Northern Living: 2017 January

January 2017 Volume 11 | Issue 05

SET IN MOTION

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CONT ENTS 18 STYLE A bountiful harvest

12 COVER STORY Mike Concepcion’s business landscape

Cover photo by Ralph Mendoza 23 EATS Meet New York’s famous smoked meats

JANUARY 2017 03 FIXTURE Dangers within the confines of your home

10 FEATURE Locating jewelry’s purpose

05 NORTHERNER A young woman’s gift to nature

26 RECIPE Pasta sans the noodles

08 HEALTH Herbs for a stress-free year

28 THE GET Alcohol-infused spread

EDITOR’S NOTE Moments in time “Imagine us waiting for 2017, and all of a sudden comes 2016,” posits a meme that went viral just a few days before Christmas.

Many would attest that 2016 was the worst year since World War II, or even The Great Depression. Many of its issues were definitely exaggerated because of social media, but there was also plenty of false news that spread online like wildfire. Every day, it got harder to evaluate what was true from not, what was important and relevant from what wasn�t. Most of the time, we allow ourselves to succumb to popular agenda set by others. With our eyes glued to our screens almost 24/7, we are easily carried away by the

wave of trends, whether true or false.

To start the new year, we�re not setting trends. Instead, we�re telling stories of people who already know their place in the universe. We�re taking cues from young entrepreneur Mike Concepcion, who tells us, “I�m motivated by the idea of doing something that has not been done before, sailing through uncharted waters to disrupt and innovate.”

Environmentalist Marianna Vargas also tells us how she plans to save the world by doing her part, two sisters elevate a luxurious product into something even more raw and unique, and more inspiring stories in this month�s issue.

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

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FIXT URE

SILENT KILLERS

How minor changes in your lifestyle can save lives TEXT KRISTELLE ANN BATCHELOR ILLUSTRATION TRISTAN TAMAYO

Danger occurs whenever and wherever we least expect it. Within a household alone, certain everyday items may contain toxic substances that harm both our health and the environment. The next time you�re at the grocery store to pick up a kitchen or toiletry staple, it�s best to be watchful.

Plastic razors The process of plastic moulding disposable razors use demands an unsustainable energy-filled process. Studies show that Americans annually discard two billion non-recyclable razors, which all end up in landfills.

Better alternative: Classic safety razors where only the blade requires changing.

Canned goods Some manufacturers of canned goods use a chemical called bisphenol A in the lining of metal cans. This synthetic estrogen disrupts hormones and is linked to breast cancer, obesity, attention deficit disorder, and genital abnormalities, even with minimal use.

Better alternative: Food packaged in Tetra Pak. The carton is comprised of six layers, enabling it to conserve the quality of food sans preservatives.

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FIXT URE

Wooden chopsticks It�s a no brainer that trees are sacrificed in the production of wood. Disposable chopsticks are also drenched in sulfur dioxide, known to be detrimental to the respiratory system. Chinese actor Huang Bo once soaked a pair of disposable chopsticks in boiled water, and they came out coated in a yellow, greasylooking residue with a pungent odor.

Better alternative: Re-paper a pair of reusable paper chopsticks using cardboard and eco-friendly glue.

Or purchase a metal pair that can be re-used forever.

When going to Asian restaurants, remember to bring reusable chopsticks as well.

Lipsticks Many lipsticks contain lead, which adversely affects pregnancy and can cause brain and nervous system damage to vulnerable fetuses, and miscarriage, stillbirth, and/or infertility to mothers. For adults, high exposure to the substance may lead to anemia, memory loss, and weakness.

Better alternative: An all-natural homemade lipstick made with the base recipe of beeswax pastilles, shea or cocoa butter, and coconut oil. For vivid hues, beetroot powder and cinnamon yield red and brown shades respectively.

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NORT HERNER

NATURAL WOMAN

How to save the world, according to Marianna Vargas TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

For Marianna Vargas, supporting homegrown brands not only helps the environment but also the communities closest to them. In this photo, she wears an Anthill skirt, a local brand that incorporates weaves from various tribes.

