The youngest of my three brothers, Ramon Jarque, though free-spirited and playful, is a private person, shy and soft-spoken. For his 60th birthday, he wanted quiet, quality time with family. No fuss, no complicated preparations. We played along.
A few days prior to his birthday, while having dinner at the Casino Español de Cebu with his daughter Cristina Sasnouvski and her husband Mike Sasnouvski, his eldest daughter, London-based Margarita Bellal, together with her brother Eduque Jarque, who is on job training in Europe, casually walked in and surprised their dad. He was speechless, overwhelmed with joy.
Without his knowledge, his three children started to plan for his special day. It was a close-knit dinner at his well-appointed home with immediate family, relatives and some of his closest friends.
The invitees walked along the driveway, which was lined with torches and white and black balloons that were strategically placed among the lush foliage.
Ramon, an avid fan of the legendary Beatles, together with his guests, enjoyed a well-documented video anthology of the famed British group, that Eduque masterfully put together.
The pica pica’s were plentiful with each sibling showcasing their own specialty. The wines and spirits simply flowed and the well-thought-out menu was outstanding.
The night’s piece de resistance was the surprise video presentation chronicling memorable moments from Ramon’s life that left some invitees in stitches and others close to tears.