Blackout

Aldrine Alarcon, the second among the very talented Alarcon brothers, held his first solo show titled Blackout at Art Underground in Mandaluyong City.

Alarcon plays with blank spaces that are charged with a personal allegory that alludes to the relationship of a person and his or her immediate surroundings. For this first show, Alarcon’s artworks are awash in white with vines and flowers.

Eyes placed within the painted canvas add an allegorical meaning to his work. “There are eyes that see what we do or how we treat our environment yet we act like we don’t care about it. Say, for example, a person throws his trash on the ground, I am sure that person knows the consequences of his action but still mindlessly throws his trash anyway,” Alarcon says.

Alarcon also uses the concept of the environment to represent the tangible things that people find important in their lives. To Alarcon, the environment is an integral measure to one’s wholeness. Alarcon fills his canvases with white then lays out an unfinished image of a woman, showing that a person cannot be whole without an environment to shape him or her.

(Art Underground is located at 814 Balagtas St., Brgy. Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries, call 721-0745 or e-mail [email protected]. Visit www.aumanila.com.)

Enchanting scents at Watsons

Without a doubt,  France is a leader when it comes to fragrances as many of the celebrated names in the perfume industry are made by French companies.

Fragrance brand Enchanteur has arrived in the country, ready to captivate the Filipinos with its range of timeless French-inspired fine fragrances. The brand is well-loved in the Middle East and all over Asia.

The brand’s latest line  called Enchanteur Paris includes French-inspired fine eau de toilette (EDT) and fragrance-infused body care products.

According to Watsons Philippines group category manager Mishen Hernandez, there are four Enchanteur Paris fragrances inspired by the romance of Paris and the chic aesthetic of French women — Magique, a mix of apple, magnolia and praline perfect for a day out; Belle Amour,  a blend of apple, melon, blackcurrant and pink rose scents; Mon Amie, a scent of fresh citrus, red apple and pink peonies; and Adore, a scent of wild jasmine, pink mimosa and golden pear.

“All four Enchanteur Paris fragrances strike the perfect balance whether you want something light, fresh, sparkling, elegant or sensual,” said Hernandez.

Enchanteur Paris also shares a French woman’s secret to making her fragrance last longer and that is through complementing the EDT with the Parfum Lotion, Parfum Serum, Deospray and Hand Cream.

Krishna Kulkani, general manager of Wipro Unza, manufacturer of Enchanteur Fragrances, said they know how popular the brand is among Filipinos living in the Middle East, they had to look for the right partner to bring their products to the Philippines.

(Enchanteur Paris is exclusively available at all Watsons stores nationwide and The SM Store-Beauty Section.)

A healthy dose of the outdoors

Filinvest City in Alabang, the central business district of South Manila, was the perfect venue for the recently concluded 7-Eleven Run 2017. The participants enjoyed the Filinvest City’s green landscape, which served as their backdrop during the race.

Jose Ang Jr., 7-Eleven general merchandise manager, said, “We are thankful for another successful 7-Eleven Run with over 20,000 runners taking part in this year’s marathon. We are also grateful to Filinvest City for opening its doors to us to stage this annual event.”

This year’s run proved to be smooth and stress-free as participants experienced the city’s tree-canopied roads, expansive walkways, and innovative new “green spine,” a foliage walkway that spans across the north and south ends of the township. The runners who came from different parts of Metro Manila also agreed that the marathon was worth the travel to Filinvest City with its fresh air, smooth routes and safe location.

Filinvest Alabang Inc. executive vice president Catherine Ilagan said, “We are very happy to be part of the annual marathon, and with the newly developed Filinvest City Event Grounds, we look forward to hosting more events like this in the future.”

Filinvest City is a 244-hectare master planned property in Alabang that is home to some of the country’s premier institutions and global companies like Festival Mall, Crimson Hotel and Palms Country Club.

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)