Filled with good vibes and stuffed with food, I am joining two running events to burn calories

MY FESTIVE spirit is still on hyper mode. Every year, I try to celebrate my natal day with unique, theme parties with different twists to make each a memorable affair. This year, my original plan to have a relaxing, quiet and unassuming birthday at Urban Spa was foiled. Friends kept texting, wondering where the party would be, so I decided to plan some activities after all.

My celebration of life kicked off with Agos Kulay Maynila (Watercolor Society of Manila), a group of watercolorists that has raised funds for the Philippine High School for the Arts since 1992. Egai Fernandez, one of my fave artists, invited me to model for the group at the Ayala Museum, which included founding members Renato Habulan, Entes Magpusao, Antipas Delotavo, Victor Ng, Paul Yap, Wong Shui Loong, Magoo Valencia, Pete Castañeda, Elmer Gernale, Adi Baen Santos, Neil Doloricon, Francisco Verano and current president Jonahmar Salvosa.

The Ayala Museum and the Museo ng Maynila host Agos Kulay?s weekly, on-the-spot, still-life, portrait or nude painting sessions, which provide museum visitors with the opportunity to observe the Philippines? top watercolorists as they engage in the process of creation and fellowship.

For the record, my session was fully clothed. Check out http://agoskulay.multiply.com to see the whimsicality and instantaneous skill these artists wielded as they captured my red Rajo Laurel gown and feathers.

Agos Kulay also raises ecological awareness through its ongoing documentations and exhibits of pristine, endangered or devastated landscapes, again beautifully rendered by this diverse group.

At Cirkulo

Starting off my weekend birthday activities was an intimate dinner hosted by Cirkulo Restaurant?s Malu Gamboa, for me and fellow Virgo, Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

Grace has been so supportive of my charities, like the Makati Red Cross, through her father?s FPJ Foundation.

Malu dazzled our foodie group with Cirkulo?s new dishes, including soft and perfectly grilled cuttlefish with pesto and super soft wagyu beef ribs. Grace and other friends have recently opened a stylish furniture and accents shop, called Nest, along Jupiter Street in Makati.

With the holiday season upon us, Nest offers many gift items for the home that are perfect for the hard-to-please or friends-who-have-everything.

Also at the Nest opening was talented steel sculptor Daniel de la Cruz with his equally talented wife Monica.

Just weeks before, it had been Daniel with the opening-day jitters, as his exhibit, ?Passage,? debuted at the Ayala Museum. He needn?t have worried as ?Passage? was a sell-out. Daniel?s works can be viewed by contacting his assistant, Cora, at 0918-572-9050.

Date with ?Bruno?

After our late night Cirkulo dinner, the next day I got 40 friends to watch ?Bruno? at the Gateway Platinum Cinema at Araneta Center. There?s no better way to watch a movie than to be fully reclined on a lazy boy sofa, gorging on unlimited popcorn and drinks. The Platinum Cinema is the private theater that delivers it all.

Gateway Mall?s Genny Marcial graciously arranged the special screening, delayed just long enough for me to blow out the candles on a Blizzard Ice Cream Cake from Dairy Queen.

Guests also grabbed Dilly Bars, which are actually less caloric than regular ice cream bars. Dairy Queen is such a childhood memory.

For the non-dairy guests, we had Taco Bell burritos and quesadillas. It was quite a food fest before the craziness of ?Bruno,? which turned out to be a surprisingly short movie, as I heard many scenes did not survive the censors? scissors.

Gateway Platinum Cinema is also a great venue for private functions and special occasions. Check out www.aranetacenter.net for screening dates.

Tatler Ball

Philippine Tatler editor Anton San Diego joined my birthday bash, despite being in the midst of preparations for his annual, most-awaited Tatler Ball. After eight years, the Tatler Ball is truly the cornerstone of Manila?s social whirl. How appropriate that Philippine Tatler?s September issue will also be its biggest and brightest, bursting with interesting articles and photos.

The cover story is about the soon-to-be-married power couple, Senator Manuel ?Mar? Roxas and media personality Korina Sanchez. They talk about their six-year relationship in the public eye, how they deal with the scrutiny, and what?s in store for their future together. Heralded as the Couple of the Year, their wedding will surely be as close to a royal wedding as we can have in our country.

Yoga gig

As my birthday week winds down, I am filled with good vibes. Trance yoga chick and Project Runway host Teresa Herrera is organizing the ?Global Mala Project,? uniting yoga, service and collective action. The purpose of the project is to bring the global yoga community together to create positive change.

The ?Global Mala Project? will be on September 19 at Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. This is for the benefit of Trees for the Future and Tubbataha Foundation. Bring your yoga mat and spread love. Check their Multiply site for details.

Run fest

To end my natal food fest, I am going running. Hands On Manila is having a 2.5K and 5K Enervon Run on September 20 at the Fort. HOM is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing members with diverse, flexible volunteer opportunities that address the needs of the community. HOM provides a meeting place of sorts for volunteers to meet various charitable foundations and organizations. Check out www.handsonmanila.org.ph for details.

That?s not enough to burn all the calories, so I?m also doing the New Balance Power Run, ?Raising Hope,? on September 27 at the Fort. Planet Sports and New Balance have generously sponsored this fun run, for the benefit of Carewell, Philippine Cancer Society, I Can Serve, and the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation. To register, go to www.carewellcommunity.org.

E-mail the author at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph