Northern Living: 2015 February by Hinge Inquirer Publications

February 2015 Volume 8 | Issue 18

FREE SPIRITS

7.25 x 10.indd 1

1/20/15 12:01 PM

CONT ENTS 12 COVER STORY Twins An and En Estrada expand their horizons through places they go and people they meet

FEBRUARY 2015 03 HEALTH Boost your immune system with healthy seeds you can grow in your backyard

10 NORTHERNER Professor Juan T. Lim brings nature inside with bonsai trees

04 BEAUTY The importance of knowing the ingredients that make up your beauty product

20 STYLE Earthy tones take precedence in an urban world of grays

06 FIXTURE People with desk jobs work for hours on end—and prefer to do it standing

31 RECIPE A healthy dish made with the natural goodness of couscous and localized with dilis Cover photo by Joseph Pascual

EDITOR’S NOTE Return to Nature We’ve seen a natural revolution in the recent years as more and more people are going back to basics. Organic produce is on the rise, plants are no longer just found outdoors, more and more restaurants are now serving real and unpretentious meals, and instant food takes the backseat as slowcooked meals are more preferred in the kitchen. This issue returns to nature as it hopes to cultivate that sense of wonder towards the beginning of time when everything was simple and natural. Stay in touch with the beauty of nature by veering away

from harmful ingredients that can be found in your cosmetic products. Plant seeds like grape, sunflower, and pumpkin in your own backyard, which you can use for cooking. You’ll be surprised with its many health benefits. Live amid nature with indoor plants. And finally, take inspiration from nomadic twins An and En Estrada with their penchant for unfamiliar places beyond their horizon. Learn from their travels because it is in stepping away from the shore and exploring new territories that we can find our own unique place in this natural world.

Talk to us on Facebook and you just might win a special prize from us. Visit www.facebook.com/southernlivingmagazine now. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @slivingph. We’d love to hear from you.

NORTHERNliving

NORTHERNliving GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA EDITORIAL ASSISTANT PRISTINE L. DE LEON CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIÑA MUALLAM GRAPHIC ARTIST DANICA CONDEZ CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO, BEVERLY DALTON, CHINGGAY LABRADOR, AJ ELICAÑO, KAT PATIÑO-MARQUEZ, MARBBIE TAGABUCBA, YVETTE TAN ILLUSTRATOR TRISTAN TAMAYO STYLISTS EDLENE CABRAL, SAM LIM HAIR AND MAKEUP BULLET REYES, CHUCHIE LEDESMA, GERY PEÑASO PHOTOGRAPHERS CHOLO DELA VEGA, SAM LIM, JOSEPH PASCUAL, CYRUS PANGANIBAN, PATRICK SEGOVIA COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO CUSTOM ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER DAPHNE SEE ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR PAM BROOKE CASIN PROJECT COORDINATOR RENÉE ESPENILLA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS PRISTINE L. DE LEON, PAULINE MIRANDA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES SHANNA MALING, HANNAH RAMOS, INA MATEO GRAPHIC ARTISTS AUBREY PORCIUNCULA, ROI DE CASTRO, TEJ TAN, YAYIE MOTOS PRODUCTION MANAGER NOEL CABIE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT MARICEL GAVINO FINAL ART SUPERVISOR DENNIS CRUZ FA ARTIST JR LAROSA BOARD CHAIRPERSON ALEXANDRA PRIETO-ROMUALDEZ FINANCE ADVISOR AND TREASURER J. FERDINAND DE LUZURIAGA LEGAL ADVISOR ATTY. RUDYARD ARBOLADO HR STRATEGY HEAD RAYMUND SOBERANO VP AND CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER IMELDA ALCANTARA SVP AND GROUP SALES HEAD, INQUIRER GROUP OF COMPANIES FELIPE R. OLARTE SALES DIRECTOR MA. KATRINA MAE GARCIA-DALUSONG KEY ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST ANGELITA TAN-IBAÑEZ ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ABEGAIL GINAGA, ANDIE ZUÑIGA, SARAH CABALATUNGAN, ALETHEIA ORDIALES SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANTS RECHELLE ENDOZO, MARA KAREN ALIASAS

