Southern Living: 2017 June

June 2017 Volume 11 | Issue 10

INCUBATOR

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16 COVER STORY App developer Ben Wintle on managing a start-up

EATS

A family-owned restaurant reinvents home cuisine

Cover photo by Joseph Pascual

JUNE 2017 04 FIXTURE Playing fair in the business

26 RECIPE The quintessential rice dish with avocado

06 BEAUTY An additional step to your skincare routine for a more radiant complexion

28 THE GET A bottle of heritage spirit

10 FEATURE Casa de Memoria brings auctions closer to the youth

EDITOR’S NOTE Through tinted glass “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits.

The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.

They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo…” The Steve Jobs-narrated “Think Differently” campaign of Apple first aired in 1997 and placed a lot of pressure on the tech rat race.

However, as inspirational as it is, the script was reportedly taken from Rob Siltanen, who was working on the Apple pitch at the time.

At present, the case for originality is a constant battle for proprietorship, where the first ones who patent an idea win. In some cases, the conception of an idea is the result

of looking through a different lens.

In our cover story, app developer Ben Wintle gives us unexpected advice on success. He talks about his daily routine and how a crazy idea might just be the seed of a successful business solution, starting with “someone turning to the person beside them and saying, ‘here’s a crazy idea that might work.’”

We also discuss the necessary role of sustainability in today’s corporate landscape and how a curious auction house is turning to the younger crowd to foster a market traditionally driven by an older generation.

Here’s to those who found their niche by looking at a problem and thinking, “I never saw it that way.”

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ONLINE

SOUTHERN living

GOING PLACES

Know where to go across Metro Manila

GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR BEA CELDRAN EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS OLIVER EMOCLING, EDLAINE FLOR, BEA LLAGAS ONLINE ASSOCIATE EDITOR PAULINE MIRANDA CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIMU MUALLAM ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR DANICA CONDEZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PATRICK SEGOVIA, NICCOLLO SANTOS INTERNS JAN BAUTISTA, JILL FERNANDEZ, EUGENE HERRERA, JAMIE NAVARRO CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS SARAH ARROGANTE, KRISTELLE ANN BATCHELOR, SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO, ALYOSHA ROBILLOS ILLUSTRATORS GRACE DE LUNA, TERRENCE EDUARDE PHOTOGRAPHERS RG MEDESTOMAS, JOSEPH PASCUAL HAIR AND MAKEUP JAN EDROSOLAN COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADER ROMEO MORAN 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 SALES SUPERVISOR JOY SANTOS-PILAR KEY ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST ANGELITA TAN-IBAÑEZ SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ABBY GINAGA, THEA ORDIALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANDIE ZUÑIGA, CHARM BANZUELO, LIZA JISON SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANTS RECHELLE ENDOZO, MANILYN ILUMIN MANAGING EDITOR ANGELA VELASCO ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR PAM BROOKE CASIN EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS SHARM DE SAN JOSE, CHRISTELLE TOLISORA, KRYZETTE PAPAGAYO SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES SHANNA MALING, SARAH CABALATUNGAN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE INA MATEO GRAPHIC ARTISTS CHEE FLORES, NICO ORTIGOZA, KRISTINE PAZ, JAYCELINE SORIANO 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

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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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DOING WELL BY DOING GOOD

Integrating CSR into a company’s business practice results in more than just lowered taxes TEXT BEA CELDRAN ILLUSTRATION TERENCE EDUARTE

There was a time when paying the minimum in taxes was viewed as a compromise in a company’s ethics and integrity, particularly in the American corporate sector, according to a study co-authored by David Guenther from the University of Oregon. However, recent reports of companies engaging in goodwill have proven the opposite. Today, embedding a solid corporate social responsibility (CSR) program into a

company’s business model not only curbs its taxes but also has a slew of benefits that every forward-thinking organization should consider.

These benefits may not directly affect the company immediately, but they will in the long run. Ostensibly, the main recipients of this goodwill are the host communities that organizations partner with. Apart from the usual charitable mindset, CSR programs

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“When a company shows that they care about communities and issues outside of their walls, the same outlook becomes rooted in the mindset of their employees, too.”

are geared towards sustainability for future-proofing the next generation. Case in point: Max’s Group Inc. collaborated with rice farmers of Benguet last year, offering Tinawon rice dishes in select branches.

