up,
u white.
wen u go in the sun,
u red.
wen u cold,
u blue.
Wen u scared,
u yellow
Wen u sick,
u green.
Wen u die,
u gray.
And u calling me colored?

(Come to think of it, ‘no?)

• This interesting bit of information, relayed to Funfare by Starweek editor Doreen Yu: Did you know that the mother of Press Secretary Igancio "Tuting" Bunje was once a movie actress? Her name was Sofia Rivera and her screen name was Gloria Imperial. She has a sister who was also an actress. Her name is Mila del Sol whose real name is Clarita Rivera. That makes Tuting and Jeanne Young (daughter of Mila) first cousins. Gloria Imperial appeared in only three films, one of them entitled Dolores and in another she co-starred with Fernando Poe Sr.

(Small world, isn’t it?)

* * *

A few issues ago, Funfare gave readers a glimpse of Vilma Santos’ Roman holiday with her husband, Sen. Ralph Recto, their son Ryan Christian, Vilma’s sister Emelyn, Vilma’s brother Sonny Boy, Ryan’s yaya Fely and Vilma’s ever-faithful/ever-true accountant/Girl Friday Aida Fandalian.

Vilma and Ralph were personally invited to the consistory of Gaudencio Rosales to the rank of cardinal (he’s now Archbishop of Manila) last March 24 in Rome where Ralph, who had been there before, acted as the group’s guide in a tour of the Eternal City. Ryan threw coins in the Fountain of Trevi and his wish was to return to Rome not once, not twice but many, many times.

"It was a real Roman holiday," Vilma told Funfare the other day after the presscon for her two-part starrer, entitled Regalo, for the 15th-anniversary presentation of Charo Santos-Concio’s ABS-CBN multi-awarded drama series Maalaala Mo Kaya (airing on May 4 and 11). "For the first time, I was able to take a real vacation and enjoyed myself."

Vilma’s entourage arrived last Thursday, April 20, in time for her son Luis Manzano’s birthday on April 21.

"He missed a lot," said Vilma. "Luis couldn’t go with us because he was busy with tapings. Sayang nga, eh!"

From Rome, the group proceeded to L.A. where Vilma had a reunion with the Santos family (sister Winnie, etc.) and brought back home her mom, Milagros Santos.

"Ryan celebrated his 10th birthday on March 29 and we had a little celebration in the house of Winnie and Willie (Herber)," continued Vilma. "We visited more friends, like Toti de Castro, in whose house Ralph showed his prowess on the piano."

The group capped their bakasyon grande with a cruise on the Monarch of the Seas, taking off in San Diego and passing by Mexico.

"It felt nice taking in the breeze at the top deck of the luxury liner," said Vilma who, with her air-tight schedule as Lipa City Mayor, could hardly have time to, you know, smell the flowers and enjoy the soothing scenery of her bailiwick. "The liner was so big; it has everything. Ang sarap magpasyal-pasyal sa deck while looking out into the sea. We even attended a formal dinner on board and that was during the Captain’s Night."

If Vilma and company enjoyed the cruise, the luxury liner’s staff did even more so because most of them are Pinoys – Vilmanians, I suppose.

The Four Aces definitely coming

Several issues back when Funfare mentioned in passing that the durable/enduring Four Aces were coming for a concert, some readers asked, "Are they really coming?"

Yes, they are coming –definitely!

The quartet is performing on June 8, 8 p.m., at the Araneta Coliseum, with a repertoire that includes their well-loved songs like Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing, Three Coins in the Fountain, Tell Me Why, It’s No (Sin), Stranger in Paradise, Perfidia, A Woman in Love and, well, you know (especially if you’re a baby boomer) what the others are.

The Four Aces is one of the most successful pre-rock vocal groups of their time. Since the 1950s, the quartet has been internationally acclaimed and has been known not only for its beautiful, romantic songs but also for being superb showmen as well.

The Four Aces is composed of warm charismatic tenor Fred Diodati, outstanding guitarist and vocaliast Joe Giglio, bass and trumpet player Harry Heisler and Frank Sinatra impersonator Joe Amato. The four guys have been performing for a long time and have been part of every lover’s special moments when love was new and the heart was young. Really now, how many out there lost "it" to a Four Aces song? Raise your hands, please!

Before making a name for themselves when their first single, It’s No (Sin), was not exactly that popular among producers, the Four Aces decided to release the single and it ended up hitting the charts and selling over a million copies. The quartet later signed up with Decca Records which released its single Tell Me Why. The rest is memorable musical history.

(Note: Tickets to the Four Aces concert are priced at P3,500, P2,500, P2,000, P1,500, P800 and P300, available at all SM Ticketnet outlets. Call 911-5555 or the Araneta Coliseum box office for further inquiries.)

Mother Lily marks her school’s 10th year

In celebration of her Mother’s School of Child Development’s 10th anniversary, Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde is preparing a series of activities for the students which will be open to the public.

She emphasized that personality development is essential for a child to maximize his/her potentials. With this in mind, she’s planning to luanch different programs designed to discover the children’s talents and to hone their skills.

Aside from the regular curriculum, Mother’s School of Child Development is adding the following workshops: Acting (musical theater), ballet, street-dancing and Tae Kwon Do.

The school has already proven the excellence of its academic program with all of its students successfully entering (other) reputable schools. The new supplementary activities are calculated to enhance and challenge the children’s learning capabilities.

"I feel like a child again watching the kids in my school," said Mother Lily whose family owns and runs the UNO School in Binondo, Manila.

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