I NK
CONTENT Little Globetrotter Serial Thrifter The Bygone and the Contemporary Secret Sanctuaries Life Mantras D.I.Y. : 3 easy hairstyles
Life Mantras
Meet the staff of INK and the words they live by. These life mantras are words of encouragement, and little reminders of how we should never forget to live life a little, to just keep on going and to always, always have hope and love.
THE TEAM Andrea Genota Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director
Meanne Rosales Associate Editor
Tracy Maghirang Assistant Editor
Jana Pena
Writer / Hair and Make-up Artist
Angelica Gatpandan
Assistant Photographer / Director of Finance
D.I.Y.
ning glory in less w ro c r u o y p m a Rev than 5 minutes! STYLING BY: JANA PENA PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ANGELICA GATPANDAN
Good grooming should always be the cornerstone of your over all look, whether you’re having a lunch with an old friend or going to a casual event. These kinds of situations require a versatile hairstyle to take you from day to night. A super trendy hairstyle in favor of something more classic may sound boring, but it really doesn’t have to be. The right style, personalized to your individual personality, adds sophistication to your look and even changes the way your clothing looks on you. BE QUIRKY BE FUN!
Steps: *You’ll need two small clear hair elastics and bobby pins to do the half crown braid in your hair. 1. Start by taking a 1-2 inch section of hair on one side of your hair above your ear. Split this section in three and make a braid (plait). 2. Angle the braid back around your head and secure the end of the braid with a small clear hair elastic.
HALF CROWN BRAID
3. Repeat on the other side, taking a section above your ear and making a braid (plait). Secure the end with a small clear elastic. 4. Bring the first braid across the back of your head and pin in place with bobby pins. 5. Cross the second braid over the first and tuck the end in behind the first braid. Secure in place with bobby pins.
Steps: *You’ll need one hair elastics, bigger tie and bobby pins to do the natural bun in your hair. 1. Tie your hair in not so high and not so low pony tail. 2. Using a bigger hair tie, twist the hair.
NATURAL BUN
3. Roll it around the ponytail. 4. Then tie it around with the bigger tie. 5. Pull the bun slightly so it will become bigger and to give it more volume. 6. Using a pin to pin it down
Steps: *You’ll need one hair elastics and bobby pins to do the halo braid in your hair. 1. Part hair down middle. Put hair half up in claw to keep top section out of the way (try to keep part in tact). Put bottom half of hair into 2 sections. 2. Braid entire right section of hair in tight braid. I start an inch or two away from my head so you don’t see my scalp. Secure with rubber band and spray with hair spray. Do the same to the left. 3. Wrap the left braid over across the top of head to your right side. Secure along the length of the braid with several bobby pins. Then, pull the right braid over to left side- so it is butting up alongside the first braid. You can place it closer to your forehead. 4. Once braids are secure, take the rest of your hair out of the claw and pull into ponytail, bun or leave hair down. Leave a few front pieces down if desired, and curl. Spray well with strong hair spray. Add some ribbons for a different look.
HALO BRAID
Paulin Words by: Meanne Rosales Photographs by: Andrea Genota
ne
The day was windy and humid at the same time; leaves
were falling, the flowers were starting to wilt. Time was running in fast pace, everything was in slow motion. The anticipation was in the air at the same time, pressure was lingering in the atmosphere; moreover, the excitement won over. Everybody was doing something-- busy doing their job. It was as if the birds stopped chirping to watch us do our thing. The sunset has the perfect tinge of colors that matches her golden mane; that afternoon was made for her. Nobody would know that behind those smiles were awkward poses. A remarkable afternoon for a remarkable person. A multi-media arts student, an artist, and a free spirit—words that would sum up Pauline Alvarez. Pauline is well-known for blogging and her artworks; she uses colors and words to say what she means to the world. Not only that, she also sings, hosts, skate, and owns an online shop. She inspires many people, in our age, to pursue their dreams and never be afraid to take risks. She takes all that she can and does it with all her heart. She seems to be the person who does things for the sake of enjoyment. For our curiosity’s sake did a quick interview and asked her typical questions which she answered enthusiastically.
Ink: How would you describe yourself? P: 19 and fearless *chuckles* I: What is your ideal job? P: My ideal job would be the one without a boss (hehehe) and a job that is always on-the-go. I don’t like staying in offices except if it has an interior like the Pixar and Google offices. I: What do you favor more, writing or sketching and painting? P: Actually, writing, it’s really a part of me ever since I was a kid. Same goes with sketching or painting, it goes hand in hand. Pero mas madalas ako nagsusulat cause I always have my journal with me every day, every time of the day. But yung painting din kasi, right now, parang nag-aadapt ako sa lifestyle ko na I always make sure na I bring my tube paints with me but mas madalas talaga na magsulat ako.
