we have a winner!

actually, two winners. :) since the first ever i gotta go! blog contest was very well-received, i thought i'd splurge a little and sponsor 4 tickets for 2 winners.

unfortunately, though, the promised video cannot be posted. as it turns out, my camera's focusing capabilities are not world-class, and it won't clearly show the name of the winner that i drew from the mug (i couldn't find a hat).

but here are some photos before and after the draw:

all 43 names of qualified contestants

folded and placed in the mug

and the winners are...

congratulations to mitch mauricio and mel for winning two passes each for john silva's national museum tour! :)

i'll be contacting you within the day to give you your passes, which are valid for tours this november. i hope you enjoy the tour as much as i did. and to those whose names weren't drawn, i hope you guys will take the time to go and visit the museum, maybe take the tour just the same. :D

hosting contests is fun, and i'll probably do it again, so check back here every now and then to see what i'll be giving away!

thanks again, everyone!

i gotta go!

so, did you win?

before you find out, i want to thank everybody who joined i gotta go!'s first ever blog contest. :) because of its success, i'm already trying to think up of the next prize. :)

no results for now, let me keep you in suspense for a little bit. consider it a halloween treat from me. :)

let me first confirm the correct answers.

the question goes:

John Silva's tour of the National Museum takes you
on a journey through Philippine art and history.
Based on this article, name three Filipino artists
whose works are on display at the museum.

and the answers are any three of the following artists:

Fernando Amorsolo

Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo

Juan Luna

Jordan P. Mang-osan

of the 46 people who commented (i included the ones in the post right below the contest, and one comment from the comment box on the right), 43 people made it to the cut.

here's a list of the people who are qualified to win 2 passes for the national museum tour:

1. che bello
2. archie
3. the showroom manager
4. jasper espinosa
5. bru
6. pi
7. her traverse is perverse
8. tish
9. nikko
10.anonymous-ibanezforever@rocketmail.com
11. azrael
12. schizoprano
13. jengkie
14. eric
15. kat
16. mitch mauricio
17. zaidbralian
18. mon
19. john paul abellera
20. cheech
21. anonymous-g6ludes@yahoo.com
22. anonymous-reoneljose.multiply.com
23. anne margaux
24. mildred
25. waltzang
26. kermin
27. klaris
28. tiff
29. reggie reginaldo
30. adventures of the instant landlady
31. leo
32. tez
33. gpsuanes
34. jennifaye
35. dave
36. bhabes
37. liza
38. mel =)
39. ar-wee-der-yet
40. sarah espina

41. sheila noreen l. gamo
42. nico robin
43. the kicking pinoy

if you think you should be part of the list, you can leave a comment here before 1230pm. :)

good luck, and check back here later to find out if you won!

GET A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE TOUR OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM!

i gotta go! is giving away a pair of passes to john silva's tour of the national museum, which includes the various galleries in the museum of the filipino people and the national art gallery in the old national museum.

all you have to do is answer this question:

John Silva's tour of the National Museum takes you
on a journey through Philippine art and history.
Based on this article, name three Filipino artists
whose works are on display at the museum.

leave your answers at the comments section, but make sure you leave a URL where i can reach you ('cause chances are, you're the winner!). all correct entries will be raffled off. a video of the draw will be posted on this site. :D

easy, ain't it? :) so, go and comment away!

one entry per person only.

contest ends at 11:59pm of thursday, october 30. winners will be announced on october 31.

this giveaway contest is open to philippine residents, but transportation to manila shall be shouldered by the winner.

i gotta go! is having a contest!

watch this page on friday, october 24. :)

you might get a chance to win

tickets for two to john silva's national museum tour!

i loved it so much, that i'm willing to sponsor your tour
so you can enjoy it as much as i did!
of course, it doesn't hurt to know that we're also helping the museum out.

see you on friday, and hope you win!

win 1 million in DBP's interisland race!

we were crawling along EDSA when i spotted a URL flash on that screen along guadalupe bridge: http://www.dbprororace2008.com.

it's a race using our very own RORO (roll-on, roll-off) transportation system, sponsored by the development bank of the philippines. and i was really surprised to find out that this is actually the third "season" of the contest. where was i when this was being advertised?!

