Ambeth Ocampo's "Fernando Amorsolo" Lecture

Yes, another Ambeth Ocampo post.

This time, it's about the Philippine's first National Artist Fernando Amorsolo in Ambeth's lecture titled "Fernando Amorsolo: Portrait of the Artist as Historian".

I have to admit, I only know Amorsolo by name. I did not know much else about him, but after the lecture, I had a newfound respect for his talent.

If You Still Have an Unclaimed Cleverbuy Voucher, Read This!

This post's contents and comments have become so long and hard to read. I'm closing off comments for this post. You can find the newer updates about Cleverbuy (esp about the NBI meeting last June 8) here:

Latest Updates About Cleverbuy / CleverTravel

*****

I am pissed off right now. If you have an unclaimed voucher from Cleverbuy or CleverTravel, then you should be too. Why?

Cleverbuy is now closed!

I received a comment at my previous Cleverbuy post last May 18, detailing the company's very poor customer service. I got worried because I also have an unclaimed travel voucher that I bought from Cleverbuy, but I didn't panic since I had encountered problems with vouchers bought from other sites before (so I was sort of a veteran) and I was planning to use my voucher at the latter half of this year (I thought the problem would go away once the busy summer season ended).

A few days afterwards, I got links from Promoblogger and Everything in Budget and learned that after lying to several customers about booking their flights and accommodations, J2 Discount Travel and Tours had shut down and that Cleverbuy would be handling the refunds for the botched travel deals. J2 Travel and Cleverbuy occupied the same building and many people believed that they were sister companies.

• Cleverbuy's office: Unit B 4F Marvin Plaza Bldg. 2153 Don Chino Roces Ave., Brgy. Pio Del Pilar, Makati City 1230

• J2 Travel's office: 7F Marvin Plaza Bldg. 2153 Chino Roces Avenue, Brgy. Pio Del Pilar, Makati City

Cleverbuy apparently issued an official statement and denied any ties with J2, but that link (as well as the whole Cleverbuy blogspot blog) has been deleted. I hope someone was able to screen capture that statement. It might prove valuable in court.

Home Service Full Body Massage from Excellent Massage & Mobile Spa

I had never been much into professional massages. I felt that having a massage would be an exercise in futility since I would lose whatever relaxation I would feel with all the traffic, heat, pollution, and congestion when going home from the spa. So although there were tons of promos on massages, I never availed one.

Until I saw Excellent Massage and Mobile Spa's promo in CashCashPinoy. Theirs was a home service massage, longer than most massage offers I had seen (you could choose either 90mins or 120mins) yet very affordable (P190 instead of P375 for the 90min massage and P250 instead of P500 for the 120min massage). Scheduling was flexible, since they operated 24/7 and the offer was valid anywhere in Metro Manila. I bought four vouchers - one for me, three for an elderly relative who had been complaining of muscle and joint aches.

Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan: 20 Taon Art Exhibit at the Ayala Museum

I visited the Ayala Museum thrice last year for the Ambeth Ocampo lectures. After the lectures, we roamed around to see the artwork displayed on the ground floor. The Ilustrador ng Kabataan exhibit was my favorite among the three exhibits I had seen because there were lots of artwork there that appealed to my taste. I also loved the lively and fun way Ayala Museum displayed them -- brought my inner child out :)

Le Bistro D'Agathe - Authentic French Food in Makati

Admit it! When we Filipinos hear the words "French food" or "French restaurant", we form a mental image of a very upscale restaurant, with a snooty waiter and a lot of intimidating, hard-to-pronounce, not to mention expensive, food. There is this fear that we will end up looking as lost and clumsy as Mr. Bean in this infamous scene:

So when we heard about this French bistro in Makati, we decided to try it. Being a bistro, it was a small, modest restaurant with moderately priced food -- perfect for people like us who wanted to try French food but were a little intimidated. According to some blogs, the chef was very accommodating, which was a bonus.

