As if I needed another reason to love BGC, the brilliant guys behind One Festival has given the…read moreblank walls of The Fort a new life with really awesome murals and public art. These murals that are varying in scale and size are larger-than-life version of provocative and inspired art from many artists and muralists from the Philippines and all over the world. The titles/artists of the murals, and their locations are the following: 1. Kristin Farr - Bonifacio Technology Center 2. Corleone - C1 Building (Near Banana Republic and Muji) 3. Faile - One Global Place 4. Cyrcle- Icon Plaza 5. Nate Frizzell - Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street 6. Drew Merritt - The Globe Tower 7. Egg Fiasco - Bonifacio High Street 8. Anjo Bolarda - Bonifacio High Street I went there with a friend who is one of the organizers and the festival coordinators, and he showed me around the works in progress. The artworks are going to be unveiled on May 30-31, during the culmination activity of the festival, but these works of art are going to stay where they are for a very long time - or until the next festival when they will be replaced with new, more awesome art. I saw some really awesome and colossal murals, and some tiny ones that are hidden from plain sight. I just love what they did to the city, and it's brilliant to see really nice public art being recognized as a legit art form here in the Philippines. These murals and artworks will make you pause awhile to ponder, and you don't even need to be in an art gallery or a highbrow museum to appreciate works like these - the muralists and the artists have made this artwork more accessible to the people.

"We're changing the face of the city." That's what One Festival founder Kayo Cosio said and I have…read moreto agree. They've accomplished such a feat! In May 2015, One Festival and Bonifacio Art Foundation Inc. (BAFI) brought 8 international artists together for a weeklong mural festival around Bonifacio Global City. It was absolutely awesome to watch them at work on these gigantic walls, riding lifts, spray-painting for hours at a time! I was happy to see that Egg Fiasco, a Filipino artist whose works I remember from Art Fair Philippines, had his own wall at Bonifacio High Street. I was able to find him working on his mural on the Thursday before the festival finished. I always thought that his stuff looked like a nightmare in the world of Lisa Frank, but not in a bad way. Egg Fiasco's stuff are colorful and bold, but also very aggressive. The BHS wall he did features the rare Philippine deer that he says is going extinct in his home island of Panay. You can find it on the back road to Seda Hotel. Nate Frizzell, or @natepaints on Instagram, did a number of "small" walls throughout the city. His works usually have kids in them, usually at street level, so kids can actually interact with these pieces. I saw a few of his works by Timezone and R.O.X. on BHS. I also walked past Faile. I heard Faile might have a problem because they painted a soda bottle that looks too similar to Coca-Cola; the Net Lima building right across the street is the Coca-Cola building so there's no way they could have missed that. It's one of the larger murals around. Cyrcle's "astronaut"/"Moon man" was a crowd favorite. I personally saw Rabi of Cyrcle (they're a duo, but his partner didn't make the trip down to the PH) spray painting that humongous wall. SPRAY PAINTING, okay? Can you imagine the real physical pain of spray painting the side of a building for an entire week? I think that's some crazy passion at work right there. I heard that this is Cyrcle's largest mural work to date from among their projects around the world, too. Good job, Art One BGC!

Ysobel Art Gallery is among the cluster of art galleries found on the second floor of Serendra…read more They're home to contemporary art from masters and emerging artists from the local art scene. It is a very small gallery and you can view all the pieces in one go. You could just stay in the middle of the gallery and you'll see everything. Currently on exhibit is Ronante Maratas' first solo show entitled Fragile Bones. The show had its run until today, June 1st. Depending on where you go up the escalator at Serendra, don't miss out this gallery. It may be small but it packs a lot of content. They really love colorful contemporary art! And they do shows, too, and join art fairs.

Overhyped place. Would rather watch movies at Mall of Asia. People just go to BGC for clout, too…read moremany obnoxious crowds here. There's better alternatives around Manila for family outings.

It's all about the panache.... Awesome spot to go to and visit and just chill and hang out. Shop…read morewith family and watch a movie.

The influx of foreign nationals in our country may not be new, neither is the trend of having…read moreforeign models doing work for local brands. So it's not surprising that there is a good number of Brazilian nationals that have called the Philippines home. In efforts to foster camaraderie and create a community of Brazilians and Filipino-Brazilians. This is the thrust of Brasilipinas - to bring the feel of Brazil and the Carnaval to Manila. I got the chance to witness Brasilipinas when I was invited by a friend whose family is involved with one of the performers. It was such a festive event, with full bands, drumbeaters and even a Brazilian DJ playing, plus professionals and event goers dancing the samba or participating in the capoeira exhibition. Several vendors were also around the venue, selling Brazilian and Latin American fare, plus drinks commonly enjoyed in Brazil and Manila. I particularly enjoyed drinking Bayani Brew spiked with cachaça, which helped make that night even more fun.

I love samba. It is my jam. When I need to get something done that requires my full concentration,…read moreI would drown out the rest of the world with the steady and rhythmic beats of Brazilian musical instruments and the poetic lilt of Brazilian Portuguese singing. I am part of a samba school that plays batucada music, or the drum circle that can usually be found parading around during Carnaval in Brazil, and I am glad that there are venues for us sambistas to showcase the music that we enjoy to the rest of the city. Manila is teeming with Brazilian expats - most of them businessmen and drop dead gorgeous models who live and work in Manila. They have established quite a large community in the city, and one of the main events during the year to celebrate Filipino-Brazilian friendship is Brasilipinas, which brings Carnaval to Manila. Brasilipinas gives Manilenyos a taste of the fun, hypnotic beats and movements of authentic Brazilian samba. For those who have always dreamt of seeing Carnaval in the flesh, this is as close as one can get to actually traveling to Brazil. Many different groups showcase their talents in playing the music and exhibiting the lightning fast dance steps that give samba such a fun and exciting vibe. It is always a fun experience, especially for the uninitiated - you get a sense of the Brazilian spirit and love for gathering together with lots of drinks and dancing.

