Southern Living: 2016 March

March 2016 Volume 10 | Issue 7

FREEHAND

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THE KIN

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NILA MA

H S SC OOL G’

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ND O DI SCI M

US

The King’s School Manila

World Class Education Think Big You want the best for your child. KSM forms part of one of the world’s leading international school groups. With schools from New York to Nanjing, your child joins an elite international community where children develop the character, values and skills to pursue success at

www.kings.org.ph

the highest levels.

Kuala Lumpur - MANILA - Marbella - Moscow - Nanjing - New York - Pamplona - Sao Paulo - Tashkent - Yangon

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CONT ENTS

SOUTHERN living

20 COVER STORY Francesca Balaguer-Mercado unravels the art and philosophy of Saori

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 DANICA CONDEZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PATRICK SEGOVIA CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, CHRYSSA CELESTINO, INA AMOR MEJIA, PAULINE MIRANDA ILLUSTRATORS LEE CACES, REESE LANSANGAN, TRISTAN TAMAYO, SAINTE JAMES TAN STYLISTS EDLENE CABRAL, CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, RIA CASCO, INA AMOR MEJIA HAIR AND MAKEUP DIANE COLES, CHUCHIE LEDESMA, ARIA ORTEGA, BULLET REYES PHOTOGRAPHERS EDRIC CHEN, SAM LIM, INA AMOR MEJIA, CHOLA TOLENTINO CENON NORIAL III COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADER PAULINE MIRANDA, ROMEO MORAN EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO

Cover photo by Edric Chen

MARCH 2016 02 HEALTH Spatial design’s impact on health

32 MARKET Socially-responsible and eco-friendly pieces

04 BEAUTY Tracing microbeads from bottles to drains

34 EATS The Ilocano twist to your usual meaty fare

08 SOUTHERNER Local designers with a raw inclination

40 THE GET Crossing cultures through casual footwear

EDITOR’S NOTE Natural element We are born in a world with set standards, rules, and limitations. We are trained to follow norms. And are honed to toil for perfection.

Today, we live in a generation obsessed with the rustic, unfinished, unpolished aesthetic. Notice the new restaurants popping up—no more covered, smooth ceilings, perfectly tiled floors, and spotless furniture. It is also evident in fashion and beauty trends: unraveled pants, tousled hair, and smeared lipstick. It’s the irregularities that piques our interest and stimulates our minds to discover a whole new standard of beauty.

In this issue, we celebrate the

imperfections bequeathed by nature. Francesca Balaguer-Mercado discovers a contemporary weaving technique that enables natural creativity to flow. We talk to the owners of furniture brand raw.tura on how they utilize and maximize the appeal of raw materials. A new Ilocano restaurant opens in the heart of Makati—serving an authentic fare in a modern rustic setting.

Dig deep and you’ll realize that you’re subconsciously looking for a flaw on a perfectly flawless object.

Find your own freedom and don’t let rules and regulations control your perception of beauty.

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BOARD CHAIRPERSON ALEXANDRA PRIETO-ROMUALDEZ IGC CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER AND CFO J. FERDINAND DE LUZURIAGA IGC DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER ATTY. RUDYARD ARBOLADO VP AND GROUP HR HEAD RAYMUND SOBERANO VP AND CHIEF STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICER IMELDA 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, CHARM BANZUELO, SARAH CABALATUNGAN, LIZA JISON SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANTS RECHELLE NICDAO, KAREN ALIASAS CUSTOM SALES SUPERVISOR POLO P. DAGDAG MANAGING EDITOR ANGELA VELASCO ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR PAM BROOKE CASIN SENIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT PAULINE MIRANDA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS KHEENA ALELOJO, PAMELA JEAN CARLOTA, CHRISTELLE TOLISORA 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

MINDFUL STRUCTURES Architectural and interior design return to basic elements

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 the 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

TINY TERRORS

Your skin’s microplastic helpers now threaten the world’s waters 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 City Makati.

The Microdelivery Peel, Philosophy, Greenbelt 5.

Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub, Kiehl’s, Greenbelt 5.

