Northern Living: 2015 September

September 2015 Volume 10 | Issue 1

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CONT ENTS 30 COVER STORY Vivien Ramsay gets candid as she defends her honest aesthetics

38 STYLE When luxury is routine

Cover photo by Mark Nicdao

SEPTEMBER 2015 04 HEALTH

20 FEATURE

08 FIXTURE

58 RECIPE

14 FEATURE

60 THE GET

Finding tranquility within to achieve a stress-free day

Tidying the home by discarding the unused

Unfolding stories through designer tools

52 EATS

Local milliner uses heritage to reach a global clientele

A carnivore’s new paradise

A zesty and creamy ending to a savory meal

Achieving clarity through charity

EDITOR’S NOTE Style Ethics The fashion industry has been shaking things up in a much more profound way when it comes to producing and selling products.

Looking into a certain code of ethics that tries to eradicate labor exploitation and unfair wages while uplifting environmentally friendly practices has become an integral part of production. People now don’t just buy stuff that looks good but they also want to be part of the greater good. This holistic approach doesn’t just touch on what is organic but rather on an aesthetic that is simple and sustainable.

The more that people spend on

items that can give them more mileage, there’s a big chance they’re also living with less clutter. As Ina Amor Mejia mentioned in our Fixture section, “[Living clutterfree] is the crucial, cathartic first step to putting your home, and life, in order.” In our cover story, designer Vivien Ramsay also takes pride in a slow, meticulous, and all-natural process in producing her clothes.

Style is no longer about looking good but also knowing where people are putting their money.

Wake up and smell the coffee.

Conscious approaches to living are becoming more sustainable.

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

FEEDBACK

ART CLASS

NORTHERNliving 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

Northern Living has always been my favorite local magazine ever since I saw one in Starbucks.

The articles are so creative and inspiring, especially this issue’s story on plants and bread.

August 2015 Volume 9 | Issue 12

STILL LIFE

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Aileen Cerudo

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CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, CHINGGAY LABRADOR, SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO, INA AMOR MEJIA, ROMEO MORAN, YVETTE TAN, ILLUSTRATORS LEE CACES, MARTIN DIEGOR, TRISTAN TAMAYO STYLISTS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, INA AMOR MEJIA, MELVIN MOJICA HAIR AND MAKEUP ANGELU DOMINGUEZ, OMAR ERMITA, ALEX LEYSON, CARMIE LOCSIN, PHOTOGRAPHERS GABBY CANTERO, INA AMOR MEJIA, MIGUEL NACIANCENO, ARTU NEPOMUCENO, MARK NICDAO JOSEPH PASCUAL COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADER ERIC NICOLE SALTA EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO CUSTOM ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITORS PAM BROOKE CASIN, ANGELA VELASCO EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS TJ BILLONES, PAM CARLOTA, PAULINE MIRANDA, CHRISTELLE TOLISORA 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

@nlivingph

HEAD OF MARKETING AND EVENTS ROUMEL ITUM MARKETING ASSISTANTS ERLE VIRGILIA MAMAWAL, JANNELLE TURIJA GRAPHIC ARTIST LEE CACES

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BREAKING NEW GROUNDS IN URBAN LIVING

Quezon City will welcome new residents in its very own city center

With almost 3,000 leisure centers and more than 13,000 dining destinations, Quezon City is considered a “lifestyle city” for a number of reasons. At the same time, it’s a place many call home and a convenient one at that, given the large concentration of business, commercial, and lifestyle establishments in the area.

With such a vision in place, Avida Land is offering Avida Towers Vita at Vertis North in Quezon City.

This newest residential endeavor is a three-tower development set to mark the major development plan of Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) in the city. Vertis North is Quezon City’s City Center as it brings together everything great about living and working in Quezon City into one masterplanned community.

More than a central business district, Vertis North brings together various land uses- business, residential hotel and retail with a high concentration of activities in a pedestrian-centric, iconic destination—a dynamic engine for growth and an inspiring new address for those taking a big leap forward in Quezon City in its 30-hectares of property.

Avida Towers Vita is settled right within Vertis North’s lifestyle choices, while making the rest of Metro Manila accessible with its location right in front of EDSA and a few paces away from the MRT Quezon Avenue Station. The rest of Quezon City is also within reach, from TriNoma, Centris, UP-Ayala Technohub, and schools such as the University of the Philippines and Miriam College.

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At the same time, Avida Towers Vita achieves the perfect work and relaxation balance for its residents.

The property has its very own Grand Lawn where one can play a fun game of frisbee. There’s also a garden to relax in when you’re in the mood for a short stroll or require a little solitude. If you prefer the pace of the city even on your free days, Avida Towers Vita has its very own retail area for residents to enjoy convenient city living.

After a busy day around the city, residents of Vita can enjoy several lifestyle choices right within Vertis North. Quezon City’s newest City Center will be home to the largest Seda Hotel to date, letting visitors enjoy comfortable amenities within easy proximity to the north’s lifestyle options. Guests and residents alike can shop at Vertis North’s very own mall, which is positioned to be an upscale mall similar to Greenbelt and High Street. Families and friends alike can unwind at the two-hectare Vertis North Gardens, a green space that gives back with its modern urban sustainability features. All these elements assure its transition into a masterplanned central business district with residential, retail, offices, and hotel components.

