Northern Living: 2015 July

July 2015 Volume 9 | Issue 11

CHANGE THE CHANNEL

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CONT ENTS 22 COVER STORY Gabby Lichauco’s musings on the design industry

14 FEATURE Snacks fit for your type

Cover photo by Ralph Mendoza

JULY 2015

04 HEALTH

08 FIXTURE

05

40 EATS

Keeping tab of your thoughts has its perks

CRAFT

A thing of slumber formed out of kilims

30 STYLE A dreamy touch to style

The myth of slow living and minimalism

A breathing space for cat and coffee lovers

42 RECIPE

06 BEAUTY

What gentlemen should know about the A meal from J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye practice of shaving

EDITOR’S NOTE Getting Time With our present work at hand, sometimes we feel that there isn’t really that much time to do nothing.

Our daily tasks take up many hours of the day that sometimes we forget that there are precious minutes, though little, we can dedicate to reclaiming those lost hours.

We advise you to keep a journal so you can keep track where most of your hours are spent on. Our intern Carlos Tabunda writes that a simple cataloguing of events has its health and lifestyle benefits—it also shows you what you need to do less of. In turn, you may realize that “[you’ve] likely exhausted the charm of living fast,” as editorial assistant Pristine L. De Leon muses.

No matter how slow or fast we live, time still needs time, and designer Gabby Lichauco understands this. As he elevates Filipino artistry, he also evaluates the design industry. “[Filipinos] are starting to appreciate the value of good design compared to 10, five years ago,” he says.

Like Lichauco who seems to turn to his work as a break from life, he knows that things take time and require patience. In between the hours of the day, we hope this issue drives you to pursue less, to focus on what is important and what is your passion because giving your all to something you value is better than doing everything half-heartedly.

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Northern Living is published by Hinge Inquirer Publications. 4F Media Resource Plaza, Mola corner Pasong Tirad Street, Barangay La Paz, Makati City. Visit www.facebook.com/ northernlivingmagazine now. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @nlivingph.

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FEEDBACK

STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOR

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Hey there! Would just like to commend the mag for a nice issue. Leading people’s thoughts on culture and places are pretty interesting to read. Hope you can do more of these.

Joyce Santos

GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA MANAGING EDITOR BEVERLY DALTON ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS LEX CELERA, PRISTINE L. DE LEON CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIMU MUALLAM GRAPHIC ARTIST MAYSIE LECCIONES STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PATRICK SEGOVIA INTERNS CARLOS TABUNDA, KARINA SABINO CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO, PAULINE MIRANDA, YVETTE TAN ILLUSTRATORS MARTIN DIEGOR, TRISTAN TAMAYO STYLISTS RABBITHOLE CREATIVES, CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, KATHERINE JAO PHOTOGRAPHERS XYZA BACANI, GABBY CANTERO, SHAIRA LUNA, RALPH MENDOZA COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADER CESCA VIZCONDE EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO CUSTOM ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITORS PAM BROOKE CASIN, ANGELA VELASCO EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS TJ BILLONES, PAM CARLOTA, PAULINE MIRANDA, THERESE STA. MARIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES SHANNA MALING, INA MATEO, GENE PEREZ GRAPHIC ARTISTS ROI DE CASTRO, TEJ TAN, YAYIE MOTOS, JAYCELINE SORIANO, JANINE ALCANTARA 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 AVP FOR SALES MA. KATRINA MAE GARCIA-DALUSONG SALES SUPERVISOR POLO P. DAGDAG KEY ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST ANGELITA TAN-IBAÑEZ SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ABBY GINAGA, THEA ORDIALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANDIE ZUÑIGA, SARAH CABALATUNGAN, CHARM BANZUELO SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANTS RECHELLE ENDOZO, MARA KAREN ALIASAS

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FIND NORTHERN LIVING AT STARBUCKS COFFEE, EDSA SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, VALLE VERDE COUNTRY CLUB, SALON DE MANILA, AND FULLY BOOKED FOR EVERY MINIMUM P1,500 SINGLE RECEIPT PURCHASE OF ANY BOOK.

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HEALT H

LIFE CATALOGUE

Keeping tab of everyday happenings could help keep the mind sharp and clear TEXT CARLOS TABUNDA ILLUSTRATION MARTIN DIEGOR

The mind can be a messy place. Every day, we juggle a variety of thoughts in our heads: work, school, family, friends, birthdays, lunch dates, what to eat, what to wear, etc. It’s a wonder how we manage to keep track of anything.

