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Casa de Memoria Rediscovering History
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EDITOR’S NOTE
CONTENTS
Have you ever tried participating in an auction? The energy is so different; a mixture of excitement and palpable anxiety over what people are trying to win. Everyone should at least watch one once. Before using my paddle, I watched how it went. I’m far from being an expert in these things, but here are some tips I’ve learned: 1. Know what you want to bid on in advance. 2. Write down your limit. It is easy to get carried away. 3. Stick to your plan. 4. If you don’t win it, it wasn’t meant for you. These are the simple guidelines I follow. And yes, I’ve won a couple of pieces here and there. Luckily, most on the first bid. This issue, get to know the newest auction house, Casa De Memoria. What I like about this place is their wide variety of well-curated offerings. There will definitely be a piece meant for you here. I should know—I’ve won a couple on my first try.
ON THE RADAR 4
The latest luxury watches for men
ACQUIRED 6
Fragrances to match your every mood
ATTIRED 8
Modern garb inspired by local traditions
ADMIRED 14
A peek into Casa de Memoria’s eighth auction
BARED 17
Socially responsible beauty brands
DEVOURED 18
Michelin releases its 2017 restaurant guide
EXPLORED 22
A tour of heritage houses in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar
@riarecommends
INSPIRED 25
Repurposing empty Dutch prisons On the cover: Photo courtesy of Casa de Memoria.
@riarecommends: Japanese Ivory Sculptures, waiting for your bid. #casadememoria
Group Publisher Bea J. Ledesma Editor in Chief Ria Prieto Creative Director Nimu Muallam Associate Editor Alyosha J. Robillos Copy Editor September Grace Mahino
Contributing Writers Bambina Olivares Wise and
Sophie Mignon/AFP
Contributing Photographers RG Medestomas and
Emmanuel Dunand/AFP
Editorial Assistant Belle O. Mapa Staff Photographer Patrick Segovia Account Executive Liza Jison
Board Chairperson Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez SVP and Group Sales Head, Inquirer Group of Companies Pepito Olarte AVP, Sales Ma. Katrina Mae Garcia-Dalusong Head of Operations and Business Development Lurisa Villanueva Business and Distribution Manager Rina Lareza Sales Inquiries Email: sales@hip.ph Telephone No: +63 (2) 403 8825 local 239
FOLLOW US ON
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@inquirerRED
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Want to see the other issues of Inquirer RED Magazine? Check out inquirer.net/red Inquirer RED Magazine is a monthly luxury magazine published by Hinge Inquirer Publications. RED is available at Fully Booked for free. For subscription inquiries, please contact 0917-5854870 or visit go.hip.ph/subscribe.
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ON THE RADAR
WORDS BELLE O. MAPA
The latest and most extravagant embodiments of the luxury of time
Buying Time
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Rendez-Vous Moon, Jaeger-LeCoultre The face of the Rendez-Vous Moon is meant to elicit the feeling of looking at a clear, starry sky. If its diamond set bevel and blue alligator leather strap don’t give this away already, perhaps the dial’s geometrical motif will. The grainy textured moon slowly gliding over the dial is a new complication unique to this watch, set to tell the moon’s phase accurately for the next 985 years. 1815 Annual Calendar, A. Lange & Söhne Earlier this year, A. Lange & Söhne introduced an elegant new addition to the 1815 series. Its main hands are blue steel while the gold-finished calendar hands contrast with a white argent dial. The 1815 pays tribute to company founder Ferdinand A. Lange’s birth year, and is meant as a classic companion for watch lovers. Clifton GMT Power Reserve, Baume & Mercier Designed for frequent travelers, the Clifton GMT Power Reserve can display two different time zones. A minimalist masterpiece,
the watch’s clear face displays its functions: the date at 3 o’clock, the power reserve at 6, and the GMT at 12. The bright steel hands as well as the red and white indicators provide easy time-telling against the dial’s deep blue satin finish. Classico Manufacture Grand Feu, Ulysse Nardin Despite its minimal complications, there is nothing simple about this timepiece. The Grand Feu gets its name from the fires that forged its dial, while the translucent blue comes from an enamel powder, which fused with the dial once it was heated at about 1,100° Farenheit. The result is that wavy guilloché pattern that complements the white roman numerals and the softly-curved hands. Drive de Cartier Extra Flat, Cartier The latest Drive de Cartier maintains the classic cushion shape but comes thinner than ever at 6.6mm. The white gold and gray leather version is already sold out, given that only 200 pieces were made. However, the Extra Flat still comes in pink gold with a brown alligator leather strap. Its design is crisp and almost unassuming, if not for its 18k rose gold crown set with a faceted sapphire. Altiplano 60th Anniversary, Piaget Piaget celebrates the 60th year of the classic Altiplano with a new, ultra-thin self-winding movement and a sapphire crystal caseback on which the anniversary is engraved. The 18k white gold case matches the hour markers, stark and chic against a deep blue dial, a lighter blue crosshair design, and a matching alligator strap. Its minimalist design makes this limited edition piece the perfect unisex watch.
