On a visit to Ronac Art Center to watch a friend's basketball game, I passed by Secret Fresh…read moreGallery and saw the interesting window display. Even from the outside, I already saw the interesting artworks displayed. I got curious and went inside. There were several artists on display with works in forms of paintings and sculptures. Looking further, I also saw that they were selling art toys also from various brands like Kid Robot, Bearbrick, Ouamou Toys, and other quirky art items. Going in further, I also saw that they also sell apparel and accessories from Obey, Love Army, and even Grosby Shoes! How old-school-cool is that, huh? Because I was still curious and a staff of the store invited me, I headed to the second floor where there were even more artworks and toys available. It's like being in an adult toy store! As soon as I seal a good deal and have extra dough, I'm pretty sure I'm heading back to Secret Fresh and cop a few toys to reward the crazy little art-loving girl in me.

A good friend of mine interns in this art gallery and she was the one who actually introduced this…read moreplace to me! Ever since, I've always been going here for their monthly art exhibits. There's always something different going on here every time I pay a visit. The artists exhibit their art work as solo or collaborations. I'm not just talking about paintings and mixed media but even designer toys! This isn't your typical art gallery because every time an artist would feature their art work, there would always be some kind of out-of-this-world "gimmick" they would come up with! It's more than art appreciation but entertainment as well! It's also surprising that the art works are selling like pancakes and all sold out in just one night sometimes. What I like most about this place is there's already a tight-knit community and is most seen during their events which I really do appreciate!

Disappointed that most of the building is closed. Dont waste your time like I did…read more I was visiting Manila from the US and Ronac seemed like an awesome place for streetwear enthusiasts, sneakerheads, and basketball fans. It also seemed like a cool spot for IG photos. It took me and my girlfriend an hour to get there through all the traffic. Upon getting there almost everything was closed except for 1 restaurant downstairs, 1 gallery, and RIF LA which was the size of a walkin closet. EVERY other floor was closed and locked. Ronac seems like an overly ambitious venture that flopped. I wish I could've seen it when everything was open. I guess it's hard to sell Supreme shirts and hype sneakers at resale prices when you can buy fakes down the street at GreenHills for a fraction of the cost.

Street art has a long way to go before it becomes recognized as a legitimate art form in the local…read morescene. Some people still think that street art and graffiti is nothing more but vandalism. While the artists' roots might have started there and might have involved defacing a few random walls here and there, things change. Nowadays, street art is slowly getting the recognition it deserves. Hardcore collectors go crazy over Banksy pieces and even remove 'vandalized' walls to sell for a profit. Locally, a bastion of hope for the street art scene is Ronac Art Center. They generously give street artists a chance at the limelight with their monthly exhibits. Ronac is also the venue of choice whenever an international street artist is in town like Shepard Fairey, Mist, and Ron English. Consider how some of the art galleries locally look like carbon copies of one another, Ronac gives you a breath of fresh air.

I've only been to two shows here, and both were fantastic enough for me to say that this place is…read moreone of my favorite galleries here in the metro. I love the whole layout and interiors of this gallery. The interiors are like that of a stylish loft--high ceilings, minimalist, white, and beautiful glass windows. And I love galleries that allow you to move freely. Even if you have group shows here, you don't feel overwhelmed by all these different things to see as their space has some partitions that allow the pieces to have room to breathe. During the times that I've gone both were group shows (and very well curated ones, too). If you're a fan of contemporary art, this is one of the places I will highly recommend that you go to. It's a bit far off if you're used to going to exhibits around Makati, but I still think it's a great location as it's in Katipunan, an area that generally offers a lot of possible things to do after the exhibit as well (Hint: Route 196 is close by if you want to catch a gig after).

Beautiful place perfect for students and adults to learn and unwind. I recommend for anyone to…read morecheck out with good photo opportunities and experience something new

Art in Island is a beautiful museum. Featuring an assortment of interactive art and an exhibition…read morearea, there is something for every age and every art lover. Some optical illusions of famous work, shadow walls, a state of the art 360 viewing room, and 3D pieces make this place a phenomenal way to spend a few hours. They have nursing rooms and a lovely cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Oh yeah, wear sox or you will have to buy some; there are no shoes allowed.

I have been to many coffee shops in the Metro but this was one of those that have a unique take on…read moreit. The Warrior Poet is located in Cubao Expo otherwise known as Cubao X. This was the area formerly known to be a great place to buy different kinds of shoes with good quality and value for money. Now it is known as a venue for the arts. We saw this space while doing a bit of walking around and thought that it looked like such an inviting and relaxing place to sit and talk for a bit. The place showcased different paintings that were really attractive and for an art junkie like me, I definitely enjoyed analyzing them. The coffee was great too! It was a cold brew. I got mine iced and spiced! A bit of cinnamon was added and it definitely made the coffee better, in my opinion. It was the first time I had my coffee "spiced" and I found it really good. Other than paintings and murals, they also had a blue booklet on the table we sat in. It contained a number of poems written in Tagalog. What is a place called The Warrior Poet without poems right? I found this spot very cool because you don't see much places like this in Manila. I also heard that they also hosted small events of poem reading and appreciation which definitely gave me another reason to come back. Not only was the place cool, but the owner and Warrior Poet himself was! Noel Santos was friendly and had a little chat with us. He was very inviting and filled us in with what happens in both his shop and the whole Cubao X itself! I would recommend those who love art, poems and basically anyone who want something different to come check this place out! You'll definitely love it! Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/TheWarriorPoetArtCafe Instagram: @letstellyourstory Twitter: @TheWPAC

I was hanging around Cubao Expo during a flea market and vintage sale weekend, and since I couldn't…read morefind anything worth buying, and since I was tired from rummaging around the dusty and moth-eaten shelves, I decided to check out the only place that seemed quiet enough to do my e-mails. I sat inside The Warrior Poet Art Cafe and was instantly welcomed by the bubbly owner and his friends (who all introduced themselves, but goodness me, I can't remember their names). I was looking around and checking out the artwork for a while, then I decided to get the spiced tablea hot chocolate. I was very happy with the spiced chocolate, as it was really creamy and rich: exactly how I would like a cup of hot chocolate to be. The owner kept me entertained and they were showing me how to fold origami cranes. I like the artworks so much that I promised the owner that I would come back to buy one of the paintings. Well, call me a liar because I haven't been back. Ha ha! But seriously, i think you should check this out the next time you are in the area, even just to chat with the owner.

As we all know, SM Megamall's The Artwalk has a number of art galleries. I've known this all my…read morelife but I never really got to visit any. I was on the way down from the fifth floor after buying paint brush cleaner and an exhibit caught my eye. I suddenly thought that it was time to actually enter a gallery rather than just looking through the windows. The Crucible gallery was holding an exhibit for an artist I'm quite familiar with named, Nemo. His art is very out of the box weird. The good kind of weird. He paints/sketches monster-like people or creatures but making them look friendlier (in my perspective). He uses really eye-popping neon colors and portrays them in a really funky way. His style are one of the styles I really like when it comes to art! It was a really good experience there in the gallery because the way they placed the works were so people could see his concept well and the contrasts of the different materials he used such as paper and wood. The people in charge were also kind enough to answer the questions I had. The gallery showcases a lot of artists with different styles. They always update their exhibits as well! It's a good idea to drop by and check out all the amazing art they have from time to time. It could be very relaxing!