But while it is difficult, it is not impossible. One way that the mind makes order out of chaos is through writing things down. Logging in a physical, tangible copy of to-do lists and things to remember allows us to make sense of our fragmented thoughts, and this can be done with the simple act of keeping a journal.

This is different from the cheesy “Dear Diary” entries we remember from high school dramas on television, but a simple cataloguing of events with a variety of health and lifestyle benefits.

Through writing them down, you learn how to better articulate the way these events have made you feel; thus, deepening your self-understanding. This is similar to venting out your feelings to a friend, but the difference is that you are the person you are venting out to. This gives you the chance to have a clearer sense of awareness towards your own emotions, and hopefully allows you to work through them.

Improving self-discipline By setting aside time for yourself and for writing a journal, you develop a positive habit. Habits, whether good or bad, also have a tendency to spill over to the other parts of our lives. Having the self-discipline to keep a journal can create a good habit that gets you right on your tasks at work every day. Also, by reliving the day’s events, you can have a better grasp of what you should be doing in the coming days.

Expanding creativity It is often said that the only way to improve one’s writing is to write. By keeping a journal, you allow yourself to learn new ways of articulating your thoughts and ideas. You give yourself a mode of free expression and the chance to say anything you’d like Helping with emotional stress to say. By practicing how to write, you learn more Writing about experiences that have caused you creative ways of expressing simple ideas or, inversely, frustration or sadness is a way of releasing the tension. how to simplify complex ones.

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CR AF T

RETHINKING TEXTILE

Throw in an accent in your place of slumber with a woven tapestry TEXT AND STYLING BEVERLY DALTON PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

KILIM THROW PILLOWCASE

What you’ll need: Kilim rug Measuring tape Throw pillow Snaps or Velcro fasteners Thread Needle Scissors Pins

SHOT ON LOCATION RESTOCK.

Directions: 1. Get the length and width of the throw pillow and use those measurements to cut the rug into two pieces. Make sure to add 1 inch to each side to make for extra space before cutting.

2. Lay the two pieces of the cut rug side by side with the front of the fabric facing down. Fold the side inward over 1/4 of an inch and sew it straight to close the fold. This creates a clean edge from the outside. Do this on all sides of both pieces.

3. Pin together the two rugs with the front of the fabric facing each other inside. Leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance, stitch along the sides, sewing them together.

Leave one side open.

4. On the open side, sew the snaps or Velcro fasteners. Turn the right side of the fabric out.

5. Place the throw pillow inside and close the pillowcase with the snaps or the Velcro fasteners.

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BEAUT Y

A GUIDE TO ANTI-SCRUFFY Look sharp, look good with these shaving tips TEXT LEX CELERA ILLUSTRATION TRISTAN TAMAYO

Landscaped facial hair has experienced a renaissance, from slick mustaches to mutton chops to full-grown beards. But proper grooming goes beyond trends, and anyone can appreciate a man who takes the time to look good.When it comes to shaving your facial hair, genuine care for your skin is key, as it’s less about hair-trimming.

Avoid shaving in the morning when you are preoccupied with the happenings for the day ahead.

Right out of bed, your face tends to be more puffed up, making it harder for you to get a clean shave. Try shaving at night when you can take all the time you want. If you can’t avoid doing it before the morning rush, wait for a few minutes at least; sip your coffee, check your e-mail, or iron your clothes first.

Preparation is half the battle when it comes to shaving (and skincare in general). Make sure you open up your pores and soften the bristles of your stubbles beforehand. Applying a warm towel to the face or taking a shower does the trick. You can opt to use a preshave oil, which further smoothens your mug. Applying shaving cream or gel is also fine. Use a shaving brush.

This exfoliates your skin and softens your facial hair.

Using your razor, shave cheeks first, the neck second, then around the lips last. Use your other hand to pull and keep your skin taut. Always shave in the direction of the grain or the growth of the hair, and with the sharpest razor you can find. Let the blade do the work; never let it drag or hold your skin back. Done right, you won’t need to apply extra pressure. If you don�t know which way your facial hair grows, let it grow out for a while then study the map of stubbles on your face. Last, be extra careful if you have acne, as nicking pimples will make them worse. Lather up again if you need to shave twice, again going with the grain.

