Photo: Kim Derla

While I am not really a huge fan of paintings and art installations, a visit to Pintô Art Museum somewhat gave me a different perspective about art -- or at least in the way of appreciating it. Just a fair, early warning though that the tour of the vicinity itself will consume your energy because aside from taking photos and getting amazed will all the publicly exhibited artworks, you will do a lot of legwork. Getting from one gallery to another entails a lot of walking, climbing up, and getting down the stairs so it is really advisable to wear comfortable clothing including your trusty sneakers. And don’t forget to bring a towel and a bottle of water so you can keep yourself hydrated. I even packed an extra shirt inside my bag thinking I just "might" need it and it proved to be a lifesaver move!

Photo: Kim Derla

I decided to have a photo taken on this spot because this screams the reality that everyone has been feeling from a shit-filled pandemic-ruled year! While I may not be too vocal about it,  I really am bored (or even tired) with all things that were ruined by the lockdown and COVID19 pandemic. I want to believe that when Kim and Beth said a reason they wanted to push with this trip is that they wanted me to unwind, they really meant it. Visiting a new place in this time when the situation tends to stress the hell out of my mind and even screw my emotions proved to do something good. It's like breathing a fresh, energizing type of air after being confined in one place for more than a year. I may not be an art enthusiast but seeing artworks in different forms, colors and genres felt invigorating to the mind. 

Now, I know you're asking what are the works that caught my attention after touring the place for almost two hours. Check out the next few photos!

This piece made me think of our medical frontliners upon the mention of the word "interns".

Yes, your brain can explode and go haywire from prolonged (over)use. So you should also exercise caution and be mindful of doing things in moderation.

 Die-cast cars! A thing kids of the 80s and 90s would totally relate to! This was just a portion of the room that housed the work of Nilo Ilarde that contained 22,425 of these miniature toys!

An" interesting but kind of complicated" artwork by Mark Justiniani as I captioned it on my IG account. I was actually having second thoughts about entering this dark room and see what was inside. But after contemplating for nearly five minutes, I decided to give in and check it out. And it was worth the curiosity. I just stayed in the room for a few minutes because I suffer from mild acrophobia (fear of heights) making it impossible for me to maximize the 10-minute per visitor viewing limit for this particular work. But standing at the edge of the platform reminded me of one of the chapters from my project, On Top of the World.

Photo: Kim Derla

A wacky photo to wrap up our weekend adventure. We left the museum around lunchtime but I still hope to return to this place eventually as we still have a few galleries left unexplored. I was also hoping to meet Dr. Cuanang (the first in 25 years since I last saw him in 1996), but it was an almost but not quite kind of moment. I saw him yesterday, but he was in a meeting with a group of people. So maybe, just maybe, I will really need to go back. Anyway, my third mantra is that for every first you've missed, there's always a second chance. I'm just happy to have joined Kim and Beth on this trip because I was really able to unwind and mentally rewire from all the stresses of the past year, and would really love to do it with them again!

Pintô Art Museum

Sierra Madre St, Grand Heights Subdivision

Antipolo, 1870 Rizal

Operating Schedule: 

Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. (Closed on Mondays)

The last time I went on a bonding session with my friends Kim and Beth happened seven months ago. Despite regularly catching up with each other via Facebook and Messenger, we all feel that there's a significant difference with spending time together in person. Before this meetup, these two ladies originally planned of doing an online writing workshop through Google Meet. However, the plan got scrapped out two days before the event. Instead, Kim suggested that the three of us meet for coffee. I thought it would be great to have them around because next to getting to bond with them, I would need the help of these two ladies as I have some questions related to my ongoing writing project that needs their "expert opinion."

No one goes to coffee shops without having anything caffeinated from the menu. So despite trying to avoid caffeine loading after 4 pm, I went on to try their Iced Hazelnut Coffee. I'd say Kopicure keeps their menu simple because all their drinks are available in uniform size of Venti. The price for their coffee (hot or iced) ranges from 120 to 160 pesos. They also have ice blended as well as non-coffee-based drinks priced at 180 pesos. Non-caffeine drinks such as peach tea, matcha latte, berry hibiscus, and dark choco are also available at the price similar to their coffee-based beverages. If there was one that sets Kopicure apart from the previous coffee shop that occupied their space, it's having bread available on the menu. I got the Korean garlic cream cheese bread (for the sole reason that I love anything with cheese!) to go with my iced coffee. And while I am not a fan of garlic, this one won me over. I love how the combination of saltiness from the cheese and a bit of sweetness from the bun combine with the taste of garlic. At 85 pesos per piece, I'd say it's worth it.

