Turning 23

The last two weeks have been very busy, busy with dinners and get-togethers to celebrate my 23rd birthday. Like previous birthdays, I divided my time between friends and family to maximize the celebration (and the budget, sigh). It can get expensive to have separate parties, but since I'm still living with the folks, I'm going to throw that grand party when I get my own place.

The poster of Mamma Mia! On any given day, there are at least seven productions around the globe

My birthday kicked off on February 3 when the folks and I watched Mamma Mia! at the CCP. I'm a big fan of musicals and ABBA so I was really excited when my mom invited me to watch. I wanted to see the musical ever since I first heard about it last year, but I couldn't afford the tickets because I knew I'd be quitting my job soon. The show was a blast and I enjoyed every minute of it. Charlotte Wakefield's voice as Sophie wasn't strong, which was a bit disappointing, but Sara Poyzer made up for it by playing Donna Sheridan, the spirited mother who doesn't know which of three men is Sophie's father. Equally fabulous are her two friends Rosie and Tanya who were just as feisty as their counterparts in the film starring Meryl Streep. Overall, the production was great and I liked it. There's a reason why over 42 million people have seen the show. It's that great.

Causing a riot at Bon Chon, ATC

The next day, I met up with my friends from the paper to have snacks at Bon Chon, ATC. We had a jolly good time reminiscing the past and basically creating a riot in the packed restaurant while getting to know some of the new members of the team. They brought me a decadent-looking chocolate cake, and Charm, one of my writers, baked me a whole box of brownies that can rival that of Conti's.

The same night, I met up with my friends for dinner at A Veneto, BF Homes. It's a pizzeria that has branches in the US (started by a Filipino) and the food is just divine. The servings are so big that the five of us couldn't finish the pizza. The prices are affordable, too: P600+ for the largest pizza and P200+ for a plate of pasta, good to share. The ambience was great. We came around 10PM so it wasn't that crowded. For drinks, we headed to Tavern at Aguirre, where we got plastered on their signature drinks. Good, too.

On my actual birthday, my family and some family friends went to ATC to have dinner at Recipes. Now, I'm starting to doubt my love for eating because I never knew how good the food here was, considering it's been in Alabang for the longest time and I've been going here since I was a child. The food was incredibly delicious and affordable. We ordered over nine viands and lots of cups of rice, and our bill totaled P2,000, considering there were nine of us in the table. I can't wait to go back and eat there again, especially the General's Chicken.

Unfortunately, I have no pictures recording my birthday. I really should start using my camera. Sigh. But it was a great birthday because everyone I loved was there!