MANILA, MANILA!

Manila is a city that never sleeps and won't make you sleep. Every nook and cranny has something interesting for a passerby- a structure from the art deco era, assorted pieces of garbage, a dog with a waggly tail, or a cat with an arched back eagerly waiting for a stranger's caress. The whole place speaks of life. It may be a city of grime but it is a city bursting with life where every resident whether human, dog, or cat gets to have a chance to have his own space no matter how little it is. Manila breathes its colorful existence and candidness right on your face. The combination of high rise infrastructures, city garbage, vagrants, ordinary folks, and tourists give it a certain charm that is just unique and quite endearing.

As my brother and I traveled on foot, we got to witness the start of a wedding ceremony in Malate Church, visit the historical Luneta Hotel, enjoy the breeze, sound, and varied smell of Roxas Boulevard, delight ourselves with mango lassie and shawarma at Kashmir Restaurant, and reminisce my heydays at the Hobbit House.

After watching a bride walk down the aisle inside Malate Church, we strolled along Roxas Boulevard under the scorching heat of the sun. The breeze was warm on the skin. People lived along Roxas Boulevard in carts together with their family members, dogs, cats, and whatever little belongings they had. As we paused for a while to enjoy the sight of the sea and everything else around us, our attention was caught by a naked woman holding an empty plastic bottle using it to titillate her thing down under. Poor girl, she was obviously mentally ill. Since she was starting to curse and follow everyone in sight, we had to hurry and walk as briskly as we could but carefully as the pavement had several holes big enough for our two legs.

So we continued with our journey, stopped at the Manila Yacht Club and had our pictures taken in front of it. Being naturally curious and makikay, I wanted to see its mini lobby and have my photos taken only to be prevented by a snooty male receptionist manning the counter who seemed not pleased having strangers in his territory. He curtly told us without even glancing that the place was exclusively for members only. We decided not to be angry thinking that perhaps the guy was having his andropause or just having a bad hair day.

Kashmir Restaurant has been in existence since 1979. It boasts of Indian, Malaysian, and Arab cuisine with customers mostly Arabs, Indonesians, and Europeans. The menu consists of dishes that are a bit too pricey for ordinary diners like us so we opted to order instead two glasses of mango lassie and chicken shawarma which my brother and I shared. Mango lassie  is a delicious concoction of yoghurt, milk, and mango juice while chicken shawarma is made up of minced chicken wrapped in tortilla. The waiter who seemed to have been "time warped" with his well polished hair reminded me of 1960's actors. He came back three times and cajoled us to order more exotic dishes and pointed to the really expensive ones. We were nearly persuaded had we not been strong-willed enough to resist the tempting photos of the dishes spread before us. We primly declined lest we end up walking back home to Quezon City. So we took the bill, paid a total of five hundred plus pesos, said thank you to the half-smiling waiter who at this time had dropped all pretensions of liking us, and continued on our way.

It was a surprise to see that Hobbit House was still operational, only this time it was in M.H. del Pilar and not in Malate anymore. I remember having been always there during my college days after 6 pm. It was a favorite hangout for me and my three friends where we used to dream becoming famous writers, singers, and painters someday, drink, and smoke marlboro red like there was no tomorrow, and listen to folk songs until the wee hours of the morning.  Memories of my carefree days simply inundated my thoughts as I gulped my San Mig lights and listened to a frail looking girl sing an upbeat song.

We took a cab whose driver outsmarted us by taking a longer route in bringing us home for a bigger fare. He was a cab driver who ripped off these two unsuspecting local tourists from Quezon City old enough to be his tito and tita. What a shame! Yet we decided not to be angry again. After all, our trip to Manila was worth it despite the little hassles that we encountered. In fact, the sight, sound, and smell of Manila continued to mesmerize me and were still on my mind as I closed my eyes to sleep.

