Northern Living: 2016 March

March 2016 Volume 10 | Issue 7

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NORTHERNliving

12 COVER STORY Casa San Miguel, the artists’ home, has a new pedagogy

GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA MANAGING EDITOR DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS LEX CELERA, PRISTINE L. DE LEON RENZ NOLLASE CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIMU MUALLAM GRAPHIC ARTIST MAYSIE LECCIONES STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PATRICK SEGOVIA CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, CHRYSSA CELESTINO, SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO, INA AMOR MEJIA, PAULINE MIRANDA ILLUSTRATORS LEE CACES, REESE LANSANGAN, TRISTAN TAMAYO, SAINTE JAMES TAN STYLISTS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, EDLENE CABRAL, RIA CASCO, INA AMOR MEJIA HAIR AND MAKEUP CHUCHIE LEDESMA, BULLET REYES PHOTOGRAPHERS GERIC CRUZ, INA AMOR MEJIA, SAM LIM, CENON NORIAL III, CHOLA TOLENTINO

Cover photo by Geric Cruz

COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADERS PAULINE MIRANDA, ROMEO MORAN EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO

MARCH 2016 02 HEALTH How spaces affect well-being

18 STYLE Ease into dreamy earth tones

04 BEAUTY Rethinking plastic particles in skincare

26 MARKET Essentials for al fresco gatherings

06 FIXTURE Movements and musings in the city

30 RECIPE Seaside fare in a crisp wrap

BOARD CHAIRPERSON MA. ALEXANDRA PRIETO-ROMUALDEZ IGC CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER AND CFO J. FERDINAND DE LUZURIAGA IGC DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER ATTY. RUDYARD ARBOLADO VP ANG GROUP HR HEAD RAYMUND SOBERANO VP AND CHIEF STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICER IMELDA C. ALCANTARA SVP AND GROUP SALES HEAD FELIPE R. OLARTE AVP FOR SALES MA. KATRINA MAE G. DALUSONG SALES SUPERVISOR JOY SANTOS-PILAR KEY ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST ANGELITA TAN-IBAÑEZ SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ABBY GINAGA, ALETHEIA ORDIALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANDIE ZUÑIGA, SARAH CABALATUNGAN, CHARM BANZUELO, LIZA JISON SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANTS RECHELLE NICDAO, KAREN ALIASAS

EDITOR’S NOTE Losing touch We’re lucky to find pockets of greenery across the metro. With trees cut to widen roads and parks demolished to construct more buildings, we’ve become accustomed to living in such gray spaces, even possibly failing to recall how to live in a place that used to be lush and inspiring.

Psychologist Peter H. Kahn, Jr. pointed out this growing estrangement from nature among younger generations and called it Environmental Generational Amnesia, a pressing matter that has often been overlooked.

According to Kahn, it is a study on how children rationalize

environmental problems and what happens to children’s affinity towards nature and their sensibilities when they grow up in environmentally degraded conditions.

It’s good that local eco-tourism is constantly booming and social media has been an essential tool to promote the wonders of nature.

Open spaces are now a luxury in our urban communities, so this month, the team drove for four hours away from the city—away from the usual city conundrums—to take refuge in Casa San Miguel. After the Pinatubo eruption, owner Coke Bolipata turned back to nature and created a music and art school.

Visit www.facebook.com/northernlivingmagazine now.

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @nlivingph.

We’d love to hear from you. Email us at nliving@hip.ph.

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CUSTOM PUBLISIHING SALES SUPERVISOR POLO P. DAGDAG MANAGING EDITOR ANGELA VELASCO ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR PAM BROOKE CASIN SENIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT PAULINE MIRANDA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS PAMELA JEAN CARLOTA, CHRISTELLE TOLISORA, KHEENA ALELOJO SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE SHANNA MALING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE INA MATEO GRAPHIC ARTISTS ROI DE CASTRO, RACHELL FLORES, KATRICE MONTES, YAYIE MOTOS, JAYCELINE SORIANO PRODUCTION MANAGER JAN CARIQUITAN PRODUCTION ASSISTANT MARICEL GAVINO FINAL ART SUPERVISOR DENNIS CRUZ FA ARTIST KRISTINE MAY PAZ MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER TARA VALENCIA MARKETING ASSISTANTS ERLE MAMAWAL, JANNELLE TURIJA GRAPHIC ARTIST JANINE DELA CUESTA

This magazine was printed responsibly using recycled papers with biodegradable inks.

