I've always loved doodling and when I was in high school, it came to the point that my trigonometry…read moreteacher flunked me in one quarter because I kept doodling during her class. In an effort to holistic happiness, I decided I will take classes and exert effort in advancing my innate skills and passions, with one of them being writing. Like, physical writing. It was with this decision that I took the plunge and finally signed-up for basic calligraphy classes with Alessa Lanot of the arts, crafts, and lifestyle blog LifeAfterBreakfast. Her teaching approach was simple, straightforward and quite easy to understand. After going through the basics, she had us all take a whip at it and went around to fine-tune our form and give us pointers individually. She answered our questions, guided us, changed our hands' positions, and was very accommodating throughout the class. I believe natural talent and practice has a lot to do with being successful at something, and I'm grateful I have started getting commissions for calligraphy work. But I must say that I don't think I would have been able to accomplish this much in a short span of time if I hadn't been taught the basics well by no other than Alessa Lanot.

Being a lover of art, I am inspired by everyday mundane things, too. If only I had enough talent…read moreand prowess to draw and make quick sketches of people and things that inspire me, I'd probably fill my handful of notebooks in no time. This is what amazes me most about Robert Alejandro. Known as the Sketching Backpacker, he is a published author and award-winning artist, that has created artwork for places such as Glico's (90s kids unite!) and has painted the walls of HSBC building at Bonifacio Global City. He sketches random people he sees from wherever, whenever, going about their everyday life. This inspired me to have a commissioned piece made. He was so accommodating and just asked for me to send a few options for reference. I was so glad for the ease in our transaction and he even sent the artwork through courier, packed neatly and safe from possible harm to the artwork. This care extends to his work as illustrator and designer for Papemelroti and in the fund-raising projects he regularly does with and through art.

I first found out about the School of Design and Arts' Museum of Contemporary Art and Design when I…read moregot lost while looking for the bathroom. I opened the wrong door and - voila! - there's a naked dude pretending to be a statue (not naked naked, he had a sort of a tea cozy on his equipment because this was still a Catholic school), among other exhibitions. I learned that day that the College of Saint Benilde had its own museum, and that the exhibits were mostly occupied by the students of the School of Design and Arts, as well as the occassional famous person. I thought it was really cool, and I ended up getting a selfie with the naked dude statue because why the hell not.

MCAD is a really beautiful space for art. I'm not sure the students at Benilde, La Salle, and St…read more Scho know how lucky they are to be in such close proximity to a gallery that, though still pretty young, manages to hold beautiful, interesting exhibits of artists from all over. The last show I've seen was the one-man exhibit of Paul Pfeiffer, entitled Vitruvian Figure, and there has not been a better use of MCAD's hugeness in a while. Recreations of the Philippine arena, a moving image of a sunrise/sunset, and a dark theater screening of a spoken word choir performance echoing the video installations outside really drove the point home of how greatly the museum space elevates the art housed within it. What's great too is that they involve the CSB student body by giving some the opportunity to be mediators and engage visitors by speaking about the works and answering questions about them. It's a pretty cool thing, as it allows people to have a more personal exchange with the works there. I'm glad they've gotten their own entrance along one of the side roads now. Though I fear for the open shelving they have as their bag deposit, it does open the museum a little more to the public. MCAD brims with so much possibility and I look forward to my next visit.

We all dream of studying at Hogwarts, but do you know there are some of us who get lucky? Every…read moreyear, the Philippine High School for the Arts, the so-called "Hogwarts of the Philippines", opens its doors to around 40 students who are gifted in the arts (that's like saying "imbued with magical powers", right?) Those who are chosen via the school's Annual Nationwide Search for Young Arts Scholars will get to study in a boarding school up Mount Makiling (home of the goddess Maria, yes) on a full government scholarship! Students there take up a double curricula that combines regular high school subjects like English, Math, Filipino, and Science; with advanced training in their art field of choice: dance (folk dance and ballet), theater arts, music (voice and instrument), visual arts, and creative writing. But much like the students of Hogwarts, it's not all work for the school's scholars. They get to have fun, too! (I should know. My sister and I both graduated from there.) The nationwide search usually begins in September and end in December. Head to the school's website for more information.