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CR AF T

TIME OUT

A handmade clock to keep you right on track TEXT, STYLING, AND PHOTOGRAPHY INA AMOR MEJIA

WOODEN CLOCK What you’ll need: Clock parts Sheet of thin wood Two blocks of wood Hand saw Ruler and pencil Drill or nail and hammer Wood varnish (optional) Wood glue Sand paper

Procedure: 1. Decide on the preferred size of the triangular clock face, making it big enough so the edge of the long hand doesn’t protrude too much or at all from the face of the clock.

2. After making the triangle shape on the sheet of wood, cut out the shape using a saw.

3. The blocks of wood should be more or less the same width as the base of the triangle.

4. Position your triangle in between the blocks of wood,

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and mark a hole at the center, ensuring that the long hand, once attached, doesn’t hit the front block when it points downward.

5. Drill or hammer in the hole.

6. Sand all pieces of wood if needed, and varnish (optional).

7. Attach the clock parts to the triangle, securing the long and short hands in front.

8. Glue the triangle in between the two blocks of wood.

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SOUT HERNER

CREATIVE CONVERGENCE

A furniture brand’s aesthetic draws from its designers’ different predispositions TEXT RENZ NOLLASE PHOTOGRAPHY SAM LIM

“It was always mine’s left and yours right,” Anna Zavalla tells Roberta Limjap of their angles as they attempt to ease into a casual pose in front of the camera. “Is your mouth shaking?” The banter between the two elicits chuckles around the room.

Their little musings capture the nature of Limjap and Zavalla’s relationship, cultivated through years of friendship from their early years at Assumption to their college days at Ateneo de Manila.

After graduation, the two parted for a while—Limjap studied drawing and painting in France while Zavalla delved into design in Spain—but not too far that Limjap wouldn’t have been able to visit Zavalla in Madrid.

They did not immediately launch into making their own furniture brand raw.tura after finishing their respective courses, though.

Both worked on their own

first, veering towards making something of their own together.

“In Spain, I took Total Design.

There were different classes, and I enjoyed the ones on furniture the most, so I knew that I wanted to work with furniture,” explains Zavalla. Her stint in advertising then with Kenneth Cobonpue led her and Limjap to finally create raw.tura.

“We were surrounded by all this great furniture [that] one day, we just decided to go to Pampanga and scout for people to make some of our designs,” says Limjap. It was an instinctive move that extended to their creative process for raw.tura’s first collection, Cuero, which the two confess “came out the top of [their] heads.”

There are no indications of a loose process in their work, however, as the pieces make up a cohesive collection straddling the modern and vintage. The looks for

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On The Radar

Kawayan Cove for weekend retreats

Bank Bar for drinks

Japanese food or deep dish pizzas are the two’s go-to comforts

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SOUT HERNER For their fourth collection, Zavalla and Limjap plan to return to wood and leather after dabbling in other materials for their Les Animeux collection (right).

The Ankr I stool is made of dark teak wood and cowhide leather (extreme right).

“In the modern world, designs are mostly of steel or glass; we wanted to create something more natural, done with raw wood or leather.”

Cuero and second collection Klaus took inspiration from designers like Charles Eames and Jens Risom.

What’s more evident though is how their radically different sides manifest in each design.

Limjap admits she’s a bit of a scatter-brained extrovert while Zavalla is the total opposite. “I like putting a twist to [things], like putting leather straps on a chair.

[Sometimes] I have so many ideas and I put them into one thing, and she goes, ‘Ang gulo naman.’ Then she simplifies it,” says Limjap on their work dynamic.

Zavalla says, though, that even if Limjap is “magulo, she has an organized way when she’s in her zone, and the work she makes

comes out really good. [Our differences] make it fun and keep us from being too stiff; they help us go with the flow.”

Their shared love for the raw and natural aesthetic—and similarly their fondness for its classic and elegant feel—creates a creative convergence for the two. On why they chose this particular look, Zavalla explains, “Every house or space always needs something natural or green to make it look more balanced. In the modern world, designs are mostly done in steel or glass. But we know there always has to be something more natural in the look, which can be done with raw wood or leather.”

