Southern Living: 2017 September

September 2017 Volume 12 | Issue 01

PILGRIMAGE

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10 COVER STORY Tracing the roots of designer Joey Samson

FEATURE

Discovering a new way to feed the world

Cover photo by BJ Pascual

SEPTEMEBER 2017 03 HEALTH The struggles of becoming vegan

26 RECIPE Rise and shine with this reinvention of tapa

04 FIXTURE What does it mean to be an environmentalist?

28 THE GET Let this light footwear take you places

22 EATS A restaurant in Makati puts the spotlight on seasonality

EDITOR’S NOTE Momentum I can’t remember the last time I was truly happy, but I’m sure it was when I was creating with my hands without care or constriction. In a moment of productive ecstasy, I watched my fingers grasp my pen and direct it to create arches and lines, inventing and destroying, leaving behind undulating waves of ink, and vandalizing the vast blank space that lay ahead of it.

Imagination sets the mind free from the constrictions of reality; the stories we create for ourselves make life bearable. And for those who champion the artistry of creation and have tasted its momentum, it

can be difficult to come to a halt. In this issue, aptly themed “narrative thread,” we go back to designer Joey Samson’s roots and unearth his reasons for his continuous creation. We’ve asked an expert to tackle environmentalism as a new fad we hope will stay for good, peeked into an alternative means to feed an ever-growing world, revealed a young vegan’s struggle with the proprietors of the cause, wore rubber sandals because it felt right, and even stepped into a goddess-inspired joint whose menu today could be totally different tomorrow.

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ONLINE

SOUTHERN living

DRESSING UP

GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR BEA CELDRAN ASSOCIATE EDITOR ALYOSHA J. ROBILLOS ONLINE ASSOCIATE EDITOR PAULINE MIRANDA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS OLIVER EMOCLING, BEA LLAGAS, YAZHMIN MALAJITO, ANTHEA REYES CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIMU MUALLAM ART DIRECTOR EDRIC DELA ROSA ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR DANICA CONDEZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER AND VIDEOGRAPHER PATRICK SEGOVIA, NICCOLLO SANTOS INTERN VIANCA UY

Rethinking the garments inside our closets

CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS TARA ALESSANDRA ABRINA, CHELE GONZALEZ, MARLOWE HOOD/AFP PHOTOGRAPHERS BJ PASCUAL, RENELL SALUMBRE STYLIST CHELE GONZALEZ HAIR AND MAKEUP APPLE FARAON, RUDOLF DAVALOS COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADER PAM BROOKE CASIN EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO 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 FELIPE R. OLARTE AVP FOR SALES MA. KATRINA MAE GARCIA-DALUSONG HEAD OF OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LURISA VILLANUEVA KEY ACCOUNTS SUPERVISOR ANGELITA TAN-IBAÑEZ SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES CHARM BANZUELO, ABBY GINAGA, LIZA JISON, THEA ORDIALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE ANDIE ZUÑIGA SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANTS RECHELLE ENDOZO, MANILYN ILUMIN ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR PAM BROOKE CASIN EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS SHARM DE SAN JOSE, KRYZETTE PAPAGAYO, CHRISTELLE TOLISORA SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES SHANNA MALING, SARAH CABALATUNGAN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE INA MATEO SENIOR GRAPHIC ARTIST JAYCELINE SORIANO GRAPHIC ARTISTS CHEE FLORES, NICO ORTIGOZA, KRISTINE PAZ

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PRODUCTION MANAGER JAN CARIQUITAN PRODUCTION ASSISTANT MARICEL GAVINO FINAL ART SUPERVISOR DENNIS CRUZ FA ARTIST ARGYL LEONES MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER JELLIC TAPIA TRADE MARKETING SUPERVISOR BIANCA DALUMPINES BRAND MARKETING SUPERVISOR MA. INA RODRIGUEZ BRAND MARKETING ASSISTANT NICOLE USON EVENTS ASSISTANT MERJORIE YOUNG SENIOR GRAPHIC ARTIST ROI DE CASTRO

FIND SOUTHERN LIVING AT STARBUCKS COFFEE, THE MANILA PENINSULA, ALABANG COUNTRY CLUB, HEIMA, DUSIT THANI HOTEL, AYALA MUSEUM, AND FULLY BOOKED.