Sourcing their rice from La Trinidad, the corporation hopes to encourage younger generations of farming communities to return and tend to the idle rice terraces—a problem that older farmers face, with most of their children leaving the province and the country for the promise of better careers and higher-paying occupations elsewhere.

Apart from lowered taxes and the altruistic feeling of doing good, having a tight-knit CSR strategy has a multitude of advantages.

Rack up savings While CSR was once looked upon with the suspicion of greenwashing, it has become a serious and sensible concept to adapt for a company. Instead of tagging it as “CSR,” the preferred term now is “sustainability,” especially for companies with the desire to go green.

Using less energy or sourcing locally allows a company to increase savings in the long run while brandishing an eco-friendly and community-centered reflection of its policies. Jollibee, for example, installed a heat recovery system a few years back in hundreds of their branches, leading to a major spike in their annual energy savings.

Flaunting a positive image Of course, with all the good a company is doing, it would not matter if there was no media mileage to it. Good publicity is a key factor in an organization’s impression on possible supporters. In the Philippines, most CSR efforts are event-driven, and philanthropy is frequently a one-hit wonder among the company’s list of yearly activities. However, apart from the bi-annual mandatory tree-planting, there is now an increasing

amount of companies engaging in integrated CSR, mostly with their employees in mind. For example, Resorts World set up its League of Volunteer Employees (LOVE), which allows their employees to reach out to the less fortunate through blood donation drives, medical missions, and the like.

Immersing the employees Building a company’s image isn’t only beneficial outwardly, but internally as well. Instilling the culture of philanthropy in the workplace encourages professional growth in employees. When a company shows empathy toward communities and issues outside the office, the same outlook becomes rooted in the mindset of their employees, too. From a local perspective, Filipinos are veterans at altruistic tendencies; just take a look at the numerous outreach programs attached to complement local companies’ special events. These “fulfilling” activities promote employee satisfaction, and improve overall productivity at work.

Engaging more consumers It has been known that consumers are eager to support products that back communities or care for the environment. According to the 2015 Nielsen Global Sustainability Report, there is a growing number of consumers willing to pay more for sustainable goods—specifically, 66 percent of the respondents in the survey, up from 2014’s 55 percent and 2013’s 50 percent. Filipinos are also riding on the bandwagon of sustainability. In the 2013 Nielsen Global Survey on corporate social responsibility, the Philippines ranked the highest among Southeast Asian countries in showing a strong willingness to pay more for products by companies that are known to give back to the community, or have a sturdy brand alignment with sustainability and environmentalism.

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BEAUT Y

BOOST UP

The latest rising beauty product promises to do the body good, inside and out TEXT KRISTELLE ANN BATCHELOR ILLUSTRATION GRACE DE LUNA

The Korean skincare routine is basking in its warranted heyday. But in case you didn’t know, the immaculate complexion sported by Koreans is achieved only through the use of numerous products, from moisturizers to sheet masks. Now added to the ever growing loot are skin boosters, which beauty experts are swearing by.

Skin boosters boast a plethora of benefits, starting from pore unclogging. Most kinds contain vitamin C, which can address hyperpigmentation and prevent premature skin aging. Studies show that skin boosters make the skin’s outermost layer, the stratum corneum, more intact, which is crucial for the immune system. Boosting the said barrier prevents infection and dehydration and will result in a healthy glow.

Skin boosters are applied after cleansing and toning, and before applying serums, because unlike the latter, which primarily retains the skin’s moisture and targets only certain problems, skin boosters nurture the overall skin surface.

Brands have been championing the product,

making use of probiotics along with integrating a healthy dose of surface hydrators in their formulas, like flaxseed and glasswort extracts. Elizabeth Arden’s national training manager David Whyte explains how boosters allow the skin to perform at its optimum state while still keeping enough bacteria around that skin cells need: “Just like we have good and bad bacteria in our gut flora, we have bacterial microflora on the surface of our skin, which is essential for maintaining the health of the skin.”