Post-shave skin means irritated and still-open pores, so don’t put on any aftershave immediately. Apply a cold, damp towel or splash a little cold water to your face first to close your pores, then use moisturizer afterwards for healthier skin. Avoid shaving daily; allow the skin to rest from the irritation of the previous shave.

But should you find shaving too cumbersome, maybe it’s time to throw in the towel and get a shave from your favorite barber. No harm or loss of cred there.

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FIXT URE

LIFE IN SLUGGISH MOTION

Can slow living be the last desperate hurrah of print, the so-called dying medium?

TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON ILLUSTRATION MAYSIE LECCIONES

Every form of new media has come to announce that print is dead. It’s the recurring adage of the decade, what you’d call the selling propaganda of the digital age. Everywhere, we find evidence of this timely death: hard copies left untouched and rotting on the shelves, publications scrambling to digital platforms so as not to be rendered obsolete. The rise of the virtual space, with its multi-browser screens, 140-character tweets, and countless selfies liked and shared, is the only thing keeping pace with how we live—or is it that the Internet was in itself the prompt for us to live at lightning speed?

It’s been over a decade of witnessing the slow death of the printed page. Yet in recent years, a couple of independent publications from abroad—distinguished by heavy paper stock and pages populated by bearded men and waif-like women—seem to suggest a different claim. You’d recognize these indie titles; they’ve taken

the world over with themes of community, nature, gathering, gardening, and cycling. Ten years ago, we would’ve called these topics trite; yet what we once shrugged off as mundane, we now hold as their greatest merit.

While digital has declared the death of print, some indie magazines have set off a revolution, lauding ideals that seem to oppose the digital era’s way of life. Holding slow living as their creed and minimalism at their core, on the pages are women picking flowers like it’s an art, and communities hosting outdoor gatherings like it’s the last spiritual communion with the growing world.

Tim Murphy in The New York Times put it bluntly: these are “things that Laura Ingalls Wilder and Tom Sawyer once considered chores,” an indulgent, photodriven plunge into “prairie porn.”

Everything now is revered as art, that “the art of breathing” might just be a plausible subject for a winding prose. One thing, however, that these magazines religiously document is the trend of making niche and indie the new norm. There’s a growing fixation for everything artisanal and organic, craft items, single-origin chocolate bars, and farm-to-table fare, the idea further romanticized by kitschy vintage labels and designs, that drinking artisanal coffee might as well be called poetic.

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Yet notwithstanding its leanings on the twee, it’s another compelling case of life imitating art.

Remember the boom of third wave coffee here in the recent years and a shift to local and organic goods among so many restaurants? Also consider where these titles are found here beyond your book stores; there’s Ritual, Restock, and Craftsmith Living to name a few—boutiques and cafés rightly promoting the handmade, ethical, and organic. We’ve likely exhausted the charm of living fast, unmasked the market culture for the capitalist scam that it is, and have instead gone back to basics, only now basic has become more fancy and pricey than it ever was.

Note, then, that this is not regression. It’s more like a subtle anti-digital, anti-commercial revolution. Thick paper is firm on its protest that print’s not dead, and their pages, practically free of ads, similarly renounce the very lifeblood that breeds commercial magazines.

Then, instead of taking on the dynamic tone of your Vogues and GQs and telling you to chase after the next fleeting trend, it banks on winding down, gathering, dining, and maybe sleeping.

It’s the counterculture to rapid consumption, an all-out aversion to all things instant and massproduced. Yet, when its valued stillness slowly borders on stagnation, doesn’t it hold as much illusion as the

media it’s trying to counteract? It’s leading people to question what farm-to-table really is and what artisanal really means, other than buzzwords further embellishing the twee.

“It’s almost as if the Depression never ended—if, that is, everyone back then had been young, attractive, scrubbed clean and not hungry,” continues Murphy in the New York Times. In our case, they look like characters straight off of foreign period films, paying homage to a bygone era or simply stoking up nostalgia for a world that never was.

Indie magazines were created for a niche upper market, “reaching out to their own cultural tribe,” as university lecturer Megan Le Masurier tells The Sydney Morning Herald. It would start as a hipster cult of some sort, becoming problematic when everyone suddenly wants in, chasing after the myth of a perfectly manicured existence.