After dabbling in other

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materials for their Les Animeux collection, the two find themselves going back to wood for their fourth collection, which is still in its conceptualization stage as of writing.

In the meantime, the two are finishing the last pieces for their most recent collection Les Animeux while trying to find time to do their own thing: Limjap still has a day job that’s also related to furniture while Zavalla cares for her son Luca. They both have a noble dream for raw.tura. “We want to continue selling locally, but we also want to export and join design shows here and abroad,” Zavalla says. “And we will. We envision it,” Limjap adds.

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SOUT HERNER

“[Our differences] make it fun and keep us from being too stiff; they help us go with the flow.”

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FIXT URE

BEYOND EPHEMERA

A rundown of the latest events: from fictional worlds popping up to flowers blooming in outer space TEXT LEX CELERA ILLUSTRATION TRISTAN TAMAYO

LITERAL ADAPTATIONS It’s a bibliophile’s wet dream: fictional worlds popping out of the pages and coming to life. We may never enter the worlds of the books we read, but a bookstore in Tokyo, Japan, may have the idea that could lead us to experience books in ways beyond reading. Japanese

bookstore Morioka Shoten sells only a single title for a week but accompanied by a small book-inspired art exhibition on its walls; its interiors are decorated according to the books’ theme. Owner Yoshiyuki Morioka describes the place as an attempt to go “inside a book.”

OFF THE EATEN PATH Food comes a long way in helping us experience local culture whenever we travel, but how to tell which plate is authentic and which is watered-down?

Traveling Spoon, an online culinary and culture immersion platform by Stephanie Lawrence and Aashi Vel, aims to bridge the gap between travelers looking for authentic cuisine and locals who are open to becoming hosts to tourists. From trying baklava in Turkey to bulgogi in South Korea, nothing is as authentic as a home-cooked meal.

What happens is an exchange of culinary and cultural traditions over a shared meal. Traveling Spoon currently has several locations in the Philippines.

A fair warning though, their hosts have not undergone food safety regulation, so do eat at your own risk. www.travelingspoon.com.

REEF RELIEF Ever heard of coral bleaching?

It’s when corals perish under circumstances such as raised ocean temperature or a passing typhoon.

But there have been events where coral reefs around the globe die not because of unfortunate but natural mishaps as a result of global warming.

From Florida to the Caribbean, corals are turning white. A few decades ago,

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the first coral bleaching event occurred after record-high temperatures due to El Niño, and the heat has since gone higher and higher. For coral reefs more than a century old, it would take more than several years for them to recover. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects corals to meet an unfortunate death by 2050 if current trends hold.

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FIXT URE

SINE MANILA Film connoisseurs and history buffs, rejoice! Manila finally has a cinematheque of its own. The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) opened the 101-seater theater in T.M. Kalaw Street in Ermita, alongside a classroom, a souvenir shop and café, and soon, a library. Following the ones in Baguio, Iloilo, Davao, and

Zamboanga, Manila’s cinematheque will also be the newest headquarters of the National Film Archives of the Philippines (NFAP). Filipino classics, indie shorts, and selected international films are available for free screenings or for a small fee almost every day.

708-7920. 855 T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila. www.fdcp.ph.

FROZEN FRESH Farm produce usually goes the usual route of farm to freezer to grocery store, but research suggests that the waiting time between these places reduces the food’s nutritional value, specifically those of fruits and vegetables. Food that is frozen right after harvesting doesn’t seem appetizing, but it is better in terms of nutritional value if farm-fresh isn’t a viable option. Just remember to soak the frozen food in cold rather than hot water before cooking to reduce the risk of bacterial growth. Unused parts of the food can be refrozen unless they have been left out for more than two hours.

GALACTIC GARDENING Ask NASA official Scott Kelly if there are other life forms in space and he will answer a resounding yes, but not because of reasons you might think. Earlier this year, Kelly shared photos of a zinnia flower blooming aboard the International Space Station

and created a one-page streamlined guide, aptly named “The Zinnia Care Guide for the On-Orbit Gardener.”

