Red Magazine May 2013 V2

RED

www.inquirer.net/red MAY 2013

INQUIRER

MAGAZINE

MARIA PARSONS The New Feminine

Editor’s Letter Reason to Celebrate

PHOTOGRAPH BY JO ANN BITAGCOL

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Doing a heritage issue was more difficult than I expected. Choosing a cover subject, for one, was quite challenging. Do we look for a modern Maria Clara, and what does that mean? After a lot of brainstorming, the RED team decided on Maria Parsons, elegant yet down-to-earth with a strong sense of family (I am happy to say she was recently engaged).

She is also an advocate of CARA (Compassion and Responsibility for Animals) Welfare Philippines and a member of the Philippine National Shooting Team. It dawned on me, upon hearing her story, how today's woman is a mixture of her past and present, always with her true self shining through. That, for me, is the best way to celebrate one’s heritage.

We also had the honor of speaking to Romulo Galicano, one of my favorite painters, whose classic pieces are made more distinct by colored lines that add a contemporary twist.

Natalya Lagdameo’s Cordillera jewelry collection is an appreciation of the past yet allows the wearer to sport something current. Those familiar with the fashion runways know that today’s fashion is a mix of old and new.

In our Suit Armada story (page 16), this phenomenon is our theme, mixing local ensembles inspired by traditional wear, with luxurious imported accessories.

In our exploRED section (page 6), we feature New York, one of the world’s most historic cities, a place I believe should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Reading our inspiRED section (page 22) will make you want to take a trip Casa Roces, a historical site cum restaurant (I recommend the Crispy Lengua Caesar salad) located in front of Malacañang, to experience Manila’s old-world charm at its finest.

For empoweRED (page 30), we present Ping Medina, an independent film actor who comes from a line of well-respected film actors.

I remember my grandmother still loves putting coconut milk on her hair.

Nothing else epitomizes traditional beauty more than going back to nature’s roots: organic beauty essentials.

With this issue, we hope to encourage you, our reader, to celebrate your own roots and to create a legacy you can proudly call your own.

Ria Prieto Want to see the other issues of Inquirer RED Magazine? Check out www.inquirer.net/red.

Contents admiRED

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ON THE COVER: Top, Halston Heritage; skirt, Hoss Intropia, available at Rustan's Makati

Maria Parsons This animal welfare advocate and national rifle shooter exemplifies the modern Maria Clara

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exploRED New York City and its undeniable charm acquiRED Fine jewelry that reflects our storied past from Natalya Lagdameo

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Don't Panic, It's Organic Products that offer beauty

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Suit Armada See how indulgent accessories can

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inspiRED Home is the heart for this clan's family

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Drawing a Line Romulo Galicano adds a modern

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without artifice

dress up these relaxed looks

tribute: the Casa Roces restaurant touch to his realist art

inquiRED What is your favorite childhood memory? empoweRED Ping Medina

Editor-in-chief Art Director Managing Editor Junior Managing Editor Guest Creative Director

Ria Prieto Nina Muallam Gabrielle Talan Mara Santillan Miano Patrice Ramos Diaz

Guest Creative Consultant Contributing writers: Contributing photographers: Editorial Consultant

Gian Romano Ren Aguila, Angela F. Garcia, Quisha Baterna, Emilio Esguerra, Angela F. Garcia, Onin Lorente, Patrick Mateo, Paolo Pineda Thelma Sioson San Juan

Board Chairperson

Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez

Vice President, Advertising Pepito Olarte Business Development Manager Lou Gonzales Sales and Marketing Manager Cathy Bautista-Pumarega

Central Park New York’s most famous park is home to a zoo, a carousel, a boathouse café, the iconic Belvedere Castle, ice skating rinks, walking and running tracks, an outdoor amphitheater and over 20 playgrounds.

exploRED

Big City, Bright Lights New York: why they say no other place is good enough.

P HOTO S AN D T E X T B Y AN G E L A F . G ARC I A

Times Square “The Crossroads of the World” is one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions. It is known for its many Broadway theaters and the infamous street performer Naked Cowboy, among others.

