MANILA, Philippines?Pops Fernandez and Martin Nievera?s reunion concert at the Big Dome had all the right ingredients for a perfect prelude to Valentine. Their music and banter made hearts work overtime. It made me laugh, cry, smile and sigh in equal parts.

The highlight of the night was when Mart and Pipay read their ?now vows? to each other. Pipay couldn?t hold back her tears when she said, ?Mart, help me make our two sons learn the true meaning of love. Thank you for finally seeing my true worth.? Mart turned misty-eyed when he proclaimed, ?I sucked as a husband even if you were an awesome wife.?

It also served as a renewal of the Concert King and Queen?s vows to their adoring fans?that they will continue singing together, no matter what.

Meanwhile, Pops? boyfriend Jomari Yllana, who produced the concert, opted to stay backstage so that the ex-couple could have their moment. What a gentleman, indeed!

Mart brought the house down when he impersonated Jom and when he teased Pipay, ?Don?t you wish you?re boyfriend was not like me?? Their boys Robin and Ram hammed it up onstage. They ought to be called Concert Princes already. Gary V gamely did a duet with Mart of ?Sana Maulit Muli? which echoed the sentiments of Martin-Pops fanatics.

Things that I miss about the good old days with Pipay and Mart came to my mind while watching their concert, ?Missing You.? I miss those moments when Mart would get pikon on the golf course and Pipay would try to appease him, when Pipay would cook a palpak dish for Mart and he would savor it just the same, when Mart was afraid to look at Pipay?s feet because she told him that she had six left toes, when they used up all their savings to buy their dream house in Hawaii. The Concert King and Queen are now the sum total of all those moments and memories.

As Pipay said in the show, ?No more issues and angst. We started out as friends and we now end up as friends all over again. We both have grown up.? But Martin and Pops will never outgrow their need of each other.

Discovering Marian

Reluctant lovers Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera ignite your TV screens once again in Komiks King Carlo J. Caparas? ?Ang Babaeng Hinugot Sa Aking Tadyang? (weeknights on GMA Telebabad). The action-suspense-drama reigned in the ratings in its pilot week.

Dong portrays a nerd whose world becomes topsy-turvy when a mysterious woman (Marian) suddenly appears. Just when he is ready to share his life with her, she vanishes.

Any mystery about Marian that Dong still wants to unravel? ?Even if we work together, I must say there are still a lot of things I have to discover about Marian,? says Dong. ?But I like what I see so far.?

Would he go for a free-spirited woman like Proserfina or a simple homebody? ?When you love someone, you adjust without your even realizing it. I go for the totality and not just a particular quality,? Dong explains. ?Love balances everything out. What a woman may lack in one aspect she makes up for it in other ways. It all boils down to how much you are willing to understand her because you love her.? Hmm ? Looks like Dong is ready for Cupid?s next sting in time for V-day!

Best of both

John Lloyd Cruz has the best of both love teams. His team-up with Bea Alonzo and Sarah Geronimo click. ?With Bea it?s a team effort,? Loydie says. ?But with Sarah, I give full credit to her. Siya ang nagdadala ng love team namin.? The sought-after leading man lets Sarah lead the way.

Boracay Valentine

?A Valentine Weekend at the Shores!? on Feb. 14 at Discovery Shores Boracay features French-Moroccan singer Moise, with special guest Julia Duncan. Call (36) 2884500 or log on to www.discoveryshoresboracay.com. Falling in love is the only option!

Acoustic night

Catch King of Acoustic Pop Nyoy Volante in ?Sentiments? with Rythmic Circle on Feb. 13, Fri, 9 p.m. at Galaxias of Diamond Hotel (Call 5283000). Nyoy will strum his guitar as well as your heartstrings.

PERSONAL: Belated Happy Birthday to my ?IF? Richie Coronel Santos and to my fave DJ Jay Villarruz. Birthday cheers to my cool friend Michael Cruz of ?Singing Bee.?

E-mail wateringholeshnagrila@yahoo.com