My 33rd birthday

August 29 ang birthday ko, pero dinner pa lang ng August 28 may nag-invite na saken ng dinner. It was Lorie who corresponded me thru email and she told me na dalawa lang sila ni Bibay. I reached Highlander restaurant at 8:30PM, pero nakita ko na si Karyn and Len sa loob ng restaurant kaya nagka-idea na ko na setup na naman ang birthday dinner para saken. I ordered sausages with mashed potato na nakakagulat sa sobrang laki ng serving. Below photo was the very first photo I had in Highlander, kakaupo ko pa lang sa table namin na napaka ganda ng view namin na nakikita sa background ko.

While naghihintay kami ng main course, I ordered long island tea na sya kong hawak sa photo below. Masarap ang kainan namin, kaharap ko si Karyn, Len, Lorie and Bibay. Walang humpay din ang picturan kasi photo opportunity talaga ang place.

It was around 11 PM when Lorie brought a banana walnut cupcake with candle and they started singing happy birthday. Tawa lang ako ng tawa kasi gusto kong itago yung highest expectation ko about cakes and nakakadisappoint naman kasi na makita na ang birthday cake ko is a cupcake na iisang piraso at napaka plain pa ng kulay. As a sign of my good attitude, itinawa ko na lang and I really did consider na sya na talaga ang birthday cake ko. Before I blow the candle, I closed my eyes so tight while deeply praying and wishing. Then laking gulat ko na lang na may isang malaking box na sa harapan ko na umiilaw na, laman na nga yung mga cupcakes na galing pa sa Marriot hotel and si Joe ang may bitbit ng box. Nanlaki talaga ang mata ko kasi I know na mahal ang mga items na nasa harapan ko. Sobrang gulo na namin dito kahit na lilima lang kami and wala namang lasing na isa sa amin.

Favorite ko yung may meruenge on top kasimahilig talaga ko sa icing, kaya after ko mai-blow ang candles, nilantakan ko na ang mga beautiful cakes. Pinagpasapasahan na lang namin ang cakes para naman matikman namin lahat ng flavors :))

It was 1 AM nung nag-umpisaa akong magsayaw kasi I really wanted to be on the move on the first minutes of my birthday. And when I dance, I really dance! Dapat siningil ko ng talent fee ko ang mga katabi naming table dahil na-entertain sila sa sayaw ko as much as I did. My friends accompany me na din sa pagsasayaw, and nagulat ako na sumasayaw na din pala si Joe sa harapan namin, hahaha! Para syang robot kung sumayaw, hahaha!

Ito ang almost complete attendance picture namin kasi umalis na si Karyn this time. Joe, Lorie, Len and Bibay. Saying thank you is not enough ro these 5 friends of mine who made the effort of keeping me company while I waited for my birthday, and not to mention that they all paid what I ate and drank. Actually medyo nahiya nga ako when they got the bill kasi medyo malaki talaga ang bill :)) Around 2:30AM when we decided to leave the place and call it a wonderful day.

Lunch time. Ito ang highest level na sobrang pormang lunch na nagawa ko, sa Equinox ng Swissotel na nasa 70th floor. Super professionals ang mga crew na tipong sila ang mag-aayos ng chair para makaupo ang mga guests ng maayos. Well explained din kung ano ang menu nila etc etc. For the main course, I had chicken cordon blue na naaapaaaaaka sarap naman talaga. Nakangiti talaga ako while eating, hahaha! Sobrang dami ng pagkain at sobrang dami ng cakes. When my friend called the hotel for a reservation, he specifically requested for all the desserts I like, mabuti na lang at pinakinggan sya ng management.

Ito ang birthday piece na present saken, it was delivered by the hotel crew after ko maubos ang food na hinanda for me. Sinabi ko pa sa crew na I am done and I didn't order anything kasi nakatago pa ang cake, kaya na-surprise na lang ako na cake pala ang laman ng akala ko another dish.

Cheesecake ito na may melon balls sa ibabaw with three pieces of blueberry and slice of fresh strawberries. The white thing on top is a white chocolate na ninamnam ko ang bawat piraso nya. Yun namang "Happy Birthday" was a dark chocolate. Pagkasarap-sarap.

After the sumptuous lunch, we took time to explore the whole place and took advantge of the ambiance and totally took photos in almost every part of Equinox, hahaha!

The photo below is just few inches away from our table, ito actually ang view namin habang kumakain na lalo pang nagpagana, haha! Natapos ang lunch namin ng 2:30PM. Dumaan ako sa Robinsons para mag-window shop sana kasi birthday ko naman, kaya on my birthday, niregaluhan ko sarili ko ng madaming bottles of vitamin C and multivitamins + another stock of wax + my favorite toothbrush na may kamahalan pero pinikit ko na ang mata ko since birthday ko nga eh.

I went home at 4:00PM and took a nap for while, then I prepared myself again to meet Cindy for dinner. This time round, I was only expecting Cindy. But then again, my friends started to arrived El Toro once more, this time round, it was another set of friends. Dito ko nalaman na may appointment pala sila yesterday kaya they cannot join me sa Highlander.

The photo below was taken inside the resto after our foods have all been served. May paella, madaming tacos, pizzas and many others na hindi ako masyadong familiar.

May small event sa restaurant and we find it very noisy kaya we asked to moved outside the restaurant na may maganda din namang view ng Orchard road. But before we moved, kataku-takot na complain ang binigay namin sa management kasi hindi nila sinabi na may event sila when my friends reserved a table. In short, we got 10% off the total bill and on the house white wine as a sign of their apologetic act.

Halos solo namin ang isang space sa labas ng El Toro kaya we are all moving here and there. This photo below was taken around 11PM na with my wine glass beside me.

Roman bought a very special ice cream cake from Ben and Gerry's. Dapat mabilis ang pagkain dahil mabilis matunaw :))

To end this birthday blog, I would like to extend my gratitude again to all my friends who made my party possible and memorable. They never get sick of giving me surprises on my birthdays, and to say "thank you" to them, I will be preparing a lunch date with all friends of mine who played a part in the many surprises I received on my birthday.