17 Again

I know I'm a decade too old for 17 Again, but here are the two reasons why I watched it:

1) Bob recommended it. He said the writing is good.
2) My mom wanted to see Zac Efron. She said she had never seen him. (She did not notice him in Hairspray.)

Without comparing the film to Big or Never Been Kissed, I can only say three things:
1) Zac Efron can make me cry. But he will always be Zac Efron, no matter how he acts. Ditto Matthew Perry.
2) Michelle Trachtenberg, it must be hard to cry over and over. How many takes did it take? You're visibly tired in that scene. Don't worry, I know the feeling.
3) The message I got from the movie is (and I'm sure it's not the only one): life is not all about you. That's what growing up is about (but certainly not what it's all about). This ought to be recommended viewing for some guys...

Little-known showtunes for senti moments

If you have those eyes and that voice, I just might. But no, he's gay.


And so is Creel. Drat!


But I still get teary-eyed watching him.

Your life, in six words + uncomfortable plot summaries + the resident Trekkie

Daily Lit's got a reader challenge: write a six-word autobiography.

What would I write? Let me see...

Studied, traveled, wrote, painted, blogged, loved.
OR
Always in awe of the universe.

What's yours?

===

Somewhat related: uncomfortable plot summaries.

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S: Pretty redneck girl fools socialites, flirts with gay gigolo
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: Deranged pedophile big-business industrialist tortures and mutilates young children
JUNO: Teen fails to get abortion, ruins lives

===

I never realized how much of a Trekkie my brother is. Blame it on our yaya, who gave my brother a book on Gene Roddenberry.

I looked up their summaries to save myself the trouble:

STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE: Meglomaniac can’t let go of past glory, drives successor to suicide
STAR TREK IV: Interplanetary fugitives poach wildlife from a past age to cover up an act of genocide
STAR TREK VI: Racist military commander past his prime nearly ruins galactic peace

Six courses

A friend's beautiful wedding held at the Rigodon Ballroom of the Manila Peninsula hotel yielded these stunning gastronomic works of art. I only skipped shooting the creme of potato and leeks. Enjoy!

Antipasti sampler of salmon, chicken and shrimps with melon pearls

Pan-seared Atlantic salmon an ratatouille vegetables, herb butter sauce

Raspberry sorbet

Braised turkey roulade with mushroom, leek and pepper slaw, Parmesan mash potato, light pepper jus

Chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream

From Susan to Sasha and everyone else in between

Henry Jenkins weighs in on the Susan Boyle phenom with this great post about spreadability. A good read for students and observers of social media.

On the other end of the spectrum (at least in terms of style) is Sasha Manuel, whose blog Style Manila is one of my daily reads. I saw Sasha outside a hotel after attending a friend's wedding (more on that tomorrow) and couldn't resist being a fangirl. My two attempts at taking our picture failed, which only means I need to practice taking photos of me with other people. Fortunately, she had a friend (who also just got married--belated congrats, if you get to read this) to help us out. Yay!


I don't think I went too far. When you follow a person's blog, that blogger is an opinion leader who can be as influential as a Hollywood celeb.

Who's the everyone else in between in the post title? I'm part of that, I think. Being beside Sasha, I suddenly felt conscious about my makeup (or lack of it: no eyeshadow!) and my dated gown, but I think Sasha would agree that fashion is about feeling good about what you wear and I certainly love my floor-length formal dress even if it's years old already.

Contrast

along Aurora Boulevard

six-month-old M&Ms are still perfectly edible

Forum on Contemporary Art and the Art Market at CCP

A good Saturday afternoon alternative if you're free tomorrow:

In the 1990s, art was selling in the artwalk of Megamall. Today, we see galleries pulling out of such accessible locations and moving into so-called “destination places” – you have to seek them out. Former warehouses, residential houses, music auditoriums and other unlikely buildings turned cutting-edge art spaces are sprouting – despite and maybe because of the economic crisis - along Pasong Tamo and the suburbs, and there is even one gallery in Santa Cruz, Laguna. There was also a time when biennial/triennials were distinguishable from more market-driven exhibition platforms like art fairs and auctions. Today, the boundaries appear to be blurring.