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HEALT H

ROOMS WITH A VIEW

Architecture shifts its focus away from glass and stone back to light and space TEXT PAULINE MIRANDA ILLUSTRATION LEE CACES

The environment is linked to human life, its shifts and changes dictating living patterns and behaviors, mood and psyche included. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), for example, is brought about by the changes in seasons. Sometimes called winter blues or summertime sadness, SAD may well be considered a seasonal depression.

The conditions that improve or worsen mood can be found in natural as well as man-made environments such as buildings. A report by the World Green Building Council (GBC) quotes Winston Churchill: “We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.”

It sounds obvious enough, but taking the occupants’ physical and mental health into consideration in building design has been only recently regaining significance. Early modernists once emphasized the importance of light and air in architecture, but after a period of divergence, the focus is being brought back to health and wellness.

Architectural and design psychology suggest several factors to consider in creating healthy spaces.

Color Color psychology suggests that spaces painted in a shade of blue or green are more calming, making it ideal for hospitals. These colors also improve creative idea generation, useful for offices. Red, on the other hand, is discouraged for medical institutions as it may rouse feelings of anger, but is more common for restaurants as it also serves as an appetite stimulant.

Light and views Several studies note the preference for and benefits of having window views, especially in hospitals and offices.

Aside from allowing entry for natural light, views outside, particularly of nature, help ease feelings of stress. The World GBC notes: “longer distance views, away from computer screens or written documents, allow the eyes to adjust and re-focus, which reduces fatigue, headaches, and the effects of eye strain in the long term.”

Privacy and common spaces Office design trends have recently been leaning towards open-plan spaces. The intention is to encourage informal social interactions, which ideally would lead to better communication among employees. Some studies note that a strong sense of social support helps promote better mental health, but despite the importance of these open spaces, a strong need for privacy still remains. True privacy is, after all, not just about what you can keep out of prying eyes, but the degrees of how much you want to know about others and how much you want them to know about you.

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BEAUT Y

ANYTHING PLASTIC IS TOXIC

Your favorite cleanser may have detrimental effects to the oceans TEXT CHRYSSA CELESTINO ILLUSTRATION REESE LANSANGAN

Last December, United States President Barack Obama signed the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015.

The new law requires companies to eliminate traces of these miniscule particles from personal care, cleansing, and exfoliating products

by July 1, 2017.

When a leader moves to ban these seemingly trivial specks, the matter clearly goes beyond cosmetics; it’s about saving our environment.

The scrubs that cleaned your pores have ended up clogging oceans and rivers, though it’s not the product per se but its microbeads. The colored dots that exfoliate your skin are also the particles that are poisoning fish and blocking waterways when they flow down our drains to sewers.

“Plastic can absorb and concentrate pollutants, and easily transfer them to aquatic organisms,” says Dr. Lorena Rios Mendoza, an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, to The Atlantic. “Some of these pollutants are endocrine

disruptors,” she adds, pertaining to the fact that microbeads could affect animals’ reproductive cycles.

Consumers are not exactly to blame. We were convinced that these substances were sloughing off the grime; in fact, they were efficient for a while. They were also cheap to produce, thus companies churned out products quickly without giving people a chance to stop and think where these small polishers go after finishing their job. But if Tina Fey’s Mean Girls taught us anything at all, it’s that anything labeled plastic also means it is toxic.

But we live amid alternatives.

While we have to bid adieu to these synthetic bits, companies have employed other biodegradable materials to dig deep into our pores. Rice, apricot seeds, walnut shells, and bamboo work as natural exfoliants—all of which work equally well, if not better, than the banned beads. Now scrub away—and save the earth while you’re at it.

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Essentials:

Never a Dull Moment Face Polisher, Origins, SM Megamall.

The Microdelivery Peel, Philosophy, SM Megamall.

Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub, Kiehl’s,TriNoma Mall.

