After the concert I was so high above the clouds that if only I was spotless, I wouldn't mind knocking on heaven's door to ask God to let me enter. While watching the concert I let some words dance in my head as I was trying to conjure what the content of this blog is. When my folks and I reached home, all those things I prepared to say vanished into thin air.

After 30 long years, the Celestial Diva(I'm borrowing this from Igan D'Bayan) returned to the centre stage to wow everyone in the Theatre at Solaire.

I see Ms. Gallardo(if there's someone from another corner of the world who does not know this, Ms. Legaspi married a wonderful man, a genius fondly called Nonoy Gallardo---his real name is Domingo, just like my lolo and my uncle who owns Retro 105.9 DCG FM, one of the many media partners of this concert) around. Sometimes when I go walking or in a stage play(i.e. American Hwangap) or a teleserye(i.e. Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real) or in Church, where she lovingly walks to and fro with her hands held tight to the husband she dearly loves.

We used to live on the same street, but even if I'm still a neighbour, I live elsewhere now. If I was silently proud of her before(because except for a few good mornings, good afternoons and other pleasantries, there was no chance to bond...and she probably does not know me from Adam...the last time I've been inside her house was I think I was just around ten to twelve years old and I'm almost fifty now. (Just some useless info)), I'm now super mega ultra tremendously proud of her.

Nervous jitters, yes, but that's quite normal. Her last big concert was in 1987 for heaven's sake. Still, she was able to regroup, wowing the crowd with each song. The WWW says she was born in 1939, but I'll take her word that she's sixty-seven years. Whether she's 67 or 68, my golly gulaman, she is fantabulously awesome.

She is so graceful on stage. Her sort of husky voice has a wide range and I love the crescendos and decrescendos. She said she may never perform that way again in the future, so she probably gave her all. Before we bought the tickets, the more expensive ones were sold out already(I'm just noting that because of what I am about to say) and I'm sure, the ones in front would probably pay even more if she would have another concert because her performances exceeded our expectations. She's even better than when she was younger.

Her scat during her rendition of Rolando Tinio's translation of Loving You(Irog Ko) left our mouths agape. She left as speechless...full of glee...excited.

She's simply uber talented and beautiful in her Paul Cabral gowns and Freeway apparel(showcasing her father's art, specifically the Gadgets series).

I love her duet with her niece, Opera Singer, Ms. Margarita L. Roco, of PIPIT.

When the show was about to end, mom asked me, "Why didn't she sing MAMANG SORBETERO?" I was sure she did, because Jose Mari Chan was there, but did she? My mind's blank right now. I still have a hangover.

Let's thank Mr. Audie Gemora for offering Celeste to have a concert at The Theatre at Solaire for National Artist for Visual Arts Cesar Legaspi's Centennial. It was so great to see ALL the performances with Mr. Cesar Legaspi's artwork flashed on screen.

Mr. Legaspi was color blind and yet...

My eyes are misty right now.

Ms. Legaspi is blessed with her parents, her children, her sibling, her entire family, her friends, many more and most especially with her husband, Nonoy.

Please help this movie to be shown in the cinemas

ANG LARAWAN

Gosh, I'm babbling with this non-review again. I better end this here lest this becomes boring to the max. ;-)

Kudos, neighbour!

You are truly wonderful.

We are so blessed to have you around.

Different works of art: Her dad's paintings, Paul Cabral's gown and Ms. Legaspi herself

The National Artist's note to his Maricelle

Honouring the National Artist Rolando S. Tinio

Her parents taught her the true meaning of love

(Her father walked miles just to see her mother, among other things. Her mother worked hard and if she didn't, our colour blind genius wouldn't have been a national artist...something like that.)