Adecsky Explorer in Manila

The Malate Church 

Friendly cats eager for a caress

The Manila Yacht Club

Roxas Boulevard

Young men fishing

At the Luneta Hotel

At the Kashmir Restaurant enjoying our mango lassie and chicken shawarma

Kashmir boasts of Indian, Malaysian and Arab cuisine

A visit to the Hobbit House 

One for the road at the Hobbit House

KATHA- The Flower Bloom: on birth and rebirth


We paint flowers to express the feelings that we wish to communicate visually. For flowers are indeed wondrous tools of nature that speak of our joy, hope, sadness, and the continuation of life; flowers don't just convey varied emotions but also give us a sense of eternity- that everything that dies will be reborn.

The National Parks Development Committee through its project, Katha, proudly presents the works of four Filipino independent artists, Arvin Bryan Narvaez, Arlene de Castro-Anonuevo, Jose Erwin Mallare, and Marcos Arsenio Royales Xl. In the exhibit, "The Flower Bloom: on birth and rebirth", we present flowers from different perspectives, interpretations, and styles. This art exhibit is truly a celebration of blooms and human emotions for this month of flowers.

In art, katha means the creation of the artist. Katha is the title for this monthly series of exhibit at the Rizal Park Visitor's Center in Rizal Park, Manila that serves as a free platform for young, independent Filipino artists to showcase their art works. A brainchild of John David Salenda, the Marketing, Events, and Project Officer of the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), Katha is now on its second successful month. This month's art exhibit opened on May 10 and runs until June 10, 2015.

The Rizal Visitor's Center is open to the public for free everyday of the week from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. For inquiries, please contact Mr. John David Salenda at 3027079, 09394280771 or at deej.respicio.salenda@gmail.com.

The participating artists, Jose Erwin Mallare, Arvin Bryan Narvaez, and Arlene de Castro-Anonuevo

With two of my paintings that are currently on exhibit, "When Doves Cry" and "Flower Offering"

Ms. Maria Santos Viola, descendant of Philippine heroine Gregoria de Jesus, delivering an inspirational speech for us

With Mr.John David Salenda and some guests from London during the exhibit

Arvin Bryan Narvaez with his painting

Jose Erwin Mallare with his paintings

With Ms. Gilda Pasion Balang of Philippine News

With the Marketing, Events, and Project Officer of the NPDC, Mr. John David Salenda

ALL THE WAY FOR AMBAY

We did a resort hopping while in Zambales and the place that really stole our hearts and made us stay for the night was Ambay Beach Resort in Binuclutan, Botolan.

Ambay is an ideal hideaway for people who long for tranquility as this is a place that is so serene and eco-friendly. You can enjoy the sun, sea, and sky while lying on the sand, the porch of a nipa hut by the sea, a cushioned sofa made from driftwood, or just anywhere you fancy. It is definitely a place to start or rekindle a romance with nature and art. Mind you, the whole place is replete with objets d'art made from things picked from the shore and things from a bygone era. The whole place has a shabby chic ambiance that is appealing to a romantic like me.

Ambay is a place that promotes holistic wellness as they offer only vegan food, love and respect not just for people but for the animals too. From time to time, you will have a chance to be up close and personal with a friendly sea turtle as big as a wash basin and an equally friendly big fish with zebra stripes. Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to meet any of them. Yoga classes, music, mural painting, and other creative activities are done to uplift the spirit making it absolutely the place for a weary soul that is open to pleasant surprises.

For more information about this wonderful place for the body and soul, visit Ambay Botolan website. In the event that you accidentally discover the place while traveling on foot, look for RO LIY. He will surely add flavor to your unexpected visit with his warm hospitality and boyish charm. He will prepare a yummy vegan meal for you, make you a bonfire as you recite your poems under the stars.

