The Last Hurrah

Just one more day to go before I get back to work; and what better way to spend it than by going to Tagaytay for the New Year for the last hurrah this holiday season.

Tagaytay is just about an hour away by car from my place. Situated at the top of a mountain, Tagaytay City is among the best tourist destinations in the metro. Unlike other travel destinations, Tagaytay City is pretty much urbanized with dozens of shopping stores, restaurants and clubs any yuppie would enjoy hanging out in. It is paradise for those of us who wanted to get away from the city yet still feel the urban life. Since Tagaytay City is located on top of a mountain, the wind breeze is pretty cold this time of the season. Temperature can drop up to 15 degrees Celsius- just like in New York except for the snow!

Since it's only an hour away from the City, my family and I left at around 5:30PM. Tagaytay is well known for it's very cold weather and tonight was no exception. Jackets and scarf in hand, we traveled for over an hour and a half (thanks to the heavy traffic- seems like everybody is either on their way up to Tagaytay or going down from it); our destination- the Summit Ridge Hotel; a hip place for yuppies, families and businessmen who wants to cool down and relax while taking in a marvelous view of the city.

The Robinson's Summit Ridge Hotel & Promenade

Summit Ridge Hotel boasts a large promenade filled with various stores, restaurants and recreational activity spots for the whole family to enjoy. This evening, there was a bazaar set up near the fountain and hundreds of guests loiter around the area, checking out the different items for sale or dining at the finest restaurants in the area. Since I'm a shopaholic, I couldn't resist from taking a peek at the bazaar and see for myself if there are any items I might actually be interested in getting for myself. Necklaces, bead bracelets, scarves and animal hats adorned several stores. Though I found nothing really interesting and unique, I was fascinated with the animal head caps they have on display. I thought only kids wear those stuff- but I was wrong. Adults and grannies loiter the area wearing different animal heads on their heads! It was hilarious. I wouldn't try one because I'm afraid it will mess up my hair. 

The Top View Of The Promenade

There were two spacious floors to the summit promenade. Restaurants and shops are littered all over the place. The second floor balcony is a popular picture perfect spot for people who brought their cameras. A sucker for good pictures myself, I had several shots of me taken on the balcony and the bridge way.

Kids won't get bored with the place. An arcade area is set up on the second floor with several games for the little brats to enjoy. I'm not big on kids so I just let my uncle and my mom bring my nephew there to play while I stroll around the area enjoying the gust of cold wind and the snaps of the paparazzi wanting to take my picture with other tourists and guests.

A Paparazzi Who Took My Picture

My & My Famous Mom By The Arcade

Another Paparazzi Took My Picture While I Was On The Phone

Since the place was jam packed with people and an acoustic band was set up by the fountain on the ground floor, it's quite difficult for us to find a good place to eat. There are about more than 10 restaurants on the promenade: Giligan's Island, Sanctuaryo, Inasal Bacolod Chicken, Pepper Steak Lunch and even Starbucks to name a few. We found an empty table at Cows On Fire- a grilling and steakhouse and I'm glad we did. It's not very often we go to Tagaytay so I'd rather try something different here rather than the old usual restaurants I can find and dine in the metro. Besides, I'm in the mood for burgers and steaks anyway and Cows On Fire is just the perfect place to enjoy it.

Starbucks & Giligans At The Summit Ridge

Cows On Fire- I Love It!

The meal was sumptuous and not very expensive. I ordered the Cheese and Chicken Strips for appetizers which costs P255 and for the main course, Salisbury Steak which costs only P279 and a glass of bottomless Iced Tea. They also serve beers and wines that goes best with your steak. My uncle ordered a bucket of San Miguel Lights and I had 2 bottles for the evening just to experience the perfect steak-beer dinner the way the Australians do. I wasn't disappointed at all. The whole meal was excellent!

We headed back home at around 02:00 AM since the traffic almost wounded down. The whole trip was fun and relaxing. It was the perfect adventure to close the holiday season. Next year, we might go somewhere different to celebrate the last hurrah- but as far as I'm concerned, this was one of the best I had experienced.

Happy New Year Everyone!

This Is My Year- And No One's Going To Stop Me!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The year 2011 has finally come; I can remember like 11 years ago when a friend of mine from college was so scared of the upcoming year 2000. She said that it was the end of the world! 11 years later, I'm still alive- and if you're reading this from the screen of your desktop, laptop, iPAD, or mobile phone, then I assure you you're still among the living.

Every year, people around the world celebrates New Year by following different time traditions. In Manhattan NY, I always used to watch that big ball of light slowly being lowered on Time's Square. My family basically celebrates New Year by holding our own family soiree at our estate with my closest relatives in attendance, watching fireworks and drinking the finest wines. Some people celebrate New Year by contemplating on the year that was and making a whole list of unrealistic resolutions that they vow to keep. I'm not into making New Years resolutions- not that I already have a perfect life, but because I see it as pretentious and totally unrealistic. The Christian in me always says that we need God to change and so instead of making resolutions and trying very hard to change whatever it is that is wrong with you, look on to JESUS instead and He shall direct your steps to becoming a better person. That is true, and I totally agree with that.

While I'm not the type to make a list of boring new year resolutions, I am quite fascinated by the people who do. No offense if you happen to have a list of resolutions in front of you now but let me ask you this: over the past years that you have made the same habit of listing down your resolutions, were you actually able to keep them and make them come to pass all year round? How many of you honestly followed your new year's resolution successfully without missing a step? Let's face it; nobody seems to keep their resolutions whether you're a non-conformist or not. Not to be a procrastinator, but I just want to keep it real, so why bother?

The best way to approach the new year- and this goes to everybody; is to simply reflect deep inside and ask yourself how you want this New Year to be different from the year before. How do you see yourself ending this 2011 and what do you wish to achieve? I for one have focused so much over the past few years on my love life that this year I've decided to focus on my career and make it big. By doing this, I can effectively change whatever it is that I've done wrong before which made me unsuccessful in my previous jobs over the past years. No resolutions, no promises of change, just focus on what I want to achieve and everything else will fall in to place.

For those of you who may know me quite well, you may want to say "Why don't you try to change your character?" I know, I'm not perfect- and so are you. So before you tell me that I should change my attitude, you might want to start off first by changing yours. I love myself and I love being who am. I may not be everybody's favorite pal- but who cares? I'm quite happy with the way I am thank you very much. I am strong and I know what I want. I'll do whatever it takes to get it so why would I want to change that? Sure, I'm an @$$ but I don't care. I'm happy being just that way and if there's anything that needs to be said- I need to be this way because being a good guy got me nowhere. I'd rather be the villain than the hero who everybody pushes around and takes advantage of. Besides, if there's anything despicable about me, you'll have to deal with that until I decided to change. It's not bothering me at all, so why should it bother you?

But seriously, I intend to make this 2011 really big for me. This is my year and this year, all my dreams will come true- by hook or by crook, no matter how many people I have to swat out of the way, no matter how many people I have to step on. I'm making it this year and nobody's going to stop me!

Do you think this is also your year? Then dig deeper. Know what must be done, because things won't change unless you make the first step to do it.

Cheers! Happy New Year everyone!

Happy New Year Everyone!