HOTEL HOPPING TO WELCOME 2023

AND for the 10th time in this silly little foodie blog, I am again featuring our traditional HOTEL HOPPING to end the old and greet the new year! I know you guys may be tired of this, but sorry na lang because this is a strict family tradition and it's most likely that we'll be doing it until the boys leave us to have a million babies. 

BELAT!!

Seriously though, yes, we've been going to the same hotels and again, we've been doing the same thing over and over again. Still, every year gives a different kind of happiness, a different kind of memory, and a different sense of loving accomplishment at something that my Dad started while we were all little brats. 

The pandemic may put a pause in our lives but not our family traditions. This year, we're excited that my Mom has finally joined us. I think the last time she was part of our HOTEL HOPPING tradition was when Daddy was initiating it. Though she changed our initial plans because either she didn't want to go too far or she didn't want to stay out late, in the end, everything worked out perfectly fun. 

So here we are, sharing our HOTEL HOPPING tradition here in the blog (10th in ERICJAZFOODIES while forever in reality). 

Enjoy!!!

Or not.

I know we DEFINITELY did!

HOTEL HOPPING AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!!

DESSERTS AT MANILA PENINSULA WITH COLLEGE FRIENDS

One weeknight, I met up with my college friends not to make tusok tusok of fishballs but to have dessert somewhere...

Does this illuminated sun look familiar to you? He he he he he!

I got out of work late and met up with my former college friends who just had dinner. 

Venue that night for dessert was in Manila Peninsula Hotel!!!

OUR HOTEL HOPPING TO WELCOME 2017

When I was a kid, my Dad would always take us out hotel-hopping on December 31 before our Media Noche. Why hotel hopping you may ask? Usually on the last day of the year, hotels are decked with special decorations and oozing with that party vibe that we would always troop there and join the fun. We would often have snacks, drinks, and lots of laughs that it was really something memorable for me. I always had a lot of fun during our "hotel hops" that I promised that I would do it with my kids when I have my own family.

Fast forward to 2016 and yes we are STILL doing it!!! Too bad though that most hotels are doing countdown parties that it's difficult for us to get tables (we just relied on our cuteness before he he he he he). So now, we do our "hopping" days before New Year's eve. Though we still encountered certain drawbacks this year, my little family had an awesome again time that we lasted until morning. I could tell that it was a fun night for the little lords because not once did they ask to go home to play with their gadgets!!!

I'm really thankful that my Dad came up with these family traditions that I am now doing with my little lords. Though these days, he would rather stay at home to watch his movies, or go to his favorite mall come night time. Even if he wasn't able to join us, I could tell that he is also grateful upon seeing his apos excited faces when we are about to go. I'm sure he appreciates that we are continuing something that he started up AND having a helluva great time with it!

Yup! Our annual Hotel Hopping is a family tradition that we will ALWAYS be doing. As long as there are hotels, count on THE YAPPY BUNCH to do our usual hoppin' in saying adieu to the old year.

Yoo to the HOO!!!!! 

It's time to say good bye to 2-OH-Sixteen with some HOTEL HOPPING!!!!

HOTEL HOPPING TO WELCOME 2016

One of the Gatdula family traditions that I am so happy to be doing with THE YAPPY BUNCH is our yearly hotel hopping to welcome the New Year. My Dad started this (as a way to escape chores for Media Noche???) with us kids and we'll come home in time to enjoy a hot and sumptuous spread prepared by my Mommy for New Year's Eve. He started the tradition with us while I was still in grade school and continued until we were all working. We only stopped when my Dad did not feel like going out anymore due to the firecrackers which has doubled in decibel percentage. Plus, streets and hotels have become more crowded with New Year's Eve parties that it would be impossible to have our usual fun bonding night.

Still, I felt like continuing my Daddy's tradition with THE YAPPY BUNCH. And though it would be more of a riot if we do it on New Year's Eve, we found that it is more convenient and doable if we have it on an earlier night.

This year, we were getting ready and I invited my Mommy to come with us for our hotel hopping. She begged off as she had something to do but added that she will join us next year.

I said before going that the reason we were doing this was because I'm letting the little lords experience the fun we had with my Daddy when we we're younger. My Mom smiled and answered she was so happy that I'm passing on this tradition to the boys.

Of course, that made the night more memorable for me.

Hopefully the little lords will have many magical nights with our yearly hotel hopping that the time will come when they will say the same thing to me.  That would truly make my New Year and many more years to come for sure!!!

:)

THE YAPPY BUNCH HOTEL HOPPING to welcome 2016!!!!

We didn't really mean to but we are doing the same agenda with our HOTEL HOPPING 2010.

First stop, MAKATI SHANGRILA HOTEL!

PEN PALS (PENINSULA MANILA)

Sometime last year, I attended a KTG getogether which ended too soon for some of us that we craved to go somewhere for a nightcap. At first the choice was to go to Starbucks, but since there was not a branch in sight (imposibleh!) we just resigned ourselves to having coffee at Mcdonald's.

I know what you're thinking: Kekekwekweeeeeeng....

We don't have anything against Mcdonald's of course, but it would be nice to go somewhere a little bit special since it is rare I get to have a night out with some of the KTG ladies. Then, lo and behold, Jane of SUGAR, SPICE, and EVERYTHING NICE suggested we have our much desired ending at PENINSULA MANILA with an order of their ginormous PEN PALS. I remembered always talking about it with my BGP Marian when we were having our practicum LAST YEAR (tee hee) that I immediately agreed.

And with that, FIREWORKS!

Wohoo!

It would definitely be a SWEET and LUSCIOUS night ahead!

The Peninsula Manila lobby!

THE YAPPY BUNCH love going here for our New Year Hotel Hopping but we have never tried their Pen Pals not even once!

HOTEL HOPPING TO WELCOME 2015

It has already been a tradition for THE YAPPY BUNCH to go out and do some hotel hopping to welcome the New Year. I remember that before, we used to do it on the last day/eve of the year and we were always lucky then to secure seats even if there would be New Year's Eve parties left and right. Yup! The power of having 2 little kiddies! He he he he he! Later on we figured that it would be better to have this family tradition on an earlier day so that we won't be hustled and bustled with the other party-goers. With that, we had a more relaxed and enjoyable time as we really enjoyed the sights and chomps the hotel had to offer.

AND to welcome 2015, THIS is what we did!!

Our first stop for the night was once again THE PENINSULA MANILA!

HOTEL HOPPING TO WELCOME 2014

When it was almost time to greet the New Year we looked forward to doing our usual tradition of (tan tan tanan!) HOTEL HOPPING! Except this TEAM YAP trip will not be on the actual eve of New Year's because we will be somewhere else during that night.

It was a welcome change because unlike before, we were not at the mercy of the maitre d' and wrestle with all the reservations for the New Year's eve hullabalooo. Everything was just easy breezy and it was like how we always had it. The only thing missing was the trumpets and noisemakers offered by Hotel restaurants. But never fear, the kids had so much fun and enjoyed running around that they were the ones who gave the Hotels a blast for that early New Year's celebration!

The streets of Makati were empty.... 

As we made way to our first stop.... 

NEW WORLD HOTEL!

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!