Efrain Pelaez Jr. and Christine Taylor Pelaez entertained an intimate group of friends last Saturday night at the Pelaez Heritage House along Rahmann Street.
The house used to be the residence of lawyer Fulvio Pelaez, his wife Lina and their only daughter Mitos.
Their nephew, Jun Pelaez, acquired the house some years back, and had the wonderful idea of restoring it and more. The results have been splendid. To begin with, there is the house with its stairways, high ceilings ornately decorated, and floors of polished parquet.
The chandeliers sparkle, the fine carpets have the right pile, and draperies covering windows may open to gain access to ornate balconies. Glass panels have been added to make the place air-conditioned. From the street you may admire its graceful arches and columns.
There is a large salon and adjoining dining room of elegant proportions. There is also a library and a room that serves as office. “It is actually a bed and breakfast facility,” said Jun Pelaez as he showed us three of the four bedrooms fit for royalty.
All of them have their own toilet and bath, plus furniture in the art deco style of the house. One of them used to be the bedroom of Mitos. “She can still use it when she comes,” said Jun.
In the downstairs area there is a fourth bedroom just as well appointed as the rest, Adjacent to the ground level is the breakfast room, where dinner was served that evening. Among those present was Christine’s mother Conchita Taylor.
How about lunch and dinner? We asked Jun who was quick to say that there’s the nearby German restaurant Der Kaiserhof. We congratulate Jun and Christine Pelaez for making their plans a reality. We wish others with heritage houses would do the same. They can take example from the Pelaez Heritage House.
Right across is the Borromeo ancestral home which is older than the postwar Pelaez house. It is lived in by Joseling Borromeo who uses the groundfloor. Upstairs is his niece Bambina Putong Hermann who is in Cebu right now.
There is still another Pelaez house in the area, on Sepulveda street. It used to be the ancestral home of Jun’s grandparents, Don Vicente and Doña Fidela Pelaez.
Gratefully acknowledged is a pile of invitations for events which for some very good reasons we were unable to attend. Our schedules are made weeks ahead and often events are in conflict with others to which we have earlier accepted.
One such came from the Sayaw Foundation for “a romantic night with Don Quixote” on Jan. 24 at Cuarto Mercedes of the Montebello Garden Hotel. Dress code said it was formal.
But that evening was the inaugural of The Henry Hotel which we had accepted back in December when Ara Sucaldito told us about it. It was further followed up by Jaja Rama and Vanessa Deen. And it was a chic casual affair.
Same night was the book launch with author Efren Valiente of his volume on the 110 years of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) which celebrated its platinum anniversary in 2013.
Venue was the Shanghai Room of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel. CCCI past president Prudencio Gesta welcomed one and all. The printed program we received said that past presidents would deliver special remarks.
Among them were Gerry Santa Ana, chairman of the editorial board, vice chairman Anastacio Muntuerto Jr., and Francis Monera, chairman of the 100 + 10 celebration.
Efren Valiente had his turn to remark on the CCCI’s 110 years of leadership in business in this community, and how it has been an effective instrument of growth as well as the voice of entrepreneurship.
Closing remarks were by Jose Ng, also a past president and member of the book’s editorial board.
Saturdays are special to our family and as a rule we don’t accept engagements. Hence I was unable to attend another book launch, that of “Brown Child.” It has the best poetry and fiction by those who have taken the Cornelio Faigao literary workshops.
That was on January 24, held at the Ayala Center Cebu, a co-presentor of the event with the University of San Carlos Press and Cebuano Studies Center.
The cards came at 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 27, for two related events next day in the morning. One was for the 10 a.m. ground breaking of Diamond Hiland, a couple of towers and more in Nivel Hills formerly occupied by Casino Filipino.
It is a project of HE Philipe Lhuillier, Ambassador of the Philippines to Portugal, and his good friend, business tycoon Carlos Yeung.
The next event was an hour later at 11 a.m., hosted by Carlos and Mariquita Yeung for the topping of the MSY Holdings building at Cebu Business Park, behind Colegio de la Inmaculada Conception.
I did get there late, at about 10 minutes to 12 noon, and asked where to park. On the 4th level, I was told, and indicated the ramp that led up. At that moment my mobile phone rang.
It was a reminder from the Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission about an ongoing meeting to deliberate on nominees for the city’s outstanding institutions and individuals.
So, there I rushed. The awards will be given during the Cebu City Charter Day celebration on Feb. 24.