Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Janah and Tilde. We spent the day together at Janah’s family home and exploring Intramuros - the walled city. I had a great time. I am so glad I had the chance to meet Janah and Tilde and hear about their journeys and what they have planned next.

Janah is an interior designer who lives in Manila. I love her work! So pretty, fresh, and clean. I got to see some of her concepts as well as some photographs from finished work. If you live in the Philippines and are looking for a great interior designer, please talk to Janah!

Her studio space where she works is such an inspiring location. As you enter, the red doors energize you. The floor is made of larger tiles of different elements - wood, stone, etc. which ground you. I absolutely loved the screens on her windows. They are Capiz Shell Screens. Traditional 1940s window screens in the Philippines. Right outside her window from her desk is a large cement pond filled with coy fish. How relaxing and inspiring of a location to work. As we sit and get to know each other, a white and gold cat jumps up on the rim of the pond to take in the wonders below the water. Surprisingly, he does not indulge in the buffet of fish within paws reach.

Janah mother calls to let us know lunch is ready. Lunch was wonderful. There was squash soup, fish and tofo, rice, prawns and noodles, fruit (mangos of course!), and to finish off with banana bread and coconut ice cream. I discovered a new fruit - the Philippine Lemon.  It is like a mini lime from the States.  It is used often to add zest to dishes.  This time it was used for the noodle/prawn dish.  Very tasty.  All of the food was prepared by Janah’s mom and the coconut ice cream was made by Janah’s father. Everything tasted great and I ran out of room too quickly. It was so nice of Janah’s mom to invite me to lunch. It was a great experience to get to meet her family and share in a meal together.

After lunch we headed back to Janah’s studio and talk more about life experiences - where we have been and where we are headed. Tilde is an artist currently living in Japan attending Kyoto Seika University. She is originally from Denmark and met Janah in Barcelona while studying.  Tilde is visiting Janah for a long weekend and their excitement to see each other and old memories from Barcelona flood their thoughts.  As most can relate, it is hard to go from seeing friends each day to living so far away.  They were very excited to be in the same location again.  

Tilde’s is crafty in multiple media.  From painting, sculpting, drawing, etc. she expresses her ideas in unique ways.  The titles of her work also give you a great glimpse into her motivation and thoughts on a piece.  Here is her website.  She has had her work on display in Denmark, Japan, and Spain to name a few locations.  If you are interested in having a piece commissioned, please let me know and I can get you in contact with Tilde.  She would love to create something for your wedding or to symbolize a special moment in your life.  Here are some examples of her work:

I also got the chance to meet Angelito, the President & CEO of Admix Incorporated and the Marketing Communications Director at First Academy of Computer Arts.  It was very interesting to hear about his experiences and future projects. 

Janah, Tilde, and I then headed out for Intramuros.  It was built in the 16th century and is the oldest district of Manila.  Meaning ”within the walls” describes the tall walls surrounding the area which was considered Manila during the Spanish colonial time.  We wondered the old streets, stopped in some of the historic churches, and even a small cafe with a very european fortress feel.  I tried San Migeul - a local brewed Filipino beer.  It was great to spend time with Janah and Tilde.  I hope Tilde enjoys the rest of her visit!

Rizal Park

Intramuros

These children playing on the street were so camera happy. They loved Tilde taking their photographs. Tilde got their mother’s address and will be sending them their photographs.

The Cafe

Intramuros - The Wall

Want to see more photographs from my trip? Here is the link.