How do artists, art managers and administrators, curators, art critics and academics, gallery owners, collectors, educators and the various art publics position themselves in light of these exciting developments?

Ctrl+P Journal of Contemporary Art invited a curator, an artist and a gallery owner to address this and similar questions and lead a forum on contemporary art and the art market, April 25, 2-5 pm at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Multi-purpose Hall. The panel speakers are: Joselina Cruz, curator of the 2008 Singapore Biennale; Marina Cruz, a multi-awarded young artist who crosses commercial and non-revenue platforms with ease; and Tina Fernandez, owner of Art Informal, a cozy gallery located in a residential area on Connecticut Street, a short stroll away from Ortigas corner.

This forum is being held in conjunction with the forthcoming Ctrl+P issue on contemporary art and the art market (edited by Flaudette May Datuin and Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez), and the exhibit Uncommon Sense: trauma, interrupted, too now on show at the CCP 2nd and 3rd floor Hallways until April 30. The exhibit is presented by ARTHOC (House of Comfort Art Network), in cooperation with the Drawing Room, Silverlens, and Britania Art Projects.

CCP is located at Roxas Boulevard, Manila. For more information, please call ARTHOC at 414-7446 and 0917 407 9196 or CCP at 8323702.

Leaving a legacy

firetree, Manila Memorial Park, Parañaque City

I've always wondered what would happen to the online me when I die. My accounts on Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. My email accounts and blogs. The groups I moderate. I'm not the only one who's ever worried about that. Maybe I'll get a Legacy Locker someday.

Earth Day

It takes a lump of coal to move one megabyte of information across the Internet.

You can say tons of things about saving the planet. I'll do my bit by staying offline as much as I can.

Happy Earth Day!

Sakay na!

I came across Jeepney magazine while walking at Eastwood City Walk. A former EDSA street vendor approached me and I found it hard to ignore his earnest and eager sales talk. An appeal to mercy, yes, it was. But I was receptive to the idea because I had seen Big Issue vendors in London and I understood the concept of the glossy street magazine. Half of the P100 cover price goes direct to the vendor, which I think is a significant income for them and a much better incentive to work hard than a simple dole-out. Think of it as sustainable giving which gives you something instant in return. I picked out the fourth issue on the Homeless World Cup. The fifth issue should be out soon. For more info, visit the Jeepney website.

Something's coming

Do you feel it? The creatives are doing it: banding together to pursue a socially oriented goal. The organizations have different structures and main objectives, but you can see that there is something brewing. Whether it's a sense of nationalism or political involvement, all these groups know that art is not just for art's sake. It is always aware of context and its role in awareness and action. While I don't consider myself an activist, I am concerned about apathy and its role in perpetuating the ills of society. That's the last thing we would want to happen in this country. It's good to know that no one is fighting alone.

There's DAKILA, the Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, which is holding its Arts and Advocacy Lab music session tonight starting 5pm at Conspiracy Bar and Cafe.

The FARM Gallery is launching its Creativity and Global Crisis group exhibit with a series of talks on May 9, 11am to 6pm.

The Artists Revolution, led by Juana Change, Sockie Fernandez, Raymond Lee, Leah Navarro, Jim Paredes and Rody Vera, is planning a concert at the Music Museum on May 11, 8 pm.

PAG-ASA's next forum, Media in the Age of Wowowee, is on May 22, 6pm at the PETA Center.

