BALLET DAY

{Cotton On dress, Christian Louboutin pumps, Michael Kors bag}

Last Saturday, I got to enjoy the ballet with my Tita Becky. I was really excited when she messaged me because it's been a while since I've watched ballet and remember how 7-year old me was enthralled by Lisa Macuja Elizalde? Well, this performance was under her company, Ballet Manila for Dance MNL. I was kinda stumped with what to wear coz I personally require myself to wear something dressy for shows as a sign of respect to the performers and their craft. Since it was an afternoon affair, a day dress would've sufficed, but have I mention most of my clothes are still in transit from Singapore? Good thing I had this tent dress tucked in the corners of my maleta! (Yep, I haven't unpacked yet, hahaha!) Even if it was black, it was cotton so it's not too formal. I also decided to stick with neutral accents (and lipstick) so it wouldn't look too "dark".

Anyway, it turned out being such a memorable afternoon, starting off with lunch at a Filipino tradition: Aristocrat. Tita Becky, Sister Delia and I opted for the classic chicken barbecue but Ms. Vicky, another one of Tita's guests to the ballet who also happens to be the branch manager, thought our table looked sad so she got us to try the fresh lumpia, lumpiang shanghai, and their super yummy sago't gulaman. Oh my god, I love sago't gulaman. 

sago't gulaman, fresh lumpia, lumpiang shanghai, boneless chicken barbeque

After that, it was off to CCP to delight our eyes out. Dance MNL is a "bi-annual festival that celebrates this Filipino dance story of achievement and resilience" and this particular staging of Giselle had an all Ballet Manila cast. It was the debut of Katherine Barkman as the lead for full-length production and my God, she was amazing! I couldn't believe that she's only 19 years old! Ballet Manila employs the Vaganova technique so my tita told me to pay close attention to their hands and feet. She didn't have to tell me coz the dancers' grace and agility had me so mesmerized! I was like wowwww, I wanna be just like them! They're so freakin' graceful and the ballet was really beautiful. I only wish that we had a live orchestra to make something already great even better. :)

#fromwhereistand

The gala performance was dedicated to Tita Radaic, Lisa Macuja's former ballet teacher. Outside the hall, there was this tribute to Tita Radaic and Alice Reyes - two Filipina dance icons. 

Dance Icons: Felicitas Radaic and Alice Reyes

According to the CCP website: "Upon entering the orchestra section, guests are greeted by National Artist for Visual Arts Vicente Manansalas' brass sculpture the Seven Arts". I tried to capture the whole thing below (and failed) but it really is such a striking piece!

Seven Arts by Vicente Manansalas

On stage at the Nicanor Abelardo theatre was yet another Filipino icon - Hernando R. Ocampo. I was starring at it for the longest time wondering how long it took him to paint that thing. Sobrang galing!!

Okay fine, I googled and found out that "The main stage curtain is patterned after the Genesis (Simula) painting of the National Artist Hernando Ocampo." Medyo wild nga naman if he painted the whole thing, hehe!

Selfie or it didn't happen, lol

this time with Tita Becky. Thank you so much, tita!!!

Guys, let's acknowledge how effortlessly chic my tita is in her linen dress and Raybans. 

Anyway, during the intermission (and while I was taking photos, hahaha) I saw a rainbow in the freakin' fountain. How cool is that?!?! Sometimes, you find things in the strangest places talaga.

can you see the rainbow? :)

Anyway, I spent the whole of today in bed under house arrest coz according to my mom, I really need to shoo the bug I caught once and for all. Luke told me to go see a doctor last night when I told him I still wasn't feeling 100%. I laughed and said I'm not in Singapore anymore. MC's are but a thing of the past and the only medical clearance (and judgement) I need is my mama's. <- Probably not the wisest thing I said, but I'm sure I'll get a free pass to go out na when my mom reads this. Hehehe! Oh, to be home again.

Hope your Monday went well!