LEADS
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1 | JANUARY-M ARCH 2016
HOW TO MOVE IN AND ABOUT THE CIT Y
ART HOUSE
On its fourth year, Art Fair Philippines will yet again transform the city into a destination for creativity
TABLE FOR TWO New dining spots for this Valentine’s month
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METROPOLITAN ARTERIES Discover the creative spirit beneath the city’s structured exterior
ON DISPLAY A mix of pieces creates a subtle look for opening night
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MAKE IT MAKATI
CITY WORDS GABRIELLE NOVENARIO (SWATCH + SWATCH) AND LOREN DIMAANO (MANDALAY AND ESCAPE HUNT MANILA) PHOTOGRAPHY NIKKI RUIZ (SWATCH + SWATCH) AND PATRICK SEGOVIA (ESCAPE HUNT MANILA)
Out of this world performances take centerstage at Circuit Makati
SPACESUIT-UP
STAR-CROSSED
WANDERLAND 2016 IS ALL SET TO TAKE OVER THE GLOBE CIRCUIT EVENT GROUNDS THIS SUMMER
CRIS VILLONCO AND JC SANTOS STAR IN RED TURNIP’S NEWEST PRODUCTION, CONSTELLATIONS
Wanderland is back for its fourth year, taking faithful wanderers out of this world with its space-themed music and arts festival set for take-off on Mar. 5 at the Globe Circuit Event Grounds. This year’s lineup promises a mix of some of the biggest names in indie music, with American alternative rock band Death Cab for Cutie and American indie folk band Bon Iver taking centerstage as co-headliners, while the electronic beats of The Naked and Famous, Panama, Blackbird Blackbird, Chad Valley, San Cisco, and Sydney-based Commandeur, a solo project by Tim Commandeur formerly of Operator Please and now with Panama, perform their energetic beats. Local favorites who’ve early on won the hearts of wanderers include some of the country’s best indie acts: CRWN and Jess Connelly, Cheats, Jensen and the Flips, and Curtismith. Wanderland Music and Arts Festival 2016. Visit wanderlandfestival.com for more information. For ticket, visit smtickets.com or call 470-2222.
Red Turnip Theater follows the successful run of 33 Variations with British playwright Nick Payne’s Constellations. Directed by Rem Zamora and starring indie film artist JC Santos and singer-actress Cris Villonco, the play ends Red Turnip’s third season with the bittersweet love story of beekeeper Roland and scientist Marienne, set in several parallel universes. Following the relationship’s most critical moments, the play shows the what-ifs of life and illustrates the infinite possibilities that result from a single, changed response. Boundless and imaginative, the story plays on the different trajectories that result from a moment played out differently and the characters’ emerging reactions. Constellations will run until Mar. 6 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Theater, Level 2, Circuit Lane, A.P. Reyes Ave., Makati City. For tickets, call 891-9999 or visit ticketworld.com
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QUOTES
ISA LITTON, EVENTS HOST/ACTRESS
XYZA CRUZ BACANI, PHOTOGRAPHER
SID MADERAZO, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
“It’s not necessarily a person, but anyone on the move. Makati is like New York: it never sleeps. A human of Makati is anyone who’s got a purpose.”
“Walking around the city, you think they’re just people in the business industry, but actually they are a mix of very interesting people. Everyone in the city has a story to tell.”
“Makati has such a diverse demographic, and the Humans of Makati event really humanized the city by highlighting all these different people from all walks of life.”
CITY DWELLERS “Basically, Makati is made up of a whole community of people ranging from your CEOs down to the usual faces you see on an everyday basis.”
SHEILLA AGUILAR, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER OF MAKATI ESTATES “Makati’s locals are a diverse group because the city itself is multi-faceted. That is what we’re trying to show: that Makati isn’t made up of just one segment of society but rather a whole mix of different people.”
ATTY. ZONA TAMAYO, LAWYER
ATTY. ANDREW VALENCIA RAYMUNDO, LAWYER
JAY YAO, PHOTOGRAPHER
“They are a mixture of people from all walks of life, with various backgrounds—from the ordinary cigarette vendors to the executives and even the students. They make up the city.”
“The human of Makati is really an aggregation of several identities; you cannot just picture the city as one person. From the time you wake up, you see a convergence of all these different types of people, from street sweepers to office workers. Makati’s a microcosm of what it means to be a Filipino.”
“There are so many groups of people in Makati, it’s difficult to pinpoint just one group to represent the whole city. But one thing can be said: the humans of Makati are multi-faceted.”
