My “noche buena” memories are largely sensory: chatter and laughter from uncles, aunts, and 50 first cousins; piping-hot nilaga made hearty by jiggling pork belly fat; gifts wrapped and ribboned; ...
Playing spades under the smooth, lifting flow of old-school R&B, the air thick with the warm embrace of soul food’s aroma, feels like the perfect low-key New Year’s Eve. Yet it’s more than just a ...