Inquirer RED: 2016 November

Hidetoshi Nakata

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This issue, we’re celebrating the many remarkable objects of the season and the people from

which these presents come: whether the gift giver or the gallerist who set up a boutique store filled with art objects we can collect, the football player-turned-jewelry designer who came to the country to bring the new collection of Damiani to Rustan’s.

CONTENTS

7 SQUARED A store in the guise of an artist’s playground

14 EMPOWERED Lessons in degustation with chef Tony Boy Escalante

20 ACQUIRED

16 ADMIRED On the cover: Hidetoshi Nakata:

Sweater, Dolce & Gabbana, Adora,

Manila’s influential figures exchange their gifts

Greenbelt 5; pants, Calvin Klein,

Greenbelt 5; accessories, Metropolitan

22 EXPLORED

Dream by H. Nakata, Damiani,

Revisiting the different historical periods of Peru

Rustan’s Makati

Photography Joseph Pascual

25 THINKPIECE From a local standpoint, had America voted wisely?

Styling Nimu Muallam

Grooming Cats del Rosario STAFF BOX

“All I want for Christmas are Robert Clergerie mules, Univers, One Rockwell; the full range of Charlotte Tilbury makeup, charlottetilbury.com; Cartier Just Un Clou, Cartier, Greenbelt 4.”

“For Christmas, I’m looking forward to receiving a Rick Owens parka from the F/W ’16 Mastodon Collection, Univers, One Rockwell; Common Projects Achilles Retro leather sneakers, Univers, One Rockwell; and a garden designed by Miranda Brooks, mirandabrooks. com (or a flowering Euanthe Sanderiana Alba will do).”

“Dying for the matryoshkas by Maison Margiela, Univers, One Rockwell; Céline Trotteur shoulder bag, Homme et Femme, 8 Rockwell; and Jo Malone Tuberose Angelica, Jo Malone, Greenbelt 5.”

Group Publisher Bea Ledesma Editor in Chief Ria Prieto Creative Director Nimu Muallam Copy Editor September Grace Mahino Associate Editor Pristine de Leon

“At the top of my Christmas wish list are Rimowa Salsa Deluxe with electronic tag, Rimowa, Greenbelt 5; Rodin Olio Lusso face oil, www.oliolusso.com; and Amberlyn sugar-free chocolatecovered almonds, Healthy Options. Clearly, I’m a woman of esoteric desires.”

Editorial Assistant Oliver Emocling Staff Photographer Patrick Segovia

“When I unwrap gifts this Christmas, I want to see Diptyque Essences Insensées Solid Perfume from their 34 collection, Rustan’s Makati; Susan Koller’s Red Lips, Attitudes, and Other Obsessions, ideanow.online; and Eytys Doja black suede slip-on sneakers, Hoodwink, SM Aura Premier.”

External Relations Officer Liza Jison Intern Fe Esperanza Trampe

Contributing Writers Doris Dumlao-Abadilla, Gabrielle Abrahan, Olivia Estrada, September Grace Mahino, Bambina Olivares-Wise Contributing Photographers Danica Condez, JL Javier, Joseph Pascual Contributing Illustrators Lee Caces, Mark Magnaye

Board Chairperson Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez SVP and Group Sales Head, Inquirer Group of Companies Pepito Olarte Sales Director Ma. Katrina Mae Garcia-Dalusong Business and Distribution Manager Rina Lareza Sales Inquiries Email: sales@hip.ph Telephone no.: +63 (2) 403 8825 local 239

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ON THE RADAR

Piece Talks

Unraveling stories from the vintage treasures of another time to a pen embodying a great man’s life WORDS GABRIELLE ABRAHAN

Poetic Juncture

Like evocative verses, Van Cleef & Arpels’ Poetry of Time collection tells tales through colorful stones and handcrafted materials. Through its artistic rendering of stories, such as a couple meeting on a bridge under the moonlight and a tree blossoming in spring, time is no longer measured by seconds, minutes, and hours but through myriad portraits of a lasting moment. vancleefarpels.com

Black Forrest

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Putting together a Christmas tree is a family tradition best spent with some munching on the side, and Alain Ducasse’s Le Chocolat Christmas Tree gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the experience.

The “tree” comes packaged in a flat box, along with a base, chocolate discs in different sizes, dried fruits, cereals, and white gloves for handling the treats. lechocolat-alainducasse.com

Flight Plan

Made with the multi-layer polycarbonate shell that the brand is known for, Tumi’s new V3 line may just be the ideal traveling companion for the coming holidays.