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

FEEDBACK

TURNING A NEW LEAF “Hi! Just wanted to say that the cover for your current issue looks great! It looks very clean and simple, and despite not having a lot of titles in front, the cover makes you want to get the magazine and check it out.” Chi Señires

@nlivingph @nlivingph www.facebook.com/ northernlivingmagazine nlivingph@hip.ph Share your thoughts on our latest issue and get a chance to win prizes. Congratulations everyone for winning Villa Del Conte gift certificates! Call 403-8825 to claim your prize.

Dionne Stephanie

I like your latest issue, very clean and neat, especially your Style section. you should do that more often.

NORTHERNliving

HEALT H

EATING FROM THE EARTH

Backyard farming may be one of the sweetest diet plans around TEXT CHINGGAY LABRADOR ILLUSTRATION DANICA CONDEZ

Fred Armisen’s TV satire Portlandia makes fun of the current fascination with going locavore: the dream of the 1890s is alive in Portland. This backward step to backyard farming, locally sourced organic food, and homegrown crops has spread to all parts of the world, even in the most urbanized cities. If Manila’s growing number of weekend markets, farm-to-table restaurants, and artisanal-crafted goodies is any indication, then going back to the earth is indeed de rigueur. Going backyard has reawakened a new interest in farming—not just for the multitude of crops you sow, but for the health benefits that pure and simple seeds and their extracts have to offer.

Reproductive health for both men and women, immunity, and your heart and liver can benefit from these tiny powerhouses. Mix them in with some pure, tempered dark chocolate and sprinkle with some sea salt, and you’ve got yourself a decadent treat.

Sunflower seeds. No longer just for your fine-feathered friends, sunflower seeds have an incredible amount of vitamins to help overall health. Vitamin E helps combat UV rays and keeps skin glowing, magnesium calms the nerves and eases stress and tension headaches, and selenium fights off cell damage. All you need is a small serving (just 1/4 cup) to keep your heart healthy, too. Try sprinkling these onto yogurt and salads, or incorporate them into Grape seed. Skip the vino and go for the other good stuff homemade bread. this fruit has to offer. Grape seed contains antioxidants that can stave off cell damage and help with poor circulation Chia seeds. The Aztecs and Mayans were on to something and high cholesterol. Even hair can do with a dose of this great when they used this popular superfood centuries elixir; The Body Shop’s grape seed glossing serum promises ago. Chia seeds offer everything, from fiber and protein shine and gloss for your mane. to calcium and healthy fat, and even other vitamins that help us function and live well. A great egg substitute for Pumpkin seeds. These are fun to snack on and pack a most baked goods, these also amp up the fiber and protein nutritious punch: indulging in this tasty treat can amp content (and texture!) of everything, from your ubiquitous up your magnesium, manganese, protein, and zinc intake. green smoothies to fruit and coconut milk puddings.

NORTHERNliving

BEAUT Y

BETWEEN THE LINES

Know what you’re putting on your skin by reading the product labels TEXT BEVERLY DALTON ILLUSTRATION DANICA CONDEZ

Women love their cosmetics. Even the simplest person who likes to keep it natural sticks to a skincare regimen. All those beauty products found on bathroom counters aren’t just for vanity but are truly about taking care of oneself. The real concern is: Do you know what you’re actually putting on your skin, and are they safe? Here are some common ingredients and chemicals found in beauty products you should be wary of.

this chemical can be found in a lot of personal care products. SLS is responsible for making shampoo and soap foamy. It may cause severe skin and eye irritation. Where you can find it: Shampoos, soaps, and body washes