The gardening project was started for scientists to understand how plants grow in microgravity, which could lead to clues to gardening in space.

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SPACE

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SPACE

HORTICULTURAL VERNACULAR Indoor gardening is more than adding color TEXT LEX CELERA ILLUSTRATION SAINTE JAMES TAN

A harried, busy lifestyle is usually contained within urban spaces—spaces that are, at times, cramped and unpleasing to the eye. And in a time where living in high-rises is the norm, even the home isn’t spared from cramped, shoebox dimensions.

Research reveals that having indoor plants in our homes affects our well-being positively—a good thing, because plants are also popular décor accents in any home. Growing plants indoors also answers the need for food in the form of herbs and root crops. Once you have the right knowledge of what your ideal home plants would need, the next step to growing them indoors is finding out where to plant them.

Rooftop Rooftop gardening is well-known as a more accessible way of gardening for those who live in urban spaces. Treat your rooftop as if it were your backyard, and the possibilities become endless: recreational, aesthetic, even environmental, a rooftop garden can help cut down a building’s emission costs.

Kitchen Setting up a minuscule garden in the kitchen provides easy access to various herbs. A wooden crate could be reused as a holder for pots of rosemary, lavender, and thyme. Compact and mobile, the wooden crate can be arranged as you please and placed wherever there is sunlight.

Basement Make better use of what could be an empty space or storage for things that should be disposed of already. Just be wary of humidity and insulation issues, which could prove disastrous for your plants and your basement in the long term.

Walls Adorn a wall with greenery and watch how alive the room becomes.

From hanging air plants on mounted holders to tall palms acting as living screens, placing plants near walls is a way of maximizing indoor space while bringing greenery inside. Find a bare wall that has access to sunlight and ventilation.

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COV ER STORY

HER FEARLESS ASYMMETRY

Top, P1,275, Forever 21, SM Southmall.

Pants, P2,199, Sfera, SM City Makati.

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COV ER STORY The word Saori came from the Japanese words “Sa” or “Sai,” and “Ori,” meaning individual dignity and weaving, respectively.

In resisting perfection, an artist finds deeper purpose in what she does TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA PHOTOGRAPHY EDRIC CHEN

Fifty-seven-year-old Misao Jo’s hobby was weaving.

In a country where tradition is known to be deeply revered, she made flawless obis, hand-woven belts for the Japanese kimono—until one day, she committed an accidental mistake when one warp thread went missing. When she showed this piece to an obi proprietor, naturally, he rejected it.

The rejection was the seed of something bigger.

The now 103-year-old Misao Jo founded Saori, a free-style hand weaving program. She even modified the original design of the loom to make it more userfriendly. Misao Jo valued the beauty in imperfections, veering away from copying patterns and techniques that have been taught for hundreds of years. For the first time, weaving was not associated with household accessories or clothing but identified as an art form.

“The whole of fiber art is deeply rooted in history.

You do it [to create] a household thing you can use—very utilitarian. It is mostly women who do it and it was hardly ever for the sake of pure art,” explains Francesca Balaguer-Mercado, a professional photographer turned first Filipino Saori weaver to train under its founder.

Her long and successful career in conceptual photography is the result of her training with David LaChapelle. However, Mercado, by fate, stumbled

upon this contemporary weaving technique online while browsing through Instagram, one hashtag leading her to another. She, consequently, did research on the craft only to realize that it holds a similar philosophy to what she believes in. “I just knew it totally fits what I stood for, especially at this point in my life.”

Living in the moment One of the four cornerstones in Saori weaving is “be bold and adventurous.”

Long before Mercado discovered the beautiful world of fiber art, she had studied film at the University of the Philippines. Already inclined towards art, she then pursued graduate studies abroad. Before leaving for San Francisco, she sought advice from her film professor, who told her, “Don’t get tied up to one course. Don’t feel like this is what you have to do. Explore because you are a creative, and find the best way to express yourself. You are not defined by the medium.”