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BE YO BEAUTIF U L BE U,
L’O
cc ita n e’s Ve r b ena Fre sh
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Beauty essentials for the empowered woman eI nte rce ptio nP owe rD
WORDS BELLE O. MAPA uo; O PI
’s Califo
to fom rnia Dreaming Malibu Pier Pressure. Pho
A woman who believes in herself is an unstoppable force. Rather than questioning her limits, she breaks through them. Rather than letting her imperfections define who she is, she embraces every quirk and quality, and uses these to stand out and succeed. She draws strength from her own uniqueness. She finds comfort and confidence in her own skin. Perhaps this is the true essence of beauty: believing in the best version of ourselves, whoever we may be. Being beautiful is about constantly choosing to love yourself and your one-of-a-kind spirit no matter what path you take in life. For the woman with a case of wanderlust, L’Occitane’s Classic Verbena and Citrus Verbena lines come from the lush land of Provence. Verveine, as it’s called by the French, has a simple yet striking scent: clean, garden fresh, and lemony. Enjoy this well-loved scent in a wide range of textures, from body creams, to shower gels, to a light and lasting eau de toilette. The collection pays homage to the French countryside with lush leaves and vibrant color schemes in each product’s design. For the free-spirited socialite, steal the spotlight with a bold and sultry
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Ch an
el.
look. Inspired by the self-expression of the rock ’n’ roll era, the Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment comes in 20 powerful and potent shades. This new liquefied pigment is lightweight and long-lasting without skipping on color saturation. Upgrade your manicure as well with either of the two new Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colours, Horizon Line or New Dawn. The fall/winter shades capture the pale gray beauty of a fading California sky. For the daytime dreamer, picture cruising through the West Coast in rosecolored sunnies and give your nails a splash of color. Embark on a fun and flirty adventure with OPI’s California Dreaming Collection. Twelve new shades are available, either as a Nail Lacquer or as a gel-like Infinite Shine. For all beauty enthusiasts, treat yourself with the Rustan’s Beauty Addict Card. Membership is complimentary to customers of legal age (18 years old and above) with a minimum single-receipt purchase of P2,500 at Rustan’s The Beauty Source. Earn points to redeem premium rewards, be the first to experience new and limited edition products, and get exclusive invites to workshops and the hottest beauty events of the year.
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PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA STYLING NIMU MUALLAM ILLUSTRATIONS BY JONAH VELASQUEZ
Head Notes
Fragrances to suit every mood and personality
ACQUIRED
Alizarin eau de parfum, Penhaligon’s
Oud de Nil eau de parfum, Penhaligon’s,
Fior d’Aqua eau de parfum, Acca Kappa
Top notes: Mandarin, narcisse Heart notes: Tuberose, orris, mimosa Base notes: Oud, leather, olibanum, vetiver
Top notes: Bergamot, grapefruit Heart notes: Jasmine, rose, geranium, orange blossom Base notes: Oud, papyrus, guaiac wood, resins, amber
Top notes: Petit grain, grapefruit, rose, ozonic Heart notes: Orange blossom, lily of the valley, jasmine, amber Base notes: Patchouli, musk, red seaweed, datura, sandalwood, benzoin
Available at Adora, Greenbelt 5.