Formaldehyde This chemical is used to prevent bacteria growth in cosmetics. It is believed to be a carcinogen by The International Agency for Research on Carcinogens Parabens and has also been linked to cause allergic There’s a reason why “paraben-free” skin reactions and bronchitis. came up on the label of beauty products Where you can find it: Mostly in nail in the past years. If you’re not aware, it’s polish and hair coloring because beauty products with paraben are associated with breast cancer. This Fragrance chemical was actually identified in Fragrance is a tricky ingredient on biopsy samples from breast tumors. the label because most brands use it Where you can find it: Makeup, to mask a “secret formula.” Fragrance deodorants, shampoos, conditioners, mixes have been associated with and facial cleansers allergies, dermatitis, and respiratory problems like asthma. Sodium lauryl sulfate Where you can find it: Lotions, Also known by its acronym SLS, perfumes, shampoos and conditioners,

NORTHERNliving

body washes, and moisturizers Toluene Ever wonder why most OBgynecologists don’t allow pregnant women to have a mani/pedi? It’s because of the toluene found in nail polish. Toluene, a petroleumbased by-product, is often hidden in “fragrance” and can affect the functioning of the brain and the central nervous system. It’s dangerous for fetal development. Where you can find it: Most often in nail polish Talc This ingredient is often added in makeup to absorb moisture and provide a hint of sparkle. But beware, not everything that sparkles is good! Talc is considered a carcinogen and has been linked to ovarian cancer. When inhaled, it may even lead to the formation of lung tumors. Where you can find it: Powder-form makeup like eye shadow and blush

7.25 x 10.indd 1

1/14/15 6:21 PM

FIXT URE

TAKING A STAND

When being on your feet is better than being on your butt TEXT AJ ELICAÑO ILLUSTRATION TRISTAN TAMAYO

Some have called sitting “the smoking of our generation,” and when you look at the research behind the slogan, it’s not hard to see their point. Staying seated for too long lowers metabolism, slows the rate at which the body burns calories, and increases risks associated with diabetes and obesity. Sitting down is not harmful on its own, of course, unless done in excess—but in a world where so many jobs are going digital and requiring more and more desk time, whether at the computer or in meetings, “sitting down in excess” is becoming a way of life. Enter the standing desk. It’s exactly what it sounds like. They first became prominent in the 18th and 19th centuries and were used by luminaries the likes of Benjamin Franklin, Virginia Woolf, and Ernest Hemingway. In more recent years, these standing desks have begun to regain some of their former popularity, mostly for their purported health benefits. The logic is sound: if spending too much time sitting down can be detrimental to your health, then a desk that forces you to remain standing to do your work is likely to be good for you (or at least will stave off some of the health risks associated with staying seated for hours on end). And there is some evidence to support the theory, especially for calorie burning. A 2013 study, conducted by

the BBC together with Dr. John Buckley and a team from the University of Chester, found that standing causes the heart to beat roughly 10 beats per minute higher than sitting down, which amounts to an extra 50 calories burnt per hour. When one considers the amount of time spent at a desk each day, one realizes how quickly this will add up. Critics point out, however, that just as sitting down for hours on end can be detrimental to one’s health, so too can standing in the same position for too long. The real problem, they attest, is how sedentary our lives have become. And while standing desks do ensure that we don’t spend eight hours per day on our butts, we can’t then spend those eight hours as unmoving—but standing!—statues and expect things to miraculously get better. Business writer Nilofer Merchant in her 2013 TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talk emphasized her belief that “fresh air drives fresh thinking.” In addition to standing, she advocated the walk-and-talk meeting, a technique used by the likes of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, as a way both to improve health and stimulate creativity. Ultimately, the standing desk can be a crucial first step, but from there, as with everything, it’s down to us to keep walking.