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EARTH INDEX

Mapping the globe with stories of change and innovation TEXT LEX CELERA ILLUSTRATION TRISTAN TAMAYO

FALLING INTO FORMS Using 3D software, Albert Omoss creates complex models of the human body. For his personal work, vignettes of bodies are contorted then simulated to collapse due to gravity, seemingly removed from humanity and reduced to inhuman shapes. Whether his works incite horror or curiosity, Omoss’ exploration of the human form and technology in both his personal and commissioned projects have received international acclaim. www.omoss.io

ART OF THE CITY A row of houses as canvas for art are becoming common in many urban areas around the world, but a mural that encompasses a whole stretch of houses, enough to be called an art village, is a relatively unheard of concept. Called favelas, these intersections of urban

space and art have already taken root in Rio de Janeiro and South Korea, with Baguio soon to follow suit. Inspired by Brazil, Benguet is giving its shanties an aesthetic facelift to bring color to the lives of the locals and attract tourists as well.

WHAT’S YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT SIZE? When you think about your carbon footprint, you mostly think of it in vague, broad strokes. But what if you could see its meticulous calculation based on your activities? Ducky, a browser platform that’s soon to be a mobile app, tracks how much good or harm users are doing to the environment based on their daily actions. By adding a gaming element to the way they see climate change, Ducky lets users see how alarming the effects of their actions are on their surroundings and maybe get them to change their lifestyle for the better. Calculate your carbon footprint online via www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx.

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FIXT URE

GOODIES FOR THE OLDIES Sunshine Place at Jupiter St., Makati, is just what its name says it is: a place that brightens people’s days, especially the senior citizens’. Subsidized by the SM Foundation through the Felicidad Tan Sy Foundation, Sunshine Place caters to the elderly who, according to SM Investments vice chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson, aren’t given much attention.

Inside, there’s a flower shop, a café, a whole foods restaurant, a foot reflexology center, a dance studio and fitness gym, and a beauty lounge. There’s also a Senior Hub where members can take art classes or play Mahjong. Sunshine Place also offers nutrition counseling and fitness assessment.

56 Jupiter Street, Makati. 856-4144

OLD STREET CULTURE In an effort to promote its cultural heritage, San Nicolas in Ilocos Norte recently set up heritage corners within walking distance of all its schools and barangay halls, where kingki (kerosene lamps), alat (fishing baskets), and local fabrics are on display. The heritage program also aims to support local blacksmiths and potters and reclaim historically relevant sites and structures.

SPECIAL TRANSPORT Marikina City furthers its efforts to support Persons With Disabilities (PWD) with the employment of an adaptive mobile vehicle (AMV) that provides a larger space for passengers.

There is an estimated 5,000 PWDs who can benefit from the new vehicles; a potential beginning for more affordable PWD-friendly vehicles plying our streets.

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CR AF T

HANG LOOSE

Twine and yarn wall hangings add character to an empty wall TEXT, STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPHY INA AMOR MEJIA

WALL HANGINGS What you’ll need: Twine or yarn Wooden dowel, cut to size Gold or copper bracelets or hoops Hard cardboard about 12-14 inches long Scissors Directions: 1. Fold a piece of yarn or twine to make a loop, and put the loop through the bottom of the bracelet or hoop.

2. Take the loose ends of the string and pull through the hoop, knotting securely on the bracelet.

3. Take both ends and knot each on opposite ends of the dowel.

4. To make the tassels, wrap twine around the cardboard about 10 times (the more you wrap the thicker the tassel). Cut the twine on one end so you have a bundle folded at the top.

5. Form a loop with your bundle and starting at the center of the dowel, knot the same way you did in step one, taking all the loose ends through the loop and pulling them neatly.

6. Continue to add tassels until the dowel is filled with them to each end with half an inch or so to spare.

7. Cut the tassels to form a V-shape.

Note: You can use different colors of twine or yarn or mix different types of string in a single hanging.

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SPACE

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SPACE

PRIVATE PRACTICES

Sensible solutions for a more sustainable home TEXT RENZ NOLLASE ILLUSTRATION SAINTE JAMES TAN

1. Switch sources Completely disconnecting from the power grid can be difficult, but simply curbing your home’s reliance on wired in electricity from non-renewable energy sources can help reduce your carbon footprint.

