Remembering our HOTEL HOPPING to welcome 2011

(December 2010)
 

My Gatdula family had this tradition where come New Year's Eve, we will go to different hotels in Makati or Ortigas to have drinks and little snacks. Then, after the constant reminder of my Mom (he he he he), we would go home to blow up some fire crackers and eat our sumptuous New Year's Eve feast. Our Gatdula Hotel hopping tradition was WAY before hotels made midnight New Year's parties popular and it was really something I looked forward to as a kid until I grew up into a fine little lady.

FINE LITTLE LADY?? Ha ha ha! I guess I haven't really fulfilled my New Year's resolution to stop being delusional! Ha ha ha ha!

Anyway, after I got married to my husband and bred little angels with him (tee hee), we would always celebrate New Years at his hometown in Lucena, Quezon province where they would usually have reunions. As much fun as we had with their little family gatherings, I missed doing my Gatdula tradition of hotel hopping and hoped that someday my little guys would be able to experience it.

Then lo and behold! For the year 2010, we spent the holidays with my family in Manila and we were finally able to show my little rugrats our simple family tradition. And like I hoped, Mati and Andrei had so much fun that they wanted to welcome the coming the same way every time! Afterwards, if we do not have any important family reunion, we would always go from one hotel to another, have drinks, eat snacks, ogle at the lights, and take lots of pictures. Hopefully it would something that our TEAM YAP would do until they grow up to fine young gentlemen.

Yup... unlike their delusional mother. :)

HOTEL HOPPING stop 1:

The PENINSULA MANILA!

I remember that when we were kids, we had a New Year's family celebration where we were all wearing costumes. Since the little guys cannot get enough of their get up from Halloween (no scary stuff don't worry), my husband and I suggested that they don their super hero alter egos! He he he he!

Such a shame though that my family let us go ahead since they felt like helping my Mom cook at home. HA HA HA HA HA HA!

My little Superman was so thrilled with the table display of SPICES in The PENINSULA MANILA! 

Isn't he just adorable?

Usually for New Year's eve, hotels have this "reservation only" thing since they will be having a party come midnight. Good thing the maitre d's for SPICES in PENINSULA MANILA found Spidey and Supey so cute that they let us walk-in and have a mini-New Year snack.

For Spidey Mati, he felt like wearing a hat, atop another hat!

See? Such a little charmer!

The little super heroes loved the lights at SPICES and fancied the indoor fountain. 

Before eating, little Spidey remembered that he had to wear his mask to hide his alter ego. Later,  he remembered that he would not be able to eat with his mask on.

I don't really like drinks other than water for the kids but since it was New Years, I ordered 1 iced tea only for the big boy Mati. Of course, monkey see monkey do, so Andrei wanted his Kuya's drink as well. 

Like my top hat?

Kuya Supey was very nice and let little Spidey get MANY sips from his Iced Tea!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

For some munchies, we got SPICES' crispy naan bread!

Which was served with 4 rich dips! I forgot which was which but my favorite was the yoghurt with wasabi!

For long life to all, we also had some SPICES' Mee Krob!

As usual, the mommy serves the Super heroes before eating!

Little Andrei preferred to just chomp on the Naan bread and crispy noodles without any sort of topping.

Cheers for the coming 2011!!

My husband and I switched seats because somebody did not want to eat by himself!

Oh Supey! You are just too adorable that I can't help falling under your spell!

ERICJAZ FOODIES!!!

After eating, we went around PENINSULA MANILA where the kids just oohed and aaahed at the lights and decors.

 Of course, being from the other camp of superheroes, Spidey (Avengers) decided to go at it with Supey (Justice League). 

Sorry for the blurred pic but we also thought of taking pictures with the different guard dogs per hotel. 

Next stop...

MAKATI SHANGRILA Hotel!

We just love the lobby of MAKATI SHANGRILA! 

Like in SPICES, SHANG PALACE was reservations only because of their New Year event. And like what happened earlier, the maitre d found the little superheroes so darn cute that they let us use a table for our Chinese snack!

Hmmm.... I was not sure though if it was Andrei of "Supergirl" that the maitre d' found cute!

Okay... a trend is starting here.... Ha ha ha ha!

Now THAT is more like it!

Amidst all the head band donning and doing horn fingers, my husband quickly asked if I could take a picture of him for "profile picture"!

O-KAY!

HAPPY NEW YEAR number 2 in SHANG PALACE, MAKATI SHANGRILA!!!!

As mini-trumpets and other noise makers were available on the table of SHANG PALACE, my boys quickly made a lot of noise before the meal even started!

A toast to a more crazy year ahead!!!

Like my Christmas mole? :)

My husband ordered a big bowl of SHANG PALACE Wanton Noodles and it was such a hit in our table! We all just loved the flavorful broth and chewy noodles!

After our noodle soup dinner, we explored around MAKATI SHANGRILA!

HAPPY NEW YEAR from hotel number 2!!!

Our second hotel guard dog was a sleepy little labrador. I guess he did not feel like joining the festivities!

3rd and final stop was INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL MAKATI!

Profile picture again Yub?

I miss Andrei as a little toddler! Now he's such a naughty little guy!

We had our mini dessert at INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL's jeepney!

This JEEPNEY ice cream was SOOO creamy and scrumptious!

HAPPY NEW YEAR part 3!!!

I know I said earlier that we wished for a more crazy year ahead... But don't you think that would already be bordering on illegal at the wacky state we're in right now? Ha ha ha ha!

Andrei, as usual, was always oblivious to our insane moments!

JEEPNEY ice cream was wiped out in 5 minutes by the friendly neighborhood Spiderboy!

Yup! Energized and ready to save the world again for another year!

We did a bit more of exploring before finishing up our year-ender Hotel Hopping!

This INTERCONTINENTAL guest found the little superheroes so cute that he requested to have a picture with them. Don't worry, I checked him out, he's clean. He he he he!

INTERCONTINENTAL Hotel was not really loaded with Christmas lights but it still had that vibe which makes you feel like you're at home. 

Yup! Mati felt like he was just in our bedroom and started jumping on the INTERCONTINENTAL sofa!

It was time to call it a night as little Spidey was wiped out!

Not without having a picture with hotel dog number 3 of course!

We were expecting a noisy trip home but it was more like a smooth ride made more special with the twinkly lights. I will never forget this beautiful night with my young boys as long as I live. 

I guess the only thing that would make this perfect night, better is knowing that in a few minutes, we will be blasting some firecrackers and sitting down to a long table of food with my family. Such a blessed way to end the year!

Something tells me that this will be the start of a beautiful friendship... este... tradition for my little TEAM YAP!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

(Will post if we're able to do a mini-hotel hopping this year!)

THE PENINSULA MANILA

Corner Ayala Avenue and Makati Avenue, 

Makati City

(02) 887 2888

MAKATI SHANGRI LA HOTEL

Ayala Avenue corner,Makati Avenue,

Makati City 1200,Metro Manila

(02) 813 8888

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL MAKATI

1 Ayala Ave., Ayala Center, 

Station Dr, Lungsod ng Makati 1226

(02) 793 7000