With all these living advantages combined, Avida Towers Vita truly strings together the ease of city living and unrivaled proximity with the basic ideals of urban lifestyle.

For more information, call (02) 848-5200 or visit avidaland.com

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HEALT H

PURE RELAXATION

Strip yourself of stress the natural way TEXT CHINGGAY LABRADOR ILLUSTRATION MARTIN DIEGOR

Meditation also reduces the volume of neurons in the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with anxiety and stress.

Food “There are some foods that are natural stress-relievers.

Many are widely available here in the Philippines,” Tupaz says. Green and leafy vegetables produce dopamine, a pleasure-inducing brain chemical that can help you feel calm. Avocados contain stressrelieving B vitamins, while dark chocolate contains Exercise Tupaz says that exercise boosts the production of anandamide, a neurotransmitter that blocks feelings endorphins, which counter the negative effects of of pain and depression (albeit temporarily). stress. She also notes that on a mental level, exercise allows us to forget daily life irritations and helps create Mindfulness practice “Mindfulness refers to the practice of focusing one’s a sense of calm and clarity. attention on the thoughts, feelings, and sensations arising in the present moment,” says Tupaz. Researchers Meditation As a yoga instructor, Tupaz is used to meditation. “It from Johns Hopkins University tackled 19,000 boosts our physical health and immunity,” she says. meditation studies and garnered results suggesting that The American Heart Association in 2013 conducted mindfulness meditation can help ease psychological research that shows how transcendental meditation stresses like anxiety, depression, and pain. lowers blood pressure, helping counter hardening of “Because it’s our thoughts and feelings about a the arteries and development of heart failure. The person or a situation that stress us out for the most practice also helps increase neurons in the brain’s part, this mastery allows us to determine whether we hippocampus, which is related to learning and memory. actually experience stress or not,” Tupaz says.

Everyone’s lives can be peppered with stress. From busy entrepreneurs to stay-at-home moms, college students to corporate managers, points of tension are inevitable. What matters isn’t the stress itself, however, but how we deal with it.

Eileen Tupaz, yoga instructor and co-founder of White Space Mind and Body Wellness Studio, gives key pointers on breathing through stress and finding relaxation naturally.

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BEAUT Y

BOTTOMS UP

Liquid solutions to healthy-looking skin TEXT BEVERLY DALTON ILLUSTRATION TRISTAN TAMAYO

Even though we count on creams and treatments to give us flawless and healthy skin, we still know that beauty isn’t skin deep. It resides within. And although a wave of anti-aging routines and whitening regimens have already taken the form of the pill, we still look for beverages that can supplement the heap of products on our counter. Perhaps if we drink right all the time, we could let go of our favorite beauty cream in due time.

promotes strong, healthy bones and is a rich source of nutrients that strengthen skin tissue. The high collagen content also promotes good health for joints, hair, skin, and nails.

A glass of wine a night Wine has a much higher concentration of antioxidants, including resveratrol that combats skin aging and skin cancer, compared to grape juice. A glass a night Coconut oil in your morning coffee will make skin glow—but remember to keep it to a For a dose of good, healthy fats to keep skin hydrated, glass. This is as good as it gets. Drinking more than plump, and soft, add a teaspoon of pure, virgin, and recommended can have the opposite effect on your unhydrogenated coconut oil to your coffee. During appearance and health. the colder months when the skin is feeling extra dry, up the dosage to a tablespoon. A regular intake of Enough water is never enough coconut oil fights inflammation, which is one of the To drink more water is simple advice, but not a lot of major causes of acne. people do it. The skin is an organ that eliminates toxins, and when there is toxicity in the body, it definitely Bone broth shows on the skin. Drinking a lot of water (at least two More commonly known as nilagang baka na may buto, liters is recommended) can flush these toxins out. We this dish has high levels of calcium and magnesium, might be doing number one often as a result, but that something not a lot of Filipinos are aware of. It also means we’re on the way to glowing skin.

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FIXT URE

THE PURGE

The crucial, cathartic first step to putting your home, and life, in order TEXT INA AMOR MEJIA ILLUSTRATION LEE CACES

You already know the feeling. You stare at your computer as the cursor blinks, incessantly demanding that you finish an e-mail. You attempt to plot your day on your organizer and your pen is about to fill a blank page with To-Dos. You sit there, longing to make a decision, one of many that need to be made every single day. But you can’t. Instead, your eyes are drawn to the pile of papers that has accumulated in a corner of your desk for months. To the stack of notebooks filled with ideas, doodles, and plans. To the books you’ve bought but haven’t read. To that pricey gift someone gave you that you don’t quite like but can’t throw away, just in case. To the wires, markers, receipts, tickets. All these things collectively known as clutter. If I could just get rid of them, you think. If I could just tidy up, I would think better. And it’s not just your desk that needs tidying, it’s your closet, too. And your kitchen, your home office. Wait, no—it’s your entire house. But where do you begin?

Books about organization and tidying have filled the self-help sections of bookstores for decades. Martha Stewart, and all the lifestyle-gurus in her wake, have championed their methods on television, magazines, and on the Internet. Entire product lines have been inspired by the need to keep things in order. And those ingenious DIYers have taken over Pinterest with their own ideas for storage.