Its four dual-spinning wheels allow easier mobility, with the selection of bags weighing between 6 and 10 lbs. The V3 collection similarly features other Tumi essentials such as TSA locks, rubber bumpers, and retractable top and side handles.

Available at The Travel Club

The Legacy Petite Philip Stein offers a way to live in harmony in a fast moving world by utilizing the beneficial effects of Natural Frequency Technology.

FEEL THE POWER WITHIN. Inside each Philip Stein watch is our unique Natural Frequency Technology disc designed to help you feel less stress, bring more focus, and improve your overall well-being.

6750 Ayala Avenue | Alabang Town Center | Century City Mall | Festival Mall | Robinsons Magnolia | Robinsons Place Manila | Shangri-La Plaza Mall | SM City North EDSA | SM Southmall | The Podium SM Clark | SM Pampanga | Abreeza Mall Davao | Ayala Center Cebu | Centrio Mall CDO | SM Cabanatuan | SM Seaside Cebu | Adora | Chronos | Elemento | Le Temps | Lucerne | Swiss Gear | Wrist_pod

philipstein.com

Forty Leagues

First introduced in 1976, the classic Nautilus sports watch’s design was based on a water vessel’s porthole. While it isn’t a professional dive watch, it has a water resistance level of 120 meters. Through the years, the Nautilus has undergone multiple developments while still staying true to its original design. For their 40th anniversary, Patek Philippe celebrates the iconic watch with two modern iterations: the three-hand 5711/1P in platinum and the flyback chronograph 5796/1G in white gold.

Patek Philippe, Greenbelt 5

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Evocative Baggage

Dolce & Gabbana’s A/W ’16 collection features princesses, drummer boys, carriages, and other elements from everyone’s childhood fantasies, as if our oldest dreams were conjured a couple of decades too late.

The designer label took its classic, romantic Sicily bag and updated it with just the right amount of quirky details: a clock about to strike 12, an enchanted chariot, and a bedazzled nutcracker waiting to be found. dolcegabbana.com

Signed in Gold

Mightier Than the Sword is a new collection under Montegrappa’s limited edition series that features Ernest Hemingway in four iterations: the soldier, the writer, the fisherman, and the traveler. Each edition embodies a time in the novelist’s life, with the fountain pen, roller, and ballpoint pens trimmed with 18k gold. With the soldier pen sporting the design of the Ford T, symbolizing the Red Cross ambulance that Hemingway used to drive during his time in the military, and the traveler pen taking inspiration from the landscapes of Bassano, Montegrappa eternalizes the memory of a writer with the weapon he wielded best. montegrappa.com

Architects Sonny Sunga and Arnold Austria used plywood to construct the whole setup. The display changes depending on what art objects are launched and what gets sold.

SQUARED

Creatures of Lore

A new temple for creativity is home to artwork that ranges from stark to bizarre W ORDS OL IV E R E M OCL IN G P H OT OGRAP H Y PAT RICK S E GOV IA

Aphrodite was borne of the sea, emerging from its foamy crest in her full glory. As conspicuous a scene as this is the rise of Tina Fernandez’s Aphro Living at The Alley at Karrivin, a place that is heavily inspired by this particular mythology.

Aphro’s layout, with its famous wooden slide, easily commands attention. Fernandez collaborated with Jagnus Design Studio architects Sonny Sunga and Arnold Austria to build the place. Before arriving at the name, Fernandez had taken a mythology workshop and discovered a close kinship with Aphrodite. “[Sunga and Austria] listened to my story, and we decided to create a space to present the art and design I like, where the space resembled a temple,” she explains.

At the entrance, Leeroy New’s “Liquid Gold,” a sculpture of what seems to be an extraterrestrial creature, welcomes art enthusiasts. Jacob Lindo’s sculptures of humans, their hands attached to their faces, then lead them to more functional artwork: stoneware by various potters, shoes by Luis Espiritu, and bags by Rita Nazareno, presented in a neat jumble on the steps that lead up to Fernandez’s own Mount Olympus. From here, she oversees the whole place,

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Gift Box PRESENTS FOR THE ART ENTHUSIAST

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1. Zacarias 1925’s wicker bags 2. Shoes by Luis Espiritu 3. Lara Fernandez Barrios and Zacarias 1925’s hippo hamper 4. Dharma Bum’s “Everything Will be Alright” 5. Pablo Capati III’s Ro Keramic

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even the events happening at the pop-up store beneath her office, through a huge peephole.