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VEGAN ERA Is it possible to be a purist vegan these days?

TEXT VIANCA UY ILLUSTRATION DANICA CONDEZ

An interrogation on the specifics of my protein intake, bacon jokes, and of course, the crowd favorite “Don’t plants have feelings, too?” argument are only a handful of things I had to learn how to tactfully respond to and deflect in my three years of following a vegan diet. I didn’t realize how deeply personal and unavoidably political food choices could be until I was being constantly grilled on how nutritionally sound a vegan diet is, or being suspected by well-meaning relatives of having an eating disorder.

I became vegan for ethical reasons in 2014, when it was acceptable (mostly because people barely knew then what it meant) but not quite cool yet.

Much to my amazement, veganism slowly became a mainstream wellness trend, with an influx of “What I eat in a day” videos on YouTube and seemingly every Instagram model with a bikini body following a vegan diet. The past couple of years have shown an obvious increase in vegans, and there are statistics to prove it.

If you haven’t been entirely sure what veganism is or if you can’t tell vegetarians apart from pescetarians or lacto-ovo vegetarians, you’re not alone.

Despite being a way of life with an inherently altruistic cornerstone, the online community isn’t nearly always as good-natured. I wasn’t shocked by the animosity between vegans and non-vegans online, but the negativity within the online vegan community came as a definite surprise.

Gatekeeping is nothing new or uncommon in

activism, and since veganism is more than just a wellness trend but is also a movement toward better animal rights, a lot of the arguments online are centered on what makes a true vegan. There are hardliners within the community who shame those who turn to veganism in order to lose weight or those who haven’t upended their entire lives in order to be 100 percent vegan, waste-free, or sustainable.

People lead different lives—with different incomes, occupations, beliefs, and circumstances. Why should it matter if one turns to veganism to lose weight or just be vegan 80 to 90 percent of the time, or even if one is a raw vegan or a junk food vegan? This inclination towards gatekeeping and trying to set standards on who’s doing it right and who isn’t only deters people who may be interested in becoming vegan, for fear of inadequacy or deficiency.

No one, not even the most militant vegan who eats a plant-based diet, wears fair-trade clothes, and bikes to work every day is 100 percent vegan. Most fertilizers used in the agriculture industry are made with animal blood and bones. Not to mention, the highly mechanized agricultural industry inevitably leads to the deaths of small animals and insects in the fields.

So isn’t it futile to argue about who deserves to label themselves vegan? Considering the original intent behind the vegan lifestyle, every little step towards a mindful way of living counts.

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ENVIRONMENTAL EFFICIENCY Little things aspiring environmentalists can do TEXT TARA ALESSANDRA ABRINA ILLUSTRATION LARA INTONG

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so many environmental campaigns to choose from nowadays. Here are just two pairs of alternatives that address two Philippine marine issues.

September is International Coastal Clean Up (ICC) Month, when people from all over the world pick up trash along their local coasts. More than targeting the problem of solid waste (mis)management, the main breakthrough of this initiative is the simplicity The economics of environmentalism Economists are trained to process environmentalism as of reminding people that the ocean still exists. It’s a alternatives to endless alternatives. By translating the great way to demonstrate that our actions on land benefits and costs of certain actions—e.g. recyclables affect the sea. In the Philippines, we have our own vs. zero-waste, into money terms—we are able to efforts; in fact, you can join one in Manila Bay this compare them objectively in a benefit-cost analysis. Sept. 16. However, keep in mind that a more longThis method has guided policy-makers for years in term alternative is if the trash is disposed properly. choosing the best course of action: that which gives the I think the ICC is simply the best first step to that lasting solution. most benefits for the least cost, a.k.a. cost-efficiency.