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NORT HERNER

“There is no tomorrow or next year when it comes to climate change. It is absolutely about the now.”

“I have a green heart,” says environmentalist Marianna Vargas, “but not a green thumb.” Between her job as a policy project officer at the Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation and her frequent beach trips, Vargas constantly tries to grow tomatoes, peppers, and garlic, but with less than successful results. “I [would like to] feel empowered by growing my own food, but I�m failing at it miserably,” she admits good-naturedly.

Despite this, the University of South Wales graduate remains at the forefront of the environmental cause; the rosé she offers us bears a “Protect Planet” logo on its bottle. After all, climate change calls for an immediate lifestyle shift and not just planting more trees. “There is no tomorrow or next year when it comes to climate change,” Vargas states. “It is absolutely about the now.”

What is your most recent discovery about our environment?

[That] the Philippines is the most important country in the world in terms of biodiversity, yet we remain one of the lowest in terms of investing in its protection and conservation.

As an environmentalist, do you still use plastic?

Honestly, the thing in this city is there are so many plastic by-products that you don�t even realize it. When I buy something, even if I carry it in an eco bag, I discover it [packaged] in plastic once I open it. At its core, [being an environmentalist means] just consuming less. If I were to be honest, I have a certain discomfort with how sustainability is being marketed now. I think the concept of it has been turned upside down, used as a marketing tool to promote precisely what it�s meant not to do, which is getting people to consume more. People think that if they were consuming something green, it�s more sustainable. But in truth, sustainability is about [being more conscious of] how your choices impact everything else. It�s about being a conscious consumer, of being more thoughtful of and responsible in your choices.

Part of the problem we have right now is that people are having a hard time getting out of the convenience of our lifestyles. Now, I have this thing of not turning on the air-conditioner in my room until I�m absolutely sweating; it�s been a conscious effort, because I had to sacrifice a level of convenience. You can only use an eco bag so much, you can only change your light bulbs to LED so much, but until we have leaders in place who can actually make the transformative shift, we will only go [a certain distance]. It�s just a lot of effort and some people simply cannot be bothered. Apathy is the worst enemy of environmentalism.

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MAKEUP JOAN TEOTICO

What are the common misconceptions about climate change?

That it is simply an environmental problem. Climate change isn�t just happening in some far off rainforest or off the coast of Antarctica. When a super typhoon makes landfall, it disrupts and paralyzes entire nations.

Pollution travels almost as far as our favorite budget airlines take us, and the people experiencing the harshest effects of climate change are those who made the least contribution to the problem.

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Adaptogens in raw form that can be used for steeping are commonly available in traditional Chinese apothecaries in Binondo. On the other hand, commercial pharmacies also sell adaptogens as food supplements in capsule form.

HEALT H

NATURAL ADAPTATION Stress remedies that are down to earth

TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING ILLUSTRATION DANICA CONDEZ

Stress is integral to our survival but it has gotten to a point where anything we do can potentially trigger it. A late night at work, a peek into a crowded planner, even just clicking on a link on social media can all be reasons to feel stressed. Good thing nature has been kind enough to provide us adaptogens that help our bodies regenerate.

The concept of adaptogens is not entirely new.

Long before they were considered as such, the herbs that we now call adaptogens have been greatly used in traditional medicine across various cultures, from Chinese and Ayurvedic to Native American.

In Hindu, holy basil is hailed as “The Incomparable One” and is associated with the goddess Lakshmi, wife of Vishnu. Traditional Chinese medicine, meanwhile, uses an herb called astragalus root— Huang Qi in Chinese, which translates to “yellow senior” in English—to warm the muscles and normalize sweating.

Similar to how astragalus root is used in Chinese medicine, adaptogens are not prescribed as a cure to diseases. Instead, they increase the body�s ability to adapt and fight against stress-induced or psychosomatic illnesses and fatigue. Adaptogens work on a cellular level. They regulate properties that increase the body�s resistance to stress and promote balance, such as the production of various proteins that protect the cells from stress-induced damage.