Sure, bring in the organic, the handcrafts, and the ethical sans the twee—but praise it simply for its aesthetics and unrealistic life portrayals, and its ideals become, at best, a marketed myth of a dying medium. It’s true that we need a break from the overly digitalized, fast, consumption climate, but even the best among us can’t lounge on the grass all day, living in the fiction of Tom Sawyer.

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FEAT URE

CAPTURED LIGHT From being a solitary passion, Xyza Bacani’s images have become her window to the world TEXT YVETTE TAN PHOTOGRAPHY XYZA BACANI

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Xyza Cruz Bacani has become a household name.

The 27-year-old Hong Kong-based domestic helper broke the Internet when her photographs were chanced upon by documentary photographer Rick Rockamora, who saw a rawness in them waiting to be honed. He contacted her and sought permission to introduce her to the world; she said yes, and her life was never the same. There came interviews: from CNN, the South China Morning Post, the New York Times, and other publications, many of them devoted to photography, all of them talking about Bacani’s discerning eye.

Her photographs have been described as menacing, a streak of discomfort running through otherwise everyday scenes. For example, her photographs of Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution, her first foray into photojournalism, are tinged with melancholy, a longing and hope that reaches out to the viewer, going straight for the guts. “It’s a push in the direction that I want to go towards someday,” she says. “The adrenaline was high and I was running around shooting photos with three cameras. I slept like a log after.”

She is often compared to Vivian Maier, a New York street photographer who worked as a nanny, though Bacani balks at the comparison. She wants to be known as herself, Xyza the photographer, especially since she had no idea who Maier was before the similarity was pointed out, or that she would gain recognition for her photos at all.

Last March, she mentioned that her life has become a whirlwind, one filled with interviews, exhibitions, and a scholarship at New York University as one of seven Human Rights Fellows of Magnum Foundation. “I’m excited to improve my knowledge about photography. Being self-taught, this is my first formal education and I’m sure I will gain a lot of knowledge.

“I was a loner. I’m still a loner, but I’ve learned how to socialize and I’ve gained some good friends,” she says of her recent recognition. “I shoot for my soul, but having an audience is not bad. I’d be a hypocrite if I said that I didn’t like it. I do, and I’m grateful for the love.”

Yet through it all, one thing has remained constant: Bacani’s dedication to her job as a domestic helper, which she continues to balance with what was once a hobby but has now become her life. “I’m very busy. I’m always tired, but I’m still excited to wake up daily,” she says. As of press time, she says that she still does domestic duties but she manages to insert interviews like this into her schedule when she's playing with the kids. “The best thing about my boss is she allows me to use my phone all the time because her grandkids play with it,” she says.

She acknowledges how lucky she is, not just because her work has garnered worldwide attention but also because of the circumstances that has allowed her to pursue her hobby in the first place. A nursing student who took up photography in college, she joined her

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“I shoot for my soul, but having an audience is not bad. I’d be a hypocrite if I said that I didn’t like it.

I do, and I’m grateful for the love.” mother, also a domestic helper, in Hong Kong upon the request of her mother’s employer. She bought her first camera, a Nikon D90, with money borrowed from her employer and wandered the streets, shooting during her free time. It’s an arrangement that isn’t available to a lot of domestic helpers, and she knows how lucky she is to have it, and luckier still to be able to keep it. “My domestic worker job is my safe haven. It provides a certain security that at the end of the month, I have a salary to send back home.”

She has big dreams: to shed light on the plight of Filipino domestic workers who work in less than ideal conditions, to cover war zones, to tell stories with film and light. “Photography is a powerful tool of communication. With it, I plan to sow seeds of

awareness and hope to reap change someday,” Bacani says. “I want to be a photographer with a purpose.”

She currently uses a Fujifilm x100T and a Fuji XT1.

When asked what her dream camera is, she says that she doesn’t have one. “My Fujifilm cameras are serving me well.”

She does what she does because it is essential for her to live. “Photography is my Zen,” she says. “It is a need, not a want. I can’t imagine myself without it. It created who I am now.”

Meanwhile, a world that cannot get enough of her photographs waits with baited breath to see what new scenes will develop from behind her lens, what new way of seeing the world this exceptional young woman will uncover. Whatever comes next is sure to be amazing.