A second pair of alternatives tackles the daunting From this, I’ve learned that going zero-waste is currently economically inefficient. There is always multidimensional problem of climate change. This is going to be an amount of waste produced for the the second year in a row that Philippine corals have activities we do to function as a society. It is too costly been turning white from global warming and dying to ban, for example, carbon emissions overnight; no en masse. It is a phenomenon called “coral bleaching.”

Very little is one would be able of the to go to work or “Environmental problems exclude no one. It known impacts it eat rice the next affects every gender, age, job, ethnicity, and, in could have on day if that were the ocean, but to be pushed. extreme cases, every social class.” scientists say The concept of an we could lose “optimal level of pollution” sounds like an evil capitalist plan to justify most of our corals by 2050. So a local initiative pollution, but based on sound microeconomic theory, called the Philippine Coral Bleaching Watch asks the it’s almost conventional knowledge since the ’70s. general public to help monitor the country’s corals.

Besides, we mustn’t underestimate the earth’s ability to By submitting underwater photos, scientists and governments can identify critical areas to focus efforts handle a little bit of pollution.

More importantly for economists, the point of on. The long-term alternative solution is reducing protecting the environment is for people in the long carbon emissions. But while that is still out of any run. A healthy environment is a prerequisite for single country’s hands, watching our corals closely and healthy human lives. Balisacan, et al. in their book helping them recover is the next best thing we can do.

Now, do a quick benefit-cost analysis among these Sustainable Economic Development returns to this key pairs. Which of these alternatives speaks to you? Recall concept in several themes.

That said, we really have every incentive to be that for all of them, the goal is healthy human life environmentalists and that’s fantastic. I always tell my through a healthy sea. The fish that one billion people friends, “It’s the best kind of fad,” because it really is. depend on for food are the same fish that can die from Environmental problems exclude no one. It affects ingesting plastic, the same fish that will lose their every gender, age, job, ethnicity, and, in extreme cases, homes from coral bleaching. So it’s not a multiple every social class. I’d like to think that this issue could choice question really; the answer is all of the above. finally be the one thing that brings us all together, in Choosing one or the other leads us to the same end.

Now imagine if we can get all hands on deck, every spite of our differing choices in alternatives. kind of person working on each level of alternatives, everyone watching out for each other. I can only hope Local options for healthy oceans If you aren’t on the environmental bandwagon yet and that this fad eventually leads us to that end. Wouldn’t don’t know where to start, you’re in luck. There are that be the day?

Plant-based or grass-fed? Solar or coal? Recyclables or zero-waste? Oslob or Donsol?

If you instinctively chose a side to any of these pairs, congratulations. You are, to some extent, an environmentalist. Let that sink in as we frame environmentalism into a few economic concepts.

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BOUNTY OF THE SEA

Can offshore fish farming feed a hungry world?

TEXT MARLOWE HOOD/AFP PHOTOGRAPHY RENELL SALUMBRE

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There are many coastal communities in the Philippines where it is still common to see fish farms nearer shorelines.

FEAT URE

“All the wild fish harvested worldwide could be obtained from an area the size of Lake Michigan, or Belgium and the Netherlands combined.”

Harvesting fish and shellfish from offshore farms could help provide essential protein to a global population that’s set to expand a third to 10 billion by mid-century, researchers said.

Suitable open-sea zones have the potential to yield 15 billion tons of fish every year, more than 100 times current worldwide seafood consumption, they reported in the journal “Nature Ecology and Evolution.”

Coastal and inland aquaculture already accounts for more than half of the fish consumed around the world. Many regions, especially in Africa and Asia, depend on fish for protein.

