Everyday Life - Montalut

Shuttles in and out of Nuvali

Saw these signs around Solenad last week. Have any of you gone on the Nuvali-BGC express shuttle? How was it?

You\’ll notice that the shuttle within Nuvali goes all the way from Solenad 1 to Avida Village in Nuvali South. No listed schedules though. Next time, I\’ll ask how often these vans pass through these stops.

$\"Around$

One interesting thing I noticed were bike racks in Solenad 2, beside Robinson\’s Supermarket and near the Terminal. Great option for everyday commuters to Makati/BGC who want to bike from their houses in Nuvali, leave their bikes for the day, and have a ready means of transport to head back home at the end of the day.

$\"Around$

It\’s just unfortunate that the parking area for bikes is uncovered, but it\’s still a great new feature in the community!

You have a match!

Everyday LifeConnect

“You have a match!”
Materials used: Plaster and GI wire
Date completed: March 31, 2014

(back view)

Online dating is a whole new world I’ve recently explored, and it’s both exciting and scary. There are some hilarious days, some dull ones, but mostly it gives me a unique insight into men and women interacting in a free space…no physical, even geographic boundaries. Does it level the playing field, reverse roles, objectify? It’s so fascinating.

I like working with economy, using minimal elements, especially for a subject that is normally warm and abundant: love and relationships. Online dating is a push and pull between male-female, truth-ideal, real-virtual. It zooms in on the tensions we already encounter in boy-girl relating, because everything is pared down to the modern day chat: a conversation without voice, gesture, eye contact.

Does it make it easier to impress, to tug at the heart, to connect? Or is the efficiency it promises its own undoing?

#wire #sculpture #dating #men #women

Process documentation:

I wanted to do a piece that was streamlined and simple — to give that feeling of starkness, efficiency, straightforwardness. It was a modern piece so it naturally fell in with the minimalist sensibility of wires.

I used just three pieces of wire in total: one continuous line for the faces (to show union), and one each for the bodies of the man and woman (to show two separate individuals that compose the union).

I decided to add in a plastered base and focal point for the Yes-No button (Heart and X), to show that with one click, the connection either comes to life or isn’t even given a chance to exist.

Below is my creative process at every step:

First step: To create the faces using one continuous wire.

Step#2: Add in the bodies. Basic lines done.

Carving out the X and the heart.

Adding the final element:

I played around with different materials to add to the piece: paper hearts and flowers.

Textual Documentation / Lessons learned:

Simple is best.
Lines can be powerful communicators when used with restraint.

Additional sketches/References:
Inspiration for the wire portraits were the works of Gavin Worth.

Have you ever seen tomatoes so supple and inviting?

FoodRaw Food

Bursts of pinks and yellows fresh from Ilocos. Happy Monday, friends!

#organic #alienvegetables

closing 2013: a visual diary

Everyday Life

***Warning : long and self-indulgent post. Sharing for you, friends, to bear witness. To those that do, thank you.***

The new year always starts early for me. I mark it on my birthday, the 15th of December.

Yolanda has made it a struggle to welcome the coming year with joy, and on top of that, am so feeling the birthday blues.

Today, twenty days before the next turn, I followed an inner prodding to re-collect the past year.

Here’s to closing 2013 in understanding and healing:

Backtrack for context: September 2012 I moved into a new home that took me two years to build. Much, much love went into that house and it was my intent to start planting seeds of all kinds there.

December 2012 saw me more settled in, but already braving new questions, among them, “What now?”

It was an exercise in trusting that I was exactly where I needed to be:

A new home meant new energy, and many days were spent welcoming friends and family into that space.

With the stress of homebuilding behind me, I could also relax more.

There were silly days…
…

closing 2013: a visual diaryRead More »

Have you tried oil pulling?

Everyday LifeSelf-care

Picked up a new morning habit while on vacation: “oil pulling” or mouthwashing with coconut oil for 20 minutes. No fluff, easy detox.

You just swish 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and pull it through your teeth. Our body naturally detoxes while we sleep and the toxins end up in our mouth. The oil helps pull the toxins out — you’ll see that it will turn white by the end of 20 minutes (full of white germs!). Important: You’re collecting the toxins for spitting out, so be careful not to swallow the oil.

It’s not easy to keep the oil in your mouth for 20 minutes, but it just takes getting used to. It’s a new, healthy habit to start the morning right — do it while you prepare breakfast, shower, or check emails — but do it the moment you wake up (even before brushing your teeth).

Benefits: over-all clean feeling in the mouth, whiter teeth and healthier gums; oil pulling is also an age old Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes, etc.

I don’t like to over-research (information overload just leads to paralysis), so I tried oil pulling the morning after a friend mentioned it casually over dinner. If you want to know more before jumping in, you can read up on oil pulling here:

UPDATE: Here‘s a great resource on oil pulling, put together by Dr. Bruce Fife at the Coconut Research Center.org. He says:

Some people think I’m crazy when I tell them that oil pulling can help those with asthma, allergies, chronic fatigue, diabetes, migraine headaches, PMS, and chronic skin problems. Oil pulling works by detoxifying or cleansing the body. In this way, disease promoting toxins are removed, thus allowing the body to heal itself. As a consequence, health problems of all types improve.

oilpulling.com
wikipedia
huffingtonpost

Gmorning! My first #mandala or "essence container". Thank you to artist Van James for the opening. #happyvibes #centering

Everyday LifeGratitude

Mass schedule at St. Benedict\’s Westgrove

Everyday LifeNuvali Services

Sharing for everyone\’s benefit:

$\"St.$

Melons and summer harvest

Life in Nuvali Philippines Farming and Gardening Food Sustainable LivingFood and Dining in Nuvali, Raw Food

Such sweet melons from Robinson’s Supermarket Nuvali!

