THE ARCHITECT'S CELLAR

08 July 2014//:

@Five, Klein, here and now, signing on...

This is one of my travel blog posts on our Baguio trip last month, which I may say is very unique among any itinerary to the place’s tour because I will feature a more personal and private visit. In our stay in Baguio, we were earnestly accommodated in our boss’ place in Green Valley. On our second night, (but actually my first night because I was not with the team on the way to Baguio. I had to go home to Pampanga the first night to pack my things because the confirmation on the team outing was confirmed only that very week and I don’t have with me some travel essentials like towel, vanity kit, jacket as for the place’s anticipated climate.) we spent the night on the veranda and shared some drinks as we surround a bonfire. This is a rare thingy for me to be seating near a bonfire to keep myself warm and have it with my officemates. We even joke around that this is a retreat thingy and I added that I am afraid that I have not prepared a letter for my parents connoting a typical recollection so-so from a high school experience. Also, what makes it even rare is we share some glasses of alcohol and because among my colleagues, I am one of the few who often drink alcohol, I had to be the “tangero”. Funny that I was wearing short shorts and so they relatively thought I was really ready for this because that’s what we usually see the guest-relation hosts in some naughty lighted bars wear to win attention from the patrons. Hahaha! In a simpler dialect, I am a prostitute for a night as conceived. After almost turning upside down the first long-neck bottle, our boss invited us to see the cellar of his dad, our big boss.

Not that I had enough of alcohol in my system, (I have to highlight that I am sober for machismo impression. Hahaha!) but I really am not sure if we were led on a basement or because of the rolling terrain and contour of the site, it is just a split level and the place where the cellar was nestled is just on the lower level. Anyway, I had to mention that because it is very necessary to keep these drinks in a cooler temperature, they are to be allocated in such area. That also answers the larger question on why did he not have his cellar on his prime residence so when visitors come, he can share some bottles with them. And more than storage of his liquors, I think this place is more of his museum where his collections of memories are.

Try noticing some of the liquors having tags. The tags state the year (“Habang tumatagal lalong sumasarap” I guess this local tagline should explain the relativity and importance of the year statement) and what is that drink actually called. But here lays some stories that wow-ed and ahhhhh-ed me. Big boss and architect, NSM loves to travel and explore the world. And from his trips, he would secure a bottle or two to embottle and cage his memories in that trip. I am so much inspired with his idea because hey, not a collector type of person here. If I have it, I consume it. I am practical in that sense and aspect. I don’t appreciate the idea of collecting items and be forsaken with your own rule: “For your eyes only”. But these bottles of liquor like those pictures in an album are worth a million words. They are not merely collection of liquors from around the globe but a compilation of stories.

 

Of course, I can’t forgive myself if I would not be able to capture an image of the oldest item in the collection. I think this is the one (If my search has served me right then). 1970! C’mmon! Mama is just six years old here and I am not even an egg cell here. J

Here’s another interesting story behind the architect’s cellar. The most important items in the place, I guess, were these bottles which were produced and availed from the year his sons and daughters were born. On the picture is a 1976 Bordeaux which remind him of his first son, my boss and also one of the great yet humble architect I know. The idea of securing a good bottle after receiving a blessing of a good son or daughter in that year is very creative and sweet for me. Dad’s love. Ahhhhhh!!! LLL Now I am confused if I am impressed with my boss as a collector or as a father.

Anyway, enough of heart melting dramas. Here are more of the images of the cellar…

To make it more personal and truly his own, he had a bottle from I-forgot country where his name was engraved in the bottle. How about the effes signature on a bottle in soon time for me huh? Cool!

Truly, this place is a cellar. Because to me, the true essence of an alcohol is to bring out a good conversation with some friends or family. And obviously, each is nuff conversation piece whether or not you appreciate liquors.

Klein, here and now, signing off://

#liquors #alcohol #whiskey #rhum #red wine #white wine #name it #the architect #the cellar #NSM #BJM #Baguio #travel blog

THE STRAWBERRY FARM part 02/02

13 June 2014//:

@Four, and on part 02/02, Klein, here and now, signing on...

“If this is a game, I would use my last life for this. If I had a genie, I would use my last wish for this. If I had pulled on the trigger, I would use my last bullet.”

Collect and Select.As a blogger, I often would capture a lot of images of my subject and then in preparing the blog would just select the best shots. In shorter terms, Collect and select. It is my personal instinct rule to assure that I have many options and to the very least, must have captured one worth-many-words picture. But todate, I think I need to break my self-imposed rule. I cannot limit the number of pictures I am to feature. They all deserve to be seen and appreciated as I have.

