Southern Living: 2016 June

June 2016 Volume 10 | Issue 10

ACT THREE

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CONT ENTS 18 COVER STORY The Syjuco sisters find their niche in different art forms

10

FEATURE Memories of Old Manila

Cover photo by Edric Chen

32 EATS Spanish snack makes its way to Alabang

JUNE 2016 04 FIXTURE Adapting efficiently to the fast-paced world

26 STYLE Light wear for fast-paced lifestyles

06 HEALTH Acts of kindness for good health

38 RECIPE Make your own healthy munchies

08 BEAUTY Hair as a health indicator

40 THE GET Scents evoking a sense of home

EDITOR’S NOTE Show business “As you grow up and you come into the world that has all sorts of things in it-money, crime, betrayal-you realize that the only thing you’re gonna have is what you make,” says Jennifer Lawrence as Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano.

Putting your work and your name out there is a struggle that everybody faces in the world of business. Every enterprise, be it corporate or creative, stemmed from a big idea to offer something that hasn’t yet been done. And choosing a creative path requires courage—courage to believe

everything you do is good enough for the public, but most crucially, for yourself.

Immersed in the business of art, the dilemma is something that the Syjuco sisters know too well.

Michelline, Beatrix, and Maxine Syjuco tackle different mediums and share the same struggles any artist faces. According to Michelline, “People have preconceived notions of what an artist is and how they’re supposed to dress or act, but there’s no one way how an artist should be. That’s what art is about anyway, breaking boundaries.”

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SOUTHERN living

FARE WAYS

GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA MANAGING EDITOR DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS PRISTINE L. DE LEON, RENZ NOLLASE CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIMU MUALLAM GRAPHIC ARTIST DANICA CONDEZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PATRICK SEGOVIA INTERN CARLA DELOS REYES

Southern Living is not your usual magazine. That was what came into my mind at the very moment I read it.

Everything inside is visually satisfying that is why I love it!

CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, SEPTEMBER MAHINO ILLUSTRATORS REESE LANSANGAN, TRISTAN TAMAYO STYLISTS EDLENE CABRAL, CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, RANDZ MANUCOM HAIR AND MAKEUP JET BABAS, CLAIRE SEELIN DIOKNO, ANGEL MANHILOT, ARIA ORTEGA

- Pia Contreras

PHOTOGRAPHERS GABBY CANTERO, EDRIC CHEN, CENON NORIAL III COPY EDITOR PATRICIA ROMUALDEZ PROOFREADER SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO 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 SALES SUPERVISORS JOY SANTOS-PILAR KEY ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST ANGELITA TAN-IBAÑEZ SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES SARAH CABALATUNGAN, ABBY GINAGA, THEA ORDIALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANDIE ZUÑIGA, CHARM BANZUELO, LIZA JISON SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANTS RECHELLE ENDOZO, MARA KAREN ALIASAS CUSTOM SALES SUPERVISOR POLO P. DAGDAG MANAGING EDITOR ANGELA VELASCO ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR PAM BROOKE CASIN SENIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT PAULINE MIRANDA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS KHEENA ALELOJO, PAM CARLOTA, CHRISTELLE TOLISORA SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE SHANNA MALING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE INA MATEO GRAPHIC ARTISTS ROI DE CASTRO, RACHELL FLORES, KATRICE MONTES, YAYIE MOTOS, JAYCELINE SORIANO PRODUCTION MANAGER JAN CARIQUITAN PRODUCTION ASSISTANT MARICEL GAVINO FINAL ART SUPERVISOR DENNIS CRUZ FA ARTIST KRISTINE MAY PAZ

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MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER TARA VALENCIA EVENTS MANAGER BIANCA DALUMPINES MARKETING ASSISTANTS RUBEE FAUSTINO, ERLE VIRGILIA MAMAWAL EVENTS ASSISTANT KIM MARIANO GRAPHIC ARTIST JANINE DELA CUESTA, 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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FIXT URE

IN THE CLOUDS

A look into local startups that are making our lives easier TEXT RENZ NOLLASE ILLUSTRATION TRISTAN TAMAYO

The Internet is a borderless space.

Although a life lived online may not appeal to everyone, some entrepreneurs and Internet wünder kids have adapted efficiently to

life under its influence. Across the invisible airwaves where this digital world exists, online platforms and mobile apps are offering innovative services and solutions to real-life

problems. And within the techie backyards of Metro Manila, local startups and online platforms are thriving, offering new ways of experiencing every day.