Ultimately, skin boosters make other skin products work more efficiently. It’s the essential top coat to protect skin from toxins.

Staying beautiful and healthy doesn’t come without a price tag, but with the inevitable pollution and other noxious substances we encounter on a daily basis, the best bet is to invest on the care of our first layer of defense. Just be cautious of the amount you apply as it would depend on your skin’s level of dryness. Results are visible shortly, evident in the three signs of healthy-looking skin: softness, evenness, and radiance.

Skin boosters

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1. La prairie White Caviar Illuminating Pearl Infusion, Rustan’s Beauty Source 2. SK-II Radical New Age Essence, Sephora.ph 3. Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum, Rustan’s Beauty Source

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SHADES OF COOL

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Ready yourself for the return of the rainy season PHOTOGRAPHY RG MEDESTOMAS

1. Stainless steel cup, P549, Crate and Barrel, SM Makati 2. Slippers, Havaianas, Common Thread, Greenbelt 5 3. Watch, P4,000, Swatch, Greenbelt 5 4. Perfume, P7,998, Comme des Garçons, One Rockwell East Tower 5. Socks, P4,998, Vetements, Univers, One Rockwell East Tower 6. Jacket, P1,490, Uniqlo, Power Plant Mall 7. “Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2,” Satchmi, SM Megamall

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HOUSE OF SPIRITS At Casa de Memoria, generations and cultures intersect as fine works of art TEXT ALYOSHA J. ROBILLOS PHOTOGRAPHY RG MEDESTOMAS

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Two of the three ladies behind Casa de Memoria, our clientele with stories. Our visuals, too, are very Manila’s newest addition to its growing roster of different,” says marketing manager Camille Lhuillier. auction houses, sit on leather-upholstered sandwich With her sister Angelique Lhuillier-Miranda and their lounge chairs from Italy, the contrast of finely aged, cousin Tiffany Mathay, she runs the auction house, cocoa brown leather and cool chrome frames setting which they established in May of 2016. a subtle man-about-town appeal to their office“Our director (Lhuillier-Miranda) primarily showroom in Bel-Air, Makati. An arm’s length away is wanted to establish Casa de Memoria out of her love a pair of 19th century revival-style candelabras, made for art. That has long been established. We knew of gilt bronze, set atop an 18th century Portuguese her growing up, and it was a natural progression center table with intricate wood carving and brass for her to open this because she wanted to share art mounts. Here and there is an assortment of antiquities: with other people,” Lhuillier explains. A year later, silverware, paintings thanks to a small team of and prints, metalwork, “We really want to be a place where dedicated professionals porcelain and ceramics, and a killer corporate carpets, wild boar and people could come in and enjoy art— identity design, Casa de antelope heads, and an has built a solid obviously buy [them too]—but also Memoria imposing floor-to-ceiling brand, held six successful gilt mirror from France, share with others what they have.” auctions, opened a popamong other things. up store called “The Notable were a pair of bookshelves veneered with Casa” in 8 Rockwell, and staged a number of other rosewood (the most expensive lot in the collection, events, including the auction-themed launch of shoe which starts at P700,000) and a signed limited edition brand Aquazzura in the country—and those are only copy of Helmut Newton’s book Sumo, which weighs for starters.

35.4 kilos; it’s not exactly what you’d call a light read.

“We’re kind of amazed and flattered at the attention All these and more were part of Casa de Memoria’s we’ve gotten. It’s just really nice to be welcomed so recent offering, an auction featuring selections quickly,” Lhuillier says. “inspired by the cultured men from the ages of To set themselves apart from other local auction enlightenment to the post-modern times” and aptly houses, Casa de Memoria has exclusively offered titled “The Gentleman’s Pursuits.” Aside from a European pieces since its debut, but Mathay, who is steady clientele, well-curated themed events like “The the operations manager, says this doesn’t mean they’re Gentleman’s Pursuits” were what catapulted Casa de closing their doors to other selections. “Down the Memoria to what it is now. line, we will be open to local art. It’s just that we kind “Inherently, auction houses have this connotation of wanted to start differently as opposed to what the of being old and not really for young people. But I competitors are offering now.” think what people will notice in our branding is that But for Lhuillier, their decision to offer European we’re doing things differently: We’re trying to excite pieces was a no-brainer because of their family’s

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Prized in Chinese tradition, these intricately sculpted 19th-century Chinese ancestor ivory figurines from Guangzhou, represent deceased ancestors (right).