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FEAT URE

MIDDAY MUNCH A creative approach to a packed lunch TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA PHOTOGRAPHY GABBY CANTERO STYLING KATHERINE JAO

Five-Minute Meal Practical, no-fuss cooks can transform leftovers into an appetizing meal. Shred yesterday’s roast chicken and place it on a sandwich with some sliced onions.

Pack an apple as an afternoon snack. For drinks, keep it simple and refreshing by adding lemon slices to water. This will also enrich the beverage with vitamin C.

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Soup for the Soul Noodle soups are not just for the sickly. A hearty wakame noodle soup is Japan’s interpretation of the famed chicken noodle soup.

This comforting meal can relieve that midday stress just as much as it can remedy a cold.

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Power Packed Get the adrenaline up the entire day with your daily dose of morning workouts. A person who runs, does yoga, or dances Zumba requires an easy recipe that doubles as an energy booster and protein souce. Prepare basil chicken pimiento over brown rice, accompanied by a banana for dessert, and be set to function the entire day.

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No Restrictions If budget isn�t an issue, then why scrimp on ingredients?

Indulge in this truffle mac and cheese with perfectly seared foie gras and a side of freshly squeezed juice. Finish the meal with a moist dark chocolate brownie for a decadent dessert.

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Meeting Midway Diets are not about discounting certain indulgences in a dish.

A well-balanced meal is a mix of protein and greens served in moderate portions. Carne asada tacos with an avocado salad combines a good amount of meat and veggies for a meal.

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SPECIAL FEAT URE

URBAN SERENITY A new development seamlessly brings the nature’s quiet to the city TEXT TJ BILLONES

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SPECIAL FEAT URE

Residents of Shanata can enjoy resort-like amenities within the comforts of the community

In the closing lines of his poem “Desiderata,” Max Ehrmann says, “And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.”

For a person to truly appreciate the nuances of this world, no matter how subtle they may be, one has to be still and silent. It is possibly safe to say, then, that supreme serenity is the greatest ideal man hopes to attain.

Shanata, the Sanskrit word for “quiet” and “serene,” is the namesake of the latest condominium project launched by Suntrust Properties, Inc. (SPI), a subsidiary of property giant Megaworld Corporation. The gated community offers homeowners the convenience of living within close proximity to modern establishments, and the laidback ambiance that will surely provide relaxation.

With its strategic location in Novaliches Quezon City, city government offices, malls, and schools are

2015 0615 Suntrust NoliSoli.indd 2

all within close range. The development is structured such that there are only 12 clusters of mid-rise buildings, standing at 6-12 floors per building—a far cry from the imposing height of most high-rise residential towers around the metro. Its façade is a waterfall feature at the grand entrance gate, a central promenade lined with shade-giving trees, and a meditation garden specially designed to create a relaxed atmosphere.

Residents will surely delight in the amenities within the community, as it showcases resort-like amenities such as a two-storey clubhouse, children’s playground, kiddie and lap pools, spa, gym, and function room. The ratio of residents versus the total land area is just enough that common areas, facilities, and amenities will not be crowded.

Set with a Modern Asian ambiance, units in Suntrust Shanata are offered in studio, onebedroom, and two-bedroom variations, making them most suitable for families and young professionals alike.

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COV ER STORY

WORK IN DETAIL NORTHERNliving 22

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Elevating Filipino design and artistry may seem like an ordeal, but it’s work Gabby Lichauco is happy to do TEXT SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PHOTOGRAPHY RALPH MENDOZA

“That’s what it’s about: all these components in the right quantity and quality, and in the right mix: the colors, the textures...” Designer Gabby Lichauco is talking about the virtues of the perfect halo-halo, virtues that go beyond taste. “Some halo-halos are a bit too experimental. They get diluted, like their ingredients were blended down into this mixture of ice. And with that dish, you’d still want the crunch and the softness of the beans and the pinipig and everything else.”

Though interiors is his domain, Lichauco’s sense for design has paved him an entry into the world of food via the work he has done for the Sarsá restaurants and the recently opened Kafé Batwan. His observant mind also gives him a view into how people navigate and interact within a space, including how it adds to their enjoyment—or discomfort.

This observant nature has also led Lichauco to push the boundaries of what else could be done, both with the materials he works with for product design and the kinds of collaborations that combine the specialties of various creatives. There’s Monolith, his two-year-old collaboration with fellow designer

Rita Nazareno, a collection of home items that take off from Nazareno’s bag designs. There’s the pop-up of one-off designer pieces organized by Univers that he’s participating in and another design showcase in Paris later this year.

