REMINISCING

It’s been a long long time since I have written, not that I do not have time, because I do have all the time in the world , I am just extremely lazy I guess.  Right now, I am currently in a reminiscing mode, I have been for two days now. I listening to Cynthia Alexander now, a great artist from the Philippines that was greatly part of my college life and the years after that.

Cynthia Alexander

Those years were the most creative ones for me and it was beautiful. The experience , the journey,  and I  literally felt beautiful inside and outside: ) They say you are like illuminating.Those days were spent in places like the Conspiracy Garden Cafe, 70′s bistro , both of these are in Quezon City area and the last is in Saguijo, which is in Makati.  All of the these still exists but I personally love 70s Bisto and Conspiracy: )

I was with really wonderful people too during these time and they inspire me to be great everyday!!! I felt inspired , so high with emotions and creativity ( not with drugs ok). So heres the you tube link of the song I am  listening to.

This song was written by Maningning Miclat , a talented Filipina poet who wrote beautiful things. She died of suicide while I was still in college. If you speak Tagalog the song is below, if not then feel the music and you will understand. This song is by Joey Ayala , Cynthia’s brother.

Berso #2
ni Maningning Miclat

Dumaan ako sa tahimik na ilog,
Ang buong mundo ay parang natutulog
Kung may bunga mang sa tubig ay mahulog
Parang ang puso ko itong nadudurog.

Kung mag-isa ako huwag nang isipin
Sa dilim ay dapat pa akong hanapin
Habang may luha ay huwag pang ibigin
Sa pangarap ko ay huwag nang gisingin.

Kaya kong maghintay sa mga tula mo
Marinig sa awit ng kabilang dako
At tuklasin sa paglalakad na ito
Hamog at luha ng bulaklak at damo.

Mapapanood ang sayaw ng tutubi
Mapapakinggan ang ibong humuhuni
Hihinahon ang pusong di mapakali
At hihimlay na sa mapayapang gabi.

Dumaan ako sa tahimik na ilog,
Ang buong mundo ay parang natutulog
Kung may bunga mang sa tubig ay nahulog
Parang ang puso ko nga itong nadudurog.

If you are interested to know what this means then just message me: )

you may check Cynthia’s my space at http://www.myspace.com/cynthialexander

and check Maninning at http://www.maningning.com/home.htm

Mis joyas!!!

I haven’t been selling for quite a while now and ever since I came here in Argentina. I have made a few pieces though to pass the time. I found it a bit difficult to find out , as to how things work here. Apart from that, I am no longer in the Philippines where I  have contacts. Also I don’t knowing how the market goes here.  I am afraid that I am really lazy with my Spanish too : ( Yikessss!!!! Sometimes it just feels so tiring to be in a new place, new everything!!!!: )

So here I am, hoping that somebody would encounter what I have been doing.

Feel free to write at pilipinaenargentina@gmail.com for any inquiry.

Si queres pregunta algo sobre estos joyas  , mi e mail es pilipinaenargentina@gmail.com

That is my attempt to speak spanish: )

The Creations

I think I must be having a wedding fever when I made the ethereal collection, because it was just so so white: ) Of course my husband didn’t propose yet at this time. This is probably the most daintiest piece of necklace I have ever made. My style used to be so random and crazy looking, however this is not. It looks fragile and really feminine.

Ethereal Necklace (glass leaves,swarovski,fresh water pearls)

Ethereal bracelet

After trying to be heavenly with my pieces, summer is coming and here are the latest addition. Star fish , star fish , star fish, I just love them!!!! I made these last week, which explains why I have not posted anything. These are inspired by the sea. I miss the lovely beaches back in the Philippines and those crystal clear waters: )

Sea Dreams( metal star fish, glass beads, suede )

Star Fish Fantasy ( torquoise,metal star fish, glass beads, shell) Big rings are really popular these days!!!

Joyas

my apologies for not posting anything for the longest time, I have been trying my hand in making jewels again: ) I shall post pictures of the pictures soon. They are available for sale in Argentina only.