NORTHERNliving

7.25 x 10.indd 1

8/19/14 3:26 PM

CR AF T

SCENTED SLUMBER

Create your own linen spray to fill your dreams with sweet and refreshing aromas TEXT KAT PATIÑO-MARQUEZ PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING SAM LIM

MINT AND BASIL LINEN SPRAY

What you’ll need:

5 drops of mint essential oil 5 drops of basil essential oil 2 tbsp. of vodka 6 tbsp. of water Small spray bottle Small funnel

NOTE: To create your own essential oil, simply infuse sunflower oil with crushed fresh herbs or blossoms for a week. Directions:

1. Using the funnel, pour all the ingredients into the spray bottle. 2. Shake and leave for 2-3 days.

NORTHERNliving

7.25 x 10.indd 1

2/18/14 9:53 PM

NORT HERNER Professor Juan Lim cultivates more than 400 bonsai plants in his home. According to Lim, the size of the plant does not ascertain its age, for the smallest bonsai could be several hundred years old.

CITY GARDENER Juan Lim nurtures living art

TEXT MARBBIE TAGABUCBA PHOTOGRAPHY SAM LIM

A bonsai’s graceful perseverance is a mystery. The art form represents trees that have adapted to extremely rugged mountainous conditions; their uncommon, poetic forms taking shape over centuries of survival. Yet when taken from a high, rocky environment and into the lowlands—say, in the garden of a suburban home—it could die. In university professor and bonsai master Juan Lim’s garden, they are nurtured into dramatic, award-winning figures. Horticulture is a hobby he picked up 10 years ago from his sisters and a brother-in-law who develop more sophisticated plants. Winning at bonsai competitions had encouraged Lim to dive further into the art four years ago. “The highest test of bonsai collection is winning. I have the most number of trophies in the shortest amount of time: almost 200 in the last two years,” he points out. In 2012, Lim won in the cascade category at the Bonsai and

Suiseki Alliance of the Philippines. His 20-year-old Agoho tree was proclaimed the best in the show at the 68th mid-year Philippine Orchid Society Landscaping Competition last year. “It’s not just having a plant that’s been stunted in growth. Of all the plants, bonsai demands the most artistic considerations,” he clarifies. Its principles, for instance, are exact: its trunk should be double the diameter of the secondary branch. The secondary branch should grow on the opposite side of the primary branch. You trim it, prune it, make the leaves healthy and nice, clean the bark of the plant, and reroot the tree every five years. You layer it and put fertilizer. But to Lim, following the principles of bonsai is just 49 percent of his winning formula. “Without love, gratitude to God, and praising [your bonsai] to the heavens, it will never be worthy of winning,” he says, likening his show of affection to his bonsai to the findings of

NORTHERNliving

Japanese researcher Masaru Emoto on the effect of human consciousness on the molecular structure of water. Here is a man who controls and respects the bonsai on a reverential level, but Lim’s most important lesson is not some secret technique, but the importance of creating harmony between man and nature. “People come up to me and say, ‘I have bad luck, I can’t even make it grow and bloom,’ but in reality, they are planting in an environment that is full of negative energy. For example, a family at home fights a lot,” he explains, adding that he doesn’t allow people with negative energy to come into his garden. “Bonsai reflects the state of mind of the owner and the home.” It boils down to what’s in our minds and hearts. Lim claims, “Peace of mind is the greatest asset we can have for a happy and healthy living. This is an inner victory, which only comes from knowing God intimately.”

NORT HERNER

“It’s not just having a plant that’s been stunted in growth. Of all the plants, bonsai demands the most artistic considerations.”

NORTHERNliving

Alvarez’s own interpretation of the whimsical trend (extreme left). Looking for the right fabric is always a challenge for TC Alvarez (left). Two Chic designs have greater focus on beading and embroidery (below).

COV ER STORY

On An: Backless tartan dress, Vania Romoff, info@vaniaromoff.com.ph. On En: Tartan blazer, P4,649, and trousers, P2,199, both Sfera, SM City Makati.

TWO FOR NORTHERNliving

COV ER STORY

THE ROAD NORTHERNliving

COV ER STORY On An: Turtleneck pullover, P1,499, SuiteBlanco, SM Aura Premier. On En: Knit sweater, P1,999, Sfera, SM City Makati.

“Don’t plan every detail of the whole trip. Always leave some room for the unexpected. Get lost and you will find your way, discovering new culture and people.”

