SM City Sta Mesa Presents “Pinay”: an Art in Souvenir Exhibit by Virrco

                               

If wearable art has gained traction, hand-painted art in a souvenir item like a miniature boat or locally known as paraw deserves the same attention.  What’s even more amazing to note that subjects are Pinay given tribute in coinciding with Women’s month this  March.

SM City Sta. Mesa formerly SM Centerpoint is presenting the work of OFW Nurse-turned-visual artist Rommel Rico aka Virrco in a month-long art exhibit at the activity area 4th floor of the rebranded mall with the title ‘Pinay’ for the month of March. From wearable art, the artist has turned to souvenir pieces for value-added merchandise. Virrco in collaboration with Paraw World, has developed a miniature boat or paraw painted with Pinay in different roles.

Catch and immerse in the collection and be captivated by the idea of combining crafts and art. With Pinay as subjects, it’s more than a collaborative and commemorative but more tributary and humanitarian as proceeds will benefit the fisherfolks in Panay who are the makers of the raw paraw crafts.

The empowered Pinay will also be reflected in Virrco’s new collection of wearable art like the bags and shirts which will be unveiled in the Virrco Wearable Art Fashion Show on March 19 as a highlight of the program that includes entertaining numbers, a book launch with Pinay author Carmie de Leon and social media blitz and more.

It’s the second time Virrco has been featured by SM Sta Mesa since last year’s Independence day commemoration entitled Perlas Ng Silangan featuring his one-eyed woman paintings following a well-received breakthrough homecoming one-man exhibit in MetLive Atrium back in 2021.

Proceeds of merchandise for wearable art will benefit the Smile Train, a foundation that helps children with cleft palate. To check out the latest collection. visit the site https://www.virrco.net/    or follow the artist's page https://www.facebook.com/rommel.rico.33  for inquiries and other concerns.

VIRRCO's Hand-Painted Bag to Benefit Smile Train

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ooking for that stylish bag that is hard to imitate or duplicate yet affordable, then check out this Virrco x Smile Train limited edition hand-painted bag!

Wearing a lit bag nowadays goes beyond chic appeal, and supplemental fashion statement, but rather a testimony to serve humanity.

This Hand-Painted Bag Is A Steal For The Benefit of Smile Train Foundation

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or any trendy Pinoy on-the-go, wearable art on the bag is lit. 

Even commendable to know that owning one is a chance to help Smile Train Foundation an international children’s charity that helps children with cleft palate.

Enhancing Health, Enriching Lives with RICHCorp

                                         

Lagundi greens blanket the farm stretch in Tanauan

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lagundi plantation in Tanauan Batangas has been in constant partnership with local farmers. With its steady production and  increasing yield, the farmstead by RICHCorp has now become one of the in-demand sources of pharmaceutical raw materials from local and foreign markets.

In Palanan: 1st Freedom Ride Festival 2022 Media Launch At Vespa Cafe

Official Poster for the 1st Freedom Ride Festival 2022

M ark your calendar on Nov 25-27 as the 1st Freedom Ride Festival will be rumbling and roaring at Liwasang Ilalim, CCP Complex Pasay City.

In World Trade Center: Running Up That Steals At MAFBEX

MAFBEX 2022 June 15-22

R eturning to the familiar venue famous for expos - World Trade Center in this new normal format still requires a checkpoint with a vaccine card.

In Malacañang: A Lift To A Burden

Malacañang retains its charm amid an ever-changing political climate A fter biometric payment at a convenience store, a text message instructed me to enter a passage thru Arlegui after arriving at the Casal intersection.

In Divisoria: Zoom In Zoom Out With Go-To Shoppers

 Plus convenience to Metro rail patrons, the new PNR train

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or Metro folks with recurrent Divisoria shopping itch, PNR can be a more convenient alternative transport, especially for those coming from down south of Metro Manila.

SB19 a Ppop Phenom Strikes Back Live In Araneta

“I gave in to SB19”

I saw that written on the card of a girl fan as I was entering Araneta at last after many years. She looks as if she has prepared for the day with her dolled-up make-up, idol shirt, and accessories. As all others earlier who gathered either in Gateway meet-and-greet, in the nearby fast food or just outside in search for SB19 merchants or catch-up with fellow A-Tin.