Eastwood Mall

There's always room for a new mall. Eastwood City's new Eastwood Mall looks like Greenbelt from the outside and resembles Podium, Grand Indonesia Jakarta and Trinoma on the inside. The complex has four high-rise buildings. The mall itself is below two of them. The Central Park Promenade has a fountain and an LED screen for movies on the facade of the opposite buildings.

tambayan spaces

Richmonde Hotel, Center for Culinary Arts and a number of other stores are not open yet. Of the existing shops, there are two stores I find great for gifts: Scribe, which offers Moleskine-like journals and paper products, and Me & U, which carries home accessories for family members and your significant other.

for Easter: egg painting activity with Fernando Sena

pets are welcome here

ARTrolley + our buggy minds

Presenting my new trolley for art stuff. Now all I need is a studio.

===

Just for fun: the legal psychedelic trippy illusion over at TED.com. Stare at the center to watch the world warp!

If you build it, they will come

this always makes me sad.

Mont Saint Michel?

My uncle is the parish priest of St. Rose of Lima parish in Teresa, Rizal. Their new church is under construction. I find the backdrop of ricefields and quarried hills pretty dramatic. But give it a few decades and they will be gone.

blue dozer

48 Hours in Denmark

My Pinoy friends in Denmark are saying it's lovely there these days. It's still cool but the sun is out. I remember those wide blue expanses of sky. It's the time of year when the country is bee-yoo-ti-fool.

You have the chance to experience this first-hand. Yes, you, my dear digital native. YouTube's 48 Hours in Denmark contest gives you the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Aarhus, Denmark's second largest city (tiny by Philippine standards). You have to be adept at using digital media. Deadline for application is on April 20, so hurry up, shoot a video of yourself and upload it on YouTube.

[via Springwise]

When the taxman cometh, the CPA turns a year older

It's my dad's birthday today, the deadline for filing income tax return. No wonder he's an accountant. He helped me fill out my first ITR form as a freelancer. (Funny, but the government actually owes me money withheld from my free.)

Many happy returns of the day to the funny man who finds little pleasures in pan de putok, taho, and fruits!

Dipolog City, part 3: Cafe Ysabelle

The Montaños, who accommodated us, also own the Cathy's baked goods brand and this cozy cafe on the outskirts of town.

Chocolate Cashew Overload, one of their bestsellers

Their club sandwiches are really good. I wonder how their mangosteen cheesecake tastes like.

Dipolog City, part 2: cathedral and farm

Dipolog City, part 1: flight, sea and height

I finally set foot on Mindanao island. For all of 24 hours, I was in the capital of Zamboanga del Norte, Dipolog City. I watched the sun set over Dipolog Boulevard, their version of Manila's Baywalk.

If I had more time, I would have climbed the 3,003 steps up Linabo Peak (entrance, below).

Ending the Facebook fasting

My Holy Week sacrifice consisted of three days without Facebook. A good exercise, in my opinion. Happy Easter, everyone! :)

More podcast picks

Why does painting make me feel smarter? Try listening to these audio podcasts nine hours a day while painting and find out.

Although I still retained a few subscriptions from last year, the emphasis is noticeably going away from learning languages to topics such as current events and general knowledge, and subjects such as literature and philosophy.

The Economist
Entitled Opinions
The Ethicist
KQED: The Writer's Block
LSAT Logic in Everyday Life
Stuff You Should Know

I don't think cooking, new music and art will disappear from the lineup anytime soon, but I'm always keeping an eye out for new things to learn.

Will be back on Easter Sunday. Happy listening, creative and rational artist-nerds!

Rewind: Ka-women-an

[a postscript to women's month]

I realized that I saw a good number of exhibits by women artists recently and I thought I should list them for memory's sake. Going to shows requires some effort (except for some happy accidents, like #4 below), but it's worth it. It's good to know what's out there and be awed, touched, provoked or delighted by what other women are creating. If I stretch the limits of my comfort zone, Metro Manila will turn out to be as interesting and lively art-wise as London.