NORTHERNliving

COV ER STORY

Life for An and En Estrada is a photogenic trip TEXT YVETTE TAN PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEPH PASCUAL

An and En Estrada may run a blog called Your Evil Twin, instead of rush, searching for experiences that reflect those but the sisters are anything but. They’re close: sharing clothes of a local’s. “Slow travel is way better in our experience,” and going on trips together, as well as collaborating on En says. “Aside from cutting transportation costs, you photography projects that have garnered them worldwide really get to experience each destination and form stronger following and the opportunity to work with magazines and connections with it. Often, we discover off-beat locations clothing brands. while transferring from bus [to bus] or by walking and getting But before the sisters became photographers, they were, lost. We really enjoy taking train rides in Europe and renting first of all, travelers. “When we were young, our parents would cars. Last year, we rented a car in Tasmania to drive to this always bring us on road trips to our old beach house in La island called Bruny. It was much more fun because we learned Union. That’s where our love for beaches and sunny weather how to drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the car and road. Another came from,” En says. “We’d also go on month-long vacations perfect example was our choice to ride a donkey instead of a each year to New York, to visit our mother’s relatives, with cable car to go down from the cliff to the docks in Santorini.” the occasional road trip to Florida for its theme parks and its Their travel philosophy has led to many amazing adventures, scariest rollercoaster rides.” some of them making for awesome stories in retrospect. “We An and En have always traveled together but lately, had such an amazing time in South Africa. Our first night in they’ve been taking solo trips. Although Zimbabwe was unforgettable: we forgot nothing beats traveling with each other, to lock our balcony window so monkeys especially since they work so well as a entered our room, stole our stash of “We don’t really have a team, traveling with their staple favorite chocolates then left a nasty souvenir on strict working process. film cameras, the Yashieca t4 and the our bed,” En says. People who have seen us Contax 645, both best for casual travel Anecdotes like this come from the photography, is a close second. They are work always say we look sisters’ ability both to plan for a trip both in love with film. “We are both and to let loose once they reach their like we are just playing. addicted to the feeling and look of destination, to let life take the lead while nostalgia. And we always get this feeling I guess it’s because of our sticking to a loose script, an attitude with film photography: the waiting, the that fits both travel and life. As En says, obsession with raw and surprises, the anticipation, and the idea “Don’t plan every detail of the whole honest things.” of having only 36 shots in your camera trip. Always leave some room for the instead of 1,000. We love the sound of unexpected. Get lost and you will find the shutter, the winding of film, and the your way, discovering new culture and whole process of developing with chemicals. It feels like the people. We suggest giving up a few cities on the itinerary and photo was created entirely by us, from start to finish. spending more time in one; never cram too many cities in “Usually, we research the places only to plan our outfits. We one trip.” really wait until we reach the location. Most of the locations The twin’s wanderlust and eye for beauty have led them in our pictures are unexpected and unconventional spots we to collaborations with newspapers, magazines, and clothing just chanced upon. Weather also plays a big role in the feel of brands. In the latter, they had three of their photographs the shoot. Polaroids develop differently in cold weather and featured on Topman t-shirts that were sold online. That said, appear more nostalgic,” En says. “We don’t really have a strict they say that they “feel the most fulfilled” when they shoot for working process. People who have seen us work always say themselves. “Our favorite project is still the bedroom series we look like we are just playing. I guess it’s because of our we did back when we were still starting out. Everything was obsession with raw and honest things. We want to capture homemade: we shot each other with expired Polaroid film, them without trying too much.” took videos with a Super 8 in an exotic beach, and made Traveling, for them, is a lifestyle, something to be savored subjects of our interesting friends in their own bedrooms,” first and foremost before being documented, the latter a En says. “Our travel diaries and videos speak so much about reflection of the journey rather than the point of it. Because us and they’re more personal. Shooting for other publications of this, An and En tend to take their time, choosing to linger and clients, meanwhile, is fun but you’re not really in control

NORTHERNliving

COV ER STORY

On An: Dress, P2,995, Zara, TriNoma Mall. On En: Dress,Vania Romoff, info@vaniaromoff.com.ph.

