"Keeping in step with the challenges of times"

Van Gogh is Bipolar, (A dining experience from a bipolar point de vue)

So, Van Gogh is Bipolar! that’s the catchy name of a restaurant in #154 Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City; owned and manage by Jetro Rafael – a person with Bipolar.

I was reading Philippine Star last December morning when I saw an article about: “who’s bipolar?!. I got curious and told my friend about it.  There were many interesting questions that crossed our minds , like: How does he manage his condition ‘coz we learned he stopped taking medications which is a  big leap and have switched to herbal products? How is a day like with him? How did he learn to cook his way to healing? How does he manage to travel a lot with little financial means? How is he dealing the classic symptoms of bipolar? These are the kind of questions that we hoped answered by him.

And so the day came, when we went to his place.  Upon knowing that vgib doesn’t  accept reservations, we came an hour earlier, a certain man told us that the place opens exactly 6pm, so we decided to visit a bookstore, also along Maginhawa St., when we came back Van Gogh is Bipolar has just opened.  With a soft spoken voice, we instantly knew it was jetro, wearing an Italian flag apron with a hat welcomed us cordially.

He reminded us that we should read the directions posted on the board and walls so we will be aware of what’s going on in his resto.

We took our shoes off by the front door and when we got in, a snug and comfortable room, illuminated by candle lights and a startling shadow of a big clock projected onto a painted wall, from a device on top of a mirrored cabinet opposite the wall, was revealed.  We were met by a fresh cool air and far from the coldness you will feel when you enter a mall.  When we were inside, we took time reading the directions, we read the labels of the different kinds of tea and we learned that he has varieties of teas for the inducement of certain kinds of moods.  We saw different kinds of  tea pots assembled nicely on a little round table behind an elegant venetian lamp.

We seemed to be feeling the ambience and wasn’t ready to settle down at once; so we marvelled around the place for a little while; we liked the quiet and serene atmosphere of the room, anything big or small was arranged brilliantly and creatively including the books inside a wall cabinet.  We feel that every part of the room displayed a relaxing appeal of being at home.  We were touched by a message on the board that says: “Here we celebrate our imperfections and  embrace flaws and weaknesses”.

Jetro told us that the only table available was the one on the corner, we realized that the corner has more privacy than any place in the room, and, the chairs are cushioned, so we took it, there, behind our table, we saw a red wall and lots of writing on it.  There are only two seats in that corner and in the middle is another table for two.  On the other corner where the shadow of the clock is projected is a table for six.  So all in all there are only 10 people that can be accommodated inside the house.

Jetro offered to us the 3-course menu special for that night for Ph555.

a)       Virginia Woolf’s Tear soup

b)      Main course, a choice from:

1)       President Lincolns freerange organic turkey

2)      President Roosevelt’s Norwegian salmon belly

3)      President Clinton’s Czirke Chicken

c)       Ice cream made from cow’s milk for dessert.

d)      Also includes Courtney Love potion of the day, Van Gogh black rice and a choice among his store of teas.

We settled down and wrote our names and orders on a piece of paper, ring the bell and place it by the kitchen window.  While waiting we took pictures and tried on different kind of hats which are hanging on a rack for the customer’s play and delight.

Jetro told us to pick any pot that we feel using and try his different array of teas while waiting for our dinner, we chose the guyabano tea for its soothing effect and mango tea for its happy effect, added dried mint leaves and wild papaya honey.  The taste is heavenly and very relaxing indeed! The tea unnerved our senses.

Later on our dinner were served, instead of us getting it from the dispatch window. (By the way, it’s a self-service resto, meaning you will have to write down your orders and place them at the dispatch window and ring the bell; afterwards, soiled dishes should be place at the dispatch window also).

The soup was served first; very rich, sour, clear that is truly appetizing, we guessed it has miso, turkey and banana chips.  Courtney’s love potion drink has something in it that we didn’t recognize but nonetheless refreshing; maybe it has mint, lemon, calamansi, diced cucumber and orange pulpbits.  Then the main entry: Van Gogh black rice artfully served on top of cabbage leaves.  We took the salmon belly which is fried just well enough, served with banana chips, corn on a cabbage and slice of orange. We also took the Pres. Lincoln’s turkey tucked inside the orange, it has very soft and tender meat that Jetro prepared.  The sauce complemented well with it.