never mind the million, if i get to join a contest such as this, i'm just going for the fun and adventure, and to find out if i can hack it. i'd like to know just how far i can go. even with my harrowing experience using the RORO some years back, i'm pretty excited to join this contest. unfortunately, i won't be able to join this year, because i already have a scheduled trip from november 7 to 12. tsk, too bad.

but for those of you who are interested to join, check out the dbp roro race 2008 website. they've posted everything you need to know, from how to join, to this year's race route. the race will be starting in bohol and will end in manila, with 9 pit stops in 6 days. phew!

i am a bit confused as to why it's being held this time of year. aren't the seas less cooperative now than during the summer? oh well. i'm just glad they're doing something like this. i really think the RORO is a fantastic idea, and anything that promotes it is something i will promote, too.

event information
"ready, set, RORO!" the dbp roro race 2008
date: november 7 to 12, 2008
deadline of entries: october 25, 2008
online application form
use this online feedback form for questions

or course your questions and entries to:
DBP INTERISLAND RACE-YEAR 3
c/o Think Ideas
Unit 406 Greenbelt Mansion
106 Perea St., Legaspi Village
Makati City 1229 Philippines
Tel. Nos.: (632) 813 7635 or (632) 813 8723
Fax: (632) 813 7635 loc. 808

nyko maca + playground belated birthday bash at saguijo

nyko maca + playground celebrates their birthday with a special pahtee at saguijo on october 23.

it's been a while since i last saw them live. it's also been a while since i saw the inside of saguijo, so this is a good reason for me to break my night-out silence, and bounce to the beat of one of my favoritest acts, and their guests:

brigada
pedicab
crowjane
sino sikat?
up dharma down

photo by 'sus pernas.

event details:
nyko maca+playground belated birthday bash
venue: saguijo (guijo street, san antonio village, makati)
date: october 23, thursday
admission: P150 with a free drink

seeing west side story

"Could it be? Yes, it could. Something's coming, something good, If I can wait!
Something's coming, I don't know what it is, but it is gonna be great!"
-"Something's Coming," West Side Story

and yep, last night's visit to the meralco theater to catch west side story did turn out really great. there's nothing like watching macho boys battle it out using choreographed rumble dance moves. :) it really makes fighting look a lot less violent.

christian bautista, who played tony, was a revelation (to me, at least). i was really impressed with the control he had over his voice. and i'm glad to know that he's branching out to the theater, and not just staying put in ASAP.

karylle, on the other hand, was just okay. her high notes were not that great, but according to susie, who's seen an earlier show this year, karylle meshes better with christian's tony than joanna ampil's maria did.

my favorite was rowena vilar, who plays anita. her voice was strong, the accent well done, and her dance moves were mesmerizing.

it was also a delight for me to finally see "gee, officer krupke" onstage. i really love that song. i just wished the jets looked better in their pants.

all in all, this theater novice enjoyed her visit to the theater, and wishes she could see more shows. :) am looking forward to hairspray and a possible romp at greenbelt's onstage for disney's mulan.

rolf potts on authentic experiences

i try and fill my travel hunger by just reading about travelers and their adventures. i stumbled upon world hum, and found an interview of rolf potts, vagabond and writer.

this part of the interview called out to me:

Q: In the introduction to “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There,” you note one of the major themes in your writing: “The challenge of identifying ‘authenticity’ in post-traditional settings.” How should travelers go about identifying authenticity? Or, at this point, is the search for authenticity just a fool’s errand? If so, what should travelers be seeking out?

RP: I can’t help but think of what Thomas Merton said when people asked him if he’d seen the “real Asia” when he was in India and Thailand in the late 1960s: “It’s all real, as far I can see.”

I think that part of the challenge is that by nature we seek out cultural differences as travelers, yet we tend to project Platonic ideals onto what other cultures should look like and how those cultures should operate. This is nothing new. The ancient Greeks and Romans who traveled to Egypt projected their own exotic fantasies onto Egyptian religion and society. In turn, the young British aristocrats of the 18th and 19th centuries went to Greece and Rome and were disappointed to find unwashed peasants instead of the classical magnificence they thought they’d find there. As I say in the very first chapter of my book, “it’s the expectation itself that robs a bit of authenticity from the destinations we seek out.”