Everything is vegan

Sit on a work of art made from driftwood

So many interesting pieces of furniture

Singing and reciting poems 

Php800 a night with an electric fan only

The HeART of Yolanda de Castro-Cabuco

"Dream Art", watercolor

"Ballade to Mature Beauty", acrylic

"Sharpening One Another", acrylic

"Colour My Life", watercolor

"Oh the Night is Blue", acrylic

"Wild Blooms", watercolor

"Enlightened", acrylic

Yolanda de Castro-Cabuco's art is her personal journey towards her inner self. It is art on introspection and is manifest of her very existence that is anchored on her faith in God. She is a naive artist, a painter of butterflies, mountains, and all other elements of nature in their purest forms. In exuberant strokes and colors of the rainbow, her vision of the world expressed in her works remains untainted.

Yolanda started her painting career rather late in life. Her entry into the Philippine art scene was brought about by a personal crisis. Having undergone brain surgery and having been blessed with a second life, she found her calling in showing God's greatness and love through art. She paints God's creations in various hues to show their magnificence.

There are many artists who produce more outstanding works of art in terms of techniques and composition. But why did I choose to write about the art of Yolanda ? It is because I see her heart in each of her work and that is truly important. For every twist and turn in her life, she paints her unwavering faith on canvas. Painting is her catharsis, painting is her way of exulting the Creator." I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart." That is the voice of Vincent Van Gogh's heart and that is what I also hear from the heart of Yolanda de Castro-Cabuco's art.

Yolanda de Castro-Cabuco

A FLIGHT ATTENDANT: TO BE, OR NOT TO BE?

Being a flight attendant is not for all the tall and tan and young and lovely. Being a flight attendant is being more than beautiful. Above all things, someone who aspires to be a flight attendant must basically possess wit, grit, and humor. The magic word here is chutzpah; she should have this in the right amount. Contrary to what we often see on television and magazines, the job is not all about inflight food service with a smile and providing total comfort to passengers. These are only secondary to ensuring the safety of the passengers until they arrive to their destinations. A flight attendant is tasked with multiple responsibilities inside the plane that she must be the sum total of a lot of qualities so as to function effectively.To be quite specific, she has to be street smart, cheerful, must have a natural inclination towards people, patient, courageous to either jump out of the plane or remain inside as the situation warrants it and as per captain's order, and adept in multitasking especially when the flight experiences full load situations.

Talking with a seasoned flight attendant is like talking with a professional boxer. Ask her about her inflight experiences and you will be amazed on how she handles situations involving unruly passengers, emergency childbirths and attempted hijackings to name a few. She certainly knows how to give the best jabs and avoid the fatal blows. In other words, she knows how to assess situations and act accordingly. Take for instance the experience of my friend, a senior flight attendant, during her last flight prior to her retirement. She had a "turbulent" flight for having a female passenger who started gulping alcoholic drinks prior to take off. This passenger certainly gave her hell 30,000 feet above sea level that lasted for the entire flight. Obviously tipsy, the woman unfastened her seatbelt during take off and landing, intermittently walked up and down the aisle, hollered and complained. Her behavior finally peeved a male passenger who stood up and said, " Hey lady, what's wrong with you? Have you not had sex for a long time?" A fistfight or hair pulling between the two passengers could have been the final scene, but my friend used her human relations skill, discretionary judgement, and toughness to prevent this. The feisty flight attendant certainly didn't buckle under pressure only to find out at the end that the woman was a mystery guest out to observe that flight but did an overkill by being too hyper and meddlesome.


So what makes flying so attractive? At first glance, everything seems to be about glamor with the uniform and the countries a flight attendant travels to. Indeed, it is. A flight attendant receives a big salary and allowance, gets to travel around the world for free, stays in deluxe hotels, shops in different key cities of the world; most often, marries a businessman or a high profile man. Long years of training and flying have kept her abreast with the do's and don'ts in social events and has learned to have impeccable manners. Yet, that's only a part of being a flight attendant. Flying is also about hard work during inflight service, having grit during emergency situations, and putting one's life on the line in every flight she takes. Flying is not just a job, it is a lifestyle. It is a combo of glamor, hard work, and heroism.


So, are you thinking of becoming a flight attendant? Think hard and ask yourself if you have what it takes to be one. If you feel half-hearted to be a flight attendant but you want to travel while working and don a stewardess' uniform, you still have another option. You can always work as a stewardess for deluxe buses like Victory Liner's until you are ready for take off.