Doing the opposite of what her professor advised, she took up film at the Academy of Arts in San Francisco. But film became a little too complicated for her, so she decided to find another medium closest to it: photography. She didn’t let her budding studies slow her down, however, and continued to search for

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COV ER STORY

Top, P3,795, Bagasao, SOMA Stores.

Aside from references on weaving and photography, Francesca Balaguer-Mercado also keeps her son’s storybooks in her studio. “Sometimes I would leave my son sleeping on the couch (inside the studio) while I try to work,” she says.

and pursue other crafts. “When I lived in the States, I took classes on the side [aside from] photography just because I enjoyed it, [especially] to de-stress. I [even] purposely made a project on doing portraits of crafters and other creatives so I could be around that scene because I loved it so much.” She confesses, “I took their pictures because I wanted to, and also because I had a show [to put together]. But the real reason was I wanted to know how they made their stuff.”

Some say that in order to become successful, the safest bet is to stick to one craft or expertise and be the best in it. Mercado, on the other hand, constantly shifted from one thing to another. However, this doesn’t mean that she never became the best at any of those. “I love being a student. I love taking classes even if I know that I would know better than my teacher,” she shares frankly. With the creative drive and fire inside her, she never settled, and everything she’s learned, she tries to incorporate into whatever craft she is currently obsessed with.

Her style is similar to Saori’s philosophy, where there are no rules and patterns; with this kind of weaving, the weaver simply enjoys the moment as it is and makes the best out of it. Whatever is produced on the fabric is a translation of the weaver's current disposition, created out of memories, experiences, even feelings. With Saori, it is strongly discouraged to copy a certain style. Instead, it encourages throwing out everything one has learned about weaving, including the rules.

With humility, Mercado shares, “I feel very blessed that through time, with God’s blessing and support from my family, I was able to hone all these skills that I can use to play around and work together to create something.”

But her world hasn’t always been this creatively carefree and sunny. Months after flying back to Manila in 2012, one tragedy occurred after another: two of her nephews died in a car accident; her grandmother died; she miscarried her first pregnancy; her sister was diagnosed with cancer; her most beloved dog, who had flown with her to the States and was the flower girl at her wedding, passed away from old age; and, more recently, her sister died of cancer. It was the series of unfortunate events that turned her life around. “They just changed everything: my whole perspective in life, my lifestyle, and what I want to do.”

And upon giving birth to her son, life changed for Mercado again. It became all about taking care of her kid and not missing out on any moment, no matter how mundane or momentous it is. This event was the deciding factor that led her to pursue Saori seriously.

Since Mercado couldn’t practice photography professionally anymore as it would mean time away from her son, she reduced life to the most important details. “I just really simplified my life, paring it down to what’s essential. This is a simple as it gets,” Mercado admits.

Recently, pursuing her fixation with Saori, she traveled to Japan to train under the Saori founder’s Overcoming adversities son Kenzo Jo. Misao Jo was also present, sitting The second slogan of Saori is “look out through eyes quietly, observing during classes. “I shared my story that shine.” and poured my heart out just to be accepted in the

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COV ER STORY

“I just really simplified my life, paring it down to what’s essential.

This is a simple as it gets.”

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COV ER STORY Clockwise from top left: Mercado sources all her materials from Japan to preserve the authenticity of Saori art; A hammer is used to flatten copper rods that hold some of her tapestry; In Saori, no two designs are the same.

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“You open and discover something inside of you that you’ve never felt and known before. There’s this whole other side that is therapeutic and so user-friendly that it can help people with physical and mental disabilities.”

program,” says Mercado. She had all of these plans not only to use Saori as an outlet for all of her repressed emotions but also use it to celebrate art. In her ten-day training, she never disclosed these plans to her sensei Kenzo, yet he brought it up with her and encouraged her to use Saori as more than just a hobby.

Giving back The last of the four slogans is “inspire one another and everyone in the group.”

It may as well be by fate that Mercado discovered Saori, which happened when her sister was still sick, leading her to immediately identify with its beliefs.