In his 1961 book “The Image,” Daniel Boorstin compared foreign countries to celebrities; we feel that we know them already, in a way, and that familiarity skews our notion of what they are supposed to be like in reality. “The tourist seldom likes the authentic (and to him often unintelligible) product of the foreign culture,” Boorstin wrote, “he prefers his own provincial expectations: The American tourist in Japan looks less for what is Japanese than what is Japanesey.” In essence, what we think is authentic is often less authentic than what we might identify as inauthentic.

Tourists aren’t the only people who fall into this pattern. In the endnotes to chapter 15, I describe meeting a Lebanese guy who, when he found out I was from Kansas, expressed a desire to come to the prairies and “ride horses with the Indians.” When I pointed out that the Native Americans I knew didn’t ride horses, he insisted that they must not be real Indians, because real Indians ride horses.

So obviously, a sense of fantasy is at the heart of most everyone’s impressions of faraway places. The only real way to get away from those fantasy-driven expectations is to try and drop your self-consciousness as you travel, to simply accept each moment for what it is. It’s something of a spiritual exercise, and—as I show in my book—it doesn’t always come easy.

photo: rolf potts on the trans-siberian, taken from vagabonding.

an educational sunday at the national museum

"when you're looking at a historically-themed painting, you have to ask, 'who did it?' and 'what's the message?'" john silva shares, as he shows us two contrasting paintings depicting the arrival of the spaniards in our country.

his quote particularly struck me, as i always try and find out who the artist is behind the work whenever i view paintings and other works on display in any museum. the artist is seldom a problem. museums almost always post the name of the artist.

the message, on the other hand, was an entirely different thing. it's actually the reason why i was in the museum on a sunday morning.

growing up, i hardly paid any attention to my history (sibika at kultura) classes. i found it boring and useless, and boy, do i regret that now. i didn't realize then how history is strongly woven into travel, and how i would be greatly interested in finding out the origin of things, people, and events when i grow up.

so now, i'm trying to make up for that stupid mistake, and thankfully, john silva has taken it upon himself to educate the people about our history through philippine art and artifacts found in the national museum.

silva makes the tour interesting by inserting little anecdotes on how he and the staff decided to reorganize the museum. he explained that the current look and feel of the museum of the filipino people, in the former finance building, is mainly targeted to the youth, as he believes in fostering interest in the young 'uns to encourage them to become archeologists, or at least, involved in the development of our heritage.

what was once just a sad old elephant's bone placed under glass has been contextualized by placing the bone against a drawing of an elephant, giving the children a better picture of why this bone is important. if this was how the museum was when i went on a field trip there as a kid, i would have probably paid more attention.

the tour starts with the different galleries of the museum of the filipino people, housing some of the stuffed animals that we all remember, old burial jars unearthed up north, relics and treasures found from the wreck of san diego, and a replica of a balangay, to name a few.

but the definite highlight of the tour is the art collection. we were pretty lucky to catch the amorsolo retrospective, featuring portraits by fernando amorsolo. and guess what, amorsolo held a firearms license. betcha didn't know that! :D

also on display were the finalists of the philippine art awards, with pretty impressive and creative paintings and mixed media works. silva regales us with backgrounds of the best works, and every painting presented becomes more than just a framed work of art when you know how and why it came about. for example, "the igorot culture" by jordan b. mang-osan looks pretty impressive by itself, but when you realize that the entire work is a solar painting, meaning, he used the sun and a magnifying glass to etch the image into marine plywood, and ended up with a large masterpiece, you start to marvel at the hard work and dedication, and you see the work in a completely different light.

the three-hour tour stops for a 15-minute break before you move into the national museum, that scary, old place where me and my classmates walked single file from room to room to view those creepy stuffed animals. today, this museum holds a good collection of artworks from renowned greats such as juan luna and felix resurreccion hidalgo, to creations done by modern, contemporary artists of today.