There are infatuating places that charm and seduce you, and there are those that take some time to capture your heart, but there is only one that hits your soul like nerve gas, sweeping you off your feet. You’re hooked forever. I call it my true love. Others call it New York City.

It is a true melting pot of cultures, delicious cuisine, music and the arts, earning itself a plethora of nicknames: the Concrete Jungle, Center of the Universe, the Big Apple, and more. A trip to New York is definitely for the traveling dreamer, evoking wanderlust and hopes of returning.

MANHATTAN:

High Line Previously an abandoned freight railroad above the West Side of Manhattan, the High Line was founded

by Friends of the High Line, a group of advocates that fought for its preservation and reuse as a public park.

It can be accessed through five stairways throughout different parts of the city.

Guggenheim Museum One of the world’s most renowned art museums, the Guggenheim Museum is home to masterpieces

by Picasso, Chagall, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Klee, and Seurat, to name a few.

Whitney Museum of American Art The Whitney Museum’s collection is dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of American art. Works from artists such as Jay de Feo, Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, and Joseph Cornell are exhibited.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Located in Midtown Manhattan, the Museum of Modern Art holds over 300,000 works of art. Notable artworks include Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh and The Dance I by Henri Matisse. Its collection is considered to be the best in terms of Western modern masterpieces.

Herald Square The most famous attraction in Herald Square is Macy’s flagship department store, the largest in the United States.

EATS:

Shake Shack Their burgers are one of the best in the country.

They use 100% Angus Beef, and absolutely no hormones and antibiotics.

Five Guys Famous for serving hand-formed burgers with fresh fries cooked in pure peanut oil, Five Guys uses fresh ground beef. There are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger!

Grimadi’s Pizzeria “The pizza that made Brooklyn Bridge famous” has been drawing crowds for years due to their famous coal fired brick-oven style pizza.

Junior’s Home of New York’s best cheesecake, Junior’s has been around since 1950.

Jeepney Paul Wells raved that Jeepney “felt more like parachuting into Manila myself.” With dishes like sinigang, pancit, leche flan and arroz caldo, it feels like you’ve never left home.

MUSIC

Bargemusic A classical music venue, Bargemusic is housed on a floating barge at Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn.

Chamber music never sounded so good!

Village Vanguard Located in Greenwich Village, the Village Vanguard has been around since 1935. The Vanguard has helped launch the careers of many jazz greats, such as Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk.

Roulette Founded by three young composers in the late 70s, Roulette is a venue for experimental music, dance and intermedia.

B.B. King Blues Club & Grill Located in the heart of Times Square, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill is a venue for jazz, R&B, and gospel music.

acquiRED

Adornment's Peak Natalya Lagdameo's inspired jewelry collection is redolent with the splendor of our mountain heritage

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Natalya Lagdameo is known for her stunning jewelry—statement pieces that are skillfully crafted and original in design.

Her latest, the Cordillera collection, consists of pieces inspired by the palapangan, a traditional neckpiece worn by the tribes of the Cordillera region, highly coveted and viewed by their society as symbolic of high status.

Natalya used rattan, brass, and mother of pearl for this particular collection. Taking tradition to its most organic level, she commissioned craftsmen from the mountain tribes to prepare the mother of pearl and rattan weave, while the locks and chains were arranged in Manila. Each piece is plated in 22-karat gold, and is a story on its own.

Says Natalya: "Hopefully, this small collection shows off the skill and tradition of the mountain tribes." says Natalya. • The Cordillera collection is only available by order. Email n1agdameo@hotmail.com.

admiRED

BITING THE BULLET

Maria Parsons talks compassion, independence, and fighting for her happiness T E X T AN D I N T E R V I E W B Y M ARA M I AN O STYLI N G B Y P AT R I C E R AM O S - D I AZ . AS S I S T E D B Y R I A P RI E TO P HOTO G RAP HY B Y P A O L O P I N E D A M AK E UP B Y HAN N AH P E C HO N F O R S HU UE M URA H AI R B Y G E O RG E AL I B E N F O R K I E HL ' S S T Y L I S T S E R I E S JE W E L R Y B Y N ATAL YA L AG D AM E O S P E C I AL T HAN K S TO N O R M AN C RI S O L O G O

W

hat makes a 21st century woman?