Available at Rustan’s Makati.
Available at Adora, Greenbelt 5.
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Mimosa eau de toilette, Monotheme
Cedrat eau de toilette, L’Occitane
English Oak & Hazelnut cologne, Jo Malone
Top notes: Nectarine, bergamot, violet leaf Heart notes: Mimosa Base notes: Sandalwood, cedarwood, musk
Top notes: Bergamot, citron Heart notes: Nutmeg, blue ginger Base notes: Cedarwood, cashmere woods
Top notes: Green hazelnut Heart notes: Cedarwood Base notes: Roasted oak
Available at Rustan’s Makati.
Available at Rustan’s Makati.
Available at Jo Malone, Greenbelt 5.
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ATTIRED
Local Variety Bold prints and indigenous weaves redefine modern Filipino apparel
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BETINA Playful fabrics from the east meet textures from the west in Betina Ocampo’s line of modern, handmade blouses inspired by indigenous communities. betina-ny.com
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FINI combines vibrant colors with intricate details, breathing new life into local traditional garb.
FINI byfini.com
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Two Chic Manila infuses a little luxury into everyday wear through details like embroidery and beadwork. Instagram: @twochicmanila
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TWO CHIC MANILA Filip+Inna revives native traditions while preserving the integrity of each woven garment and its artisan’s story. filipinna.com
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Made with love and colored by nature, Eairth’s apparel proves there is beauty in imperfection.
EAIRTH eairth.ph
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There is a vintageinspired aesthetic that pervades the modern and minimalist shapes of Araw’s tropical wear. araw-araw.com
ARAW 04/08/2017 5:44 PM
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ADMIRED
If These Objects Could Talk Tales both imagined and true from Casa de Memoria’s Auction 8 collection WORDS BELLE O. MAPA PHOTOGRAPHY RG MEDESTOMAS AND CASA DE MEMORIA
Sometimes we chance upon places where time and reality feel altered. At Casa de Memoria, it’s as if we’ve stepped into a wrinkle in time where furnishings from yesteryears look right at home. Here, guests stand at the threshold between the past and the present, with only the warm electric lights and the sound of vehicles coming from the street as their anchors to the present moment. Casa’s story began last year, when its would-be director Angelique Lhuillier-Miranda was seeking to fill a hole in the landscape of Philippine auctions. Many auction houses had been elevating the local art market for the past half-decade, but there was yet to be a place for historical pieces—those which have made their way to Philippine shores from abroad. Casa de Memoria was created to become a house that deals not merely with antiques but also stories—a house that celebrates not only art but also its history. After all, its name literally translates to “house of memories.” Walking into the Casa could feel like walking into a scene straight out of a fairy tale production, where Belle Époque candelabras could come to life at any moment to sing a song, followed by the dancing of silver cutlery from Portugal, held by invisible hands partaking in an invisible feast. These are some of the pieces in Casa de Memoria’s latest collection of over 200 lots to be auctioned in September. The selection for the upcoming auction is intended for an audience of interior designers and home decorators, and was handpicked by the Casa’s resident curatorial team.
Vista Alegre porcelain pot and gilded armchair from Portugal
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Left: Limoges porcelain serving bowl, a pair of Louis XVI style candelabras, and mantle clock from France; American Brilliant period punch bowl; Queen Maria I style white glass bottle from Portugal. Above: Crystal glasses and decanters from France and Portugal; bar cart in brass and glass from France. Below: Ivory sculptures of Guanyin and Shou Lao from China; Vista Alegre vase from Portugal
Also among the selection is a set of Cristalleries des Saint Louis. The set of liquor, wine, and water goblets is a representation of fine luxury glassware, with its mix of diamond, bevel, pearl, and star-shaped cuts. Though provenance can be uncertain, there still remains an air of royal grandeur among the pieces. A vase-shaped neoclassical-style garniture clock, for example, preserves scenes from the past even as it gives the current time of day. Made in 19thcentury France, it shows a painted illustration of a landscape scene, where fine French ladies smile amid bronze mounts and gold foliage. Then there are the objects that tell stories of their own. From France, the details carved on a Napoleon III-styled cabinet reveal an aesthetic grounded in purity, with the white doves and lilies inlaid in mother of pearl and bone-stark against the polished ebony. On a late 19th-century table, amid the bamboo, peonies, and jasmine flowers is a bird poised to fly, as if in search of a new home. A pair of porcelain Foo dogs sits upon pedestals, waiting for a new master to guard. They hail from
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Collector's Items Casa de Memoria director Angelique Lhuillier-Miranda’s top picks
Milanese cabinet with white marble top and bone inlaid decoration. from 19th century Italy.