“I’m attached to the intent of the artist in the work,” Fernandez reveals. One word that could possibly and adequately describe the works that fill Aphro is “eclectic.” They vary from Nazareno’s hippo hamper, fit for a child’s room, to Lui Medina’s marble works that can be hung as statement pieces in a living room.

If there is anything that defines Aphro’s spirit, it’s the aforementioned wooden slide, which compels every visitor to forego the stairs in favor of playing for a few minutes.

“I want people to feel an adrenaline rush, not just from what they see but also from what they experience here,” Fernandez says.

Aphro lets loose a

Top: The pop-up store inside currently exhibits the colorful culture of Morocco.

Above: Aside from Aphro Living, Tina Fernandez also manages the gallery Art Informal, which will similarly be renovated by Jagnus Design Studio.

carefree spirit that urges a person to have fun, to take a turn down the slide, and run around like the starry-eyed Louvre visitor in Bernardo Bertolucci’s film The Dreamers. “I want this place to be a reflection of life,” says Fernandez, “to be filled with art, soul, and excitement.”

• Aphro Living, The Alley at Karrivin, 2316 Chino Roces Ext., Makati City

THE BLACK PARADE A neutral palette offsetting the season's bobbing lights P H O T O G R A P H Y J O S E P H PA S C U A L

From left to right: Maureen Disini, 0927-9680347; Boom Sason, 896-5243; Joey Samson, 0918-9592541

From the Ashes Since silk held sway in the shores of China and reached Italy through the historical Silk Road, the material enjoyed its heydays in the 11th and 12th century before the industry’s collapse 50 years ago. In 2015, Italy reanimates its sericulture. Here, Jun Escario employs Italian silk for the black dress shown in a close-up image on the background.

From left to right: Gian Romano, info@gianromano.com; Rosanna Ocampo, 810-6823; Jun Escario, Greenbelt 5, 729-9070

EMPOWERED

King’s Table A peek into chef Tony Boy Escalante's dinner table this holiday season INTERVIEW OLIVER EMOCLING PHOTOGRAPHY JL JAVIER

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It was in 2002 when chef Tony Boy Escalante broke into the Philippine culinary scene with Antonio’s in Tagaytay. In 2015, the restaurant garnered him the 48th spot in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. While many restaurateurs often put up their businesses in the capital, Escalante opened his restaurant in Tagaytay despite problems in power and supply, then paving the way for the countryside to become a gastronomic destination.

Now, Escalante’s restaurants enjoy fresh produce as the chef continues to uphold his strong farm-to-table philosophy. Just last year, Escalante opened his fourth restaurant, Balay Dako, and bagged the Ernst and Young Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year award.

A key player in today’s culinary landscape, Escalante reveals his holiday offerings both at home and at his restaurants.

What are the staple dishes in your own noche buena?

The leg of lamb. I have great memories of Christmas family dinners eating that, as well as roast beef that was lovingly prepared by my grandmother. Delicious!

How would you present Christmas with just three dishes?

Hot chocolate, ham, and chestnuts. And, if I may add, ensaymada.

What should people expect from the Antonio’s Group this holiday season?

We are currently working on new menu items at Balay Dako and Antonio’s. Breakfast at Antonio’s is opening a new coffee and cocktail bar, and the Lanai Lounge is expanding its food offerings over the holidays.

The food industry is thriving, with Filipino restaurants and chefs garnering international recognition: Antonio’s placed 48th in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2015, Margarita Forés was hailed as Asia’s best female chef, and Nicco Santos’s Your Local was named one of the best restaurants in the world by Condé Nast Traveler.

What made all these possible?

Times have changed since I joined the industry in 2002. Then, there were so few restaurant options in Manila and even less in Tagaytay.

Ingredients were in short supply, and the right staff was even harder to find. Now, people travel more. Cable TV and the internet have educated

the dining public on how to eat better. The demand for better restaurants and better food service is growing. More restaurants are opening.

Better ingredients have become more accessible.

Chefs have started to become more creative.

Who are the chefs you admire?

I’m really excited by what the new generations of chefs are creating—chefs like Jordy Navarra, Bruce Ricketts, and Gab Bustos, who are running amazing restaurants at such a young age. When it comes to international chefs, there is no one better than Thomas Keller. I’m still in awe of the work he has done at The French Laundry and Per Se. For years, Antonio’s was seen as both a culinary and travel destination rather than just a restaurant. Do you see more restaurateurs establishing food places outside the capital?