She must love dogs—in the case of animal welfare advocate Maria Parsons.

Along with CARA (Compassion and Responsibility for Animals) Welfare Philippines, she has helped rescue 230 pitbulls from a Korean dog-fighting syndicate in Laguna. She has also played foster parent for over 15 homeless dogs. Animal care is her passion, and her vision for Philippine animal welfare is seeing subtly sure development.

She also shoots rifles, largely offset from her previous fascination, but one that speaks volumes of Maria’s character: headstrong and ungovernable, with a beautiful hint of rebellion.

Must love dogs Maria’s passion for animals is rooted in growing up with bull terriers, among others. “My mom would bring home all kinds of pets. One time she even brought home a pelican, and once, a gibbon!" A gibbon is a species of ape, and she named hers Ram, short for Rambo Tango. "Animals were part of the family ever since. We would even take our pets with us during weekend trips."

When Maria went away for college in Utah, she took in two dogs, choosing pet responsibilities over partying with friends. “They were my family. They helped me cope with the loneliness and missing my parents,” she shares. “Taking in pets in college, where I was alone, was really when the seed of my passion for animals was planted.”

Maria is heavily involved in CARA, a non-profit, non-government organization dedicated to promote animal care and responsible pet ownership.

She started out by donating cash through CARA's Facebook account. "One of CARA's active volunteers is my high school classmate. I just messaged her on Facebook asking, 'How can I help?'" That's what anyone needs to do to take that first step. Just go out there and ask someone how you can help." She first volunteered as a foster parent for a dog born with no front legs. "She is an amazing dog, hopping around happily with my other pets like she does not care about her condition."

TITLE PAGE: Blue tank, Melissa Dizon, Soumak, Makati TOP SPREAD: Caramel dress, SouMak, SouMak, Makati

Maria believes that the Philippines has no clear concept of animal foster parenting yet. “It does not have to be a long-term thing. Becoming a pet’s foster parent means having to take care of the pet temporarily, even just for a month or two.” It is a sad reality that out of hundreds of inquiries they get on their website, only about two individuals are actually serious about fostering. According to Maria, responsible pet ownership is something that parents should inculcate in their children as early as possible. For one, she heavily disagrees with breeding dogs for profit, and she advocates that people should adopt dogs instead.

“I have come to realize that owning pets is not about owning a perfect-looking dog to show off in the park. It is about genuinely loving animals, and enjoying the love that they give back.”

Maria believes that now is the time to strike a chord with pet owners in the country. “You go to Bonifacio High Street and dogs are everywhere! I want to advise Filipino pet owners to look beyond breed.

Dogs are not a moneymaking scheme or status symbols, they are part of the family.”

Give her the gun Maria is a precision rifle shooter and the only female that shoots benchrest for the Philippine national shooting team. Just recently, the team qualified to join the European and World Cup Championship 2013, to be held in August in Pilsen, Czech Republic. They are also the first Asians to qualify for a world championship in the sport.

The team got people’s attention when they won a bronze medal last year in the World Postal in England. (A postal match is a ranking competition where shooters mail their target papers to the judges).

Benchrest shooting only started in the Philippines in 2011. “With this performance and after just two years, I feel that we really have a strong chance at the World Cup.” Discipline in training taught her how to be patient. It is refreshing for the usually independent Maria to be working with a team. "Shooting is all about focus and concentration. It is my way to get out of my head. It is quiet, and I get to focus on something else."

“SHOOTING IS ALL ABOUT FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION. IT IS MY WAY TO GET OUT OF MY HEAD.”

