When my favorite little girl, Brielle Oreta turned 7 at the Polo Club’s Last Chukker, four things struck me: How her mom Maiki whimsically decorated and transformed the venue into a barn; how good the Polo Club food was that afternoon; how I only found out that day that my favorite baker Juda Liu (who bakes the softest sponge cake) makes her marshmallow frosted cupcakes in a multitude of bright colors (perfect for children’s parties) and not solely in marshmallow white, as I previously thought; and, last but not least, how well Mr. and Ms Quinto Oreta picked their magician.
About the food—though simple, it was executed to a T. The greens of the Mango and Crabstick Salad were cold and crisp. The Spaghettinis Checca and Carbonara were al dente, seasoned to perfection and very tasty, and the Margherita Pizza was slathered with a flavorful tomato sauce and an abundance of mozzarella cheese.
The magician Cris Castro, better known as tito Cris, started his pursuit of magic when he was a young boy.
“I was inspired by the magicians who were really medicine vendors. In between selling medicines, they performed magic tricks to passersby along Quiapo,” he said. Castro recalled visiting them every day, to and from school, fascinated by their tricks.
He continued his passion throughout his youth, often finding himself in Avenida Rizal, near the Opera House, then a favorite hangout of movie stars and celebrities.
“I used to see kuya Germs, Luis Gonzales and many other celebrities. But there was one person who was always there, one who influenced me greatly. His name was Canuplin, the Charlie Chaplin of the Philippines, a magician and comedian. It was he who made me decide to pursue my love for magic over any other career.”
Merlin awardee
Castro, by the way, is a nursing graduate. Now he has done his country proud by being the only Filipino to have joined the ranks of David Copperfield and Sigfried and Roy, his fellow Merlin Awardees.
The Merlin Awards is the Oscar derby of the world of magic, says Castro, who has won the award twice—in 2009 (for Best Family Magician) and 2012 (for Best Kid’s Entertainment). With the honors came a Doctorate Degree in Magic given by the International Magician Society.
Castro has his way with children and never skimps with his time and talent. His regular shows last an hour and a half, which can be extended upon request.
His show that afternoon started with simple tricks that slowly escalated into funnier, more hilarious and astounding feats. His D’Lite trick, where he pulled out lights from everywhere, mostly from his mouth and from a bunch of flowers while dancing to the catchy tune of “Ang Bango-Bango ng Bulaklak,” was hysterical. It was super Pinoy, pop-culture style!
Among his many illusions were Food to Go, where he pulled out a menu, and from the same menu he pulled out burger and fries. The fries and burger, meanwhile, also disappeared from the menu.
In another trick, he turned confetti into real noodles that you could eat. He also ignited his pan and from a piece of cookware sprang fried chicken and rice!
Toward the end of the show, the birthday girl Brielle and another young lady levitated, in separate magic scenes, both caught in Castro’s spell. What a show it was!
Great party, Maiki and Quinto! Happy Birthday, dearest Brielle!
(Call magician tito Cris at 0917-5115812, 0918-5058179; Juda Liu for Marshmallow Cupcakes at 8966872.)
Perfectly marinated ribs
There’s a home hidden from view that serves decent good.
My dear friend Vivian Go took me to lunch at Maimee’s Garden Café, tucked somewhere in the middle of Little Baguio, San Juan.
For starters, we had its baked brie drizzled with pesto and honey (quite a treat to find something like this on the menu), garden salad with raspberry vinaigrette, kare-kare and US barbecued beef short ribs.
The short ribs were nice, perfectly marinated. not the type basted with a lot of sauce but, nonetheless, very tasty. It’s worth the trip, if ihaw-ihaw and short ribs are your thing.
My tip to you is, please do not forget to tell the waiter to grill the ribs rare or medium rare at most. Otherwise, the meat is taxing to chew. Grilled just right, these beef short ribs are delicious!
(Call Maimee’s Garden Café at 7241538, 5791788 for directions and reservations.)
My book “Kitchen Rescue 3, The Directory-My Lifeline to Eating, Cooking and Living,” is now available at all leading bookstores or call 6474744.
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