But severe pollution, rising costs, and intense competition for shoreline real estate mean that production in these areas cannot expand indefinitely.

Wild fishery catches, meanwhile, have mostly plateaued or are in decline.

That leaves the deep blue sea, or at least territorial waters up to 200 m. (650 ft.) deep—the practical

limit for anchoring commercial farms.

“Oceans represent an immense opportunity for food production, yet the open ocean environment is largely untapped as a farming resource,” the authors noted.

To assess that potential, a team of researchers led by Rebecca Gentry, a professor at the University of California Santa Barbara, undertook a series of calculations.

First they divvied up the ocean into a grid, excluding areas that were too deep or already given over to oil extraction, marine parks, or shipping lanes, for example.

Some 11.4 million sq. km. of ocean could be developed for fish, and 1.5 million sq. km. for bivalves, such as mussels.

Then, to calculate the biomass that might be harvested, the team matched 120 fish species and 60 bivalves to cells in the grid, depending on the temperature of the water and other factors such as oxygen density.

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Soft-shell crabs farmed in Tagum, Davao

Cost headache?

Currently, just over 40 species make up 90 percent of global seafood production. Only four percent of the total consists of finfish, such as salmon, barramundi, groupers, and bass.

All the wild fish harvested worldwide could be obtained from an area the size of Lake Michigan, or Belgium and the Netherlands combined.

“Nearly every coastal country has high marine aquaculture potential and could meet its own domestic seafood demand...typically using only minute fraction of its ocean territory,” the authors said.

Many of the countries with the highest potential— Indonesia, India, and Kenya among them—are also predicted to experience sharp increases in population, they noted.

The findings show “that space is currently not a limiting factor for the expansion of oceanic aquaculture,” said Max Troell, a scientist at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, who was not involved in the research.

But hurdles remain before production can be ramped up to meet a significant portion of global demand, he added in a commentary, also in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

“The big challenges facing the near-term expansion of the aquaculture sector lie in the development of sustainable feeds, and in better understanding how large-scale ocean farming systems interact with ecosystems and human well-being,” he wrote.

Production and transportation costs could also be a constraint, he added.

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SPECIAL FEAT URE

FINE PRINT

Havaianas collaborates with SinoPinas for an all-exclusive Filipinas collection TEXT ZAE PLANA

Many travel for the thrill of exploration, but traveling is an experience beyond that. An enriching venture, it helps free the mind from stress, and even makes one live longer and healthier. With travel fairs and seat sales, more Filipinos are jet-setting to a more fulfilling life.

Havaianas understands the need for Filipinos to embark on journeys, whether big or small—and their latest collection reflects that. Titled “Filipinas,” their all-exclusive six-piece collection features designs from SinoPinas. Pioneered by Filipino creatives Alexis Lim, Raniel Hernandez, Karl Presentacion, and John Austria, the group aims to discover, capture, share the beauty of the Philippines one place at a time—complementing the #GoingPlacesWithHavaianas campaign.

The most picturesque images of surf haven Baler, rustic Batanes, scenic Sagada, and one of Asia’s best kept secrets, Siargao, will be imprinted on Havaianas soles starting this September for Havaianas Filipinas’ first wave. The gems of Visayas, Boracay’s beaches and San Juanico’s famed San Juanico Bridge are given the spotlight in the collection’s second wave in November.

The Havaianas Filipinas collection will be available at All Flip-Flops stores, selected authorized retailers nationwide, and online at www.shophavaianas.ph. Each pair is priced at P1,295 and comes in a special packaging.

For more information, follow Havaianas Philippines on Facebook (havaianasphilippines), Twitter (@havaianasphils), and Instagram (@havaianasphils) with the hashtag #GoingPlacesWithHavaianas.

