Lost summers
I used to count my years in summers (or Christmases) but ever since the weather guys declared there is no such thing as summer season in the Philippines, I no longer look forward to the characteristically unromantic “dry season” which conjures all sorts of negative connotations and emotions like dried up finances, droughts, dry spells, the Sahara Desert, the dry season of the soul. Growing up, summer evoked happy afternoons with golden hour light filtering through the trees, bicycle rides, birds singing on a cloudless day, watermelon slushies and picnics on the lawn. You’d find me on the porch reading a book while a radio station nearby blares Glenn Frey’s You Belong to the City. Ah, those were the days. By the tone of this post, you'd know this is major 80-90s climate change nostalgia. Indulge my bitchin’ and moanin’ as I whine about the normalized 36C temp and doomsday 44C RealFeel® this season. The human body can tolerate an ambient heat of 43C but higher than that bodily organs start to get stressed. Don’t be surprised if my neurons get disconnected in this heat. I simply cannot stand this preview to hell so screw this dry season 2024!!!!
I don’t know how long we can collectively tolerate this hellish season. The local weather guys are still adamant in calling these soaring temps a heatwave although I am already contemplating my climate change survival plan. My entire wardrobe needs to be overhauled to give way to heat deflecting clothes. I need to invest in less environmentally damaging air conditioner. Maybe I need to temporarily say goodbye to hot coffee which is a diuretic and not good on sweaty days. My habitat would need major renovation too—think wooden Balinese inspired house with high ceilings and airy ventilation. Maybe I need to move to North America. I’m really thinking of the longterm if we are to collectively survive as a specie in this tenuous climate scenario. Can you imagine how hot dry seasons will be in the Philippines in the next 5 or 10 years? If you can’t imagine I can’t either.
Weather whine session done. Now please hand me that strawberry creamsicle before I melt!
Cat fancy at Iloilo Mega Book Fair
I have spoken about how much much I adore Purr and Scibs in my earlier posts. These are two homegrown brands that specialize in whimsical and cute cat themed arts and crafts like hand drawn sticker sets, postcards, keychains and other special edition gift items. They were one of the vendors having a pop-up booth at the recently concluded Iloilo Mega Book Fair.
Scibs recently launched a stray cats range featuring felines like ginger, tabby, tuxedo, calico as well as black and white cats. Stray Cats aim to highlight the plight of homeless felines that also deserve a warm, loving home just like their pedigreed fellows. Too bad I was only able to visit the fair on the last day and all the stray cats merch were sold out!
Purr on the other hand had all of their adorable stickers available and I was able to get my hands on their everyday cats series. Too cute! If you love cat stuff, give these wonderful creators a visit on their social media pages. There will always be something catastic to brighten your day!
The old world charm of Agatona 1927 Museum Cafe
On a laidback Saturday evening, we escaped from the exhausting heaviness of a searing hot day by visiting the newest heritage house cafe in Jaro district. We fancied enjoying a light meal in view of a breezy, airy balcony overlooking the elegant, newly restored Graciano Lopez Jaena Park commonly known as Plaza Jaro. The Jalandoni-Montinola ancestral home, now rebranded as Agatona 1927 Museum Cafe is an iconic landmark heritage house at the entrance corner of Arguelles Street. It recently threw open its doors (and balconies) to the general public. Growing up, I've always been fascinated by this beautiful edifice with gorgeous gothic glass windows. Home to Iloilo's buenas familias, this ancestral house has been restored and transformed into a museum cafe, adding gravitas to the newly minted UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy. True to form, the museum cafe has a cozy, feel at home ambiance that pairs wonderfully with heritage recipes and Filipino comfort food. If you want to feel like an illustrado in the first millionaire’s row in the country, the museum cafe is worth visiting. One of the grandsons of Donya Agatona heads the kitchen as its resident chef.
The museum cafe is inspired by its namesake Donya Agatona Escarilla Arguelles and it was built in neoclassical architectural style in 1927 during the height of the American colonial period. We enjoyed the guided tour that highlighted artifacts, rooms and collections in the house as well as bits and pieces of anecdotal history.
From someone who appreciates houses with high ceilings and wooden interiors, Agatona 1927 Museum Cafe is one of the best representations of architectural style and function that suited the dignified, gilded lifestyle of Iloilo’s old rich.
After our museum tour, sauntering under the moonlight in Jaro Plaza was the next best thing to do. We were surprised that Plaza Jaro just like Molo Plaza now has piped in jazz/classical music for the masses! How cultured!
To inquire about group or personal tours, the museum cafe can be reached via their Facebook page and QR code.
AGATONA 1927 MUSEUM CAFE
Jaro Plaza, Iloilo City
Mobile: 09125003883
The lost art of afternoon tea
“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!
Kristo: Christ & Culture Exhibition at Thrive Art Gallery
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.
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It's difficult to not think of food all the time when you live in a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy like Iloilo City. Aside from th...
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