But not until recently has the subject become such a trending topic around the world. Through the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, author Marie

Kondo has perhaps single-handedly sparked a global phenomenon of ridding, categorizing, and folding.

Unlike any before it, Kondo’s method has inspired a cult of clean with its dreamy promise of transforming your life. The aim is not new, but thanks to brilliant publishing, and to Kondo’s childlike charm and selfassured manner, everyone wants to clean up all of a sudden and with renewed fervor. But her method, like those before it, face the same insidious enemy—clutter.

Now more than ever, clutter makes its way to our homes and lives. Online shopping, group deals, and even neighborhood garage sales feed the need to own more. Even practices such as upcycling, with all its merits, can be taken to the extreme when, for instance, you refuse to discard every single old thing in the hopes of one day turning it into something new. That day may never come. And in the meantime, your so-called stuff will continue to gain precious ground in an already suffocated space.

The first thing to do is to get rid of clutter. All the things we don’t need, haven’t used in months, or simply don’t know what to do with. If you can’t sell them or give them away to someone who truly wants and needs them, to the trash they go. Tidying will be difficult and futile if you don’t first purge your home of the things that have weighed it down for years. This critical step holds the key to a true and effective clean-up.

Kondo promises that her method, if done correctly, can practically guarantee that you will never have to tidy again. It involves tidying your entire house completely and drastically in “one fell swoop”—something a lot of people find daunting. But the wisdom here lies in realizing that purging must come first.

Find the resolve to unload of things that are unessential, or don’t bring you happiness.

Beyond tidying, it is a process that can transform work, relationships, the present and the future.

Start with your desk.

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“Tidying will be difficult and futile if you don’t first purge your home of the things that have weighed it down for years. This critical step holds the key to a true and effective clean-up.”

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CR AF T

HANGING OUT

An errant tree branch finds new life as a towel holder TEXT, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND STYLING INA AMOR MEJIA

TOWEL RACK

What you’ll need: Clean hardwood tree branch about 3/4 inch in diameter Two old wall hooks or hinges Power drill or small nails and hammer Cutting tool Sandpaper Wood and metal adhesive

Directions: 1. Choose the straightest part of the branch and cut to a length of about 10 inches.

2. Using sandpaper, gently sand any rough or fraying parts of the branch, including both ends until smooth.

3. Consider the length of the

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branch and choose the wall or door where you want your rack and drill the hooks or hinges in place. You can also simply secure them with small nails.

4. Bond the branch on the hinges using the adhesive or any transparent bonding glue.

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SPACE Curious finds from the owner’s travels accent the space with preserved history.

ART ABODE

Beyond matters of taste, this art adviser curates his small space to satiate his creative hunger TEXT YVETTE TAN PHOTOGRAPHY MIGUEL NACIANCENO

You wouldn’t notice it from the door, but this condo, belonging to an art adviser and creative consultant, is a carefully curated living space that reflects its owner’s interest in contemporary Philippine art and Philippine modern art of the 1940s-1960s, interspersed with Philippine tribal art. “I love older buildings because their layouts are generally more accommodating to art because there are more walls than windows,” the owner says. “The layouts are a bit better, and I think they’re more generous in terms of space. My office is just two buildings away, so it’s really convenient for me.”

The unit has a long hallway, an unusual feature that the owner uses to its full advantage by turning it into a mini gallery space. “I just hung a lot of the works that are my personal favorites from my collection,” he says. “I hang them salon style so they’re very layered…

I chose the ones that are hanging because they are the ones that I love seeing every day.”

Past the hallway is the dining area, which flows naturally into the living area, the only delineation being a rug underneath the coffee table. The walls are a soft color that the owner describes as ‘putty.’ It is a calm color that

lends the room a softness, one that bids guests to enter and relax. A burnt orange accent color ties everything together visually by creating vistas and focal points to draw the eye.

The lights are all LED, most of them accented—and with the exception of the chandelier in the dining area—never direct. “They’re not heat generating as much as halogens.

(They’re) safer for the artworks, and I love the light quality that they give,” the owner says.

The space exudes sophistication, a luxurious atmosphere reminiscent of the receiving rooms of old, but with a wit and charm, and that is decidedly contemporary. “I think that a lot of times, people entrust their interiors too much to somebody who’s actually not going to live there, so it becomes a little bit detached from their personalities,” the owner says. “What I love here is that it reflects who you are, the times you live in, the experiences you’ve had. All of these pieces are part of my life and tell a story in my life. I think that people should put their personalities in their interiors.”

More than just a dwelling place, this unit is a sanctuary, a place that tells the owner’s life story through his collection of art.

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SPACE

“I love older buildings because their layouts are generally more accommodating to art because there are more walls than windows.�

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FEAT URE

BY FATE, BY DESIGN A narrative that begins with tools of the trade TEXT LEX CELERA PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO

Just as the thrill of travel lies on both the journey and the destination, people care about the process of making an object just as much as the object itself. In the world of design, this notion of labor translating to passion and creativity sits true compared to other industries. A bag is not just a bag but an idea made tangible, and the same goes with any pair of shoes, garment, or object. But the designer is not alone in this endeavor. To conjure what comes to mind with precision and finesse, there must be assistance beyond the capabilities of hands. Tools, no matter how menial the task or how small the size, are potential collaborators rather than simple knickknacks to tinker with. If tools could speak, what would they say?