“It’s all about expressing yourself, empowering people to find themselves,” she expounds. “You open and discover something inside of you that you’ve never felt and known before. There’s this whole other side that is therapeutic and so user-friendly that it can help people with physical and mental disabilities.”

She cites her late sister as a constant inspiration to do good in life. “I was so inspired to want to help, to do something more meaningful because that’s basically how she lived her life.” In that vein, she will hold an exhibit to showcase works that reflect this, her crocheted and woven pieces all in different hues of pink. These will be part of her first art collection.

When asked why she chose that particular color, she answers, “Pink is the color of cancer cells when viewed under the microscope.”

Now that everything’s falling into place, slowly but surely, Mercado plans on opening a studio to introduce the magic of Saori to the public. “It’s not going as fast as I hoped for, but at least it’s going somewhere, it’s moving.”

On humanity Mechanical production has replaced the traditional means of creating things by hand because machines prove to be more efficient and consistent. However, in Saori, there’s a conscious effort to try not to imitate machine-made products. Mistakes are embraced, irregularities celebrated: loose threads. Inconsistent sequences. Diverse textures. Random colors. Off-kilter designs. It is in the aching elegance of imperfection that people find the most interesting ideas, and it also takes courage for anyone, especially an artist, to accept their limitations, willingly make mistakes, and push further to find their true potential. This is what the most important of Saori’s four slogans is built on: “Consider the difference between machines and people.”

It’s the same stance Mercado has when reviewing everything that has happened in her life so far. “I really believe that if a step were skipped, I wouldn’t be here doing this. If I hadn’t gone to the States, I don’t think I would have discovered my love for working with my hands and being crafty. I had to do three years of For more information and updates, visit graduate school to do this. It’s funny.” www.faberfiber.com.

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COV ER STORY

STYLING RIA CASCO HAIR BULLET REYES MAKEUP ARIA ORTEGA

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ST YLE

Pullover, P1,999, Sfera, SM City Makati.

Long-sleeved shirt (used as inner), P3,450, Perry Ellis, SM Aura Premier. Trousers, P2,895, Topman, Alabang Town Center.

LOVE LOST

A forlorn love struck by inflictions and afflictions STYLING EDLENE CABRAL PHOTOGRAPHY CENON NORIAL III

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ST YLE

On Macks: Cardigan, P2,199, Sfera, SM City Makati.

Long-sleeved shirt, P3,850, Original Penguin, Bonifacio High Street.

Trousers, P2,895, Topman, Alabang Town Center.

On Kim: Dress, P1,245, Forever 21, SM City Makati.

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ST YLE On Macks: Long-sleeved shirt, P3,250, River Island, SM Aura Premier.

Long-sleeved shirt, P2,895, and trousers, P2,995, both Topman, Alabang Town Center.

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HAIR BULLET REYES MAKEUP CHUCHIE LEDESMA OF MAYBELLINE NEW YORK

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

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ST YLE

On Kim: Dress, P1,295, Forever 21, SM Mall of Asia.

Pullover, P1,995, Dorothy Perkins, Glorietta 3.

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M EATS ARKET

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LIFESTYLE ALTERNATIVES An assemblage of sundries with a sustainable touch PHOTOGRAPHY CHOLA TOLENTINO

1. Bamboo bicycle, P35,000, Bambike.

2. Sandals, P799, Habi Footwear.

3. Hand sanitizer, P115, Ritual.

4. Wooden sunglasses, P2,850, Indio Eyewear.

5. Mosquito repellent, P115, Ritual.

6. Bamboo watch, P2,600, Kawayan Watches.

7. Cassette MP3 player, P1,800, Common Room.

8. Ticog bag, P1,750, Abre Linea.

9. Cord pocket, P300, bagsbyrubbertree, Common Room.

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EATS The design of the interiors carries hints of both industrial and rustic while the name is derived from the Ilocano word for “delicious.”