What would be the implications of this?

Restaurants expanding beyond Manila? I really can’t see any implications for me and my restaurants. To be honest, we welcome it. I myself would love to open a restaurant near the beach, like in Sicogon Island.

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Clockwise from top: Laura Mercier Iconic Leading Lady in Catherine, Perricone MD Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment, Clarins BB Beauty Perfector with SPF 30, Diptyque 34 Essences Insensées Solid Perfume, Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm, Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater, OPI Breakfast at Tiffany’s Duo Pack, and L’Occitane Joyeuses Fêtes hand cream, all available at Rustan’s.

Elements of Travel Essentials with which to mark your territory across the globe WORDS OLIVIA ESTRADA PHOTOGRAPHY DANICA CONDEZ

RUSTAN’S BEAUTY ADDICT

In a foreign city, even the most seasoned jet-setters play safe by following a tried-and-tested beauty route: always start with a clean base. The Perricone MD Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment helps maintain the skin’s balance amid changes in weather, allowing every traveler to dodge dark spots and wrinkles along the way.

Exploring a country may entail minimal makeup-possibly best achieved with Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm, a rich concoction made with natural, plant-derived ingredients, and Clarins BB Beauty Perfector with SPF 30, shielding the face from the sun. The latter helps restore the skin’s elasticity and moisture, and lets anyone achieve the “no-makeup” makeup look as inconspicuously as any wandering local.

Have your lips and nails make a lasting statement with the Laura Mercier Iconic Leading Lady in Catherine (with the set containing a Velour Lip Color and Lip Glace good for quick touchups and effortless application) and the OPI Breakfast at Tiffany’s Duo Pack to do one quick manicure when the adventure calls for it. After painting your fingers, keep your hands moisturized with L’Occitane Joyeuses Fêtes hand cream.

Before you board that next plane, sneak in a small vessel of Diptyque 34 Essences Insensées Solid Perfume as well as the Mario Badescu Facial Spray-something to freshen up the skin during that long humid flight.

Exclusive to Rustan’s Beauty Addict members, a trip for two to Japan is similarly up for grabs. Every P1,000 purchase entitles you to one entry, so between Christmas shopping and preparing for your vacation, this is more than a welcome bonus.

ADMIRED

CLASSIC MAN

Hidetoshi Nakata’s impeccable global style is built on well-cultivated substance WORDS SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEPH PASCUAL

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Italy holds a special place in Hidetoshi Nakata’s heart. The former football star, widely considered one of Japan’s greatest players, had lived there for a number of years, and the experience left an indelible mark on him. Surrounded by Italian fashion, design, architecture, history, and good food, it was but natural for Nakata to be inspired. In fact, he credits Italy’s influence for his eye for style, which earned him comparisons to David Beckham. “It wasn’t about wanting to become more fashionable,” he said of his younger years, when he was beginning to appreciate good design. “It was about being influenced by a rich environment.”

During his recent visit to Manila, dressed in a somber palette of dark green and black with a discreet gold cross pendant and an equally discreet leatherand-gold bangle on each wrist breaking the monotony and occasionally catching light, Nakata was the picture of stylish ease—undoubtedly expensive and well-made, but also obviously wholly his own. He could walk into a boardroom, into a stadium, into a cocktail party, or down the street, and look as if he rightfully belongs there, a man of the world who can be at home anywhere. His fashion sense is vital to this appeal, of course, but Nakata understands that packaging can only go so far to disguise content that isn’t commensurate. “The things we use every day, from food to clothing, all hold great importance to us,” he explained. “Why do we care so much about what we eat? Because we eat every day. Why do we care so much about what we wear? Because we wear clothes every day, and what we wear can make us happy. I started liking fashion more when I lived in Italy, but even someone who doesn’t travel much or hasn’t had that much extraordinary experience can develop that deep appreciation for what they wear, what they eat, what they consume.”

Since retiring from football in 2006, Nakata has traveled the world and remained in the public eye as a philanthropist and humanitarian: he founded

the Take Action Foundation in 2009, which aims to address global issues such as hunger and calamity relief through soccer matches, charity galas, and various events and campaigns. He also became known as a model—he showed off his athletic physique as a Calvin Klein Underwear model in 2010—and as a cultural ambassador, with his own sake brand “N” and his Revalue Nippon Project initiative that supports all dimensions of traditional Japanese culture, artistry, and industries.