“I BELIEVE THAT THE RIGHT PATH FOR YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE PATH THAT PEOPLE EXPECT OF YOU.”

THIS PAGE: Gray top, Melissa Dizon; Black pants, Vivienne Tam, both from Rustan’s Makati OPPOSITE PAGE: Blue top, Rachel Roy; Pants, Vivienne Tam, both from Rustan’s Makati

I E E T H U T S E H T E T ”

Maria trains thrice a week with the national team. The Philippine National Shooting Association also holds bimonthly warmup competitions to get the shooters in shape for August.

Despite her love for the sport however, she remains steadfast to her animal welfare advocacy. “I would never support hunting. It is one thing to hunt for survival, and that is circumstantially okay, but if one hunts solely for the recreational purpose of hanging animals on the wall, I find that unacceptable.”

On hardship and happiness “I deal with hardship head-on,” says Maria. “People are not going to drag you to the other end. You have to do it yourself.”

That is how her parents raised her, she shares. “I grew up very Filipino, but my parents let me make my own mistakes. I have always been self-reliant and independent, and I am not the type to burden other people with my problems.

During a very difficult time in my life, I was diagnosed with stage three thyroid cancer, and my closest friends only found out about it after it was over.”

How did she do it? “My parents have always told me, ‘You have a good head on your shoulders, don’t doubt that.’ I am a very logical person, and I am rational

when it comes to my decisions. Being headstrong helps me make decisions quickly, so I have time for shooting and my advocacies.” Maria admits to crying though, when things get overwhelming.

“You just need the right attitude to get you going, and the right guy,” said Maria with a laugh. “My strength lies in my good sense of self-assurance. I am headstrong about fighting for my happiness because I believe that the right path for you may not always be the path that people expect of you. It is why I am content with my life right now.”

•

For more information on how to assist CARA in the fight against animal cruelty, visit caraphil.org and facebook.com/ savethelagunapitbulls

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baRED

Don't Panic, It's Organic These natural and plant-based concoctions are big on beauty but leave a small carbon footrpint P HOTO G R AP H B Y P AT M AT E O

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Pinkgrapefruit, Lemon & Aloevera Face and Body Bath Gel, Zenutrients, available at all Zenutrients branches; Argan Oil, Apidargan, Majorelle, Pioneer Street, Pasig and Rustan's Makati; Sun Block Cream Glutathione, Zenutrients, available at all Zenutrients branches; Derm Argan Gommage Visage, Derm Argan, Majorelle, Pioneer Street, Pasig and Rustan's Makati; Aloe Gel, Zenutrients, available at all Zenutrients branches; Pink Clay, Green Clay, Smelling Salts, all from Ritual, The Collective, Makati; Goat's Milk Body Butter, Zenutrients, available at all Zenutrients branches; Face Scrub with Argan Oil, DermArgan, Majorelle, Pioneer Street, Pasig and Rustan's Makati; Skin Relief Balm, Ritual, The Collective, Makati; Revitalizing Eucalyptus & Peppermint Face Scrub, Zenutrients, available at all Zenutrients branches

attiRED

Suit Armada

Salute color and opulence by pairing local ensembles with upscale accessories

Stud earrings and boots, Louis Vuitton; Nuovo Endurer Chronosprint All Blacks, Bvlgari; Backpack, Marc Jacobs; Belt, Ermenegildo Zegna; Sunglasses, Miu Miu ON HENRIQUE: White cotton shirt, black wool jacket and double-pleated wool trousers ON RORY: Shirt with tassels, fringe bomber jacket and wool trousers ON KYUNG-A: Black bib top, white twill jacket and wool trousers. All by Gian Romano

Brogues, Louis Vuitton; Fedora, Hackett Spring; Sports bag, Qwstion; Sunglasses and belt, Springfield; Big Bang Boa Bang, Hublot ON RORY: Short-sleeved plaid jacket and trousers ON KYUNG-A: White cotton shirt, sleeveless plaid jacket and trousers. All by Joey Samson