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Third Dimension When she received a mannequin as an exchange gift in high school, Esme Palaganas didn’t know that she would use the same mannequin until the present, even as the designer for her own label Basic Movement. “It’s not the best mannequin out there. . . but I still use it. I knew I was going to work in fashion but I didn’t know I was going to be a designer. [The mannequin was] a prophecy, maybe.”

Palaganas admits that she’s not confident in her sketching, which is why she finds her designs manifesting while working on the mannequin.

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Exacting Precision Gian Romano is known to be an enigma within the fashion industry. From our September 2014 issue, Romano is described as “blunt: fast to give his succinct opinions, not-so-fast with making friends.” His laconic personality translates well to his design process: “It usually starts with a general feel, a mood. The details, like cut or trims and forms, follow.” His pattern notcher comes as no surprise as to why it is one of the things he can’t work without; Romano’s designs are known to play with intricate cuts and precise tailoring. How does Romano take care of his tool? “I always make sure I don’t drop it.”

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Treading Lightly Maco Custodio considers himself a shoe designer rather than a shoemaker, but for a time, Custodio worked on the shoes himself, particularly for the theatrical production Rak of Aegis. Working on one particular pair, he accidentally cut his thumb while sewing. “You never know what you’re capable of, or what the tool is capable of, unless you actually use it,” he quips. His choice of the thread as his favorite tool reflects this sentiment, citing the tool’s usefulness throughout history. Maybe it’s an indication of the designer’s penchant for being remembered.

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FEAT URE

Objects at Play Known not only for her iconic knitwear but also the use of native fabric such as piña, Lulu Tan-Gan’s design process is just as sleek as the clothes she makes. She considers her pair of shears and magnet as her most useful partners at work. “I cut every piece myself. Piña is so sensitive. . . A little misalignment in the cutting of the grain will affect the next process of production which is sewing, and that leads to twisted fitting.” The magnet, once a toy of one of her kids, still amuses her as the magnet picks every pin off her work table. Fashion is rather hectic, but for Tan-Gan, comfort can be found in the tools that she sees as her companions more than anything.

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FEAT URE

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FEAT URE

QUEEN OF HER DOMAIN

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FEAT URE

From third-world to first-world and back, Mich Dulce continues her quest for global domination TEXT SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEPH PASCUAL

Mich Dulce is the first to admit it: “Working with me is a process.” She says this smiling, as if to mitigate whatever terror that process would involve. She continues, “I’m a control freak with my branding and anything that evokes me, from my makeup to the way my hats are presented.

I’m not afraid to say if I don’t like something. Actually, if I could do everything by myself, I would, but I’m not a robot. If something won’t live up to what I want it to be, then I’d rather not do it.” This penchant for particularity has caused terror among some people she has worked with, and she is also the first to admit it. “I’m hard to work with, a nightmare. In my head, I want everyone to be happy, but in reality, I’m pushing everyone.”

But this trait has also been the secret behind her success.

At 34, Dulce has made strides none of her contemporaries has been able to. From making clothes, she’s now fully a corsetiere and a milliner—the first Filipino designer to do so—to cater to a niche market that nevertheless has the cash to spare. Her hats are a hit in Korea, Japan, and London, and they’ve been seen on the heads of the likes of Anna Dello Russo and Adam Ant. In fact, her Londonbased brand frequently gets mistaken as British because of its unique, global aesthetic. It’s a misconception she takes in stride. “In the aesthetic sense, my goal has always been for the brand to be recognized internationally as Filipino

at heart—but you can’t tell just by looking at it.”

Yet while her design and branding perspective has long been globally inclined, Dulce’s first-ever stint as a proper employee of a French luxury label’s hat brand still had a few invaluable insights to impart to her. “Since I’d never worked for anyone, I knew only what I knew. I mean, I’ve been to schools everywhere, done internships everywhere, from London to Paris to America, but not within the context of, ‘You have this much responsibility.’ Not with a big, big company.”

And a big, big company means considerable available resources. For her first job, which was to make a hat to be worn by royalty to an event, the language barrier inadvertently revealed to her how first-world fashion operates. “They gave me the phone numbers of the suppliers, so I called the fabric supplier. No one there spoke English, so it was like, ‘Oh my god, stress!’ I’d been studying French for only two weeks then so all I could say—in French—was, ‘Fabric. Princess. I make princess hat. Give fabric.’ I couldn’t understand a thing the person on the other end was saying, probably asking me what kinds of fabric, so I just said, ‘All fabric. Three meter.’”

The same thing happened when she tried to order flowers.

“No one spoke English, so I just said, ‘All camellias.’” The next day, there arrived at her office rolls and rolls of fabric,

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FEAT URE

“It’s always been important to me that the core identity of my brand has a social enterprise in the manufacturing sense.”

MAKEUP CARMIE LOCSIN. HAIR ALEX LEYSON.

