The Coño Boy 6: Ten Lifetimes With You

Chapter Twenty Two: The Grand Lady of San Angel

Casa Alvize de Arrastia
Poblacion
San Angel
26 May 2019
1:14 pm

One of the celebrated houses in San Angel located at the end of Calle Real is Casa Alvize de Arrastia. Originally the home of Don Astolfo Alvize, it was inherited by his daughter, Narcisa, and inherited by the generations in a direct line from her. It, like the days of old is still sustained by its coconut and rice plantations.

The Spanish era house was built at about the same time as Bahay Rodrigo de Arrastia. But Casa Alvize de Arrastia is grander in size and scale; a house that could rival its Manila, Bayang Pinagpala, and Sariaya counterparts. It was what we say in these times the equivalent of a showcase house or a "party house". It was a house built to receive a huge number of guests. A house that was meant to be seen from the outside in. A house that spared nothing from carved details, the recessed ceilings, the murals on the walls, to the fine furniture within. From the lavish fiesta banquets to the receptions hosted for dignitaries and even a Philippine President in the 1950s, it was once hailed as the Grand Lady of San Angel by a newspaper columnist Baby Orosa.

Drake follows Migz up the stairs, as they are led up by Andeng. Drake could only imagine the stories the polished steps, thick turned balusters, and carved handrails that have been held by its residents and guests through the years as they went up and down the house, could tell. As they set foot on the top landing, they are welcomed by a tall mural painting of a white bahay-na-bato surrounded by rice-fields laden with their golden grains. A small plaque at the bottom of the wall panel is etched with the words: Casa Cordero, Hacienda de Santa Ines.

They are led through the entrance arch at the right of the mural, they walk past the ante-sala with Carlos Tercera style furniture and pass through a trio of fine callado arches to enter the sala mayor.

Two elderly women, are seated at the far corner of the sala mayor where the Viennese Bentwood chairs are flanked by two Tiffany stained glass lamps from the 1920s on marble topped bentwood corner tables.

Andeng: Señora, andito na po sila.

Andeng presents them to the Mistress of the House and her guest.

Migz: Good afternoon, Lola Mirza. Mano po.

She extends her hand to Migz who takes it with his right hand and taps it onto his forehead.

Drake: Good afternoon po.

Drake does the same gesture. Doña Mirza, the house's mistress with hair dyed reddish brown, wears a lavender blouse in the style of those worn by women from India with the sleeve ending halfway on the forearm, embroidered in silk thread at the plastron and cuffs with daintly flowers and vines. Her Art Nouveau style necklace and earrings of carved pink and green peridot set in gold is proof that one's taste in jewelry need not be limited to shimmering diamonds and precious stones for one to look rich and elegant.

Doña Mirza: God Bless You... You remember Idang, Miguel?

She refers to her guest, Candida Ordoveza, of the famed Ordoveza clan from Bayang Pinagpala. She smiles at Drake and Migz. Her light fuchsia linen blouse and bluish grey South Sea Pearl necklace shows off her fair skin that even with her age still manages to glow youthfully in the late afternoon sun, streaming in through the open windows of the sala mayor.

Migz: Yes po, Lola Mirza. Good afternoon, Doña Idang.

He extends his hand to ask for her blessing. She offers her hand, and again, Miguel gestures the sign of respect.

Doña Idang: It's been ages since I saw you last, Miguel. Have you been busy?

She asks.

Migz: I am in between jobs po. Still figuring out where to apply.