monobloc chairs were placed in front of the grand spoliarium, telling us that this is not going to be a quick lecture on the painting. true enough, silva explains the importance of the painting, the allegory, what the painter wanted to express, and how this incredible work of art spurred a domino effect that led to the philippine revolution.

after that, we went from room to room, and i realized, as silva explains, i also start to appreciate the layout of the paintings. how the placement of each work had a meaning, and of course, how i didn't see that the last time i was there.

at the end of the day, little bits of trivia are now ingrained in my head, such as "agrifina" stands for agriculture and finance, describing the two buildings facing each other in that circle in luneta. the agriculture building now houses the department of tourism, and the former finance building is now the home of the museum of the filipino people. i'm also pretty interested to read up on governor bustamante, who was killed by friars during the spanish colonial period, and the subject of a gigantic painting that stands across the spoliarium. thank god for the internet, finding out about these things is easier now. the trick is to just gain the interest, and have a good background, which i got today. :)

and it also makes me feel good, knowing i contributed to a great cause. john silva does these tours for his cause of teaching public school teachers about philippine art and history, to encourage them to impart the same knowledge to their students, and hopefully, also get them to bring the kids to the museum. targeting the problem at the root. :) i like it.

for those who are interested in taking the tour, the schedules for the month are on oct 8 and 29. you can check the schedules by texting john silva at 0926-7299029. you can read more about him and what he's up to over at john's thoughts and deeds.

view my photos of the national museum tour.

pinoy backpack festival in ayala malls

crazy for outside

i finally got my hands on a copy of outside magazine, more famously known to me as "the magazine that tim cahill wrote for." (thanks, booksale!) the march 2008 issue tackles the growing "green" awareness, with features on the greenest accommodation options in the world (one even had copies of the inconvenient truth in their room drawers, next to the bible), and other related articles.

they had some statistics about the carbon footprint and offsetting scheme, of which i am not a fan (if i remember correctly, 70% of outside readers agree with me). i believe the way to effect change is to change, to stop being wasteful, not to continue being wasteful as long as you buy your way out of it by buying carbon credits and having trees planted in kenya. camaaan. let's not make this too easy for ourselves. we're the ones who're going to benefit in these changes anyway, so why not just do your part?

here's an editorial on global warming, published in the same issue: it's not getting any colder by bill mckibben.

ANYWAY. this is getting me riled up. back to outside.

i'm pretty much enjoying the entire issue, trying to read it as slowly as i can until i get lucky again and fish out another version in the booksale bins. i particularly liked the article that says it's okay to eat meat, and how to convert vegetarians into the carnivorous lifestyle. it's a hoot, i love the jab, and the article makes sense, too.

outside writers are pretty upfront, which i really appreciate. it's very refreshing to read a travel magazine that isn't all gloss and glamour and elegance and romance, that doesn't only say good things.

i'm also thinking of purchasing the digital version of outside. :D pretty cheap at just P800/year. and i get to save on paper, too!

for the meantime, i'm going to satiate my outside hunger with the best of outside, bought from avalon. i'm hoping it'll tide me over until the next digital issue arrives.

película pelikula: spanish film fest

reposted from my multiply account.
i can't believe i nearly forgot to tell you about this!

after cine europa comes another dose of films for everyone. :D

tickets are at P65 each, a bargain, since the screenings are at greenbelt 3's cinema 1.

here's a rundown of this year's films:

Bajo las estrellas (Under the stars)
Directed by Félix Viscarret
Benito tries to hinder the marriage of his brother Lalo but finds himself up against the bride-to-be Nines’ daughter. Winner of the 2008 Goya Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Concursante (The Contestant)
Directed by Rodrigo Cortés
Martin’s life becomes a roller coaster ride after winning almost 4 million dollars. Winner of the Critics Award at the 2007 Málaga Spanish Film Festival.

El Orfanato (The Orphanage)
Directed by Juan A. Bayona
Laura returns to the orphanage to discover that it has acquired a hunted, unhappy air.
Best Screenplay, Best New Director, Best Film at the Goya Awards 2008.

El pollo, el pez y el cangrejo real (The Chicken, the Fish, and the King Crab)
Directed by José Luis López-Linares
Jesús Almagro was a happy man when he won Spain’s National Award for Best Cook in 2007.