From top: Surfing hotspot Baler, rustic Batanes, and scenic Sagada are just few of Havaianas all-exclusive Filipinas collection; (From left to right) SinoPinas’ pioneers Raniel Hernandez, Karl Presentacion, Alexis Lim, and John Austria

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HISTORICAL FRAGMENTS Designer Joey Samson chronicles layers of history through his designs TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING PHOTOGRAPHY BJ PASCUAL

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The tuxedo shirt is simple yet sophisticated. Usually a crisp white garment, it is the soul worn underneath an imposing suit. And if designer Joey Samson were to choose a single garment to work on, he’d always fall back on this one. “I don’t know,” the soft-spoken designer says. “I guess I’ve always had [a liking for it] within me.”

That same sort of mantra also shapes Samson’s collection for the upcoming Red Charity Gala. The collection he prepares is still true to his minimalist aesthetic, but Samson also plays with textures and prints to give the collection a different character. “It will run the gamut from the traditional to something a bit outré,” he describes, reading off his write-up for the show.

Titled “PilgrimAge,” the underlying narrative behind the collection was only realized after he went on a pilgrimage in Europe early this year. But the trip was not done for the mere purpose of culling inspiration for the collection. In fact, Samson does not view the journey as purely religious. “Pilgrimage, in general, is a course of life or something you do devotedly,” he describes. “This pilgrimage aspect, I’ve only come to realize much later that”—yet again—“it has always been within me.”

Samson has used that same statement in 2000 in describing his designs for the Young Fashion Designers Competition. Back then, he was still an apprentice to designer Danilo Franco and was placed under the mentorship of Cesar Gaupo for the competition. “Cesar said, ‘Does your boss know that your designs are like these?’”

Samson recalls. He describes the designs he had made as futuristic—far from the classic gowns and dresses of his mentor. “‘I’m just happy to see that you have a different world outside of what you do for [Franco],’ Cesar told me. That was the first time I felt that it wasn’t a conscious effort to create something different. That [it was] just what came out of me.”

That same year, Samson went to Paris with other then up-and-coming designers.There, he spent his days taking in Paris with wide eyes, amazed by what his fellow young designers could create. “That experience sealed my [interest in fashion]. I became even more assured that I’m on the right track.”

But his love for clothes sprang even earlier—and closer to home—than that. For this shoot, Samson brings us to Cavite where he had spent most of his youth. Here, most towns remain true to their historical foundation: Heritage houses still stand, the town’s layout has been maintained, and the church remains a pivotal landmark.

Decades ago, amid this bucolic setting, the younger Samson wasn’t quite as resolute as he would be in Paris.

The karosa for the Via Dolorosa, which is only used during Holy Week, is out for today’s shoot. The evercurious Samson comes close to examine its ornate silver work. Model Krystal Espiritu climbs up the karosa wearing a toile dress from the PilgrimAge collection.

In contrast to the intricacy of the carriage’s design, the dress has a simple silhouette. “My appreciation is really the barest,” Samson reveals. “I wanted to feel as if I were dressing up a saint.”

There is a slew of religious undertones in the collection, present from its conception up to this shoot, and maybe even to the fashion show itself. Samson credits his religious upbringing for this. “As a kid, I remember going to my aunt’s house and not wanting to stay there until 6 p.m. because then, we’d be compelled to pray the Angelus,” he remembers.

It was during those prepubescent years that he also developed a knack for design. “I loved to draw,” he says, adding that his architect father was a major influence. “I’d let [my parents] see me draw, but I never showed them the sketches I made of clothes.” He would often do that seemingly forbidden deed alone in his room or in his lola’s store. “Whenever someone would arrive, I’d cover my drawing with a book and pretend that I was just reading.”

Although his interest in design started at the age of eight, he never thought of it as viable career. While his female friends would often seek his opinion on their dresses in high school, Samson was dead set on becoming a doctor. “I’ve always wanted to be one ever since I was a kid.”

In college, his friends sought more than his opinion.