A limited edition copy of Helmut Newton’s Sumo, signed by the author, weighs 35.4 kilos and measures 70x50 cm, and comes with a bespoke stand designed by Phillipe Starck.

FEAT URE

European heritage. She adds that their love for art was something they deeply shared with their father, who is half French.

“We are a temporary resting stop for these items—these memories— that will go into new homes to make new memories.”

Art for all Casa de Memoria also prides itself in having an art-forall policy: while they are staunch purveyors of quality, they also believe that art does not discriminate. In fact, Lhuillier and Mathay, both only in their 20s, stress that they accept walk-in clients and have price points that younger people can invest in.

Casa de Memoria’s research efforts are also in line with this thrust of bringing art and knowledge of art closer to people. They produce catalogs that not only give clients a list of their current offerings, but also vignettes that are more editorial and informative. Aside from auctions, which they hold every two months, they also offer other services such as further research on an item, appraisal of a piece, and restoration—and these aren’t exclusive only to Casa consignors and items from Casa.

According to Mathay, they’re also currently exploring the possibility of holding workshop seminars on a number of topics, including maintenance and care of art and antiquities, restoration, curation, and appraisal.

Lhullier adds, “We’re really opening up our brand to what we’re calling ‘Casa Living’ in the future, and we’re not only going to be just an auction house. We really want to be a place where people could come in and enjoy art—obviously buy [them too]—but also share with others what they have.”

A new site along Roxas Boulevard is also in the works. Aside from the present showroom in Makati, Casa is looking to expand its territory by repurposing a heritage pre-war home in the heart of Manila. What exactly it’ll turn out to be, though, will have to be a surprise.

Until then, Casa de Memoria has one tip—a golden rule, rather—for budding collectors: know what you want. Like a piece because it genuinely calls to you and not because it’s what’s popular. Like a piece that you will want to make space for in your memory and at home.

After all, Casa de Memoria literally translates to “House of Memories.” “We are a temporary resting stop for these items—these memories—that will go into new homes to make new memories,” Lhuillier concludes.

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DIGITAL NOMAD How to be a disruptor in the business landscape, according to start-up gamechanger Ben Wintle TEXT SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEPH PASCUAL

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If Ben Wintle were to write a how-to guide to entrepreneurship, its contents would definitely run counter to what other books have said. His way is worth trying out, though, given that in the growing start-up industry in the country, his company has been one of the more prominent stories that is as successful as it is Philippine-made.

Second: Get to know the millennial force well, and get used to adjusting to their culture because they’re here to stay.

With a team of 30 people where the average age is 26, Wintle is definitely running a ship comprised of the youngest members of the current workforce—the new generation that has confounded, frustrated, and amazed plenty of older employers. And though at First: No phone within the first hour of waking 35, he himself is not much older than most of his up the morning. staff, Wintle feels the necessity of adjusting to the No checking the news, no scrolling through social younger culture and understanding what they look media feeds, no reading of work messages even. for at work. “What I’ve seen from them is that they “That time is for my mind to go where it wants to want to make more of an impact,” he muses. “They’re go: meditate, ponder on things, relax,” he says. “I’ve also not motivated by a boss giving them set hours. found that if I have a great morning, the rest of the They want to feel trusted that they’d execute their day would be good.” jobs even without strict boundaries in place. Our key Given that he’s the founder [policy] in the company is to and CEO of tech company “Experience doesn’t necessarily treat them like responsible, Scrambled Eggs, Ltd., the productive adults.” translate into what we do. company behind food app Experience has long been Booky, a zero-phone policy in touted as a crucial factor in A lot of things we do were finding employment. For the morning sounds counterintuitive on the surface. He Wintle, though, there are learned on the job.” explains, though, that looking certain qualities in a potential after himself is an integral employee that would trump a part of running his business. “If I’m not healthy, that well-padded resume. “It’s hard to find experienced affects my team, and in turn, that affects our users.” hires because we’re an innovative company, and we Wintle has actually been on a health and wellness try to do things here for the first time. So my approach kick for some time now, as reflected by his choice of in looking for people is to find smart, competent media for consumption. He reads up on the news kids. Anybody who has started a business or wants only during the weekends, and the only app he’d allow to start a business is a good enough indication for himself to open soon after waking up is Headspace, me.” As the apps scene is highly dynamic, start-up which offers simple and effective meditation guides tech companies need to be intuitive to their market’s to users. “I often do the 10-minute practice they needs and must be willing to forge their own paths. have there, though sometimes I meditate on my “Experience doesn’t necessarily translate into what own,” he says. Then there are the last two books we do,” Wintle says. “A lot of things we do were he has read: tennis player Andre Agassi’s Open: An learned on the job.”

