Writings - Montalut

House inspiration from Pinto Gallery

Sharing some design ideas I got from the home and gallery of Dr. Joven Cuanang, the visionary behind Pinto Art Gallery, which I finally got to visit for the Antipolo Earthfest 2011. Only had a few hours to spare that day, but could’ve spent all day and night there– such a recharging place 🙂

I liked the loose, open feel to the whole complex…

Lots of daylight coming in…

The adobe-inspired walls (made of styled cement?) made me feel that the gallery was breathing.

The distressed, shabby-chic look gave it a more informal, practical vibe, one that encourages interaction and actual use (I don’t like anything “for display only”!):

Even these stairs felt so cozy to me:

Are these tiles or just polished concrete?

Wide open spaces in white and concrete. Easy on the eyes (and pocket), right? 😛

I like the bay windows and rounded wooden table:

Also interesting way to hang art–by the corner:

Asked around for outdoor garden sets like this before–they don’t come cheap so will hunt down an old bed or maybe a bench that I can repurpose into an inviting daybed:

The Pinto Art Gallery and Museum has great, great energy to share and pass along, as with anything made with love.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a home with the same positive, enriching energy?
🙂

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Pinto Art Gallery is in Garden Heights, Antipolo. I’ve been told that the best time to visit is in the late afternoons– wait for the sunset! More pictures from the Antipolo Earthfest 2011 on facebook.

anti-pollution murals along EDSA

Great initiative from VP Binay, the MMDA, and Boysen Paints: The Everyone Deserves Safe Air (EDSA) Project.

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Image by Danny Pata of gmanewstv

Curated by a team led by no less than Marian Pastor Roces, a lovely vivacious woman I first heard speak during a discussion on Usbong, the Philippine Pavilion that won a gold medal for design in the World Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan. Just seeing her name on the project made me read on with eager attention. She writes:

THE BOYSEN KNOxOUT PROJECT: EDSA is an initiative to lessen air pollution on the longest of Metro Manila’s internal thoroughfares, through the use of a breakthrough air-cleaning paint in large-scale artworks. The project was recently announced by the sole project sponsor Pacific Paints (Boysen) Philippines, with the support of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Eight artworks, each about 1,000 square meters, will be painted in key areas of EDSA using the paint Boysen KNOxOUT, which transforms specific toxins in the atmosphere into safe elements. Project leaders say they “are in high spirits because of this strong mix of art and science” in an urban renewal venture.

Interesting to see that technology and art are now being used locally to join in the green brigade:

[Boysen KNOxOUT] is the first air cleaning paint in the world with CristalActiv photocatalytic technology, proven to neutralize the emissions of 10 cars per square meter painted. And the massive artworks to be featured in The EDSA Project are set to neutralize the emissions of cars passing through EDSA by 25%.

The project will run until early 2012 and started off with the May 7 inauguration of \”Ganap\” by social realist Jose Tence Ruiz (shown above).

Information and pictures from Artists attack EDSA: Street art on a grand scale (gmanewstv) and The Boysen KNOx-out Project EDSA: Urban renewal through science and art.

have you ever seen a fresh sunflower head?

Farming and Gardening Food Sustainable LivingRaw Food

Was so amazed by this, had to buy it to show friends and family!
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Gigantic sunflower head from Melendres farm, P500

So pretty, I just wanted to keep it on the table as a conversation piece. Even my titos and titas were gushing over it.

Seeds are ready to be eaten–They\’re blander than packaged raw sunflower seeds, and softer too. They supposedly keep for 6 months.

My dad took some seeds to try to plant– don\’t even know if that\’s the way to grow them, but wow, would be great to have these giant sunflowers (imagine how big the petals would be!) greeting you every morning… 🙂

A completed house in Treveia!

Green Design and Architecture

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Spotted just yesterday. So cool!

Was told Abrio has four houses being constructed, with the first one due for completion this May.

Avida Settings has over 80 residents now.

Hoping for more full-time residents asap.

Nuvali roads photo updates

Everyday LifeRoads

Nuvali Boulevard showing a greener island:
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Road widening in front of Santierra:
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Notice the Santierra main gate and fence– patterned after tree branches, nice! $\"DSCN2358\"$

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Road widening is nearing completion right after the guardhouse towards Xavier, Treveia and Avida Estates:
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Access to the Avida Village model houses again available from the main road:
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Clear blue sky on a hot hot hot day. $\"Nuvali$

Summer is definitely here.