Install a few solar panels to power lights and smaller appliances until the time you can rely solely on renewable energy.

windows and switch on the ceiling fan to facilitate air flow in a room, and close the blinds on windows that catch the most sunlight at certain times of the day. If you’re in the process of renovating or building, ask your architect to include passive cooling designs in your home to help put the air conditioner to rest.

2. Seek intelligent design Save on your energy consumption by using energy-efficient appliances.

Energy is wasted when appliances in your home don’t fit or match your lifestyle. Pick the right appliances for your household depending on your family’s size and capacity requirements and frequency of use. New generations of appliances now come with smart programming that control their power consumption.

4. Find new ways and uses There are perks to going organic, not just in your diet but also in your garden. For homes with gardens, making your own compost not only helps the environment by recycling organic waste and minimizing chemical contamination from artificial fertilizers, it’s also good for your health. Up your recycling ante further with recycling bins for non-biodegradable waste to ensure you’re not contributing to growing landfills.

3. Create refreshing flow Proper ventilation and shading help cool a space naturally. Open

5. Mantain foliage Within the rigid yet comfortable confines of our homes, VOCs

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or volatile organic compounds from furniture, carpets, synthetic building materials, and cleaning products taint our breathing space. Instead of buying electric air purifiers, it’s better to adopt a few house plants (peace lillies, snake plants, and bamboo palms work best and are locally available) that can naturally rid the air of pollutants.

Not only do they save energy, these plants also serve as visual respite that improves one’s mood.

6. Harvest rainy days The constant news of alarmingly low water levels in dams should alert us to the ways we fail to maximize our water use.

Installing a rain catchment system can have you making use of rainwater that would otherwise flood the streets to irrigate the lawn and flush toilets. But if installing pipework is too much a task, simply storing rainwater in drums for use around the home can help conserve the precious liquid commodity.

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COV ER STORY

CALL OF CASA Having long been the breeding ground of musicians, painters, and their hopeful prodigies, Casa San Miguel now probes into how art is not only for art’s sake TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON PHOTOGRAPHY GERIC CRUZ

There are children playing in the attic at nine in the morning. Depending on which point of view, it feels like a Sunday after mass, or the set of an eerie Tim Burton film when the wooden house resonates with strung violins and tiny voices practicing solfeggios.

The daily commotion brewing in faraway Manila feels almost non-existent here—or at least, inconsequential.

Gate receptionist Virgie Soterio leads the way, showing us framed pictures of this old Zambales territory before it was called the now-famous Casa San Miguel. “I know this house from way back,” she says, referring to a picture.

“This is where we used to play [as kids]. It burned down during the 1980s.”

Built by Ramon Corpus in 1924, the old house was abandoned after the war broke out, save for a few summers when it housed a new generation of Bolipata children prancing and playing on its grounds, the same kids who grew up to become established artists in their own right. One of them is highly acclaimed concert violinist Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata who now presides over this house-turned-school, enlisting children to pick their instrument for the first time and learn how to play.

“The first batch in 1996 was just—nakakabingi nga eh,” Bolipata says with a laugh. “I used to stand upstairs, close my eyes, and say, ‘Oh my god.’” Of course, when Casa San Miguel opened its musical gates to the all-tooreluctant public, even much more pressing than the students’ lack of training was the general community’s lack of support for what the establishment had stood for.

“The biggest [question] for us the first year was ‘Why arts?’ People were like, ‘It’s post-Pinatubo. We need jobs.’” That was in the early ’90s, the concluding years of a volcano eruption when Zambales went from third class province to ghost town. The base had closed, and while the people needed a source of livelihood, a way to make money, this relatively alien establishment was urging them to make some music.

Playing for ambassadors, diplomatic corps, and the rest of the elite majority only added to the intimidation.

It took seven years and several attempts to court the locals before Casa San Miguel finally found its steady following.

“With free concerts, we really pulled them in. We forced them to come,” quips Bolipata.

