Willie Fernandez was among other Jazz aficionados I enjoyed being with in the mid fifties. Just graduated from an architect course Willie and I would meet late afternoon at his place in Paco and proceed to meet other jazz fiends at CAFE INDONESIA on Dewey Boulevard. We would invariably meet stalwarts listening to Toots Dila and his combo Doreen Gamboa, already a fine writer and food columnist, Emma Versoza who worked at the Department of Foreign Affairs a few blocks towards Taft Avenue, Ramy Hermano fresh from his New York University post graduate studies with tidbits about life in Greenwish village, and more. Eventually, Willie married Doreen Gamboa and together they worked in harmony talking and writing about food - and Doreen evencoming out with several volumes of Philppine dishes and recipes. Willie began to be recognized with his distinctive interior decor ideas and winning clients outside the Philippines. During those times Chita and I would be asked by Mr. and Mrs. Fernandez for a gourmet dinner, no less. Then we would wind up at their chalet at Mandaluyong and watch Willie's collection of classic films. One of them was this classic film of Davis and Henreid- Now Voyager.
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