About

A project inspired by living away from home in 2004, Manilarat started off as my ode to Manila, a place that I would love to leave in principle.

In May 2005, I resolved to make the best of living in this noisy, dirty, often maligned metropolis–lifting stones here and there, ruffling feathers, forcing quiet moments. I sought magic and drama, and what can I say, I found it in abundance. 

The search has since widened to include not just the (mega)city but the country I call my own. Newer posts will center on tourism development in the Philippines–one of my great loves–but always coming from the point of view of an often-proud-sometimes-hesitant Manilarat!

Here you’ll find personal pieces, adventures in quiet places, reflections, details that make me go aha!, all in the name of finding beauty in this city (and country) we love to hate.

Enjoy & exploit, yey.

Ang ganda, ganda ng Pilipinas, woohoo!

Manilarat was my first blog and it has survived many a great facelifts since it launched in May 2005 at manilarat.blogspot.com.  It has now migrated to its new (and hopefully permanent!) home here at montalut.com.

About me:

My name is Johanna, hello.

I like to write and paint and–a recent addition–to stay home.  The curiosity that’s been a loyal friend for so long has gone its own way, and the search now is for something calmer, more purposeful, and less “out there”.   Follow my inner journey on montalut.com, an art and insights journal I started in November 2009.

I try to make sure my thrust for tourism development in the Philippines is also consistent with this shift, which goes hand in hand with a move for a simpler lifestyle, something that can be summarized in two words: go green.   Inspired by the documentary, Home, I put up a research blog on going green in the Philippines in November 2009.  It now forms the  “go green” section of Manilarat.

Older projects which I have since set aside include tagaytayrat.blogspot.com, a child blog of manilarat (March 2008-December 2009), inspired by a still-lingering decision to move South:

In March 2007, my parents took me on a daytrip to Tagaytay and giddily announced that they had begun building their retirement project: a small house on our lot by the ridge.

Forward to a year after, present day March 2008, and I find that my eyes light up the most whenever we head over to the mountains to visit our house project. Gardening, for example– what joy to be had in touching soil and watering plants! Twice-weekly drives to Tagaytay have become my happy moments, and in the spirit of Frances Mayes who built (re-built) Bramasole in Tuscany, I thought of doing an “Under the Tagaytay sun”– a generous journal of my adventures in getting intimate with another “home”, this time the hilly, windy city overlooking the world’s smallest volcano.

I still regularly visit Tagaytay with my family, and write about it with love when I can.  You can read my posts on Tagaytay here.

During the fury that was Ondoy, I put up Ondoy Heroes: Stories and solutions to inspire and heal (September-November 2009).

My day job:

I manage metrorealty.ph for Metro Realty, my family’s brokerage firm for prime properties in Metro Manila, Tagaytay, and selected areas in the Philippines.   As licensed realtors and brokers, we can help you if you are in the market to lease, buy or sell property.  Let us know your needs or refer clients and I promise you, we’ll both be happy.

That’s it, pancit!  Back to Pinoy love now, I recommend you start by reading Using this blog or by visiting my suggested departure points below:

Suggested departure points:

What makes Manila home?
Madrid-Manila 1:  An Introduction (the first in a series of nine)
Exploring Manila (and beyond)
Exploring Manila (and beyond) Spanish version

hugssss,

Johanna Pilar
montalut.com
(updated on 21 June 2010)