While there�s an array of substances used in herbal medicine, not every herb can act as an adaptogen. In

a study conducted in 1958, Russian doctors Israel Brekhman and Igor Dardymov identified adaptogens as “innocuous, and cause minimal disorders in the physiological functions of an organism. [They] must have a nonspecific action, and [they] usually [have] a normalizing action irrespective of the direction of the pathological state.” Whether an herb should be considered as an adaptogen is subject to further research, but numerous herbs have been proven to perform as one.

In Ayurveda, the Ashwagandha root is a prized Rasayana or rejuvenative that is traditionally used to combat anxiety and exhaustion. It�s also used to remedy insomnia and bad dreams. Ginseng, on the other hand, is a stimulating adaptogen that is traditionally used in Chinese medicine to replenish the qi or energy flow by alleviating fatigue, back pain, and even erectile dysfunction. Licorice is one of the most versatile adaptogens: It works as an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-histamine, and anti-viral remedy, strengthening cells against autoimmune disorders and immune deficiency conditions like cancer and HIV. Adaptogens may be taken as tea or tincture, depending on the prescribed amount. Although they occur naturally, it�s still advised to consult a doctor before using them as overdosage may result to adverse effects. Adaptogens are a reminder that while humanity keeps on moving towards modernization, the power of nature remains undeniable.

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FEAT URE Rica Banares Manuel designs Rich Earth’s jewelry, while her sister Emerald Banares is in charge of marketing.

EARTHLY DELIGHTS

With its use of buried bounty to create things of beauty, a Filipino jewelry brand aims to give back to the environment TEXT SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO

A free market doesn�t lack products, and Rich Earth Jewelry’s Rica Banares Manuel understands this.

That�s why in conceptualizing her jewelry brand two years ago, she set out to present a product that will have purpose beyond its immediate one. “In the beginning, it was just about how I wanted the jewelry to look,” the self-taught jewelry crafter admits. “But as I tried different styles, I began thinking there has to be something unique to the brand as I�m putting my talent out there.”

She discovered that the concept of sustainability, though a common characteristic among a variety of consumer products, isn�t quite as prevalent in the jewelry industry—understandably so, as precious stones take thousands of years to form under extreme pressure. She then thought of incorporating aluminum in her designs since the material is recyclable, malleable, and readily available, the perfect counterpoint to the rare appeal of gemstones. “It�s an angle that would work, plus I like working with aluminum.” As for the semi-precious stones, she looked for a source

with heavily regulated mining that also practiced fair trade. She found a small-scale South American mining company that now supplies her with gems not commonly featured in the local scene: emeralds, rubies, lapis lazuli, tourmaline, amazonite, and more.

To support the core value of sustainability on the consumer end, Manuel approached Save Philippine Seas for a partnership in which a percentage of Rich Earth Jewelry�s profits would go to the organization.

“We humans take so much from nature and I found this as a way of giving back. I wanted to be part of something bigger and promote the idea of social responsibility to those who buy our jewelry,” she says.

With a conscientious business practice figured out, design was a matter of meeting the luxurious appeal jewelry buyers look for. Manuel came up with a link design that has since become the brand�s signature feature, and she thought of highlighting the natural beauty of the colorful gemstones by mostly preserving their shapes and framing them with recycled metal.

“I describe our jewelry as raw plus refined, because

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FEAT URE

“We humans take so much from nature and I found this as a way of giving back.”

they have a certain elegance even with the irregular contours of the gemstones,” she explains. “Their raw finish brings that feel of ancient civilization to the pieces while the signature link provides the modern touch. The gemstones actually dictate how each piece�s design would look.”

She handcrafts each piece herself, hence each collection has at most 15 one-off designs. A new collection is launched on Rich Earth Jewelry�s website every month. Last year, her younger (aptly named) sister Emerald joined the brand to handle its marketing, giving Manuel more time to focus on design and production, especially with clients asking for customized jewelry. “The people we attract value exclusivity. ‘Unique’ gets thrown around a lot, but with us, clients are assured they won�t see their pieces on anyone else, even those that come from the collections.” In fact, the recent collection Meraki (Greek for “putting something of one’s self into what they do”) presented gemstones, metal charms, and links for clients to combine to come up with their own designs.

