Víspera del cumpleaños

I really don't know if I'm correct in my elementary translation, or transliteration, of the phrase "eve of birthday." When you are turning 57, it's best to let the persons closest to and younger than you to make certain decisions like should we have cake or not? Of course, we should--kailangan pa ba pag-usapan 'yan?

Having tasted Jayjay's chocolate cake at his 42nd birthday party at Mother's Garden, there was no doubt where we would source the cake. I asked Chiqui Torres, Ph.D., one of the party organizers and good friend of Jayjay's mom, Therese Jison, where the cake came from. She directed me to Marie whose bakery/cafe, Cottage Gi, is near the Caltex gas station on Legarda road and City Camp with telephone number 442-4864.

My resourceful daughter did the calls and requested for extra flowers. Those flowers are not shaped icing that taste like sugar cubes. These particular cake flowers taste like genuine pastillas de leche. I kid you not.

When the cake was ready for pick-up, my daughter was surprised at how colorful the whole thing was. We were supposed to wake up at midnight to finally try it, but we just let the cake cool in the fridge for less than hour, then unanimously decided, "Okay, let's have it!" which is Lolarga code for "Let's eat." 

Even Butones, from whose "trust funds" the money for the cake came from, couldn't resist touching and tasting and having spoonful after another until she was sticky all over. I call her by the flavor "ChocoKai."

What truly sold me to this cake with no preservatives is the receipt handwritten by the baker itself. After she had written out the amount paid to her, she scribbled in "Thanks!" Now, will you ever read that in other pastry shops? I doubt it, but it made the eve of my 57th spin extra special.  To Chiqui, Therese and, indirectly, Jayjay, thank you for leading us chocoholics to Marie.

Photos by Kimi Fernandez