I just recently discovered the Gateway Gallery the other day and it was such a great surprise that…read moreI did! On the 5th floor of the new wing of Gateway Mall is a topiary garden and a huge gallery, I'm here so often I didn't know it existed! The gallery is now home to "Sining Saysay," a great exhibit of mural sized paintings about the Heritage of the Filipino People. Created by some very talented artists from UP Fine Arts, not just the size but the craftsmanship in each artwork will leave you in awe! A favorite of mine was the first one on the left, a creative expression of how our first ancestors documented daily life and stories. I also fell in love with the third one, I was so amazed how I felt so much movement in a still painting! The gallery is free, so there's no excuse not to come by! Also, May is Heritage Month, take the time to get a little cultured!

Such a cool gallery! I normally just pass through Gateway mall when needing to transfer from the…read moreLRT to the MRT and never knew about this place until a friend mentioned it. Their current exhibit "Sining Saysay" is super engaging, with thoughtful and informative captions to accompany these huge murals that depict the history of the Philippines. I love that entrance is free and open to the public, it's a great space to be able to reflect and enjoy some amazing art. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for for their next exhibit!

It is located at the second floor with four different showcases. Staff is very accommodating. Place…read moreis very accessible as it is situated in the middle of West Avenue near Quezon Avenue and EDSA. There is enough parking spaces.

From the time I started appreciating the art that adorned the walls of my Tito's home, I have…read morealways been attracted to a certain piece that had simple shapes and lively colors. From then on, I have always told myself that I'll own a piece by that artist one day. When I was in college, I chanced upon the works or Mauro "Malang" Santos twice - malling in Megamall where he incidentally had an anniversary exhibit, and stumbling into his exhibit in Power Plant where he displayed his works, mostly collage works of maps from travels. Fast forward to several years later, I made my way to West Gallery and to buy my first major art piece. With a budget in mind, I informed the curators of my intentions and range of spending capacity. They carefully put out and displayed the pieces that suited my preferences. With it being a major investment on my end, I had several questions about the medium, after care, display and safekeeping concerns, which they courteously and patiently answered in great detail. Several grueling, heart (and pocket) wrenching minutes later, I decided on an unexpected piece. I was finally the owner of a Malang, with many thanks to my enabler, the kind and accommodating curators of West Gallery, and the universe for conspiring to bestow upon me this piece.

Beautiful place perfect for students and adults to learn and unwind. I recommend for anyone to…read morecheck out with good photo opportunities and experience something new

Art in Island is a beautiful museum. Featuring an assortment of interactive art and an exhibition…read morearea, there is something for every age and every art lover. Some optical illusions of famous work, shadow walls, a state of the art 360 viewing room, and 3D pieces make this place a phenomenal way to spend a few hours. They have nursing rooms and a lovely cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Oh yeah, wear sox or you will have to buy some; there are no shoes allowed.

I have been to many coffee shops in the Metro but this was one of those that have a unique take on…read moreit. The Warrior Poet is located in Cubao Expo otherwise known as Cubao X. This was the area formerly known to be a great place to buy different kinds of shoes with good quality and value for money. Now it is known as a venue for the arts. We saw this space while doing a bit of walking around and thought that it looked like such an inviting and relaxing place to sit and talk for a bit. The place showcased different paintings that were really attractive and for an art junkie like me, I definitely enjoyed analyzing them. The coffee was great too! It was a cold brew. I got mine iced and spiced! A bit of cinnamon was added and it definitely made the coffee better, in my opinion. It was the first time I had my coffee "spiced" and I found it really good. Other than paintings and murals, they also had a blue booklet on the table we sat in. It contained a number of poems written in Tagalog. What is a place called The Warrior Poet without poems right? I found this spot very cool because you don't see much places like this in Manila. I also heard that they also hosted small events of poem reading and appreciation which definitely gave me another reason to come back. Not only was the place cool, but the owner and Warrior Poet himself was! Noel Santos was friendly and had a little chat with us. He was very inviting and filled us in with what happens in both his shop and the whole Cubao X itself! I would recommend those who love art, poems and basically anyone who want something different to come check this place out! You'll definitely love it! Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/TheWarriorPoetArtCafe Instagram: @letstellyourstory Twitter: @TheWPAC

I was hanging around Cubao Expo during a flea market and vintage sale weekend, and since I couldn't…read morefind anything worth buying, and since I was tired from rummaging around the dusty and moth-eaten shelves, I decided to check out the only place that seemed quiet enough to do my e-mails. I sat inside The Warrior Poet Art Cafe and was instantly welcomed by the bubbly owner and his friends (who all introduced themselves, but goodness me, I can't remember their names). I was looking around and checking out the artwork for a while, then I decided to get the spiced tablea hot chocolate. I was very happy with the spiced chocolate, as it was really creamy and rich: exactly how I would like a cup of hot chocolate to be. The owner kept me entertained and they were showing me how to fold origami cranes. I like the artworks so much that I promised the owner that I would come back to buy one of the paintings. Well, call me a liar because I haven't been back. Ha ha! But seriously, i think you should check this out the next time you are in the area, even just to chat with the owner.

Hapag Heritage Cuisine serves delicious Filipino food. I tried their bestseller: Kilawin na Hipon,…read moreSinigang na Salmon, Crispy Pata, Dinakdakan, Gising Gising na Sigarilyas, Beef Morcon, Tinapa Rice. Hipon sa Taba ng Talangka and finally for dessert Pandan Cheesecake. The waiters were very courteous, attentive and engaging. The Chef, Julio Lara has done a great job with the food selection. The restaurant has a homey atmosphere. If you are craving for Heritage Filipino food, HAPAG HERITAGE CUISINE is a must go to place. Location is at 140 Maginhawa Street, Barangay Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. For reservation: call 8139672.