Can\’t wait for all those trees to grow and offer abundant shade!

Green communities in our midst

Green Communities Sustainable LivingAntipolo

I\’m deeply thankful that green communities are sprouting and becoming \”accessible\” all over the Philippines.

In Antipolo, there is an active group of Earth-conscious artists, farmers, foodies and business owners called Duyang Luntian, which spearheads environmental campaigns in their respective communities, among which is the Antipolo EarthFest 2011 this April 30 and May 1.

In Palawan, my friend Pi of of Bahay Kalipay is also birthing the Maia Earth Village. Been waiting for these mudhouses since November–glad to already see them up and so lovely! Will get to visit this June, also very excited for that.

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(Image from the Maia Community facebook album)

All this talk of green community is making me giddy for the Nuvali counterpart! We\’ll be the urban earth community not in the mountains but right smack in the plains and fields of the city, hopefully not just to benefit ourselves but to make everyday green living something relatable and replicable for all Filipinos. 😛

Antipolo Earth Fest 2011 this weekend

Green Communities Sustainable LivingAntipolo

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Really excited to go to this green party!

The Antipolo EarthFest 2011
will be a weekend-long celebration of our dear Mother Earth
through arts, music, wellness and wholeness.

It will be a gathering of like-minded people and groups who are willing to share with others
their time and energies, passions and advocacy, skills, wisdom and knowledge on environmental issues
and most importantly, solutions and ways to help build a more environmentally-aware and Earth-conscious lifestyle.

Look forward to the workshops, the green booths at the marketplace and delight of delights, will finally get to visit Pinto Gallery. Yay. Organizer Irene also says Cynthia Alexander will be playing at 2pm onwards on Sunday. 🙂

The Antipolo Earth Fest blog lists the following participants so far:

Clayton Horton of Greenpath Yoga
will be honoring us with his presence and doing a couple of yoga and meditation workshops for the weekend
Bhairavi Nihiltantra & Jim Tantranuevo
will be sharing with us their passion and wisdom about Tantra Yoga, Traditional Tribal Music, Culture & Chanting, and more!
Djotay Soluta from Bahay Kalipay
will be sharing with us his Healing Music and doing a Sound Healing workshop for us
SugarLeaf
The very kind folks at SugarLeaf will be joining us that weekend for a special Earth Talk on Healthy Living & Foods That Nourish and will also be selling organic products & superfoods!
WWF Philippines
WWF Philippines will be setting up a booth to educate and inform us all about important environmental issues and ways we can be part of the solution!
Palamuti ni Autumn
— beautiful hand-crafted necklaces, earrings, bracelets and more! Plus, cute handpainted Earth bags, too! All by one of the most talented, most creative 10-year-olds we know. <3
Ubots (one of our favorites!!)
— \”Ubots are robot charms welded from \”techno detritus\” (electronic & mechanical trash). UBots is a word sliced from the Filipino word \”Abubot\”, which means small decorative stuff, accessory or trinket; It also stands for \”Upcycled Robots\”.
It is more than a charm, it is a green inititative, a creative exercise in upcycling, & an appreciation of sentimental objects.\”
Cookie Jar!
— homemade cookie treats baked with love by one of the youngest homebaker we know. At 14, she bakes yummy cakes, cookies and other baked treats in between homework and Justin Bieber Youtube videos! ;p The Cookie Jar will be setting up a banig for young ones to frost and decorate their own cookies for the weekend as well!

I checked out Palamuti ni Autumn\’s site–they have interesting items. But I\’m especially curious about the Ubots!

More info on the Antipolo Earth Fest 2011 at www.antipoloearthfest.com, with activity schedules for the weekend, and also on the Antipolo Earth Fest 2011 facebook page.

Plants and sun pulling

Farming and Gardening Sustainable Living

Ink on Paper, 2010

Found this old doodle I made while in a detox and healing center in Palawan last August 2010.

What great imagery–the idea of plants being summoned by the sun, in a pull-push dance, as a coming home of sorts.

Aren\’t we all coming home to the sun, sky and great beyond anyway?

Happy Easter, green friends!
xo

P.S. Again inviting you to a special private sale this Saturday, April 30, as I launch EstelaShop.com, my new home and clothing store– our items are handpicked for their unique qualities (ex. woodblock printed fabrics in limited pieces) and are perfect for those looking for anything made with love.