The brand’s growing clientele includes Cat JuanLedesma and Mikaela Lagdameo-Martinez, both big on promoting social responsibility. Juan-Ledesma, in fact, is the first collaborator to work with Rich Earth Jewelry for the REJX line, geared towards raising awareness for various causes. “The collection reflects the collaborator�s persona, so with Cat�s love for the beach, we went with the hues of the ocean,” Manuel says. “Part of the collection’s proceeds benefit the Danjugan Marine Sanctuary in Sorsogon, which she also chose.”

Far from the cold, impersonal glint of rare stones, Rich Earth Jewelry�s warmth is from its determination to go beyond profiting from the desire to own something precious. It takes the responsibility of fostering a sustainable lifestyle seriously. “We want to create a ripple effect in making positive change,” Manuel says. “Businesses can set the standard for taking care of the Earth for younger generations. Once we provide the options, consumers will follow.”

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COV ER STORY

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COV ER STORY

MAN OF THE WORLD Mike Concepcion knows where he’s headed TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING PHOTOGRAPHY RALPH MENDOZA

Mike Concepcion has been very busy for a while, especially with the opening of New York-based Mighty Quinn�s in Manila, where he is the marketing director, right just before the holidays. But then again, hasn’t he always been occupied? “2016 was a year of many hats for me: between working for my retail group Welcome Worldwide and manning the marketing initiatives of our hospitality group The Standard, you would find me jumping from store to store on most days,” he says.

Business has been taking so much of his time that Jess Connelly, Concepcion’s girlfriend, hates how much he works. “She�s been super patient and [she] supports me 100 percent,” he says.

Concepcion has been working this hard since his college days. “The biggest mistake I saw my classmates do back then was not knowing what they wanted to do,” he says. “They spent four years in college working their asses off only to graduate and not really know what they really enjoy doing.” Though youth is a gift accompanied by the curse of uncertainty, he had figured his future out at a young age.

At 17, he ventured into selling T-shirts with

a cousin. “I was a big sneakerhead so I also started reselling sneakers I would find online.” The business venture, although it didn�t flourish, helped him learn the ropes of retail. “Back then, I didn�t have a concept in mind. I didn�t know where to start, but I knew what I wanted to get into,” Concepcion says. “From there, it was pure tunnel vision: I became obsessed with everything about retail.”

When the opportunity offered itself, he didn�t think twice about bringing Commonwealth to the Philippines. “I saw a gap and felt there was room for my business to be able to disrupt and innovate,” Concepcion says. “Ultimately, it comes down to supporting the brands and concepts that I believe in.

The products you see in our stores sit right with my perspective and naturally complement my lifestyle.”

Just last month, he flew to Hong Kong to check the new collections for Commonwealth.

Change is constant in any fashion-related business, Concepcion acknowledges. “My business can be extremely fickle: what’s popular today could not be the same tomorrow.” With the market in Manila

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becoming more “discerning and aware,” he has built a platform with brands that can cater to the tastes of a growing market. “It may seem like a boom now, but that�s largely thanks to the new efforts that brands and local shops have made to make a variety of products become available. It�s a very exciting time for Manila, and I�m lucky to be able to contribute to that.”

Concepcion, more than a retailer, is a storyteller.

He always mentions how good storytelling drives a business to thrive. His eyewear store Ronnie and Joe, for example, was inspired by his grandfathers, thus it was named after them. Now that he is dabbling in the food industry, the story he is telling isn�t much different. “It�s important to us that our customers truly understand what we do and what we are offering them,” Concepcion says of the work The Standard is doing. With the concept of Mighty Quinn�s not as familiar to many Filipinos, storytelling has become vital for the newly opened restaurant.

With his expansion from streetwear to food, Concepcion, together with his dad John, practice a holistic approach towards running business. “With my background in retail and my dad�s vision for the hospitality industry, we are able to make our group a true lifestyle company. A person who would buy a pair of sneakers at Commonwealth might also eat at one of our restaurants. The common denominator is, Column dress, Sune, www.shopsune.com.

“I’m motivated by the idea of doing something that has not been done before, sailing through uncharted waters to disrupt and innovate.”