CAPE Those who have experienced snagging the oft elusive chance-passenger ticket from an airline know that it’s a rare blessing. The Cape app makes this mythical experience more accesible by allowing users to reserve standby tickets.

The reservation is constantly updated to let the user know if he or she will be able to go on the said flight. The app’s social network aspect gives incentives for group bookings and sharing your travel activities with friends. www.mycape.io

PLATO.PH This online platform brings the private dining experience to anyone who has Wi-Fi connection. On the site is a roster of home cooks and private chefs with their own menus who offer a table in their private homes. Users simply have

to browse for their preferred chef and either book a date or request a seat at the chef’s next scheduled dinner. As of now, there are six chefs on their roster, but there is also an option to apply as host. www.plato.ph

EDUKASYON.PH

FLYSPACES Renting a hotel room—or, more recently, a private room in someone else’s home—is not a completely alien idea to most of us. A relatively new concept, however, is booking office spaces and meeting places online, very much the way AirBnB works but in the

corporate setting. Flyspaces offers easy access to collaborative and corporate spaces to cater to the increasingly international conduct of businesses with spaces in Cebu, Manila, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. www.flyspaces.com

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This online platform is the virtual sagely brother or sister that many a high school graduate has longed for. Edukasyon.ph is a portal of opportunities providing students quick applications for their dream course, school, or scholarship. On the site are tips for surviving school in general as well as guides for those who wish to study abroad. www.edukasyon.ph

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HEALT H

THE GOOD PSYCHEDELIC

How helping others can induce certain states of bliss TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON ILLUSTRATION REESE LANSANGAN

There’s hardly any reason for doctors to promote the lifestyles of Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie, except of course when philanthropy enters the picture. “Helper’s high” pertains to states of euphoria triggered by doing good deeds, probably those experienced by no less than Abraham Lincoln himself or fictional French girl Amélie Poulain.

Stimulating the production of endorphins in the brain, doing good apparently induces a subtle, natural iteration of a morphine high. The Atlantic cites a study conducted at Washington University: “Older adults who began tutoring children demonstrated improvements in stamina, memory, flexibility, and depression.” Research from the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the U.S. further states that thoughts of giving money to charity activate parts of the brain stimulated by food and sex. Kindness, apparently, is a pleasure on its own.

Physically, what we can call the added perks of being kind stem from the relaxation of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Studies prove that helping someone face to face reduces blood pressure and improves the activity of the vagus nerve—the longest nerve in the body—to keep the heart in shape. There are even studies that say regular volunteering prevents early death much more effectively than exercising.

Beyond medical explanations, there’s a more apparent reason why donating, caregiving, and volunteering

probably give a more elusive existential pleasure: dogooders perceive the tangible results of what they do—improving lives, making a difference—and likely become closer to fulfilling a more abstract change-theworld agenda.

“Charity is really self-interest masquerading under the form of altruism,” says Jesuit priest Anthony de Mello.

While philanthropists and volunteers enjoy the merits of recognition, self-validation, building a legacy, or simply attaining peace of mind, prescribing kindness for health reasons, if not a bit ridiculous, can be somewhat paradoxical. It casts charity simply as a means for one’s own sense of satisfaction. Sara Konrath, a researcher at Indiana University, further observes that people who volunteer for more self-satisfying motives had mortality risks similar to those of the average individual.

The fact is that altruism, rather than philanthropy or volunteering, requires a certain state of mind rather than a mere calculation of money donated or hours spent in the field. Selfless attitudes bring about an inner balance otherwise achievable only through intense meditation. Moving past navel-gazing or one’s personal hero narrative, an individual can focus on building stronger social ties, in effect reducing a crippling sense of dissatisfaction and isolation. Even Dickens’s Ebenezer Scrooge lived longer by thinking of others for a change.

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BEAUT Y

MANE CONCERNS

Saving strands from unexpected culprits of hair loss TEXT CARLA DELOS REYES ILLUSTRATION DANICA CONDEZ

Hair loss—or excessive shedding of hair in men and women—is probably one of the most common (and unnerving) scalp conditions today. Human hair grows approximately one-fourth of an inch per month; 50 to 100 strands fall out of the scalp per day. Thanks to the handful of strands on our pillowcases and shower drains, we are reminded of this rueful reality every day.