COMPILED BY GABRIELLE NOVENARIO PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA
GUIO MARTINEZ, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Beyond the nameless multitude that inhabits the city are humans with their own stories to tell. We asked guests at the launch of Humans of Makati, held last Jan. 29, to personify the city and describe who these individuals are.
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URBAN BITES
SAVE THE DATE
Single, coupled, hoping to get shackled—whatever your status this Valentine’s month, there’s a dining experience in the city that will fulfill your heart’s fondest, hungriest desires
Out to change the face of French cuisine in the country, chef Joseph Margate puts forward a traditional menu that highlights the French’s ability to present dishes that are as palate-gratifying as they are nourishing. Roux is the best spot for making a great first impression, with the innate sophistication of the French taste and aesthetic compounded by homegrown produce. Long after the meal is over, memories of the flavors linger. For singles: Be your own best Valentine by treating yourself to a rich dinner here, a glass or two of fine wine on standby. For couples: Celebrate everything you’ve weathered together by ending a meal with basket of Roux’s decadent madeleines served with rich, thick chocolate sauce. Black Pepper Tuna Steak (P438) The French take on a North African plate of couscous topped with a peppered tuna steak and drizzled with yogurt, olives, and the Maghrebian harissa or hot chilli pepper paste. Roux by Chef Margate. 2/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati. 729-0467.
outré
The Parañaque favorite for soft-serve treats comes closer to the metro with a branch in Makati that looks exactly like their original one: a relaxed setting complete with a pitch-black freedom wall, plus huge containers of liquid nitrogen that serve as both necessity and spectacle. Outré’s exclusive gelatos are not what you’d expect but also what you wish for on an afternoon date: soft, flavorsome, and cool enough to balance your heightened body heat. For singles: Take a pick from any of the gelato flavors that fancy you. Each serving is more than enough for one and is a perfect afternoon dessert. For couples: Share any of their sangers, salads, sides, and pasta dishes for a full-course meal. Commemorate your date by writing on their freedom wall. Milo Dinosaur, (P150) Delectable, creamy gelato wrapped in a blanket of chocolate bits. If that’s not enough, inject chocolate syrup into the gelato with a syringe. Outré. G/F, Circuit Lane, Makati
WORDS GABRIELLE NOVENARIO (KITE KEBAB BAR AND ROUX) AND LEX CELERA (OUTRÉ AND THE BELLE & DRAGON) PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA (KITE KEBAB BAR AND OUTRÉ) AND TAMMY DAVID (THE BELLE & DRAGON)
ROUX BY CHEF MARGATE
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THE BELLE & DRAGON) PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA (KITE KEBAB BAR AND OUTRÉ) AND TAMMY DAVID (THE BELLE & DRAGON)
URBAN BITES
KITE KEBAB BAR
Poblacion has become a fantastic alternative to the too-posh settings of Makati’s more upscale lifestyle centers. One of its newest must-visit spots is Kite Kebab Bar, a place that’s reminiscent of the bohemian ’80s heyday of Malate. Here, people from all walks of life converge for a meal and conversations that run the gamut from art to politics and back. For singles: Find like-minded folk at the bar and get into philosophical discourses with friendly strangers over cold bottles of brew. For couples: Stuff yourselves with the Mediterranean street food-inspired cuisine without breaking your date night budget and reminisce over travels and adventures you’ve had together. Spicy Keema (P145) A traditional Indian dish of spicy minced meat sautéed with tomatoes and onions, and served with garlic and hot sauce. Best paired with a bowl of longgrain Biryani Rice. Kite Kebab Bar. 5772 Ebro Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City. 810-7388.
THE BELLE & DRAGON
What used to be a parking lot is now an avenue where East meets West—or in this gastropub, east meets pub. Arrive at sunset for some British-Asian fusion dishes and let the high ceiling and grand arch windows transport you to Europe. Then, enjoy a little tipple as night falls and the festivities start. For singles: Take a seat in the outdoor bar and make friends with the solo stranger beside you while sipping on any of The Belle & Dragon’s local brews that are available on tap. For couples: Have a late afternoon date where the two of you can wind down after a long day and right before the party-ready drinking crowd starts pouring in. Pulled Pork Tonkatsu Sandwich (P390) A generous shank of pork shoulder cooked for six to eight hours then wedged between the halves of a potato bun and drizzled with hoisin-tonkatsu sauce. The Belle & Dragon. 100 OPL Building, C. Palanca Street, Legazpi Village, Makati. 720-8700.
