58th

LVIII meant nothing for Nero who left earth AD 68. Well lucky me, I'm still here:-) The Octavians are still partying sans Caligula. Empress Menchay got us much impressed, cooking all day for a little party Saturday night (it wasn't raining, so fortunate; next day was miserable and soaked the muddy lawn again). Friends came and kept me company, some of whom have been partying with me for the past 28 years in Australia.

Thanks guys for coming! Appreciate all your gifts, tucker and bottles. Marami pong salamat. Hope you all had fun that night.


Here are photos I found in my camera. All were taken by Michael, my 17 y.o. son.

Banggaan Art Group members Mario Aldeguer, myself and Ding Roces (with partners Menchay, Irene and Lene.


Christine and Tony Concha, old friends and who are still on FM air. Tune in to 2CCR guys and
hear select Pinoy tunes courtesy of their play buttons.

And here's that big cake good ol' Ric de Mesa brought in before going to work as chef of a 5-star hotel in Sydney. Wonderful baked art was brimming with ube and macapuno! Thanks Ric and Ofie!

Didn't notice ol' friends Mario Aldeguer (with wife Lene) and Ding were taking pictures while the boys were jamming.
Here's Patch patching up missed beats in my vocal renditions.

Guys testing if cake table won't collapse, Menchie giving it a slight kick while Lisa's coaxing me to blow the candles before it does. Ala Paredes looks on. Jim, her dad, would have joined us if he were back in Sydney.

Joey Resureccion provided guitar rhythm music almost all night. Hey man that was swell jamming.

Bert gave me a wonderful guitar gadget. Here he tests the new digital wah-wah (wah-wah naman ako pag di ko natutunan:)

Doing some piano accompaniment for Jonalyn Juarez's golden voice.

Larrikin band warming up. That's Melchor Manila testing the skins.

Yo, Elmer and Dang, great friends. They brought for us a big filing cabinet of tokwa't baboy (torque and piggy:-). Oh man heaven.


My beautiful Menchay finally sat down and ate a piece.

Jonalyn ponders what song to sing next. She prepared a delicious paella dish for us.

Menchay ready for the key.

Jamaica is Jonah's youngest. She hates peanuts!

Jonah congs the congas.

Among creative people..Ding Roces, Ken Moraleda, Paschal Berry and Mario Aldeguer.

Michael played his drum kit and got some encouragement.

A close-up of the metre-square cake:)

Bert Rejante announced a text greeting from Wally Gonzalez.

Jonalyn tries the mic with Menchay.

Neria Soliman, Menchay, Lisa, Rommel, Conrad, Jess and Jerwin

Irene and Ding Roces, me and Michael.

Crowding for the aperture.

Janelle and Jamaica

Ala and Ninea


Michael and Lisa (filling in for Gus)