Taste

We ordered the set dinner meal, which consisted of your choice of appetizer, main course, and dessert. I ordered terrine, lasagna, and apple pie while bf ordered cucumber soup, ox tongue with ravigote sauce, and chocolate mousse.

It was my first time to try terrine. I chose it because it was similar to pâté, which I like. The terrine was a lot bigger than I expected but I had no trouble finishing it because it wasn't too filling or cloying. The lasagna was good, the topmost layer was crustier than the typical lasagna. The cucumber soup was filling and the ox tongue was tender, with the ravigote sauce complementing the tongue's mild flavor. The apple pie was different from my expectation. I was expecting either a pocket pie with a jam-like filling or a thick pie with chunky and still-crunchy apple filling. Le Bistro's apple pie was thin and light.

terrine

Robert Kiyosaki's Cashflow 101 Financial Management Workshop

One of the topics that interest me is personal finance and I consider Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad to be a book that's great both for shifting your paradigm regarding money as well as for keeping you motivated as you strive for financial freedom. I had heard about the Cashflow 101 board game but I did not really pay much attention because the board game was very expensive (Kiyosaki is selling Cashflow 101 for $195). There was a local group that regularly met to play the game but even that was expensive (more than P1000 per game). So when Metrodeal featured Cashflow, I quickly bought two vouchers.

picture from Metrodeal

We met with the other folks at Spicy Fingers in Greenbelt 2. In our table, there were 2 facilitators and 5 of us newbie players. The game's mechanics was explained and we were each given two sheets of paper -- Income Statement/Balance Sheet and Small Deals Buying Sheet. Financial independence is about getting out of the rat race so each player was represented by a tiny plastic rat.

Ambeth Ocampo's "Doble Kara: Rizal in Art and Monuments" Lecture at the Ayala Museum

Dr. Ambeth Ocampo's "Doble Kara: Rizal in Art and Monuments," lecture last December 3 was the last in his 2011 History Comes Alive! series. David Beckham was in the Philippines, playing with the Azkals, but Ambeth's loyal fans couldn't care less. (FYI: I mean no disrespect. For some reason, I feel more comfortable calling him Ambeth rather than Dr. Ocampo -- well, probably not to his face hehe). Anyway, the lecture was still well-attended and was as lively as the previous ones (see here and here).

Ambeth's slideshow included photos of several Rizal monuments. Before seeing those pictures, I did not know that there were so many Rizal monuments around and that some of them looked a bit goofy.

The history of the Rizal monument in Luneta was also discussed, from the time it was commissioned to the time it was modernized. It was my first time to see that towering steel pylon they erected in the 60s. Good thing they removed it a few years after, since it looked out of place and made the Rizal statue look like a footnote.

Diamond Peel Facial Treatment at MEDIcard Skin & Body Clinic

I'm a Medicard member but my interaction with the company was limited to annual physical examinations that they conducted in my workplace's premises. I knew they had an office in Makati but it was my first time to go there. I was expecting just a small, simple clinic so it was a pleasant surprise for me to learn that their office was big and posh. We went up to the third floor for their 20min facial diamond peel treatment. It was the first time for both of us to try diamond peel.

The whole building looked spotless and chic. Decorations were minimal but tasteful. The place was well-lit and the temperature was just right, not chilly.

To those unfamiliar with it, diamond peel (also called microdermabrasion) involves the use of diamond dust to slough off dead skin cells and stimulate cell turnover. It minimizes pimple scars, fine lines, and sun damage. Compared to other skin peeling treatments, diamond peel has no downtime, so you can do your normal activities right after.

Pigging Out on Buffalo Wings and More @ Wingman (The Collective, Makati)

Badet had been raving about Wingman for the longest time, so when Ensogo offered a P500-for-P1000-worth-of-food voucher, I bought two.