Portuguese silver ink desk set from the late 19th century.
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French three-piece garniture of clock and tazzas in bronze and bi-colored marble. An early 20th century piece from France. Ivory sculptures, porcelain Foo dogs, and polychrome pierced ceramic tea pot from China; Vista Alegre vase and tea set from Portugal; English chinoiserie bureau cabinet
China, glazed in a hu bi pan or tiger skin pattern of green, yellow, and aubergine. “One thing that strikes out to me in this auction is that in each piece, there is a statement, or a message,” says Casa’s marketing manager Camille Lhuillier. Evidently, what sets Casa de Memoria apart from other local auction houses is their offering of historical pieces with western as well as old Asian origins. Integral to the auction house is
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a lifestyle that inspires a love for art. As a new addition to the auction scene, it aims to reinvent the traditional auction house by getting its clientele to invest not just on artworks but on a way of living. Its featured pieces hold unique stories and characters, perfect for anybody seeking to enliven their home. The lots are more than just home décor; they seek to be given utility or purpose. This is the way of “Casa Living.” “Even in today’s fast world, we can still make our living space beautiful,” Lhuillier says of the upcoming Casa de Memoria Auction .0008. “And these pieces reflect beauty. I think it would be almost impossible to ever see items like these on the market again.”
Ballerina by Somsak Kongnaphakdee
French bar cart from the early 20th century.
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BARED
Vanity Fair Trade
Look good with beauty products that do good WORDS RIA PRIETO
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I have insanely high standards when it comes to beauty. Not only should they make me look and feel good, but they should do their fair share of good, too. Support products that support a cause, whether it’s to raise funds for a benefit or to create humane, safe, and just work conditions. Look for ingredients certified by the UK Fairtrade Foundation and brands that are as socially responsible as they are business-savvy.
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1. Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser. A percentage of the sales of this one-step facial cleanser funds the Hope and Grace Initiative’s community-based health efforts all over the world.
2. Jane Iredale Smell the Roses Hydration Spray. Made with organic
Rose Damascena Flower Water, this limited edition facial spray supports
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breast cancer awareness. One hundred percent of its profits go to the Living Beyond Breast Cancer organization.
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3. Neal’s Yard Remedies Jasmine and Ylang Ylang Body Cream. Made
with Fairtrade-certified organic honey, apricot kernel, jasmine, and organic ylang ylang, this thick, subtly fragrant cream takes a while to be absorbed by
the skin. It’s worth the wait, though, as your skin will feel soft throughout the day.
4. Burt’s Bees Lipstick. Ten percent of the revenue from online purchases of this intensely moisturizing and beautifully pigmented lipstick goes to Burt’s
Bees’ Greater Good Foundation, which then donates to select well-being partners like Habitat for Humanity and the Triangle Land Conservancy.
5. Limited-Edition Blue Heart Crème De La Mer. The nutrient-rich
Miracle Broth™ comes this year in a limited edition Blue Heart jar design
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that pays tribute to the ocean.
6. Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Healthy Glow Baked Powder. Not only
does this lend a matte sheen to the skin, but it also contributes to cancer
research. All of its profits go to the Laura Mercier Ovarian Cancer Fund to aid efforts in treating the fifth most common cancer among women.
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7. Lush Peace Massage Bar. Its Fair for Life-certified olive oil is sourced from
a women’s cooperative in Galilee, Israel, while its FLO Fairtrade-certified cocoa butter comes from the Peace Villages of San Jose de Apatardo in Colombia. As ingredients are kept in solid form, Lush avoids using chemicals and preservatives typically found in liquid soaps.
