Monday, April 15, 2024
“When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things. Where is beauty to be found? In great things that, like everything else, are doomed to die, or in small things that aspire to nothing, yet know how to set a jewel of infinity in a single moment?”
Coffee, tea or milk tea? Ilonggos are not obviously big tea drinkers as you can see by the zero number of teahouses in the city. However, most of the coffee shops here offer token hot tea drinks for those who are not caffeine inclined. I love coffee but I would prefer tea any given day.
I've always been a tea aficionado, collecting Royal Albert teacups or whimsical teapots. I love the sound of a red enamel kettle humming on the kitchen stove and the aroma of homemade sable cookies. I prefer the peace and serenity that a fragrant cup of Earl Grey or Jasmine tea offers. Sipped in solitude with a good book in hand, a cup of tea soothes an anxious mind or warms the heart on a cold, rainy day. In solitude or in the company of good friends or acquaintances, tea retains its ceremonial, ritualistic attributes requiring proper etiquette and decorum. So when the Etiquette School of Iloilo offered a Bridgerton inspired afternoon tea etiquette class at Mrs. Whartons London Bakes and British Teas, I excitedly jumped at the opportunity! I love themed afternoon tea parties as I have hosted my own Alice in Wonderful tea birthday parties in the past and they were so much fun! As the Madhatter says, "It's always tea time!"
So ten ladies including myself gathered for the afternoon tea class last Sunday in the hopes of becoming more refined, genteel and confident in the art of tea drinking. I loved the Bridgerton theme as I gravitate towards shabby chic, modern vintage stuff. Honestly, I have yet to see a single episode of Bridgerton on Netflix. As a historical drama, Bridgerton transports us to Regency England, a time where novelist Jane Austen wrote about the landed British gentry as well as the food, fashion, courtship and social customs of the era. No better place to hold a class than in the gated courtyard of Mrs. Wharton's Cake Shop and Cafe at Casa Riviera in Oton, Iloilo. Ms. Ann De Jose, host and etiquette consultant of the Etiquette School of Iloilo gave a hands-on demo and lecture of the rigors of British afternoon tea etiquette. We learned how to properly hold a porcelain teacup as well as how to partake of the sweet and savory finger foods that are traditionally served such as bite-sized sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream as well as petite tea cakes. Knowing the basics would definitely give the participant the confidence when drinking tea at Savoy in London, TWG Salon in Singapore or maybe at the Peninsula Manila! A lady can dream, can’t she?
It was a very hot, humid Sunday to have an outdoor tea party but we gamely obliged. We enjoyed the delicious Earl Grey tea that our seatmates poured for us as well as the scrumptious egg and tuna savory sandwiches. The scones were baked right although they could have been rounder (I’m very picky about scones!). The mini chocolate buttercream cupcakes and mango cake were perfect. After all, it’s Mrs. Wharton’s cakes!
The best part of the class is that we made new acquaintances with kindred spirits who also love the fine art of tea. I’m also delighted to learn that the cakeshop and cafe is opening a Peggy Porschen inspired floral tea wing for Scones and Clotted Cream by Mrs. Wharton next month!
Interested in joining the Jane Austen society? Check out the next afternoon tea etiquette class of Etiquette School of Iloilo. In the meantime, keep calm and drink more tea!
Saturday, April 6, 2024
Kristo: Christ and Culture is an example of how a religious themed art experience immerses the viewer in a contemplative space. Just like in the creation of religious iconography and artwork, viewing and attempting to gain insight from art is a prayerful experience as well.
Here are some of my favorite artworks from the exhibition:
Despite the title of this piece, I find this Nordic redwork inspired art positively optimistic and inspiring. A red heart at the center of the cross and holy blood that resembles rose petals evoke a certain kind of understanding that Christ's redemption of humanity is likened to a beautiful flower.
This is a piece that had the most visceral effect on me. Of all the artworks in the collection, I spent the most time on this piece wondering if it is inspired by a Rorschach inkblot test or an attempt of the artist to draw an internal anatomical abstraction of disfigured face of Christ as suggested by swollen, blood engorged eyes and blood vessels rendered visible.
This is divine sadness set in stone. The rendition of a lonely, dead Christ in concrete slab and barbed wire crown captures the essence of divine sacrifice.
This is a creative, almost irreverent pop-art inspired juxtaposition of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Christ on the Cross, both icons connected by the redeeming element of Christ's holy blood.
I can feel the warm, textured grain and sliver of old, recycled wood in this piece. The stunning element in this piece is doorknob that is affixed in the center of the cross. This is a direct invitation to open the doorknob of our hearts to receive the grace of Christ's resurrection.