Autobiography and Tim Ferriss’ Tools of Titans: The In fact, he believes that doing business differently Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, from the traditional model is necessary. One of the and World-Class Performers. The two titles take unique measures he has done, at least in the local a deeper, more insightful look into the lives of setting, is to offer stock options to his employees. successful people, and Wintle has been especially “They’re partners in the business that way. I try to recommending the latter to everyone. “It’s not the educate them on the value of stock options and how, usual business tips from one person, but a collection in the future, if we get sold to a bigger company, of amazing insights from amazing people: what they that’d translate to a pot of gold for each of them.” do when they wake up in the morning, how they So far, all the adjusting and unusual methods have stay healthy…basically a collection of life hacks.” been working. Wintle reveals, “Three people have

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Ben Wintle also loves dogs. He has a Norwich Terrier named Hugo.

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GROOMING JAN EDROSOLAN

left us in the three years since Booky started—a very the person beside them and saying, ‘Here’s a crazy idea good turnover rate, I believe.” that might work.’” Once the company tests out these crazy ideas, though, they’re always treated methodically Third: Enforce core values that apply not just in as experiments. “We don’t blindly think they’ll just the long-run but also on daily situations. work out,” Wintle explains. “We measure the results.

As quaint as “mission/vision values” sounds, they’re And we do this across all functions of the company to also often unrelatable, especially to those at the see which measures yield the best results. We want to bottom of the office ladder, struggling with the details optimize the return of our efforts.” of grunt work.

He credits his company’s healthy work culture to the In his company, Wintle enforces five core values, and simplicity and efficiency of these core values. “They all none of them are word salads that contain variations apply in how we handle our day-to-day activities.” of “success“ and “growth.” In fact, they’re all succinct and action-oriented: “Ownership is an attitude. Do Fourth: Try to keep it small and localized the hard things first. [Always put] users first. [Don’t be Wintle isn’t exactly happy to have 30 people on his afraid to share] crazy ideas. And the last one is [do] team. “It’s bigger than what I wanted it to be,” he measurable experiments.” admits. “I’ve read this somewhere, and I find it to be The first value is especially reflected not just in the kind of true: ‘Every new hire should be considered aforementioned stock options his employees enjoy but a failure.’ That means whenever we have to hire a also in the collaborative nature of the work. “Booky new person, there’s a failure in the automation.” In started out as a crazy idea, and a lot of the features we’ve a perfect world, he adds, the team he has should rolled out in the app came from someone turning to already be good enough, that the system he has in

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“You must have a unique insight as the backbone of your business, because what works abroad doesn’t always work here.”

place should be efficient enough. “Plus, it’s hard for employees to make an impact at work when it’s a bigger company. Managing people and forming a bond with everyone in the team takes a lot of time and effort.”

The Philippines is still mostly terra incognita to the tech scene—compared to other countries, anyway—and a lot of local aspiring entrepreneurs look at the story of Instagram and how its founding team of 11 ended up selling the company to Facebook for a billion dollars in 2012 as inspiration.

It’s a seductive story, all right, one that drew Wintle himself into the tech business. But since creating his own company and trying out multiple apps before hitting gold with Booky, he now understands that trying to replicate an already existing story or idea

isn’t always the best way. “You must have a unique insight as the backbone of your business, because what works abroad doesn’t always work here,” he advises. “What has remained the same since I started my company is the learning. The hardest parts of starting any business are finding the right problem to solve, penetrating the market, and having assistance in figuring it out. Those haven’t gotten any easier.”