My very first Cathay Pacific Flight Attendant Uniform still fits!

As a flight attendant of Cathay Pacific Airways

CX Induction l: before and after

ANYONE CAN COOK !

When God gave his gift for cooking, I guess my brother was one lucky recipient. He can just cook anything as in anything. He is a natural in the kitchen and the dining area; as if he was born there. He is just an expert on difficult and easy dishes, the right way of using the appropriate utensils, plates, goblets for fine dining, proper way of dissecting the food and chewing it, and laughing with elan even when his mouth is full.

Whenever my brother cooks, it is always a glorious occasion with us expecting to be served food for the gods. Whenever it is my turn to cook, there will always be a question of , "Is it for the gods or the dogs?" You see, if Dennis is Ratatouile, I have to be a magician in the kitchen and come up with something up my sleeve.

So what are my brother's words of wisdom on cooking? Cooking is like traveling on a train. As one journeys, he slowly imbibes everything that he sees. Similarly, in cooking, one must go slow and not overwhelm or choke his dish with so many ingredients; everything has to be in moderation. Meat and fish must be cooked gradually and in low fire to cook them evenly; veggies with bigger fire and shorter period of time to retain their crispness and freshness. Cooking is an art and a process that has to be enjoyed like a journey.

For me, cooking is tango, rumba, chacha or a fast beat depending on what I'm cooking. For instance, if it is pinakbet that I am cooking, then it is chacha with me playfully tossing the veggies in the pot. If it is spaghetti, then it is rumba with my hips gyrating as I grate the cheese. Cooking is happiness. Cooking is being in love. It is absolutely romancing my ingredients and being surprised at the end. I never follow any recipe, always put a twist like adding something unusual in my dish and most often do not have any idea of how my dish would eventually turn out. I am just surprised when the people around me nod with approval, say bravissima and ask for more after tasting my dish. Indeed, anyone can cook! ^_^

Ratatouile

Cooking is tango, rumba, chacha or a fast beat depending on what I am cooking.

"Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with complete abandon or not at all."
-Harriet Van Home

"A recipe has no soul. You as the cook must bring soul to the recipe."
-Thomas Keller

Gray Wall Art Studio- Jude and Naila Puruganan's romance with art

Art makes the heart grow fonder for another. Exactly! For Jude and Naila Puruganan, it is art that brought them together, binds them together and helps keep the ball rolling in their relationship not just as husband and wife but also as comrades in art.

This energetic tandem are the brains behind Gray Wall Art Studio that boasts of a collection of works by various artists such as Victor Puruganan, Jun Martinez, Angel Cacnio, Romulo Olazo, Ramon Orlina, Napoleon Abueva, Vicente Manansala, Rodolfo Samonte, Greg Bolanos, Menchu Arandilla, and me to name a few. Jude and Naila conceptualized the creation of the studio and formally started its operations in 2013. It was primarily envisioned to bring art closer to the people. As such, the duo came up with the idea of having a traveling art; they bring the art pieces to various events and venues such as galleries, parks and bazaars. This proactive couple eventually plans to expand and come up with other art venues in Ilocos, the province of Jude, and Aklan, the province of Naila.

Jude's exposure to art dates back to 1983. His father, master artist Ricarte Puruganan, used to take him along with him to various events, instilling in him the love for the arts, and making him learn the ropes of the trade. It was on one occasion that he met Naila who was then connected with an established art gallery. It was definitely love at first sight for them. As time goes by, their love for each other definitely keeps their romance with art passionate.

Jude and Naila Puruganan with my art work

The legacy of art from Ricarte Puruganan lives in the hearts of Jude and Naila

The studio boasts of art works by known artists

Gray Wall Art Studio
11 Don Narciso St., Don Enrique Heights
Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City
Landline: 7856984
graywall 14@yahoo.com/GrayWallArtStudio
Instagram: graywallartstudio