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Showing posts from April, 2010

Home Sweet Capiz

As a child growing up in Capiz, I was not impervious to taunts about the nocturnal forays of fellow Capiceños. When prodded I would turn defensive and point to an obscure town in a neighboring province as the true home of the “aswang”. If I had met one, perhaps I would not be writing this article as these creatures have wings and could easily outpace their victims. According to local lore, they often travel in groups making it difficult for anyone to escape alive. The Philippine movies have done a superb job of perpetuating the legend of the half-bodied aswang they call “manananggal” in Tagalog (it means “natatanggal sa katawan” or detaches from the body). It seems these creatures are just like you and me during the day but by night, they emerge, just torso and wings, and fly away in search of human appetizers. Like Dracula, they bite the poor victim and suck his/her blood. Then before light breaks, they return to their lower half and become whole again. Fascinating tales of the as

Kreyativo

At the mall in Roxas City, the Kreyativo gallery is without peer. There are any number of unique things to choose from to furnish an elegant house. I've dreamt of owning one of their beautiful dining tables made of rich and heavy hardwood that probably weighs a ton. I can picture myself seated in one of those chairs with a straight back it seems uncomfortable but so aesthetically exquisite. I was pleased to see a Kreyativo booth at the recently concluded 2nd Annual One Visayas Culture and Arts Festival. There were paintings and an assorment of furniture on display. The canvases were framed in Kreyativo's signature dark, distressed wood. I wasn't able to get the names of the painters as the lunch hour attendant didn't have much information. But this can be verified at their gallery where the works of art on display have been thoughtfully selected. Kreyativo also has a factory in town where they create their unique furnishings as well as custom made orders. Kreyati

Gawad Kalinga

Gawad Kalinga homes in Bacolod I don't know much about Gawad Kalinga (GK) but I've seen tangible results of their works. My masseuse first told me about GK in 2006 and I was impressed that she was able to get a house through the GK organization. She showed me her home in the outskirts of Roxas City.  It has two tiny bedrooms, a living room, a toilet with shower. The dining room and kitchen share the same space. Her house was built with the help of other GK residents which is a requirement in the construction of these homes. Anyone with a GK home must put in his time to help build his own house and those of others in the neighborhood. The property is usually donated as are the materials used in the construction. My masseuse's only complaint was that the title to her property had not been transferred to her name because there was a problem with the payment of real estate taxes pertaining to the entire GK project in her neighborhood and at the time we spoke, it had not been a

The Art of Origami - At Narita Airport

In between flights at Narita Airport recently, I walked into this shop with interesting displays of origami art. The word, origami, derived from oru and kami means fold and paper respectively. But there's more to this than merely folding. I tried to follow the instructions on basic folding and couldn't get past the reverse inside and outside fold.  Imagine the work it entails to do the pond with the bridge and foliage seen below! Or the temple and garden.  There are thousands of tiny pieces of colorful folded paper in these works. Only an artist with an eye for detail and loads of patience can achieve these results. How much time it takes to complete one of these displays is anyone's guess. But it's a treat to see these well thought out displays of origami art. This is not just for children to enjoy but for big kids as well.   For help on getting started in origami, try http://www.origami-instructions.com/ .   *  *  * Images by Charie  

Post Trio - San Francisco

I noticed that there were quite a few searches for Dale Chihuly's glassworks on my blog lately. I'd like to share these photos I took at Post Trio Restaurant in San Francisco where we had our Christmas party last year. We had the Garden Room to ourselves so we had a fabulous view of Dale Chihuly's glass flowers. It's quite special. Post Trio is just behind the St. Francis Hotel in the city's much visited shopping area, Union Square. Another irresistible feature of the restaurant is the stairs one takes to go down to the restaurant.  These stairs are for the confident who are unfazed by the scrutiny they receive from guests seated below. My officemate had the New York steak above. I opted for the salmon dish. I remember a far better meal I had at Post Trio many years ago. It's not quite the same. But the service is still topnotch. *  *  * Images by Charie

Abyan Restaurant - Roxas City

Abyan (meaning friend) is the latest restaurant to open in Roxas City. Located just across from the mall, it's easy to drop in after errands and beauty salon appointments. What a balm to find the neat and austere rows of tables and chairs after a harried experience of shopping at the mall. There is a rotating gallery of paintings and photography at Abyan. In the photo above are paintings by local artist, John Alaban. These works are for sale but at the time I visited, most of the canvases were consigned to an art gallery in Boracay which is the famous neighboring island with white sand beaches. For lunch I had the tangigue (shown above) served with rice and atchara (fermented raw green papaya dish).  While the tangigue looks brown, the inside is still a little raw and I prefer my fish well cooked. I previously had boneless bangus for dinner at Abyan and I think that was far more tasty than the tangigue. My friend enjoyed the steak and it costs about P200.00. Only one other re