FAMILIES, friends, staff, regular patrons, and guests came together to welcome the Year of the Wood Dragon at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Saturday night, February 10, 2024.
Glenn Escandor, the president and CEO of the Escandor Group of Companies, attended the event with his wife Michelle, who serves as the Group's board secretary.
The matriarch of the Escandor family, Violeta, and Inna Escandor, the executive vice president of the Escandor Group, were also present. Joining them at the event were board members Gerome and Irra Zarina Escandor, also managing director of Esdevco.
Irina Glenne, the youngest child of Glenn and Michelle, and their adorable first grandchild, Kashmere Melisse or Kashie, were also in attendance.
The festivities showcased vibrant lion and dragon dances, performed by the Davao Lion Dancers Association, to bring prosperity and good luck. A lavish Feast in Prosperity complemented the lively performances.
As guests entered the hotel lobby, they were greeted by a prosperity tree adorned with golden leaves and hanging Chinese red envelopes, known to Filipinos as ampaw.
The ground floor underwent a vibrant transformation with Chinese New Year decorations in red and gold, featuring red lanterns and a striking red archway at the entrance to Kamayo Cafe.
In Chinese traditions, the color red symbolizes fire, good fortune, and joy, while gold signifies wealth and prosperity. These colors convey a message of good fortune and prosperity in the upcoming new year.
The Chinese New Year dinner buffet at The Royal Mandaya Hotel was fantastic!
For starters, they served a variety of appetizers, including assorted lettuce with condiments, Chinese cucumber salad, Chinese chicken salad, assorted siomai, dim sum, and chicken feet.
The main course featured steamed rice, Yang Chow fried rice, seafood vegetables with quail egg, seafood Chow Mien, steamed pompano with oyster sauce, Mandarin beef stew, humba pao, and Hainanese chicken.
At the carving station, there was delicious roast chicken.
For dessert, the pastry station offered tikoy, butchi, Tang Yuan, almond bean curd, and Chinese mango pudding, while the fruit station featured watermelon, pineapple, pomelo, and ponkan orange.
To warm up, guests enjoyed nido and hot and sour soup at the soup station.
The Royal Mandaya Hotel's Chinese New Year celebration embodied a joyous welcome to the Year of the Wood Dragon.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!