Diff'rent Strokes: Intramuros now an artists' haven

Diff'rent Strokes is a regular feature that promotes previously published articles on Culture, Art, Music, Film, Books, Fashion and various pop and avant-garde creations.

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The Intramuros Administration (IA) is opening the walled city to the country’s artists as an “artists’ haven,” to eventually serve as a major tourist attraction.

The IA administrator, Jose Capistrano Jr., said the idea was also one way of helping boost and support the country’s arts and culture.

The IA opened a three-day visual arts festival dubbed “the First Intramuros Arts Festival” at the Maestranza Park facing the Pasig River, which was recently reconstructed with assistance from the Japanese government.  Maestranza is one of the bulwarks or defense works whose walls and chambers served as warehouses for goods carried on the galleon trade between Manila and Acapulco, Mexico, during the Spanish colonial period.

“One of our main goals here is to make Intramuros a 21st-century heritage learning center, a ‘museum of the street’,” said Capistrano. By staging events like the arts festival in Intramuros, Filipino artists will be inspired to help in informing the next generation of Intramuros’ rich history, he said.

Some 150 visual artists from across the country were invited to participate in the festival that featured art exhibits, painting workshops and seminars; a parade of “higantes,” the large papier-maché figures created by the artists of Angono, Rizal; and dance and choir performances from Intramuros-based schools. The higantes will eventually be exhibited at the park.

The event also featured an “art tiangge,” where paintings of some of the country’s most prominent artists were sold at very reasonable prices. Some for as low as P20,000, he said.

The festival was a joint project with the National Commission on Culture and the Arts and the Intramuros Visual Artists of the Philippines, which has already been staging monthly art exhibitions at the Intramuros Visitors’ Center in Fort Santiago.

Participating schools included Letran College, Mapua Institute, Lyceum University, Manila High School and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

The IA earlier disclosed plans to transform Maestranza Park into an enclave of cafés, restaurants and shops, resembling Singapore’s Clarke Quay, a historic riverside wharf where old warehouses have been restored and converted into bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

The IA would like to see Intramuros eventually become a nighttime destination for local and foreign tourists.

Read more here.

"Pasko sa Intramuros" held last Wednesday with a Flamenco Performance at 6pm and an Orchestra and Choral Concert at 7:30pm.  Admission was free.

Intramuros: early morning scene

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Kim Chong Tin Hopia Factory

Kim Chong Tin Hopia Factory on Carlos Palanca Street (formerly Echague) in Quiapo, remains to this day the best hopia producer in Metro Manila – better than Polland’s and Eng Bee Tin's. 

Its various fillings – from mongo bean paste to baboy (made of candied winter melon, green onions and pork fat) are incredibly delectable. And this is the only hopia store in Metro Manila that sells the most scrumptious mini hopias.   

And one of the secrets of this hopia factory, according to Pam Obieta of the Cooking Class, is that the bakers use the lard or drippings from the ham products sold at Excellente Ham, a few doors away, in making the dough.  This innocent looking  pastry stuffed with yellow mung bean and red eggs has the earthy and smokey flavors of ham. Baked in a traditional pugon oven it is best eaten hot because it is high in cholesterol.

The store looks sparse, but that's because they bake as needed; hence, their hopias are always fresh right off the oven.  Also, the bulk of their business is the hopia filling, which is sold per kilo to various bake shops nationwide.  Its current manager is the affable great grandson of the original owner.

My father started taking me here when I was a kid.  We used to buy a few bags to bring home as Saturday afternoon merienda.  And as a teenager, I used to grab a bag of mini hopias and a can of soda here before buying a ticket to one of the movie theaters along Rizal Avenue.  

According to the Web site Ang Sarap, hopia was introduced to the Philippines by the Fujian Chinese during the American occupation.  It came from the Chinese word ho-pian which means “good biscuit”, it is nearly similar to moon cake wherein a pastry is filled with a sweet paste, and it is also traditionally given as a gift.  