They started asking the doctor-to-be to design clothes for them: a best friend who was getting married, a professor who had found his current uniform baduy,

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“The simpler the garment, the harder it is to finish. If you aren’t able to do it right from the beginning, you won’t get anywhere.”

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COV ER STORY another best friend who had to go to an arts and science night, and so on. Despite his unwavering interest in science and medicine, Samson found himself drawn to fashion more and more.

Medicine was a career track never imposed upon him, yet Samson was afraid of what his parents would say about his growing desire to leave it. When he finally told his parents, they were reluctant at first, simply thinking that their son was just in a slump.

And perhaps Samson was sulking in self-doubt and questioning his change of heart. “I could not brush off my interest in science,” he emphasizes. He recalls sitting in classes he never enrolled in just to rekindle his interest in medicine. The situation went on for a month until his parents allowed him to enroll at Slim’s Fashion and Arts School. “I told myself, ‘If I change my mind within a year, I’m going back to medical school,’” Samson says.

He must have found bliss because he never turned back.

When Samson presents his creations, he always unravels a narrative—a mystery at that—through highlighting and basking in the tedious design process. When he celebrated his 10th anniversary, Samson made a 22-piece collection with seven looks showcasing the step-by-step process of a suit’s creation.

For this shoot, the designs he showcases are all toile pieces. It’s as if the shoot were set at a ritual, done at a pilgrimage site before the actual fashion show.

“The toile is the foundation of a beautiful wearable garment,” Samson says. “Working on clothes, I sometimes feel like they all look the same. I find the need for a different perspective and to start from the basic: what and how garments are before they become actual clothes.”

The process of creation is important for Samson and no stage of it must be compromised. Perhaps this is what he acquired from his seven-year apprenticeship under Franco. “He immersed me in the actual work, including [cutting and sewing], which every starting designer must learn,” he says.

Samson considers this technical know-how as a major validation for every designer. “I guess you can only call yourself one when your training as a creative is already based on a more technical aspect.” He admits that he only became comfortable with the term only much later. “The simpler the garment, the harder it is to finish. If you aren’t able to do it right from the beginning, you won’t get anywhere. It doesn’t matter if you lose money or fabrics when it doesn’t feel right in the beginning.”

In PilgrimAge, Samson integrates old clothes into new ones. “It’s going to be a mishmash of remnants from old garments, as if they were relics from a long

“I guess you can only call yourself [a designer] when your training as a creative is already based on a more technical aspect.”

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COV ER STORY

journey,” he describes—like fitting fragments of dress is still in good condition because we air it out once Samson’s pilgrimage not just for this collection but as in a while, and we still have my tatay’s suits and barongs. a designer.

The love for clothes and to be able to make [them], I’ve always had those in me. They all came from my family.”

Samson watches Espiritu on the karosa as rays of He attributes his love for the tuxedo shirt to them. morning sun hit the dress she is wearing. In jest, he From a wedding dress patterned after the garment to says that this particular scene reminds him of Elsa in countless reinventions of it, the tuxedo shirt has always Himala. Earlier that day, he tells us to watch Karnal. been a recurring piece in almost every collection he “I can’t bring myself to finish it these days, but it’s designs. In PilgrimAge, he resurrects the garment yet beautiful,” he says. He doesn’t provide any summary, again. However, he doesn’t reveal what he plans to do but he says Phillip Salvador has a good wardrobe (high- with it this time. Doesn’t he run out of ideas? “With waist trousers and white tank tops) in the film. design, the possibilities are endless,” Samson says.

Samson can talk about old films in great length. Apart The designer has a special kinship with his past. from art, cinema is where he culls inspiration. Louie In his write-up for the gala, he refers to PilgrimAge Malle’s Au Revoir Les Enfants, for instance, inspired as “a journey to nostalgia.” The word has traces of a collection he presented at Men’s Fashion Week. forlornness and regret attached to its meaning, and it However, his bygone days are his more significant muse. also connotes loss. However, whatever is in the past “Growing up, I’d always see my parents dress well. is not always lost. And maybe more than nostalgia, We always frequented my tatay’s tailor and nanay’s Samson’s distinct personality and aesthetics spring costurera. We would always wear matching clothes. We from a recollection of a storied past, like the way we still have our baptismal clothes, my mother’s wedding view and tackle history.