While we were hoping to hang out at Kopicure a little longer, Beth requested if we can go somewhere to get a serving of hot coffee. Apparently, her order came out iced when she asked otherwise. But going to three different places inside the nearby SM Center Angono was an unsuccessful attempt. I was already thinking of bringing them to our house as a last resort! But I remembered Music Wizard Café could give Beth the hot coffee that she badly wanted.

Lo and behold, they serve hot drinks including the Americano that Beth has been wanting! I was not informed that that weekend trip was not just for caffeine loading but for carbo-loading too! So I ended up consuming more calories than I was supposed to.

While I've been familiar with Music Wizard Café since I frequented this place several times for after-work dinners with friends from the academe when I was still a paralegal, it has been a long time since I last gave the place a visit. Our trip from two weeks ago made quite a revelation as this place has improved since. And maybe, because of the ongoing pandemic, their service somehow got polished up too. Next to their food and drinks, I loved how the lighting and the interiors make a good backdrop for Instagram-worthy photos.

Even if the excessive caffeine screwed up my circadian rhythm the whole weekend, that Saturday was still well-spent. Next to the coffee and pastries, I had a great time discussing several things with these ladies especially getting some advice related to writing fiction! Yay for having writers and authors for friends. The two ladies are cooking another round of adventure this weekend. What and where to is something that you need to watch out for on this blog.

(Huge thank you shoutout to Kim for the photos.)

Kopicure

E.C Valle Commercial Center, 

Baranggay San Isidro Angono, Rizal

Music Wizard Café

CPV Business Center 

Manila East Road cor Col Guido Street, 

Barangay San Roque, Angono, Rizal

January 2014- First time to be back in Rizal Park after 22 years!

As I type this entry, it's already Father's Day morning. While my Facebook news feed is starting to be filled with posts and greetings related to an occasion intended to honor dads, I decided to do my own version on this blog instead.

This post was born out of a light bulb moment I had days ago. While I was also aware that Father's Day was fast approaching, it's an undeniable fact that the person I would love to commemorate is no longer around physically. So as my way of remembering the person who has always been a fan of what I do in writing, I decided to use it by putting together some of the life lessons that he told me back then. I am not sure if he told me a lot of those because my Papa was mostly the "reserved person" that he is, but I'm able to recall at least a few which I deem to have made an impact on me on a lot of different things.

On surrendering on things you no longer have any control:

"Hindi naman masamang umayaw sa mga bagay na di mo naman kontrolado. Walang batas sa mundo na nagsasabi na bawal ang magsabi ng "hindi" o "ayoko na" kung nagawa mo na ang lahat o kung hindi mo na talaga kaya." 

This was one of the earliest pieces of advice I heard from Papa when I was still fresh out of college. At that time, I was having second thoughts about whether to stay or leave my first job as an editorial assistant in a prestigious university. Part of me really wanted to leave because the stress and strain were already putting a toll on me both physically and emotionally, but I was hesitant of doing so simply because I was afraid to disappoint my parents. But this advice from him became one of my compasses when it concerns putting the right balance between work and well-being. It's okay to give it a shot and live one day at a time. But if you're already becoming jeopardized after giving the best that you can, you simply have to let go and move forward. Life will still offer you a thousand opportunities and chances and you can still be able to pick another one that you think will work best.

On humanity and compassion:  

"If you want to know someone's personality, try observing the way they treat animals. For the amount of compassion that they give to an animal will be the same amount of compassion that they will give to people."