I: Do you attach your feelings with your works? P: Yes. Most of the time, when I feel happy I try to preserve that feeling or memory in a canvass. I paint with lively colors and colors with brighter shades. The same with sadness, I also paint when I feel sad; only I paint at night with darker and morbid colors. I: Why Multi-media arts? P: Why multi-media arts? Maybe, I like exploring things. I mean, multi-media arts open a lot of doors for discovering. It has journalism, digital and traditional arts, and communication. It seems to me that this course has it all.
With her words and talents, her dreams would be boundless. She can be anything or anyone she wants to be. Nevertheless, self-doubt would be her enemy; she has the choice which color she’ll paint the world with-- brighter or morbid colors. Another ink that will taint the world with her colors and prints.
Secret
Sanctuaries Words by Meanne Rosales Photographs by Andrea Genota
“Home is your sanctuary.” Dana Werbowy Why seek for other places when you can have it here? Why search for new adventure in a different place when all you need to do is discover a place near you and enjoy the sight; never be afraid to discover something new. You need not to go to far places just to enjoy yourself. Here in Laguna, we have spots we can call as “secret sanctuaries.” Los Banos is a lost wonder land with private resorts, hotels, and restaurants. Furthermore, this place gives off a feeling like you belong in this place. If your taste buds are looking for something unique, all you have to do is visit the good ‘ol LB. Another pro of discovering something unknown is that the prices of the product might be incredibly low. Second benefit is that you all have the place for yourself since the place is not yet too crowded. Lastly, the place has its perfect windy weather. We visited the quiet city of Los Banos to discover some “Secret Sanctuaries” that are budget friendly, has a nice interior plus relaxing ambiance, and has the food that can cure our cravings. We went to two cafes and two restaurants/diners..
Cafe la Bonne Vie Our first stop was the Café la Bonne Vie; the place has that homey feeling you will search for in every place you go. Nevertheless, it cannot absorb too much crowd or customers since the place only covers four to five tables inside and two tables outside; yet, the tiny space only adds charm to the place. As for the food, we ordered three of their best-sellers—the fish-fillet, the oreo cheesecake, and the raspberry iced tea.. If you’re planning to try this place, might as well order the three best-sellers for starters; it can never disappoint you.
Band of Burgers Our second stop: B.O.B (Band of Burgers). We actually got a little lost before finding this sweet spot. Guess what they’re best-known for? Burgers! The place has that 70s diner-like feels. We devoured the Lamb Burger sided with sweet potato fries and Iced tea. This burger has richer taste than that of the average burger we usually get to taste in fast food restaurants; not too greasy, just perffff! Aside from the Lamb Burger we also ordered Mozzarella sticks for 80 pesos; need we say more? Mozzarella sticks? The food speaks for itself.
Seoul Kitchen A taste of Korea, who wouldn’t want that? We couldn’t help but admire the pretty interior of this lovely place! Doesn’t that pastel green bike reminds you of your favorite koreanovela? Definitely the team’s favorite. We couldn’t believe such place exists at LB! We ordered two of their dishes—the Beef Bulgogi and the Pat Bing Soo. Beef Bulgogi is pretty known when it comes to Korean food; probably everyone knows it. Bulgogi literally means “fire meat” for it is cooked in high heat to soak in the sweet soy flavor inside the meat. This is usually served with rice and kimchi. The second dish was Pat Bing Soo; it is the Korean counterpart of our classic Pinoy halo-halo. It is served with various fruits, milk, red beans, and fine ice—one of Seoul Kitchen’s best-sellers.
Saleefran Cafe If you’re searching for the perfect spot to have your weekly tea with your girlfriends, go on a book date with your geeky bestfriend, or just have some quality me time.. you’re welcome. We got y’all covered! Saleefran Cafe is owned by a 22 year old lady (such young age, how inspiring is she?!) who graduated from UST. The place is pure girly and contains endearing colors and designs. Totally instagram worthy! Saleefran Cafe is not your usual cafe since their menu offers a wide range of sinfully delicious cupcakes, tea, cappuccino, milkshakes, pastas, nachos and even grilled burgers.
What’s one thing we all fear the most? Seeing someone wear the same clothes as what we are currently sporting, definitely! We all reach a point where we all just get tired of the same trend, the same shoes, and the same tops being sold in all these shops that we can’t help but wish we all had our own seamstress so there’s zero probability that you’d come across a girl wearing the same skirt. But who are we kidding? That’s too expensive. What’s one shop that sells inexpensive clothes, and not to mention, pieces that are really unique? THRIFT SHOPS. Gone are the days that people loathe shops that sells pre-loved pieces. Even the top bloggers of today’s generation embrace the wonders of thrifting! What’s not to love? Thrifting is like a big treasure hunt, you go through all these racks of clothes and if you’re lucky enough, you might even get a designer jacket for 80% less the original price! And the feeling of finding a perfect piece of clothing, that ranges from only 20 – 200 PHP? We’re telling you, it’s priceless! INK compiled 6 outfits that are made up of pieces we got from thrift shops to inspire you to go treasure hunting as well! And oh, don’t forget to blast Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ Thrift Shop while doing so.