NORTHERNliving

COV ER STORY

“It’s always been our dream to just disappear, go on a long backpacking trip or boat ride for a month, and just document everything with film.” of things.” Their dream destination, they say, is South America. “We’re still saving up for it, but hopefully in the next three years,” En says. Adrift in a world gone digital, An and En’s dream photo project would be one devoid of the trappings that tether them to online space. “It’s always been our dream to just disappear, go on a long backpacking trip or boat ride for a month, and just document everything with film. Forget about iPhones, GoPros, and digital cameras. Forget posting online in real time. Just shoot, shoot, and shoot—then surprise yourself with film photographs when the trip is over,” En says. More than sisters, An and En’s bond as twins (they even have a made-up language that only they can understand) transcends friendship and collaboration. It’s a partnership that has given the girls a creative outlet that is looked up to and appreciated by many, and it gives them the opportunity to bond more with each other even as they discover themselves. “Aside from having twice [the amount of ] clothes, shoes, and friends, we’re never alone. We think Your Evil Twin wouldn’t be the same or as successful if we weren’t twins in the first place; Your Evil Twin is alive because we always have each other to check and balance. We work as a team, so our output is somehow a reflection of our bond. We’re very lucky that we get along so well and share the same ideas, but still manage to balance these things out with our differences,” En says.

The best part about running a successful blog, they say, is the support. “Getting sweet messages from girls around the world telling us how we’ve inspired them to travel and get into sports,” En says. “It’s so cool to be able to reach out to so many people through social media, inspiring young kids to live their dreams and explore the world around them.” The twins hold 9-to-5 jobs in their family’s construction business, something that not a lot of people would guess from their globe-trotting exploits. “Other than the family business, we’ve been busy with sports,” En says. “An is into surfing and longboarding; you can find me enjoying WODs almost every day in my CrossFit Box. That’s pretty much how we spend our free time when we’re not traveling. We make it a point to keep physically active.” An and En say that they are putting blogging and print photography aside for a while this year. “We feel like we’ve already accomplished our initial goals in those fields. Most of our friends and followers have been suggesting that we start our own clothing brand and swimwear line, and we’re looking into that this year,” En says. “But in all honesty, we really don’t know what’s in store for us; our email just surprises us with new projects. We didn’t expect to grow this much when we started, but we’re definitely cooking up something before the year ends.” What’s definite, though? “Another travel video for sure!”

NORTHERNliving

COV ER STORY On An: Turtleneck pullover, P1,499, SuiteBlanco, SM Aura Premier. Skirt, Sfera, P2,199, SM City Makati. On En: Knit sweater, P1,999, and leather skirt, P2,199, both Sfera, SM City Makati.

STYLING EDLENE CABRAL. MAKEUP GERY PEÃ&#x2018;ASO. HAIR BULLET REYES.

NORTHERNliving

ST YLE

HINTS OF EARTH There are still urban spaces that allow natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subtle intrusion STYLING EDLENE CABRAL PHOTOGRAPHY CHOLO DELA VEGA

NORTHERNliving 19

Boiler suit, P2,999, H&M, SM Megamall. Bandeau, P195, Forever 21, SM Megamall.

ST YLE

Long-sleeved button-down shirt, P1,199, Cotton On, Robinsons Magnolia. High-waisted shorts, P2,495, Topshop, TriNoma Mall. Sleeveless dress, P1,595, Bershka, SM Megamall.

NORTHERNliving

Quarter-sleeved top, P1,999, Sfera, SM City Makati.

ST YLE

Sleeveless top, P1,699, American Eagle Outfitters, Robinsons Magnolia. Jeans, P1,895, Bershka, SM Megamall.

