MANILA CINEMATIQUE

Summer.

Summer was inspiring. I found myself in different places immersed in art, new food, new people and new stories.
And at night, the glitter and grit of Manila was just cinematic.

An assignment for Esquire brought me to Kuya Kim's house to photograph the Mama Kinley painting by Alfred Esquillo which hangs on his wall.
Kuya Kim is quite the collector. It doesn't show in his amusing public image but his collection is so impressive.

On the left, Mama Kinley, photographed by Brian Bravo for Esquire's June art issue.
On the right, one of his pet dogs.
He also has pet toads.
His fetish for chairs is pretty cool too.

Then one whole Saturday afternoon in Pinto gallery.
I could spend forever in their gardens.
The owner, a neurologist, has an awesome collection too.
Funny, really. Art collectors come in all shapes and sizes.

  
          
Other photos like above by Lance and his magical mirror-less camera.
  
         

And then some happy Sunday things:
A tank camera. Some polaroids. Truffles from Sleepy Bear Sweets. A coffee table book.

And then Manila by night. Muy cinematique.

My pursuit to find the perfect muscat in Manila.
Note: found it already.

This couple:

She had a beer. He had a milkshake. None of them spoke a word, and they never looked at each other. They just sat there in silence, and for some reason I thought it was so beautiful.

Craft Coffee along Broadway street.
Amazing home-roasted coffee.


And a Sunday family trip to an anthurium farm. And a horse race breeder.

Planned by my mother who takes gardening to heart.

And then a weekend field trip to the National Museum with some advertising veterans.
           


I've lived in this city all my life, but this summer I saw it like I never have before.

NO RESERVATIONS- Buscalan x Sagada x Baguio

It was a plan for holy week. A plan drafted when I would slip into daydream mode in my office cubicle. Both the best, and worst time to travel ever! As I have come to learn.

We left Manila with no reservations.

ELECTRIC CONNECTIONS- Malasimbo, Puerto Galera

There was so much love going around in Malasimbo.
More a love for music than anything else.

Didn't realize how much of a legend this Jimmy Cliff was, until I was swallowed in the throng of fans that showered him with respect and admiration.
The man is a preacher.

And Joss Stone, who was gorgeous, brought someone to tears.
Who I learned:
Doesn't sing "Spoiled" anymore because it was written for an asshole.
And doesn't like women who don't voice out their opinion.

This couple in front row managed to cocoon themselves in affection while the world continued to spin in chaos.
Secretly, I wanted to crawl into their cocoon too.

There was love even from strangers.
There was a man with long hair and a drum who squeezed himself in the front row beside me. He wanted to play a beat with the band. I guess security thought this behavior was... unusual, so they tried to confiscate his drum. I tried to "boo" them away. I mean he just wanted to play music, isn't that what the whole festival is supposed to be about?
Eventually security left him alone. And I guess his way of saying thank you was by forming this heart and shoving it in front of my camera so I could steal this shot. We high-fived and then he walked away.

I was really rather amused.
Similar Objects

 Barefoot dancing and multi colored toe nails.
Music festivals are about the music, yes.
But I've learned it's also about the connections.
It's always about the electric, and sometimes eclectic connections.

THE ROADS WILL LEAD US- ILOCOS

  

The journey started with a bus named "Rowena".
We boarded in Laoag and only knew that we needed to get to Pagudpud.
We knew we wanted to see certain places in Ilocos, we just didn't know how to get there.

Believing only that the roads would take us, relying on advice from kind strangers who were willing to give them, or forced them out of bus conductors who obliged to help anyway.

LITTLE BOXES ON THE HILLSIDE- OSAKA/KYOTO, JAPAN

At 5 am, in the NAIA airport, I had some free chardonnay and peanuts.
 Company shutdown for our annual company trip, somewhere in the world.
This time it was Japan.



Kyoto, with its cute little houses and potted plants, the peaceful streets, all the wishes left behind at the temples, the hooting of the railways, the hoards of school boys and girls in matching uniforms-- is such a heart stealer.



Osaka on the other hand is just as much a city as the cities I've come to know.
But this one has striving musicians playing post-rock on the streets at midnight, which I find rather romantic.




On the CCTV, pooped from fighting the negative degree weather.
I never did settle well with the cold.

 

With advertising pillars Boss Nei and Sir Jet.
Their titles are an inside joke, but all jokes are half meant.

My video diary is full of bright lights, dancing, food, praying, stumbling home from the bar at 3 am singing Queen songs.



Thank you Publicis Manila for taking me to Japan!
So much good energy in this company.