ManilArt09 and more

I had the busiest and most enjoyable weekend I had in a while.

I had two meetings last Saturday: one in Dapitan, Manila near my college alma mater and one at the EDSA Shangri-la mall. It was wonderful to see old, familiar faces. The weather might have been unpleasant but we've accomplished so much that my somehow adventurous commute around the metro made it very much worthwhile. Besides, I don't like being cooped up in the house for a long time. The meeting at EDSA Shangri-la was a monthly gathering of the Association of Thomasian Psychology Alumni (ATPA) officers. Important organization matters, updates, and upcoming activities were discussed after a sumptuous Kimono Ken dinner. :)

Come Sunday after church, my college friends and I went to a birthday/graduation celebration in Caloocan City last Sunday. It was my first time to go in that area of Metro Manila. The party was set around lunch time. The food and the company was fantastic! We were all full, everyone was feeling a little sleepy afterwards. (Did I hear someone say nap time?) Good thing the fun and laughter managed to keep us all awake. ;)

The only souvenir photo I had on my camera during my Caloocan visit is the photo above of the little manhole with a smiling face. I was nicely surprised to see one like it but being in the metro, I knew it wasn't unusual. That's what I call 'street art'.

After the lunch date, my friends and I went to TriNoMa. In all the excitement listening to Michael Jackson songs on the music player and catching up on things, I forgot one tiny detail: malls are jampacked on Sundays - especially on Sundays. I think the TriNoMa photo at the beginning of this entry speaks for itself.

We didn't stay there very long. After a few fun arcade games, Tin and I bid our other friends farewell as we decided to go to the art exhibit at the NBC Tent, Global City, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. July 19 was the last day and the venue is open only until 8pm. Tin had to be home by 7pm. Since watching a movie was out of the picture due to the time constraint, a trip to see amazing masterpieces was the perfect way to end the day.

Tin was given complimentary tickets by her boss, which meant we can view the artworks for free! Awesome. :) I had enough money to buy the commemorative issue of the Contemporary Art Philippines magazine they were selling and a few button pins from Children's Environmental Awareness and Action Foundation, Inc.

ManilArt09 is "is the first international art fair to be hosted in the Philippines. It is participated in by the country's leading art galleries and those of the Asian region. This is where art collectors and enthusiasts can view the finest examples of Contemporary Art today and gather together to exchange views and insights about the world of art."

It is a flagship project of the National Committee on Art Galleries (NCAG) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in partnership with the Bonafide Art Galleries Association (BAGO).

Too bad I didn't have enough money to buy any of the original artworks. There were several oil on canvas paintings, mixed media masterpieces and excellent sculptures that I would love to take home. *Sigh*

The art exhibit was brilliant! I'm glad we ended up going. It was nice to get our minds off from work and from the unnecessary worries of life. Tin and I agreed to go to Global City more often and explore the place: go to more exhibits, grab a bite at the good restaurants, stroll around and what-have-you. It certainly sounds like a good plan to me.

Cheers to all the amazing artists!

...and cheers to more relaxing weekends!