Brogues, Louis Vuitton; Handbag, Chloe; Big Pilots Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition Antoine de Saint-ExupĂŠry, IWC; Tote, Qwstion; Belt, Springfield ON HENRIQUE: Hooded jacket with camoufage sleeves, plaid cotton shirt and denim pants ON RORY: Shirt and floral print trousers. All by Sassa Jimenez

P H OTO GR A P H Y BY O N I N L O R E N T E MAKEUP BY BYR O N V E L A SQ U E Z A N D A N TO N P AT D U F O R M AC C O S M E T I C S H A I R BY R O N I E M I SA FO R KI E HL ' S S T Y L I S T S E R I E S SH OT O N L O CATI O N AT J O SE R I Z A L S HRI N E , F O RT S AN T I AG O

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inspiRED

The Tie That Binds In this restaurant cum gallery, food, art, and family combine for an unforgettable experience.

Fronting the Malacañang palace, though much smaller in comparison, is Casa Roces, an ancestral home whose interiors bespeak the elegance and refined tastes of the clan that owns it.

Stepping into Casa Roces, one feels as if it were a different era altogether—the Commonwealth Era to be exact. Once the dwelling of Teresa Roces Legarda and her children, it now serves as a restaurant. This two-story 1930s structure underwent refurbishment and renovation in 2010 up to July of 2011, when it finally opened its doors to the public. "We planned on opening by Christmas of 2010, but there was just so much to do," says Bianca Santos, who does the restaurant's marketing.

Bianca, who grew up in the neighborhood, views the restaurant with a strong attachment that one has to a particularly fond childhood memory—and why not as her cousins called it home.

The first floor of the house serves as the resident proper and is referred to as Kape Chino after a family ancestor Joaquin Chino Roces, who headed the family's publishing empire, which includes: The Manila Times, Taliba, Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, among others. "We [the family] decided on a unifying theme [for the restaurant]: the family business," says Bianca. True to form some of the doors and ceilings are lined with actual pages from these newspapers. On the second floor are five function rooms aptly named after four of their publications: Liwayway, La Vanguardia, The Daily Tribune, and the Manila Times.

Though the bathrooms were refurnished with Venetian glass fixtures, much of the flooring and windows and grills are original—like the Machuca tile flooring found on the second floor. The family donated the hardwood furniture (much of which is made of narra wood) and objets d' art, many

FIRST SPREAD: The first floor houses the restaurant, which comfortably seats 100. Here you will find family portraits and heirlooms from the Commonwealth Era, as well as a sumptous selection of Spanish-style comfort food.

There is also a veranda where guests can dine comfortably outdoors.

SECOND SPREAD: On the second floor are the private function fooms and Galeria Roces. The decor is a delightful mix of contemporary sophistication and Old World charm. The rooms can be darkened to the guests' liking due to the floor-length drapes. Push the darpes aside and natural light brightens the rooms beautifully.

24 of which are antiques. Surprisingly, although most of the decor—which Bianca likes to call "a mix of Filipiniana and Contemporary"—is from a bygone era, the ambience and overall effect is cheerful, bright and welcoming with a modern approach. Interesting pieces include a cache of books scattered on the shelves interposed around the cafe—"You can read them if you want as long as you return them," laughs Bianca; a bright red accordion begging for a squeeze; a large model speedboat; vintage chairs with their original carvings and Antigo finish; and a shiny brass vintage espresso maker topped by an eagle poised for flight.

The walls are done in soft grays and green, complimented by crystal and capiz shell chandeliers and sconces that provide muted, romantic lighting. You would think that this may make Casa Roces a rather dim place, but throw open any of the many windows and ample amounts of natural light flood the rooms.

On the second floor, floor length curtains in damask and wide striped patterns lend an air of elegance while a chaise lounge in a deep burgundy velvet welcomes visitors to the gallery, Galeria Roces, brainchild of Bianca and her cousin Tono Versoza. "We like to have a mixture of modern and contemporary [artists]," says Bianca. Indeed, Casa Roces is a veritable treasure trove of art. Here and there is a Castrillo (Eduardo), several Abdulmari Imao sculptures combined with family portraits and the latest gallery exhibition (as of this writing it is Italian artist Nino Quartana's "Missed Chances"), among others.