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Café Aficionado: Prized Arabica plants are in danger of extinction

Researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew and the Environment and Coffee Forest Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia looked at how climate change might make some land unsuitable for Arabica plants, which are highly vulnerable to temperature change and other dangers including pests and disease.

They came up with a best-case scenario that predicts a 38 per cent reduction in land capable of yielding Arabica by 2080. The worst-case scenario puts the loss at between 90 per cent and 100 per cent.

There is a “high risk of extinction” says the study, which was published in the academic journal Plos One.

That would be bad news for both coffee drinkers and coffee-producing countries such as Ethiopia, Brazil and Colombia, which in 2009/2010 shipped some 93 million bags of coffee around the world, worth an estimated $15.4 billion.

Most coffee is made from Arabica beans. They are prized for their genetic diversity and grow best at between 18 C and 21 C. Above that, the plants ripen too quickly — which affects taste — or grow too slowly. Other coffee stems from Robusta beans.

The study goes on to note that its results are “conservative” because it did not take into account the large-scale deforestation of the Arabica-suitable highland forests of Ethiopia and South Sudan.

Read complete article here.

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Neem Leaves

The neem tree (Azadirachta indica), has been attracting worldwide attention due to its wide range of medicinal properties. Neem has been extensively used in Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathic medicine and has become a cynosure of modern medicine.

I had five neem leaves washed and boiled and I drank it as tea.  It was bitter so I added about three teaspoons of Muscovado sugar.  A couple of stevia leaves would have been much preferable as sweetener but there wasn't any available.

The bitterness of the leaves, as with ampalaya and andrographis paniculata, is indicative of the neem's ability as a powerful blood purifier and detoxifier.  And that was the main reason for my drinking a mug of neem leaf tea, but only once a week because I do not want my blood to get too thinned out.

Neem elaborates a vast array of biologically active compounds that are chemically diverse and structurally complex. More than 140 compounds have been isolated from different parts of neem.  All parts of the neem tree-- leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots and bark have been used traditionally for the treatment of inflammation, infections, fever, skin diseases and dental disorders.

And according to livestrong.com, using neem leaves can help to treat a wide variety of ailments and diseases, due to the tree's ability to kill or inhibit bacteria, fungi and viruses.  Also, that you can take neem to treat skin infections, stomach ulcers, fevers and respiratory ailments, as well as prevent or treat periodontal disease and tooth decay.

Hence, many studies support the claims that neem leaf and its constituents indeed exhibit immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycaemic, antiulcer, antimalarial, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. 

In 2005 scientists published a research report, Medicinal Properties of Neem Leaves: a review. It is a compilation of existing scientific studies and clinical trials. It shows very impressively just how versatile the leaves are. 

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Suggested read: 

Philippine Daily Inquirer - Neem the most medically useful tree of all time

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Perils of masturbating inside porn theaters

There is this adult movie theater in Manila, along Recto Avenue in the heart of the University Belt.  Its apparent aspects are its half gated, narrow entrance and the wall with the posters of the current features. Other than that, one can walk along Recto Avenue and hardly notice its existence. That is, except for one other thing: the stench that emanates from its interior.

It smells like a cocktail of stale sweat, rancid dish rag, bedraggled ditch digger's overalls, dried infant's puke, and God only knows how else to describe it.

Hence, there's no way this theater would go unnoticed when you pass by it. However, this distinctly foul smell is rather universal, for I've smelled it before in New York's seedy Times Square area before it got Disneyfied -- whenever I passed by any theater that featured soft porn or adult film. Therefore, this odor is not exclusively indigenous to this movie theater in Manila.

Even If you've never been anywhere near this part of Recto Avenue, you may still have seen this theater in the evening news or read about it in the tabloids -- being raided by the police for the scandalous activities that some of its patrons engaged in while inside the theater. I heard it gets raided at least once a month.

I don’t know about all men, but some apparently get a kick out of going into one of these adult movie houses to masturbate.  But then again, what else is there to do in such venues known for masturbation.

