Caffé Sant'Antonio serves wood-fired pizza and coffee

Caffé Sant'Antonio located along the Aguinaldo Highway is one of the few places in the Tagaytay - Cavite area that serves Italian style pizza freshly cooked in a wood-fired oven (see picture below). 

The wood-fired oven at the pizzeria uses any kind of available dry wood.

The pizzeria is themed after the movie "The Roman Holiday" starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

The pizzeria is attached to the main coffee shop that serves desserts, tea, and coffee. The cafe opens at 8 am and the pizzeria at 10:30 am. They are closed on Mondays. All orders including pizza and pasta are taken at this counter.

We enjoyed the pizza, pasta, sandwich, desserts and coffee that we ordered, including the slow cooked wood-fired oven roasted chicken that we got for takeout. We would be interested to visit this place again.

The coffee shop and pizzeria are attached to the Rogate Store that sells Catholic images, books, gifts, and church supplies. The compound is located beside Rogationist College.

Caffé Sant'Antonio is not too far from the Tagaytay Rotonda, around 4 kilometers and comes immediately after Gourmet Farms. 

For this orphanage, Ivory soap is a big help

For this orphanage, Ivory soap is a big help

If you are looking for a beneficiary of your kindness this Christmas season and beyond, you may wish to consider the Heart of Mary Villa (HOMV) managed by Good Shepherd nuns in the Philippines and established in 1957.

HOMV is not only an orphanage. It is also a halfway house for unwed mothers. Their Mission Statement reads, “Heart of Mary Villa offers compassionate and dynamic care to women pregnant outside of marriage and to surrendered and abandoned children waiting for their families.”

According to HOMV’s Directress Sister Lorenza Sangalang, there is a shortfall of donations compared with the actual operational expenses that they incur regularly. Following is HOMV’s wish list for donations in kind:

1) Milk – Bonamil, Bonakid (1-3 yrs old) 

2) Diaper – EQ brand, size M, L, XL

3) Ivory soap

4) Baby shampoo

The above items can easily be mailed via LBC or balikbayan box. Please send the items to Sister Lorenza Sangalang, HOMV Directress at the following address:

1043 Aurora Boulevard
1108 Quezon City

For those interested to send cash donations, you may deposit to the following account:

Heart of Mary Villa
BPI Xavierville Branch
Peso Savings Account No. 4441-0095-13

For more details, you can email heartofmaryvilla@yahoo.com or visit their website at www.heartofmaryvilla.org

The Conrad opens by the Manila Bay

We were warmly greeted by hotel staff and led to the third floor reception area where guests can also enjoy a good view of the Manila Bay. 

While waiting for our turn at the reception desk, Conrad Manila's Journey Ambassador Pablo Arguelles, who hails from Spain, engaged us in a short chat and made sure we had all the assistance we needed. If there is one thing the hotel can be proud of, it is the overall attentiveness of their staff, at least during our visit.

Compared to the nearby Solaire Resort and Casino that boasts of lavish interiors and amenities, Conrad Manila seems minimalist in its approach.

To cite, toothbrushes were only available upon request. At the gym and sauna, there were no toiletries except body soap, plus the usual blow drier, slippers and towels.

The Brasserie on 3 Restaurant offers buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

While enjoying the breakfast buffet, diners may wish to stop at the healthy bowl section that serves Greek yogurt and an array of nuts (macadamia, walnut, pine, pistachio).

During the lunch buffet, the seafood selection at The Brasserie on 3 Restaurant didn't look too enticing on the day we dropped by.

A few pastries are available at the first floor. However, the view is limited and the tables face the hotel driveway.

Another restaurant called China Blue by Jereme Leung serves modernized Chinese cuisine.

There is an upscale mall called S Maison adjacent to the hotel. There are a few restaurants and well known brands such as Cole Haan, Shiseido, Fully Booked, and more.

Towards the end of the day, some hotel guests simply look forward to viewing or taking pictures of the Manila Bay sunset that is free for everyone to enjoy.

Of course, certain hotel guests also appreciate this evening surprise from Conrad Manila.

Almost blind once, HR Manager finds new life in her paintings

"I'm very happy that I can have my normal day job and paint on the side," Ioni says.