Blazer with leather accent - 180 Php Printed aztec bandage skirt - 120 Php
Knitted cardigan - 120 php Printed circle skirt - 70 php
Little black printed dress 70 php
Lace cropped top = 120 Php Maxi skirt - 220 Php
Retro inspired jumpsuit - 120 php
Lace cover up - 130 Php Printed scarf - 70 Php
Words by: Tracy Maghirang
Interview by: Andrea Genota
Talking about the generation today, we are engaged in numerous things. We barely have time for our friends and ourselves, our planners are jam-packed, we almost never have a free day! That’s why we are always longing for something extraordinary, always itching to escape the hustle and bustle of being a student for a day or two. Most of us wish to be more exposed in different aspects of life. Travelling, finding wonderful things in different cities, encountering different people in different places, inspiring others and experiencing that once in a lifetime chance. But.. We. Just. Can’t. And we can’t help but get jealous of the people that are currently experiencing the things we feel like doing. But worry not, days, weeks or months from now, we’ll all be able to grant our wishes. Just like our half- Japanese and half-Filipino little globetrotter, Sophia Sato. Knowing that she can do whatever she wants as long as it’s possible, this perky and life-loving woman, Sophia Sato, is living it up. She has been visiting different places around the world, learning new things that school can’t teach and discovering other portions of her entity. She has gone to an international school and had classmates from all over the world that made her want to experience more. This woman knows how to handle herself, just like when she travels all by herself. We may think that travelling unaccompanied isn’t such a nice idea, but Sophia proved otherwise. She learned how to have a good time by herself and to let go of a habit we should all unleash; depending our happiness on other people.
INK: Tell us a little something about yourself.
Sophia: In high school, I used to tell myself that there’s more to life than just waking up early for school and hitting the books. I’m not saying that it’s not important and that I hated it, I just didn’t spend hours studying at home. For me, 12 hours in school feeding my brain with formulas, scientific terms and histories of everything under the sun was already too much. I would rather go somewhere or on a road trip, experience and learn new things that school can’t teach me. I did my best to excel in school but I didn’t force myself to do things I didn’t want. I take things lightly even until now and so far, so good. It made me become a happy and life-loving person. When I entered college, it didn’t take too long before I dropped Psychology in Miriam and shifted to Fashion Design in Raffles Design Institute where I had freedom to create and do the things I love. I know I made the right choice when I left my former school to pursue designing. Being in an international school and having classmates from all over the world, I often hear wonderful things about their countries and that made me want to experience and see it myself. I’ve always loved my freedom. Knowing that I can do whatever I want as long as I think it is possible, I can make it happen.
I: Whats your favorite destination in the Philippines? S: Oh, I remember when I was on my Euro trip and people will ask me my favorite place in Philippines I’d always answer… “Boracay!” I know it’s not that surprising but seriously, I had one of the most unforgettable moments in Boracay. There was a time that I went back to this island for 5 times in just a year. I love it that much. I would never get tired of laying under the sun while drinking milkshakes, walking by the shore, eating random food, burying my feet in it’s warm white sand, watching the sun set with my friends, playing Frisbee until it’s time to party, meet other beach bums and talk ‘til the sun rises. I can’t even describe the feeling when I think about it.
I: Could you cite some stories about your life in Japan? (the places, people, culture) S: Tokyo and Kyoto are my two favorite cities in Japan. Skyscrapers, buildings, busy streets and subway, high technology, mouthwatering food, mad fashion scene and insane parties—that’s probably the best way I could summarize Tokyo. I will forever love Harajuku for it’s countless shopping centers. I panic when I’m in Harajuku; Shibuya, Shinjuku and Roppongi for the parties and friendly people from all over the world. I would always wait until 5am for the first train home after hanging out with my friends in those places. When I started working in Tokyo, I was able to explore more places and meet more interesting people. I was able to learn deeper Japanese words which are very polite, by the way. Working in Tokyo is hard but so worth it. What inspires me to get up each day for my long day ahead is the thought that I could buy the things I want without asking anything from my parents. Also, I want to travel a lot and I’m sure that I could make it happen already. Kyoto is way different from Tokyo. It’s more of the traditional Japanese culture. Old houses, tiny towns, temples, nature, people walking in their kimonos and calm streets. I’ve been to Kyoto twice only and I will never forget how beautiful it was and how nice the people were to us. It felt like I was time traveling when I arrived in Kyoto. It was like in the movies and anime series. I remember I went to a mountain where there’s an extremely huge temple and students can wish and they’ll be given a tiny pouch with “lucky” stones and crystals. It was an amazing experience. There’s more but it will take me forever to share it with you so that’s enough for now.