1. CANVAS Earthtales book launch @ 1/of Gallery, Serendra
Plet Bolipata, Liza Flores and Ivee Olivares-Mellor

2. Likhang Lila 2: Kaida Gallery, Kamuning
Daphne Aguilar, Jana Jumalon-Alano, Amihan, Maui Constantino, Ninel Constantino, Aba Lluch Dalena, Lorna Fernandez, Stephanie Lopez, Tammy Tan, and Anna Varona

3. Betsy Westendorp @ Mandarin Suites, Gateway Mall

4. [Filipina artists] @ Shangri-La Mall atrium
Cleone Baradas, Con Cabrera, Jane Kristine Cruz, Aza Camps, Anna de Leon, Maan de Loyola, Camille dela Rosa, Dina Gadia, Joanna Hoffman, Alpha Larracas, Jo Madarang, Kat Medina, Kaetie Millanoz, Tessie Picaña, Sheila Tiangco, AJ Tolentino, Mitch Valera, Lydia Velasco, Migs Villanueva, Ina Vitasa, and Janice Young

5. Walong Filipina @ Liongoren Gallery/Sining Kamalig
Plet Bolipata, Camille de la Rosa, Raquel de Loyola, Wawi Navarozza, Mervy Pueblo, Anna Varona, Lydia Velasco, and Liv Vinluan

6. Cantos @ Whitebox, Cubao Expo
Nikki Abaya, Dang Sering and Mimi Tecson

April Fools

Hi, I'm an Erasmus Mundus alumna with a European Master of Arts degree. And I can finally prove it. This arrived in the mail on April 1st.


A University of London (post)graduate. Imagine that. If only the diploma had a little more imagination.

===

Love makes April fools of us all. Here's the trouble with chatting with people you've had issues with.

X: are you online? i dont want what im gonna say be too late
X: i never got over you... i still love you
X: darn. it's 12 am... it's over.
X: haha
X: sorry... if you didnt get it, it was an april fool's joke.
me: and i really hope that the april fools joke really was a joke. that's the saddest thing!
X: it was a joke... it's like how many years!
me: ay sus! malay mo may ganung tao
X: i wouldn't have stopped bugging you
X: bakit, si Y ba di pa rin over you?
me: i think he's over na
me: grabe na, after three girlfriends, pwede ba?
X: alam mo, baka naman kasi the one who got away
me: eeeeeek
X: and then you got prettier through the years, so who knows, it might just come back
me: am actually chatting with him now
X: yihee..


me: the best april fool's joke i got on ym: i never got over you... i still love you
me: but the guy said joke talaga yun
Y: your ex?
Y: Siya yun?
me: no, someone else
Y: Okay.
Y: I don't play April Fool's jokes with love.
me: my ex greeted me on my bday but did not send a joke
Y: So yeah...
me: yeah what?
Y: So yeah, that's why my April Fool's gags can't be like that.

Uncommon Sense

It is an honor for me to have one of my pieces included in the exhibit trauma, interrupted, too at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It was also a productive experience for me and my mom to jam with Ann Wizer and the women of the Invisible Institute, crocheting plastic bags into a collaborative artwork at the opening reception. Crocheting makes it very difficult to focus on looking at art!

I'm happy to have my work placed beside Rodel Tapaya's, as his paintings are always interesting. The most striking piece for me is Jing Turalba's bullet armor accompanied by the video of her wearing it around Manila and Berlin. Beyond any artist statement, the reactions of onlookers show how powerful the work is.

Hope you can come to CCP even if you've seen Rurok. The venue and the theme of the show makes quite a difference in the way you see the artworks.

[read more]

Upgraded

My brother now has the better camera: a Canon Ixus 870 IS. It's two generations newer than mine and takes much better shots.

Considering I shot these inside a vehicle moving over 100kph and were stolen from Photobucket, these still look great to me.

I just had to have this taken.

Subic weekend

kinda reminds me of this

another found message, like this one last year on the same beach, only more positive