Apart from that, I just enrolled myself in a singing class!! Now I am really being Filipino: ) To all my friends, don’t be surprised this is just me trying another thing again!!!

photo by mayang or kate i think: )

I made my own top and the necklace of course: )

Peace through music

Unite the world as one

Twin Eagle Drum Group , New Mexico

Sinamuva, Umlazi South Africa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I23Bkk92124&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM&feature=channel

Sechen Monk

The songs on this album is indeed very inspiring!! I swear I cannot stop listening to it. I think it is amazing how they came all together and blended in one beautiful song. It is a fact that music is a tool that unites people , no matter where you come from and whatever language you speak. I personally love a lot of songs that I don’t even understand, because there are things that does not need to be understood, you just have to feel it. When you feel it, no matter what language, then you will begin to understand: ) This is the power of music , it really transcends people to a higher plane.

Grandpa Elliott, New Orleans Louisiana

The Inspiration

Playing for Change is a movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race.

from: http://playingforchange.com/

Oneness Choir, Varadayapalem India

Sur Sudha, Nepal

Pokei Klaas, Guguletu South Africa

Hanoi and Luang Prabang textiles

Vietnam embroidery and Laos quilts

Silk for sale in Hanoi. Such an eye candy!!!!

I think it is a fact that most women really love shopping. They can walk around for hours looking for the perfect shoes and dress. While most of them can’t go home without bringing anything, others have enough self control not to buy. Although I admit I love shoes, clothes and jewelries, I do have that self control. Thanks to my mother!!! However this is something that I learned over the years : )

linen by Tan My. This dragonfly design is exactly like mine!!!

My mother doesn’t like shopping that much. She gets really tired going around the mall, but there is something she can’t resist. She adores beautiful glass vases!! That is just one of it though, but one of the things that I have acquired from her is to appreciate embroidery. As much as my mother can’t resist vases, I feel the same way for embroidery or great fabrics!!! This is something I would buy on the spot if I really love it.

Back in 2006, I was on a trip around Asia and although I always love Thailand for the wonderful selection of jewelry, how can I not love Hanoi, Vietnam as well as Luang Prabang Laos for the fabrics!!!! Hanoi is really famous for their silks and embroidery. I just fell in love with the exquisite handmade embroidery, that I bought a set of bed linen. If I am not mistaken I must have bought mine from Tan My (66 Hang Gai), but don’t worry, just walk around the streets of Hanoi, and you will surely find another store. Just pick a good one as not all of them are great. I should know, I spent hours just to find my favorite sheets!!!

Motorbikes in Hanoi are a nightmare!!!!

The trading for Vietnamese embroidery has existed for more than 700 years.  It was traditionally part of the culture and a popular activity for girls.  If you are not fun of embroidery, Vietnam has a lot to offer, such as really nice lacquer ware, silk, rice paper and lots of other stuffs. There is another thing that caught my eye there as well, the bags!!! If you are bag crazy, then you will love it in Hanoi. Make sure not to bring so many items with you when you go to Vietnam because that would mean a lot of excess baggage. Although I love the embroidery in Vietnam, I also hate the motorbikes. They drive me absolutely crazy!!! I wouldn’t know how to cross the street in that country.

This is my favorite photo. I just adore flowers

Night market in Luang Prabang.I love those lanterns: )

After my Hanoi experience, I also went to Luang Prabang, Laos. I believe this is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The most wonderful and warm people ever indeed, so simple and pure. I just find them so holy and peaceful. They are so faithful with their belief, and to me that’s very admirable. I have also never seen so many monks in my life! You will never fail to see someone wearing orange while walking. Be sure to rent a place near a temple so you get to see the monks very early in the morning when they all go out in the streets.

Laos quilts

The center of Luang Prabang is very small but it has plenty of French Colonial houses and lots of pretty restaurants and temples. In the evening they have a night market that sells all sorts of colorful wallets, bedroom slippers, pillow cases, shawls and lanterns. The quilts are my favorite!!! I just couldn’t resist the bed cover no matter how heavy it was!! The symbols and designs on these textiles are called, paj’ntaub (pronounced “Pan Dau”) which means “flowery cloth”.