This is one of my favorite event venues both as a participant and as a merchant. I love that it is…read moreso accessible because it's just right beside Powerplant Mall. Whether you're driving, taking a cab or even using other modes of public transport, it's so easy to get to. The tent is pretty big, it has comfortable air-conditioning, the bathrooms are right beside it. I've joined as a merchant for Mommy Mundo bazaars when they were still holding them here and that was one of my most productive selling days. Mommy Mundo transferred to a different venue last year because they were told that Rockwell Tent will be undergoing some remodeling. While we had high hopes for the new venue, it really didn't perform as good as when we were in Rockwell Tent. Foot traffic was cut by about half just with that move. I do hope they give Rockwell Tent a makeover. But even if they don't, I love it just as it is. I will continue to visit the bazaars there and maybe even join a few that will be held there.

The Rockwell Tent has been one of the most enduring event centers and venues in the metro. NBC, a…read moresimilar tent-like venue has bitten the dust last year, and Rockwell remains as a place that can be transformed to suit every function or event, such as parties, product launches, fashion shows, musical events, bazaars and flea markets, programs and wedding receptions. A lot of really memorable events have happened in Rockwell. It is a favorite performance venue for my samba school and community, and we would hold concerts, performances, football viewing parties and similar events in the tent. You don't have to worry about the place being too warm because their air-conditioning game is always on point. Several independently-organized bazaars also often pop up in the tent from time to time, especially during the holiday season. It is where I usually shop for presents, since they are very selective with their tenants. All the bazaar sellers actually hawk interesting and moderately priced gift items that make my Christmas shopping hassle free and worry free! I also like that I'm almost always able to hail a cab in mere minutes, a feat that is almost impossible elswhere.

The first time I've been to SM Aura was for a Freelancer forum-seminar. It's been a while since…read moreI've been to an SM, especially when they've started renovating the Makati one, I've noped out going there even after it opened. I guess what I'm saying is, SM Aura would be a little bit refreshing. It actually exceeded my expectations, and the vibes I could get is that SM's been slowly changing their target market for the more upscale shoppers judging from the amount of expensive shops here. In any case, I've been more impressed finding out it has its own mini SMX. That's kinda cool. That said, the mini SMX still wasn't super mini. It has multiple floors and multiple function rooms, both for small and big events. Perfect for a gathering of hundreds to a few thousands. I don't think it can hold tens of thousands yet, though. I never really explored much. I guess I was really there for my seminar, and went home right after. But I had a pretty decent experience. I would've wished for more maps since I got lost once looking for the bathroom, and is it just me, or was there a signal jammer in there somewhere? You can never get a signal once you get inside! Kind of hard to communicate. That's about the only downer I can remember.

Good thing they have this SMX in the BGC area already. No need to go all the way to Pasay for the…read moreone in the Mall of Asia complex. Granted, that's a much bigger space and can be home to so many major events, but this SMX at SM Aura is very much able to handle its own functions as well. I think it's perfect for mini fairs and corporate functions. Well-situated near offices and business centers. And despite being right within the mall, it has its own separate area with a designated entrance. The entire convention center can be condensed into three smaller ones, but fully-open it can be a spacious, versatile hall. They often hold travel fairs here, as well as various bazaars, talks, and seminars! Clean, comfortable, and easily accessible, it's definitely a good facility to go to or rent out yourself for your own event.

Visited The Mind Museum and had a great time exploring. The museum is modern, well-organized, and…read morepacked with interactive exhibits that make science fun and easy to understand for all ages. One of the highlights was the human evolution section, with detailed life-size figures and displays that walk you through how humans developed over time. There are also engaging exhibits on biology, space, physics, and technology that keep you curious as you move from gallery to gallery. We especially enjoyed a mirror-style exhibit that visually displays two individuals into one reflection -- a creative and fun way to explore perception and how the mind interprets images. The space is clean, air-conditioned, and easy to navigate, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It's a great stop if you're in the BGC area and looking for something educational, interactive, and family-friendly. Highly recommended for kids, teens, and adults alike.

The Mind Museum was a fun kid-centered oasis in the midst of the hustle and bustle of BGC. There…read morewas so much to do and learn. This would be a wonderful place to conduct a field trip. We went on a weekday and the place was pretty empty. We spent about 2.5 hours there and probably could have spent a couple more. We definitely recommend people to the Mind Museum.

The one time my family and I decided we'd try something new, we opted on Olive Tree Kitchen and…read moreBar. We were terribly disappointed. For the price, none of the food was worth it. The Apple and Gorgonzola pizza may have been the best thing we ordered, but everything else was disappointing. The greatest disappointment was the 1.2K Aged USDA Prime Rib on Bone. All those lovely words gave us reason to have high expectations. Instead, we got a tough, chewy, bland slab. This was a P3000+ piece of meat, by the way. That was painful.

One of the Friday evening's it was very difficult to find a cab from Net Quad where I work. So me…read moreand my colleague decided to walk till High Street and try our luck. So, while walking we happened to stumble across this board which rated Oliver Tree Kitchen & Bar's Margherita Pizza as number one in Manila. We decided to give this place a try(since we were exhausted with all the cab hunt). So we ordered for the signature pizza and in all fairness it was good. The highlight of the pizza was the soft buffalo mozzarella that was evenly spread on the pizza. The pizza really tasted fresh and I loved the simplicity of the tomato sauce. I am not sure if the staff is friendly as the waiter who served us was not happy that we only had one order. The order took some time may be they because they were making things fresh. I wouldn't mind visiting this place again for the pizza.