Thus, a localized approach is something worthy of looking into. “Part of our success is that we’re one of the few local Filipino companies that have made a Filipino restaurant app for Filipino consumers,” Wintle stresses. “We have a really strong editorial team and we do a lot of our own digital content, and for those reasons, most restaurants are game to work with us. They want exposure on our platform because what we have works for them and the market they’re serving.” Currently, Booky has 800 partner restaurants, and Wintle is optimistic that they’ll hit the 2,000 mark by the end of the year.

Fifth: Be willing to be a mentor to your employees, and accept that they’re not meant to stick with you forever.

Turnover rate at Wintle’s company is low, but that doesn’t lull him into complacency. Given what he has observed from his millennial team, he knows most of them dream of setting out on their own in the future.

“I hope what they’d learn from working with me is to be critical, to manage their time better, to look for the most efficient way of doing something,” he says. “I learned so much from working in my first business and I got to apply my previous work experiences to running Booky. I encourage my team to do the same: to use Booky as a training ground.

I hope at the end of their stay with us, they get to build a nest egg that they can then use for their own business pursuits.”

He may not be a millennial—“I definitely don’t feel like one”—but Wintle’s “unorthodox” approach to doing business, given especially his corporate background, is a great example of adaptation to a shifting economic landscape. But don’t expect him to act like the moguls of old who believe they hold all the secrets to success. “I’m still figuring things out,” he admits. “I’ll be 50, 60 years old, and I’ll still be figuring things out.”

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EATS Matteo’s Lamb Burger with taro chips and sticky toffee cake

FAMILY AFFAIR

The Mulberry Door is rich in flavor and filial remembrances TEXT EDLAINE FLOR PHOTOGRAPHY NICCOLLO SANTOS

Inside Mulberry Door, luxury is expressed in the details: the abundance of carnations, the small chandeliers placed above each table, the hanging planters that filter in sunlight.

After three years of running her custom catering business, Trish Panlilio opens Mulberry Door together with her three sons. Their culinary offerings resemble international comfort food the brothers grew up with. Designed just like their family house, the new restaurant serves as an extension of their home.

“One afternoon, we were discussing possible names and we remembered this quote we’ve always really liked: ‘A late-blooming flower [doesn’t lack in] fragrance.’ Then we figured that a door symbolizes new adventures and endeavors,” Luca Cu-Unjieng explains the restaurant’s name.

The restaurant’s menu is reminiscent of the brothers’ childhood experiences, and some dishes are even named after them. The Apple and Q-rizo Salpicao, for example, is named after the eldest, Quintin. It’s a spin on the usual chorizo salpicao with its addition of crostini and apples. One of their

highlighted dishes is Matteo’s Lamb Burger, served with homemade taro chips on the side. “The burger is something that I would have at home,” says the dish’s namesake, Matteo. “It’s different because it has a lamb patty, which you don’t always find here.”

Already a crowd favorite is the NawwTy Ribeye with Potato Gratin, named in honor of the family matriarch. Luca’s Mango Elixir, on the other hand, is named after the youngest member of the family.

Naming an alcoholic drink after the youngest in the brood started as a joke among the brothers. “Luca didn’t drink before, but now he does,” Quintin says with a laugh. The drink almost tastes like candy but with a splash of alcohol, and complements their lemon tartlet.

A definite must-try is the signature paella. Cooked with crab fat and topped with chicharon crumbles, it’s not for the faint-hearted. If you’re skipping the rice, the dish has a pasta option cooked with octopus ink and topped with crab fat and garlic prawns. It’s the ultimate carb fest that will make your knees weak and your stomach happy.

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EATS

Clockwise from top: garlic prawn and crab fat linguine; the restaurant is designed to look like their home; Apple Q-rizo Salpicao

Mulberry Door. 8 Forbes Town Center, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City. Taguig. 810-5427.

Facebook.com/mulberrydoor.

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SPECIAL FEAT URE

PARENTAL GUIDANCE How to raise your children in the digital age TEXT BEA LLAGAS PHOTOGRAPHY NICCOLLO SANTOS

Parenting in the digital age didn’t seem so daunting 10 years ago. Smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets weren’t as accessible then, and family time didn’t mean sitting around the table with everyone’s heads down, their eyes locked on the screens of their phones.