Taste

We've been to Wingman twice. The first time was in September, right before attending Ambeth Ocampo's Queridas ni Rizal Lecture at the Ayala Musem. We ordered a dozen buffalo wings (lemon pepper and garlic parmesan), curly twist fries, and Wingman Salad. This is the only evidence of our first visit, since the chicken wings and fries were safely tucked away inside our stomach cavities by the time we remembered to take pictures:

Wingman Salad - P250

I'm a big big fan of McDonald's twister fries, so I really enjoyed Wingman's curly twist fries (P130). When it comes to chicken wings, I'm partial towards non-saucy variants. Both the lemon pepper and garlic parmesan variants satisfied my taste buds. The Wingman Salad (lettuce with bleu cheese dressing and topped with buffalo chicken breast slices) was a meal by itself. I rarely order salad when dining out since I usually find green salads too bland for my taste, with not enough dressing/seasoning/cheese/meat, that I end up just munching plain lettuce halfway through the salad. I liked the Wingman salad, though. It was seasoned well and there was a generous amount of chicken included.

On our second visit, we ordered a dozen wings again. This time, we wanted to try their burger, but we couldn't decide which one to get so we got Home Run Sliders (choice of 3 mini-burgers), in order to sample the different kinds.

Buffalo Wings!

Ambeth Ocampo's "Queridas ni Rizal" Lecture at the Ayala Musem

Bf, ever the fanboy, wanted to attend Ambeth Ocampo's new lecture. I was impressed with the famed historian's previous lecture so I readily agreed.

Ayala Museum was already bursting with people when we arrived. We had no choice but to stand at the back.

All of us Pinoys know who Jose Rizal is. We've been taught stuff about him since we were tiny snotty brats. Still, Ambeth had to clarify:

No, Rizal was NOT Hitler's dad.

(But he might have or might not have been Jack the Ripper.)

Rizal has always been put on a pedestal by most teachers and historians. He was the perfect son, the perfect student, yadda yadda. He was virtually untouchable. Anyone who disagreed would be struck down and taken to a private field trip, never to be heard from again. Sure, Jose got involved with several girls but those girls were more of admirers who our hero found impolite to turn down. Jose was always serious and pure. He wouldn't have become as great as he was if he wasted time with vices or clowning around.

In Ambeth's lecture, he took Rizal off his pedestal and put him in the same room as us. We realized that Rizal was not perfect. He was not a demigod, but a human being just like us. He joked around, ribbed his friends, engaged in activities his parents would not have approved of. He didn't walk majestically, living and breathing heroism every freaking day. He also had his share of doubts and regrets, as well as cowardice when it came to romantic matters, which led to a string of broken-hearted women.

In short, he was normal.

The audience appreciated this approach in tackling Rizal's private life. It was refreshing and inspirational to know that we flawed mortals could be awesome too. After all, Rizal is a hero, not a god. What good is a hero if his greatness can't be emulated, right?

---

Aside from the lecture, we also got Ambeth's new book Chulalongkorn's Elephants.

You can find pictures of the Queridas ni Rizal lecture at the Ayala Museum's Facebook page.

Ambeth Ocampo's "Queridas ni Rizal" Lecture
Ayala Musem
Makati City, Metro Manila
September 10, 2011

Marciano's (Greenbelt 3)

Marciano's is an Italian-American restaurant located in Greenbelt 3. Their food items have creative names inspired by old Hollywood glam.

Note: It's not my habit to bring a camera when I go out, so as with previous posts, the pictures used here are official photos, taken from the restaurant's Facebook page. I hope to change this habit in the future.

Taste

We sampled three of Marciano's dishes - Blair Waldorf 4 Cheese and Sausage Risotto, Tenderloin with Foie Gras, and Astoria Pork Medallions with Mashed Potatoes.

The risotto was very rich. You feel the umay factor early on. I wasn't sure if it was due to the oil used or due to the abundance of cheese. The Pork Medallions and the Tenderloin were both good, though. They were tender and moist. Loved the foie gras!

