Filipino artists Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan’s favorite spots in Brisbane

The stunning blue skies of Brisbane are endless. It’s one of the things Alfredo and I love most about living here – the subtropical climate makes for weather that is pleasant all year round. And while the city isn’t as famous as Sydney or Melbourne, we’ve found the capital of Queensland to be the perfect home for us. Its friendly vibe, relaxed pace and laid-back lifestyle welcomed us when we relocated from the Philippines in 2006 with five children in tow. We both felt it was the ideal place to raise our family.

We first got to know Brisbane in 1999, when we were invited to participate in the 3rd Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’s “Beyond the Future” exhibition together with artists Agnes Arellano, Roberto Feleo, Lani Maestro and John Frank Sabado. For this exhibition, we worked with the Filipino migrant community in Brisbane and asked them to contribute objects that reminded them of home. It was a collaborative project that engaged a specific community and created an opportunity for people to come together and craft something from their experiences. This led to several exhibitions in key cities in Australia, and eventually the big move over.

Living here has given us more opportunities with regard to our practice. Alfredo, for instance, has had the chance to go back and pursue his doctoral degree in the visual arts. Meanwhile our children Miguel (29), Diego (22), Amihan (20), Leon (19) and Aniway (17), who are now grown up, all had the opportunity to pick from high-quality schools. As Brisbane is also a multicultural hub, we find that we are able to access a lot of inspiration and material for our work, which deals with the themes of displacement, the hardship associated with making a journey and finding one’s identity. And because there’s a thriving Filipino community here, we always feel a sense of connection to the Philippines.

The city’s pace fits right in with our busy art practice. And after the hectic schedule that comes with traveling and working on art projects in Europe, China and Japan, and bustling metropolises like New York, Brisbane is the place to return to in order to slow down, recharge and start the creative process all over again.

SATURDAY

8.30AM

Saturday is our market day. We head for the Davies Park Market (Montague Rd & Jane St, West End) (also known as the West End Market) where we get our fresh veggies and fruits. The fruits here are so succulent. The family’s favorites are avocados, mangos, seedless watermelons and dragonfruit – so we make sure to stock up. The market can be reached by bike or foot, via the river pathways and Kurilpa Bridge from the city. Everything from spices, mud crabs, licorice and artisan breads to embroidered clothing and handmade crafts are on display.

After shopping, we sit and enjoy some live music over skinny cappuccinos and flat whites from a coffee stall called Gypsy Wagon. We also frequent Xpresso Di Bella Coffee Wagon, which is owned by a Filipino who makes fantastic coffee. It’s Alfredo’s favorite place for when he wants a stronger ristretto. Beside this sits a shop with no name that bakes fresh treats – this is where we get delicious slices of fruit bread. Also within the market is Bootleg Breads, which sells Sol organic yeast and gluten-free baked goodies.

The coffee scene in Brisbane is definitely worth checking out, and locals take pride in the fact that huge coffee chains are practically nonexistent here. We often tell our friends to look for tiny, neighborhood establishments with long queues outside. These are the spots where people line up to get their morning brew and breakfast muffins to go. The longer the queue, the better the coffee. That’s another thing we like about living here. Things are not always advertised; you have to discover them. We’re not very good at remembering the names of shops, but we’ve noticed that if you follow the queues, you’ll always be satisfied.

Midday

We head over to our cousin’s home for lunch. Filipinos are all about family, and dining together over a home-cooked Filipino meal is often preferred to eating at a restaurant. Bonding with family – which now includes other Filipinos whom we aren’t necessarily related to – is one of the traditions we stick with, especially since we experienced their kindness and generosity when we first migrated. We didn’t get to bring too much with us, and our church community gifted us boxes of clothes and household items, some of which we still use to this day!

3.30PM

With a full belly, we make our way to the Woolloongabba Antique Centre (22 Wellington Rd), located in a nearby suburb. One of our favorite haunts, it’s filled with second-hand stores and vintage shops. We’re usually happy to just check out all the finds, but once in a while we pick up a piece or two like an electric fan or cane to add to one of Alfredo’s collections, or some faux jewelry for myself. Pop-up events, such as vintage record sales, creative workshops and live jazz, also take place here.

