WARNING!!!
The article you are about to read is purely based on the author's capacity to recall bits and pieces of what has transpired depicted in the photos and video(s). His maturing age, can be a possible reason for inaccuracies along the way. Please bear with him.
SNG... What does it stand for? When... Where... How it all started?
If my memory still serves me right, it all started in 1999 where Susy, my wife and I were still pursuing our MBA course at the University of San Carlos, Cebu City. Since both of us are working Mondays through Fridays, we have no choice but to take the Saturday classes and leave our first born, Gillian at home (who was barely two years old then) under the care of my mother-in-law together with our househelp. Such routine had been going on for a couple of weekends until Ate Annie Uy-Gopo offered their humble abode in Gardenville Subdivision, Banawa for our daughter to stay while waiting for us to fetch her as soon as we are done with our classes on Saturdays.
It started with a regular dinner and a little chit chat with the Gopos before going home on the first weekend that we left Gillian there. By the way, the newly wed couple Loloy (youngest brother of Ate Annie) and Che-che were dining with us too, though.
Goodness gracious! The little chit chat went not only for one hour but hours just enough for us to be like Cinderella (rushing to the door in an attempt to be home before midnight). The following Saturday night, Mingming (Ate Annie's younger sister) together with her hubbie, Doy happened to drop by and handed something over to Ate Annie while we were about to have our dinner. Needless to say, the couple was then invited by our host to dine with us and have a little chit chat over dinner. Whew! The last time I mentioned the word "chit chat"it brought out the Cinderella in us and took several hours before we can lay our bodies onto the bed to have a good night's sleep.
But this time, guess what time did we get home? Past 1:00am of that Sunday dawn. Did we regret it? Hmmm...the hell no! Not a single bit! While the ladies were laughing boisterously, Kuya Yol, Doy, Loloy, and I were enjoying our bottles of beer and a little chit chat of our own. As we were parting ways and bid each other good night (which was actually good dawn/morning though), the idea of having Saturday night dinner together again with the entire "Banay ni Iyo Bentoy" as we usually call it, suddenly popped out and without any hesitation of whatsoever, everybody agreed to the said idea. Needless to say, that was the birth of Saturday Night Gang a.k.a. SABADO NYTS GANG.
IS IT ATE ANNIE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY OR CHRISTMAS NOCHE BUENA ?
The answer is BOTH! On the eve of every 24th day of December, is the celebration of Ate Annie's birthday which coincides with the Christian celebration of Christmas Noche Buena.
Since 1999, the Banawa Mansion if I may call it is always full, happy, and you can hear different styles and decibel levels of boisterous laughing. While the adults are very busy in setting up the food specifically the famous and delicious Alejo's Lechon Cebu, you'll see and enjoy kids roaming and running in almost all corners of the house.
Wait a minute, did I miss something that's worth mentioning? Oh yes. there really is worth the plugging!
Let the people of the world know that there is one thing in Cebu that I missed so much (since 2007 when we migrated and settled in here in Pasig, Metro Manila) and that is the "LECHONG BAKA" commonly known as roasted calf. Although not the whole beef carcass is being roasted, roasting a whole leg of a cow that weighs at least 150 kilograms.
Unfortunately, my stack can only show you photos taken in 2004 and 2005 (Some photos and the video were co-contributed by no less than Daphne Anne Gopo, the one and only daughter of Kuya Yol and Ate Annie). However, we're kinda lucky since it was only in 2004 where we had a choreographed performance no other than the beautiful and sexy ladies of the gang together with their choreographer that I'm afraid I have to hide his real identity and we'll just call him Julius "Dodong" S. Gloria instead.
THE MOVES
When the news came out that there will be a dance performance, we were amazed that the
kids were ready to perform their masterpiece while the sexy ladies were preparing for their
number. Thanks to Tata, (pardon me for not stating her full name. It goes with the age I guess hahaha.) one of our Takoyaki stall employee who did the initiative to lead the kids including our son Avron. Believe it or not they're such a crowd drawer. Everybody were silenced in awe as the kids were checking their blockings to make sure that their performance will run smoothly. Indeed it was truly a spectacular one despite the fact that there was no practice of whatsoever. Without further ado, please help me welcome the Powerhouse Dancers of Sabado Nyts Gang!
THE DANCERS
PARTY ALL NIGHT
THE KILIG MOMENTS
If there are happy and merry moments, definitely there are also romantic moments also known as the "Kilig Moments". Not just by anybody else, but the couples of the Sabado Nyts Gang!
Who believes that the "Kilig Moments" are just for the Romantics? If you're a believer of such, then, you got it all wrong dude! Children's smile indeed can lighten your day and bring you to higher heights with heavenly emotions. Their smile reminds us that there is always a child in us no matter how fast time flies and how old we can live in this world. After all, this is the very reason why we celebrate Christmas...
A Child is born to save us all!!!
Stay tuned for the next THROUGH THE LENS episode: SNG: SABADO NYTS GANG ESCAPADES
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