Smooth Corinthian

The National Museum of the Philippines is currently housed in two neo-classical buildings in the City of Manila. The archeological artifacts comprise the Museum of the Filipino People collections, housed in the former Finance Building which I've featured several times in the past. The National Art Gallery is in the former Legislative Building right across the street. Both were designed principally by Filipino architect Antonio Toledo who was influenced by the city plan originally formulated by American architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham. The columns of the two buildings are almost exactly alike—they have the same capitals but unlike those of the Finance Building, which are fluted, the shafts of the Legislative Building's columns are smooth.

Japanese place

Every now and then, my husband and I would try out a restaurant that we've heard absolutely nothing about. Our latest 'experiment' was Ariake, a Japanese restaurant located in the restaurant and bar row that is Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City. According to Wikipedia, Ariake is the name of several places in Japan. Our verdict about the restaurant: too fusion for our taste. Many of the items in their menu either have cream cheese or are deep fried, even the maki. We prefer more traditional Japanese cooking with its subtler tastes. I do like their heavily textured wall paint though, and that single organic plant stem in a room full of geometric shapes.

Serenity

Serendra is a high-end, low-density condominium development of Ayala Land in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. Even before the condominium towers were finished, Serendra's two-level dining and shopping esplanade—the only part open to the public—had already become popular among Metro Manila's privileged classes. Serendra is much more alive and exciting at night than during the day.

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Yet another call to CDP bloggers! We have a special theme day on January 15: Best Photo of 2009. "Best" is how you define it, however. Also, our February 1 theme is Wood and the March theme poll is up so please vote! And please help spread the word—too few people are voting and we don't know if the themes actually reflect the community's preferences.

Formal wear

It's not everyday that I see a pug in a tuxedo in the streets of Metro Manila.

Find more Odd Shots—or post your own—at Katney's Kaboodle.

Camouflage

I know I've posted so many photos of the Manila Cathedral already, but it has such beautiful details I don't think I'll ever tire of it (and I hope you won't either). I especially like how the carvings are ornate but almost nothing is painted, so the interior looks deceptively simple from afar. The interior arches are just as lovely as those over its main doorway, though the designs are geometric rather than floral. I guess speakers are necessary in a church of this size else the congregation won't be able to hear the priest, but at least the church authorities had the wisdom to choose a color which blends with the stone.

Framed

When I first visited the new Rizal Library at the Ateneo de Manila University, many of the small details were still unfinished. Take this raw concrete cylinder in one of the interior water features, for example. I'm wondering what it's supposed to be and hoping that it will be the base for another sculpture like Impy Pilapil's Wind and Soul. I also hope that they'll be done next time I visit and that I'll be allowed to take pictures again. And in case you haven't realized it yet, you're looking at this scene through a huge mirror hanging on the brick wall.

See what's reflecting what at James' Weekend Reflections.

Work companion

Does anyone know what kind of spider this is? I saw it lurking around our study while I was working last night. Just to give you an idea of its size, the planks of our floor are about 3 inches (8 centimeters) wide. I really just need to know whether we can safely ignore it or if we have to avoid it at all costs.


P.S. Guys and gals, killing it is not an option. I like spiders because they keep the bug population down at home, especially during the hot, humid and rainy months (that's about 9 months of the year).

Shopping tour

I first posted a photo of this big, colorful, airconditioned jeepney in December 2008. I've seen it several times since then but only late at night, parked at the end of its tours in Harbour Square. I finally saw it in use at Bonifacio High Street. Apparently, the hop-on-hop-off route of Jeepney Tours includes many of the major shopping and dining centers of Metro Manila.

Elemental

One of the stone and metal sculptures of Filipino artist Impy Pilapil graces the main entrance of the new Rizal Library of the Ateneo de Manila University. Titled "Wind and Soul," it stands in the middle of a small water feature, just one of many in this proudly green building. The aesthetically-pleasing water features, which use reclaimed rainwater, are part of a system which helps control the temperatures in the building, reducing the need for airconditioners. The library is the newest of the university's facilities (replacing a smaller library building which will be renovated for other uses) and was only inaugurated on December 8, 2009. This entrance faces east; the first photo was taken at 4:00pm and the second at 7:00pm after the sun had completely set.

Natural or man-made, take a refreshing dip in Watery Wednesday.

Corridor café

Barbara's Café in the old walled city of Intramuros is located in one of the wide passageways that lead from the street to the inner courtyard of the Plaza San Luis complex. Called a zaguan, it was the corridor where carruajes (horse-drawn carriages) would pass through to drop their passengers off by the entrance. The floor is paved with granite, what was and still is called piedra china (Chinese stone) because they were originally used by Chinese traders as ballast in their junks. The chairs and tables at Barbara's Café are what we call batibot chairs and tables. Batibot means 'small but strong and sturdy.' The wooden seats and tabletop are wrapped in sheet iron, and the legs and seat backs are made of bent iron rods; even the studs and rivets are made of solid iron.

Peek-a-boo

Another rainbow sculpture of artist Joel Ferraris at SM City North EDSA's Sky Garden, titled "Pixel Planes." The other two which I have posted in the past are Rainbow Waterfalls and Prism 24.

Sour green

The fruit of the Averrhoa bilimbi, known as kamias in the Philippines, is very sour—as sour as its green color would suggest. Some like it precisely because of that and eat it raw as a snack, usually first dipping it in rock salt. We also use it as an alternative to sampalok (tamarind) in making sinigang, a soupy sour stew that most Filipinos love, whether it is made of fish, pork, beef or shrimp. A young Filipino chef named Margarita "Gaita" Fores, who owns several restaurants in Metro Manila, popularized it as a fruit shake which is surprisingly very good and not as sour as one familiar with the fruit would think.

Headline news

Yesterday, Coca-Cola took out a special 6-page ad in one of our national dailies. Printed in full color on thick, bright white paper stock and laid out to look like the newspaper's main page—it even had the paper's masthead! It was folded as if it truly was the headline page since it was on top of the real newspaper. And it was the second day in a row that Coke had a similar special ad. They did the same on December 31 though that only had 4 pages. It's crazy. Do newspapers in your country lend their mastheads for ads like this? At the very least, I hope Coke's headline comes true.

Goodbye, gentle soul

THEME DAY: CHANGES • Siopao was a mixed breed and a gift to my father the year after my mom died in 1993. Daddy named him after the Chinese steamed bun popular in the Philippines because when he was a puppy and could fit in one hand when curled up, he looked exactly like one, including the dot on his back. When dad died in 1996 and his housekeeper left, care for Siopao fell on me since I'm the only one among my siblings still in the country. Siopao was the gentlest of dogs. Days could go by without a single bark from him; about the only things he barked at were strange dogs out in the street and stray cats crossing our yard (which he loved to chase though he never really tried to catch). He was perfect with our nieces and nephews, quietly tolerating unsure hands from the most fearful of them and ungentle caresses from the most daring. During the colder months, we kept his hair naturally long.



But when he starts shedding just before the summer months, we would get him shaved. And long into the rainy season, we kept him short-haired until the days started getting cool again.



At 15 years old, Siopao had a lot of health problems (liver, gall bladder) and was easily prone to infections. His eyesight, hearing and sense of smell had all weakened—except when we had chicken, his favorite (that one he didn't have any difficulty smelling!). In the early morning of November 24, 2009 Siopao passed away while he was at the pet hospital. I still miss his greeting when I get home, and his constant, quiet presence by my side, but I am thankful for the many years that were given to us to be able to love him. And to Jilly and Rob, thank you for your sympathy and comforting words the week after he left us. (ALL PHOTOS BY DOGBERRY)



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