A few months ago, in Hollywood, 76-year-old actor Fred Willard was arrested for allegedly exposing his penis and masturbating inside Tiki Theater, an adult movie house.  If someone had complained to the police that they were “offended or annoyed” that would be one thing. But it doesn’t appear any of Willard’s fellow patrons complained; he was merely caught and charged with misdemeanor in a routine police sweep.

I like Fred Willard.  I’ve seen some of his movies and I think he’s a wonderful comedian.  Sadly, for having been arrested, PBS promptly fired him as the narrator of the new series “Market Warriors.”  I wonder if he’ll ever find employment in this town again. 

In my opinion, if you’re a man of certain public stature, wouldn’t it be best to exercise discretion and caution instead of  succumbing to such carnal pleasures in public places?

Remember Pee Wee Herman?

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Rumormongering

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

                                                                                      Ephesians 4:29-32

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Diff'rent Strokes: Coupling Maison Martin Margiela with H&M

Diff'rent Strokes is a regular feature that promotes previously published articles on Culture, Art, Music, Film, Books, Fashion and various pop and avant-garde creations.

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Get your freak on!

By SARAH FONES

The New York Post

When fast-fashion chain H&M announced its collaboration with the fabled Maison Martin Margiela fashion house, tongues wagged, eyes rolled and a few well-coiffed heads were scratched.

Since 2004, when Karl Lagerfeld became the first big-name designer to create a collection for the Swedish mega-retailer, it’s become de rigeur for high-end fashion houses, from Versace to Lanvin, to slum it with the masses. But Margiela, a far more obscure label, seemed a uniquely odd fit with H&M.

“It’s an unusual choice for a mass collaboration,” says stylist and former V fashion market editor Catherine Newell-Hanson of the label, which is known for its complex, defiantly un-trendy and not always flattering clothes.

The collection hits stores on Thursday and will feature “re-editions” of iconic MMM pieces from its 24-year history, like a nude-color bodysuit with a trompe l’oeil black bandeau bra, a duvet coat and a pair of “inside out” blue jeans.

Established in 1988 by an elusive namesake designer who has never granted face-to-face interviews and has rarely been photographed, Maison Martin Margiela has attracted critical accolades over the years for avant garde designs like cloven-toe boots that resemble animal hooves, knits with inlaid brick motifs and jackets made almost entirely from synthetic hair.

Such designs were fawned over by fashion insiders when they first went down the runway, but industry insiders are dubious as to whether their mass-market reissues, priced from $12.95 (for a women’s “hair lock” necklace) to $399 (for men’s and women’s assorted jackets and shoes), will fly off the retail racks or just cheapen the high-fashion house.

“Those who love Margiela love it in part because it’s unique and not trying to appeal to everyone,” says fashion consultant and StyleDefined NYC blogger Katya Moorman.

Even its celeb fans tend toward the eccentric, such as Lady Gaga, actress/designer Chloë Sevigny and model Helena Christensen.

Another sticking point among fashionistas is whether H&M will be able to replicate MMM on the cheap: Sure, the house’s signature exposed seams and trompe l’oeil prints look incredible — when made from pricey Italian fabrics.

“A reconstructed coat that appears to be made from two different vintage pieces is only luxurious through its use of fine materials,” sniffs retailer and MMM collector Shawn Lisle. “Otherwise, it just looks shoddy.”

But perhaps the biggest hurdle for H&M is that the label is largely unknown to broad swaths of the retail public. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that many only know the label through Kanye West, who gives it a shout-out in his hit “N - - - - s in Paris,” rapping “What’s drugs, my dealer? What’s that jacket, Margiela?”

But while it’s not a household label-whore name like past H&M collaborators Stella McCartney and Roberto Cavalli, the retailer insists its customers will buy.

“This collaboration will prove that fashion is not a matter of price,” maintains company spokeswoman Jennifer Ward.

And style snobs be damned, she may have a point.

“The Internet has widened the scope of awareness and enthusiasm about fashion,” says Newell-Hanson of the increasingly style-savvy public.

