My Perfect Weekend with museum curator Patrick Flores
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Dr Patrick Flores who is from Manila in the Philippines, has lived in Singapore for the past two years and resides around Haig Road.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
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Who: Dr Patrick Flores, 54, is the deputy director of curatorial and research at National Gallery Singapore (NGS). He was the artistic director of the 2019 Singapore Biennale and his most recent exhibition, Figuring A Scene, looks at the Republic’s history through different elements of nature – shadow, fruit, fire, air, wax and city. The exhibition is on at NGS till March 23.
Dr Flores, who is from Manila in the Philippines, has lived in Singapore for the past two years and resides around Haig Road.
“I sleep in on Saturdays until about 9 or 10am, and then I have hot chocolate at The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie in Tanjong Katong. It’s quite homely and I read for a bit there.
For lunch, I like to go to Katsuya, which is in the same area. The tonkatsu restaurant is run by a husband-and-wife team and apparently quite famous. I am drawn to places that are quiet, well-lit and minimalist.
My other favourite lunch options are Kuya’s Kusinang Pinoy in North Bridge Road if I’m craving chicken adobo and Jollibee when I crave fried chicken and spaghetti.
There is also a restaurant at Roxy Square called Lola J Kusinang Pinoy. Nothing beats the food in Manila, but the cook is Filipino, so it is pretty good. I’m friends with the owners, and they know my usual order of fried fish with salted egg and vegetables.
Roxy Square is an old mall, so I like to explore the shops and talk to the aunties. These are like mom-and-pop stores and they are worried about having to leave, as Roxy Square might be converted into a condominium. It interests me to hear about their daily lives.
Dr Patrick Flores (left) and Mr Stephen Lim, co-owner of Lola J Kusinang Pinoy Restaurant.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
I walk a lot, so I go to East Coast Park around late afternoon or early evening. I like people-watching to get a sense of the city. The area around NGS is more corporate, but if you observe people on the bus or in HDB estates, you get a sense of daily life.
I do go out with colleagues and friends, such as NUS Museum senior curator Siddharta Perez. They give me good restaurant recommendations and we sometimes go for a meal, followed by an exhibition. I have taken a few of them to Figuring A Scene.
I live alone in Singapore, so I do not cook often. Dinner is light. I may cook pasta and watch a movie. I enjoy commercial releases and the more arty stuff at The Projector.
Sometimes, I fly home to Manila over the weekend to see family and eat home-cooked food. I also go on weekend trips to Taipei or Bangkok for a change of scenery.”
Book it / Figuring A Scene
Where: Dalam Southeast Asia, Level 3, UOB Southeast Asia Gallery, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road nationalgallery.sg/FiguringAScene
When: Till March 23, 10am to 7pm daily
Admission: Free for Singaporeans and permanent residents, $20 for tourists
Info:
