Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Rocking the New Year at Eden Nature Park By Id Acaylar
SPENDING the New Year's Eve at Eden Nature Park was becoming a tradition for my children. Just after Christmas, they hounded me if indeed we were going to Eden for the annual holiday party.
I knew they were ecstatic of the Kiddie Carnival where they could have their faces painted, be awed by James Infiesto's magic tricks, play games and collect assorted prizes.
But Eden's New Year celebration was not only for kids. It was for everybody: all ages, all sexes and all walks of life. I rediscovered it as a convenient, lavish but practical package of cocktails, sumptuous dinner and nightlong entertainment.
Early comers had free lessons on ballroom dancing. Catholics like me had the chance to hear mass and fulfill our religious obligation.
And the partygoers could not ask for more. A serenade during dinner, games, table magic, raffles, rock 'n' roll music and dancing exhilarated everyone.
Despite staying on the side, I enjoyed listening to the nostalgic sounds of Souled Out Band, watching frolicking guests rocked the floor in gay abandon led by the dynamic Outcast dancers and hearing once more the euphoric countdown and the deafening hoots and toots of blowing horns as 2007 rolled away and the New Year came.
When the revelry started to flicker out, I saw families posed together in Roland Jumawan's studio booth for a souvenir portrait.
I was glad I had my photo with the kids and a sister taken earlier, a memento of a newly acquired family tradition.