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MAKEUP APPLE FARAON OF MAC COSMETICS HAIR RUDOLF DAVALOS MODEL KRYSTAL ESPIRITU SHOES CHARLES AND KEITH

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EATS Customers line up at the counter to order their udon and choose toppings; the Beef Ontama Bukkake Udon has a mild, sweet soup, topped with thin beef strips and a soft-cooked egg.

UDON UNDONE

Have noodles your way at this new Japanese joint TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY PAULINE MIRANDA

Ramen has been, for the longest time, the top choice for Japanese noodles. But there’s a different story now, especially with more and more Japanese restaurants opening, and people more inclined to trying and learning more about the cuisine.

Owned by the Suyen group, the same people who brought the Maisen and Paul franchises to Manila, has finally opened a noodle house dedicated to Japanese noodles that are thicker than what Filipinos have been used to. A self-service joint, Marugame Udon allows diners to get up close and personal with their food by letting them choose their dishes first-hand with a very simple yet systematic procedure.

Order udon. You choose your preferred noodle size and temperature, so it’s now possible to enjoy udon even when it’s sweltering hot outside.

Wait for your udon. Get a tray and tempura plate, and watch as the staff behind the counter prepares your noodles.

Choose your sides. Tempura and musubi trays are set up along the counter, where you can choose from a variety of sides. Each side has a corresponding

price, which will be added to the base price of the udon you’ve chosen.

Pay for your meal.

Get your own condiments. There are 11 condiments available for you to mix and match with your udon: wasabi, ginger, tenkasu (bits of tempura batter), spring onions, togarashi (chili powder), salt, pepper, sesame seeds, fish sauce, dashi sauce, and dashi shoyu sauce. Tip: Mix the dashi shoyu sauce with ginger to make your tempura dipping sauce.

For the uninitiated, Marugame offers several udon options. Our top pick is the Beef Ontama Bukkake Udon, which has a mild, sweet soup and is topped with thin beef strips and onsen tamago. It tastes a bit like gyudon, except instead of rice, it’s served on top of soft, chewy noodles.

If you’re feeling experimental, choose from three main bases: kamaage (served in a hot water bath, with dipping sauce), kake (with a broth made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin), or zaru (cold). You can then top it with your choice of tempura and seasonings. If on a budget, you can also opt to order just the noodles with nothing else; a regular-sized serving only costs P95.

Unit 982, B7, Bonifacio High Street, BGC, Taguig. 0916-6270275

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MAIDEN VOYAGE

Persephone is as complex as the goddess it is named after TEXT ANTHEA REYES PHOTOGRAPHY DANICA CONDEZ

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Clockwise: The restaurant is decorated with murals related to the goddess; curried hummus served with baguette; miso glazed salmon

Hard cement floors contrast against bright floral murals while handwoven lamps from Ilocos balance the industrial elements of exposed wirings and black steel chairs.

Harsh and soft, bold and timid: This is the twofold personality of the Grecian goddess that inspired restaurateur Jesse Roasa’s first venture, Persephone: A Seasonal Kitchen.

In particular, Roasa took inspiration from the original iteration of the myth of the Greek goddess of spring, the one where a girl, simply named Kore (“beautiful maiden”) was re-christened with a name that meant “chaos bringer” after she sought out the fearsome god of the underworld. In Roasa’s feminist interpretation, Persephone chose to eat those pomegranate seeds to become not just the goddess of vegetation and spring but also the formidable queen

of the underworld. “She wasn’t limited by her own situation,” Roasa explains. “And that’s my vision for this restaurant moving forward.”