Next to plants, Papa has always been fond of animals. I grew up in a house that has dogs, cats, even 16 pairs of lovebirds as pets. And never did I saw Papa show violence against those creatures. He treats pets as part of the family as if they are people. Funny but whenever neighbors would tell us to adopt their pets, he would reply in jest that those puppies and kittens will just end up becoming my playmates -- or worst, I'd say his "original bunso"! But I guess there's truth in this advice in some way because even if some people often describe my father as someone who is reserved and quiet, I have also witnessed how he is like in the company of other people -- and how he treated them. Someone unselfish, considerate and kind. Seeing how my father was as a "pet parent" left me with an imprint as to how one's treatment of animals reflects the way one will possibly treat other people. 

On taking care of your own belongings:

"If you look after your car well and with care, it will return the favor and serve you well in the long run too."

Papa has a knack for cars. I never dared and learned how to use Waze because I still find my father's instructions more reliable whenever I have to go somewhere. While I never learned driving skills, he would be the one who would drive me to appointments or even work sometimes. And one of his pet peeves would be a poorly maintained car. I wouldn't dare contradict Papa when he said this advice because he knows a lot about fixing a car and keeping it in tip-top shape. And indeed, Love begets love applies -- not even to people or relationships but even with one's prized possessions.  

On heroism and what it means to be a hero;

"Hindi inililibing nang patago at tahimik ang totoong bayani ."

Regardless of other people's impression, one thing I loved about Papa is that he knows how to be so spot-on with his opinion. Yes, he may not be the kind that talks a lot when asked a question, but when he speaks his mind, Papa gets to really articulate them well. Years ago, at the height of a controversy over a "hero's burial" bestowed upon someone that a lot of people see as undeserving, Papa let out those words without warning. And even if I laughed at first upon hearing those words, I was left really surprised because indeed, what he said absolutely made sense.

On choosing and voting for the right politician:

"Piliin mo yung kandidato na maninindigan at ipinaglalaban kung ano ang tama. Kahit pa maliit ang posibilidad nilang manalo, doon ka pa rin tumaya. Yun ang iboto mo."

Aside from boxing and basketball, thoughts about politics are something that Papa has always been very vocal about. It's not that he doesn't mince his words, but when he voices out his opinions on issues involving certain situations or even politicians, sugarcoating is never an option. His viewpoint has always been spot-on and straightforward. When he gave me that advice almost three years ago, he was sick, the election was just a few months away and I was, at the same time, seeing someone whose job was also related to politics. And while I was hesitant to ask for advice (and tell him that the person I was seeing then was running for office), I guess it was his paternal instinct that prompted him to say those words; because when I expressed my apprehensions after being asked who I'll be voting for, those quick-witted words were what he told me. I guess I made the right decision to have posted those words on the day that he said it. For it's one of those words of his that I don't wish to forget. 

I won't be ashamed to admit that I still miss Papa even if it has been almost three years since he passed on. He could have given me a lot of that intelligent advice today specially that I have been at home for more than a year. It makes me think that we could have used the whole 365 days by having more conversations about a lot of things but then, that one is no longer possible at least for now. But at least, he left me with a few of those wonderful pieces of advice which I got to write about today. I just hope that maybe, in the future, God can eventually let me meet someone as kind, articulate and prudent like my father -- the kind of person who I would enjoy exchanging thoughts and conversations with, and could possibly add more to this list of "favorite life lessons" that he was able to leave me with.

I was not keen on writing this blog post at first as I do not feel that giving out hacks and advice related to topics such as fashion or beauty is my cup of tea. But a recent conversation with my college best friend Apple caused a #LightbulbMoment in my head. In the middle of my conversation with her, she mentioned a question I never expected to hear from my 13-year-old godson, Ace. 

"Bakit parang hindi tumatanda si Ninang?"

True to her funny Mourning Bolera moniker, Apple provided all sorts of candid responses. From saying it's because I don't have a husband and kids who would annoy me daily (which might be among the reasons!) to telling Ace that I bathe in blood the way Elizabeth Báthory did (seriously, she said that to her son!). But that question of Ace left me chuckling. 

As of this writing, I am about three and a half years shy of hitting 40. So it surprised me to find out that my inaanak has such inquiry. The truth is, I started having that "I'm already old" mindset more than a decade ago. Yup. I started thinking that I'm already old when I was just 25.

To be fair to my inaanak, I don't have those "celebrity secrets" that other people follow. Nor do I stock up water from the mythical "fountain of youth". Instead, I live on the usual life hacks that others tend to follow and this post lists a few of those.