El violín (The Violin)
Directed by Francisco Vargas
Don Plutarco, his son Genaro, and grandson Lucio make a humble living as traveling musicians.El violín won the Best Actor Award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

Fados
Directed by Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura makes an important change in his approach to musical films with his latest work, chosen Best Documentary of 2008 in the Cinema Writers Circle Awards.

Fuera de Carta (Chef’s Special)
Directed by Nacho G. Velilla
Maxi thinks his life is perfect until the ex-Argentinian football player moves in next door.
This comedy received the Audience Award at the 2007 Málaga Spanish Film Festival.

La caja (The Wooden Box)
Directed by Juan Carlos Falcón
The hated Don Lucio dies and all the neighbors visit him to settle old scores. Rest in peace, Don Lucio… if you can. Winner of the Audience Award at the 2007 Las Palmas Film Festival.

La torre de Suso (Suso’s Tower)
Directed by Tom Fernández
Cundo returns after a ten-year absence, on the news of the death of his best friend, Suso. Nominated at the 2008 Goya Awards.

Lo mejor de mí (The Best of Me)
Directed by Roser Aguilar
Raquel will have to ask herself what she would be willing to do for love. Winner of the Silver Leopard for Best Actress (Marián Álvarez) at the 2007 Locamo International Film Festival.

Los crímenes de Oxford (The Oxford Murders)
Directed by Álex de la Iglesia
Professor and student join forces to try and crack the code to unravel the mystery behind some murders.

Luz silenciosa (Silent light)
Directed by Carlos Reygada
Johan is passionately in love with Marianne despite being married to Esther and having seven sons. 2007 Jury Prize Winner at the Cannes Film Festival.

Mataharis
Directed by Icíar Bollaín
Three female private detectives cross the thin line between public and private matters in order to solve their professional cases. Best Original Screenplay Award at the 2008 Cinema Writers Circle Awards.

Miguel & William
Directed by Inés París
Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, two writers, meet and duel with their pens to create a unique work for the love of Leonor. Winner of the Audience Award at the 2008 Peñiscola Comedy Film Festival.

Nocturna
Directed by Adriá García and Víctor Maldonado
Tim embarks on an exciting journey where he encounters the denizens of Nocturna. Best Animated Film at the 2008 Goya Awards.

Siete mesas de billar francés
Directed by Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón
Josu Jon is treated in a prison hospital for amnesia after a clash with the Civil Guard. Winner of the Best Special Jury Award at the 2008 Málaga Spanish Film Festival.

Yo soy la Juani (My Name is Juani)
Directed by Bigas Luna
Juani leaves her boyfriend to do what she couldn’t have done while she was with him. Winner of the Best Actress Award (Verónica Echegui) at the Barcelona Film Award, 2006.

and screening schedules are posted on my calendar. :D yet another good reason to be at the office early. i can catch the first screening! :D

event information
película pelikula spanish film festival
date: october 1 to 12, 2008
venue: greenbelt 3, cinema 1
admission: P65 per film

so, how was the binondo luggage sale?

well, my friend rica had a blast when she went to the luggage sale. however, i wasn't so lucky.

too bad, i was pretty excited about it, too. on the jeep to binondo from t.m. kalaw, i was already contemplating on the different ways i could go home with a huge maleta in tow.

alas, i wasn't meant to lug anything home, because i didn't find anything that i particularly liked. that's when i realized that i was still madly in love with the brown and white pinstriped elle trolley that i had been eyeing for... about a year now (i'm hoping nobody's been to the landmark's luggage section lately. please, leave that one for me!).

but the sale was pretty good for people in search of outdoor stuff. there were backpacks, cargo pants, shoes, sandals, and even shirts and other travel accessories. i didn't get anything because i didn't need anything from there but a maleta. and having a depleted wallet sure helps keep you in check. :D

i at least got to go around divisoria after that, looking at the latest christmas gift wrap designs, cheap kiddie toys, and even cheaper plain shirts for everyone. i thought of looking for some food, but i wasn't even that hungry, either. so i boarded a jeep bound for buendia and just headed home.