Then again, hair exists for reasons way beyond the scope of vanity. It is, for the most part, also a lifeline: a health indicator that issues a fair warning when something is simply not right with the body. Below are three surprising causes of hair loss that may be side effects of other health issues.

Crash Diets When you suddenly strip your body of the nutrients it needs to function normally, it switches to survival mode: to sustain itself, it

redirects its remaining proteins to more important tasks (such as preserving your organs) instead of repairing hair tissues. Your hair is generally made of protein, so you can imagine how the lack— or absence—of it can affect your lustrous locks. Protein deficiency may lead to telogen effluvium, in which hair roots are prematurely forced into resting phase before shedding entirely.

Tip: Maintain a healthy diet with high-quality protein such as eggs, meat, seafood, and soya. On its own, a medium-sized egg comes complete with 20 amino acids that your body requires.

Major Surgeries General anesthesia and certain medical procedures can actually cause hair loss three months after being administered. While anesthesia may only temporarily relax the muscles or cause loss of consciousness, its effects on the

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hair follicles are longer lasting.

Surgeries send the body into an extreme state of shock, so hair fiber activity stops completely and goes into a resting state.

Tip: Your hair will repair itself only when the body finds its balance, so take time to heal and replace lost nutrients after surgery.

Steamy Showers Your hair is never more prone to breakage than when it’s in the confines of your own bathroom.

Just like it does to the skin, hot water dehydrates the strands and instantly makes them brittle by washing away protective oils and forcing pores to compensate with oil production. This, in addition to combing wet hair and aggressive towel-drying, is a perfect formula for hair fall.

Tip: Use lukewarm water when washing your hair and avoid too much friction by patting (instead of rubbing) it when towel-drying.

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FEAT URE

AGE OF RESTORATION SOUTHERN living

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FEAT URE

The Legarda Mansion, a symbol of Manila’s cultural identity, closes its doors to the public TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

“Where were they all those years?” asks Suzette Legarda Montinola, bemused by the sudden surge of reservations at La Cocina de Tita Moning upon the announcement of their last day of service. “I wonder sometimes—we’ve been around for 16 years. We had so many lean years of nobody dining with us, when we were really, really struggling. And now everybody’s saying, ‘Oh, that’s so sad!’ Really? Where were you?

Why didn’t you come sooner?”

Montinola, the granddaughter of the Legarda Mansion’s original owners Doña Ramona and Don Alejandro Legarda, opened the almost 80-year-old Art Deco house to the public 16 years ago to offer a Filipino-style fine dining service to Manila diners. It eventually expanded into a heritage museum.

It still stands today in all its 1930s glory and still carries with it a chapter of the history of the city.

However, last May 31, Montinola and the heirs of the mansion collectively decided to cease both operations in the restaurant and the viewing of their family’s personal collections.

Tucked in San Rafael Street, a stone’s throw away from the Malacañang Palace, this pre-war house once pulsated with the rhythm of cosmopolitanism. It was then a prime location for Manila’s elite, as it was near places like the shopping centers in Escolta and San Marcelino, the Manila Hotel, and the Manila Metropolitan Theater.

Entering this part of Manila where urban dwellers who stick to Makati-BGC-EDSA-Ortigas don’t tread, it gives one wistful recollections of Manila’s golden age. And the Legarda Mansion, together with the La Cocina de Tita Moning dining experience, once shared a glimpse of Manila’s halcyon days, a lifestyle and sophistication lost over the years.

Don Alejandro—a doctor, founding member of the Camera Club of the Philippines, and an amateur radio enthusiast—hosted many gatherings and meetings with friends and colleagues. In turn, his better half Doña Ramona, or Tita Moning, learned and perfected the art of entertaining at home. “To entertain at home is always a bit of a hassle. You work the whole day and then you would have to do the dishes after. It’s basically a lifestyle,” quips Montinola.

She opened the kitchen and dining area to recreate these lavish gatherings and to share her grandmother’s heirloom recipes. Hung on the wall of their original dining room is a collection of blue Meissen plates,

hand-painted and lined with gold. This set was used during one of the dinners in which William Howard Taft, then the first commissioner of the US assigned to Manila, was in attendance. Even the china, glassware, and silverware were part of Don Alejandro and Doña Ramona’s personal collection.

“Tita Moning didn’t have recipe books or notebooks where she recorded all the food that she created and cooked. I had to shadow our old cook and observe him for months,” she says.

The staff behind La Cocina is considered family.