NORTHERNliving

and

present

inquirerred nlivingph

#HIPBackyardGrill

www.facebook.com/inquirerredmagazine www.facebook.com/northernlivingmagazine inquirerred nlivingph

NOLI SOLI Ad FP.indd 2

1/26/15 7:00 PM

EATS Simple and straight-up goodness await at Firesisde. Unpretentious comfort food served as it should be with a touch of your childhood.

DRAWN TO WARMTH It’s comfort with a kick by Fireside

TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

The hours after work have a tendency to infect us with a lazy mood—one that tolerates repose more than activity and favors familiarity over pomp. Even though unconventional concepts hold their own allure to the public, unpretentiousness sometimes can also be a restaurant’s chief draw. The men behind Kettle paid close attention to these common sentiments when they opened their latest venture: Fireside. Ciy folks are once again granted another no-frills dining space where old, familiar favorites come out as the main attraction. Banking on the worn-out urbanites’ yearning to unwind, Fireside by Kettle opened a space of relaxed interiors and muted design in SM Megamall. “I’m not so into fancy [things],” affirms Chef Chiloy Santos. “For me, our philosophy [is] just to keep it simple; not too many twists.” It’s easy to drop your guard here, with the decors of the resto kept at a minimum. Folks are enticed to relax and re-experience an old childhood habit of gobbling down heaps and heaps of comfort food. Truffled potato chips, fried chicken fingers, bacon-andbeef meatloaf, cornbread doughnuts, and slabs of steak— while the restaurant suggests easy, casual dining, its whole menu is simultaneously an exciting summon to indulge, to which both the picky and the voracious eater would be eager to oblige. Each grub is reminiscent of how you used to enjoy eating back in the day: not necessarily to be stuffed or to be impressed by the cooking, but simply to get your hands on

everything delectable within reach and sight. If, at Kettle, the guests are greeted with Western comfort food, here at Fireside, other influences abound. “We wanted a different Kettle, with different flavors, more Asian-inspired dishes, and more healthy options [as well],” explains Santos. The halibut, for instance, is a lush mix of quinoa vegetable salad topped with bacon vinaigrette. “It’s healthy with a hint of sinfulness,” the chef offers with a sly smirk. Notwithstanding the different concepts, there’s a steady touch of playfulness with how Fireside allows its guests to enjoy the meals. Their infamous wings are, as Santos describes, “neither here nor there.” Their sweet, spicy, and salty combination seemingly plays chase with the tongue that both the chef and the diner can hardly tie them down to a single taste. One other cause for amusement is their doughnut that comes with different flavors you can tinker with. Squeeze out raspberry, chocolate, and caramel from the tubes and draw swirls on the doughnuts as you would when you were younger. “Comfort food is basically [something which] reminds you of your childhood or your travels,” muses Santos. True enough, a visit to Fireside can feel a lot like coming home; the furniture is different and the food has been slightly changed yet that sharp sense of familiarity hangs about, reminding you of that good ol’ comfort you used to get when you cozy up by the fireside.

NORTHERNliving

7.25 x 10.indd 1

1/14/15 4:58 PM

EATS To add a twist to Kettleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famed fried chicken, Chef Santos adds Ritz crackers, chipotle powder, and hints of smokey flavors to Firesideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dish.

Fireside by Kettle. 3F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City. 532-1807. fireside@gmail.com.

NORTHERNliving

RECIPE RECIPE

SOUL FOOD

A simple, healthy dish to lift your spirits TEXT CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING SAM LIM

CITRUS COUSCOUS SALAD CON DRIED DILIS INGREDIENTS

1 pc. onion Half cup of dried dilis 1 pc. bell pepper 3 pcs. carrots 1 pc. cucumber 1 pc. pomegranate 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 cup olive oil 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 cup couscous 1 1/2 cup boiling water 2 tbsp. of butter Salt, to taste

PREPARATION 1. Boil water. Get a mixing bowl and mix the couscous, hot water, butter, and a pinch of salt. Cover with cling wrap and leave it for around 10-15 minutes until the couscous absorbs the water. 2. While waiting, mince all the vegetables together. 3. Cut the pomegranates in half and scoop out the seeds using a teaspoon and remove the white membrane around the seeds. 4. In a hot pan, cook the onion and bell pepper until caramelized. Then put some sugar depending on the level of sweetness you prefer.

