Experience Walkway 2016 at Bonifacio High Street or online

The last station this year features a boat exhibit

The popular Stations of the Cross by Church Simplified at Bonifacio High Street is back on its eight year. The Walkway has been "a sanctuary, a refuge and a place of healing for people eight days a year," said Bebo Bharwani, Spiritual Director of Church Simplified. This time, the exhibit covers more length as it starts from Bonifacio High Street (11th Avenue, near Fully Booked), to One Bonifacio Park (3rd Avenue, near the new Shangri-La). This makes it more "park-like" and spacious, according to Bharwani. He said that this is the third year where they have shifted the characters' voice, so that Jesus' story is told from the other major characters' points of view. Once again, it tells of Jesus' Passion, death and resurrection, mostly based on the Stations of the Cross during the time of Pope John Paul II.

Story still tells various points of view

"For people that are close to him (Mary Magdalene, Peter, etc ), we are trying to imagine that we are tapping into a memory," explained Bharwani. He added that they are trying to go into what each character is going through, such as Peter who denied Jesus in the first station. "How do you deny Jesus when you've seen [Him perform the] miracles?" he said. "When you've seen him walk on water?" Bharwani said this allows them to go beyond the Passion story, into actual moments of Jesus' life. "This allows us to celebrate Jesus' whole life and not just last week," he said. Bharwani explained that the public can also find themselves in the experiences of the Biblical characters, such as if have ever betrayed anyone in real life or if they have ever been betrayed, for example.

Art, integrated into religion

There is a station that explains the importance of education, with child statues as part of the exhibit

In light of the coming elections, there is a station asking the public to pray for the Philippines 

The art for Stations 1-6 and 14 are always changing, according to Bharwani, while the "trademark stations" are still around, such as the carrying of the cross at Station 7, "The Mob," and the nailing of red strips of paper on the Cross at Station 9, "The Centurion."

The "trademark stations" such as the carrying of the Cross and nailing of red paper to a crucifix are still there.

There is also a lot of writing and reflecting at the stations, as well as a social media component that allows one to reach out.

More music this year

"Music is really important to us; we've always been a community of musicians," said Bharwani of the Church Simplified community. This is why this year, there are more local acts playing (Robin Nievera, Julianne Tarroja) aside from the main act this Easter Sunday, Switchfoot.

Bharwani said that they consider the content of the lyrics of those they invite to play at the Walkway. "They challenge their listeners to think about life," said Bharwani. "They challenge their audience, how do you live each day?" This, he said, is what Switchfoot has in common with other bands that played at Walkway, such as Jars of Clay and Mutemath.

Bharwani invites everyone to visit this year's Walkway. "It is not meant to replace Visita Iglesia," he clarified. "It has its own value. It's a way of experiencing Holy Week differently."

**Walkway 2016 is on display at Bonifacio High Street until Easter Sunday, 11PM. Switchfoot will also perform for free on that day at 7PM. There is also an online version of Walkway that can be accessed at www.ChurchSimplified.com.

Women's Month Celebration: Catch the last day of Tessa Prieto-Valdes’s “Wildflower”

Style icon Tessa Prieto-Valdes has always been known for being colorful, flamboyant, and diverse in her own unique way. Now, that personality of hers is captured in a variety of dresses by renowned Filipino designers such as Francis Libiran, Monique Lhuillier, Albert Andrada, and Michael Cinco. Dubbed as “Wildflower: A Fashion Retrospective,” the exhibit runs until, March 18, at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall. The exhibit was named as such because it “likens Tessa as a wildflower”—something that is colorful, flamboyant, and diverse.  Through the various dresses in the exhibit, women from all walks of life are portrayed, and vibrant stories are shared as the Filipino public gets to know local fashion designers more.  

Headpieces that are very reminscent of the Sea Princess

The woman of the hour, Sea Princess, flanked by eventologist Tim Yap, and PBB winner, Tommy Esguerra

Also known as the Sea Princess, Tessa is a Sunday lifestyle columnist in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and manages her own site; www.tessaprietovaldes.com. She is a socialite-philanthropist known for her one-of-a-kind sophisticated style, unique accessories, and dazzling personality.

Some of the more classic and feminine designs from Wildflower consisted of neutral colors, and materials like lace

Tessa will keep some of her gowns while three or four will be auctioned off for charity. “They’re like children, they’re all my favorite,” Tessa said. “I want to show, especially [since it’s Women’s Month] that celebration of life can be in all form. It can be a way to show the talent of the Filipino designers. Everyone should have self-love and it should show in the way you dress." 