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MAKE IT MAKATI Uncovering the pulsing creative spirit beneath Makati’s metropolitan façade Who says a city has to be a literal concrete jungle, a cold, merciless landscape of whites, blacks, and grays? Certainly not the people who’ve made Makati into what it is: a bustling city that’s not only alive with work and production but art and color as well. It’s no wonder it’s also a hub that many top creative companies and individuals call home. Makati’s pioneering patronage of the arts allows juices to flow and masterpieces to come to life.
Living art spaces
9 am: Rush hour speed-walk On the way to the office, pass through the many bemuraled underpasses along Ayala Avenue, each tunnel covered in fantastic, symbolic works by some of our finest local artists. If you have a couple of minutes to spare, identify as many street art tags as you can too.
12:45 pm: Post-lunch breather Whether you’ve brown-bagged your mid-day meal or dined in any of Greenbelt’s eating hotspots, feel more settled before heading back to the office by strolling through Greenbelt Park, where the landscaped foliage serves as a backdrop to Impy Pilapil’s wire installations.
3 pm: Coffee run Give your eyes a break from the white-hot glare of the computer screen. Have your jolt of caffeine at the Washington SyCip Park in Legazpi Village or the Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village and let your gaze travel over the open spaces’ life-sized installations.
5 pm: Post-work wind down Instead of joining the mad rush to get home, wait out traffic in the calm, hushed environment of a museum. Almost bookending the stretch of Ayala Avenue are two world-class art spaces—the Ayala Museum and the Yuchengco Museum—each housing permanent collections of classic pieces and curated showcases of contemporary works.
Walk of art: gallery-hopping along Chino Roces Avenue West of the central business district, places like Silverlens, Finale Art File, and Vinyl on Vinyl put up showcases that shine a light on both rising and established talents. If you’re wondering what’s new with the local art scene, you can always count on the avenue’s strip of galleries to give you a good idea.
The Drawing Room. G/F Bldg. C, Karrivin Plaza, Chino Roces Ave. Ext.
2305 Now Gallery
Silverlens Galleries. 2/F YMC Building, Chino Roces Ave. Ext.
2316 The Drawing Room
2314 Manila Contemporary 2314 White Space
2320 Silverlens
2289 Pablox
Vinyl on Vinyl. 2135 Chino Roces Ave.
2257 Legacy Art Gallery
2289 Department of Avant-Garde Cliches
2135 Vinyl on Vinyl
2241 Nova Gallery Manila
2135 Archivo 1984
2241 Finale Art File
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WORDS ROMEO MORAN AND SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA (SILVER LENS GALLERIES AND DRAWING ROOM), CHOLA TOLENTINO (AYALA TOWER ONE, ZUELLIG BUILDING, AND
Almost anywhere you turn, no matter the time of day, there’s something to catch your interest, even spark ideas.
MAKE IT MAKATI
Sound structure
WORDS ROMEO MORAN AND SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA (SILVER LENS GALLERIES AND DRAWING ROOM), CHOLA TOLENTINO (AYALA TOWER ONE, ZUELLIG BUILDING, AND RCBC PLAZA) AND AYALA MUSEUM PHOTO COURTESY OF AYALA MUSEUM
The buildings that shape the city’s skyline were also designed to be awe-inspiring, but there are notable ones that are a cut above the rest.
Gardens of the Future
Ayala Tower One At the base of this 35-storey structure is a covered expanse that welcomes visitors with its pair of fountains and seamlessly extends into the green oasis of Ayala Triangle Gardens. Zuellig Building The all-glass edifice, completely reflective from base to tip, is unique in the way it seems to blend into the blue sky instead of debasing it.
Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) was recently awarded the Best Futura Mega Project at the 9th annual MIPIM Asia Awards for the upcoming 126,500-sq. m. Ayala Triangle Gardens development. Planned to be a new center of culture and commerce in the heart of Makati, the development includes a new 39-storey office tower and a new 23-storey Mandarin Oriental hotel, all on top of a four-storey mixed-use podium. “Through its glazed curved building forms and unique podium design that integrates sloped façades doubling as green lawns, as well as its grand public stairs, elevated plazas, we are making sure that the project becomes not only an architectural centerpiece but will also further enliven this section of the business district with new places for art, culture, recreation, respite, celebration, and gathering,” said Joel N. Luna, ALI Group Head for Innovation and Design during the award-giving. The Best Futura Mega Project award is given to projects, either ongoing or slated for construction, that best showcase the future through distinct architectural, technical, and environmental qualities.
