Canopy

"Painting is so poetic, while sculpture is more logical and scientific and makes you worry about gravity."

~Damien Hirst, English artist

This is what it looks like underneath "The Trees" of artist Reynato Paz Contreras (see yesterday's post). They don't provide a lot of shelter from either sun or rain, unfortunately.

Intertwined

"Art-making is not about telling the truth but making the truth felt."

~Christian Boltanski, French sculptor

Made of recycled stainless steel, "The Trees" by artist Reynato Paz Contreras stands in the middle of the park in the middle of the roundabout that is Burgos Circle in Bonifacio Global City. According to the artist, "The three trunks signify stability. The intertwining branches and leaves create a circular effect to symbolise the 'circle of life.' This sculpture represents the interrelationship of humanity and nature, and the vital role that each one plays. May it remind everyone to preserve the environment not just for today but for the future as well."

A different world

"That's universal—we all want to bring every good thing to our children. But what's not universal is our ability to provide every good thing."

~Melinda Gates, American businesswoman and philanthropist

These are just a few of the high-rise residential condominium towers in Bonifacio Global City. The shorter buildings are restaurants and shops around Burgos Circle, a roundabout with a park in the middle, from where I took this photo. Standing there, it was almost easy to forget that the Philippines is a third world country (or, to be politically correct, a developing country).

American nostalgia

"Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were."

~Marcel Proust (1871–1922), French novelist

A gaudy and lovely Rock-Ola jukebox at the American 1950s diner-themed Johnny Rockets in Bonifacio Global City.

High street

"Unlike a fountain that circulates the same water in an enclosed, perpetually recycling system, a human being circulates thoughts in an unlimited reservoir of self. Don't limit yourself to being a mere fountain when you contain an ocean."

~Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

The stores of the shopping and dining arcade that is Bonifacio High Street all open up into a park that runs the entire length of this unique mall. The park has fountains, playgrounds and sculptures, and is also pet-friendly. The Old Navy store at the corner is the first in the Philippines and only opened in March.

Sunset colors

"We expect too much of new buildings, and too little of ourselves."

~Jane Jacobs (1916–2006), The Death and Life of Great American Cities

I am not an habitue of Bonifacio Global City so I don't know what these two buildings are, but I found both striking. The top section of the one on the right looks like it can be a museum or a ballroom. But I especially like the one on the left because of the trees on every balcony.

Leg godt

"As long as Lego bricks have been in existence,
the soles of fathers' feet have been in danger."

~Jonathan Bender, author of LEGO: A Love Story

Darth Vader welcomes customers to the Lego® store in Bonifacio High Street. Unfortunately, it was difficult taking his photo because everything was reflecting off his dark suit. I didn't realize he got photobombed by the lady beside me until I downloaded the photo.

And just a random thought: It must be awesome to be able to write down one's job as "Lego Master Model Builder."

Choo-choo

"People used to play with toys.
Now the toys play with them."

~Idries Shah (1924–1996), Reflections

A colorful train that doesn't need tracks and which goes round and round a small plaza keeps young children entertained while their parents eat or shop at Bonifacio High Street.

Play

"Men do not quit playing because they grow old;
they grow old because they quit playing."

~Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841–1935)

Part of Arts BGC 2014, this mosaic mural and sculpture installation is in Bonifacio High Street, a high-end retail center in Bonifacio Global City in the City of Taguig. Created by the Mighty Bhutens, a group of artists based in Baguio City, the artwork is titled "Araw + Ulap + Laro = Saya" (Sun + Clouds + Play = Happiness).

In case you were thinking of asking, I have no idea what the group's name means.

See murals from around the world in Monday Mural.

Trunk warmers

"Things don't have to be extraordinary to be beautiful;
even the ordinary can be beautiful."

~Matthew in Wicker Park (2004)

As part of Bonifacio Global City's Art BGC 2014, Rags2Riches "rag-bombed" (from yarn bombing) trees all over the development and placed wind chimes on some of them.

Rags2Riches is a social enterprise composed of (mostly) women in poor communities who weave scrap cloth, organic materials and indigenous fabrics into some very lovely and unique bags, pillows and rugs.

W

"In the kingdom of glass everything is transparent,
and there is no place to hide a dark heart."

~Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

The W Fifth Avenue is an office building in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City built by the W Group and designed by Arquitechtonica.

Book art

"A room without books is like a body without a soul."

~Cicero

The mural inside Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street is painted on a stack of books two stories high.

See murals from around the world in Monday Mural.

Mind-blowing

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million."

~ Walt Streightiff

The Mind Museum in Taguig City, which opened in 2012, is a non-profit educational project of the Bonifacio Art Foundation. With 5,000 square meters of floor space, it is the first science museum in the Philippines that we can be proud of. Its aim is to promote public understanding and appreciation of science—in a decidedly fun and interactive way. Especially commendable is the foundation's desire that the museum's wonders be experienced by public school children. (For those who are not aware of it, public education in the Philippines is terrible.) Ticket prices for public school students are a fraction of regular ticket prices, but since this special rate is still too high for most of them, the foundation has a special donation portal for people to sponsor the visit of public school students.

Tug-of-war

Bonifacio High Street has many fantastic restaurants and is, therefore, very popular as an evening destination. Because of this, even the shops stay open late—until midnight, at least.

All these years of blogging, whenever I posted something about Bonifacio Global City (BGC), I identified it as part of Taguig City. Just this August 5, however, the Court of Appeals declared that BGC is part of Makati City. Of course, Taguig can still raise the case to the Supreme Court, and they probably will, with six billion pesos (US$ 137.7 M) in annual revenue at stake. My problem is, will I now tag this post as Makati or Taguig?

Green and white

The pavilions of The Blue Leaf in Taguig City open to a garden which can be used as an extension area for events held in the pavilions. Not recommended during the middle of the day during summer, nor for our monsoon season. The white building in the background belongs to Accenture.

Of wood and stone

The handsome exterior corridor of the Banyan Pavilion of The Blue Leaf events pavilion in Taguig City. I really like the slanting wooden pillars and their stone base.

Irresistible

The fountain at the water plaza and amphitheater of Bonifacio High Street (BHS) Central.

See-through

I've never eaten at Uncle Cheffy, which apparently specializes in brick oven cooking. This is their branch at Burgos Circle in Bonifacio Global City (also known as BGC or The Fort). I just like the transparent awning.

Blue glow

The Picadilly Star Corporate Center, a 26-story office building in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), isn't particularly eye-catching during the day, but it is at night, especially when one is looking up.

New beginnings, part 1

Canadian Geese. The Goose Station (a play on "dégustation" and the fact that the chef-owners love foie gras and feature it in many of their dishes) at Bonifacio Global City, where our college group had a despedida dinner for our dearest Vic and Cecile who have migrated to Canada in search of a better future for their children.