8. The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Gently Exfoliating Cream Scrub. Aside from enriching this scrub with almond oil from the Alicante
region of Spain and honey from the UNESCO Sheka rainforest in Ethiopia, The Body Shop also works with “bee whisperers” of Beza Mar, a group
dedicated to improving the livelihood of Ethiopian beekeeping communities.
9. L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream. In sourcing its shea butter, the French brand has been practicing fair trade with women’s cooperatives in Burkina Faso since 1981.
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DEVOURED
Star-Studded Dining For these new inductees, it’s not the celebrity patrons that matter but the Michelin stars that distinguish their gastronomic offerings WORDS BELLE O. MAPA
Amador’s Wirtshaus Grinzinger Street 86, 1190 Vienna, Austria Chef Juan Amador was awarded this year with two Michelin stars off the bat. His vaulted wine cellar offers six- and eight-course tasting menus that feature strong details and equally strong flavors.
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The Fat Duck High Street, Bray, Berkshire, UK The Fat Duck regains the third star it lost after chef Heston Blumenthal moved the restaurant to Australia. Each of its playfully plated dishes is reminiscent of Blumenthal’s childhood memories.
MICHELIN GUIDE
Le 1947 Cheval Blanc Courchevel, Rue du Jardin Alpin, 73120 Saint-Bon-Tarentaise, France Le 1947 is named after Château Cheval Blanc’s most prestigious vintage. Chef Yannick Alléno earned his third star through creatively modern dishes using local ingredients at the Savoy Alps.
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Quince 470 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco, California 94133, USA Quince is San Francisco’s only new three-star restaurant for 2017, with its menu evolving from traditional fine Italian dining to a more contemporary one. Owned by Michael Tusk and his wife Lindsay, it is a place for affluent tourists to dine.
Lasarte Carrer de Mallorca, 259, 08008 Barcelona, Spain Each dish at Lasarte is treated with passion and respect for both nature and the ingredients it provides. Their tasting menu is distinctive of chef-owner Martín Berasategui’s creativity and imagination, making Lasarte the first and only three-star restaurant in Barcelona.
108 Strandgade 108, DK-1401, Copenhagen, Denmark 108 overcomes the shadow cast by sister restaurant Noma with its acute understanding of the Nordic region and its seasons. Throughout the year, members of the kitchen staff pick fresh berries and produce. During the off-season, these are fermented and pickled to enhance every dish.
La Table de l’Espadon 15 place Vendôme, 75001, Paris, France Chef Nicolas Sale expresses his love for storytelling through culinary expertise, and the royal French interiors of the Ritz provide the perfect surrounding to a menu full of twists and delightful endings.
Cheek By Jowl, 21 Boon Tat St, Singapore 069620
Le Clarence, 31 Avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 75008 Paris, France
Gunter Seeger, 641 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014, USA
Rutz, Chausseestraße 8, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Jérémy Galvan, 29 Rue du Bœuf, 69005 Lyon, France
Enrico Bartolini al Muldec, Mudec, Via Tortona, 56, 20144 Milan MI, Italy
IM Teppanyaki & Wine, G/F, 134 Tung Lo Wan Road, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Mosconi, 13 Rue Münster, 2160 Luxembourg
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Ta Vie 21 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong Ta vie means “your life” in French, and “journey” in Japanese. This double entendre culminates in chef Hideaki Sato’s practice of Japanese and French culinary techniques while using “pure, simple, and seasonal” Asian ingredients.
Labyrinth Esplanade Mall, 8 Raffles Avenue #02-23, Singapore 039862 Chef LG Han uses modern food technology to recreate traditional Singaporean flavors, and his restaurant is aptly named for its gastronomical journey that challenges the five flavors of the palate: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami.
Ginya 5 Chome-17-9 Shirokanedai, Minato, Tokyo, Japan Ginya earned its two-star status by becoming, arguably, the best tempura spot in all of Tokyo. The restaurant is upscale but unassuming, and patrons are welcome to have a conversation with the friendly chef about his unique batter, his techniques, and even his hometown Kagoshima.