His deep appreciation for style, which informs the fashion choices he makes, has also led him to work on a collaboration with the Italian jewelry brand Damiani, the resulting collection of which is the reason behind his Manila visit last month.

Lauded for its contemporary and unisexual appeal, the 21-piece Metropolitan Dream by H. Nakata collection features necklaces and bracelets that combine black and pink gold and diamonds with leather—an innovative combination of materials that pushes the concept of jewelry for men beyond the usual chunky pieces that function more as display rather than personal touches. The collaboration began two years ago, but it had its roots much further in the past. “I had the chance to meet Nakata a long time ago and we became good friends,” said Damiani Group vice president Giorgio Damiani, who came with Nakata to Manila. “We shared a lot of interests: beauty, design, crafts, food, travel. Since he’s an internationally recognized personality who has good taste, and with Damiani, a celebrated brand in jewelry, I thought, why can’t we do something together?”

“I’ve never studied design, I’ve never done anything in fashion or anything else design-related before. I didn’t even do any designing in this collaboration,” the former athlete admitted. “What I had, though, was my point of view, which was from a consumer’s perspective—I thought of myself as a difficult customer.”

“I’ve never studied design, I’ve never done anything in fashion.

What I had, though, was my point of view.”

This page: Jacket, Dolce and Gabbana, Adora, Greenbelt 5; accesories, Metropolitan Dream by H. Nakata, Damiani, Rustan’s Makati Opposite page: Top, Calvin Klein Jeans, Greenbelt 5; jacket, Dolce and Gabbana, Adora, Greenbelt 5; accesories, Metropolitan Dream by H. Nakata, Damiani, Rustan’s Makati

“More men are into fashion and grooming.

The market needed jewelry that would fit into its current lifestyle but no one was giving it to them.”

STYLING NIMU MUALLAM

A humanitarian purpose behind his first foray into design was especially important to Nakata. “I thought I needed to create something that would be important to me to tie in with this collection. Otherwise, it would have been [pointless], because like I’ve said, I’m not a designer. If I had an important purpose for this, it would encourage me to see this project through and to do more.” The visit to Uganda was also crucial as both Damiani and Nakata wanted to see for themselves the people whose lives they’d be affecting.

“After we shared the videos from our visit, there was a response from people who want to go with us there the next time. Charity is very important, of course, but it was also important to share with the rest of the world what a great time we had getting to know the communities, how much fun we had there.” Celebrity design collaborations could sometimes seem as if a popular name was simply tacked onto a line of products, but Metropolitan Dream by H. Nakata is not one of those, with its celebrity namesake very much invested and involved, from inception and production to promotion and social responsibility work.

A global sports career and a jetsetter’s lifestyle have obviously informed Nakata’s worldview, which bleeds into his personal style. But as he has stated, even a person with a more ordinary life can cultivate a cultured taste simply by being more interested in the world at large. “To appreciate something, you must have some knowledge about it,” he advised. “If you don’t know what you’re eating or wearing, it’d be hard for you to appreciate food or fashion. If you don’t try to get to know a person, how could you learn to understand and love them? When we lack knowledge, it’s hard for us to see someone’s or something’s value.” More than wanting to enjoy the finer things in life, developing good style is a process of educating one’s self, he stressed. “If you want to make your life better, study the world more. Read up on history a bit more. Just exert some effort. That shows you care.”

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GROOMING CATS DEL ROSARIO

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To help inform his ideas for the collection, Nakata had visited the Damiani factory in Valenza to learn more about the painstaking process of jewelry-making that the label has been doing since 1924. He was also quite involved with the production of the pieces, overseeing the style direction of the collection and being particular about the elements that could be kept and must be changed.

“He had very severe instructions,” Damiani half-joked, to which Nakata agreed. “And that was very good for us because we wanted his ideas, we needed him to create [something new.]” The use of leather, for instance, was something the Damiani label might not have done had it not been for Nakata’s vision of small, fine pieces that could straddle high luxury and streetwear.

“That one was his suggestion, and that made it possible for us to come up with a more wearable line that still retains a touch of elegance that’s very important in jewelry.”

With Nakata’s ideas balanced by the Damiani expertise, the Metropolitan Dream by H. Nakata collection looks great whether worn with a suit or casual jeans, and Nakata is its most effective model—rightfully so, as it is built on his vision.