The spatter of red paint on a predominantly green painted canvas evokes a gritty imagery of Christ's holy blood on the grass. This is a powerful, visceral piece of art that capture's the passion of Christ in a minimalist context.
A beautiful monochrome portrait of Christ on the cross looking through my soul.
Aptly entitled "gugma" or love, this striking, virtual pain inducing installation features a metallic head or heart of Christ dripping with red paint and topped with a crown of thorns. The presence of a spiked spear intensifies the pain this piece is trying to project. No love without pain.
A comforting imagery of a kind and compassionate Christ who is a friend to all.
A tortured Christ crying bullet sized tears. An armalite rifle pendant hangs on a bullet-beaded rosary. A very meaningful, thought provoking artwork, the theme of which runs parallel to the sad, violent, dark world we live in where only God can bring hope.
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
I had the happiest time with you dear Macky while you were on this earthly plane. I hope you are having a grand time in Cat heaven and you always have your fill of cat treats and belly rubs. I love and miss you so much my dear boy!!!
Friday, March 29, 2024
The dry season (Pagasa weather bureau does not refer to it as summer) is particularly blistering this year with El Nino phenomenon rearing its ugly head. With heat indices in Iloilo reaching 44C, it’s definitely a brutal season for many especially for heat intolerant folks like myself. Everybody dreads the humidity and the heat that triggers all sorts of bodily ailments and irritable situations. How do breeze through this season without losing our sanity?
1. Take a cool shower twice or thrice a day if it is possible. This is the fastest way to keep our system cool and free from overheating. Try products like Human Nature cooling body cleansers for a refreshing twist.
2. Slather on the sunscreen and wear a hat!
3. Keep hydrated! On particularly hot days, drinking electrolyte added water like Pocari Sweat helps replace lost salts and minerals due to excessive sweating.
4. Treat yourself to your favorite cold drinks like iced coffee, juices and slushes.
 |
| Cheap but yummy popsicle treat from Aice Ice Cream |
 |
| The best strawberry bingsu in town is from Cafe Seoul. Available on Grab Food. |
 |
| They say Filipinos drink hot coffee even on hot days. Not in this crazy weather. Affogato is the best alternative if you are craving caffeine. CPlex Cafe near Jaro Plaza serves amazing affogato. |
5. Activities that require strenuous effort such as exercise should be done early morning or late evening. Haha, avoid all strenuous activities altogether. It's a season to be laaazzzzy!
6. Invest in a portable misting handheld fan to stay cool wherever you are. Cooling blankets, mats and products such as Biore cooling mists and body sheets are especially helpful.
7. Install windchimes such as Japanese furin in your garden or balcony to enjoy the cooling, gentle ringing sounds. Bamboo chimes have a cooling effect as well.
8. Wear light colored, comfortable clothing made of cotton fabric. Of course, the dry season is a reason to wear flip flops, yay!
9. Flowers are abloom so safely enjoy outdoor picnics under a cool shady tree. Be mindful of staying outdoors when UV level and heat indices are high. There is no reason to be miserable this season. Warmer weather can have its perks!
10. Budget permitting, the best way to escape the dry season for urban dwellers is to hie off to cooler destinations like mountain retreats (and the malls if you don’t have aircon at home).
In the meantime, enjoy the dry season. Stay cool!
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Coffee, tea or biscuit cat?
It’s bring your cat to school day!
Macky: Forever Meowmy’s little angel
Check out Snow, my fave web portrait AI app! Download on Google Play or Apple App Store.
Saturday, March 16, 2024
It was my first time to vist Mitsukoshi in Bonifacio Global City during my Ed Sheeran concert weekend. Since I ony had 48 hours to spare before going back to Iloilo City, I decided I wanted to see the Japanese department store branch in the Philippines and see how it compares with Mitsukoshi Ginza which I visited in Tokyo last summer. Of course, that’s a silly preposition since Mitsukoshi Ginza is a flagship store and the one here in the PH is a sampler of a Japanese lifestyle store so to speak.
Anyway, Mitsukoshi BGC did not disappoint. I actually love it. The store occupies 2 floors and a basement area. A good size for a mall I should say unlike the mammoth ones that take a week to explore. It has all the shops that I fancy and gives one a taste of Tokyo. There’s Daiso, Kinokuniya, Bandai Gachapon store (which unfortunately was emptied out of toys), Key Coffee and other Japanese name brands. My favorite would have to be the Mitsukoshi Fresh grocery which filled with Japanese products, snacks, confectionery and everything right up to my alley. That alone deserves another trip to Manila soon!