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GROOMING JET BABAS

COV ER STORY

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Mike Concepcion is also a dog lover.

In this photo, he is with Diego, a family pet for 10 years.

COV ER STORY

both offer something of quality and value,” he says.

At 25, Concepcion has it all figured out. Part of his success may be attributed to his dad�s ideals, how their dinners have turned into impromptu business lessons or, now as colleagues, into casual meetings for new concepts and ventures. “Now that I�m older, our working styles have changed and we work more collaboratively, which is an incredible experience.”

But beyond the shadow and influence of his dad, Concepcion has also created a business DNA that is solely his. He�s fairly young in the business, yet his office, where all his business concepts are born, already asks for expansion. As the young boss creates more concepts, his team is also growing. “We�ve been roughing it these past few years, and I�d like to reward our guys with a good space,” Concepcion says.

“This is it. I love working in retail,” he declares with certainty, despite the often swift changes that he encounters in the industry. “I�m at a point where the real challenge is to pull through and take my business to the next level. I�m motivated by the idea of doing something that has not been done before, sailing through uncharted waters to disrupt and innovate.”

The waves are huge, but Concepcion is ready to sail through them.

“My business can be extremely fickle: what’s popular today could not be the same tomorrow.”

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ST YLE

CARRY OVER Celebrating material works of nature

PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO STYLING MEG MANZANO

Woven bag, P5,800, Aranaz, Power Plant Mall.

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ST YLE

Bag, P15,350, Zacarias, Aphro Living, The Alley at Karrivin.

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ST YLE

Minaudière, P5,800, Beatriz, Firma, Greenbelt 3.

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ST YLE

Leather bag, P4,195, Pedro, TriNoma Mall.

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ST YLE

Hand bag, P3,799, Charles & Keith, SM Megamall.

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EATS

A SMOKING SUCCESS

This New York smokehouse rose to fame with its slow-smoking process TEXT KRISTELLE ANN BATCHELOR PHOTOGRAPHY PAT MATEO

Sometime in 2011, New Yorker gourmet chef Hugh Mangum set up a spot in Smorgasburg, an outdoor Saturday food market in Brooklyn. With a meager $600 capital and only a few classic cuts of meat in tow, he relied on his knowledge of slow-smoking, and in about 90 minutes, all of his meats were sold out. By luck, the Wall Street Journal was coincidentally working on a story on the market�s concessionaires. When its issue came out the following Monday, Mangum found the cover photo to be of himself cutting meat. “It was instantaneous. It caught like wildfire, and things just launched into greatness,” he recalls.

Growing up with a backyard pit, Mangum considers himself a weekend warrior, thanks largely to his father, a native of Texas. Barbecue to him is the undisputed national dish of the U.S. He specializes in the slowsmoking process where protein is cooked using indirect heat, at a low temperature, and over a long period of time.

The wood used is equally as important as the ingredients for the flavor it adds.

Since his WSJ debut, it didn’t take long for a restaurateur to get in touch with Mangum. Soon after, Mighty Quinn’s in the East Village opened. Three months after launching, the New York Times featured the smokehouse and rated it 2.5 stars—a good review for a then budding restaurant. “As I was reading it, I was reading my dream truly coming true. It was a monumental, herculean moment—the greatest professional achievement of my life,” Mangum says.

Now, with over five locations across New York, one in New Jersey, another in Taipei, and one in Manila, Mighty Quinn’s intends to make barbecue accessible in a way it hasn’t been before. Its menu consists of pasteurized meat that can be served either in a platter or by the pound.

The Brisket, slow-smoked for 18 to 22 hours, is essentially what the smokehouse was built on, the beef

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A platter of Mighty Quinn’s selection of classic meats—brisket, spare ribs, chicken, and burnt ends, complemented by side dishes such as slaw, dirty rice, and fries.

EATS

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EATS

charred on the outside yet still flavorful and succulent.

