Louie Ablaza’s 85th: P-Pop & Pomp
Businessman Louie Ablaza, Consul of Zambia, held his 85th birthday with P-Pop — Pinoy Pop and…Pomp!
Indeed with K-Pop and J-Pop, why not P-Pop? With the resurgence of ternos and barongs, traditional and stylized, why not push the envelope a bit farther and further?
This Jun Jun Ablaza did for his father’s birthday, held at the family’s Hacienda Amelia, named after his ageless and beautiful mother, Consul of Guatemala Mellie Ablaza, in Alfonso, Cavite.
The invitation was already a precursor of the P-Pop theme. Done in komiks style, it wasn’t only an invitation, it was a lookback at Louie’s past 85 years. In fact it read, “Uwit Bala Numnum P-Pop Party,” because Louie couldn’t pronounce Luis as a child, he called himself “Uwit,” he pronounced Ablaza “Bala” and Junior, “Numnum.”
Lest guests would have doubts on the attire, there was an accompanying illustration on the back page of the four-page invitation, with the caption: Dress code: Bright, bold and Fun Pinoy Pop, streetwear style.
“I helped out in thinking of what they should all wear, from the family all the way to our staff. Mom and I would meet up with designer Steve De Leon for lunch and talk about what outfits they would wish to wear,” says Jun Jun, whose creativity has always been encouraged by his parents. In fact, in the past, his mom Mellie would wear costumes in themed parties he would conceptualize, but now prefers “comfort” over costume, quips Jun.
Hacienda Amelia, a sprawling estate with three main buildings — the chapel, the pavilion and the “Castle” or residence of the family — was made to look like the plaza where a fiesta was being held. In particular, the open space between the chapel and the pavilion had buntings, a jeepney, a sorbetero. The pavilion was bedecked with soft, colorful and billowy swaths of fabric, from the ceiling to the windows. The multi-tiered cake was edible komiks, I kid thee not!
Even new Zealand Ambassador Peter Kell wore P-Pop and belted Pinoy hits like “Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko” to a more danceable “Dahil Sa’Yo” by Iñigo Pascual.
The last themed party held at Amelia before the pandemic was “Millennial Mellie.” The parties (I remember one at The Tent at BGC) take at least half a year to conceptualize and plan.
“In the past, Mom would send save-the-date cards via email or text six months before the party. This year was different because ‘to have a big party or not to have a big party’ was still a question for all the family members. In the end I won,” Jun, wo was wearing an off-white Jaggy Glarino creation with a sulihiya pattern, chuckles. “ I told Mom that we can do it. So in May, we started sending out save-the-dates.”
“So this year at Dad’s birthday celebration, I wanted it to be somewhat a sequel to the last party. Something refreshingly hip, danceable, groovy, catchy, youthful, energetic and fun — mirroring the Korean wave and the similar Japanese wave popularity among millennial Filipinos and mainstream culture,” explains Jun.
“It gives Louie and me great pleasure to welcome you back after our yearly themed parties were so rudely interrupted by the pandemic,” said Mellie in her welcome remarks. “It’s so lovely seeing old friends and new ones again.”
Aside from the Ablazas’ close friends, also present in the P-Pop party were US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson and her husband Aubrey, The Netherlands Ambassador Maria Alfonsa Magdalena Geraedts, Malaysian Ambassador Abdul Malik Melvin Castellano and Singaporean Ambassador Constance See Sin Yuan.
In the past, Jun Jun created the following themed parties for his mother: Cirque de Mellie, Mellie in Wonderland, Salon de Mellie, Viva Amelia!, Tiara Ball, Razzle Dazzle, Life is a Party (The Wonderful World of Mellie), Gods and Goddesses Ball, The Fairy Ball, The Black and White Ball, Mellie and the King, among others.
For his father Louie, Jun created the following: 0075 Diamonds are Forever, Vintage Car Racing, Louie’s Diner, Urban Safari and Barrio Fiesta (Pista sa Nayon ni Ka Louie ).
Themed parties are the Ablazas’ signature, in fact, they can almost be copyrighted. Wow! They’re more fun! Love them!
“We are all unique,” says Jun Jun, the master planner of his parents’ parties, his offering of love for them. “Yes! I create my own happiness.”
(You may e-mail me at [email protected]. Follow me on Instagram @joanneraeramirez.)
- Latest