I: At such a young age, you’ve been to a lot of places. How did you make it possible? Did you ever imagine that you could go to these places (especially Paris!) at this age?
S: The countries I’ve been to in Asia were all planned out by my family or some by my friends so I kind of already have an idea what’s going to happen and settling things went smoothly. My Europe adventure was completely different. I spent months applying for an internship in London and Paris. Luckily, I had offers in both cities but since I have a friend who lives in France, I chose Paris instead. I’ve imagined myself going to Paris but not that soon and specially, not alone. Same with the other cities I’ve been to in Europe.
I: Why did you decide to travel alone? During your tour to Europe?
My Euro trip was unplanned. I was just supposed to be in Paris for my internship but I couldn’t leave yet simply because I love everything about it. So I decided to stay for two more months and discover other countries/ cities in Europe. I invited my friend to join me but she can’t. Instead, a friend of hers went with me to Amsterdam which was my first stop. After Amsterdam, I traveled alone already. I thought it’s a great way to self discovery. I: What are the places you’re planning on visiting soon?
I’m going back to Europe around August 2014 to go to Greece, London, Copenhagen, Poland, Croatia, Switzerland and Finland.
I: What’s the craziest thing that ever happened to you while you were traveling?
S: I really can’t say there’s one specific thing that’s on top of my list because too many crazy things happened and each experience is extraordinary! But let me share one of my unforgettable experiences in Paris. My friend told me that most Parisians don’t buy tickets for the subway as long as you don’t see train officers roaming. So most of the time, I don’t buy my ticket anymore. What we do is just jump over the turnstile or go under it. And since I’m such a tiny girl, I can fit in to the gaps between the gates of the metro lines. I was never caught by inspectors until my last night in Paris came. We were about to exit the metro station when we saw inspectors checking for tickets of the passengers. Unfortunately, we were caught. Since it’s against the law, we were asked to pay 50 euro (3060php) or they will call the police and we’ll spend the night in jail. I paid for both of us instead and we were asked to sign papers. We just laughed about it after and celebrated for being caught. Crazy! From the breath-taking cities I’ve been to, the unforgettable parties I attended, the extremely wonderful people I’ve met to the cultures I got to experience, everything was just crazy!
I: Tell us about a random person you met, and your encounter with him.
S: It happened in Rome, Italy. I was waiting for the next train in Colosseo station when a drunk Italian guy talked to me. I couldn’t understand what he was saying so I told him that I don’t speak Italian. Finally, he said, “Oh, I can speak English too. Where are you going? How long have you been here?” I answered, “I’m going to the Vatican and it’s my first night in Rome.” The train arrived; I entered and noticed he’s following me. Long story short, he ended up taking me to the most beautiful places in Rome (he even paid for my train tickets). From the Vatican to Piazza del Popolo to other piazzas, he made me wish to every step of every stairs we’re taking while holding my hand. He took me to a place overlooking the sparkling city of Rome. What’s awkward was we just exchanged a few words. It was getting late so I told him I need to go. He accompanied me to the main station and when the train arrived, he embraced me and said, “Goodbye, have a nice trip!” and he ran away. I wasn’t able to ask his name and so did he.
Venice, Italy
I: Everyone would love to do the things you are able to do at such a young age! What’s your message to these people who would want to experience the same thing?
S: Beginnings are usually the hardest part but once you’ve started, I swear stopping is the last thing you would want to do. Telling yourself that you’ll do this and that “soon” means nothing if you won’t make any move. As soon as you decided that you want to travel, for example, check for the cheapest flights or the easiest route to a certain place; pack your things and go. It doesn’t have to be somewhere a thousand miles away. What’s important is discovering something you don’t get to experience every day. I: On your next travel, do you plan on going alone again, or this time with someone?
Well, I am going back to Paris alone again but I will be staying at my friend’s place there. And it would be fun also if one of my friends from Paris could come with me when I start my second Euro trip. I’m hoping someone’s available by then, if not then I really don’t mind traveling by myself once more I: Tell us one thing you learn about all the travelling you have done.
I used to think that what’s important in my life is to do the things that make me happy, be with the people who cheer me up and be fulfilled. But through traveling alone, I learned how to have a good time by myself which was a bit tricky at first. I thought, traveling alone won’t be as fun as being with friends or family. But when I actually traveled alone, I got to test my capabilities, my contentment and patience. I never felt so accomplished before it. I used to see life as a duty or some kind of an errand, but now, it is as if I need to fill up each day of a calendar with colorful doodles.
Beginnings
are usually the hardest part but once you have started, I swear stopping isthe last thing you would want to do.