“It is an iconic meat that is difficult to cook. More people mess it up than do it well,” Mangum says. The Burnt Ends, meanwhile, is the toasted edge of the brisket but cooked using more sauce, resulting in meat that is crispy and more pungent. Another household favorite is the Spare Ribs, which Mangum encourages to be eaten with bare hands, the meat not falling off the bone but remaining chewy and tender. All the variants of meat can be paired with a generous serving of the staple sides: burnt ends baked beans, potato salad, sweet potato casserole, and slaw. Knowing that Filipinos are fond of rice, they specially included the Cajun and Creole dish or dirty rice (closely similar to fried rice with the addition of meat, spices, and vegetables) on the menu.

Mighty Quinn’s only has one kind of barbecue sauce, which tastes both sweet and tangy. “We stand behind that one sauce that uses my father’s recipe, but we don’t want to drench things in sauce. The meat is the star and the sauce is simply a component,” Mangum explains.

Mighty Quinn’s hopes to reintroduce barbecue to local diners much in the same way that some foreign food concepts were, such as katsu and ramen: by highlighting the comfort it brings and to dispel any sense of unfamiliarity. When asked how he thinks slow-smoked barbecue will fare in the Philippines, Mangum knocks on the same wood they use for slow-smoking, mounted aesthetically by the restaurant’s entrance. “Let’s say I hope, now that I’m knocking on wood, that we’ll crush it. The market will tell us, but that’s what I pray for.”

“We stand behind that one sauce that uses my father’s recipe, but we don’t want to drench things in sauce. The meat is the star and the sauce is simply a component.”

The wooden interiors give way to a casual, authentic barbecue setting.

Mighty Quinn’s, 3F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, www.facebook.com/mightyquinnsph.

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RECIPE

GARDEN VARIETY

A low-carb, nutrient-packed carrot and zucchini noodle dish TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

VEGETABLE PASTA INGREDIENTS

2 zucchinis 2 carrots 2 heads of garlic, whole 5 to 6 tomatoes 5 cups olive oil 2 tsp. dried rosemary 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 cup tofu, cubed Cilantro Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Slice zucchinis and carrots into fine strips. Make sure to slice them into equal sizes.

2. Cut the garlic into a round shape and cut the tomatoes into a “petal” shape. Make sure to remove the seeds from the tomatoes.

3. In a medium-sized pot, combine olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Put the pot on low heat for around 30 minutes to infuse all the flavors into the oil.

4. Prepare a medium sautéing pan on medium heat. Pour in olive oil then add herbs and tomatoes to

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create infused oil. Once the oil gets hot, toss in the sliced zucchinis and carrots and sauté for 30 seconds.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. To assemble, place the sautéed carrots and zucchinis on a plate.

Torch the tofu cubes and add a little oil and salt. Place on top of the vegetables and garnish with cilantro.

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S

T HE GET

GOOD SPREAD

A tipsy twist to your favorite jam TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

Open any refrigerator and you’d probably find jams made of strawberry or blueberry, maybe even a jar of orange marmalade. On rare occasions, in a Filipino pantry, you might find coconut jam and, especially after a spate of holiday gatherings, ube halaya. Chef Arnold Bernardo of Lick the Spoon, known for his gourmet savory spreads, veers away from these usual jam concoctions with his Lickerish Jam Cocktails. Instead, he uses produce like watermelon, banana, pineapple, mango, and even chia seeds—then adds liquor. “I close my eyes, smell the

ingredients, and imagine the combination,” Bernardo says of how he determines which fruit and liquor to combine.

“As long as I see a beautiful symphony of flavors in my head, we’re good.”

The result is day and night in one jar. Spread it on hot pan de sal in the morning with a cup of tea on the side, as Maria and the von Trapp children sang in The Sound of Music. Maybe even use it as jelly for your peanut butter jelly sandwich. Or sneak into the kitchen at midnight to lick a spoonful whenever a sweet hint of liquor is much needed.

Food Source PH. 358-1293. www.foodsource.ph.

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OPEN UP TO THE COLORFUL NEW SOUTH

828-9888 HLURB TLS No. ENCRFO-16-10-025

HLURB ENCR AA-2016/11–1584 Fordham Tower Completion Date: 30 June 2020 Official Address: KM 21 East Service Road, Sucat, Muntinlupa Owner and Developer: Rockwell Primaries South Development Corp.

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