Feng Wei Ju 5F, StarWorld Hotel, Avenida da Amizade, Macau Feng Wei Ju showcases the richness of Chinese tradition not only in its extravagant red and gold interiors but also in its rendition of one of the region’s major cuisines: Chuan-Xiang, or a mix of Hunanese and Sichuan.
Aska 47 S 5th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11249, USA The heart of Aska lies in traditional cooking processes such as fermentation, smoking, and preserving. Swedish chef Fredrik Berselius offers a seasonal menu that takes diners on a journey through Scandinavia.
Gaon M Floor Holim Art Center, 317 Dosan-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea Gaon is one of only two restaurants to be granted three stars in Michelin’s inaugural guide to Seoul. It hopes to promote a more global understanding of traditional Korean cuisine, with every dish meticulously prepped and plated on fine, locallysourced ceramics.
DStage, Calle de Regueros, 8, 28004 Madrid, Spain Ecco, Döltschiweg 234, 8055 Zürich, Switzerland
Restaurang Vollmer’s Tegelgårdsgatan 5 211 33 Malmö, Sweden Chefs Ebbe and Mats Vollmer live by the philosophy of “[serving] the best of Scanian soil.” Through Vollmer’s, they present a contemporary yet uncomplicated take on southern Swedish cuisine by marrying modern techniques with local produce.
La Yeon, 23F Shilla Hotel, 249 Dongho-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
Miyasaka, B1F, 4-26-12 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo Wake Ghin, Level 2 Dining, L2-01, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
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FASHION
Eat, Love, Prey
The brand-eat-brand world of fashion WORDS BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE ART NIMU MUALLAM
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So Michael Kors bought Jimmy Choo for just over a billion dollars. I’d like to say this is a match made in designer shoe heaven, but it’s a bit of an effort to summon enough enthusiasm for this deal. Michael Kors, the designer, was once fashion’s poster child for how to mount a successful IPO. And then he cannibalized his own brand, creating secondary lines like Michael, Kors, and MK. And he plastered the MK logo on cheaper copies of his own signature line of bags and accessories. Something was lost in the Coach-ification of Michael Kors; one can understand why Reed Krakoff needed to establish his namesake luxury label with a design signature worlds away from Coach’s ubiquitous C’s, and at a price point that whispered, “Toto, we’re not in a suburban shopping mall anymore.” Alas, that was not enough to ensure his brand’s longevity. In a round of survival of the fittest, retail edition, Reed Krakoff unfortunately could not sustain his business and the designer closed his brand in 2015. Coach, however, is still in every airport and every department store around the world. Not that there’s anything wrong with Coach, mind you. It’s reliable and predictable, but it’s not exciting. You see a Coach bag and you think, “Hmmm, I really need a bag. An everyday bag. This will do.” Whereas Reed Krakoff—or Jimmy Choo, for that matter— always elevated the everyday. Yet there is some trepidation that the luxury shoe brand now runs the risk of becoming, well,
pedestrian. Will Kors add a secondary line, Choo Jimmy Choo? Will he festoon buckles with the “JC” logo in gilt? Will he add wallets, coin purses, and key rings in a signature JC canvas print to be sold at airports everywhere? This way of thinking is, admittedly, rather unfair to Kors’ business savvy, not to mention his prodigious talent. His acquisition of Jimmy Choo comes as a bit of a shock as the designer had never given any indication that he wanted to create a multi-brand fashion conglomerate of his own; Jimmy Choo may just be the first brand in this new portfolio. Moreover, years after the IPO high, Michael Kors’ retail business has been struggling, with stock prices down after Wall Street analysts downgraded the company less than a year ago following a disappointing earnings release. The acquisition will nevertheless make Kors a major player in the luxury footwear market, and will also give him a new avenue for international growth, what with its 150 stores around the world. Jimmy Choo was established in 1996 by Tamara Mellon and the London-based Malaysian shoemaker Jimmy Choo, and quickly attracted high-profile devotees such as Princess Diana and Sarah Jessica Parker. The brand has since gone through several owners and CEOs, with both Mellon and Choo being kicked out of the luxury house they both founded at different times. While too young to be considered a heritage brand, Jimmy Choo does have a distinct
signature. Kors cited his admiration of “the glamorous style and trendsetting nature of its designs,” so it’s fair to assume that he would be respectful of the level of luxury the brand represents. After all, Kors was once creative director of the legendary Paris house, Céline.