As this scenario is now all too common, is there really a way to train your kids to be digitally responsible?

Turns out there is.

According to Dr. Ruben Encarnacion, clinical psychologist and guest speaker at Pursuits, children aged three to six are the most susceptible to the bad influences of TV and the internet. “These are things you cannot avoid [because] they’re part of everyday life. [What parents should do] is to be aware of the harmful things, and to tell their children that these are [inappropriate for them],” he says.

A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics on the importance of children’s media use involves the concept of family media planning, which greatly considers the health, entertainment, and educational needs of each child. As Dr. Encarnacion suggests, too much screen time can lead to weaker concentration (both in school and at home), lower EQ, difficulty in building relationships, and even obesity. Two hours of screen time for children under the age of two is already deemed excessive, and that those under two should have no screen time at all.

When asked if it’s okay to create a social media account for your child (i.e. Instagram), Dr. Encarnacion had one thing to say: “Stupid. That’s why social media is for [children who are] 13 years old [and above], because that’s the standard regulation.” There’s a good reason why policies such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule are imposed. Unless they’re of the right age, it’s best to adhere to these guidelines keep your children off of social media.

On the bright side, technology can be positively beneficial for them, provided that they will be limited to seeing only the right kind of content. “It’s up to [the parents] to discern which would be good for the children and which wouldn’t. They have to regulate themselves; the parents should always be around,” advises Dr. Encarnacion. Even in the advent of technology and social media, the same parenting rules apply: be involved, set limits, and teach them good values.

Nicole Hernandez-de los Angeles, Kelly Misa-Fernandez, and Patty Laurel-Filart

Dr. Ruben Encarnacion

Guests also brought their kids during the event.

Pursuits was an intimate brunch, organized by Southern Living magazine, to celebrate motherhood. It was held at The Bellevue Manila in Alabang last April 27.

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Mikaela Lagdameo-Martinez

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RECIPE

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RECIPE

GREEN GRAINS

The Filipino meal staple now with additional nutrients TEXT, STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH ARROGANTE

AVOCADO RICE

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 avocados, halved and pitted 1 lemon, juiced 1 bulb of garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. herb salt, grounded 1/2 tsp. dried or fresh thyme leaves 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 cups cooked rice 1/2 cup chopped basil

PREPARATION

1. Mash avocado with lemon juice and minced garlic in a large bowl until smooth. For a smoother texture, blend with a food processor.

2. Add grounded herb salt, thyme leaves, cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix again or pulse, if using a food processor.

3. Add rice into the avocado mix and continue mixing until rice is well-coated.

4. Add chopped basil. Mix with a spatula.

Serve immediately.

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T HE GET

LOCAL LIBATION

Finally, a homegrown whisky that matches the local clime and culture TEXT BEA CELDRAN PHOTOGRAPHY NICCOLLO SANTOS

Whisky—“liquid sunshine,” as playwright George Bernard Shaw so aptly put it—is the drink of both the devil and the angel. The same potion that ruins a man is the same one that forges brotherhoods. And with all the mentions that this famed moonshine has gotten in classic literature, we have to nod in agreement with the recent whisky boom in the collective Filipino liquor industry.

Among the bottles that bear varying names and designs, the Philippines finally has a contender in the ranks: Julius James. The country’s oldest familyowned distillery, Destileria Limtuaco launched the first wholly domestically created whisky, made purely out of corn. The Julius James is a tribute to

third and fourth generation master blenders and purveyors of whisky in the Philippines, James V. Limpe and Julius T. Limpe Sourced from Isabela, the yellow corn is transported to their micro-distillery in Bulacan where the milled grain is then mashed and made ready for fermentation and distillation. Innovation stems from need—Destileria Limtuaco made its proprietary square oak barrels where the whisky is aged around three and a half years. The whisky easily rivals foreign competitors, given its competitive price and unique flavor profile. It’s fresh yet full-bodied—a result attributed to the combination of the sweet mash method and the country’s hot and humid climate.

Julius James. www.limtuaco.com

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