Not only that, the Barneys-and-Bergdorf set isn’t above stepping inside the retail behemoth to get in on the action.

“MMM has a loyal, die-hard fan base that will buy it by the armful!” adds Newell-Hanson.

Read complete article here.

The puffer coat gets a new spin — it's a snuggly blanket. Maison Martin Margiela
for H&M duvet coat, $349, mirrored leggings, $39.99, and plexi wedges, $299,
all at H&M. (Photo courtesy of New York Post)

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Pres. Manuel Quezon: Ingratitude or patriotism?

Post WW2 - Battle for Manila Memorial at Intramuros, Manila

On February 19, 1937, had the U.S. Charge d'Affaires in London, Ray Atherton, not discovered the nature of the clandestine meeting that was to be held between President Manuel Quezon and the British Foreign Minister, Anthony Eden, the Filipinos would have been belting out "God Save the Queen" instead of humming Yankee doodle de dum tunes at local gatherings.

Two years prior to this discovery, making good on his infamous sound bite, "I would rather have a government run like hell by Filipinos than a government run like heaven by Americans," Quezon -- upon assuming the presidency of the Commonwealth of the Philippines -- immediately pursued the task of laying the foundations of the future Philippine Republic.

However, the relations between Quezon and his American overlords during the transition period were often less than amenable; the resulting tensions and exasperations eventually prompted Quezon to secretly approach the British and explore the likelihood of the Philippines becoming a part of the British Empire -- as a self-governing dominion, like Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

As early as August 1933, then Senate President Quezon had already told his British friend and adviser, Frank Hodsoll, that should the United States abandon their protectorate interests in the Philippines, he would go to London, and on behalf of the 14,000,000 Filipinos, ask for admission to the British Commonwealth of Nations. Hodsoll, acting as Quezon's secret liaison agent, finally contacted top British officials on January 20, 1935.

At this time, Quezon was already coping with serious concerns about the threat of a Japanese invasion. He was also alarmed by the Americans' continued indifference on the issue, as well as their lackadaisical attitude toward strengthening the military defenses of the Philippines.

The British Foreign Office recognized the merits of Quezon's concerns and approved holding official, though initially clandestine, talks with Quezon. Unfortunately, the Americans got wind of the planned meeting in London. President Roosevelt and many high-ranking government officials were aghast; thus, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Sayre immediately censured Quezon as per orders received from Washington.

In his response, Quezon riposted that for the survival of the Philippines, it was his duty to seek protection from another powerful nation; that is, if the United States were unable to provide it. He then pointed out the lack of palpable measures by the United States to fortify the archipelago and make her impregnable to a Japanese invasion.

Quezon also admitted that he would consider a treaty of amity and alliance with Japan if the United States and Great Britain refused to protect his country.

Ironically, despite their horrified reaction to Quezon's seemingly lack of loyalty, the United States' war plans from 1937 onwards, prioritized winning the war in Europe. Essentially, America was prepared to accept the initial fall of Guam, Hawaii, and the Philippines to Japan. Such priority was mainly due to the fact that the American oligarchy at that time was mostly of European ancestry. Therefore, the Philippines was merely regarded as a not too significant a territory located in some far-flung remote region across the Pacific.

Furthermore, the U.S. did not appear to be in any position to guarantee, let alone provide, formidable military defense systems and logistics for the Philippines. This was made apparent when the American contingent at the 1941 secret Japan-US diplomatic negotiations began to consider permanently declaring the Philippines as a neutral country. Regrettably, diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Japan came to a sudden halt when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

These days, local historians could only speculate that perhaps, the eventual massive carpet-bombing of Manila by the U.S. forces during its liberation, might have been America's ultimate true response to Quezon's disloyalty, though his death saved him from seeing the city -- the seat of his government -- practically reduced to rubbles.

A very dapper President Manuel Quezon 
(photo credit: Correos Filipinas)

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Sources:

History of the Filipino People

by Teodoro A. Agoncillo

Garotech Publishing

The Philippines: A unique Nation

by Sonia M. Zaide

All-Nations Publishing

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