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FEAT URE

lots of flowers, and a bill of 24,000 euros for the former and 14,000 euros for the latter. “I thought I was gonna get fired! It turns out that was normal. That kind of product development cost is nothing, because these big companies have equally big budgets. It’s as first world as fashion gets, the pinnacle of working with all the greats, the flower makers, the pleaters whose works are almost historical.” It was a shock to her, but of a good kind.

But as amazing as it was and as international Dulce’s approach to marketing her work is, she’s still very much tied to home. “Working there, I kept thinking, I’m designing hats using materials from the Philippines, hats that would sell for millions of euros. That doesn’t really tie in with my goal.” And this goal, consistently evident in the projects she’s spearheaded in her career, from 2005’s We Are The Third World postcards project to winning the British Council’s Young Creative Entrepreneur in 2010, is proper global recognition of Filipino resources and creativity. “We’ve been supplying the world with hat-making materials for centuries but there had been no Filipino hat-maker until I became one—and that’s insane to me! The late Alexander McQueen had used piña calado before any international Filipino designer did, and no one knew the fabric came from the Philippines; they just credited it to the genius of McQueen. So when are we going to use our materials?”

This propelled Dulce to refocus on her own brand.

Since July, she has worked closely with the Philippine Textile Research Institute to develop new fabrics and strengthen local industries. She also once again commissioned local weavers and craftsmen for this latest

endeavor, explaining, “It’s always been important to me that the core identity of my brand has a social enterprise in the manufacturing sense.”

The result is a new collection of hats made with t’nalak (a long-time constant among Dulce’s pieces), buntal, buri, and the occasional rabbit felt. Streamlined and understated—for Dulce, at least—they also mark her maturing understanding of the business, which is another by-product of her Paris stint. “I used to make hats that I like because I’ve lived in London, I’m obsessed with Japan, my hats were a hit there and in Korea. But when I moved to Paris, it’s like. . . no one’s gonna wear my stuff! I realized I make hats for a specific type of person, i.e. me. Age came with the understanding that while I should do what I want, I also shouldn’t go broke doing that. Now, I don’t design thinking of just myself but also those who won’t wear five million ears on their heads.” Her next project is a small line of hats done in collaboration with The Moldy Peaches’ Adam Green, which will be launched in New York soon.

There are those who think Dulce’s method of promoting Philippine design to the rest of the world is too roundabout to be effective because of her non“Filipino” aesthetic. “They think I’m losing my identity,” she says. “But let’s be honest: ‘made in the Philippines’ isn’t a product’s selling factor. Now, every stockist who sells my stuff and every person who buys them like what I do—that’s what’s important.” Making globally competitive designs with local means and resources is a process, but Dulce has never been one to shy away from the challenge.

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M ARKET

THE LIGHT PARADE Rival the rainy day doldrums with an indoor play of lights PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

1. Pett table lamp, P26,000, Studio Dimensione, One Parkade.

2. Ubiqua lamp, P6,110, Dimensione, SM Megamall.

3. Binic table lamp, P14,000, Studio Dimensione, One Parkade.

4. Flamenca, P5,880, Feliix, Greenbelt 5.

5. Lotus pendant, BoConcept, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

6. Cage rocket lamp, P41,000, Studio Dimensione, One Parkade.

7. Coral ball LED table lamp, P18,500, Feliix, Greenbelt 5.

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COV ER STORY

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COV ER STORY

THE RAW STORY NORTHERNliving

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COV ER STORY

Vivien Ramsay reveals her serendipitous affinity with fashion as a harbinger of her more holistic dreams TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA PHOTOGRAPHY MARK NICDAO

“If I weren’t a fashion designer, I would be a farmer,” Vivien Ramsay says. She answers without thinking, as if farming would be all she’d ever want in another kind of life, explaining further, “I really like planting, watching [the plants] grow, harvesting, and then eating them. I like the whole process, and I love farming.”

If you were even an acquaintance, you would know that Ramsay speaks as if time is not a problem. She sits in her dining area with her legs up while holding a glass of wine, savoring every moment she has with the people she had welcomed into her home, every soul in the room listening to every word she utters.

People from her circle would call her “Mel”—short for Melissa—instead of Vivien. “It was the name from my baptismal certificate. But when I came back from the U.S., I found out that it wasn’t my

birth name. My real name is actually Vivien,” she explains. Known as Melissa Dizon in the industry, she launched a cult clothing line in Manila back in 2008 and named it Eairth.

Upon her return from America in 2006, she traveled with her aunt and uncle and did long road trips with her surfboard in tow. The three drove and looked for waves along the way. Ramsay shares that practically all her clothes then were in storage and she only had with her a few Crispa T-shirts (named after the famous basketball team in the ’80s), which were basic crewneck shirts. “I started putting holes [in them], tearing them, and maybe knotting them,” she shares of the earliest beginnings of Eairth. She bought a bunch more of those T-shirts in white and asked herself, “What do we do now?”

They went to her aunt’s hometown in Mindoro and that was how she got exposed to how the Mangyans colored their fabric: the Mangyans would boil their vegetables and some roots in large pots, and their natural hues would manifest on the water used. Then they would soak the fabric into the pot of colored water. Fascinated with her new discovery on the alchemy behind fabric coloring, Ramsay then knew what she would do with all the white T-shirts she had. “It’s an old world system that was used to make pigment—the same as what you see on paintings and

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color. We did our research and [eventually] developed a palette for Eairth.”