“This jewelry is suitable for today’s lifestyle, which has been changing,” he observed. “More men, especially, are into fashion and grooming.

The market needed jewelry that would fit into its current lifestyle but no one was giving it to them. We’re the first one to do so.” Working with Damiani has also heightened his appreciation for jewelry. “Before, I didn’t understand why it makes women happy; yes, it’s beautiful, but it’s also expensive. Now, though, since I’ve started wearing them, I get why jewelry is important.”

Adding another dimension to the collaboration is how part of its proceeds is used to support Clean Water Project, a project that digs and constructs wells to help bring clean water to poor communities in Africa.

Damiani and Nakata went to Uganda in May to visit the villages that they’re supporting, with the latter playing a few rounds of football with local children.

ROCKWELL ADDS COLOR TO THE SOUTH See the South like never before as Rockwell transforms Tribeca.

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ACQUIRED

Running in Circles Does the saying “what goes around comes around” hold water in the season of giving?

Ben

“I will give Ben Chan a Ladurée hamper because I know he has a sweet tooth.”

“I would give Jappy a book of prose and poetry by Jaime Gil de Biedma, a Spanish poet who lived briefly in the Philippines, from our collection of limited edition Philippine art and culture books by the Vibal Foundation at AC+632, together with a handcrafted sterling silver bookmark by Wynn Wynn Ong from Firma.”

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Chan,

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Paowee Tanto

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“Since I have not met him yet, it’s better to be safe by giving him sweets that people normally like. So, I will probably give an arrangement of Patchi chocolates.”

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“I would give [Chito Vijandre] scented matches by Buly. For a guy who has a great sense of style and appreciation for luxury, these seem to be the only matches that would pass muster in his style swathed home.”

NER

“I would get Miguel a Christofle egg (dinnerware set).

Since he is a designer, he may appreciate this and may consider it a nice tableware addition for entertaining guests.”

uel Rosales,

I

Built by the Incas, the so-called hidden city of Machu Picchu was constructed with huge stone blocks cut to fit together without mortar.

EXPLORED

Course of History Peru’s many eras live on in the private worlds of its current-day settlers WORDS P RIS T IN E DE L E ON

There are certain ways to know a country like Peru: through the fables of its forbearers that recall the heydays of the Incan empire, through travel reports citing the eternal allure of Machu Picchu, juxtaposed against the backdrop of eras-long political upheaval, or through tours—first, the train route overlooking the Sacred Valley, then the cloud-enshrouded ranges— that thousand others have traversed since tourism here reached its peak.

Yet, as they say, there is no more intimate way to lose one’s self in the folds of a foreign country than through knowing the lives its locals live.

“There are few places on earth where you can still see what I call ‘living culture,’” says Diego Velasco of Coltur Peru. “[You see] people keeping their traditions and [sustaining] the way they’ve lived for a hundred years.”

Peru on a Plate Velasco and Coltur Peru have made the many private Peruvian worlds more accessible to seasoned travelers. For instance, globetrotters can now be admitted into the homes of the food scene’s current stalwarts.

Over the recent years, Peru has seen how its capital Lima gained worldwide acclaim through the increasing ubiquity of the neighborhood cevicheria and its recognized restaurants, like Michelin-starred chef Virgilio Martinez’s Central. Chef Penelope Alzamora, who has worked in Boston and San Francisco, takes travelers to the boulevards of the country’s renowned culinary destination. “She will pick you up at the hotel, drive you to the market, choose which produce you’re going to take home, and prepare food with you,” says Velasco. After a tour to the local markets, Alzamora holds cooking workshops in her kitchen where guests can whip up their own Peruvian fare with a view of the nearby ocean.

Portraits of Conquest The capital, which the conquistador Francisco Pizarro had ardently called the “City of Kings,” still displays remnants from the century when the Spaniards reigned.

Among the storied landmarks of Lima is the centuries-old Casa de

Developed during the pre-Incan era, the Salinas de Maras lie above the Maras Formation in Cuzco.

Folks have sustained the tradition of making salt, alongside producing bath salts and oils.

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Aliaga that has housed Peruvian art and artifacts since the 1500s. “Jerónimo de Aliaga was a lieutenant of Pizarro,” explains Velasco. “And so, as a gift, Pizarro gave Aliaga a piece of land [adjacent to the government palace].”

