Seven
is one of my fave numbers!
We reunited on August 7, one year and a month past. This was our seventh.
July 6, 2024: Hacienda Isabella, Indang, Cavite City (6th)
October 28, 2023: Tablo, Las Piñas City (5th)
November 30, 2022: Villa Guardia, Mendez, Cavite City (4th)
December 27, 2021: Salakot Cafe, Silang, Cavite City (3rd)
January 18, 2019: Caleruega, Tagaytay City (1st)
Dear readers, these are three of the most amazing women:
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| Cristy |
 |
| Merly and |
 |
| Zet |
...whom I keep an enduring friendship with.
Initially encountering them as my colleagues in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) of San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) in 2011, I did not find it difficult to build a kind of closeness which turned into a full-blown sisterhood. We clicked in a lot of ways and what topped it all was that we shared almost the same values and work ethic. No wonder despite our separation, we stayed true to our "sandugo" ("blood compact") — a constant reconnection. The fact that we're all from the south lessened the improbability of not sticking to this "treaty." What's only needed was a pesty initiator since two of us had a demanding schedule. Hahaha. Hence, when they made themselves available that Thursday for a meetup, I was rejoicing!
Original Destination: Caba Cafe Garden, San Pedro, Laguna City
Being the “convenor,” I did all the necessary preparations for this get-together. Finding a venue, which wouldn't take a long drive, became smooth for me. I sent my friends photos of this place and its menu two days prior. Last final check was the availability of Caba Cafe Garden on August 7 since an advisory on closure from the public on a certain date and time would be posted. Located inside the premises of Hallow Ridge Filipinas Golf Inc., this is an in-demand outlet. I heaved a sigh of relief when there was no post on their page Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Thus, when I was halted at the gate by the security guard and was informed that Caba Cafe was closed due to a golf tournament, I was totally flabbergasted! I told him that based on its Facebook page, there was no announcement about it. He repeated his statement. Right there and then I quickly referred to the site and the proof which was just published seven minutes earlier stared back at me. Ahem! Their communications officer was obviously late. Anyway, this did not make me pivot. After raising a couple of queries and explanations, we were finally allowed to enter the compound. Whew! Well if he didn't, I might have used an alibi of being a private caddie girl of one of the elite putters. Bwahahaha! Sometimes, it pays to be stubborn because we found out that there's also a diner at the golf driving range. When we were directed to the area, there were already local and foreign golfers. A female staff led us to a table, and we saw Japanese and Filipino dishes in their menu. We're glad that their food and their customer service pleased us, forgetting all about Caba Cafe.
The tasty cuisine fueled us in touring the place before agreeing to have our dessert in Casa Luisa which is just 1.2kms away.
Now, I would often look at the clock since I didn't want to be caught by night on the road. To add, Zet had to attend an important appointment at 5:00pm. So after more than two hours of reminiscing our multihued Bedan episodes, catching up on stories and expending energy, we transferred to Casa Luisa.
Surprise! Surprise! A weekday, I only saw one vehicle at the parking area. This might signal that we, cuatro marias, were just the second batch of customers that mid-afternoon.
True enough, only one table was occupied by a couple.
I verbalized my elation for it was a different scenario during my first visit. This led to my justifying my reason for scheduling our reunion on a weekday since we would really be free from a congested parking lot and the presence of many guests that could be a factor in fully enjoying a restaurant.
As expected, the empanadas which I vouched for did not disappoint (Cristy and I had our take-out box afterwards).
Serving as our dessert, this Casa Luisa signature delicacy (tasted 7 out of 8 flavors) plus their bibingka completed our day's meal.
We resumed our personal narratives while savoring our respective coffee variety.
Later on, I took my time in capturing the other nooks which I failed to document in Casa Luisa on June 9. With a new set of company, it effectively reoffered significant novel encounters for me.
Kahit restroom hindi namin pinatawad para sa pictorial! (We did not spare even the restroom for our pictorial!) Hahahaha...
All fun-loving people, we partook in the youthful joy we derived from doing whimsical actions that might be unconventional to some. Well, these eccentricities make us endearing to each other. Tee-hee!
As we preserve this friendship, I am confident that I will never get tired of their presence.
They are my source of faith in times of doubt. They are my source of inspiration in times of discouragement. They are my source of happiness in times of despair.
*Big Panda: "Which is more important, the journey or the destination?"
*Tiny Dragon: "The company."
Truly, life's true value lies in the connections that we make and the moments we share with people who contribute positively to our life. These are the very people whose lasting impact lead us to appreciate our existence despite the odds. That's why it is always easy for me to let go of individuals who do not contribute to my personal growth and well-being. I just allow them to pass through and then withdraw everything from my emotional bank account.
BIG cheers, my beloved Maders (This is our term of endearment.)!
By all means, you will all remain one of my most sought-after and incomparable companions.
Hanggang sa muli! (Until next time!)
Photo credit:
Ma. Cristina Lopez
*From James Norbury's "Big Panda and Tiny Dragon" book
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