While furniture and interior design industry moves much more slowly than fashion, with product development lasting for months and the final result shelved for years before getting introduced to the market, for Lichauco, it’s constant work that involves taking gambles, minding details, and having reserves of patience. “It’s an interesting industry. I’ve been designing for 15 years, and I still get excited and challenged by it.”

Is a designer’s mind never ‘off’?

Yes, either you get some sort of inspiration from seeing something, or you find the right time to execute something you’ve thought of before but had put on hold. That’s the nice thing about being in any creative field: the outside is your inspiration. Well, both the outside and the inside; it’s a never-ending process.

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But do you ever get to relax?

What got you interested in design in the first place?

Yes, I do try to unplug, mostly through my hobbies. I I was actually attracted to product design in bike a lot. But when inspiration strikes, I don’t think I general, but I never thought I’d get into designing could say no. If something comes up, even when I try to handcrafted pieces; it was more of an experiment get away from the whole work mode, I can’t. That’s why that I did when I came back from studying industrial designers always have notes and sketches. I think the design [at Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan]. only time I get to relax is when I do my own designs, Working with artisans changed a lot of things: my when it’s not commissioned work, when it’s not a aesthetic, how I approach things. I appreciated the project. With commissioned work, there’s pressure, handcrafted artistry of Filipino design, the challenges timelines, and quality control to think of, but when I’m it offers with the materials and the limitations of the doing my own experiment, regardless of the quality or production process. the cost that may occur, it’s the satisfaction that calms Our artisans, our carvers, their hands have muscle me down and excites me. Kasi when you’ve specialized memory so I try to challenge them. It’s important that on a certain material, you get they’re willing to do it. There’s to know how to manipulate some stubbornness to them, but it, so you kind of have to stop once they see the product, they “...when I’m doing my and think of new things, how get amazed at what more they to combine them in maybe a own experiment, regardless can do. ‘Wow, okay pala, sir.’” new process. That’s what a selfof the quality or the cost project gives me.

Do you think good Filipino design could be more affordable that may occur, it’s the What about collaborative so it could reach more Filipino work is satisfying? satisfaction that calms me homes, like what Ikea did for Well here, the one with Rita for Scandinavian design? down and excites me.” the pop-up with Univers, it’s I hope so. As in fashion, it’s about combining two to three the same in design: you’re up companies altogether into one against cheaper price points of product. That is actually a pick-up point from the fake and low quality goods. As much as you want to collective I formed in early March called New Folk. promote and use local pieces, they’re kind of pricey. But It’s a group of manufacturers, young designers, and if you look at it closely, it’s not so expensive compared designer-manufacturers—Stanley Ruiz, Rita Nazareno, to what’s being imported, and those can be of really bad Patty Eustaquio, and more. They did an exhibition in quality. Awareness is also important. For example, Singapore where I was the curator. The exhibit was to the middle class is starting to appreciate the value showcase Filipino design and manufacturing, with the of good design. That’s why all these companies are focus on the younger generation. They still have their bringing in foreign brands. People have the Internet, classic pieces but they also did new finishes and new and they travel more. The local market is ready to designs, exploring new stuff. It’s good to be part of that. accept and see what else is out there. I wish there That was the first segment, and this new one, was something like Ikea for us. [Local design home we’re trying to do something new: I want to try to stores] could be elevated if they have a forwardget designers collaborating with manufacturers, and thinking mindset. That’ll take a while, and they’d manufacturers collaborating with other manufacturers. probably lose some money here and there, but that’s It’s kind of difficult because each manufacturer has what’s needed. Not everybody is that daring; they their own secret, and I have to respect that. We’re going prefer to be on the safe side. But then, they don’t to use what they’re good at, and they’ll be working move forward. People, though, are slowly seeing the on a component of another component of another difference. Or at least, they’re appreciating local component of this one whole piece. design and craftsmanship.

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COV ER STORY

“Our artisans, our carvers, their hands have muscle memory so I try to challenge them.”