Thursday, March 14, 2024
 |
| Not really a Swiftie but a Sheerio ;) |
All roads led to Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour 2024 at SMDC Festival Grounds last Saturday, March 9, 2024. I missed his Manila concert back in 2018 and this year, I didn’t want to miss it for the world. So without a blink of an eye, I jumped on the earliest available Air Asia flight last Saturday to catch the concert in the evening. My sister treated me to CAT3 reserved seat tickets at the open air venue so I was super thrilled and grateful to see Ed Sheeran a little bit closer than I imagined. Our vantage point allowed us to fully appreciate the monumental stage set-up, a circular LED screen held up by laser sourced Ayrton lighting rigs and a fully automated, TAIT navigated revolving stage that gave the audience a full unobstructed view of the beloved British singer-songwriter. The immersive light and sound technology employed in this concert definitely blurred the lines between live performance and digital art wizardry. Mathematics Tour 2024 is all that it adds up to be and more.
Crowd favorite local indie folk pop band Ben & Ben was the front act for the evening. Bloody excellent choice, Ed! I was doubly stoked as Ben & Ben is my fave local artist and I've always wanted to see and hear them play live. I am a fan of their music genre and it was refreshing to hear the 9-piece band play their popular songs like Leaves, Kathang Isip, etc to an adoring crowd. The highlight of the evening would have to be Ed Sheeran sharing the stage with the B&B twin brothers Miguel Benjamin and Paolo Benjamin Guico (hence Ben & Ben) for a duet of their hit song Maybe the Night. Ed singing the lyrics of Maybe the Night gave us all the warm fuzzies!
Ed Sheeran opened the show with fireworks and an electrifying rendition of Tides, the first song in his 28 song setlist that ended with an equally charged song Bad Habits. A curtain of fireworks closed the stage, a fitting culmination to an unforgettable night. Almost all of my favorite songs were in the setlist- The A Team, Lego House, Shape of You, Galway Girl, Castle on the Hill and Afterglow so I was one happy Sheerio. Perfect is one song I often play on my guitar so I felt really surreal when Ed Sheeran sang it to a gently swaying crowd, their mobile phones lighting up the night like a swarm of fireflies. At the start of the show, Ed assured the audience that everything in the concert is performed live. He emphasized that no single concert of his sounds exactly the same. With guitar in hand and his signature loop pedal, Sheeran was a one-man rock band, his every move amplified and transformed into mesmerizing, almost hypnotic thematic MTV style LED board videos. I've been to many rock concerts (in my youth, hehe) and I can say Sheeran's rotating stage platform is a breakthrough in audience engagement. In whatever seat tier you are, you are given the equal opportunity to see the performer in 360 degree glory.
My favorite part of the concert aside from Ed’s duet with Ben & Ben is his heart stirring rendition of Tenerife Sea, a song which I particularly adore and that never fails to give me goosebumps. The excited crowd fell into a hushed spell when he reached the bridge of the song and softly crooned "Lumiere darling, lumiere over me, lumiere darling, lumiere over me." Ah, my heart slayed by this ginger-haired Brit.
Ed's set started at 8:15 pm and ended at 10:40 pm. Another front-act was Calum Scott, a fellow Brit and alumnus of Britain's Got Talent. We missed his performance since we got entangled in the Pasay City traffic jam (I meant it literally when I said all roads led to SMDC). As expected going home after the concert is another story in itself. Despite the challenging post-concert traffic situation, Pinoy Sheerios went home happy, bathed in a warm concert afterglow.
The cool breeze and pleasant weather (so untypical of summer nights) made the concert more enjoyable and memorable. In the night sky, the new moon shone, the lumiere that Ed Sheeran's music makes us feel.
We can't wait for Ed to come back! Don't make us wait for another 6 years, please!
Thursday, March 7, 2024
February rolled by so swiftly, a contrast to how painfully long January was. It's my favorite time of the year as the weather is cool and mellow. For two weeks in a year, we get to enjoy below 30C weather which is quite a welcome break from the usual 34C temperature we live with all year long. It’s also a month for planting seeds of hope dreams.
In the meantime here are some random weekend projects...
 |
Weekends are awesome for sunset chasing. Once in a while, a beautiful lavender hued sunset makes a grand display. It reminds me of Taylor Swift’s song Lavender Haze. |
 |
After extending my Photobook voucher three times, I finally got to finish my photobook of an autumn trip to Tokyo last November. |
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Social Media
Search