Manila was abuzz this October! It was a never-ending parade of bazaars, fundraisers, concept dinners, and store openings!
My list of fave things for October highlights some of my favorite events of the past weeks and a lovely treat that came my way just when I needed it the most.
BenCab: The Filipino Artist Met Gala Dinner
Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Museum (MET) hosted a gala dinner in honor of our National Artist, Ben Cabrera, or more popularly known as BenCab, to pay tribute to his “50 Creative Years” as an artist.
We had the privilege of seeing his biggest artwork to date: a breathtaking 8-piece Sabel. It was an honor to have had the chance to stand beside and chat with this great Filipino artist in such a lovely and formal setting.
While in the Metropolitan Museum, I also had a chance to speak with another National Artist: Arturo Luz, who was very warm and gracious. I really appreciated how in spite of his stature, he was still very funny and friendly to everyone! 🙂
As part of his 50th year celebration, the MET presents BenCab: The Filipino Artist Retrospective Exhibition features more than a hundred paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures loaned from various institutional and private collections — many to be viewed by the public for the first time! The exhibit will run until February 27, 2016.
Metropolitan Museum of Manila
www.metmuseum.ph
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.
Museum hours: 10 AM to 5:30 PM, Mondays to Saturdays
Jo Malone
Jo Malone is finally in Manila! The big launch of their Greenbelt 5 boutique was a lot of fun. It was a spray-all-you-want kind of event where we had a blast trying all the different scents we fancied!
But you know which is my current favorite? It’s their newest scent: the Mimosa Cardamom! It has a mix of both floral and fruity, warm and earthy notes. So during the event, I sprayed this on top of the other scents I’ve also come to love! I layered Mimosa Cardamom with Lime Basil and Mandarin, plus the Vanilla and Anise! I’m telling you, I came out of the boutique smelling like a fresh bouquet of flowers and some spices thrown in! 🙂
Jo Malone actually encourages the art of layering scents, which I don’t really mind! 🙂 The key is to know which one blends well together and which one works for your skin type and body chemistry. I suggest asking the fragrance experts from their boutiques to save you from doing trial and error!
Jo Malone
www.jomalone.com
Ground floor, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati
The Halal Guys
I braved the traffic for one of the most exciting things in my calendar this month: the opening of The Halal Guys in Manila! Finally, my favorite comfort food from New York, is in the Philippines! Can you tell how happy I am?
I didn’t just finish my combo platter of gyro (ground beef) and chicken, I made sure I had two orders to bring home with me too! It made a delicious breakfast the next day! 😉 And can I just say that the Manila version tasted exactly the same as the one from New York? (I just had it a few months back and wrote about that experience here!)
The Halal Guys (Philippines)
5the level SM Mega Food Hall, SM Megamall
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Pumpkin Banana Cake with Praline Butter and Dulce de Leche
I received this cake from The Flour Girl on a day I needed it the most. This cake was the antidote to a very stressful and tiring week, and I was just so happy and grateful to have had a sweet ending to it all.
It was also a very “surprising” dessert, to say the least! I wouldn’t even expect the possibility of combining pumpkin and banana in a cake, but this odd combination actually turned out to be a delicious one! It had praline butter and dulce de leche icing in the middle and on top, both of which added to the yummy factor of the moist, soft as a pillow pumpkin-banana cake base. It was indeed my own sweet reward to a very busy week! Thank God for sweet endings! How was your October?
The Flour Girl
+63 917 5436350
theflourgirlbakerymanila@gmail.com
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For last month’s favorite things, click here!