The oldest mansion in the Americas, filled with colonial furniture and tell-tale artifacts such as the sword that Lieutenant Aliaga wielded in his conquest of the country, is similarly home to several artwork from different eras. “You can find these private art collections that we can take you to,” says Velasco. “There are 16 generations of the Aliaga family that have been here, and we can take [guests on] a private tour, hosted by one of the [members of the] Aliaga [clan].”

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Peruvian Archives

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Natural Heritage In Peru, the natural landscape is similarly a portrait of long-forgotten times. Inca, located in the south of Lima, gives view of the storied Nazca lines, created by pre-Incan civilizations. “This is a desert. There are strong winds, and thousands of years have passed, but the lines are still there. The way they were made is still a mystery,” says Velasco. The only way to see these lines is from the air, and travelers can take Coltur Peru’s system aircraft to better see the prehistoric marvels.

Part of the country’s appeal is the lore and lure of the Cusco region. The mountains and rivers of its Sacred Valley play host to a scenario fit for folklore: “[It’s] living culture. You will be able to see locals trading things with no money, like potatoes for sugar, onions for vegetables,” says Velasco.

Cusco also holds Peru’s most talked-about attraction Machu Picchu, touted as the lost city of the Incas. “When you start getting there, the scenery changes, because Machu Picchu is closer to the clouds,” says Velasco. Seasoned travelers can take the train or the Incan route to mine the many other myths and marvels of this country, each one planted in different points in time.

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Celebrating the marvels of Peru, Inquirer RED, in partnership with Lorraine at the Proscenium, presented “Voyages: A Travel Lecture” with A2A Journeys last Sept. 29.

Diego Velasco of Coltur Peru gave a lecture on the country’s emerging destinations and private tours, as guests sampled a taste of the country through Cocina Peruvia’s delectable fare. At the end of the evening, one guest won a trip to the storied ranges of Machu Picchu.

1. Binky Dizon and Diego Velasco 2. Gian Romano 3. Myda and Dr. Andrew Prieto 4. Sookie and Dondi Chiongbian 5. Jay Tambunting 6. Malou Pineda 7. Ina Dizon and Jeannie Abaya 8. Beans and Nicole Gonzalez

I covered President Rodrigo markets like the Philippines.

Duterte’s recent state visit to China Trump had talked about the need and it was during the business forum for isolationist and protectionist at the Great Hall of the People in US policies, for instance, Beijing when he jolted everyone by threatening to impose steep tariffs announcing his “separation” from on Chinese and Mexican imports. the United States. We’re all used to Imagine what he could do if he hearing about Duterte’s bad blood gets pissed at the Philippines. against the US. But many of us were In August, Citi issued a research unprepared for what’s so far the note that scored countries based on strongest anti-US rhetoric coming overall vulnerability to a prospective from the unorthodox president. rise in protectionism post-US In a way, the state visit to China elections. A score of 1 was deemed became all about the Philippines’ as “average,” above 1 was “good,” bittersweet relations with the and below 1 was deemed “bad.” The US as much as it was about the overall score was based on the ratio rekindling of ties with China, but of the metrics where each country the $24 billion investment and performed positively to those where concessional funding commitments it performed negatively. Based on secured by the Philippine team were the Citi index, the Philippines overshadowed by separation anxieties. scored 0.6 overall.

When asked whom he preferred Philippine exports account for BUSINESS to be the new US president, Duterte 19.7 percent of total gross domestic picked no one, only saying that his product (GDP) while exports to the favorite hero is Russian president US accounted for 2.9 percent of total Vladimir Putin. Last month, the GDP—both of which are below odds seemed to favor a Clinton average equity multiplier (EM) After Duterte’s announcement of our separation from the presidency, and Duterte’s budget ratios. However, our exports to the US and with a new US president, what will happen czar Ben Diokno thought she would US account for 14.7 percent of total to the country’s business landscape? be the “safer” choice. “I think there's export receipts, slightly higher than W OR DS DORIS DUM L AO - ABADIL L A IL LUS T RAT ION M ARK M AGN AYE too much uncertainty with Trump,” the average among our peers. he had said at the Philippines On foreign exchange vulnerability, Investment Conference 2016.

Citi estimated the US dollarMany have likened Duterte to Trump, and vice versa, not just in terms of denominated debt of the Philippine corporate sector at 31 percent of total, their devil-may-care language but also because of their perceived hostility to in line with the 31.8 percent EM average. However, the country’s current traditional allies. They are also both seen to be good for business. In Duterte’s account surplus of 2.3 percent of GDP is lower than the 3.1 percent EM case, his vow to bring forth a “golden age of infrastructure” in the Philippines average. Average debt to equity of 65.9 percent is also higher than the 43.4 is indisputably captivating. Meanwhile Trump, whose battle cry is to “make percent EM average.