Over the course of two decades, with different shows and publications recording the Casa’s rise, the house became known for what it was initially chided for: a foundation where the arts, in its purest ardor, take center stage. In addition to the school, the old house has made room for bed and breakfast accommodations, a backstage café, a pasilyo where Plet Bolipata-Borlongan’s mosaic sculptures stand like welcoming figures from a Lewis Carrol novel, and mentorship-residency programs that have housed the likes of Elmer Borlongan, Manny Garibay, Leeroy New, and the late Don Salubayba.

“I don’t know how to explain it, but there’s something about the place that pulls you in. You wake up, eat, and create art,” says visual artist Carlo Gabuco who’s been Casa San Miguel’s resident artist for more than a decade now. He wasn’t working on any artwork when he started, and has since exhibited in Malaysia, Singapore, and this October, at the Finale Art File. Thank the many muses, maybe, that seem to have been serenaded by all the violinists’ weeping strings.

As the visual artists’ works fill Casa’s spaces like testaments of the creations that this haven has bred, the younger breeds of Zambaleños take mentorship from the maestros. Regular Sunday music lessons take place as well as summer camps where even Manila’s young enthusiasts come hungry for their share of Casa’s culture. Bolipata personally conducts the screenings and those who pass the talent test can avail of the scholarship. Those who undergo regular enrollment can borrow instruments from Casa. A far cry from the clumsy playing in the early ’90s, these student performances have now become a recognized act. “They are in competitions, and we are now known in the conservatory circuits,” says Bolipata. A number of them are even bent on launching musical careers.

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COV ER STORY Julliard-educated violinist Coke Bolipata says of his students, “They learn about history and the arts.

They’re different from other kids because they have a bigger vision of the world.”

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COV ER STORY Musicians employ the Suzuki method of teaching and students learn the notes through singing. After 15 sessions, each student is given the opportunity to perform in groups during the culminating activity.

Knowing what goes on inside the house explains why many journalists, wide-eyed idealists, and Instagramming sightseers have been quick to dub it as an artist’s refuge. It has that air, anyway, of a utopia belonging to the pages of magic realism, which the media has of course stoked further, romanticizing the scenario of artists teaching the children of farmers and fishermen—gifted kids who would one day go to conservatories, follow a musical trajectory, and hopefully, end up becoming like Coke Bolipata.

Originally, though, this wasn’t Bolipata’s vision.

“In the Philippines, there really are no jobs that are decent for musicians, unless you play in a hotel lobby or play in weddings,” says Bolipata wryly, noting that what they provide here at Casa San Miguel is a means of enrichment rather than a fixed necessity. Gabuco adds, “Most of my students come from the [local] community; financial problems are a common struggle.”

While Casa San Miguel seems at first acquaintance like a Disneyland sans the commercialized gags, the foundation may well be undergoing its second turning point, slowly shedding off the “art for art’s sake (alone)” anthem it has been known to represent all these years.

“The challenge [for us] is how not to really push a career in the arts because it’s not really that lucrative,” Bolipata clarifies. While the mentorship-residency programs continue, they’re simultaneously forging

a way for the arts to be not just a blind aspiration but a starting point. “Now we’re linking with the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) so that we can provide grades 11 and 12 and somehow create jobs for vocations in the arts. Instead of being a fine artist, you can become a draftsman for architecture firms.”

What distinguishes Casa San Miguel, of course, from every other educational institution is the simple fact that it’s a house, and that it gives its dwellers the necessary liberty to create their art. “[The students] live here with me,” says Bolipata, laughing. “They live upstairs. We live together. Even as a young artist, I always felt that whatever you do, you have to have your freedom. Never give up your freedom. . . Nobody would care about a little kid who plays the violin. The change is really between me and my student.”

Casa’s musical gates will once again see a surge of former and current resident artists and students on March 17, the home’s foundation day; while the outside world spins madly on, here, the celebration ensues. Needless to say that years from now, Casa’s present students will be entering the workforce, but right now they have their music: their Vivaldis, their notes, and their art histories compelling them to always sing a different tune. Whichever act they find themselves in, we can be happily assured that the play goes on.

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COV ER STORY

Artists Elmer and Plet Borlongan teach children to create community artworks made from scraps (above, right). The Anita Magsaysay-Ho Gallery houses the works of resident artists and provides a room at the back where students can make their own (right).