One Eyed Women: World AIDS Day Art Exhibit with VIRRCO Commences on Dec 4 At METLive Atrium

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n commemoration of World AIDS Day, an Art Exhibit titled “One-Eyed Women” featuring the works of New York-based artist VIRRCO aka Rommel Rico will premier on Dec 4 up to Dec 18 at METLive  Atrium corner Macapagal and EDSA in collaboration with Duyan Foundation‘s Project Red Ribbon.

In Bangkok: Girls Good Luck At Siam Paragon

A view outside Starbucks Sukhumvit together with other seekers

  

hat a deserving cup of Americano while Sukhumvit was invigorating outside through a glass panel view of Starbucks.

The best place I guess to hatch a game plan for a lone wanderer caught up in trappings of transition. A higher sense and purpose must have summoned me to return to Thailand as if Buddha’s calling from temples elsewhere.

In Bangkok: A Send-Off In Mochit

A relaxed sit while waiting for a pickup. 

ven just ordering a vanilla sundae, hanging out in any McDo in Bangkok can prolong to hours.

Why not, when it's free to charge your phone in a built-in station plus free Wi-fi courtesy of the password on the receipt?

In Udon Thani: Bargain Curiosities in Downtown Stretch

Test your shopping quotient in Central Plaza

entral Udon Thani like any other city province has that subdued less intimidating feels with one common thing - shopping centers.  

Central Plaza is one piece of evidence.  Towering and inviting on the opposite side to where we were about to advance, we joined the rest of the city end-users in becoming bargain hunters. 

In Vientiane: So Long, Mekong

Romance with the fabled Mekong river

ekong river spoke to me in volumes with its thousand tales and messages of enlightenment.

This morning as the sun was lifting up, I came by foot to the banks tracing my steps in the kilometer strip to fill myself with wonderment about the famous river. 

In Vientiane: Catching Up With Pinoys in ASEAN Mall

Move forward to a  Vientiane street that looks abandoned 

aylight Sunday peeped in with series of meet-ups ahead of us. 

My sister's friend a local Lao came for a visit to our hotel for some catch-up news. Fetching a car, she took us on a ride to nowhere to scan around Vientiane's daily grind.

In Vientiane : Illustrious Landmarks Pattuxai and That Luang

Curtain calls to commune with the old Laos culture

hasing culture is our main agenda for today’s Vientiane sightseeing and enrichment. 

Patience was all it takes for the next city bus ride taking us to the  2 fabled spots in the city: Pattuxai and That Luang.

Nana to Nong Khai: Vientiane On The Flipside

The view of the Nana district at the back of the Maxim Hotel

oodbye Maxim.

It's check-out time from this seedy hotel located in the innermost alleys passing the girly bars section of Nana but from the balcony window came the majestic view of Sukhumvit’s march to infrastructure enlightenment.

In Bangkok: Fortress Enchantment In Wat Soi Thong

Thai taxi drivers banner their ID’s for passenger’s info

he next morning after checking in a new hotel in Nana, the cab we chose took us to the swirls and loops of the skyway. 

These skyways are designed as fast-track routes going to the district of Bang Sue where we are commissioned to find the school.

In Bangkok: The Theory of English Crisis In Ramkhanghaeng

Waiting for the right bus number for a Bangkok commute

kip BTS ride for it's about time to give a try the number-coded Bangkok’s public buses.

For first-timers, commuting in Bangkok may sound awkward and nerve-wracking for fear of being misled or yet lost. The language barrier is the obvious obstacle with the majority of Thais not adapting to English as a second public language.

In Bangkok: No More Lonely Nights In Khaosan

The signature of Siam Paragon's waterfall photo wall

iam Paragon, the hallmark of a mall in the heart of Bangkok, validated its iconic status in our stop and shop. 

With its multitude of world-class brands, gourmet format supermarket, a stylized food court with a choice of international cuisines, and the cascading fountain but then again it’s the convergence of multicultural shoppers that made it one of Asia's awesome shopping hotspots.