Almost blind once, HR manager finds new life in her paintings

Ioni Mendoza’s job as Human Resources (HR) Manager covers regional assignments in Australia, New Zealand, North Asia, and Southeast Asia. She works for a contract research organization that handles clinical research requirements from pharmaceutical companies.

During weekends, however, you are most likely to find her painting either with Western art (oil) or Chinese art (Shui Mo). She happens to do both.

“As a child, it has always been my interest,” she starts. 

She was interested to take Fine Arts in college but because she came from a family of six children, practicality guided her educational choice at the University of Santo Tomas. Ioni finished AB Behavioral Science Cum Laude and eventually pursued her Master in Business Administration from the same school and graduated Magna Cum Laude.

While working in HR for a company at the RCBC Tower, Ioni would receive invitations to join traditional Chinese watercolor classes, also known as Shui Mo, at the Yuchengco Museum. The first ten sessions taught by a respected teacher Arsenia Lim covered bamboo, plum blossom, and chrysanthemum subjects.

At that point, she realized that she had a lot to learn but received encouragement with her painting composition. It was also during these classes, around the year 2011, that a classmate introduced her to a Western art teacher Adler Llagas of Ecca Gallery. Eventually, she worked under the tutelage of Brando Bati.

“It was really a dream for me to be able to pursue my passion. Before I thought it was unreachable. Now I’m happy that I can pursue both Eastern and Western art.”

Ioni has since joined yearly group exhibits starting in 2012 at Ecca Gallery, 2013 at a Chinese painting exhibit in Binondo, 2014 at the Old Manila Gallery, and 2015 at the Philippine Heart Center.

This year 2016, she is also joining the Philippine Zi-Der Chinese Art Club’s 10th Anniversary Exhibit of Professor Arsenia Lim and her students at the main lobby of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Binondo, Manila to be held on October 16 – 19, 2016.

Eye operation

Unknown to a lot of people, Ioni had “ulcer of the cornea” as a baby. This meant taking steroids for more than twenty years until her cornea got thinner (side effect of medication). 

In 2004, before she even started her painting classes, Ioni underwent a corneal transplant in her right eye with the help of Dr. Cosme Naval, ophtalmologist at Cardinal Santos. According to Ioni, he was the one who aggressively pushed for the operation in order to save her eye. 

On hindsight, Ioni thinks that the whole experience was a miracle.

“The timing of my transplant is such that we had the right donor when the cornea burst during the operation.”

She was also able to work after a few months and continued with post-operational visits.

Ioni is deeply grateful for the opportunity to pursue her painting. “I feel that my art now is truly a blessing because I thought at one point in my life that I would lose my eyesight.”

Other plans

Ioni still hopes to study painting and to exhibit abroad, if circumstances allow. She once received an invitation to exhibit in Winnipeg, Canada but funds were limited. 

She is also happily single and is open to meeting the right man. When asked in jest what her specifications are in choosing the ultimate guy, Ioni reveals.

“He has to be God-fearing, self-driven, and can afford to send me to painting class abroad.” She answers succinctly.


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Ioni will exhibit some of her paintings at the Philippine Zi-Der Chinese Art Club's 10th Anniversary Exhibit of Chinese Calligraphy and Paintings by Prof. Arsenia Lim and Students at the main lobby of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Binondo, Manila on October 16-19, 2016.

Chinese painting is rich in meaning and symbolism.

These cranes symbolize longevity.

For Ioni, painting is also a great stress reliever.

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Postscript: Ioni has studied under Arsenia Lim for many years. However, she admits mixing both Western and Eastern techniques once in a while. 

"I will no longer correct your work because you have your own style," her teacher once said.

Calado painter Araceli Limcaco Dans to exhibit her sculptures

Araceli Limcaco Dans opens a new art exhibit on 22 September to 04 October 2016 at Ayala Museum's ArtistSpace, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Avenue corner Dela Rosa Streets from Monday to Sunday 10am to 7pm. Entrance is free.

Calado is a form of Philippine embroidery design used in traditional Filipino dresses (see picture above). As a child, I was fascinated with the detailed painting rendition of the fabric design that I later found out were the works of Araceli Limcaco Dans. I have remembered her name since, especially since my former ballet teacher, National Artist Leonor Orosa Goquingco, also appreciated her talent.

