Three cheers to two big Stars celebrating another milestone today: The Philippine STAR on its 32nd year and Susan Roces on her ‘ty-seventh year. Each celebrator marks the special day in different ways.
Sunday last week (July 22), Susan hosted a dinner for family and close friends at Ayuthai, a restaurant on Pasay Road, Makati City, famous for traditional Thai cuisine in artful presentations served in a spacious, white-tablecloth setting. Ayuthai must hold fond memories for Susan’s daughter, Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who was proclaimed as a senatorial candidate by then Pres. Noynoy Aquino in the same place. Still MTRCB head at that time, Grace was celebrating her birthday.
From left: Pat-P Daza, Shirley Kuan, Lawrence Tan, Dolor Guevarra, Angelica Alita (Bb. Pilipinas beauty), Veana Fores, Bibeth and Malou Choa-Fagar
As she does these past years, Susan celebrates her birthday not “one time big time” but many times, each with a different group.
“Lunch or dinner with one group and then another lunch or dinner with another group,” she said.
Susan with Regal Matriarch Lily Monteverde……and STAR columnist Danny Dolor.
The only sibling at the Ayuthai affair was Susan’s younger sister Teresita “Tessie” Sonora-Santos who came with her husband, Eddie Santos, and their children. The three other Sonoras (Bennett, Rosemarie and Joey) are all in the States. Eddie’s family owned the ‘60s Greta Films which produced a movie starring Tessie.
“That was the one and only movie that I did,” said Tessie who willingly gave up her promising career in favor of love. It was a wise decision because she and Eddie have been living happily ever after. “Eddie and I met during the shoot of the movie.”
Susan with Mads and husband Tony ‘Mr. T’ Tuviera, and Lilibeth ‘Betchay’ Nakpil…
When Eddie was introduced to Dolor Guevarra (Susan’s manager), he remembered that Dolor’s late husband Boots Plata co-directed one of Greta’s movies.
Among Susan’s well-wishers were Malu Gamboa-Lindo (who was Grace’s classmate at Assumption) and her husband Mon Lindo. They own Ayuthai and three other restaurants (one of them Milky Way) in the same building.
…with Malou Gamboa-Lindo and husband Mon Lindo…
Grace came with husband Neil Llamanzares and a daughter. Ronald Constantino congratulated Grace for topping the surveys on “winnable” senators (in the 2019 elections) but when asked if she was running, Grace shook her head. In a previous STAR interview, Grace said the same thing. “I will have to ask the permission of some people,” she said, casting a quick look at Neil.
When it was time to blow the single candle on the large birthday cake brought by Carlitos Siguion-Reyna and wife Bibeth Orteza, everybody gathered around Susan. As a collective “Happy birthday!” reverberated around Ayuthai, the Birthday Girl flashed a sweet smile.
(Left)…and with Ryzza Mae Dizon. (Right) Eddie Santos and wife Tessie Sonora-Santos
At her age, Susan has retained the “Face That Refreshes” look, the title given to her by the Sampaguita Starmaker Dr. Jose R. Perez who discovered her.
(Sorely missed at the party were Marichu “Manay Ichu” Maceda who was running a fever, and Grace and Neil’s son Brian who is in New York where he recently graduated from Columbia University with an M.A. degree in Climate & Society Program.)
(E-mail reactions at rickylophilstar@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)