“Without them, there wouldn’t be La Cocina,” emphasizes Montinola.

Once seated at your table, pieces of paper are prepared for every guest’s reference. One is the menu, another is a short history of the restaurant, and last is the brochure that holds the profiles of the La Cocina staff.

Their chief cook Russel Atipon was a former houseboy of Tita Moning. Tenesia “Tining” Techo, La Cocina’s assistant, moved in with the Legardas when she married the Legarda family driver Leonor Techo back in 1971.

And the list goes on with old and new hires who have dedicated their lives to serving the family. When asked what will happen to them once the restaurant closes, Montinola answers, “Some, like our original cook, would be transferred to the homes of the heirs and some would be provided with ample separation pay.”

The sala or the waiting room is nothing short of remarkable. Facing the sala set is an original painting by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, entitled La Inocencia. As years passed, Montinola slowly restored and arranged different rooms of the house to showcase their family’s personal collection. Most rooms are set up to display her grandfather’s works and hobbies: the clinic, library, antique camera equipment, and antique radio equipment.

Thanks to Montinola’s expertise in the hospitality industry, she was able to sustain the quality of not only the food but also the house. The business lasted for almost two decades and has garnered much attention to expand and support almost every expense needed for the house’s restoration. “Just like an old man, you need to attend to his every ache and pain regularly,” says Montinola. “We’re lucky that we lasted 16 years.

We were able to develop the whole thing, but it’s really because the owners of the house allowed it to be done.

I don’t know any other family that would have allowed something like this to be done to their property.”

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FEAT URE Clockwise from left: Conrado Luzano is the kitchen helper while Marcelo Garay is the assistant cook, who met his wife at La Cocina; At every table, a bell is placed to call the staff; Tining Techo became the restaurant’s manager after servicing the family for almost four decades; Chicken relleno is their holiday bestseller.

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FEAT URE

“We’re lucky that we lasted 16 years. We were able to develop the whole thing, but it’s really because the owners of the house allowed it to be done.”

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COV ER STORY On Michelline: Long sleeved top, P1,275, Forever 21, SM Aura Premier.

On Maxine: Top, P1,290, Uniqlo, SM Makati. On Beatrix: Off-shoulder top, P3,450, Marks and Spencer, Central Square, Bonifacio High Street.

SIBLING REVELRY SOUTHERN living

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CEBU LIVING

May 2016 Volume 10 | Issue 9

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3

MICHAEL CANCIO Lessons from a slice of pizza Napolitana Page 14

FRANZ IGNACIO

New rules of design from the man behind bamboo speakers Page 16

KRYZ UY

Shifting from trends to a brand of her own Page 15

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COV ER STORY Known for her bubbly personality, Maxine draws inspiration from the fantastic and even the morbid as seen in this piece for the “Las Tres Marias” exhibit.

Though cut from the same cloth, the Syjuco sisters are each a force of their own nature TEXT SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PHOTOGRAPHY EDRIC CHEN

Going by appearances, you wouldn’t know how full the Sjyuco sisters’ plates are for the rest of the year—it is packed, by the way. There was last month’s opening of their group exhibit “Las Tres Marias” at the Qube Gallery in Cebu, which runs until mid-­June. It will be recreated on a bigger scale in the latter half of September at the Singapore Management University, with talks, a fashion show, a performance art event, and possibly even workshops where the three will share with art management students the creative and commercial aspects of sustaining a career in the arts. Though there have been group shows before that featured the works of all the arts scene­-inclined Syjucos, “Las Tres Marias” is the first time that only the sisters—Michelline, Beatrix, and Maxine—are participating in an exhibit.

And it couldn’t have come at a better time, with the three now in their 30s.

Michelline straddles both fashion and art, creating one-­of­-a-­kind jewelry pieces and exquisitely detailed sculptures. In September, she’ll be representing the Philippines at Maison et Object in Paris and also might participate at Tokyo Fashion Week in October, in addition to exhibiting at Manila FAME and the MaArte Exhibit at the National Museum.

Beatrix, known for her abstract paintings and video

installations and for using her body as a medium through her performance art, is also busy doing commissioned pieces for Shangri­ -La at the Fort and private collectors. Come September, she’ll be part of another group show, this time with fellow abstractionists, and then she’ll be doing a one­ woman show in November. Maxine, meanwhile, is a published poet, a mixed media artist, and the vocalist and songwriter for art­rock band Jack of None, which she formed with her brothers A.G. and Julian. They just released their first album internationally and are busy with its promotion. Maxine is working on her second book of poetry in which she will incorporate her visual art; on commissioned landscape installations for a mall in Cebu; and on an upcoming exhibit at the Oarhouse Pub in Malate, all on top of her children’s art classes at The Little Picasso.