I did not have a suitcase with wheels and all those kind of comfort, since we went back packing that time and all I had was a huge back pack. My spinal column suffered so much from all the bed linens and the jewelry. My friend even teased me that I was a grandma, because bought linens! I carried so much stuff on my way back to Philippines, but I was very happy: ) Not only was I happy of the wonderful things I bought, but also I was at peace to know such a wonderful place like Luang Prabang.

A monk on his way to the temple ( Luang Prabang )

Restaurant in Luang Prabang.I had breakfast here: )

Where to buy in Luang Prabang:

Sisavang Vong Road

Hmong market

Night Market

Grandmas at a park in Hanoi

Where to buy in Hanoi

Tan My (66 Hang Gai)

http://www.tanmyembroidery.com.vn/content/view/13/28/

Chi Vang (17 Trang Tien) Hanoi, Vietnam

Old Quarter

For more information:

All photos were taken by me except for the quilt and the embroidery.

http://www.hmong-handwork.org/index.html

THE TANGO

Stop and feel this music before you read on……(Por-una-cabeza-music.mp3)

In every movie, there are scenes that linger and stay with us for a lifetime. For me, that scene would be Al Pacino dancing in the movie Scent of a Woman. I was very young when I saw that movie, and yet I found that dance and song so beautiful and powerful, but then I never knew what the whole dance meant. This same song and dance appeared again in the movie True Lies.  I could still hear that song in my ears even without hearing it, but my knowledge ended there.

On December of 2007 I went on a trip to Italy and there I met this person who loves Astor Piazolla. I don’t know what he plays, all I know is that he was a musician. 6 months later I was on a visit to Philippines and there I found a CD by Astor Piazolla which was recorded by one of my friends. I never even knew it was there. So I listened to it for the first time, then after that I did a little research on the musician and found out that he was Argentinean and he plays Tango music. 5 months later, I sit on a restaurant in La Boca, Buenos Aires watching the Tango.

Tango querido viejo, tango que me embargas con la cadencia de tu música sentida

(Dear tango, old tango that overpowers me with the cadence of its felt music)

From El Choclo by Juan Carlos Marambio Catan (1930) and Enrique Santos Discepolo (1946)

So this is the Tango!!! The scene that lingered all these years was Tango and the song was “ Por Una Cabeza”  by no other than Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera. Carlos Gardel is the famous singer who sang the Tango from Paris to New York, his crooning voice and charisma was a hit. Sadly, he died on plane crash in Columbia at height of his career.

The Tango had a long history for where it is now, respected and admired by millions of people around the world. It used to be frowned upon by the elites and the high government officials.  The tango then was a sinful and shameful element.

The Tango was born around 1880 on the borders of Buenos Aires, in the bars, cafes, gambling houses and brothels. During this time there were a lot of immigrants from France, Italy and Spain and men coming from other barrios going to Buenos Aires to look for a job and better life. Having left their families and women behind, the loneliness swept them in this passionate dance that expresses a lot of their emotions and longing.

The social dance during those times were quite conservative since partners stand opposite to each other, but the Tango has invaded all the personal space you could think of, the cheeks so close, chests together, the sensual looks and all the caressing.

The men who came from the middle class and elite families who went on adventures and danced in these places  found themselves swept by the Tango, but as soon as they come home, the women in the same class are not open to this and would not dance with them. These men ended up practicing with other men as well. However this wasn’t a mark of homosexuality.

Eventually, they were able to brought this dance to their families. They taught their sisters, aunts, and the girls in their neighborhood. Slowly the tango was already danced in the homes of these classes. The most progressive years of Argentina was between 1880 – 1930 and they maintained that till the early 50’s.  They were even one of the 10 richest nations in the world, and for this reason the rich Argentinean families had houses in Europe where some of the members of the family introduced the Tango. Eventually it became a fashion for these elite societies.

Now the tango is inviting people from all over the world to do the dance!! They come to Argentina to learn and dance like the locals. The tango is no longer to be frowned upon. Now it has become part of the culture. It has become the dance of Argentina to the world.