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M ARKET

HOMEBODY REDEFINED Turn the mundane and ordinary into a fun house PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

1. Table tennis set, P2,729, Crate and Barrel, SM Megamall.

2. Cheese and Beer by Janet Fletcher, P1,599, Crate and Barrel, SM Megamall.

3. Paola Navone by Caroline Klein, P1,599, Crate and Barrel, SM Megamall.

4. Speed Cups, P1,200, Gaming Library, gaminglib.com.

5. Luckie’s map of making cocktails, P2,650, Rustan’s Department Store, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

6. Kasparov chess set, P2,819.75, Hobbes and Landes, Greenhills Promenade.

7. The Beer Deck, P859, Crate and Barrel, SM Aura Premier.

8. Dixit, P1,500, Gaming Library, gaminglib.com.

SHOT ON LOCATION DHALTON HOME.

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WALKING ON A DREAM Nothing is real but the girl in this idyllic state of mind PHOTOGRAPHY SHAIRA LUNA OF AT EAST JED ROOT STYLING RABBITHOLE CREATIVES CLOTHES BRYAN PERALTA

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MODEL JACHIN MANERE.

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EATS The Iskender Kebab is similar to a döner bathed in tomato sauce and butter.

Follow @nlivingph on Twitter and Instagram to know more.

FIRST WE FEAST

Halal fare gives you a glimpse of rich Turkish culture TEXT LEX CELERA PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

Mediterranean cuisine, whether interpreted through the tongues of the Greeks, the Persians, or the Turkish, runs a riot of flavors, from tangy with citrus accents to bold, savory, and spicy flavors. The inflections between each can be varied either by name or choice of ingredients: the Greek gyro, the Lebanese shawarma, and the Turkish döner kebab share the same cooking method (pieces of meat cooking around a vertical spit) but differ in preparation.

But no one needs to be an expert on different types of cuisines to enjoy their meals. In Bricks and Copper, you won’t see a döner slathered with mayonnaise and chili sauce; instead, you get a homemade pita bread stuffed with slices of either chicken or beef that you manage with both hands.

The rest of the menu hews true to Turkish cuisine: you can begin with their Turkish coffee or ibrik, notable for its thick foam, accompanied by a square of baklava to counter the coffee’s bittersweet, bold taste. Follow with the Meze platter, which serves babakanus, hummus, saksuka, and patlican Salata paired with lavash bread.

Their Pita Döner, a tender chicken or beef shawarma stuffed in their homemade pita bread, is the best-seller.

The Iskender Kebab (a kind of döner kebab prepared

from thinly-cut grilled meat basted with tomato sauce over pieces of bread) and Cheese Pide (popular known as the Turkish pizza and is made with kashar cheese) are satisfying all the same; all three dishes are heavy and are meant to be shared.

What distinguishes Bricks and Copper from other places that offer Mediterranean fare is their use of a charcoal grill, which leaves the meat tender and the spices intact, the heat slowly churning out the flavor as the ingredients rest above the flame.

The spices serve as the scaffolding on a menu that embraces both the high and the low of Mediterranean food. The menu considers the local palate but doesn’t compromise its taste—no fusions, no gimmicks.

Owner Armel Cancino makes sure to be as close as possible to what would be served in Turkish households. “We use only exclusively Turkish spices.

We have Turkish suppliers, most of which practice halal. Some of the spices come from an Indian store because they are not available here. We never use local ingredients.”

As a place for communities looking to feel as if they had returned to their homeland as they savor the food, Bricks and Copper is doing a good job.

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EATS In Turkey, the Meze platter is a selection of small dishes usually served at the beginning of a meal, often with five dips like babakanus, hummus, and saksuka (right).

Complement the bitterness of Turkish coffee with a side of sweet baklava-a Middle Eastern dessert made with layers of filo and choppped nuts (bottom).

Bricks and Copper. 304 Dumalao Sports Center, Shaw Blvd., Pleasant Hills, Mandaluyong City. 0943-2727812.

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EATS A slice of strawberry cheesecake is best enjoyed with a feline companion (left).

AMID FURRY COMFORTS

Where idleness comes to play with choco mallows, lava cakes, and feline purr TEXT PAULINE MIRANDA PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

In James Herriot’s Cat Stories, felines were called “connoisseurs of comfort.” With the popularity of the furry creatures not only in the home but on the worldwide web, and with cafés dedicated to them popping up all over the globe, Herriot’s claim proves difficult to refute.

Popularized by Japan in recent years, the first cat café opened in Taipei in 1998, becoming an exclusively Taiwan tourist attraction until its Asian neighbors adopted the trend in the 2000s. The concept has finally reached Philippine shores last February with the opening of Miao Cat Café, the first of its kind in Manila.

