Like always, Martin Nievera was in his element when we “bumped” into him at a recent lunch hosted by top publicist, bon vibant, and image builder Jun Lalin for media friends. Like a welcoming co-host, he was quick to suggest what best foods to order at Tiong Bahru, this Singaporean restaurant, technically a hole in the wall on Scout Torillo, near corner Timog Avenue, in Quezon City.
Martin’s suggestions that lunchtime consisted of fish head in curry sauce, fried tofu, roasted chicken, etc.
In no time, the dishes, oh so many of them, flew in one after the other on our table, demolished just as quickly by a small yet hungry mob.
Martin, who knows his way around the kitchen, was correct. Everything’s in great taste around here. More good tidings to the owner, Kath Pimentel, who was so kind enough to even gift us with Christmas baskets. Jun also gave us lovely packs of whitening soaps that he himself makes when he’s not promoting stars and stripes. What more could you ask for in this job of all trades?
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Lunch done, we finally found the time to chat with Martin. He thanked all of us who had been with him since the time he started his singing career in the 1980s, and who had been witness to the rise and fall and rise again of his love life, among other things.
I asked him why he doesn’t bother to vlog, knowing his gift of gab, which is perfect for the new medium.
“It’s not for me,” he said. “I can’t stand it when I see people show the world how they wash up or brush their teeth when they wake up in the morning.”
Artists’ lives had been such huge, open books that he thinks a bit of privacy is good for mental health. He wants to write more songs instead. He also wants to continue performing his legacy songs for the next 50 years.
Speaking of writing, Martin announced that the family is publishing a book compiling the newspaper columns of his mother, Conchita Razon, in celebration of her 90th birthday. They are personal essays that now come out in the website, The Diarist, published by good friend, Thelma San Juan.
Ms. Razon was a working journalist, a society editor in the 1960s, at the old Manila Chronicle.