OGIE ALCASID celebrated his birthday with a bang at the clubhouse of Ayala Hills Estate. Regine Velasquez?s gift to her honey is a state-of-the-art recording equipment. The songbird was sans makeup and not in a diva outfit.

?Nakakaasar magsuot na sobrang mahal na shoes na masakit naman sa paa [laughs],? Reg said. ?The birthday boy also dressed down.?

That set the relaxed mood of the bash. Besides, the couple is really so simple and laid-back off-cam. Ogs and Reg are not the types that do excessive PDA. During the party, they exchanged loving glances across the room.

While Reg sang ?Till They Take My Heart Away,? onstage, Ogs did back-up vocals in the corner. There was no need for a duet or a cheesy birthday tribute. Their love was very much in the air.

Spotted at the fete were John Estrada and GF Priscilla Meirelles, Ara Mina, Iza Calzado and her new BF, Dingdong Avanzado, Bing Loyzaga, Jaya, Michael V and wife Carol, Dodot and Mikee Jaworski, Agot Isidro and hubby Manu, Antonio Aquitania, Wendell Ramos, Mother Lily, Wilma Galvante, Sheree and Gian Magdangal.

Ogie had a mini concert with his guests. ?May 1001 Songbook dito,? he announced. ?Songs in all languages for you to choose from. Nakaka-pressure mamili [I feel pressured in choosing]. But for me walang sinabi ang songbook at ang songwriter in me [the songbook and the songwriter are nothing]. Suko ako sa Songbird [Hats off to the songbird]. Taas kamay ako [I raise my hands]!? Reg could not stop blushing.

Culture shock

Iza Calzado was quite apprehensive about her businessman/BF?s first show biz public appearance. ?Shucks! I thought there would be no media here,? she sighed. ?Medyo na-culture shock ang BF ko [My BF suffered from culture shock]. Di siya sanay to be in the limelight [He?s not used to be in the limelight].?

District mates

Ara Mina didn?t bring her non-show biz BF to the party. ?I?ve learned from my previous relationships,? she said. ?Kaya now ingat na ingat ako na di ma-expose ang BF ko [That?s why now I am very careful not to expose my BF]. Pag show biz affairs, di ko talaga siya sinasama [If these are show biz affairs, I really don?t bring him along].?

Ara is also working on her bid for councilor in the second district of Quezon City, which happens to be the same district where Aiko Melendez (ex-wife of her ex Jomari Yllana) serves as councilor.

Any conflict? ?Nakakasawa na intrigahin kami ni Aiko [It?s tiring already to sow intrigue between Ara and me],? she says ?We?ve both moved on. Besides, last term na niya [it?s her last term]. She will run yata [I think] for higher position.?

Wedding bells

I asked John Estrada about his and Priscilla?s wedding plans. ?Sure na sa [It?s sure in] 2011.? he says ?Wala nang atrasan [There?s no turning back].? He has found a new manager in Wyngard Tracy, who replaces Tito Dougs.

No reaction

I teased Bing Loyzaga, ?Janno told me that, despite the many girls linked to him, he always goes back to you, his original love.? She snapped back, in jest, ?Bakit parang NR ako [Why do I have NR]! No reaction!?

Sisig Queen

Jaya fondly calls Regine ?Sisig Queen.? ?Reg told me it?s because when she makes ?birit,? it seems all her ?lamang-loob? (like the ingredients of sisig) comes out.?

Kundirana days

Dingdong Avanzado shared a funny anecdote about his Kundirana days in La Salle with Ogie: ?We were on a US tour and we all had a crush on one sexy girl. Alaskado ako [I was the butt of jokes] because the girl wanted to have a pic with me only and she asked me to kiss her. It turned out that she was a transsexual!?

He says Ogie has always been good-natured. ?Never siya na-involve sa [He was never involved in] fights in school. He?s everybody?s friend.?

I share Dingdong?s sentiments. Ogie is a friend over and beyond the call of duty.

Grand launch

Anticipation grows for the fifth season of GMA-7?s ?StarStruck,? which promises to be the biggest ever. The grand launch party for the new season was aired on ?SOP? Sunday with live remote feeds from SM Cebu, SM Davao, SM Iloilo and Stadia in Dagupan, with the simultaneous release of application forms in these areas.

The brightest Kapuso stars joined the launch. Applications will be given away at SM Cebu, SM Iloilo, SM Davao and Stadia in Dagupan and GMA Network. The door to Showbizlandia is now wide open. Knock if you have the knack for it.

E-mail: wateringholeshangrila@yahoo.com