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COV ER STORY

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COV ER STORY

“Even as a young artist, I always felt that whatever you do, you have to have your freedom.

Never give up your freedom.”

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ST YLE

FALLING FROM THE SUN Daydreams in cozy earth tones PHOTOGRAPHY CENON NORIAL III STYLING EDLENE CABRAL

On Kyong: Pullover, P1,199, Sfera, SM Megamall. Trousers, P1,565, Forever 21, SM Megamall. On Macks: Pullover, 1,295, Forever 21 Man, SM Megamall. Trousers, P2,995, Topman, TriNoma Mall.

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ST YLE

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HAIR BULLET REYES MAKEUP CHUCHIE LEDESMA OF MAYBELLINE NEW YORK

MODEL KYONG AND MACKS OF ELITE MANILA SHOT ON LOCATION THE HENRY HOTEL

Jacket, P3,995, Topshop, TriNoma Mall.

Top, P1,895, Dorothy Perkins, SM Megamall.

Trousers, P1,445, Forever 21, SM Megamall.

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SPECIAL FEAT URE

MEANINGFUL MOMENTS The community enjoyed a romantic and scenic night at The Grove by Rockwell People always say that a life well-lived is filled with meaningful moments and treasured with those that matter most to us. With so many occasions that honor the things we value, like family, relationships, faith, and love, it is no wonder that Rockwell puts in that extra care in creating community experiences that leave a lasting mark on its residents and their valued guests.

In this season of love, The Grove by Rockwell hosted a scenic and romantic date night for couples and families last February 13th at its expansive 5,367.33 sqm Amenity Deck. “Under the Stars: A Valentine’s Affair at the Grove” exemplified Rockwell’s commitment to the community and providing memorable experiences for them.

Mats, pillows, and tea light candles were laid out around the whole Great Lawn for residents and guests to just lounge and enjoy the cozy and romantic atmosphere. Lovely couples and families

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were treated to an evening of beautifully played love songs by the Peaches & Cream string quartet, and a thoughtfully designed menu prepared by Chef Michelle Adrillana. An outdoor movie, “Valentine’s Day”, was played for everyone’s viewing, capping off the night on a sweet note.

Truly, it has been an unforgettable evening that celebrated love.

As we look forward to more occasions to celebrate, Rockwell assures that it will always have something special to offer its residents. With unique venues like The Grove Amenity Deck that’s composed of a big pool and a great lawn, the whole The Grove by Rockwell community can enjoy meaningful moments and create treasured memories that will surely last a lifetime.

To find out more about our remaining units, visit our sales office at The Grove by Rockwell, along C5, near Ortigas, or call (632) 571-8151.

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ST YLE

Jacket, P4,095, Topman, TriNoma Mall. Pullover, P1,295, River Island, SM Megamall. Trousers, P3,450, Original Penguin, Bonifacio High Street.

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M ARKET

WHERE WE’RE HEADED Basic necessities for an afternoon gathering outdoors PHOTOGRAPHY CHOLA TOLENTINO

1. Throw pillow, P199, True Home, Robinsons Magnolia.

2. Enamel cups, P50 each, Ritual.

3. Antique blanket, P10,080, Ritual.

4. Cliptop glass bottles, P250 each, True Home, Robinsons Magnolia.

5. Enamel plates, P70 each, Ritual.

6. Wire basket, P1,490, H&M Home, Robinsons Magnolia.

7. Cliptop glass jar, P300, True Home, Robinsons Magnolia.

8. Table napkins, P1,950 (set of 4), Pottery Barn, Estancia Mall.

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EATS John Spakowski III hopes the Filipino Burger will exceed its western version in taste and flavor (right).

Para’s jeepney is parked in a foodie compound in Kapitolyo (extreme right).

BETWEEN TWO LOAVES

The sandwich takes a joyride through Filipino flavors TEXT RENZ NOLLASE PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

Parked in a still-obscure food park in Kapitolyo is a behemoth of a black jeepney that serves distinct Filipino flavors in the compact form of a sandwich.

Para: Filipino Sandwich Bar was born out of owner John Spakowski III’s love of Filipino food and western sandwiches. But with his background in film and music, it was his partner, chef Alex Michelena, who got tasked with translating the concept of a Filipino sandwich into a delicious, hand-held reality.

