Culture Archives - The Flame

Jul22021 No Comments

Lilo’s Acai is a beginner’s guide in healthy eating

By CHRISTINE JANINE T. CORTEZ WITH THE threat of COVID-19, eating healthy foods and becoming fit is now the raging train everybody is eager to jump into. Upfront and center of making health the new wealth is Lilo's Acai, a sprouting online start-up offering a variety of fresh, healthy, and tasty fruit bowls and smoothies made available for all troops in Metro Manila. The Philippines, being heavily influenced by fast-food chains –– from everything made into chicharron, appetizers being listed under the putok batok category, and well-loved street foods –– Filipinos may not be the best candidates to run after a healthy lifestyle. Despite the long list of not-so-healthy local food cravings, Filipinos know how to make the best out of their food and culture. But what most people might f

Jul22021 No Comments

An escape from life’s burdens through age-old artworks

Culture

by JOHN PATRICK A. MAGNO RANARA A DEEP, heavenly version of Lucio San Pedro’s Sa Ugoy ng Duyan plays in the background, soothing and serenading visitors who enter the newly-launched 360-degree virtual exhibit of the National Museum of the Philippines. The museum commemorates the return of 115 art pieces brought to New York City more than 40 years ago. Installed at the National Museum of Fine Arts, The Philippine Center New York Core Collection of 1974: A Homecoming Exhibition transcends distance and boundaries. It celebrates the power of local artistry, encouraging it to go beyond its roots and represent the Filipino identity to the rest of the world. The exhibit showcases modern and contemporary art that emphasizes folk aesthetics and the indigenization of Western art styles. The

Jul22021 No Comments

Moving in the zone, nourishing the body

Culture

By THEA ANDREA C. MAGUERIANO WITH THE physical limitation during these taxing times, the medium for connecting oneself to the outside world is a gadget screen. Through the following fitness YouTubers, one may stretch and exercise by moving to calculated beats and hopping on the mat! The Fitness Marshall Caleb Marshall known as The Fitness Marshall on YouTube creates original dance workouts to help his viewers break a sweat. The channel started in 2014, enabling viewers to build their own workout through playlists depending on their desired intensity. The workouts are apartment-friendly and choreo intensive, which are suitable for professional and amateur dancers including families and kids. Most often, Marshall dances with two more dancers with different difficulty lev

May172021 No Comments

Art Fair Philippines opens first digital series

Culture

by SAMANTHA ARGONZA FOR THE nine-year of their annual contemporary art showcase, Art Fair Philippines brought an online edition of the event. Alongside digital art displays, the fair introduced the significance of unique online files called Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in owning crypto artworks. Founders Trickie Lopa, Lisa Periquet, and Dindin Araneta assured that the growing Filipino audience has continued to learn from the fair’s workshops. This was an opportunity to introduce them to the development of crypto art in digital media. The virtual fair can be accessed for free from May 6 to 15 through their website, Art Fair Philippines. Under the ArtFairPH/Projects section is the NFT 101 showcase titled “Welcome to the Metaverse.” It is an alternate reality created wit

May42021 No Comments

“Press Freedom Is The Pathway of Truth”: 5 Thomasians’ insights on World Press Freedom Day

Culture

by CHRISTINE JANINE T. CORTEZ, THEA ANDREA C. MAGUERIANO, and JOHN PATRICK A. MAGNO RANARA TO COMMEMORATE the importance of journalists, the United Nations had declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day. This day acts as a reminder to both the government and citizens to respect press freedom and defend journalists from restraint and abolition. This year’s theme; “Information as a Public Good” highlights the importance of information as a service to the people and of finding new ways to strengthen journalism amid a changing media environment. Press freedom in the Philippines has remained under constant threat over the years. With the current administration, there have been multiple unrelenting attacks from the government against the media through bold and brazen means—the ABS

Mar312021 No Comments

Hesu Kristo: Reconnecting faith through art

Culture

by THEA ANDREA C. MAGUERIANO EVERY Holy Week, Christians commemorate the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Devouts also spend these holy times reflecting on His life, sacrifices, and miracles. During this season, passion is often shown through creative ways such as passion plays or senakulo. To interpret faith through displays and artworks, Art Show Philippines made preparations for artists to show their perception of Christ in an online exhibit titled "HESUKRISTO: Filipino Artists' Interpretation of Jesus Christ". Last March 26, Art Show Philippines displayed a series of artworks through Facebook, creating a platform to show and sell them. In time for Holy Week, 128 artists showcased non-conventional images of the Lord, from the perspective of the youth today.

Mar212021 No Comments

10 Poems on Love and Isolation for World Poetry Day

Culture

by SAMANTHA ARGONZA HERALDING the significance of poetry, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) marks March 21 as World Poetry Day. Since 1999, World Poetry Day scribbles three values on why we have to celebrate it. First, despite our differences, we are still human. Our emotions enable us to express ourselves through poetry. Even if a country has its unique poetry style, it always manifests similarities in other countries’ poetic elements. Second, poetry is a safety net for endangered languages, so communities can continue to rediscover, protect, and strengthen the language. Third, poetry as an art contributes to art forms and it brings an encompassing perspective on humanity and life. Poetry, whether through writing or reading during qu

Mar182021 No Comments

Chill’s Home-Baked Goodies: A bundle of assorted delights

Culture

by JOHN PATRICK A. MAGNO RANARA A MOTHER can bestow many gifts, values, and life lessons to her bundles of joy. For some, it is her unconditional love and support even in times of confusion; for others, it is her guiding wisdom as one traverses through the complex labyrinth called life. But for Brianne Leigh Cabalonga, it is the inspiration to start her own business. Chill’s Home-Baked Goodies is a fresh bakery that bloomed in Cainta, Rizal in May last year and specializes in cheesecakes, revel bars, brownies, and cakes. Both the owner and cook, Cabalonga uses the skills that she learned from her mother to run her own bakery. “A few years ago, my mom started a small bakeshop. My sister and I used to help her in the kitchen after our class. When my mom needed to go ba

Mar112021 No Comments

Choco Butternut Loaf: The Loaf of Your Life

Culture

by THERIZ LIZEL R. SILVANO CHOCOLATE chip cookies, nutty brownies, and soft cupcakes with towering frostings are just some of the regular sweet delicacies Filipinos love to bake and eat. Of course, the traditional kakanin such as puto, sapin-sapin, and bibingka will always have a special place in Filipinos’ hearts. These Filipino specialties opened doors for food and dessert enthusiasts to not only discover a variety of local ingredients, but also learn the country’s culture and history. But as society changes, diverse cultures and interests overshadow the fine taste and heritage of Filipino gastronomy. Modernizing traditional dishes has since become the new standard in the cooking industry. Realizing this may bring a despairing impression to many, but they may not notice t

Mar72021 No Comments

Infused with vibrance: 5 Filipina Artists’ Whimsical Canvas

Culture

by THERIZ LIZEL R. SILVANO PERHAPS the greatest art ever created are women. Their complexity, individuality, and even ability to have contrasting personalities are anything but ordinary. Knowing a woman is never linear but rather a pattern of bends and turns — analogous to the curves of their bodies and the upward and downward spirals of their emotions. Women are like great works of art. After a long gaze, one can catch a glimpse of their spirit and character. When it comes to arts and culture, women are at the forefront of the past and today's artistry and tradition. Most portraits display women at the center, whether it is the features of their bodies or their pastime activities. Regardless of the subject matter, one can always see the feminine qualities of the artwork. In