Random Pictures

Just some images of places around the city:

indian temple at the heart of chinatown (love the mix of culture here)

national library (basement with all the books is heaven & halls at the top for plays)

botanical gardens (great for jogging althought i don't jog plus they sometimes have free concerts in the middle park)

outside the majestic boutique hotel in chinatown (love the food in resto and the look of bar)

P.S. Cafe in Dempsey (great brunch and white wine sangria with relaxed ambience)

old shophouses in chinatown (like the look)
robertson quay (way classier than touristy clarke quay & dodgy boat quay... love the resto's here & my dream is to own one of the condo's in the area!)

white rabbit at dempsey (resto converted from an old church... okay food but great atmosphere)

the iconic fullerton hotel (check out the Phil. flag!)... breathtaking architecture, outstanding rooms & holds sentimental value

A Curious Thought

Why is it that ever since I got here, going home to Manila has been such a treat and privilege? We talk as if wow, that person is so lucky he's spending 3 weeks in Manila for the holidays! Or good news, I'm going to Manila for work and then I'll extend. We get so jealous of people going to Manila and get so excited about going home.

But when we are in Manila, going abroad is the treat.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence...

Ice Cream + Art

Ever since I started my so-called "bucket list", I have been going out more on weekends to explore the city beyond the malls and Orchard Road.

So far, I have attended a visual arts exhibit, watched a play (Vagina Monologues at the National Library -- awesome place, I love libraries! not so awesome play, for me anyway), attended a baking class, finally went jogging (only once so far), went to a photo exhibit, and visited a wetlands reserve (thanks to my boyfriend's insistence).

Last Saturday, I went to the first ever ice cream festival sponsored by Ben & Jerry's at Fort Canning Park. The place was packed! I was amazed, it was a really good idea! There were food booths, bands, a show and of course a kick-ass scooping station with the most number of Ben & Jerry's flavors I have seen. The big draw was 12 flavors never before sold in Singapore and flown in from the USA only for the festival. I absolutely adore Ben & Jerry's because of the inventive flavors, amount of toppings in the ice cream and the unique names. But I proved my absolute love for it that day when I lined up for 1 hour to buy a double scoop cup. Yes, I am a pig as well as the hundreds (?) of other people who did the same. I was there anyway so why waste the trip? I tried the butter pecan (just so-so) and the peanut butter cookie dough (love love!).

where the magic happened

bliss lies beyond this gate!

the grounds
so cute! star-shaped soap bubble... they even had heart, flower and peace sign shapes!


the looooong line... i still had 40 minutes to go from here

the menu

hmm, doesnt look very photogenic! but trust me, it was really good that i wasn't even able to take a pic of my ice cream before scarfing it down

After pigging out and consuming the ice cream in 1/6 the time it took to line up for it, I decided it was time to feed my brain. I have been interested to go to the Japan Media Arts exhibit at 8Qsam since I saw the ad for it but of course, I end up going on the second to the last weekend it's on.

The exhibit was divided into 3 zones:

Zone 1 showed modern japanese art but still with themes/ roots of traditional japanese.

photos showing ths inside of a flower where beauty lies within too

dots and letters made to move like fashion models

manga is art!

this is really cute... "The Lighting Doodle Project":random people made to make doodles in the air with their light emmitting devices like cellphones and then shot with long exposure and put in an animation video

Zone 2 showed that "art" can be in many different forms like figurines based on a manga story, miniature figures, paper wrestlers (this was so cute! the artist created different 3d wrestlers made from paper and each had its own personality and character), portable video games, games (there was a piece that was air hockey but with a mirror so you play against yourself)... Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to take pictures. :(

Zone 3 was interactive where you can actually read manga, watched japanese animation or play the games (like wii and mario bros!).

Before I left the museum, I checked out their "school" exhibition. Artists were invited to interpret the theme of school tied in to the fact that the museum was a school before. I found the ones below interesting:

a "school house": 1/2 the size of an actual classroom with a chalkboard "house" where guests are invited to doodle and put in their own memories of school

very visually appealing and to think this can be considered graffiti by some

This piece was in the front lobby od the museum. Made by a pinoy and is modeled after the famous Philippine jeepneys. It actually is a real jeepney but the back is stuffed with all sorts of odds and ends.

Just makes me think... art can be found everywhere and anywhere. It has various forms and medium. What is ordinary for some is extraordinary for another.

Not bad for an ordinary Saturday afternoon. After this, I still had time to go to Mass, go grocery shopping and clubbing at night. Phew!