25-26 Dec 2008 - Christmas Day + Boxing Day

it's almost like a dead town outside during Christmas Day...

shops are closed...lighter traffic...fewer people...

most of the people will staying home or flying back home,

spending family quality time catching up together...

unwrapping presents under the xmas tree...

having nice and delicious homemade meals...

for us...we had a surrogate family to spend the day with!

Joli who's the overall coordinator for our training

and assistant director for my department,

invited us to her house on Xmas day....

her family was there too...warm and friendly people!

we all felt very comfortable around them...

eating Filipino dishes, singing Karaoke,

listening to stories of Joli's family in Philippines

White Elephant gift exchange with presents all prepared by Joli...

Rules of the White Elephant gift exchange:

everyone will draw a number,

the 1st one will get to choose a present first and opens it,

followed by the 2nd person to choose another present and opens it,

but now the 2nd person gets to decide after seeing the present

whether he/she wants to exchange it with another person or keeps it.

this goes on with the 3rd person till the last person,

the one with exchanging power can exchange for any present opened,

and after the last person decides on his/her present,

the power of exchanging goes back to the 1st person for the last round!

it's a game full of twists...

now you got it, but next moment it might be gone~

so you wouldn't know till the game ends...

i think it's a pretty fun idea...

maybe i shall do it in SG next time!

******

*25 Dec 2008 - Christmas Day*

all the food prepared by Joli and her sister...

Rum cake bought by her niece, Jomina...

Xmas tree with presents....

the group getting ready for food!

i made my exchange with Winnie...hehe~

Jomina exchanged with Winnie...

all of us with our final presents...

us sitting around Joli as she tells her stories and photos...

our xmas present for Joli....

an aromatherapy neck wrap!

exploring the basement of the house....

laughing while singing Karaoke...

******

* 26 Dec 2008 - Boxing Day*

there's no such thing as Boxing Day in US...

only in UK, Canada, Australia etc...

it's a holiday anyway,

so those of us who are around in Albany

decided to go for a fancy nice dinner at The Creo!

we made reservations way ahead for it...

heard it's a busy restaurant to get a table at peak hours.

******

here's The Creo...



See we are all dressed up...

care for some wine??

i'm up for a Blood Orange Margarita...

the appetizers came in time...*HUNGRY*

hey...there's an orchid on the dish!

my pricey dinner order...

awesome seafood stew....totally worth paying for it!

a quick pic with my food before it's gone~

Waitress: Do you want me to take a group pic for you??

Reply: Ohh...Okie!

(actually i cant wait to start on my food!!)

*stomach grouching*

all the girls...happy and satisfied customers!

the "photograher" needs to be in the group pic!

don't i look so dumb??

standing straight like a woodblock!! haha...

cos it's sooo cold that i'm not moving....brrrr~