The U.P. Sigma Delta Phi Alumnae Association is sponsoring an art exhibit titled "Ang Mundo ni Inay" to feature the paintings and paper sculptures of Araceli Limcaco Dans. The Philippine General Hospital Sagip Buhay Medical Foundation, Inc. is a beneficiary of this project.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to ask Araceli Limcaco Dans a few questions, with the help of her grandson Carlo Isidoro. Sharing our online correspondence here:

You are well known for the intricate calado design in your paintings. How did you get started doing that particular artwork?

How did I start the calado?  I began primarily as a portrait painter. I loved painting portraits. Most of my portraits looked like the persons who posed for me. I never used photographs, and I always tried to inject the character of the sitter. I enjoyed commissions from painting portraits. 

But the time came when people who commissioned me wanted me to make their portrait look 20 years younger or even 20 pounds thinner. I looked for a venue to vent my frustration. I discovered several Filipino artists from the turn of the century who were home grown. Ysidro Arceo, Antonio Malantic, and Simon Flores to name a few. They painted ordinary people around them clothed in baro at saya, maria clara, camisa de chino and barong tagalog. What impressed me the most was their clothing.  Their clothes showed the transparency of piña cloth, jusi or sinamai, and the floral calado embroidery were delicate and exquisite.  

How many years have you been doing calado paintings?

I started doing the calado series around the mid-80's, so about 30 years ago.  

Has it evolved over time or do you stick with the same patterns?

Through time my patterns from drawing still life became inventions from imagination to avoid monotony. 

What got you into paper sculptures?

I've always wanted to do sculpture, but the different sources were too cumbersome. 

Do you now spend more time sculpting or painting?

I just recently went into sculpture which i also paint.  So i did both simultaneously.

Why did you choose motherhood as a theme for this exhibit?

I chose motherhood as a theme because i have 10 children and forty grandchildren, many of them also became mothers. 

Any insights you would like to share on motherhood?

Whatever you planted in your child since birth, you will harvest in later years. 

Do you have some advice for artists who wish to follow in your footsteps? 

My advice to other artists is to use your own experience, your own environment. Dig into your soul as you do your art. Make sure your work communicates with people from all walks of life.  

At this point in your artistic career, is there anything else that you plan to try? 

Yes I want to share my new experience of using paper pulp by teaching others.  The medium is not expensive, it is therapeutic and it can be developed into usable objects or museum pieces and it can develop into an industrial enterprise. 

How would you sum up your life as artist and mother?

Most of us undergo various hardships and problems in life. Serenity and peace come with it alternately as we learn from our mistakes.

From our past experiences, as we develop love and understanding and forgiveness, we can depart from this world lightly, without carrying any baggage to join our maker. 


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Here are two masterpieces by Araceli Limcaco Dans sculpting paper clay. Interested parties can join the Buyers' Night on 21 September 2016 Wednesday at ArtistSpace in Makati.

"Araw ng Linggo"

"Dumaan ang Parada"

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Sharing a few exhibit notes here:


Araceli Limcaco Dans exhibit depicts Filipino women as both feminine and brave

The Araceli Limcaco Dans art exhibit titled “Ang Mundo ni Inay” runs until 04 October 2016 at Ayala Museum’s ArtistSpace in Makati. 

It is a celebration of motherhood that embodies Dans’ own life having raised ten children. The catalogue reads:

“Ang Mundo ni Inay explores the core of the Filipino feminine. Dans continues the rhetoric in the same tradition, but through her own eyes and experience of having laboriously reared her own brood of ten children.”

Dans captured mother and child in different situations, usually nurturing the young or putting them to sleep. These images were constructed in both acrylic on canvas and paper clay sculpture.

“These visual and tactile elements work together to construct a vision of motherhood that is idealized, fearless, and contemplative – whilst also celebrating the valor of the foremost feminine figure, the Mother.”

Another acrylic painting called “Pagkatapos ng Ulan” (After the Rain) provided symbols of a mother’s strength.

“Pagkatapos ng Ulan, on the other hand, features a stark contrast of a finely woven piece of lace against a clump of brown crumbling leaves; it presupposes the aftertmath. The lace is left undamaged and unscarred after a storm, suggesting the triumph of one’s inner strength against the challenges of adversity.”