NORTHERNliving

5. Toast the dried dilis until crunchy. 6. When the couscous is ready, mix all the vegetables, pomegranate, toasted dried dilis, and caramelized vegetables. Put the lemon juice last and season with salt.

T HE GET

CULTURAL CHAMELEON

Native patterns on woven mats break through the bag scene TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON

Crack your brains with this age-old riddle: “What is sea by night and a roll by morning?” The answer, perhaps, will not come as natural now as it did back in the past, when the banig or the woven mat shifted forms depending on what time of the day it was. Back when folklores and riddles reigned as the rural towns’ chief source of entertainment, there was still a sense of wonder surrounding objects so commonplace. For instance, space was scarce in the rural towns; the thought underlying the riddle could be that simply spreading a banig transforms an empty bahay kubo into a seascape of dreams. Gradually, years of modern development have demystified the banig. At times regarded as trite, it became a piece befitting a paltry dwelling, a native people, or a forgotten time—a world that can no longer thrive in a society fixated with global notions of progress. The history of the mat conveys the story of its people; now-tainted significance recalls that we’ve lost how very simply we used to live. Yet like every marker of culture, traces of the woven mat find their way back into everyday routine, with a local brand devising the banig’s most recent transformation. “It all began with our fascination with it and how interesting the weaves turn out, forming a design,” says Cara Mia Sumabat, product developer of Halo Halo. The woven mat comes to us now, not as a sea or a roll or a sheet on which to sleep, but as a traveling companion, with its patterns and materials becoming the central adornments of a bag in Halo Halo’s collection. Back then, in native villages, the mat presented a booming trade, with no factory or machine needed to sustain the craft. It stood for both trade and tradition, a livelihood and a way of life—and to Halo Halo’s credit, the bags in the collection uphold this heritage. With recycled plastic from household items comprising the unique material of Halo Halo’s banig, the collection advocates a lifestyle that is modern yet sustainable, adapting to the times yet paying tribute to a native past. Valuing heritage and sustainability over excessive commercialization, the bags do more than restore an indigenous memento; they recall the folkloric wonder, the simple life, and the honest trade that had once surrounded the woven mat. Only now, it is no longer a shifting fixture in the home but something to take along during our travel outdoors, or perhaps even a touch beyond that: a voyage back to our native roots. Halo Halo. 0917-8833140. halohalo.accs@gmail.com. www.halohalo-madebythefilipinos.com

NORTHERNliving

Grab a copy now for only

P 95

Your curated guide to the best new dining concepts in the metro Available in all leading bookstores nationwide

#HIPeats

NOLI SOLI Ad FP.indd 1

1/14/15 5:20 PM

BUILDING MOMENTUM

IN MAKATI

WORKSCAPES ON A WHOLE NEW SCALE In the Philippines’ unrivaled financial capital, Alveo Land concretizes a groundbreaking perspective on business. Masterplanned to provide dynamic units for ownership, The Stiles Enterprise Plaza is the first office condominium in the ultimate lifestyle playground, Circuit Makati. Matched with unparalleled access to the district’s exciting entertainment zones, this distinct address restructures the way you do business.

Visit our LIFESCAPES by Alveo showrooms at Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center and along Riverfront Drive, Circuit Makati The Stiles Enterprise Plaza will rise at Circuit Makati. Project is targeted for completion in the third quarter of 2018. Turnover of units will commence by the third quarter of 2019. This advertisement is approved and authorized by the House and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB). Buliding image is an artist’s perspective. HLURB Circuit Makati COR No. 24663, The Stiles Enterprise Plaza West Tower TLS No. ENCRFO No. 15-01-001 Rufino Hermann S. Gutierrez PRC-REBL No. 0004771