Man, I wish I could study here. Not for anything, I don't think I will survive a semester here. I…read morecan't draw, doodling is a challenge and basically, I know that I am better off sticking to words. But for those looking for a course on furniture or accessories design then this is the right school for you. It's located in the heart of Makati, a stone's throw away from the Peninsula and one flyover away from BGC. I have a friend that teaches here and the other day she made me sit-in on one of her classes. All her students were made up of men and women who looked like they carefully curated their outfits right before class. I was in jeans and a plain shirt so you can imagine just how much I stuck out. In that relatively short time I learned a few things about fabric and pattern-making and for awhile there I had fantasies of changing careers and going into fashion. (for a whopping 5 minutes)

I got so hyped about Wing Chun when I watched the movies Ip Man & Ip Man 2. It revolved around the…read morelife of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art "Wing Chun". The focus of this martial is simultaneous defense and offense. It accomplishes this by redirecting an opponent's attack and at the same time a quick blow that will end the figh quickly. I found the Wing Chun class on Google and I just started from their. A few days later, I found myself talking to the instructor, Mr. Jack Gallardo. I started by learning the forms and then doing it again and again. The logic to this is to perfect the movement and stance. Mr. Gallardo describes the forms as some sort of letters in the alphabet. When the forms are mastered, they can then be applied to form different sentences. Every session is tiring. We start with warm up exercises and the forms. We then move on to learning the basic stances and techniques. Sometimes, we have Chi Sao drills that are supposed to improve our sense of movement and response. The progress is slow because the disciplines need to be mastered before moving on to higher stages. The base needs to be firm my classmates would always say. After every session we have a burnout exercise that helps keep us fit and strong. After two months of Wing Chun classes, I still have a long way to go but I feel more alert and equipped whenever I'm in some potentially dangerous situations. Wing Chun is perfect for those who are looking for a self defense or those looking to expand their knowledge in different martial arts. It requires a lot of patience though, but it will all be worth it.

This art studio is located just in front of my building, so it was one of the first places I…read morevisited after moving to Manila. I was pregnant the first time I went there, so unfortunately most of their classes were prohibited for me, even with a doctor's statement - I understand them, though! The one I wanted to try was aerial silk...come on! Back to reality, please! After delivery, I've had a Stretch and Firm Fitness trial class and I really enjoyed it. I'm just trying to decide if I'll shift to another modality, like Contemporary Dance or Jazz. The teachers are enthusiastic and the place is nice. Actually, what I like about Jollijam - besides reminding me of Jollibee! - is that it's always full of kids and teens. I know, some people may hate it just because of this aspect. But it think it gives life to the place. It's funny to see little kids having ukulele classes or voice classes, anyway! Oh, there's also the Kung Fu group! That's the spirit. Jollijam mixes art, music, dance, fitness, martial arts...and FUN!

Education is all about starting early. Once you get started and get to know the basics, then the…read moreworld is your oyster. It doesn't have to be boring too, because if you enjoy what you're doing, you won't stop. How do you find that delicate balance though, especially in this digital age where kids are constantly glued to the screens of their tablets or phones? One of the best alternatives for alternative education is First Robotics in San Juan. With a keen emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, kids are pried away from their gadgets and are instead given a first-hand experience on the intricacies of robotics. They have programs for all ages, from basic courses on how things move and simple machines, to intermediate ones focusing making models come to life using a mix of mechanical parts and software, to advanced courses where they would need a deeper understanding of scientific concepts in order to make their robots move. How I wish I had these when I was a kid!

I was driving by the Scout area the other day and while waiting for a car to clear the road I saw…read moreShutter Master Pro so I decided to check it out. It's every photographer's dream! I'm not a professional photographer but I super enjoy it as a hobby. I love how photos can stand the test of time and how so much memories come from a single still! Shutter Master Pro has all sorts of equipment for any photographer, from amateurs to professionals. They have lenses, straps, programs, tools (and many things I didn't even knew existed!). It's also good to know that they hold classes there for all levels of photographers and different aspects of photography. I love how it's super well designed too, with brick walls and wooden crates! I ended up getting a monopod for my new toy, a go pro! I was super happy to find out that the prices weren't so bad either. I ended up coming back twice in the same week, good to know this place exists!

Shutter Master Pro is the glammed up name of Aperture Trading, the go to place of photographers and…read morehobbyists alike for camera lighting equipment and other accessories for more than a decade running. Their old store in Banawe was as basic as they came. There was no design or aesthetics involved. It was just a place to do business. They've since moved to a bigger and way better place in Morato. Shutter Master Pro looks like a completely new store. It's as if they joined one of the extreme makeover reality shows. The whole vibe of the place is awesome. The place is liberally sprinkled with wooden accents, from shelving to upcycled crates that act as tables. There's even a brick wall that can act as a photographic backdrop. Even if you aren't buying anything, just roaming around inside is enthralling. They attached a café of sorts to the store so you can have a cup of Joe while waiting for them to ring up your equipment order. This is the place they hold their photography seminars as well.