MANILA, Philippines?My husband Rob and I just celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary on Sunday. We spent it in Cebu working?he as president of AmbientMedia, overseeing my concert ?Your Songs,? and I as the artist singing at the Waterfront Hotel.

However, when the concert ended, he took a few minutes for a little old-fashioned romance and gave me a bouquet of roses as the curtain call music was playing. What he didn?t know was that my brother Gerard and I were told that he would be making that sweet presentation (thanks to our production manager, Liza Camus), so we prepared a surprise of our own.

I kept Rob onstage, and then signaled Gerard to end the chaser music and start ?Two Words.? I sang it to my husband, pretty much the same way I rendered it on our wedding day six years ago. And yes, it got the same reaction, but without the body-wracking sobs.

Wow, it?s been quite a while since that beautiful wedding ceremony. I remember that day very well (and since there are numerous videos posted on YouTube, it?s easy to relive it). However, that?s not how our story began.

It started on Nov. 5, 2001?the night of our very first date. We had been introduced a few times before: First, at the Music Center in Los Angeles before watching a show (his cousin Christine, with whom I was working at the time, made that introduction); second, at a bowling night in the San Fernando Valley; and third, at a cast mate?s birthday dinner. It was at that dinner that Rob and I decided to go on a night-out.

I blame the two bottles of beer: The one he drank that gave him the courage to ask me out, and the one I drank that made me say yes.

?Flower Drum Song? (the show I was in while in LA) was already up and running, so Monday would be the only night I could go out with Rob. I headed off to Santa Monica for a well-deserved ?salon day.?

Once I got to my apartment, I quickly put on a black sweater, a denim knee-length pencil skirt and black high-heeled leather boots. I finished the look with a slim-fitting leather jacket.

At about 7 p.m., he called to say he was waiting at my gate. I buzzed him in; he had a large bouquet of flowers ready, arranged in a little pot. I placed it on my dining room table, and then we headed out.

He had prepared three scenarios for dinner, dessert and music. He also bought a brand-new light sweater especially for the date, and made sure his car was spotlessly clean, inside and out. What I found out later was that he went on a practice date days before this night (he brought his mom), just to make sure the places we were going to were nice. Wow.

Our first stop was Beverly Soondobu, a small Korean restaurant in Koreatown. I had been there before, so I knew the place served really great food. I had previously told Rob that soondobu (or tofu stew) was one of my favorite food, and he said that he liked it, too. We settled at the long wooden table and ordered dinner: Soondobu, bibimbap, kalbi and some light beer. Of course, the food was delicious.

Kinda cute

I don?t recall much of the conversation from that night, but one thing I do remember clearly: How often he had to go to the bathroom. I found this to be really funny and kinda cute.

For dessert, we headed to Asia de Cuba in the Mondrian Hotel on Sunset Boulevard. The ambiance was light and romantic, with candles lit just about everywhere. We shared a very rich chocolate cake, coupled with some red wine. We talked some more, in between his visits to the restroom. We stayed on Sunset the rest of the night. The Yankees had won that weekend, so before heading into Asia de Cuba, he gave me a hug. Yes, this NYC girl loves her Yankees.

After dessert, we walked to our final stop, the Key Club, for some music.

We went to his house, just to hang out some more. He showed me around and we played some video games. I was starting to feel the beginnings of a cold, so he offered some vitamin C and we called it a night.

He walked me all the way from the front gate to my apartment door. We shared our first kiss and said good night. The entire date from start to finish lasted seven full hours.

Inside my apartment, I stared at the flowers sitting on the table and let out a long sigh. I had a feeling this would be the very last time I?d ever have to go out on a first date. And I was right. It was the beginning of an adventure that will last us our lifetimes.

Happy Anniversary, Honey. Here?s to many, many more. I love you very much.