MANILA, Philippines - It was an elegant afternoon wedding for Janice Escario and Christofer King.

Janice is the lovely daughter of architect Ramon Escario and Corazon Borromeo Escario; Christofer is the son of Jimmy and Susan King.

Msgr. Robert Alensa and Rev. Fr. Rafael Borromeo, SJ (uncle of the bride) officiated the nuptial Mass at the Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, just a few meters away from the Escario home.

Pinky Chang had decorated it with greenery and a profusion of flowers. She also did the decor for the reception at the Celebrity ballroom of Montebello Villa Hotel, which belongs to the bride's family.

Matron of honor was the bride's older sister Corito Escario Yu who recalled her own wedding to Joseph Yu years back in Montebello. She and Joseph have had five children in quick succession, and they were all there - Christopher, Mikel, Manou, Sebastian and little Aina.

Among the madrinas was Janice's aunt Zelia Borromeo, managing director of Montebello.

The hotel has been very dear to her ever since it opened as a club in 1972. Zelia is responsible for the extensive carpet lawns; massive trees; bottlebrush willows around the lake; and an infinity of flowering shrubs, vines, bushes, what have you.

Flores de Montebello

It has been alternately rainy and sunny in Cebu these past weeks which is perfect for blossoming plants.

This prompted Zelia to invite the Artwalk group of artists to Montebello and be inspired. They set up their easels, unfurled canvas, drew out paint and brushes and went into action.

The result was an exhibit aptly titled by Zelia as ?Flores de Montebello.? Guests of honor at the opening were Rosebud Sala, Carmen Go, Paulette Liu, Penny Williams and Louie Borromeo Alvarez. Many people have come to view and buy the works. It is ongoing until June 30.

Artwalk is happy with the exposure. It is under the aegis of Cebu's highly respected painters Bart ?Boy? Kiamko and Kimsoy Yap.

President of Artwalk is Celso Pepito, ably supported by his wife Fe Madrid Pepito, also a noted painter.

They have participated in this exhibit along with Pronnie de la Cerna, Cesar Castillio, John Dinglasa, Ramon de Dios, Luther Galicano, Benji Goyha and Jun Impas whose two works in the show have drawn praise for their three-dimensional perspective.

More artists in the show (and we continue in alphabetical) are Jose Mari Picornell, Ritchie Quijano, Chicoy Rumaldez, Jobril Villaver, Antonio Vidal, Garry Wattin and Sonia Yrastorza.

Zelia herself is an artist. She used to paint but had no time for it, busy as she was managing Montebello, setting up a farm in the hills in Busay, and dedicating her leisure hours to Ikebana Ikenodo at which she excels. But Zelia is going back to painting with lessons from the Artwalk group.

Guest artist

For this exhibit, she invited a friend from Manila, Saling Rolison Aquino, to be a guest artist.

Saling is an American married to a Filipino, the late lawyer Aquino. She's 79, spry, agile and eager to learn more from what life has to offer.

Some years ago she compiled heartwarming stories from the Internet into a book. She also is writing her memoirs. At the age of 75, she took her first lessons in art.

A year after she had more than 50 works, mostly flowers and butterflies. She has brought 26 of them at her own expense for the exhibit at Montebello. They have drawn the admiration of many.

Zelia reminds us of the book, ?Growing Old and How to Cope with It,? by Fr. Alfons Dijon, SJ. The author says most people who reach the age to qualify as a senior citizen and beyond have only used 20 percent of their capabilities.

My father, who is 96 and blind, but not senile, also repeats the adage of his youth. ?Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Till the good is better; and better, best.?