"I have no other wish than a close fusion with nature, and I desire no other fate than to have worked and lived in harmony with her laws." -Claudet Monet

(Well, I just got this nature travel quote from my friend, Mr. Google. The line has substance and is relative but I wouldn't fool you. The truth is, I don't know who Claudet Monet is and her significance to adventure and tours. Hahaha!)

I, as an architect, would advocate the appreciation to architecture and everything which our creative minds have imagined with our equally creative hands have translated. But todate, I, just as a human, acknowledge and appreciates the creations of my creator. God’s made. God’s given.

This… is nature at its perfect ten.

This… is a taste of heaven.

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust

The green leafy vegetable! (We actually argue in the office on what caption or title to place here. So let's make it simple) :

The Lettuces (Now I am sure what to call this. Hahaha) :

The Onion:

The Corn:

  

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." -St. Augustine

Ooops! I too doubted if the place is really labelled as Strawberry Farm when there are so much more than strawberries. But yup, it is just called Strawberry Farm because it is best known for the strawberries. However, we know many more fruits and vegetation are equally bountiful in this place.

Klein, here and now, signing off://

BTS//:

 

#travel blog #food blog #strawberries #Baguio #road #trip #love #the effes signature #it’s more fun in the philippines #nature travel #byahe ni frank

THE STRAWBERRY FARM part 01/02

13 June 2014//:

@Four, and of part 01, Klein, here and now, signing on...

Last June 06, 2014, we, among the architecture department of the N. S. Mangio& Associates climb to Baguio for our team outing. Working among professionals, as expected, we have prepared an itinerary to assure the worth of the trip and of every stop. First on our list is this visit in the Strawberry Farm. Although rainy season has been knocking on the door and crops may be off-seasoned, nothing has stopped us to see the backstage of figuratively applauded strawberries and other crops. This is not like an exposure trip in a pencil factory because we know the major player in the production here is in the higher state, the one who have so much love to give and therefore so many beautiful things to architect.

This, I guess, is the first time for me to blog about something when I would just like to post images and fall in-love with them. I am a way-to-go professional photographer but look at these shots!Need I say more? How can I talk with a dirty big mouth on the beautiful creations of my creator?

As I walk in this farm, I remember my mom. Mama often would tell me that her two simple wishes in life were 1.) to shop in a supermarket without looking at the price tags with worries and; 2.) to wake up in the morning, toil the soil in her backyard garden (a smaller version of this farm), grow some vegetation and send her crops to her children. You might judge her quickly upon knowing these now as too shallow. But as I make more steps in this farm, I realized the true essence of her wishes. The first wish is sustainability and perhaps, abundance. She prays for our daily bread. The second wish tells me something profounder. The backyard garden or farm symbolizesher goal to keep herself on the same ground. That despite being able to sustain our needs and in abundance, our wants, she prays that we can still appreciate simple things with contentment.Also, it reminds me that she strives for us to soar high yet not to be detached with nature and the modest lifestyle.

“Seeing the life in the farm, I saw abundance yet I felt the simplicity. Capturing images on the place’s beauty, I saw pride yet I felt the humility.”

The strawberries:

The flowers (I know this title is so dumb! My brain can not comprehend much as my eyes are struck):

The other flower perspective:

The sunflower:

With a silly expression I have shared to my officemates, I say, my eyes are today de-virginized with real sunflower. I could not actually believe that they are this big in scale. And just as any other virgin on his first DND tooottt thing, I blushed upon seeing the flower. What damn good thing have I done to deserve to see for myselfsuch a beautiful creation in this world? Hahahaha! Meanwhile, I happened to see this thing and at a glance thought it is a house of warp, soon to realize that it is a portion of a dried sunflower.

The people behind the farm and the fruits:

Few days ago, while I was watching a local TV network interview with former senator, Kiko Pangilinan, I heard an inspiring thought. He shared that we have high regards to doctors, lawyers, architects and like. Yes, no questions on that, we need them in our society and to be personal and particular, n our lives. But counting in simple arithmetic, we would at least rely on them and their knowledge or skills in an average of less than 10 times in our lives. But have we ever pondered that in our typical daily lives, we actually rely on these humble people. These very people we do not pay any regard of. It is never easy to pass any licensure exam. I credit what is of credit, do not get me wrong. But neither it is easy to farm under varying extreme weather. My point is we play a great balance of system in this world. We portray different roles in the society and I bet we do it with our best cards. I just feel the need of greater appreciation for the efforts and hard work of these men, of this sector, of these equally co-existential citizens. Today, in this blog, I recognize these people who truly are the stewards of the beautiful creation.

Klein, here and now, signing off://

#travel blog #strawberry farm #farmers #Baguio #road #trip #love #the effes signature #it’s more fun in the philippines #byahe ni frank