The sun is back...

...and so are the mall goers. I guess film wins over Frank today.

Fête de la musique 2008 - Pinoy style

While the rest of the Fête de la musique community is celebrating music with the glorious sun (summer solstice), we here are trying our very best to distinguish the drums from the thunder and the stage lights from the lightning. It is difficult to take pictures and videos of the performers while making sure that your precious camera stays dry.

This year's Fete was held at SM Mall of Asia. This fountain was close to one of the stages by the bay. See how they all move to one direction? Thanks to the strong winds. Typhoon Frank is bad.

Make music

Its a lazy weather. The rain is intermittent and traffic is a pain. I am seriously weighing my options on whether to go to the Fête de la Musique or not. I have been going to this wonderful sonic soiree for the past 5 years and somehow the idea of missing it this year is not that appealing to me. Oh well. In the meantime, here is a photo of a fellow Fete fan. Photo was taken June 23rd of last year.

Stop.

Mid-day. (A little over ) midmonth. Midyear.
Take stock.

Clash

The clouds seem to disagree today. Maybe a little uncertain as who's on duty now. Visual entertainment with my glass door as my TV screen.

For whom the bell tolls

Today marks the 100th year of the University of the Philippines. As such, allow me to honor my alma mater (please don't ask me for my student number) by posting a photo of one of its beautiful landmarks - the UP Carillon.

I never really got the chance to hear it play like it used to, but they said that these bells were played in the morning to signal the start of the academic day as well as in the late afternoon to end it. They, unfortunately, stopped ringing on the 80's due to lack of funds for its maintenance. Good thing that a lot of people were charitable enough to help in bringing back the legacy of the UP Carillon. Thanks to them and to Josef Haaxen, a Belgian national and Dean of Carillon Music at the Jef Denyn Royal Carillon School, we can now hear the bells play again.

Fusion Cuisine

One day my friend, perhaps due to utter frustration on the "lack of proper cheese in this country", complained that he misses his Camembert and Roquefort (and Gruyere ad infinitum) badly. Hoping to change his somber mood, I dragged him to the local deli. The mere sight of chedarella sent chills to his spine. "Que horror! What a crime! Such inhumanity!" Hmm. Okay so maybe I was a little ignorant on how serious they are when it comes to their dairy produce.

Then came a eureka moment - Kesong puti! Now why did I not think of that before?

And so after a quick trip to the neighborhood bakery to get his baguette (but of course!) to pair up with the cheese, he finally found himself grinning from ear to ear. "But its like bûche de chèvre! Delightful!"

They say that you can take a French from France but not France from a French.

Zoom in

Concave ceiling found in Cubao! (I bet you know where this is. Hah.)

Only if you say "please"

Found at one of the shop windows of Cubao Expo.

To the batcave!

Found at the Food Express of Gateway Mall. I guess its their way of saying that they want not only for their customers to be nourished but their cellphones energized as well. Power up!

Green is good (sometimes)

The first time that Parisianinpinas saw them being sold on the sidewalk was definitely a Kodak moment. He can't believe his eyes. Then came the series of unending questions: "But you're suppose to eat only the yellow ones, right?", "What's the salt for?", "What is alamang made of and why does it smell funky?". Oh well. Despite the interrogation, he sure did enjoy his unripe mangoes.

For your eyes only

Taken at the window of Sarabia Optical Clinic, unofficially known as Nela Sarabia's Indie Candy Store, so-called because its serves as a launching pad of sort to various indie acts whether it be of the audio or visual kind. The shop is located at the UP Diliman Shopping Center.

Quit Coal

Last week, I got an email invite from Greenpeace for their Open Boat Day. The Rainbow Warrior will be in the country and her captain, Mike Fincken, was gracious enough to give the attendees a special tour of the ship. Lots of people were able to make the event. Even little children were there to support the group's fight for clean and renewable energy. More photos here.