It resulted into a collection of very subtle and effortless hues. You may notice a variation of shades across her collections because even if the dye came from the same vessel, it never comes out the same way for every soaked fabric, thus making each piece unique and different. She shares that the natural colors don’t flare up unlike chemical dyes, making them quite compatible with every skin color, no matter their hue.

A perfect harmony of earth and air—that is what

“If Eairth is [for] the nomadic traveler, then Vivien Ramsay is [for] the confident woman who lives throughout the world.” makes Eairth. Every article of clothing goes through a slow, meticulous, and an all-natural process, from the sourcing of the materials to the coloring of the fabric.

There may be different “skins” in her clothing line but every single one was sourced in a sustainable manner.

Ramsay reiterates, though, that her products are not eco-friendly. “What I do believe in is applying processes that can allow people to live longer and allow people to have access [to them], hence [processes that don’t] pollute the water, earth, and air. [It means] taking the world in making something instead of trashing the world with disposable stuff. I guess people just started calling it ‘eco’ because they couldn’t describe it better.”

Being exposed to fine art at an early age, she does not see clothes as repositories of trends but rather as pieces of art meant to highlight the human body.

Eairth was not founded on anything she had ever seen. Since she had moved back to the Philippines, Ramsay has stopped looking at fashion magazines and watching runway shows. “All the clothes were created from feeling and sensation. Eairth is really created from pure love,” she articulates. Every piece is evergreen. She adds, “You can have an Eairth piece from 10 years ago and they would still feel relevant today.”

Just two years ago, Ramsay started working on another brand, a brand more personal and grown-up.

Being in her 30s got her rethinking and re-evaluating every choice she has made and is making in her life.

“I think I finally came to [discover] my own identity.

I was now able to not hide behind Eairth anymore. I [felt] the sense of confidence as a person and I knew I was ready. Then, Vivien Ramsay was birthed.”

From the young, vibrant, and fearless girl that is Eairth’s muse, Ramsay is now ready to move on to the next phase of her life—bold enough to create an eponymous line.

“If Eairth is [for] the nomadic traveler, then Vivien Ramsay is [for] the confident woman who lives throughout the world,” she explains. A woman who now knows her bearings in life, a woman who can walk to a meeting in Wall Street with her effortlessly tailored trousers and trench coat, but one who still has Eairth in her closet—pieces she would wear on weekends.

However, this doesn’t mean that the grownup Ramsay is stopping anytime soon. She still professes to pursue her other passions. One is to do home products like wall paint, pottery, and even kitchenware. “We already did some tests of taking raw clay and putting it together,” she excitedly says.

Another is to realize her life project to build a habitat of sustainable living. “What I’m doing now is a step forward to the bigger picture.”

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MAKEUP OMAR ERMITA FOR SHU UEMURA. HAIR ANGELU DOMINGUEZ.

“I think I finally came to [discover] my own identity. I was now able to not hide behind Eairth anymore. I [felt] the sense of confidence as a person and I knew I was ready.”

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SPECIAL FEATURE

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Alma, Louis Vuitton, Greenbelt 4.

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CRUDE OPULENCE The driving force of the fashion world takes the spotlight STYLING MELVIN MOJICA PHOTOGRAPHY GERIC CRUZ

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Sofia Coppola leather bag, Louis Vuitton, Greenbelt 4.

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Leather driving shoes, Tod’s, Greenbelt 4.

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Tobacco suede driving shoes, Tod ’s, Greenbelt 4.

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Nylon backpack, Prada, Greenbelt 4.

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Boston bag with bamboo handles, Gucci, Greenbelt 4.

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FEAT URE

MAN UP Identifying the gentleman beyond basic necessities TEXT BEVERLY DALTON PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO

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FEAT URE

In your face Men don’t just have to put their best foot forward when socializing with others, but they also have to put their best game face on as well. A little extra bathroom time can keep zits, wrinkles, greasy skin, and razor burns at bay.

Coalface cleanser, P475, Lush, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Vanishing act, P495, Lush, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Firming facial toner, P1,850, Perricone, Rustan’s Essences, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Super moisture balm, P2,550, Clarins Men, Rustan’s Essences, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Daily face wash, P275, The Real Shaving Co., Beauty Bar, TriNoma Mall.

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SHOT ON LOCATION FELIPE & SONS

FEAT URE

Hairy situation Like skin, hair also needs appropriate attention. Keeping the top mane and the beard or moustache looking good needs the right kind of products and a little shaving grace.

Ultimate brushless shave cream, P1,185, Kiehl’s, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Straight razor, P1,000, Parker, Felipe & Sons.

Iron birch moustache wax, P250, Eight Wolves, Felipe & Sons.

White moss shave foam, P800, Acca Kappa, Central Square.

Comb, P245, Acca Kappa, Central Square.

Squeaky green solid shampoo, P425, Lush, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Silver tip brush, P3,150, shaver, P1,566, stand P900, bowl, P1,000, Parker, Felipe & Sons.

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FEAT URE

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A clean chassis Milanese men, that special breed of super stylish manhood, have raised the bar when it comes to grooming. Consequently, another persona for the modern man was invented, the übersexual. It is defined as the crossbreed of a metrosexual and a macho man—being stylish, well-groomed, and confident without doubting one’s sexual orientation.