Guarding the back entrance is a magnificent blue door created by Bianca’s aunt, artist Elena "Morita" Roces. The back entrance opens up onto a walkway flanked on either side by ponds filled with lively koi. Here, are two notable works of art: on one side an abstract structure by Impy Pilapil and on the other, a sculpture by Jonas Roces entitled, "The Newsboy." Further down is the garden and veranda, which has several tables and chairs for customers who wish to dine al fresco.

To many, Casa Roces is an exceptionally lovely dining establishment famous for its Spanish-style comfort food, but to the members of the Roces clan who still visit regularly and celebrate reunions and momentous events within its walls, it represents far more than that: familial love and the importance of heritage. —GRT

Casa Roces is located at 1153 JP Laurel corner Aguado Street, San Miguel, Manila. For inquiries call (63 2) 735 5896 or (63 2) 488 1929.

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art

Drawing a Line

Romulo Galicano brings an abstract twist to realist painting.

B Y R E N AG UI L A

PH OTOGR A PHY BY Q UI SHA B ATE R NA

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Romulo Galicano swims against the tide. In an era where the dominant strand in the art scene is toward more conceptual pieces requiring much explanation, his realism is distinguished by the use of a single line running down the frame of a recognizable image. In this case, he draws from the legacy of the early masters of Philippine painting, most notably the Amorsolo school, and he is known to be a collector in his own right, owning works by the likes of Victor Edades and other early moderns. “If I put up one of my paintings alongside an Amorsolo and a Hidalgo, you could easily recognize which one is a Galicano,” the Cebuano painter says.

Galicano was born in 1945 in Carcar, Cebu, known, he claims, for having the cream of the province’s artistic crop. When asked when he first got interested in art, he says, “A lot of people ask me that question. I think it started when I was in kindergarten.” After seeing how his teacher would draw things on the blackboard with colored chalk, the kind that comes in pastel colors, he would take bits of them home from school, and then head home and draw on the walls. He recalls that his first drawing was of a boat, drawn in blue.

Galicano’s first mentor was a local visual artist named Martin Avellana, whom he met in high school.

Avellana told his student that after leaving high school, he should go to Manila. It was because, his mentor told him, the beacon of the art industry at the time was in Manila, not in Cebu. “You can’t improve [your art] here in Cebu,” he recalls his mentor telling him. He eventually did so in 1965, studying with another visual

OPPOSITE PAGE: Self-portrait, 30"x40", oil on canvas, 2012 CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: "Siete de Agosto/Allegory of a Farce (Study)," 30"x65", oil on canvas, 2010; "Siesta (Ang Kinalulugdang Kundiman)," 36"x48", oil on canvas, 2007; "Unang Apo," 24"x44", oil on canvas, 2008; "Ilaw ng Tahanan (Portrait of Ollie Campos)," 40"x30", oil on canvas, 2007; "Umaga sa Dalampasigan," 30"x49", oil on canvas, 2013; "Dalagang Filipina sa Batis," 38"x27", oil on canvas, 2013; "Boating Party (Bagac, Bataan)," 22"x38", oil on canvas, 2012; "Sungka," 30"x40", oil on canvas, 2013; "Ang Magkasintahan," 30"x40", oil on canvas, 2004.

artist, Sofronio Y. Mendoza (SYM), before pursuing formal fine arts studies at UERM (University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center). He was unable to finish because he had difficulty balancing his time as a student while working in advertising. But it was during his time as a student that he started learning about art through books, which he bought on installment from National Bookstore’s first branch on Avenida Rizal. “[That’s where I met] Mrs. Socorro Ramos,” he says, adding that she may have noticed his interest in art through his frequent visits.

