One memorable evening
Brand strategist and consultant Monique Madsen’s birthday eve unfolded exactly where so many good nights begin—at her favorite neighborhood bar in Salcedo, Spritz Makati. A place where Madsen and her friends usually end up for after-parties or a quiet nightcap of “real martinis” and excellent cocktails—not to mention that it stays open until 2 a.m.
What she envisioned was a low-key Tuesday night gathering, a salubong, so to speak. Spritz owner and friend Kyle Ley helped her organize the birthday, which they set at 9 p.m. until she blows out her cake and officially turn 43 by midnight.
Fifty friends were invited, fully expecting a modest turnout given the workday and school-day realities of the next morning. Surprisingly, everyone showed up, “and stayed up!” says Madsen.
“Watching the bar get filled with familiar faces, laughter spilling across the room, felt so cozy to me. Everyone was conversing with each other and catching up, and it was exactly how I wanted my birthday to be—seeing all my friends enjoy each other’s company. What was meant to be simple became something far more generous,” she gushes.
By midnight, Madsen found herself surrounded by all her dear friends, most of whom she has known for a decade now since returning to Manila in 2016.
“It wasn’t planned to be big, but it became meaningful in the best way. Proof that sometimes the most effortless nights, in places that already feel like home, can turn into the most memorable evening!”
