Today is Queens day. And I loved it. I should have been based in Queens! Patrick and Nuki were right: it was an entirely different universe that borough.
Ate breakfast at Jollibee in Roosevelt Ave in Queens. A five dollar chicken meal that sent me back home in a trip of greasy afterthoughts. I was glad that the servers and the majority of the guests were all talking in various Philippine vernaculars. The air was unfortunately thick with evaporated cooking oil and I went out smelling of the chicken that I just ate. No worries: I got my fitting one month gift of welcome- a sense of ground and center that comes from rootedness.
Hopped on the 7 train back to Court Square to see Sculpture Center but found it closed for ingress. Got back on the same train but not before loitering around Long Island City and thinking, this is also a nice place. I got off Queensboro and took the N train to Ditmars and got off Broadway. My intention was to see the Socrates Sculpture Park before I go to Topaz Arts on the 39th Ave where Bencab will be having a talk.
I discovered to my dismay that the Sculpture Park seemed to be recovering from Sandy as well. Many works were missing and I couldn't help notice that the works installed there are quite recent: all dated 2012 in fact. One of the works is by Tamar Ettun, my next-door neighbor at Bldg 110 at LMCC. It was missing a parachute or a balloon.
At Topaz, I met Bencab and Annie; both were surprised to see me there. I would be surprised to see myself there as well. Ged Merino was also there and Racquel and Mideo came in after an hour. Ongoing show were pieces by Manuel Ocampo and Gerry Tan. Quite interesting work, but a bit dated for me. Didnt see the video showing by Ben, and instead I spoke with Ged about a possible show at his gallery. It may look good on the resume that I did have an exhibit in the US, even if it is just in a small space like Bliss. Thinking of July but I might probably figure out a May event.
Said my goodbyes and went out with the intention of going to 69th St where the Filipino stores are. On the road I met Bill, who was one of the guests of the exhibit. He says he's a journalist and he wanted to know what the Bulul figure in the Bencab Museum brochure was. He said Ben didn't talk about it and he thought it was his work. I explained that it wasn't and it was part of his collection. Bill said the people weren't very friendly and he would have wanted to ask. He wanted to sit and get coffee but I declined his invitation and gave him a card, saying that if he wanted to know more he could just email me or call.
At 69th I felt quite at home. It was like I was in an old Cubao arcade underneath the LRT. Hehehe. Bought my Filipino supplies of Datu Puti vinegar, toyo, patis, bagoong, Ligo sardines and a helping of Boy Abunda on the telly. Came out beaming with happiness: it did not cost as much as I anticipated. Resolved: I am doing my groceries in Queens from now on.
Ate breakfast at Jollibee in Roosevelt Ave in Queens. A five dollar chicken meal that sent me back home in a trip of greasy afterthoughts. I was glad that the servers and the majority of the guests were all talking in various Philippine vernaculars. The air was unfortunately thick with evaporated cooking oil and I went out smelling of the chicken that I just ate. No worries: I got my fitting one month gift of welcome- a sense of ground and center that comes from rootedness.
Hopped on the 7 train back to Court Square to see Sculpture Center but found it closed for ingress. Got back on the same train but not before loitering around Long Island City and thinking, this is also a nice place. I got off Queensboro and took the N train to Ditmars and got off Broadway. My intention was to see the Socrates Sculpture Park before I go to Topaz Arts on the 39th Ave where Bencab will be having a talk.
I discovered to my dismay that the Sculpture Park seemed to be recovering from Sandy as well. Many works were missing and I couldn't help notice that the works installed there are quite recent: all dated 2012 in fact. One of the works is by Tamar Ettun, my next-door neighbor at Bldg 110 at LMCC. It was missing a parachute or a balloon.
At Topaz, I met Bencab and Annie; both were surprised to see me there. I would be surprised to see myself there as well. Ged Merino was also there and Racquel and Mideo came in after an hour. Ongoing show were pieces by Manuel Ocampo and Gerry Tan. Quite interesting work, but a bit dated for me. Didnt see the video showing by Ben, and instead I spoke with Ged about a possible show at his gallery. It may look good on the resume that I did have an exhibit in the US, even if it is just in a small space like Bliss. Thinking of July but I might probably figure out a May event.
Said my goodbyes and went out with the intention of going to 69th St where the Filipino stores are. On the road I met Bill, who was one of the guests of the exhibit. He says he's a journalist and he wanted to know what the Bulul figure in the Bencab Museum brochure was. He said Ben didn't talk about it and he thought it was his work. I explained that it wasn't and it was part of his collection. Bill said the people weren't very friendly and he would have wanted to ask. He wanted to sit and get coffee but I declined his invitation and gave him a card, saying that if he wanted to know more he could just email me or call.
At 69th I felt quite at home. It was like I was in an old Cubao arcade underneath the LRT. Hehehe. Bought my Filipino supplies of Datu Puti vinegar, toyo, patis, bagoong, Ligo sardines and a helping of Boy Abunda on the telly. Came out beaming with happiness: it did not cost as much as I anticipated. Resolved: I am doing my groceries in Queens from now on.
Jollibee!
BenCab at Topaz Arts
Sculpture park
Well it was closed for the day
Three towers: Empire, Chrysler and water
A sculpture of a rowboat loaded with pennies...
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