One of the highlights of the exhibit is an acrylic on paper painting called “Panuelo ni Eva” (The shawl of Eve). The two-piece painting is “the work of a master in her own craft: exquisite, luxurious, rich in fine texture of the pina cloth Dans arduously paints. Yet behind all the refinement, the viewer is urged to take a closer look at the shrouded misery and grief of innocent faces: children as victims of violence, surreptitiously hidden in the folds and creases, clouded from the eyes of society.”

National Artist Leonor Orosa Goquingco was reported to have said this: “You are floored by the Dans paintings, stunned…Whether by man or woman, these paintings are perfection itself, the epitome of elegance. And they, and the painter as well, are destined for immortality.”

Entertainment City's emerging scene

Entertainment City’s emerging scene

A throng of slot machine players flood Solaire’s gigantic gaming floor on a Sunday afternoon that it is hard to believe news reports that they are actually in the red. 

Of course, the real money makers would be the big players (such as the Chinese market that did not materialize in large numbers due to the Spratly Islands tension). Nevertheless, Korean visitors seem to be more visible nowadays.

Families with children are allowed to walk along selected aisles, much to the chagrin of more conservative parents who are concerned about exposing their children to gambling. For example, the only way to reach the food court would be to pass through these aisles. 

In other casinos like City of Dreams, the gaming area is isolated and children are not allowed inside the premises.

A third casino called Okada Manila is currently being built and is expected to open before the end of 2016.

These casinos seem to have found a way to attract not just playing adults but families as well. For example, City of Dreams touts its popular DreamPlay arena geared especially for children.

At City of Dreams, however, there is no food court area for the general public, as compared to other casinos.

Crown Towers Manila in City of Dreams, along with other hotels in Entertainment City, offers staycation packages for families. The lobby centerpiece is a favorite spot for selfies and family pics.

The buffet breakfast at Crown Towers is ordered from the menu (eat all you can) with a few breads and pastries displayed at the table.

At Solaire Resorts, the rooms are spacious enough for families, with their double beds. Other casino hotels offer similar amenities but may have different policies on children.

The suites at the newer Solaire Sky Tower include a sofa area and special bathroom amenities like Ferragamo shampoo and soap.

A few years back, I wrote for the Philippine Daily Inquirer about the developing casino industry in the Philippines. At that time, there was huge opposition about its development.

http://business.inquirer.net/26329/gaming-instinct-growing-casino-industry-in-philippines

However, the current scene is a reality that cannot be completely ignored. There appears a need for families to understand and explain the new phenomenon to their children (usually when the question arises).

In a country that is predominantly Catholic, the church does not expressly prohibit gambling in reasonable amounts but has given guidelines many years ago.

It is a fact, however, that gambling can easily become an addiction. Thus, the perspective on casinos needs to reviewed with much caution.

Villar mall across Ayala Nuvali opens

Compared to Ayala Nuvali with open spaces that are not air conditioned, the newly opened Vista Mall by the Villar group is mostly enclosed in a fully air conditioned building.

The cinema is one of the few first ones to open. Most stores are still being built.

Right by the entrance of the mall is a Cantonese restaurant called Sam's.

Sam's Restaurant is a casual dining place that serves Cantonese food and dimsum.

This seafood noodle dish was good.

The xiao long pao is one their dimsum specials.

They also serve roast duck.

Inside the mall is a coffee shop and restaurant that originated from Subic.

They serve comfort food such as rice and pasta dishes, as well as coffee and desserts.

It's one place to hang out after lunch.

Another restaurant that opened is a Korean franchise called Chicken and Beer. We have yet to try this one.

Another Chinese restaurant called Legend Hongkong Seafood Restaurant also opened near Sam's. 

We like their dimsum service.

Beef with broccoli dish.

This is called Legend fried chicken.

Yang chow fried rice.

People flock to J.Co especially after a meal or for some takeout.

These are some of the establishments that have opened in Vista Mall as of 04 June 2016. The rest of the stores are still being built. 

So far, it looks like Vista Mall has made some unique and interesting choices.

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A recent addition is Coffee Project also by the Villar group. This is their fourth branch.

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Denny's had a soft launch last 14 November 2016. It is open 24 hours on weekends.