Arts, music, food; and bed-and-breakfast, too

There’s no other and better way to aptly put a title to this feature article than what the acronym in the name of the establishment stands for and the character that it, too, wants to project.  Yes, AMF Gallery Café is a haven for Arts, Music and Food lovers, and at the same time, is a bed-and -breakfast hostel for tourists and travelers in Bikol.
First, let me tell you a little bit about its history.  AMF Gallery Café is formerly a residence of the Badiola family.  Located along San Felipe (Naga City), it sits on a 1,000 plus square meter property.  By its look, it is a post-war American continental-inspired architectural piece that was popular in the 60’s but was designed and built in the 70’s by the property owner himself, the late Engr. Orestes Badiola.  One interesting feature about its history is that its front porch used to house an irrigation facility that pumps water from the Bikol River (which is just across the street) for the rice field behind the residence.  At one time, it has been offered by the family for use by the city government’s fire trucks to help augment water pumping needs in case of big fires in Naga.  With all the kids grown up and having their own families, and with the old folks gone, the house was vacated or left abandoned for quite some time. One enterprising daughter (Girlie), however, who after having worked at some government offices in Manila for 25 years, took an opportunity from a livelihood loan grant, came back to Naga, refurbished the house and converted it into what is now AMF Gallery Café (and bed-and-breakfast hostel).
AMF Gallery Café officially opened for business in April 2007.  Last September, it hosted a fashion show in time for the Peñafrancia festivities.  Proprietor-manager Girlie Badiola (who is also the chef and credits her culinary expertise from her mother Adelita who was a Home Economics teacher herself for years) says the resto-bar-cafe is open the whole day and can serve breakfast, lunch or dinner.  It also features al fresco dining or drinking area but the interiors of the house could also be used for functions like family gatherings, debuts and weddings; like the one I happened to attend in time for my interview and data gathering for this article.  It was the 76th birthday of Fr. Wilmer Tria’s mother, Josefina.
Artists and musicians can come and perform at the resto-bar-cafe.  As we dined and partied, we were entertained by an all-female five-member group which goes by the name Outrageous Band. Their repertoire consists of classical and contemporary tunes.  This is group is also on its infancy stage.  And this is where AMF Gallery Café lives out by its name to be a haven for music lovers, both for those who want to perform and showcase their craft or for those who enjoy sheer listening to music.  It also has a library of CD selections and musical genre from standards to jazz and what have you. Poets and literary guilds can come and do some poetry reading or book launching with autograph signing.  And for the arts enthusiasts, aside from the house itself which is already a statement to architecture; furniture pieces, accents, fixtures and collections would surely draw some interests as they date back to some art era.  Value-wise, the entire house and its contents are heirlooms themselves.