8.30PM

After having dinner at home we meet up with our brood to watch movies in South Bank Parklands, which is the cultural and recreational epicenter of Brisbane. You have the Queensland Conservatorium (140 Grey St, South Brisbane), the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (Corner Melbourne St and Grey St, South Brisbane) and, of course, the Queensland Art Gallery (Stanley Place, South Brisbane). There are cinemas in South Bank where we sometimes watch more commercial films, but tonight we go with our preferred pick of something more artsy at the Gallery of Modern Art which hosts free screenings.

South Bank also has many manmade pools and picnic grounds, as well as paths and bikeways where we go for walks and bike rides in the morning throughout the week. On Saturday nights the place really comes alive – especially with the energy of the younger crowd. We’re pretty sure they like staying out late to enjoy the scene, but we head home after the movie and call it a day.

SUNDAY

10AM

Sundays are for sleeping in. So we get up later than usual and put some of our fresh fruits and vegetables from the market to work for a juice made in our Ninja Crusher.

As artists, we’re on the road often, and our lifestyle isn’t very healthy. But being in Brisbane – where people tend to be very health-conscious – allows us to settle and find our balance again.

11AM

Three of our kids work part-time as activity assistants in the Children’s Art Centre at the Gallery of Modern Art (Stanley Place, South Brisbane). We drop by and check out the latest exhibits while waiting for them to get off work. This is a great spot to check out when you have little ones in tow, as there is a strong focus on encouraging children’s artistic involvement and they always have commissioned exhibitions created with children in mind.

Midday

We attend mass in St Stephen’s Cathedral (249 Elizabeth St, Brisbane City). If they aren’t busy, our kids join us. In many ways, they’ve become very Australian over the past 10 years. But we are still very close, and they value the time we can spend together as a family on Sundays – especially since we are away for much of the year. The cathedral is usually filled with Filipinos, so we tend to see a lot of friendly faces.

1.30PM

From mass the brood heads to a nearby restaurant for a late lunch. Most of our kids live on their own, and usually just prepare quick and easy meals for themselves throughout the week. So it comes as no surprise that they clamor for Asian cuisine when we eat out as a family. Little Singapore is one of their favorites since they’re able to get their fill of rice and flavorful dishes. Hakataya Ramen is another top choice if they’re craving Japanese noodle soup.

3PM

Like full-blooded Filipinos, our kids often crave Pinoy treats. For this we head to Fortitude Valley, where Chinatown is located. Here you’ll find Best Friends (Shop 210, McWhirters Centre, 247 Brunswick St), a popular Filipino sari-sari and grocery store. We usually get pandesal (bread rolls), otap (puff pastry) from Cebu, tinapang bangus (smoked milk fish) from Pangasinan, longaniza (cured meat sausage) from Pampanga, Goldilocks polvoron (Spanish shortbread) and tuyo (salted dry fish) to match our champorado (chocolate rice porridge) for breakfast. We also get our Asian food supplies here.

7PM

By the time dinner rolls around, Asian food is still on everyone’s mind. So Sunnybank, a suburb where a lot of Asians have settled and built communities, is a regular destination. As we wander around, it almost feels as if we’re in a city in Asia instead of Australia! Our family has a favorite Japanese restaurant in Market Square called KU-O (Market Square, 39b/341 Mains Rd, Sunnybank), so we head over and order some fresh sashimi and Japanese curry dishes to share.

8.30PM

To wrap up the evening we usually get some bubble milk tea at Sakuraya (Market Square, 341 Mains Rd, Sunnybank) in Sunnybank, or if we happen to be in the city we get our frozen yogurt from Nominom (131 Elizabeth St) at Elizabeth Street. This is where we wrap up our week and talk about plans for the week to come. Then we all go home together and call it a day.

One of our works is called In-Habit: Project Another Country, which is about being “in between”. In the Philippines we’re now viewed as foreigners. In Brisbane we are still foreigners even if we carry Australian passports. We are always in that middle ground, and that middle ground is Another Country. Yet even with this in-betweenness, we find that as we stay close to family, continue our work and settle into our lives, it is still possible to create a sense of home.