First and foremost, I indulge in sleep! I am more of a sleep person than a foodie. And if there's a blessing I see out of the ongoing pandemic, it's that I was able to get the healthy amount of sleep that I need each night unlike a year ago when I do my daily activities running on four to five hours of shut-eye every night. 

I have a love-hate relationship with the sun. Basking in sunlight has both good and bad repercussions. But I try to balance both. According to a book I read last year, one rule to follow is "the longer your shadow, the longer you can stay under the sun. When I can wake up early (because I do some of my tasks at night), I try to stand under the sun for 10-15 minutes. And when there's the need to leave the house at a time when the sun is the harshest, I utilize two things: a bit of sunscreen and my trusty umbrella. 

A healthy diet helps. Aside from getting the right amount of sleep, another lockdown lesson I learned was observing healthy eating habits. Unlike that time when I worked in an office where takeout food was part of the daily grind, the lockdown and its restrictions that limit the urge to go out and grab oily fast food staples in some ways, did me something good because not just it disconnects me from the sinful stuff, I got to really appreciate and enjoy home cooked meals as well. but since I'm also an ordinary human being, I also give in to cheat day cravings once in a while -- but still at a minimum. 

A little skincare routine won't hurt. While I am a sucker of Korean dramas and can watch lengthy episodes, I, unfortunately, don't have the patience of a saint to stick to the kind of skincare routines that Koreans do (12 steps yun guys!). So I try to keep it simple and just use three things: cleanser, toner, and night cream. And no matter how late it is, I don't sleep with makeup on, or without washing my face before going to bed. Nothing is more annoying than waking up with that sticky feeling on your face from the grime and makeup left the night before.

Move it. Sadly, this is the downside that the pandemic inflicted on me because unlike when I was employed where I get to do repeated walkathons every day, exercise got shelved from my routine. But thanks to one of my favorite bloggers, Mommy Fleur, I discovered fitness hacks from Emi Wong and had started on some of the routines. And since I have a morning playlist on Spotify dedicated to dance music, I get to use that too -- yup! I dance either in the comfort of my bedroom or in the kitchen while preparing my breakfast! 

Drink like a fish...but in moderation!  And by drink, I am referring to water. When I got sick around two months ago, next to being prescribed antibiotics, one of the advice my doctor gave me was to drink lots of water. And more than just preventing dehydration and heat stroke (especially now that it's summer), keeping myself hydrated does a few good things to my skin too!

Give in to what (you) enjoy. May it be getting your hands dirty in your chosen hobby, reading a favorite book over and over again or ogling over that Kdrama oppa -- from the likes of Hyun Bin, Lee Min-ho, or in my case, Ji Chang-wook(!), surrendering to life's little pleasures is important to our happiness. And like what other people would say when you are happy, it radiates to your whole being -- that youthful look is just a cherry on the cake.

The company you keep also contributes to it. It might be a cliché, but it still holds to be true. You're only as good as the company you keep. Being with the type of people whose wavelength matches yours does matter. I'm fortunate to have made friends with like-minded people (two of them are authors!) who I get to talk to about many things (yes, we talk about anything and EVERYTHING under the sun!). And with regards to this, I realized that my mind can keep up with their minds and their thoughts. I even have a friend who I thought was just a few years ahead of me (by age) only to be surprised by the revelation that he's a few years shy of hitting 50. Proof that meeting of minds isn't limited to those within the same age brackets. Appreciate meaningful conversations with friends because somehow, their views and opinions shape up and contribute to your view of the world. And with the ongoing struggle, we are in, having friends on standby for a quick chat or video call just to talk to or crack jokes with can somehow ease the emotional burden we all are going through.  

So there it is. Not big-time secrets of the rich and famous, right? I only incorporate things that can even be done at home. While youth is the gift of nature, age on the other hand is a work of art. It's just a matter of how I embrace it -- and just like what I learned in the book, Confessions of an Impatient Bride years ago, you just have to love yourself -- warts, moles, gray hair, and all. And whatever you don't love, if you've got the money, you can just go see a derma like Vicky Belo to fix it :-) Makes sense, right?