Ambeth Ocampo's "Mukhang Pera" Lecture at the Ayala Museum

I've never been into Filipiniana stuff. I became conscious of that in college, when I was in the Filipiniana part of the campus library, looking at the books, and all of a sudden this thought flashed in my head: "These books don't interest me."

I've always been a book lover. I'm not a history buff but I could see myself poring over world history books, just not Filipiniana stuff. I guess I was one of those people who overlook things in their own backyard.

So when bf expressed his interest to attend Ambeth Ocampo's lecture (it was already expected that I would be coming along), I wasn't exactly jumping for joy. Ambeth Ocampo's name was familiar but that was it. The ticket was at P350. A complimentary book was included, which surprised me -- P350 was already more than affordable for a popular historian's lecture; a free book sounded too good to be true.

Bf was excited to go to the lecture so we ensured seats by paying in advance. Unfortunately, the lecture had to be rescheduled due to bad weather. So we went July 9 instead of June 25.

We were 20 minutes late. I was expecting the Mukhang Pera lecture to start a little late since the weather was bad, but I was mistaken. By the time we arrived at the Ayala Museum, the place was already jampacked with people. Since we were late, we had to stand even though we had prepaid tickets. It was understandable that our seats were given to others; however, when a group of guys arrived later and insisted to be seated, the ushers were somehow able to point them to vacant seats. This annoyed me so during the first few minutes, my attention was not completely on the lecture. A few minutes afterwards, the ushers, probably seeing my sour face, brought in some seats for us. That changed my mood and I was able to enjoy the lecture then.

A big part of the audience was composed of students and young professionals. A good thing, definitely. It was reassuring to know that kids nowadays still care about substantial and intellectual things.

The lecture was very informative and interesting. Ambeth Ocampo delivered some humorous quips every now and then. He had a good way of telling stories. You won't be tuning out or surreptitiously looking at your watch, waiting for the lecture to end.

What can I say, I'm a convert! Now I look forward to more of his lectures.

And yes, there really was a complimentary book, his recent one, Meaning and History - The Rizal Lectures. So let's see, for P350, you get to listen to an acclaimed historian's lively and intellectually stimulating lecture about currencies, you're free to roam around the Ayala Museum, and you get his latest book. Quite a deal, huh? And if you're a student, a teacher, a senior citizen or an Ayala Museum member, you only pay P200, so even more sulit!

Prof. Ocampo is also a columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He regularly posts interesting tidbits and pictures at his Facebook page. The poster pictures used above were copied from his page.



Ambeth Ocampo's "Mukhang Pera" Lecture
Ayala Museum
Makati City, Metro Manila
July 9, 2011

Shakespeare in Hollywood

Boyfie and I were looking for new things to do during weekends, aside from the usual pigging out. I came across news about Repertory Philippines' Shakespeare in Hollywood and bought tickets. Truth be told, I was feeling neutral. I am not much into theater and practically clueless about Shakespeare's plays. I can't even remember the last play I attended (a requirement during my student days more than a decade ago). I've always considered theater actors much more talented and dedicated than their on-screen counterparts though, and with that I decided to get out of my cave and get a little culture.

Synopsis: (synopsis and image from Repertory Philippines' site)

A no holds Bard Comedy!

It's 1934, and Shakespeare's most famous fairies, Oberon and Puck, have magically materialized on the Warner Bros. Hollywood set of Max Reinhardt's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Instantly smitten by the glitz and glamour of show biz, the two are ushered onto the silver screen to play (who else?) themselves. With a little help from a feisty flower, blonde bombshells, movie moguls, and arrogant "asses" are tossed into loopy love triangles, with raucous results. The mischievous magic of moviedom sparkles in this hilarious comic romp.

Commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare in Hollywood had its world premier in 2003 at Arena Stage and won the Helen Hayes award for Best New Play of the Year.