More info on EstelaShop.com.

A windy day in Nuvali

Life in Nuvali Philippinesvenare

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Got to visit Treveia and Venare last March 27 (Sunday), and it was so windy! Possibly the windiest I\’ve ever experienced in Nuvali!

I was standing on the viewing deck of Venare and had to hurry back inside the car because I was getting sand and dirt in my eyes from the blowing winds.

Oh land of the blowing winds, you will be home soon. Very exciting.

🙂

on being busy and still at once

Life in Nuvali Philippines

Been crazy busy but just sending a short note to touch base and let you know I\’m still alive 😛

Am in Bicol now with family, and it\’s becoming very trying to be fully present to them while my mind is elsewhere, worrying about the Estela launch (it\’s my new home and clothing shop–would love for you to to visit EstelaShop.com if you have time), pending real estate transactions, and permits etc. for my house construction (yes, we\’re still in the Pre-construction phase!! Talk about major delays, boooo! ). Now I can relate to people needing boundaries between work and personal life— I\’d like for lots of those please!! But no complaints. Just feel incredibly spent, and every morning I wake up feeling just as tired as the night before 🙁 My raw food diet helps tons though, so am glad for that. 🙂

Hope you get to do whatever it is that needs doing this week– whether it be for work, family, God or yourself (pwede ba all of the above? hehe). It\’s a very solemn and powerful time to lift up whatever worries and dreams are in our hearts– let\’s create the space to reconnect and just be still.

🙂

As an aside, here\’s the poster invite to the launch of EstelaShop.com on April 30, Saturday.. Hope to see you there!

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Artist’s workspace at home

Green Design and Architecture

Was taken in by this inviting set-up in My Little Art Place, an art school in Greenhills:

Owner Ryan says the purple floor matting is made of thin blue foam, and they just have the covers made.

The tables are low and close to the ground to make it easier for kids to draw and paint on them, but even I found the whole set-up so inviting for creative work and conversation!

Yay, more ideas now for my workspace.

🙂

National Museum’s Nature Walk in Baler on May 3-6

Slow Travel

I’ve heard beautiful things about Baler and got excited when I got this email invite to a Baler Nature Walk this May 3 to 6 (Tuesday to Friday):

Summer is almost here and what better way to enjoy it then to hit the rugged outdoors! The National Museum walks Baler this May 3-6! Take a hike with us and learn about one of the most bio-diverse places on the planet. A four-day, outdoor learning excursion that will focus on Baler\’s amazing natural and cultural heritage, the National Museum will take you from to the rugged mountains to the sea. Check out rare plant species while you hike Baler’s rainforest, listen to folktales and marvel at awesome rock formations. Join us as we appreciate Baler’s Biodiversity!

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Date: May 3-6
Where: Baler, Aurora
Inclusions:
Outdoor exploration including rainforest walks and coastal experience
Land Transportation from Manila-Baler-Manila
Accommodation 4days/3nights
All Meals and Snacks
On Site transfers, Baler tours
On-site Lectures
All Adventures and Walks
Price:Php 6,500

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I’ve always preferred immersive travel experiences, as opposed to checklist cover-as-much-as-you-can types. I like calling it slow travel.

Imagine walking through a rainforest with an actual botanist explaining the different trees and plant species you come across, or getting to know the ins and outs of the local terrain as explained by an expert geologist!

I went on a two-week solo trip all over Palawan last November, and for five days I was on a boating expedition, weaving in and out of the 150 islands of the Linapacan group in between El Nido to Coron. Luck would have it that a marine biologist also signed up for the trip, and all 19 of us guests and crew had a grand time nitpicking her brain for answers to every sea-related question we could think of!

Here’s the itinerary for the upcoming Baler Walk. Click to zoom in.

For more information, contact the National Museum:

Elenita Alba
Education Department
elenita_alba@yahoo.com.ph

Charisse Aquino-Tugade
PR and Marketing
National Museum of the Philippines
Email: nmphilippines@gmail.com, charisse@cultureight.com
Philippine Office: 527-1215
Philippine Mobile: \\ +63917-861-3011 , Globe Duo: 964-6709
U.S. Office: +925-262-8303
www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph
Facebook: National Museum of the Philippines
Twitter: NMPhilippines