A dress reminiscent of royal costumes by Albert Andrada

This ultra colorful, neon number is by Rajo Laurel

Francis Libiran's cage-like design can still be seen in this blue gown

Maureen Disini chose to stick to a girly, simple dress with butterflies

This gorgeous, sequined number, reminiscent of old Hollywood, is by Cherry Veric

Be more efficient with a powerful Lenovo tablet, or laptop

We're midway through the first quarter of the year, and it may be time for a new tech toy or two that could help you be a Superwoman of creativity. Lenovo Philippines released two new tablets, the Lenovo YOGA 900 and Yoga Tab 3 Pro, and laptops, the ideapad 100 and ideapad 500.  Lenovo also released the ideacentre AIO 700. All these gadgets, according to Michael Ngan, Country General Manager of Lenovo Philippines, are powerful and fast enough to deliver great performance. They are also available at various price points, and suit different user requirements. Read on to find out how these gadgets can help you make the most of the coming year.

1. Lenovo YOGA 900: Sexy and powerful

Thin, light and powerful, the YOGA 900 truly gives justice to its yoga monicker. The YOGA 900 has a flexible 360 hinge, allowing users to bend, flip, and fold it. With its watchband hinge, it delivers a smooth transition from laptop, stand, tent and tablet modes, making it different from other laptops and convertibles. Ever light, it weighs just 2.8 lbs and is only 0.59” thick, even with its cooling fan. It has a QHD+ display with in-Plane Switching technology so multimedia experiences have great display with vivid colors. It also has stereo speakers and a Dolby Home Theater software, complete with movies, TV shows, and music.

Since the YOGA 900 runs on Intel Core i7 processor and has 256GB of storage space, it is also perfect for work, aside from entertainment, with a battery that can deliver up to nine hours of local video playback.  It is also equipped with the world’s thinnest Intel Core I Convertible at 14.99 mm and 1.29 kg.

The YOGA 900 is now available this January for P78,995.

Truly like a yogi, the YOGA 900 can be bent, folded, and flipped.

2. Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro: Fun and entertainment, especially for the youth

The series’ premier offering, the Yoga Tab 3 has a built-in 70” projector, the first of its kind in the world for a multimedia tablet. It is also equipped with front-facing powerful JBL speakers that can produce high-octane sound, and for the first time ever, a virtualized Dolby Atmos experience over built-in speakers.  This creates a sensation of sound moving in all three dimensions around the listener.

Perfect for watching series, because shows can be watched continuously on the Yoga Tab 3, the Netflix app is installed in the tablet to deliver personalized recommendations and content right from the home screen in high-quality optimized HD. Also quite a beauty, the Yoga Tab 3 is also made of premium materials including aluminum and leather-like fabric back, and at the same time is very slim. It is also splash proof and perfectly balanced, so one can get a solid grip on it, making it perfect for socials by the pool, or if one marathons a show in the bathtub. Also complementing its looks is its powerful battery life which plays up to 18 hours of general use, allowing users to easily binge watch their favorite shows.

The Yoga Tab 3 is especially recommended for creatives, as well as millennials (or both), and comes in Puma Black color. It is available at P29,999 in all Lenovo Exclusive stores and Lenovo resellers nationwide.

The YOGA Tab 3 is the world's first multimedia tablet with a built-in projector.

3. Lenovo ideapad 100 and ideapad 500: Great performance, price and multimedia capabilities

One of the most affordable in the market, the Lenovo ideapad 100 can secure data with its Kensington MiniSaver cable lock. It is also equipped with Intel processors for great performance, and is perfect for users who value mobility, style, and efficiency. It is especially suitable for the Filipino millennial, especially students who study and work at coffee shops and other public places.

On the other hand, the ideapad 500 is equipped with Intel’s newest 6^th Generation Intel Core iCPU that allows for efficiency and speed, JBL Speakers with Dolby Advanced Audio certification, as well as an Intel RealSense 3D camera that responds to natural movement in three dimensions.

Prices for the Lenovo ideapad 100 and ideapad 500 start at P18,995 and P49,995 respectively.

The most affordable among Lenovo's newest tablets and laptops, this is especially perfect for students who work at public places due to its Kensington MiniSaver cable lock.

Lenovo's newest high-definition multimedia laptop, the Lenovo ideapad 500 has state-of-the-art processors, a 3D camera, and advanced graphics.

4. Lenovo ideaCentre All-in-One 700: Especially for gamers on the go

As its name says, the Lenovo ideaCentre All-in-One is the all-in-one entertainment center capable of excellent performance. It has the latest 6^th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, as well as a stunning 24-inch FHD 10-point multitouch display with JBL stereo speakers for superior sound, and Nvidia GTX Graphics that allows for theater-like entertainment as well as a realistic gaming experience.

The upgraded AIO desktop also comes with Intel RealSense Camera, so users can engage more naturally with their PC.

The 24-inch AIO desktop starts at P69,999 and is now available.

These models are available at Lenovo Exclusive Stores and resellers nationwide. For more information, check out Lenovo on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Search for their handles, @LenovoPhils on Twitter, @lenovoph on IG, and @lenovophilippines on Facebook. 

All photos are courtesy of Lenovo Philippines.