We did a quick stop last night to restock on fruits at home and were surprised to find the fruit pile almost emptied out, but for melons and papayas (even bananas were sold out). Seems everyone had fruit salads over the Holy Week. Was glad for it though– I tend to skip the melon corner on a regular day because I can\’t blend them in my green smoothies (melons are best eaten alone). This batch was so sweet and delicious, I finished the whole thing in one sitting! Wasn\’t able to take a pic of the uncut melon, but it was of the yellow skin variety. Still have two white cantaloupes waiting on the kitchen counter, along with other summer fruits:

I had to go back for the bananas and mangoes this afternoon, but am happy to share that the squash above is from our own garden. 🙂 The plant grew out of our compost pit last year, so we moved it to a nice sunny spot, and voila– three months after, we harvested our first homegrown kalabasa!

Here\’s another happy leafy green that sprouted from a fallen seed:

Very thankful for the fertile Nuvali soil.

🙂

where do you watch movies in the South?

Everyday LifeNuvali Services

One of my city errands whenever I head to Ortigas is to watch new movies that are showing at the cinema. There have been days when I\’ve marathoned three movies in a row — yes, that\’s how movie-deprived I\’ve been getting in the South.

I\’ve tried watching in ATC, but the cinemas there leave much to be desired. Friends who\’ve lived in the South for a while say the closest safe bet is Newport City, but it\’s still a good 30 to 40-minute drive away from Nuvali.

Every time I pass by Laguna Central\’s soon-to-rise complex next to Paseo de Sta. Rosa, I get hopeful that the two-storey structure will have within it a decent cinema…

$\"Laguna$

A friend got me excited when he said he heard the new Greenfield commercial area would indeed have one … Can anyone confirm this? Fingers-crossed the rumors are true!

Finally got to step on my lot in Parkway!

Everyday LifeAvida Parkway Settings Nuvali, Nuvali Real Estate

My lot in Parkway Settings Nuvali was due for turnover in October 2012 (it was the designated allowable date for building), but was told by Avida that there are some delays as the water and electrical structures for the community are not yet in place. Engr. Jong said the lot itself is buildable if I want to start construction already, so I made arrangements to visit last week.

*The pics could be better, sorry. Taken by phone camera as my camera is in the shop for repairs.*

The Parkway gate is looking good!

$\"Avida$

Main road is wide and rolling, very nice drama everytime you enter the village.

$\"Avida$

Viewing deck is still in place. Surrounding area is where the future clubhouse will be built. Mt. Makiling in the distance.

$\"Avida$

These model units are slated for completion next month, December 2012. Not so sure they\’ll make it but it\’s still a few weeks away.

$\"Avida$

View of Avida Village Nuvali from midway of APSN. Road to the right begins to slope sharply already.

$\"Avida$

First time to see my lot up close.. I bought this during the initial launch of APSN last October 2011 — can say I\’m happy with my choice! Nice elevation, wide road frontage, and VERY WINDY area!

$\"Avida$

Here\’s another area in Sector A, across the Greenway. Mom and Dad got this lot next to the pocket park, also turned out to be a great choice. Laguna Bay in the background.

$\"Avida$

Really enjoyed my first visit to Parkway in its developed state… Glad that the road network is already accessible, but more glad that the breeze and views are just so LOVELY. 🙂 The whole time I kept thinking, \”Sell my house in Settings and build a new one here!\” Let\’s see. 🙂

Sunset in Avida Parkway Settings Nuvali with the Tagaytay ridge as backdrop.

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Parkway Settings gate — getting there…

Everyday LifeAvida Parkway Settings Nuvali, Nuvali Real Estate

Here are pics of the Parkway Settings gate, taken on September 26, 2012.

$\"Avida$

Sector A is scheduled for turnover this month, October 2012, and so far there have been no announcements re delays. Last time I drove around the area, didn\’t seem likely to be ready by month\’s end. Will see. Also got a lot here so can\’t wait to step on it and claim it for house project#2 in Nuvali!

For those on the lookout for new house or lot only options in Nuvali, watch out for another Avida project… no details yet, not even a timeframe for the launch, but it may be similar to Avida Settings in terms of size.

When Parkway was launched in October 2011, VAT-free lots were the first to go, and they really got sold out fast. Message me at johanna@metrorealty.ph if you\’re interested in this new project so I can be sure to keep you in the loop.

Internet in Nuvali – mobile vs. cable?

Everyday LifeNuvali Services

$\"Living$

I\’ve been going online in Nuvali via Smart Mobile (I send \”Unli 50\” to 211 for 24-hour unlimited surfing), and although signal can get pretty good at times, there is still the inevitable lag or down time. I\’m curious if anyone can vouch for PLDT DSL in Nuvali? What\’s the best speed you\’ve encountered and what plan did you get?