MEAT IN THE MIDDLE

Naimas introduces Ilocano fare apart from the signature bagnet and pinakbet TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON PHOTOGRAPHY SAM LIM

As a restaurant that wants to offer “a taste of home,” Naimas at first looks like a neat, rustic, Pinterestinspired home your titas dream of having. Beneath the charming guise, though, is a restaurant for the voracious carnivores hankering for their fill of meat not commonly served elsewhere. “The joke here is that you choose your poison,” co-owner John Alonte quips. “Actually, we want to put up a sign [relating to] the seven deadly sins.”

Baboy ramo, itik, bibi, pugo, litid, and kambing are the usual stars of the feast here at Naimas; ordering bagnet instead almost makes you feel like an unadventurous conformist. There’s also balut, sautéed and made to look far from

its conventional, gasp-inducing form. “It kind of looks like gambas.

It’s really, really young; there’s no head sticking out, nothing too gory,” Alonte reassures. You can even post a photo of it online and, with the right angle, incite craving among your followers.

Naimas’ menu stands as a homage to northern provincial home cooking. The bagnet, predictably a crowd favorite, is prepared in the traditional Ilocano style. Although time-consuming, it accounts for the softened flesh and the crackling skin, flavored with a kick of sukang Iloko. With the quick disappearance of kambingans around the city—the famous ones used to be along Quezon Boulevard—the restaurant re-

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introduces a range of goat dishes.

From adobo to kilawin, caldereta, sinampalukan, and papaitan, you’re given the liberty to pick how they serve your chosen poison.

“When you go to the provinces, these are normal [because there], everything is about taste,” Alonte says. Naimas compels us to take pleasure in the great, meaty bounty common in the north, where animal-raising remains a steady industry and it’s both luxury and leisure to prepare meat the old-fashioned way. While we can reserve the silver cutlery for nights when we’re feeling fancy, Naimas commands abandon, as though insinuating that even the most conscientious of titas also demand their sinful mouthfuls.

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EATS Clockwise from top: Gisaeng balut, a sautĂŠed variation of the streetfood; sizzling litid served as appetizer; fresh vegetables sold inside Naimas.

Naimas. GF, CAP Building, Amorsolo cor. Rufino St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

246-9069. www.facebook.com/naimasrestaurant.

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RECIPE EATS

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RECIPE

A QUICK BITE

Turn your usual Asian wrap into fishy fare TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

SARDINE WRAP WITH BASIL AND LEMON ZEST INGREDIENTS

6 sardines, filleted 6 basil leaves 3 lumpia wrappers, cut in half 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tbsp. lemon juice Salt Pepper PREPARATION

1. Soak the filleted sardines in cold water with salt for 5 minutes.

2. In a bowl, mix vegetable oil, lemon juice, and pepper.

3. Strain the filleted sardines and set aside to dry. Once dry, place the sardines in the oil mixture for 30 minutes.

4. In a half lumpia wrapper, place a filleted sardine, basil leaves, and some lemon zest. Wrap and use water to glue the ends together.

5. Deep fry the wraps until golden brown.

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T HE GET

WALKING TALES

Everyday footwear inspired by traditional Colombian weaves tell of the legends from which they were born TEXT RENZ NOLLASE

“Do stories grow? Well, yes. Not spontaneously, obviously—they tend to need people as vectors,” renowned storyteller Neil Gaiman has said on how stories last. For the Wayuu tribe, their folklore prevails with every deliberate step, woven into the pairs of shoes that carry their stories beyond the arid region of Guajira in Colombia to men and women the world over.

Liliana and Natalia Acevedo, the women behind Kaanas, discovered the matriarchal tribe’s weaving practice while on a trip to the desert paradise the Wayuu call home. Inspired by their tenacity and the beauty of their craft, the sisters became determined to create a line of shoes that would translate the women’s Old World tradition into a modern silhouette of the classic espadrille.

The result is a footwear collection that pays homage to the white beaches and sweeping landscapes of Guajira. The hand-crafted shoes are made with organic cotton and other eco-friendly materials, a respectful nod to the environment that inspires the Wayuu women’s weavings. From the tribal lore of Walé kerü, the mythical spider that taught the women to weave, the story gets passed on to us to wear and carry; one conscientious pair of shoes at a time.

Common Thread. R2 Power Plant Mall. 625-8922.

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