Yet inside Art Lab, the experimental art facility founded, directed, and curated by their parents Cesare and Jean Marie, the Syjuco sisters show none of the rush and chaos that go behind the scenes of every art project. They speak with clarity about their artistry and display the kind of control seen in those who’ve worked hard and long enough to know what they want to do and how to do it.

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“Some find it hard to associate my art with me as an artist,� says Maxine Syjuco.

On Maxine: Off-shoulder top, P3,450, Marks and Spencer, Glorietta 4.

COV ER STORY On Michelline: Denim jacket, P1,535, and top, P915, both Forever 21, SM Aura Premier. Cullotes, P1,290, Uniqlo, SM Makati.

Michelline Syjuco, eldest of the three, has always been known for her one-of-a-kind sculptural jewelry.

Thus the timeliness of their first formal exhibit together. “It’s great that it’s coming together now that we’ve settled into our own identities as artists,” Michelline says. Given the stark differences in what they do, there’s a general arc in what they each bring to the table. “The usual stuff we do can’t really be displayed in a gallery setting,” she continues. “So for this show, it’ll be works that are meant to be displayed in an exhibit.”

Likening what they do to individual branches growing out of the same tree, Maxine points out a recurring concept in their respective bodies of work: “They revolve around the woman: her strengths, her beauty, her pains. Unlike a regular show, we’re not sticking to a set theme. We’re each doing our own thing yet you’ll see how it all goes together.”

The three had an early start in the process of finding their own thing, exposed early on to their parents’ artistry. But beyond creative curiosity and autonomy, they also learned by osmosis the importance of proper communication. The coaching they received from their mother for school plays and poetry recitals is an experience shared by plenty of other kids, but what’s particular to the Syjucos is again tied to what their parents do. “Our mom is very particular about how we speak,” Beatrix says of Jean Marie, who’s known as an early proponent of Philippine performance art aside from being a visual and installation artist. Cesare, of course, is a respected art critic as well as an artist and

poet. “With him, lots of people would get upset with what he writes, because he expresses what he thinks,” says Maxine. “We learned how to communicate through what he did.” A collective childhood memory for the three is sleeping together in one bed, falling asleep to the sound of their parents talking about art right over their heads. “They talk about everything, and it’s the same with us, from the most mundane to the most profound things,” Beatrix says.

This is why the Syjuco sisters are great at engaging the media. Aside from their notable accomplishments, particular artistic perspectives, and—let’s not deny it— their good looks, they’re effective at talking about their art. As hard as they work on their craft, they’re also good when it comes to presentation, and it’s something that can’t be said of all artists.

There are drawbacks to it too, however. “The audience often doesn’t separate us from our work, which is both good and bad,” says Beatrix. “We’ve heard so many times that we don’t look like artists; more like artistas daw.”

“It’s difficult for artists who look the way we do to be taken seriously,” Maxine confirms. “But what we create is different from what’s seen on the exterior, so what we do is let people know we look this way and that we’re artists. We’re not apologizing for the way we look.”

Michelline adds, “People have preconceived notions

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COV ER STORY For an upcoming exhibit, Michelline creates dark, ethereal sculptures of dragons made with brass.

“It’s great that it’s coming together now that we’ve settled into our own identities as artists.”

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COV ER STORY

On Beatrix: Cardigan, P2,290, Uniqlo, SM Makati. Lace top, P1,425, Forever 21, SM Aura Premier. Jeans, P2,199, Sfera, SM Makati.

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STYLING RANDZ MANUCOM MAKE UP ARIA ORTEGA (FOR MAXINE AND BEATRIX) AND ANGEL MANHILOT OF MAC COSMETICS (FOR MICHELLINE) HAIR JET BABAS

COV ER STORY Apart from her performance art pieces, Beatrix Syjuco creates monochromatic textured abstract paintings and video installations.

“People have preconceived notions of what an artist is and how they’re supposed to dress or act, but there’s no one way how an artist should be.

It’s a good thing to redefine artistry. That’s what art is about anyway, breaking boundaries.” of what an artist is and how they’re supposed to dress or act, but there’s no one way how an artist should be. It’s a good thing to redefine artistry. That’s what art is about anyway, breaking boundaries.”