America great again,” plans a significant reduction in individual income taxes Seen from all angles, it’s not to the Philippines’ interest to sever ties with and corporate taxes and the elimination of the estate tax. the US, and even Duterte recognizes it. Moving forward, especially with a It will be an interesting verbal war if Trump and Duterte were to trade new US president, everyone hopes that the Philippine president will be more insults, both being masters in this craft, but then again, Duterte may not risk circumspect about discussing foreign policy without consulting his cabinet blurting out expletives against someone who could not only match his fiery first, which expectedly has to engage in perennial damage control. Many language but also has the temerity to get back at him in a way that could hurt Filipinos agree with Duterte’s bid to get more out of its long-time alliance the Philippine economy. with the US, to gain recognition as an equal sovereign state, but they wouldn’t According to American banking giant Citigroup, in the case of a Trump want to see the country turn into an international pariah in the process. Will presidency, a rise in protectionism would be a major threat to emerging the end justify the means? Only time will tell.

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Separation Anxiety

FASHION

Digital Times From strolling around the mall to scrolling through the internet, a look back on how online shopping has overtaken our lives WO RDS B AMB INA OLI VA RE S W I S E

I LLUS TRATI ON MA RK M AGN AYE

Before Net-a-Por ter revolutionized shopping, we, in far-flung countries underserved by the Barneys and Bergdorf-Goodmans of this world, not to mention the everyday reliables such as Gap and Banana Republic, had to make do with annual international trips, asking other people to buy us stuff when they went abroad, and ordering through catalogues.

When I lived in Guam in the late ’90s and was thus condemned to live life under the dictatorship of dial-up, the retail options in the home of what was then the world’s largest K-Mart were severely limited. Yes, there was an abundance of duty-free shopping, not to mention Japanese tourists in eternal pursuit of all things Chanel, but apart from accessories and high jewelry, splurging on cashmere and wool when the stores were stocked with fall and winter fashions made little sense, as did designer fashion, on the whole, considering that the dress code on the island was tropical and casual all year round.

But thank goodness for catalogues, which allowed one to shop from home, avoiding the desultory trudging to the largely uninspiring shops. Neiman-Marcus and Williams-Sonoma became my best friends; it was so easy to call the order hotline and order away. In time, I managed to accumulate a stack of catalogues that competed with Vanity Fair for space beside my bed. The NeimanMarcus Christmas catalogue was always the most-awaited. Some of the gift ideas were just so extravagant, so fantastical, so out-ofthis-world—a $125,000 gem-encrusted mermaid’s tail, anyone?—that it became, for me at least, a form of holiday theater.

And then, in 2000, Net-a-Porter happened, and runway quite literally translated to reality with the click of a mouse. It was a boutique and a magazine in one, with beautiful clothes beautifully edited, photographed, and merchandised. It made luxury internet shopping chic, possible, and desirable. Sometimes, it also made it cheaper, especially when one lived in a country where designer clothing was available but retailing at prices anywhere from 30 to 100 per cent more than it would overseas.

Net-a-Porter may have started—and elevated—the luxury internet shopping phenomenon, paving the way for Shopbop, Farfetch, My Theresa, Luisa Via Roma, and Moda Operandi, not to mention less luxurious ones such as Yoox, the Italian online store that eventually prompted the exit of Net-a-Porter founder Nathalie Massenet from her own company. And, just as in a physical store you have remainders at the end of a season, online, you could trawl for discounted designer clothing on sites such as The Outnet, which, incidentally, started out as a Net-a-Porter offshoot.

Internet shopping is, admittedly, one dimensional, and online retailers know that. To make up for it, the better ones provide excellent customer service, offering information on cut and size and fit and even the longevity of a particular trend. And when your order arrives, there is a sense of theatre: underneath that DHL packaging is a sleek black box wrapped in an elegant bow, its contents sheathed in layers of fine tissue. Yes, the dress is beautiful, the fabric is divine, the color so, so very you.

But does it fit? And if it doesn’t, should you send it back or resell it through one of the many Facebook sales sites proliferating?

Clearly, there’s an entire online retail ecosystem out there. •

“Internet shopping is, admittedly, one dimensional, and online retailers know that.”