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ARTIST’S ALLEY
Now on its fourth year, Art Fair Philippines 2016 pushes the envelope further as it once again transforms Makati into a destination for creativity. When someone mentions Makati, bankers walking along Ayala Avenue may be the first image that enters your head. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Give the city a closer look— Makati is also a city for artists. Consider: the works of art scattered along its many pockets. The vibrant and technicolored murals on the Dela Rosa walkway. The playful shapes hanging from the trees of Greenbelt Park. The grungy fanzines on sale at The Collective. In the past 10 years, Makati has become a playground for creators, with activities on offer that surely attracts culture vultures. Shops, museums, and galleries have mushroomed across its streets. The Ayala Museum and the Yuchengco Museum exhibit artifacts that speak volumes about the artistry of Filipinos. Plays, gigs, poetry-reading sessions, art classes, book launches, and artisanal seminars are regularly held within the city, offering not just entertainment but also championing local talent. Makati is also where regional and global artists stay during their visits to the Philippines. From the most tenured of artists to the
occassional dabbler, Makati has truly become a venue where creators of all stripes can express their art. Indeed, one can say that in Makati, art is a living thing. It is therefore fitting that Art Fair Philippines 2016, which features the best of Philippine contemporary art, will be kicking off in Makati from Feb. 18 to 21. Art Fair Philippines coincides with National Arts Month, which is observed during the month of February. Since its inception in 2013, Art Fair Philippines has become a signature Makati attraction. This year, the four-day festival will welcome even more participants as it spreads out to another floor of The Link, the car park facility in Ayala Center, Makati, at the heart of the country’s financial hub. Says Meean Dy, Senior Vice President of Ayala Land and Group Head of Strategic Landbank Management, “We have been hosting the Art Fair Philippines since 2013 and it has allowed us to showcase the greatness of local Filipino artistic talent, a way of declaring our belief this must always be encouraged and supported. It allows for art to be accessible to the public-families, office workers,
even the younger millennial generation is exposed to a global, competitive art scene. Art Fair Philippines puts the Philippines on the map alongside international counterparts.” To complement the gallery offerings, a curated section of solo presentations by critically and commercially successful artists will be installed throughout the two levels of the main fair. A third level of the fair will be devoted to its educational component, ArtFairPh/Talks. It will house a lecture theater for daily talks on art history, the art market, and current practices in contemporary art. Art Fair Philippines teams up with the Ateneo Art Gallery to bring these conversations to life. To complete the gallery offerings, Brisbanebased Filipino husband and wife tandem Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan will headline the fair’s Special Exhibits, coming in with an impressive profile of participating in critically-lauded art events around the globe. Also included in the lineup are Nona Garcia, Mark Justiniani, Martha Atienza, At Maculangan, Raffy Napay, Mac Valdezco, and Pamela Yan Santos.
WORDS WINCY ONG PHOTOS COURTESY OF ART FAIR PHILIPPINES, @MELANISETIAWAN (JAKE VERZOSA), @ALEXDEVERADIZON (UNTITLED 014), AND TAMMY DAVID (PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION "AQUARIUS" AND URBAN ART INSTALLATIONS AT GLORIETTA)
COVER STORY
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FASHION
GALLERY GIRL Create a subtle spectacle with structured designer pieces mixed with high-street selections and hints of menswear
GRAY MATTER Top, Mick Perez, P3,495 Pants, Topshop, P2,995 Shoes, Charles & Keith, P2,399
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PORTRAIT SESSION Dress, Topshop, P3,495 Slip-ons, Pedro, P2,795
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PHOTOGRAPHY NIKKI RUIZ STYLING JERICO VILLAMONTE HAIR AND MAKEUP PONTI
FASHION
FRAMED AND HUNG Top, Nixon Marquez, P4,895 Trousers, Topman, P2,795 Ring, Call It Spring, P395
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PHOTOGRAPHY NIKKI RUIZ STYLING JERICO VILLAMONTE HAIR AND MAKEUP PONTI MODEL HYE WON OF MERCATOR MODEL MANAGEMENT. SHOT ON LOCATION AT SWATCH + SWATCH.
FASHION
CURATED STYLE Button-down shirt, Topman, P2,595 Skirt, Mick Perez, P3,995
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