Photo essay: Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

Where I spent Valentine's weekend.

where everything flies...even cows

I'll spare you my awful night glow shots. Stole one from my brother.


The rest are my images of the morning after.

flag drop

blowing up the elephant

Hotel Stotsenberg, Clark

Please excuse the lack of text. I have enough writing to do.

Green Light at the Met

I'm turning green... for a project we're doing for La Salle. Click on the image to read the details. Thanks!

Not again!

Though I'm pretty busy, I still have some down time... for karaoke! M taught me a way of getting backing tracks. Now I've recorded some showtunes: For Good from Wicked, Astonishing from Little Women (ambitious!) and Start of Something New from HSM (yeah, with Troy). I'm still practicing Good Morning Baltimore from Hairspray and Journey to the Past from Anastasia. And I haven't even tried Part of Your World from Little Mermaid. But I'm hoping to do a duet soon. Anyone up for Come What May from Moulin Rouge?

Uh oh. Oh no.

Listening to myself, I can identify all my vocal problems: lack of power, control, and awareness of tempo. Not bad enough to make it to the freak section of AI but not good enough to make it to Hollywood. Hahaha!

Thank you, ListenToYouTube and Audacity for making this possible. LOL.

Bulan @ Britania Art Projects

Got pulled in to a funky opening. I'm wondering if the moon in the exhibit title had something to do with it. The artists, themselves musicians, had a jam session complete with bongos, rainmakers, bells, guitars. An island vibe for the majority UP Baguio crowd.

I took these shots a week later.


I found Roberto Acosta's terracotta sculptures solid and very South American folk. (I found out later that he was in Mexico for a while.) I nodded in agreement as I read Leo Abaya's wall notes on Katti Sta. Ana's eclectic paintings.

Overheard, a foreigner asking Jim Orencio "Is this your party?" Hahaha!

The early Valentine

I was puzzled to get something via Air 21 last week. The sender's name was unfamiliar. Three people came to mind.

Then I saw the wrapper, which made me think maybe it's from an Asianovela fan. But I was wrong on all counts. It was my new Moleskine, the third to be given to me. It was from K, who promised me one for my Pinoycentric article. Woohoo!

Schhh...

It's not love (yet), but I wouldn't burst the bubbles of hopeless romantics today, would I? Check out Signs, a Schweppes short film. The product placement isn't always blatant but you know there's going to be a bottle there somewhere. The comic ones (Signs and Magnifique) work better than the serious ones (Consequence, Jet Black and Finders Keepers).

Will be on Valentine's weekend leave to spend quality time with... my family. Anuvah!

[via Second Chances in One Lifetime]

The anti-Valentine

Di na ko bitter about a long-lost love, pramis.

An IM chat with my friend M, who was then going through some rough times.

M: I've given her far more than I've given ---. You have no idea how much crap I had to tolerate.

M: And to have it just handwaved?

M: Wow.

E: look, let it out, but not on her

E: rant all you like now

E: but don't pass it on to her

M: I know.

M: That's why I'm talking to you.

Right. But that's ok. He was there for me when I needed someone to talk to post-breakup.

He also sent me the link to this: whackyourex.com

Nothing like something violent and gross to "manage your anger safely", eh? "Cheaper and funner than therapy", alright. If that's your kind of thing, there's more of Doodieman out there.

===

[Updated 10:11am] On a more serious note...

As a rule, you should not hurt, spurn, reject or break up with someone before Valentine's, Christmas and the person's birthday (or yours). It's cruel and the karma will get catch up on you. But sometimes you can't help it. It has to be done.

Why a lonely girl breaks hearts and spirits, I do not know. I really do not know.

Proposal on ice

Three days to go before the Day of Hearts. I am not counting down the days.

Last Saturday, while shopping at Megamall, I heard the loudest screams from the ice skating rink and saw the fake snow falling. I overheard the salesladies at one of the shops talking about what happened. Turns out Lifehouse's "You and Me" was playing and a guy went on his knees to propose to a girl, causing everyone at the rink to scream. I passed this on to my mom, who was thinking what would happen if the girl said no. Remember the guy who got rejected after proposing at a basketball game? Bad scenario. So guys, you better be sure of the answer.

Later that night, I asked my brother where he was earlier in the day. "Skating rink," he said. I asked if he saw the proposal. "I took the video."

He was in on the plan (the girl is a long-time friend). "They've been looking for a house," he said. It was only a matter of time before the guy proposed.

The only weird part of it was being surrounded by clapping and screaming kids, total strangers who happened to be skating then. Regardless, it's fitting for a girl who had her debut at the skating rink. Just not the wedding, dear.

To the newly engaged couple, congrats!

Survival of the best informed

The archive of Worst-Case Scenarios may just save you from something truly unpleasant, like a trip over a waterfall, a date with a axe murderer or a UFO abduction. The archive also has a lot of emergency scenarios you might find yourself in.

[via vagablogging]

Chef's Quarter + Ilustrado

I was wondering why Chef's Quarter at Megamall Atrium was pretty popular. What else could it be but good food?



The Trio Salad is quite interesting because the ingredients don't go together perfectly. Imagine shiitake, escargot, raw tomato and prawns. But in the end, it all works out wonderfully. That's why it's one of their most popular salads, like the Tessie Tomas, named after the actress.