And it’s also about authenticity, something the three also learned from their parents firsthand.

Regardless of how articulate they are about their art, ultimately, they know that what they create speaks for itself, given the passion poured into it.

Maxine, for example, is a self-­admitted workaholic, not stopping at her work until it’s finished and she’s happy with it—even with something as simple as the Art Lab brochure. “Our parents instilled in us the value of not doing anything halfway. Go all the way with whatever you do,” she says. Michelline knows she’d earn more if she went the mass production route with her jewelry, “but it’s the one-­of­-a-­kind that appeals to me. I make jewelry because it makes me happy and

fulfilled. If what I do is appreciated, great! But I am already happy making what I do. It isn’t my goal to have everyone wear my work.”

“Integrity leads to credibility, and that leads to appreciation of the work,” says Beatrix, whose edgy, charcoal-­ bathing performances have made friends marvel over how balanced she is in real life. Her onstage persona is always somewhere within her, however.

“People see the integrity in our work when we’re honest with what we do. We don’t seek to create something for the sake of others’ appreciation.”

Living in the far south, the sisters have created a safe space where they can dive into wherever creativity leads them, using an internal barometer instead of outside validation to gauge whether a piece of art is complete.

“We’re not trying to be especially different,” Maxine concludes. “We’re not trying to fit any mold.” In the process, each of them made their own.

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ST YLE

JUMP START Busy days call for light apparel PHOTOGRAPHY CENON NORIAL III STYLING EDLENE CABRAL

Pullover, P1,075, and trousers, P1,185, both Forever 21, SM Aura Premier. Sneakers, Adidas, P4,595, Greenbelt 3.

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ST YLE

Long waistcoat, P2,995, Zara, Greenbelt 5.

Tank top, P290, Uniqlo, SM Makati.

Skirt, P790, H&M, SM Makati.

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ST YLE

MAKE UP CLAIRE SEELIN DIOKNO OF SHU UEMUREA MODEL UNIQUE OF ELITE MANILA

Tank top, P395, Topshop, Power Plant Mall. Shorts, P1,999, and cardigan (tied around the waist), P1,599, both Sfera, SM Makati.

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ST YLE

Quarter-sleeved top, P599, Sfera, SM Makati.

Skirt, Light Shine White.

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ST YLE Dress, P2,995, Zara, Greenbelt 5.

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EATS La Maripili Churreria offers six flavors of sweet-filled churros for the price of P60.

STICK SHIFT

The churros invasion continues in Manila TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

Branded as a place disconnected from the real world, Alabang just joined the churro craze with the opening of La Maripili Churreria in the newest building of Alabang Town Center.

The churro is definitely the hero in this churreria, which is just over a month old. Golden rods made of flour, salt, and water are cooked non-stop to serve the curious and churro-deprived diners in Alabang. As you line up at the counter, you can observe how the magic of churro-making happens.

Every batch is deep-fried in clear vegetable oil and then transferred to a baking tray with a sheet of white paper, proof to the diners that their churros are served with no grease.

Placed in white paper cones, these sugar-sprinkled sticks are best devoured with organic hot

chocolate from Davao. It may be a tad bitter to some palates, but it is the perfect match to a perfectly cooked churro. With every bite, you will hear a crunch, a crunch that echoes even as you chew. On the inside, it is light and spongy, different from the tough and chewy churros common in other establishments. The hot chocolate (please don’t call it a dip) is the middle ground of not too runny and not too thick.

Apart from the classic churros, La Maripili also offers flavored versions—with a choice of sweet fillings or savory toppings—and chocolate-coated churros. Their fillings vary from the cocktailinspired Mojito to the playful Chocolate and Chili Mousse.

These churros can also be stuffed with the savory Spanish favorites: jamon serrano and chorizo. And

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for the extra sweet tooth, the various chocolate-coated churro options are the way to go. Here’s a tip: order the dark chocolate one with an additional drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.

There is more to this quaint churreria than churros. Toasts and sandwiches are often overlooked on the menu, but the options available are simple yet rich in flavor. The Pinoy Catalan—one of the favorite toasts—is made with grated tomato, homemade roasted peppers and onions, and spicy tawilis in olive oil.

For sandwiches, La Maripili Churreria’s version of grilled cheese is made more special with homemade chorizo.

With the resurgence of churros in Manila, give it a few more years until this Spanish snack becomes a local classic.

