My 40th blog:

From Eye Appointment to Elegant Indulgence: A Day at The Manila Peninsula


Today I played supportive sister and accompanied one of mine to her eye check-up—with none other than my dear friend, the brilliant and ever-thorough Dra. Mizzi Zabala Meriales.

Got a problem with your eyes? I know just the woman to help you see clearly—in every sense of the word. Mizzi doesn’t just examine; she explains, explores options, and gives her patients the kind of care that feels like a warm hug for your vision. You can find her at Makati Medical Center, where she works her magic with kindness and clarity.

Thank you, Mizzi, for giving more than 100%—you always do.

Since I played moral support to my sister at her eye appointment, she treated me—and our other sister—to a charming afternoon tea at The Peninsula Manila, where one of our talented nephews just so happens to be a chef. The three-tiered afternoon tea stand arrived in all its elegant glory, carrying a delightful assortment of petit fours: colorful macarons, opera cakes, buttery quiches, tartlets, and dainty sandwiches. It was a feast for the eyes as much as for the palate. Alongside this indulgence came iced tea and decaf coffee, rounding out the experience with refreshing sips.

No sooner had we started enjoying our treats than we proudly summoned our nephew from the kitchen—like true stage aunts and a mother basking in familial pride. One of the kind waiters even suggested we head into the kitchen for a quick photo op "where the action is"—and we happily obliged. We caught our nephew in his element, focused and thriving in the culinary world he loves. Afterward, we returned to our table, finished our tea, and eventually even had dinner. And just when we thought the surprises were over, out came our nephew once again to greet us with a big smile. Like any self-respecting Filipino family, we took more pictures, of course. It was a wonderful night of sisterly bonding, made even more special by good food, gentle music, and one very talented nephew.

Thank you, my dearest sister Cecile — I truly hope this won’t be the last time you treat us to The Peninsula Manila (lol!). As much as we enjoyed the delicious food, what we treasure even more is the bonding time and all the fun photo ops with our favorite chef, Michael. What a beautiful day, brimming with memories we’ll cherish forever!

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