Galicano decided to become a professional visual artist. His first solo show was in 1972 at the Hidalgo Gallery, and even at an early stage he focused on realist themes. It was at the height of the movement toward abstraction in local art, he recalls, and it was during his own academic studies, he says, that he discovered how to do abstraction—or was forced to learn it. He recounts how teachers would give exercises that would require doing just that. “What I learned about abstraction during that time,” he says, “I still make use of it up to now. I apply it to my realism.”

His understanding of abstraction and its relation to realism is summed up in a manifesto he gave me.

“Our role as artists is to paint what we wanted to be seen but not what we see,” it reads, “[and] to be more specific in [terms] of style, realism is only an area in the projection of myself.” What is key to him is the work’s integrity, not its style or subject. In his early work, for instance, he wanted to explore through realism an understanding of impressionism’s fascination with color. Later in his artistic journey, he moved to landscapes, but around that time he started exploring the idea of highlighting vertical movement through his signature lines. A seascape featured, for instance, the trunk of a tree dominating the foreground. For him, his manifesto continues, “The vertical lines in my painting is a reconciliation… and the merging of the subjective and the objective.” How he chooses what colors to use for these lines is determined in particular by complementarity of color. For instance, if a dominant color is yellow or gold, he would choose violet.

Romulo Galicano has received many honors and prizes, and his work has won its place in many collections; his paintings in his latest two-man show with Orley Ypon was, as I learned from a reliable source, all sold out.

But even with seeming success both as a painter and a collector in his own right, he believes, as his manifesto concludes, that “the direction of every artist should be freedom.” It keeps him going his own way, showing what needs to be seen, even as art shifts away from the shock of genuine recognition.

•

inquiRED

What is Your Favorite Childhood Memory?

C O M P I L E D B Y R I A P RI E TO

Rita Nazareno, bag designer, S.C. Vizcarra bags My favorite childhood memories involve Ermita.

From the S.C. Vizcarra store on United Nations Avenue, I would walk by myself at seven or eight years old to Luneta or to Alemar's, or to Sorriente and Santos. My siblings and I would get ice cream at Selecta or watch a movie at Luneta Theater, a block away from SC Vizcarra Ermita. It was so safe, clean, and vibrant back then.

Max Eigenmann, actress I loved eating adobong pusit. My yaya made the best. I found it so interesting that something that looked so ugly and black could taste so good!

Playing Patintero was something everyone at school did during recess. There was a time I lived in Commonwealth, and I would play with the street kids, and they taught me that game.

I loved eating fish balls. I had to try it because my mom told me it was bad, which says so much about me. Ha-ha!

Rajo Laurel, fashion designer My favorite childhood memory was when my sister Venisse and I would play "Office-Office." Our desks were filled with papers, and we even had toy phones. I guess it was a prelude of things to come.

Baby Orosa, newspaper columnist My favorite memory as a child is listening to the Metropolitan Opera music records my father bought for us.

Mandy Boy Eduque, money broker My favorite childhood memories include eating beef curry curls, playing with my Japanese robot collection (sadly gone...), and Snakes and Ladders!

Marivic Diaz-Lim, chef/owner, Apartment 1B I spent a year in Madrid to study sixth grade in Hijas de Jesus Maria Virgen, learning the language and visiting nearby cities like Toledo, Segovia, and Salamanca.

Ava Daza, student My favorite memory as a kid was in 1997 when my sister, two cousins, and I started a spy club. My cousin Jess and I would spy on people and report "suspicious" activity (a.k.a. couples kissing and drunk people) and have meetings in our tree house at home. Ha-ha!

The family with my father, Pen Medina.

First taste of independent filmmaking: Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Maximo Oliveros back in 2005

One of my favorite childhood photos

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empoweRED The reel and real life of independent film actor

Ping Medina

Playing the legendary rock star, Teddy Diaz, in the indie film Tulad Ng Dati

Me as Pepe Rizal, one of my favorite characters

As young Hagorn in my first big TV production, GMA 7's Etheria

Sketch of a sad tree; First and last ink sketch; U.P. Sunken Garden on pastel