We’ve reached the 60-year mark, and we finally have the Earth Pig taking the reins. The last Earth Pig Year was in 1959. People born during the year of the pig are known to be diligent and compassionate, and because of their tolerant and understanding nature, they always find ways to make living with others more harmonious.
It is said 2019 is the year people will bridge the gaps that were made in the past years (more specifically, the years of the territorial rooster and dog). It is a year of action, turning goals into reality. Inspired by the zodiac year, people can find confidence in the work that they do, and find luck in some areas of their life.
(RELATED READ: Chinese superstitions to take note of as you ring in the Lunar year)
Enjoy the holiday with great food, great sights, and great company—here are five places to visit this Chinese New Year:
Hua Ting–Brasserie Chinoise
Not all Chinese food are made equal. At Hua Ting–Brasserie Chinoise, guests are taken through a gastronomical tour of Shanghainese cuisine, with each dish robust with fresh and complex flavors. Usher in good fortune and prosperity with lavish feasts at this traditional Shanhainese restaurant. Guests may choose from 3 exquisite 8-course menus, a well-curated set of the best Chinese cuisine can offer.
Set Menus start at Php 1,888 per person. The restaurant also has beautiful private dining rooms good for family gatherings and corporate meetings of up to 24 people.
New World Makati
Feast on traditional Chinese New Year favorites prepared by Jasmine’s Chinese executive chef, award-winning Wong Kam On. Get a taste of authentic Chinese cuisine with chef-recommended dishes such as roasted suckling pig, steamed live garoupa, deliciously handmade dumplings, and more.
Complete the feast with a Salmon Fish Yu Sheng and a big bowl of Poon Choi for good luck. New World Makati’s festive set menus at Jasmine start at PHP13,888 until Feb. 10. A limited ala carte menu is also offered. The popular Yum Cha lunch is also available at PHP1,688 per person with unlimited chilled juices, soda, and local beer.
Sofitel
Sofitel is celebrating Chinese New Year with a feast of “12 Dishes of Prosperity” at the famous Spiral restaurant. The dishes are prepared by chef Yui So Chan, one of the region’s experts on Chinese cuisine. The offer is available until Feb. 8, and starts at P2,850 per person for lunch, and P3,888 per person for dinner.
Shangri-la Plaza
The Shangri-la Plaza is hosting the free-admission Spring Film Festival for the 13th straight year. With showings starting at 1:30 p.m., the films scheduled for viewing on Chinese New Year are “Lost In White,” “A Tale of Three Cities,” and “Lost in Hong Kong.”
Binondo
Celebrating Chinese New Year at the oldest Chinatown in the world is quite a cultural experience. The streets are filled with dancing dragons, fire eaters, and lucky charms. About a million people are expected to be at Binondo for the Lunar New Year celebration, and you can capture the holiday’s magical moments when you join Fujifilm’s photowalk. Join Lukas Lao, Evan Grabador, and Raymond Tanhueco as they brave the crowded streets of Binondo. Be sure to set your alarms—the photowalk call time is at 6 in the morning, where photographers and photography enthusiasts are set to meet at the Chinatown arch.
Lucky Chinatown Mall
Head to Lucky Chinatown Mall if you want to get your authentic Chinese street food fix and other cuisine favorites at the Meisic Street Food Market. You may also try to complete their Eight Lucky Rituals, which includes coin-tossing, incense-lighting, and offering of prayers to the god of wealth, for an auspicious year ahead.