Making the Switch...

I have a backlog of posts that are aching to be published--well actually, they haven't even been written yet. I should qualify then; I have tons of pictures I want to post (and write about).

But I recently switched from Blackberry to iPhone and when there's any kind of technology/electronic change that involves transferring contacts, re-learning how to type on a touch screen, and distractions such as games like Draw Something...

Well, just say that I hope I recover soon enough to get those posts done.

Bencab Museum in Baguio

We spent a weekend in Baguio recently.  It was a relief from the searing heat of 38-degree Manila. Baguio was a pleasant 25 degrees during the day, and an even better 17 degrees at night. My air conditioners here at home are set at 20 degrees, so you can imagine how comfortable it is there.

 

A recent newspaper article written by Jim Paredes

G was off practicing with her CISV friends, so we took C with us when we went to the Bencab museum. 

BenCab is Ben Cabrera, a Filipino artist who was given the title of National Artist in 2006. He lives in Baguio and set up this three-storey museum a few years ago. There's usually one featured artist in the main exhibition hall one floor below street level.

Tucked into one side of this hall is an erotica gallery. Quite interesting...

You may want to divert the attention of your very young companions  towards the Bulol wall on the opposite side of the room instead.

One whole room is dedicated to Bencab's collection of wood carvings from the Cordillera region, which is part of the CAR or Cordillera Administrative Region (I learned this from G's grade 3 Social Studies lessons--together with Mimaropa, ARMM and more. Yup, I know my local geography. Test me!)

Bencab's own paintings are displayed in one gallery, while other rooms are filled with his collection of paintings done by contemporary Filipino artists.  There is also a room of Philippine maestros, and still another gallery dedicated to photography.

Natural light spills into the galleries though transom windows and glass sliding doors.

I was surprised at the number of artwork displayed in this museum. You can easily spend a full morning or afternoon here if you are artistically inclined. If you're not familiar with the styles of some Philippine artists, this is a good introduction to see what attracts you.

Right outside the galleries on the lower level is this balcony with an arresting view of the mountains. While Manila is struggling to keep things from turning brown during this hot summer, Baguio remains green.

This is the duck pond in the lowest level of the property.

I particularly liked the maestro gallery. From left to right: Araceli Limcaco-Dans, Juvenal Sanso and Edades.

There's also a cafe at the lowest level called Cafe Sabel.

We ordered a salad, tomato soup and a pasta with pesto.  C explored the rest of the grounds while waiting for the food to arrive.

C takes pictures of everything with her camera...just like mommy! 

 

Trashcan with artistic carved handle in the garden

What looked equally interesting is the property beside the museum (I'm told that the artist lives here too). Down the path are different kinds of Mountain Province dwellings. 

 

But we just couldn't cross over to the other side so maybe that area wasn't open to visitors that day. The webstie says that this is "architectural" part of the museum. Too bad we didn't get to trek to these  indigenous Mountain Province homes. 

 In the garden of the National Museum in 2007

I think the National Museum in Manila has one of these Mountain Province homes on display. I remember seeing it during my SIL's wedding reception in 2007. After we took pictures in the garden, the kids saw the kubo on stilts, climbed in and didn't want to come down. I was so worried their beautiful Rajo Laurel dresses would be too formal get ruined.

Our food arrived after a bit. The pesto was the best of everything we ordered. 

If you're in Baguio, go see the museum. It's a world class museum in a unique setting. Thank you Bencab, for this magnificent gift to the city of disappearing Pines.

Bencab Museum
Km. 6 Asin Road, Tadiangan,
Tuba, Benguet, Philippines
Tel /Fax: (+63 74) 442 7165
Email: bencabartfoundation@gmail.com
Website: www.bencabmuseum.org

Valor Chocolate, Spain's Own

Chocolate so thick, the spoon wouldn't even sink

From the start of our Spain road trip, my friend Roselen kept saying she wanted to go to a Valor shop and have 'churros con chocolate'.  But between visiting iconic sites of Spain, staking out recommended restaurants, and prying the ladies away from every Adolfo Dominguez store they saw (okay, okay.. the stores were on end-of-season sale at 50-70% off), we didn't have the time to go searching for a Valor shop.

This Spanish company is one of the few "bean-to-bar" chocolate factories in the world.  I remember many years back, my friend Joanna sent over a couple of Valor bars with a note "I know you're on a diet right now, but look, these have no sugar!" I nibbled on them over a span of a month with no guilt whatsoever. The pureness of the cacao calmed my craving for chocolate during that time.

 Valor in Segovia

I'm not a fan of churros--I find them as evil as doughnuts--but I do like chocolate. I also know how it is when there are expectations of seeing Valor everywhere, and so far it had remained elusive. Add the fact that we were close to the end of our road trip. Oh no...

Imagine our excitement then when one of the guys spotted the Valor signboard right around the corner from the cochinillo restaurant we had just eaten in!

Of course I noticed the beautiful brass pull on the front door

Immediately, half the group headed in and ordered what Roselen had been craving. We all had a chocolate fix even if most of us felt like cochinillos by this time.

The display of chocolate products

For me, I would rather eat the chocolate than drink it, but for Roselen, she was a very happy camper for the rest of the trip.

Ps. When we were heading back to our vehicle at the end of the day, we discovered a Adolfo Dominguez store--also close to the aqueduct. I think it was in a small alley on the opposite side of this block. Too bad, we only had about ten minutes left before the whole group was meeting up.

Pss. Valor is locally available at Terry's Selection, a deli on Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati.

Psss. To all of Roselen's friends who think she keeps going back and forth to Spain, these photos are from our trip two years ago. I'm a delinquent blogger, behind on my posts. But will hopefully catch up soon. Peace!