The café serves as a quiet, intimate refuge amid the bustle of cars and commuters along Congressional Avenue. No large, obvious signs mark the entrance, making it easy to miss. But if one remembers how cafés are perpetually linked with sweets, the landmark becomes easier to identify.

Miao Cat Café is a cozy nook, with the peace only pleasantly disturbed by the flurry of cats scrambling

for treats during feeding time. The café houses more than 20 of sisters and owners Sam Ramos and Loida Benson’s beloved cats. Guests are treated to two hours of play time with the pets and a meal and beverage of their choice. The assortment of cats may be more than the food selection on the menu, but for cat lovers, to simply be surrounded by playful Munchkins, placid Persian cats, imported British shorthairs or native but no less cute puspins (pusang Pinoy) would duly satisfy.

But as its name suggests, Miao Cat Café is still essentially a café, offering the classic mochas, lattés, and macchiatos, along with a few new concoctions like Oreo cappuccino and Kisses Caramel. Whether you’re there to rest or play, Miao Cat Café, with its homey interiors self-styled by Benson, provides a sweet respite. And true to what Herriot claims, when it comes to comfort, just leave it to the cats. Ramos shares, “It’s a different experience. It’s very homey. It’s a place for people to de-stress.” And when they see the different personalities of the cats, even those with fear of the feline creatures will leave as cheerful converts.

Miao Cat Café. 2F Cake2Go Bldg., 7 Congressional Ave., Quezon City.

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RECIPE

HARD KNOCK LIFE

Take it from The Catcher in the Rye’s Holden Caulfield; a grilled cheese sandwich can turn a bad day around TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY GABBY CANTERO

GRILLED SWISS CHEESE SANDWICH WITH PESTO MAYO INGREDIENTS

4 slices white bread 6 thin slices Swiss cheese or Emmental cheese 2 tbsp. soft butter For pesto mayo: 2 cloves garlic 3 handfuls basil 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tbsp. pine nuts 3 tbsp. mayonnaise Salt to taste

PREPARATION

1. For the pesto, blend the basil, olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts.

Transfer to a bowl and mix with mayonnaise and salt to taste.

2. Spread the soft butter on both sides of the bread. Set aside.

3. Heat the grilling pan. Place the bread on the pan, toasting one side until crispy and golden brown.

4. Flip the bread and put 3 slices of cheese on top.

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5. Place another slice of bread, with one side already toasted, on top of the other slice with cheese.

Flip the sandwich.

6. To melt the cheese, drizzle a small amount of water on the pan and place the cover. Steam will help the cheese get that gooey texture.

7. Slice the sandwich in half and dip it in the pesto mayo.

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T HE GET

LA DAME DE FLEUR

A whiff of the private life of history’s most infamous teenage royalty TEXT BEVERLY DALTON PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

The famous Dauphin of France Marie Antoinette may have gotten a bad rap in history books with her lavish spending, but contrary to her public life in Versailles, she had dreams of returning to the pleasures of simple, rural pursuits.

In the August of 1774, King Louis XVI gave his teenage queen the most wonderful gift. “You love flowers. I have a bunch to offer you: the Petit Trianon,” he said. Since then, this little pleasure place, with its faux-rustic finish, had been the Dauphin’s escape from the pomp of Versailles where she and her ladies played shepherdesses.

Historiae Bouquet Du Trianon, inspired by French history, captures the essence of Marie Antoinette’s country sensibilities.

It is made with a unique blend of essential oils that the Dauphin herself was particularly fond of: tuberose, sensual floral scents, and woody aromas. The perfume expresses Marie Antoinette’s escape from the formality of court life and the burden of her royal responsibilities—a reminder to those who take a whiff, to stop and smell the flowers.

Rustan’s, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, EDSA cor. Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City.

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OPENING AUGUST 2015 To be opened in 2015, B Hotel Quezon City is situated in 14 Scout Rallos St., Diliman, Quezon City.

Chic, bright and contemporary, it raises the brand’s commiment-to-value to a new level. A state-of-the-art business center and function rooms, a restaurant, a fitness center, a pool and 111 well-appointed rooms to suit your eclectic taste. Sense an ambiance that’s suited for the well-travelled individuals.

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Lobby

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Executive Suite

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www.thebellevue.com

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