‘Triple 60’ dinner soiree with Paulinian barkada
Because three members of my high school barkada from St. Paul Quezon City recently turned 60, we had a triple celebration last Jan. 24.
Leslie Dela Cruz-Ramillano turned 60 on Dec. 19. After finishing college, she migrated to the United States and lived in Los Angeles. She married in 1989, has a daughter, Leah, who is a theater set designer in the US, and became a widow at the age of 43. She worked as an accountant in California for 30 years and decided to return to Manila in 2015, when she turned 50, to retire here.
Lawyer Cef Macalino-Sison turned 60 on Dec. 20. She is the chief regulatory officer (CRO) of GCash and the better half of “Ipaglaban Mo” host, lawyer Jopet Sison. Together, they have three sons: Jat (married to Gianna Yabut), Jigo and Javi.
Lawyer Dimples Reyes-Rara turned 60 on Jan. 20. She is the managing partner of Reyes-Rara & Associates, a law firm that engages exclusively in the practice of intellectual property law. She is married to Manny Rara and is a mother to Katya and Sito. Both Cef and Dimples are graduates of Ateneo Law School.
All 13 of us in our Paulinian barkada were excited when we received the invitation to the “triple sixty” dinner soiree. It promised an intimate evening of fine dining, champagne toasts and hearts full of gratitude and joy. Another classmate, Coney Roa-Velez, even flew in from Cagayan de Oro just to join us. Unfortunately, another barkada, Rosvir Castelo-Sevilla, was unable to attend. The celebration was held at Gallery by Chele, which recently earned a one-star rating from the Michelin Guide.
The invitation requested that we arrive promptly at 6 p.m. for a pre-dinner food station “tour.” When I arrived, some of my classmates were already gathered on the terrace of Gallery by Chele, located on the fifth floor of Clipp Center in BGC. The terrace is an urban garden with well-appointed outdoor furniture, mood lighting and an abundance of potted plants — mostly endemic herbs and vegetables grown and used by the restaurant for its dishes.
According to its website, Gallery by Chele takes pride in sourcing ingredients locally, featuring Filipino flavors through indigenous produce and partnerships with local farmers, fisherfolk and indigenous communities to support livelihoods and preserve heritage cooking. The waiters spoke about each dish with pride and knowledge — explaining the ingredients, where they were sourced and how they were prepared.
We were served an eight-course tasting menu, with each dish artfully presented — truly a feast for the eyes and a gastronomic experience with every bite. It began with what they called “The Journey.” First was the Koji Kinilaw: tuna with tapuey (a fermented rice wine from the Cordillera region) and mango. It was followed by the Shio Lobster—white ube with calamansi and sea urchin. Next came the Fired! Pulpo, featuring octopus with chicken jus and palm heart. Then there was the Grouper Tapuey, served with green caviar (a local variety whose name escapes me), green papaya and white miso.
The fifth dish was Abalone Arroz Caldo made with rice sourced from Kalinga — a sophisticated, rich and flavorful take on the comfort dish we all know.
To cleanse our palates, we were served a refreshing Buko Salad with seasonal fruits, lemongrass and basil.
The highly anticipated main course followed: Wagyu (A5) with beef emulsion, white onion and black garlic sauce. The meat was incredibly tender and flavorful, but since it was a tasting menu, the portion was good for only four bites — much to the disappointment of Stella Alleje, our resident certified carnivore!
To cap off the evening on a sweet note, we enjoyed ice cream served with rice crisps on the side.
In between bites, stories and laughter flowed freely around the rectangular table — conversations ranged from politics and shopping tips to children, maintenance medicines, showbiz gossip and so much more. Moments like these remind me how grateful I am to have kept the same set of friends through the years. Some of us have known each other since our grade school days at St. Paul Pasig: Milette Francia-Belmonte, Stella, Nina Cruz-Paz, Mia Reyes, Bubbles Oliquino-Santos, Bambi Tan, Becky Benitez, Maricris Eustaquio-Francisco, Connie and Suzette Hahn-Lopez. The others — Leslie, Cef, Dimples and Maros Ancheta — I met later in high school.
We fondly call ourselves “SeniorA.” After all, we are now officially senior citizens — and proudly so. Of course, wearing this badge of honor also comes with a few gentle reminders that time has passed. Our memories are no longer as sharp as they once were, names occasionally escape us mid-sentence and reading menus now requires better lighting — or longer arms. In fact, Leslie had to remind all of us (more than once) to bring our senior citizen cards so we could avail ourselves of the 20-percent discount on the bill. Proof that wisdom may come with age, but reminders are still very much necessary.
Still, there was something deeply satisfying about that moment — laughing over fine food at a Michelin-starred restaurant, celebrating six decades of life, friendship, resilience and reinvention. We’ve lived through crushes and heartbreaks, exams and deadlines, weddings and funerals, career highs and personal losses, childbirth and empty nests.
Some of us became lawyers, accountants, corporate executives, mothers, widows, wives and everything in between. We’ve learned that life doesn’t always turn out the way we planned — but somehow, it still turns out beautifully.
As we raised our glasses that evening, there was an unspoken understanding among us: we’ve seen each other at our best and our worst, and we’re still here — older, wiser, softer in some ways, stronger in others and definitely more appreciative of good food, good company, and comfortable seating.
From playmates to classmates, from barkada to SeniorAs, we’ve grown up together — and grown old together — with grace, humor and a lot of shared stories. We may forget a few details now and then, but one thing we will never forget is how lucky we are to have each other.
From playmates to SeniorAs, we deserve the good life. We’ve earned it. And yes — we deserve it.
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