2.16.01: Marlou's birthday!

Happy birthday, Marlou Huibonhua!

16 Feb 2001. Belmont CA. Birthday BABE: Marlou Huibonhua-Litton.

Paulinian classmates and daughters (clockwise from top left): Mae Cendana, Pita Revilla's Lisa, Mae's Dae, Erika Miranda, Cecile Lozada, Marlou Huibonhua, and Marlou's Iselle... San Francisco Bay Area Beauties all!

Mae Cendana's coverage: Friday, Feb. 16, Cecile who lives in Fremont, 40 miles away, volunteered to pick me up and my daughter, Dae. Unable to drive because of surgery done two weeks ago, I was so grateful to get out of the house. It was a beautiful but chilly day. We were to rendezvous with Erika, Lisa (Pita's daughter) and Marlou who was celebrating her birthday. Marlou's place was another 40 miles away and the traffic didn't help much because it took us a good hour to get there. By the time we did, the three ladies were already waiting for us at the door. We didn't even get to go inside the house because Erika said "GUTOM NA GUTOM NA 'KO! Let's go!"

Mae, Dae, Marlou and Lisa inside Cecile's car...

So, we proceeded to downtown Belmont where we had dimsum at Marlou's favorite Chinese restaurant. As soon as we got seated, we took almost anything offered at sight: siomai, tofu, spareribs, shrimps in bellpeppers, eggplant, sesame balls, fried rice and HAKAW (our word for the day). For dessert, it had to be the famous mango pudding. Overall rating: SUPER-SARAP! We went back to Marlou's to have coffee and guess what? Munch some more. We went through two cakes, a box of mango squares, a bag of chips and leche flan.

Mae, Cecile and Marlou in Marlou's dining room.

So, what did we do aside from eat? TALK, of course! Here is my incomplete list of topics discussed which, by the way, are still open for further discussion J :

1. How mothers are protective of their children (no matter the child's age) and what mothers do when their children grow up.

2. The difference between Filipino men raised in the Philippines and Filipino men raised in America (Oh, you'd be surprised!)

3. Filipino words that are hard to translate into English. E.g., "nakakagigil" (one suggestion was "cutable"J .

4. The problems faced by people whether they are rich or poor (of course, we discussed "other people's" problems).

5. How can one get the best of TIVO and Direct TV (tips from Louie Diestro)

6. How women of different ages can be friends - also called "We hang out with our Titas" by Lisa and Dae.

7. Pokemon, the Cartoon Channel and Hangman (the game) - Thanks to Iselle, Marlou's daughter.

8. The exciting careers of the new millennium (personal shopper, child psychologist, environmentalist. Is it time to switch?)

9. How to miss your flight by miscalculating military time or by purely spacing out in the airport - an idiot's guide.

10. The danger that lurks in AMTRAK (train) and BART (subway) stations - Horror Stories by Erika.

11. "Research - A Lucrative Business" by Marlou (BTW, a friendly venture may brew up from the discussion... abangan!)

Oh what fun! See you at the next BABES reunion!

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