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EATS

Departing from Spain’s churro street stands, La Maripili creates a full dining experience (above left). The churreria also supports local produce, like the organic cacao from Davao used for the hot chocolates (above) and organic cherry tomatoes and local cheese for the French Melt (left).

La Maripili. GF Alabang Town Center Corporate Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. 0905-5187422.

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EATS Despite the bare appearance and taste of Milk Trade’s dishes, a level of technique and precision is needed to prepare it. A simple search online will reveal that the commom snack is the object of obsession in Hong Kong.

BARE NECESSITIES

Between bold flavors co-existing in one space is a stall that’s toting something simply addictive TEXT RENZ NOLLASE PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

At the corner end of a line of stalls at Hole in the Wall sits a curious counter—curious not because of an eccentric visage but the lack thereof. Save for the steam box filled with plastic-wrapped bowls, Milk Trade is stark compared to the more colorful designs of its neighbors, and the newly opened stall’s two dishes also have the same straightforward quality.

Steamed milk pudding and eggette waffles don’t have much to say in terms of ingredients and flavor. Although upon investigation, the seemingly uncomplicated dishes require a good deal of technique and precision. Both the bowl of pudding’s and the ovoid confection’s simplicity evoke a

forgotten nature: that of youth and naiveté associated with simpler times of childhood.

Both dishes, in fact, are ingrained in the collective memory of Hong Kong’s population, as the two are common there: eaten with a meal or as a snack, unreserved for a particular time. “Our partner Charles Paw was really addicted to the steamed milk. He told us that there’s nothing quite like it here in the Philippines,” says Kristine Lotilla, one of the partners behind the concept. Halfway between local taho and flan in mouthfeel, the highlight of the bowl of pudding lies in the layer of skin that adds texture to an otherwise smooth spoonful.

It is the playful texture of the

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two that appeals, in a raw way, to childhood fancies. The eggette could easily be an afternoon snack bought from manang outside school grounds. A treat held in your hand or shared with friends on the way home, the globes of moist cake are covered by a crisp golden exterior.

Eating in itself becomes play.

There’s room to grow and build on Milk Trade’s two dishes, however, as there are plans to add toppings and other flavors soon. But between the pursuit of bold flavors and filling portions at Hole in the Wall, Milk Trade’s menu offers something light and refreshing. While it may not rouse gastronomic fantasies, a bowl of steamed milk and a cone of eggette offer innocent enjoyment.

EATS Clockwise from left: Hong Kong Milk Tea; you can order steamed milk two ways: hot or cold in plain and chocolate flavor; Milk Trade’s bare design.

Milk Trade. Hole in the Wall, 4F Century City Mall, Kalayaan Ave. cor. Salamanca St., Poblacion, Makati City. www.facebook.com/milktradebrand.

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RECIPE

TAKE A DIP

A lazy rainy afternoon calls for a light Mediterranean snack TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY GABBY CANTERO

ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS WITH MIXED VEGETABLES INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup garbanzos 6 cloves garlic 2 cups extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. sesame seeds 1 cucumber, julienned 1 carrot, julienned 2 to 3 red radishes, sliced 5 cherry tomatoes Paprika for garnish PREPARATION

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C. 2. Roast garlic in the oven for around 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Blend garbanzos and garlic.

Slowly add olive oil and blend until texture resembles paste.

4. Spread the roasted garlic hummus on a plate. Add vegetables and garnish with sesame seeds and paprika.

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T HE GET

SCENTS OF PLACE

Tactile fragrances that easily drift into the intimacies of home TEXT CARLA DELOS REYES

Walking into a scented room is probably one of life’s most overlooked pleasures. For Hermès perfumer Céline Ellena, “An interior perfume is a scent that we listen to, an olfactory whisper that pushes us to escape. With it,” she says, “spirit takes to the air.”

Finding a way to make this ephemeral charm of fragrances last longer, Céline, together with Hermès craftperson Guillaume Bardet, usher in Le Parfum de la Maison. The collection of home fragrances is comprised of five perfume reveries in three families of peculiar objects: a scented paper origami horse, a perfumed pebble, and a candle bowl. All are available in taupe, celadon, lagoon, sulphur, and pumpkin colors.

These fragrances—silent witnesses to the heart and soul of any room—can cast an ethereal air from the doorstep to the most private affairs of the home.

Available at Hermès. Ground Floor, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City. 757-8910.

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