The Seafood Paella, however, had too much rice and not enough flavor. They were sincere in asking how the food was, as the place is very new. I think they will improve on it soon.

My mom said that the lunch buffet (P495+) is superb because there are different salads, lamb and desserts. Does anyone want to treat me to lunch? I'm game. Hahaha!


Chef's Quarter is large enough for groups and the ambience is somewhat upscale. Two of the partners were manager and chef of Le Souffle The Fort.

QWERTY

Let's cheer on Paolo Dy, who's hoping to be one of the 16 contestants on Spielberg's reality show for filmmakers, On The Lot.

B calls Dy's short film QWERTY theatrical. Maybe that's partly because he got actors from Repertory. I'm proud to have met three of them: Arvin, Altair and Cathy. Good job, guys!

[via Plus 63]

A pre-Hearts' Day gift

A limited edition treat (or earsore) to the kind souls who have been reading this blog. Allow me to humiliate myself for a week by exposing my little voice. Point me to some more backing tracks, will you?

Download

Dulaang UP's Atang

After reading good reviews from all over, I caught the re-run of Floy Quintos' Atang, directed by Alexander Cortez for Dulaang UP. A play with music, it's "the Atang hit parade plus one" according to playwright Floy Quintos, the added song being a poem written by Amado Hernandez for his wife, kundiman queen Atang dela Rama, set to music by composer and arranger Von de Guzman.

I only have three things to say:
1. Shamaine Centenera (Atang dela Rama) is awesome from the moment she comes onstage.
2. I found it hard to take my eyes off Ayen Laurel (Gia Almonte).
3. The simplicity of the staging is refreshing.

After the show, there was a Q&A with some cast members, Quintos and Cortez. Why Atang now? asks someone from the audience. Quintos says that there is much we can learn from the past, especially the nationalism that ran through all the aspects of Filipino life in the time of the sarswela. "Our lives are so fragmented now," he laments.

And he is right. We should not forget that history repeats itself.

Recycled

critters made from technojunk, Cafe Inday

Pinto Gallery, Antipolo City

the office (left) and the chapel (right)

still fountain and the tribal council lookout (leave your tiki torch outside)

Pinto is an art gallery in Antipolo City set in a garden. There's a lot of water around in ponds, an artificial waterfall near a tiny ampitheater, bamboo and tropical plants that sometimes make you feel that you're in the rainforest. I'm afraid I'll encounter frogs here during the rainy season.

In the main gallery, Dennis Ascalon's exhibit featured textured works that have carved outlines akin to comic strips. His drawing style makes his figures appear whimsical though they're PG. The colors are too strong and straight-from-the-acrylic-tube to me, but I think that's intentional.

There are three pieces in the same size by different artists, all of them with a 1920s feel. In front of the Silangan gallery, Jerson Samson's Mona Lisa with a giant toothbrush and Starry Night in the background is a play on the perfect smile.

Dr. Cuanang, being a patron, must have a massive art collection. Construction has begun on the museum, which should be completed by December.

There was a TVC shoot that day, so we avoided the crew and didn't make it to the rooftop.

so med! (left); an outdoor shower... and a bed? (right)

in front of a Borlongan (left) and the wrong pinto (right)


my guide E

the last leaf


at the bamboo house



reminds me of the Jewish Museum in Berlin

Cafe Inday by Chef Geo

Cafe Inday is a new restaurant at the home of the late Antipolo artist Inday Gadapan. You can see several of her portraits by other artists, as well as her artworks in different media. The place is hidden away and hasn't been formally launched, but Chef Geo's friends have been testing his creations since October.

menu board and Pepper the dog

Tried out the parma ham and pastrami paninis (P170), which have mustard, zucchini, eggplant and tomato in them. They're served with potato chips. I had affogato, which is more of a dessert than a drink: coffee poured over vanilla ice cream. We had espresso shots on the house. Your choices of sugar: brown or muscovado. How about that?

Chef Geo is working on cold espresso. Presentation is always key, so expect something fancy when it's done.

what I'll have next time: farfalle with basil cream

without the mood lighting

Marley

love the door

I'll be back for the pasta and the lamb.

For your mp3 collection, part 23

taken by my brother at Coffee Dream Megamall

Antony and the Johnsons:"Another World"-is there no hope?
Blitzen Trapper:"Furr"-a story worth repeating
The Details:"Underground"-surprisingly not sad
Di Johnston:"Trite"-losing the fire
Last Exit Heidelberg:"Wehe Dir"-German pianoforte
Noah and the Whale:"5 Years Time"-hurray for indie pop
Odawas: "Harmless Lover's Discourse"-rich fusion
The Orchestral Movement of 1932: "At Summer Pond"-short and genre-defying
Round Mountain:"Maitreya"-fine farewell
Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees:"You Don't Miss Me"-tough girl
Vetiver:"Everyday"-morning song

King Bee, again

you don't have to be Jollibee to bee popular with the kids

Chinese New Year at the closest Chinese restaurant, King Bee. A busy night, but the service was still good. We started with dumplings and Japanese siomai from the cart. We must have covered all the food groups: vegetables with golden mushroom, beef, chicken, seafood hotpot, Yangchow fried rice.

bubble, bubble

If I remember correctly, the mango shake wasn't nice when we were here in June, but my brother said it was fine this time. In general, the food was ok, except for the ginger that went with the chicken. It left much to be desired in terms of flavor.