The restaurateur observed that restaurants usually don’t last in Makati’s local food lane because none of them are dynamic enough. “Everyone’s looking for something different, for the next big thing. None of the restaurants before could level up.”

To meet this demand, Persephone (the restaurant) changes its menu every season. This gives Roasa an opportunity to challenge herself constantly, while giving her leeway to keep up with what’s up-andcoming in the flavor profiles of the world.

Persephone’s first menu is about Filipino comfort food with a Japanese and a Korean twist. For example, Roasa took everyone’s favorite fish balls and served them with a sauce of mirin and sake instead of the usual white vinegar and chili. She also took inspiration from bibimbaps and made her own version of silog bowls, where there’s rice, poached egg, meat, and a good helping of fresh vegetables and/or kimchi.

To reflect Persephone’s darker side as the queen of the underworld, the restaurant offers a cocktail menu for ladies who enjoy their drinks. Roasa made the cocktails a little more palatable to the average Filipina’s taste by making them a bit sweeter, though the desired effect of inebriation is in no way compromised.

Much like the restaurant and the mythical figure that inspired it, the woman in charge of this new dining spot constantly challenges herself while remaining resolutely and unapologetically feminine.

Myth and real life bleed together here, to tasty results.

120 Jupiter St., Brgy. Bel-Air, Makati City. 0917-5543825

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TOP OF THE MORNING

Wake up to a breakfast classic made with heirloom grains TEXT AND STYLING CHELE GONZALEZ PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

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RECIPE

BEEF TAPA WITH GARLIC ADLAI INGREDIENTS

300 g. sirloin steak 1/5 cup soy sauce 2 1/2 tsp. calamansi juice 2 tsp. water 1 egg 1 cup adlai 1 tbsp. minced garlic Olive oil PREPARATION

Tapa 1. Mix soy sauce, calamansi juice, and water. Place them in a sealed plastic bag with the sirloin steak.

2. Sous vide for 36 hours at 72°C. 3. If a sous vide machine is not available, use a pot, a stovetop, and a digital thermometer. Submerge the vacuum bag with the sirloin steak in the pot of water, keeping an eye on its temperature. For a simpler method, use a cooler. Heat water to the desired temperature then submerge the vacuum bag.

Egg 1. Sous vide egg for 50 minutes at 62°C. 2. Keep it at room temperature.

3. If you can’t sous vide, you can slow cook or soft boil the egg for 6 minutes.

Adlai 1. Clean and boil adlai for 4 minutes. Strain.

2. Heat a pan with olive oil and sauté garlic.

3. Add adlai and continue cooking. Season with salt.

Plating 1. Cut sirloin steak and sear in a hot pan. Add a little bit of the marinade towards the end.

2. Crack the egg and separate the egg yolk from the white.

3. Assemble the dish by placing the adlai in the center of the plate, followed by the sirloin and the egg.

4. Garnish with fried garlic and sliced spring onions.

Watch the recipe video on Nolisoli.ph.

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T HE GET

LIGHT WALKERS

Cover miles in any weather with this improved classic TEXT ANTHEA REYES PHOTOGRAPHY DANICA CONDEZ

Your favorite Birkenstocks are getting an upgrade for the rainy season. This comfortable musthave is now going rubber and waterproof; gone are the days of unseemly foot imprints and uncomfortably damp insoles.

This new look makes the iconic sandals ideal for the country’s unpredictable weather.

The rubber material is light and doesn’t absorb water compared to the cork used in the original.

Offered in an array of colors, you can take these bad boys on a trek or wear them for a casual day in the office.

With its boat-shaped grooves and trademark Apostle-of-Jesus-Christ aesthetic, Birkenstock has been a staple in the closet because of the support they provide. The gender-neutral design also makes these sandals an easy choice for the effortless but style-conscious individual, man or woman.

Birkenstock. 2F Glorietta 3, Office Dr., Makati City. 621-1106

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