While we were eating, we thought that maybe we should talk to Jetro and tell him that we have Bipolar too;  introducing the fact that we have bipolar from the first encounter may not make for the most favorable beginning; at some point though, we feel we should let others know.  Bipolar is an invisible disease for other people because we are always trying to look normal but inside we know we are different.  Being Bipolar, we are a unique breed.  Our mind is subjected to a lot of activity and stimulation.  There’s no doubt that there’s a link between bipolar and creativity upon seeing Jetro’s place.  Some scientist think that “there’s something about; bipolar brain is wired, that allows more connection to be made within the brain or peer flow of connections that is seen typically in a manic state:

Restless sleep, state of agitation and sometimes persons with Bipolar go to a very creative and productive period, working up all night, working on some great work of art”.  Some scientist also say: “a person with Bipolar doesn’t have to be creatively genious to express creativity in your life because creativity manifest in all forms like selling a property or apartment and dealing in a creative and inspiring way”.

At last! Jetro was coming to the kitchen door and smiled at us; we said congratulations for this nice place you have Jetro, and the food, they’re really good;   thank you very much, he politely retorted with a smile. Then after the exchange of pleasantries, we spoke with revelation, “you know Jetro, we have bipolar too”.  He was taken aback and at first almost couldn’t speak a word.  Then he hesitated asking what kind of relationship we have.  We told him we are very special friends aside from both having bipolar.  He was glad to hear that.

We told Jetro that we admire him for having established himself successfully, despite his condition.  Then something amazing happened; he stopped for a while and told us that he likes to talk to us; so, he turned down the volume of the music so we could talk.  We all have so many things to share especially him.  So, we went to the curious questions we had in mind.  We asked him about his secret to success.  He said that having bipolar is highly maintenance disease because of the high cost of medicines and therapies, we should be self-sufficient, Jetro said that we should find what we really love doing and do it without thinking about money and before you know it, you are already earning.  For example, he just started his resto business by pursuing his passion for cooking;  Jetro said  “ang gusto ko lang ay magluto at gusto ko parati ako nasa bahay, kaya ito ako, isang homemaker”.  He doesn’t do things for the money.

We learned a lot from Jetro, we learned his attitude in life.  He simply lives for the present and isolate it from other thoughts.  He doesn’t think of the past nor the future, he savors the moment.  He admitted though that this requires discipline and at first he also had difficulty doing it.  Having accepted his condition, he is not a slave of “stigma”. He even jokes about it among his friends.  He described his childhood living with bipolar thinking he was all normal and other kids are not, we all agreed on this thought and we felt the same.   He said, back in the province, he finds a venue for his “kapraningan” by shouting on the field.  On the red wall that we were seated next is where he writes his  crazy ideas and poems.  We were surprised of his knowledge about the healing properties of food that he’s serving us.  He also paints to express his kapraningan.  He confessed that he put up VGIB as his personal space.  He doesn’t encourage us to stop our medications instead he shared  to us that certain foods can help augment our condition side by side with medicines, like, eating turkey or salmon, walnuts and lots of cabbage to prevent mood swings and depression, tea can help us relax and be happy, just choose the organic type without caffeine.

We had a very fruitful conversation with Jetro, which for us is the best thing.  In the end, he showed his generosity and gracefulness by giving us a postcard which he himself photographed in one of his travels and put a dedication on it.  He also gave us a one of a kind t-shirt.  We felt so special and happy by his gesture.  He also told us to leave our numbers on his wall of calling cards after we finished eating.  He had us etched our names on the surface of his cupboard with a screw driver.

When we are about to leave; Jetro gave us both a hug; such a warm soul that we feel he is part of our life now as a friend.

We learned a lot from him. Hopefully People with Bipolars  who chance upon reading this learns also.

VGIB inspires the creativity in us but Jetro inspires us and made us think that life with Bipolar being chronic and debilitating can also be a way of inspiration to self and others.

THANK YOU VGIB AND JETRO !!!

We look forward to seeing you again.

Written by:

Bong and Ces