OUR HOTEL HOPPING TO WELCOME 2018

Once again, THE YAPPY BUNCH is out to do our annual family tradition that was started by my Daddy when my siblings and I were kiddies.

However these days, there have been some changes:

1) Before, we used to do it on the eve of New Year (since the purpose of the HOTEL HOPPING was to party at the last days of the year). However, we noticed that hotels would put down their holiday decors after the 25th because they're now more concerned with the New Year's Eve party (which didn't have much compared to their Christmas set up). I remember that with my Dad before, they only removed their Christmas trees until the celebration of the 3 Kings (he he he he he). So with that, we made our HOTEL HOPPING gimmicks earlier doing it before or a day after Christmas day.

2) We used to do our HOTEL HOPPING trips with the little lords wearing costumes of their choice (Superman, Spiderman, Storm Trooper, etc). But since their older, the thought of doing so (when it's not Halloween) was scandalous. As in they have forgotten about it na daw at nakakahiya. So now they're doing the HOTEL HOPPING in their own "binata" porma. CHE!!!!

3) We used to do drinks in the first hotel, light meals on the second, then desserts on the third. But since we didn't want to spend too much (in order to keep the tradition alive... he he he he) we just decided to have drinks and some munchies per stop.

4) Our Dad passed away this year and doing this tradition without him (or to go home to, and share what happened with our night) just feels so different. At first I honestly was not in the mood anymore since doing so would just make me tear up and remember him. But later on we thought, Daddy would want us to continue this holiday season that he started. In a very simple (yet fun way), we will be living his legacy at the last few days of the year.

Though it's always heart-breaking to remember that his "legacy" would always involve activities with the family.

:(

Anyway, here's our annual HOTEL HOPPING to welcome the year 2018!

(Yup! This year I'll be turning 33.. yeheessss... Tee heee)

Sorry I just HAD to sneak that in!

HOTEL HOPPING!!!!

Our first stop!

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!!!!

CIRCLES BUFFET THE THIRD TIME (SHANGRI-LA MAKATI)

My friends and I raided MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL once again to have dinner in CIRCLES BUFFET. But this time, besides Mike and Donna, I had a very special guest joining us tonight --- my eldest son, Master MATI!!!!!!

ERICJAZ FOODIES with Team Mina, Team Sales, and my dearest Master MATI!!!!

And THIS is where we're heading out for tonight.

I made reservations for 7:30pm that Saturday night in Makati Shangri-la. As usual, we were there early not only because we're punctual but because we want to start eating before my friends arrive. Of course, we didn't want them to see us pigging out!

TEE HEE!

CIRCLES BUFFET, AGAIN! (MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL)

CIRCLES RESTAURANT in MAKATI SHANGRI-LA recently had a promo where their buffet rates were slashed down to P1,280.00 nett per person.

Hmmmm..... Makati's premier hotel having a crazy discount in their popular buffet restaurant? We just HAVE to go there!

With our last dinner in CIRCLES, MAKATI SHANGRI-LA, my friends and I had such a great meal that upon learning there's a discounted rate at a limited time, we immediately made reservations. Good thing we did because the wait time was unbearable since there were many other hungry diners wanting the same thing.

And true enough, we had another awesome time with delicious food at a great price. The spread at CIRCLES, MAKATI SHANGRI-LA was so great that even if we were eating with Vice Ganda, we would still have a fun time.

Wait. Let me correct that since I can't bear Vice Ganda even for just a joke.

Even if we were eating with Manong Fred we would still have a great time!

That's better.

Oops. To think that we WERE actually dining with Manong Fred.

Meh. Too lazy to change it.

:)

CIRCLES BUFFET in MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL!

Like I said, it's a good thing we made reservations because the lines were long.

All hail the telephone!

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!

CIRCLES BUFFET (MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL)

For Father's Day, we decided to have a pre-celebration with the special guys in our lives in CIRCLES, SHANGRI-LA Makati. We figured, it would be nice to honor and treat our "bossings" to acknowledge how great they are in taking care of the kids, washing our clothes, and cleaning the house.

Tee heee!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously though, since these men have been doing such a great job in taking care of their families, we planned to take them out somewhere special where they will be having an enjoyable gastronomic dinner. If next week their children will be honoring their awesomeness for Father's Day, tonight will be OUR night to tell them how special they are.

And in typical ERICJAZ FOODIES way, it is with FOOD!

NOT something else.

By the way, we still made them pay for it. It's still "Happy Wife, Happy Life" forever you know. No day-off for that.

:P  

CIRCLES EVENT CAFE!

We went to MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL on a Saturday for our date night. Good thing that traffic was manageable and we were able to get there earlier than the reserved time of  7:00pm.

We decided to have dinner in CIRCLES since their long line of dishes would definitely satisfy our very hungry men. 

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!