Bert’s new ‘baby’

You blink and when you look again, there it is, as if placed there by a magic hand overnight.

I’m talking about the new Country Waffles outlet on Scout Esguerra St., Quezon City, which will be formally opened on Oct. 16 (Wednesday), 8 p.m., with Timeless IX, the successful concert series of Bert Nievera who, together with wife Carol Nievera, develop, own and manage the Country Waffles outlets (including the first five ones in Glorietta, Greenhills, Camp John Hay in Baguio, Eastwood City and Rockwell).

"This is the biggest outlet," Bert told Funfare during a quick tour of the place now undergoing finishing touches. "The building occupies 1,000 of the whole 1,500 square-meter lot. It can accommodate 500 people; it has a theater lounge at the second floor and a Kiddie Corner where kids can play while their parents are having dinner or enjoying a show."

Like the other Country Waffles outlets, the one on Scout Esguerra offers, as Bert put it, "Everything your heart desires," including a wide selection of gustatory delights (steaks, Filipino food, sandwiches and lots and lots of waffles).

Now offering (until Oct. 15) a special promo of P500 entrance fee (consummable), Country Waffles Scout Esguerra (like the one in Greenhills) will mount weekend mini shows (comedy skits, bands, etc.), with two slated for Oct. 25 (topbilling Rico Puno and Rosanna Roces) and Oct. 26 (with Ara Mina and Hajji Alejandro), both produced by the Royale ERA Entertainment of Ruffa Gutierrez and her mom, Annabelle Rama.

But the Timeless IX will fittingly usher in the place, with the show to be staged on a platform beside the fountain which highlights the rotunda in front of the Country Waffles. It will be basically the same as Bert’s other Timeless concerts, all of which have been held at the CCP (with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra accompanying Bert and his choice guests) since its debut in 1991.

Bert’s guests in Timeless IX are his son Martin Nievera, Lani Misalucha and Carol Banawa, with a 42-piece orchestra conducted by Danny Tan. Here’s the repertoire: A Piece of Sky as overture, to be followed by Being Alive (by Bert), a classical pop number, Mahawi Man (Bert), Henry Mancini Medley, Frank Sinatra Medley, Habang May Buhay (Carol), If You Remember Me Medley (Carol), Kahit Na/Ikaw ang Lahat (Bert and Carol), If I Should Love (Bert), Gaano/Ikaw (Bert), Broadway songs (Bert and Lani), more songs by Lani, Copacabana (Bert), What Kind of Fool Am I (with Martin joining Bert in the middle of the song), two more songs by Martin, The Greatest Love Affair (Bert and Martin), Canseco Suite, Sometime Somewhere and then back to A Piece of Sky.

"It’s going to be a great show," promised Bert.

With Country Waffles Scout Esguerra now in place, maybe Bert can now devote more time to doing concerts. He and Carol develop the outlets and then leave the management task to their children Carissa (a Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate in Switzerland), Jansey (a Computer Science graduate) and Caroline (Hotel and Restaurant Management, La Salle).

In November, Bert and Carol are putting up still another Country Waffles outlet in Filinvest, Alabang, and their first Bubba Gump Shrimp outlet in Greenbelt, their newly-acquired franchise. Bubba Gumps are found all over the US (main outlet is in Monterey, California), with three branches in Hawaii where Caroline is now training.

But music will remain Bert’s first love.

In fact, he just came from Malaysia where he entertained Prime Minister Mahathir and his guests during a reunion of doctors. It’s Bert’s third time to perform for Mahathir for whom he and guest performer Dessa prepared a repertoire of ballads.

"Mahathir even sang two songs," said Bert. "First was It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie, his favorite, and then My Way. He said that he liked the first line – And now the end is near – because next year he’ll be resigning already."