700th post: Christmas Party with HS Friends
For the first time in n years, we finally had a Christmas party that wasn't at Trixie's house and pool! Grabe, I think we deserve the award for most improved barkada ever! First, the dinners out. Then, the summer getaway to Quezon. And now, this! :)) Congrats, guys, we're finally growing up!
Last Saturday and Sunday, we stayed at Parque Espana, a residence hotel right at the heart of Filinvest in Alabang. Tin booked for us a three-bedroom suite, which was pretty spacious and a lot bigger than we all expected for the price we paid.
A point worthy of note: the venue may have "levelled up" but the games, the kwentuhan, and the jokes certainly didn't! We were still our usual corny, high school selves :)) No complaining though - that's the best thing about being with these guys, anyway. When we're all together, it always feels like the old times.
Game of the night: Heads Up! First, we did it by (love)teams. But after a few rounds, the single ladies demanded a re-shuffle of teams. :)) It was totally hilarious! I can't believe how a simple game can bring out a crazy level of competitiveness. Riot ensued after every round. My only regret is that I didn't get to save the videos! :( And to think there weren't really any stakes, only bragging rights! Kagulo talaga.
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Armand (Kassey's boyfriend) did bring a bottle of alcohol to spice things up a little. We played Hope's signature game of "Pabobohan" which is actually just the grade school version of the category game, where someone gives out a topic and whoever fails to say something under said topic has to take a shot. Sobrang lame! Hahaha! :)) We did have a song for it, which is awesome... for a fifth grader :))
We called up Nica (who's in the States) via Viber, so she could play along with us. She ended up being the game-master, aka taga-bigay ng category - which meant every category was either difficult or incredibly amusing. (Kapuso starlets, and batchmates who are already married, to name a few!) We also Skyped with Tin's new boyfriend, Francis (Yiheeee!), for the exchange gifts. Of course, he's already part of it, even though we haven't met him yet (he works in Singapore). That's the biggest perk of being a plus-one of our group, kasama na sa Kris Kringle! LOL.
The next morning, Trixie, Joa, Hope, Ludwin and I went up for a quick swim. The pool was on the top floor, overlooking the entire Filinvest Corporate City and Madrigal Business Park. I think it made Ludwin change his mind about wanting to live in the South. Yay, haha.
Before checking out, we spent precious time just taking selfies. (But of course!) There are a lot of more of these on Facebook, but this will have to do. Anyway, the rest are just wackier variations of this shot anyway :))
And then we just had fun on the huge bed :)) Here are our attempt(s) at posing a la One Tree Hill/Tabing Ilog, thanks to the creative director, Tin:
We went to Alabang Town Center afterwards, where we had lunch at Friday's. It was Ludwin's first time at Town, so we had to take a photo. Welcome to the South, Mr. Briones!
There's truth to the gospel according to the Spice Girls: "If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends." Such a shame that we're a smaller group now than we were over the summer (ehem), but we're happy to welcome new faces as well. We've got each other's backs, through hell or high water. And even heartbreak. If there's anything I've learned in all the years we've all been together, it's that there's nothing laughter can't fix.
That, and a little game called "Pabobohan." =))
I think I'm going to sound like a broken record after this, but I'm eternally grateful to have these people in my life. Spending time with these people makes me feel like everything is going to be alright, like the grown-up life isn't as stressful. Adulthood doesn't seem so scary when I have these friends to come home to :)
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This is my 700th post! 700. Can you believe it?! Crazy.
Last Saturday and Sunday, we stayed at Parque Espana, a residence hotel right at the heart of Filinvest in Alabang. Tin booked for us a three-bedroom suite, which was pretty spacious and a lot bigger than we all expected for the price we paid.
(Photo from the Parque Espana website)
This isn't exactly how our room looked like, but you get the idea
This isn't exactly how our room looked like, but you get the idea
A point worthy of note: the venue may have "levelled up" but the games, the kwentuhan, and the jokes certainly didn't! We were still our usual corny, high school selves :)) No complaining though - that's the best thing about being with these guys, anyway. When we're all together, it always feels like the old times.
Game of the night: Heads Up! First, we did it by (love)teams. But after a few rounds, the single ladies demanded a re-shuffle of teams. :)) It was totally hilarious! I can't believe how a simple game can bring out a crazy level of competitiveness. Riot ensued after every round. My only regret is that I didn't get to save the videos! :( And to think there weren't really any stakes, only bragging rights! Kagulo talaga.
The iPad knows!
"The Break-up" and "Breaking Up" :))
The single ladies are plotting some sort of revenge at the back...
Armand (Kassey's boyfriend) did bring a bottle of alcohol to spice things up a little. We played Hope's signature game of "Pabobohan" which is actually just the grade school version of the category game, where someone gives out a topic and whoever fails to say something under said topic has to take a shot. Sobrang lame! Hahaha! :)) We did have a song for it, which is awesome... for a fifth grader :))
We called up Nica (who's in the States) via Viber, so she could play along with us. She ended up being the game-master, aka taga-bigay ng category - which meant every category was either difficult or incredibly amusing. (Kapuso starlets, and batchmates who are already married, to name a few!) We also Skyped with Tin's new boyfriend, Francis (Yiheeee!), for the exchange gifts. Of course, he's already part of it, even though we haven't met him yet (he works in Singapore). That's the biggest perk of being a plus-one of our group, kasama na sa Kris Kringle! LOL.
Viber with Nica and Skype with Francis
The next morning, Trixie, Joa, Hope, Ludwin and I went up for a quick swim. The pool was on the top floor, overlooking the entire Filinvest Corporate City and Madrigal Business Park. I think it made Ludwin change his mind about wanting to live in the South. Yay, haha.
The only people who were willing to wake up early and swim :))
Before checking out, we spent precious time just taking selfies. (But of course!) There are a lot of more of these on Facebook, but this will have to do. Anyway, the rest are just wackier variations of this shot anyway :))
Obligatory "Everyone's all here!" photo
And then we just had fun on the huge bed :)) Here are our attempt(s) at posing a la One Tree Hill/Tabing Ilog, thanks to the creative director, Tin:
We went to Alabang Town Center afterwards, where we had lunch at Friday's. It was Ludwin's first time at Town, so we had to take a photo. Welcome to the South, Mr. Briones!
Our pre-steak and pork chops photo,
aka bago ang katakawan
There's truth to the gospel according to the Spice Girls: "If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends." Such a shame that we're a smaller group now than we were over the summer (ehem), but we're happy to welcome new faces as well. We've got each other's backs, through hell or high water. And even heartbreak. If there's anything I've learned in all the years we've all been together, it's that there's nothing laughter can't fix.
That, and a little game called "Pabobohan." =))
I think I'm going to sound like a broken record after this, but I'm eternally grateful to have these people in my life. Spending time with these people makes me feel like everything is going to be alright, like the grown-up life isn't as stressful. Adulthood doesn't seem so scary when I have these friends to come home to :)
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This is my 700th post! 700. Can you believe it?! Crazy.
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