The best way to start the new decade

From left to right: Dan, Mama, Papa, myself, and Bloss

It's been a little tradition of ours to check into a hotel on New Year's Eve then go shopping the next day. I don't really know how it started, especially since it hasn't been five years since our first overnight stay. Maybe it's a way of escaping the asthma-inducing fireworks, reminiscent of New Years past when we'd scurry around with handkerchiefs pressed tightly against our noses. In any case, it's been a tradition that we look forward to, now that family time all together has become quite a rare occurrence.

This year, we checked into the Makati Shangri-La. Billeted in two rooms at the 21st floor, we greeted the new year together in my parents' room, with front row seats to the hotel's fireworks show. It was the first time I'd ever seen fireworks that close, and it was a beautiful sight. After a good night's sleep under the covers on a nice, cushy bed, we had a buffet breakfast in the hotel's grand ballroom, with a mini orchestra as our background music.

But more than the fireworks, the good breakfast, and the luxury of the hotel, I will remember the first day of 2010 as a day where everyone was in a good mood, having a good time. Even if we had some misadventures during the day --finding out that SM and Rustans were both closed, then resto-hopping before we could get a decent lunch-- we didn't let it get to us and we had a really good time. Good vibrations, indeed, were abound, and it was a great way to start the new year.

It is but fitting that my first entry for Project 365 is a photo of my family. Cheers to the new year! ☺♥

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An update on 101 Things in 1,001 Days: I crossed one book off my reading list as I finished "Old School Ties" by Kate Harrison, and I ate the carrots and cucumbers that came with my parmesan crusted fish fillet in Italianni's. I think that counts for eating vegetables, even if it is just a tiny step. Hooray! ☺