Ultimate man body scrub soap, P860, Kiehl’s, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Deodorant roll-on pour homme, P995, L’Occitane, TriNoma Mall.

Talc for men in woodspice, P350, Marks and Spencer, SM Megamall.

Autograph homme hair and body wash, P395, Marks and Spencer, SM Megamall.

Huile prodigieuse, P1,750, Nuxe, Beauty Bar, TriNoma Mall.

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EATS Spice and Cleaver refers to the essentials of sausage-making.

LET'S BE FRANK

Spice and Cleaver is raising the bar for local deli meats with its handcrafted sausages TEXT ROMEO MORAN PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

There will be times in our daily lives when we find salads and all sorts of healthy food will simply not satisfy our cravings. Sometimes, we will feel the need to hunker down, give in to our baser, more primal urges, and just have meat. And while there are many places that have popped up around the metro that serve this need, you’ll eventually exhaust your usual haunts. Soon enough, you’ll want something else.

Something you don’t usually consider.

You most likely don’t think about having handcrafted sausages, the raison d’etre of Spice and Cleaver at Estancia Mall. “Spice and Cleaver is a haven for carnivores,” says chef Miguel Gianan as we talk in front of a puff-dough pizza—a puffizza—and dish after dish of sausages set on the table. Chef Migs, as everyone around calls him, is a young dude who runs his restaurant with the drive and playfulness of a guy in a pickup game of ball on a Saturday afternoon.

While he tells his chefs what to do and exactly how to do them like a playmaker, he treats the whole thing as pure fun.

“Pinoys are carnivores, basically. We don’t usually eat vegetables,” Gianan jokes. “Our most popular vegetable is the potato!”

Gianan, the product of late German butcher Michael Beck of the old Mickey’s Delicatessen in Makati, has created sausages full of local favorites, such as a pizza sausage, a Mexican sausage inspired by tacos and burritos, and a sisig sausage, among others.

“When they closed down, I was craving sausages, really good sausages,” he recounts. “I said, why not rebuild or search about sausages and do it myself? Based from memory and a little bit of research, it was trial and error until I perfected the craft.”

It’s pretty clear, from the moment we set foot at the restaurant, that Gianan and his partners’—the titular Jose brothers of Brothers Burger—goofball, masculine sense of humor defines its spirit. The place looks and feels like a mancave. The colors are dark and solid. There’s a faux boar head hanging on the wall.

There are pizzas, steaks, ribs, pork chops, chicken, pasta. There are cocktails. There’s special beer that they’re really proud of, from Weihenstephaner, the oldest brewery in the world. It’s everything a man, or anyone just looking for this stuff, would ever want to retreat into.

And well, okay. There are vegetables and salads, too, if you really must have a salad.

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EATS Cocktails include their own version of the Long Island Iced Tea and the Margarita (right). The restaurant’s interiors are reminiscent of a hunting lodge (extreme right).

The Good Morning and Miss Piggy are two of seven puff-dough pizzas you can order (below).

Spice and Cleaver. Lower level, North Wing Estancia Mall, Kapitolyo, Pasig City. 703-0237.

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EATS Open-faced rather than rolled, the Taco-Maki represents Ooma’s penchant for bold flavors.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

This Japanese restaurant lets its servings do all the talking TEXT LEX CELERA PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO

It seems that the allure of going somewhere with company to eat is long gone. Breakfast is skipped entirely, and supper, as the most important meal of the day, is reserved for family and friends. Lunch has been reduced to a gustatory exercise, a ritual turned regimen that takes place in cubicles or on desks. We sit in front of a monitor, hastily munching down on our microwaved meal before it turns cold.

As one acquaintance put it, why not think of the lunch hour as a midday holiday? An interesting proposition, although the enjoyment of a holiday depends on the location, and the company.

The latest concept from The Moment Group, Ooma, is a collaboration with Bruce Ricketts of the famed Sensei Sushi. Yet Ooma is an entirely new concept by itself. The premise is simple: a homegrown interpretation of Japanese fare with a playful twist as indicated by its name alone; Ooma is a play on the Japanese word umai, which translates to “good.”

The interiors are definite conversation pieces.

During the rush of customers around the middle of the day, you see how the whole ensemble of subtle details resemble a Tokyo seafood supermarket without the grime: pairs of rain boots beside a weighing scale, shelves stacked with assorted goods, all placed on a faux-brick pavement. Together, the

elements create an atmosphere that is alive but not livid, casual but not superficial.

Reading the menu can give ideas of what it would taste but attempt to hold judgments back before ordering. Everything is worth a try. For starters, try any variation of the Aburi-Maki (dishes that have been briefly exposed to the direct flame of a blowtorch), preferably the Scallop and Tuna which can whet your appetite, either through the kimchi aioli or by adding a little bit of wasabi. Follow with the soft-shelled crab Taco-Maki, which is better eaten with one bite as the nori is crisp and tends to break the filling inside. Settle down with a donburi, or change the pace with a hanger steak; the former for comfort because of the Japanese sticky rice infused with sauce from the marinated meat, and the latter for a tender steak with sautéed mushrooms resting on a bed of potato mash, truffle oil, pickle dressing, and ponzu butter.