“To come up with a sandwich, you need your protein, your dressing, your acid, and your vegetables. We need the layers, like in a western sandwich, but using Filipino ingredients,” says Michelena on coming up with Para’s concise menu of five sandwiches. The Grilly Cheese, for example, is the classic grilled

cheese made Filipino by swapping the cheddar and Swiss cheese with kesong puti and queso de bola. They draw the line, however, when a dish departs from the Filipino flavor profile; a lengua caldereta sandwich was given the boot when it tasted too much like pizza.

But for the rest of the menu, it’s a basic lesson on the Filipino palate.

The bestselling Filipino Burger is made of a mixed longganisa patty, cheddar, singkamas slaw, and homemade barbecue sauce.

The Vigan longganisa in the patty lends a tangy, vinegary taste to the sandwich—refreshing in a world of underwhelming lumps of meat.

There is flavor through and through in all of Para’s sandwiches.

The Aligue Shrimp Slaw with tawilis chicharon, in fact, threatens to overwhelm with its rich combination of flavors, but the promise of another decadent

bite of shrimp coated with aligue dressing keeps drawing you in.

The Double Adobo addresses all Filipinos’ cravings with a double dose of the classic dish topped with a sunny side up egg and a generous sprinkling of garlic flakes— perfectly hardy when paired with a bottle of San Miguel beer. Para doesn’t serve alcohol, though, so find innocent comfort instead in a serving of their Yema Shake: milky, sweet, yet salty, easily addictive to those with a sweet tooth.

Right now, the Para jeepney is yet to roll out of the gates of Gastro Park—good news for the foodie community in Kapitolyo. The owners are expanding their menu, looking for new ways to serve Filipino food aside from the usual stew. On why they chose to serve Filipino fare in a hearty sandwich, Spakowski says, “It’s soul food. It feeds you inside. It’s good food.” We say amen to that.

Para: Filipino Sandwich Bar. Gastro Park, 12 1st Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City. www.facebook.com/PARA.

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RECIPE

TOUCH OF THE SEA

Dip asparagus in squid ink for that extra umami flavor TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

ASPARAGUS COATED WITH SQUID INK AND AIOLI SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

Asparagus 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 egg 2 tbsp. squid ink 1 cup vegetable oil Salt 15 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 cup vegetable oil 11/2 cup milk

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PREPARATION

1. In a medium bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking soda, egg, squid ink, and salt until thick.

2. Remove the dry ends of the asparagus.

3. In a pan, heat the vegetable oil. While waiting, dip the asparagus into the squid ink mixture.

4. Fry the asparagus until the squid ink coating becomes crisp.

For the aioli sauce 1. In a pot, cook the chopped garlic and vegetable oil on a low fire for around 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Using a strainer, separate the oil from the garlic.

3. Using a blender, combine milk and the cooked garlic. Pour the garlic oil into the blender little by little until mixture thickens.

Add salt to taste.

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T HE GET

LUNCHTIME KEEPER

Everyday meals find a classic, eco-friendly vessel TEXT RENZ NOLLASE PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

There’s a quiet movement in the way we eat that involves, of all things, unpacking the contents of a lunch bag. It’s a conscious reclaiming of the lunch hour from the dictate of whim, craving, and sheer convenience to take control of what we eat and rebuild a healthy relationship with eating. Preparing baon, then, becomes a tactile practice in mindfulness that merits, not a kitsch brown paper bag as depository, but a conscientious vessel in the form of an ecofriendly and locally-made lunch bag.

Husq re-envisions the lunch bag from children’s cartoon metal boxes and tita-friendly sacks to a modern bag in classic colors. The bag’s thermal lining is partly made of coconut fiber, a natural insulator, that adds a sustainable touch to this everyday accessory. When the movement of the city becomes too overwhelming, reclaim a few minutes for yourself. Sit down, open your lunch bag, and chew your (still) hot meal slowly without spending on overpriced fare or unhealthy fast food.

Husq. G/F UP Town Center, Katipunan Ave., Quezon City. www.facebook.com/HUSQofficial.

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