Solaire

photo : at Solaire's booth during travel expo this year in MOA/SMX
The buzz about Solaire Resort & Casino is too loud to ignore even for a non-casino goer like me. It had opened its grand doors last month and people seemed to be swarming in since then. I see photos of Solaire flooding in the net.








Could no longer resist the hype, last week, I went to check the casino with my brother and my teens! wt#. The facade is so grand with colored lighted water fountain dancing  ( not seen in photo ) right about the entrance/drop-off  lobby.




Upon entering, we saw the gaming area which seemed to be taking 95% of the whole place. Unlike  other casinos located in the different hotels in the country, whereas hidden and private, here at Solaire_ gaming tables and machines are taking over the whole place, open w/o walls and doors. It really is a casino per se.
We passed by the registration area and the q was long. I dismissed the idea of registering cos I know it would be another futile membership card. Like I have Resorts World which sits rotten in my wallet.




Brother wanted so bad to take photos of the gaming area, baccarat tables, slot machines and whatnot. By this time thu', the casino was already off limits for photos. I think they allowed it during the soft opening period cos I saw gazillion photos of people in it, posted in the net.
So what he did, he looked for an area ( in the food court ) where the casino is very much visible, took photos as if aiming for my daughters. Done. This one ( photo ) was one with my daughters, slot machines in the background, haha.
It was actually a Monday night and the casino was in full swing. The area with gaming tables was loaded with players.

Going back to the lobby, apart from the open casino, the grandiose chandelier is stealing the whole scene. Brother said he read that it costs millions and one of a kind. If you're keen about it, do google it. Sorry I'm too lazy now, haha.




Daughters insisted I should have one taken with this grand ( have you noticed it too? I kept using the word all throughout, must be cos the place  is really "grand", haha ) painting. Only because I wore a red top and the painting is predominantly red, haha.

We continued on our walking tour ( haha ) and really at this point it was very obvious we were just loitering, haha. Everywhere it's written " below 21 not allowed at this point" ( so I was adamant in finding a single area where I could hide my teens, haha) . As in everywhere!, cos everywhere is a casino premise.

Except for one or two restaurants on the side, which we dared not try to enter cos I read how expensive they are and I honestly couldn't afford them that night. Besides, we came full stomach cos we just had a buffet dinner at MOA ( so much cheaper, haha ).

Until we reached the saving grace _ the food court, where we belong, haha. Food here are relatively expensive also when you compare it to mall food courts, but also relatively affordable from the rest of the place

My girls just bought each a pastry and a drink. Just so we could mask our obvious loitering, haha. Me, I didn't get any, I was literally still burping when we got here from the dinner buffet.




Then we were good to go. But first brother wanted a photo op with this dude! The car I guess is a a grand price in one of the casino games. I just had to crop the photo cos brod didn't want to be seen here, haha.

Proportionately, so far at this stage, Solaire actually reminds me of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

April Fools 2013

I am such a permanent prank on April Fools. I was born on April 1. Don't worry about me, I'm ok with the date of my birthday. If I would be granted  to choose my  birthday, I wouldn't hesitate to keep April 1. It's a happy day. The world is busy making prank on each other. What's more fun than practical jokes!
Here in Ph, my birthday usually falls on a holiday. It would either be a day in a Lent or sometimes it would fall on Easter Day. This year it was the day after Easter.

It was my first time not to spend my birthday with husband (since I got married ). I guess, my daughters were so aware of this fact, they took ownership of making me happy on my birthday this year. Not that they hadn't in the past, only this time, they were on their own ( piggybank stashed, haha ) w/o the dad financing.




One of the little highlights of my day was they surprised me with a birthday cake.




Having cake on my birthday? Oh man I tell ya, it's big for me! Already!  I couldn't remember the last time I had a birthday cake with candles to blow for a wish.. and I have been  bithday-ing for two scores + some years now. Do the math, will ya?

Oh sure,  last year ( 2012 photo ), I almost had a birthday cake in one of my birthday post celebrations. It was a random restaurant complimentary  cake slice and no candles, so it's not counted, haha.




This year, I was also with the same friends on my birthday. Just at home with random snacks, and you know what was the prank of the day? .. aside from it was a bad hair day for me, haha..

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I had accidentally deleted  all photos my friend took of my birthday, surprised cake moments included, haha. Also we found out, the camera was memory cardless, haha.




So this one ( photo ) was actually not candid anymore but a retake, haha.

Although I missed husband + bday getaways, it was a happy birthday. I was with my daughters as always and  close friends. Those who weren't there made their greetings over phone calls and ofcourse FB messages. Thankyouverymuch <3.




The next day, I celebrated again with a bestfriend over a lunch buffet. Thankyou.

I still had the cake vibe in me, so I had a plateful of  pastries,  I knew I couldn't finish them thu'. But hey it's my birthday..haha.

The greatest gift ofcourse is the gift of life. Thank you Lord <3.