Dining is an experience that goes beyond taste and holidays are best enjoyed without urgency. Eat at Ooma the way you pronounce its name—Ooooohmaah. Long and purposeful. The Japanese say their words twice to invoke emphasis, and Ooma is worth the second mention, this time around trying a different selection of meals altogether.

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EATS Clockwise from top left: Scallop and Tuna Aburi-Maki and Uni Udon; imaginings of wet market fixtures common in Tokyo; Oyako Don with a side of vegetables; and Hanger Steak.

Ooma. 3/F SM Mega Fashion Hall, Mandaluyong City. 656-4591.

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RECIPE

SPRIGHTLY CONFECTION A tangy take on a classic creamy dessert

TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY GABBY CANTERO

CALAMANSI CRÈME BRÛLÉE INGREDIENTS

Calamansi Cornstarch 5 egg yolks 3 cups heavy cream 4 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla PREPARATION

For calamansi gel: 1. In a hot pan, heat the calamansi juice then add sugar.

2. In a bowl, combine water and cornstarch. Mix well until thick.

3. Pour the water and cornstarch mixture into the pan with the calamansi juice and sugar. Mix until it reaches a gel-like texture. Set aside.

For crème brûlée: 1. Preheat the oven at 150 degrees Celsius.

2. In a hot pot, pour the heavy cream. While heating it up, prepare your crème anglaise. Whisk and egg yolks in a separate bowl.

3. Turn off the heat and gradually pour a quarter of the heavy cream into the bowl of crème anglaise.

Stir constantly until the mixture coats the back of the spoon.

4. Pour the rest of the heavy cream into the bowl and mix.

5. In a small ramekin, pour the calamansi gel first, then the crème anglaise mixture.

6. Prepare a baking pan and fill half of it with water.

Then place the ramekins.

7. Put it in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes.

8. Add sugar on top and toast it with a blowtorch.

9. Add calamansi zest and enjoy!

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SPECIAL FEAT URE Clockwise from left: Doner Haus serving up some authentic German cuisine; crowd favorite, Phat Boys, sold out their signature ice cream sandwiches; Backyard Grill banners add to the festivity of the event.

RAINY DAY FEAST

An evening of quality food and entertainment It was a rainy evening at Backyard Grill at the Park last July 25. Despite the weather, it was still a festive and cheerful event. We had a great selection of food as always. The sweet and savory pies from Pie Face were a delight as the dish greeted you with smileys that could brighten anyone’s day. Frozen Weekend’s wee balls was a burst of flavor as you popped them in your mouth.

Comfort Tuesdays served up a selection of pasta to satisfy the cravings of hungry guests. Kebs Lang had Mediterranean kebabs that were as delicious as can be.

Kafé Batwan by Sarsa Group had burritos that were filled to the brim with flavor. Pastry Armoire offered sticky buns that you could eat for days. And the crowd favorite, Phat Boys, had the best ice cream sandwiches in town with their hand crafted flavors sandwiched in homemade cookies.

The food was good, the entertainment even better.

Over October and Reese Lansangan filled the night with indie and soulful sounds that calmed the night—a mesmerizing experience for everyone listening.

Another organization was added to the roster of charities Backyard Grill at the Park has donated to. Part of the proceeds went to the Tuloy Foundation, Inc., a foundation that provides residential care services for disadvantaged children and youth.

Backyard Grill at the Park was presented by Northern Living and Inquirer RED Magazines and powered by Hinge Inquirer Publications, Inc. and HIP Events, in cooperation with Robinsons Residences, McCormick Friends and Flavor Club and Megaworld Global Estate, Inc. This event was also brought to you by The Bellevue Manila, Monterey Meatshop, and Ortigas & Company.

Backyard Grill at the park is a signature event of Hinge Inquirer Publications, Inc., with official media partners InquirerPlus, INQUIRER.net, ClickTheCity.com, and WhenInManila.com.

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T HE GET

CLEAR EYED

Viewing the world beyond the line of sight TEXT BEVERLY DALTON PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

Clarity is often found with a purpose. There is a reason why we do the things we do, and if there was no mission or direction, then we’re all just mindlessly treading through life into oblivion. It doesn’t get any clearer than that.

The shoe brand TOMS advocated the need to help others, espousing the one-for-one business model, by donating shoes to those in need each time a pair of theirs is sold. Soon, startups followed suit as TOMS popularized a format that works towards the good alongside meeting individual and practical needs. Locally, online retailer Four Eyes took on this concept for prescription eyewear as they work together with nonprofit partner charities like World Vision Philippines. Each sale will give someone in need access to affordable prescription eyewear. Unlike any brick and mortar optical shop, this online store makes it possible to provide quality eyewear at a fraction of the going price.

There’s nothing complicated about it. They’re clear with their mission: help more folks see the good with a pair for a pair.

Four Eyes. www.foureyes.com.ph. 505-5085.

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M A N A G E D

B Y

www.thebellevue.com 14 Scout Rallos St., Bgy Laging Handa, Quezon City, Philippines 1103 t: (632) 990 5000 f: (632) 990 6000 e: info@thebhotelqc.com

Superior King Room

Facade

OPENING SOON Poolside

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.

The Lobby Café

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