Will Kors add a secondary line, Choo Jimmy Choo? Will he festoon buckles with the “JC” logo in gilt? Will he add wallets, coin purses, and key rings in a signature JC canvas print to be sold at airports everywhere?
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Living Museum In Bagac, Bataan, about 125 kilometers northwest of Manila, lies a heritage resort that is home to at least 55 old houses. All taken from their original sites and faithfully restored, the structures are fully functional and are deemed the main attractions of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. Las Casas, owned by New San Jose Builders Inc. chairman Jose Acuzar, is nestled on a 400-hectare property facing the West Philippine Sea. No doubt the scene it paints is picturesque: authentic principalia mansions, stone houses, and pre-World War II homes just a stone’s throw away from calm waters. And perhaps the best thing about this socalled “living museum” is that visitors can actually stay in these heritage houses and immerse themselves in the property’s 18thcentury charm for a day or two.
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EXPLORED
A heritage resort in Bataan gives guests a glimpse of Spanish-era Philippines WORDS ALYOSHA J. ROBILLOS
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is located on a 400-hectare property in Bagac, Bataan Above: Inside the Hotel De Oriente
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Opened to the public in 2010, Las Casas was borne out of Acuzar’s love for Philippine culture and heritage. But what ultimately propelled the project was his frustration over the demolition of an aging house in Bataan. After learning that it was torn down, Acuzar set on a mission to search for the structure’s parts and rebuild it piece by piece. Since then, he hasn’t stopped scouting for dilapidated or abandoned heritage houses, which he then transfers to Bagac for restoration. Now, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is not only a resort, but also a showcase of Philippine history and craftsmanship. Las Casas regularly holds heritage tours and cultural shows, and offers other services. Among its amenities are a spa, a swimming pool, and a private beach. Visitors can also dine in any of the heritage resort’s three restaurants: Café Marivent, La Bella, and Café del Rio, which serve Filipino, Spanish, Italian, and continental dishes. To give you a taste of this “living museum,” we present a tour of seven heritage houses in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.
Casa Byzantina Originally located at the corner of Madrid and Penarubia Streets in San Nicolas, Binondo, Casa Byzantina was a typical bahay na bato designed by Don Lorenzo del Rosario, a native principalia and a building contractor. The house’s first level was built from stone and bricks, while its upper floors were made from different kinds of Philippine hardwood. Casa Byzantina’s original structure, which displayed floral embellishments, was built in 1890. In 2009, it was home to around 50 urban poor families. It was later demolished and transferred to Bagac, and is now a private casa that can house as many as 16 guests. Casa Meycauayan Casa Meycauayan, as its name suggests, hadn’t always been in Meycauayan, Bulacan. In 1913, it was situated in San Fernando, Pampanga, where it was owned by a certain Teodoro Escotto. In 1950, a man named Rogelio Urrutia purchased the property and had it transferred to Bulacan. According to Las Casas, the main attraction of
the house is the “pineapple motif ” found on the ceiling. Casa Meycauayan became part of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in 2005, able to house a maximum of 10 guests. Casa Gapan Casa Gapan was built in 1926 by Hospicio Garcia, an architect married to Macaria Buencamino. It was said to be inspired by his eldest daughter Henoveva, but when she eloped with her American admirer, an enraged Garcia doused the house with gasoline with the intent of setting it on fire. The ancestral home was saved thanks to the intervention of his brother-in-law. According to management, Casa Gapan is a showroom and is for heritage tours only. Casa Irosin The tale that narrates how Casa Irosin withstood the war in 1942 is bittersweet. Its owner, Rosario de Castro, supposedly begged the Japanese not to destroy her home. A widow, de Castro explained that she and her children had nowhere to go if their house were to
One of the rooms in Casa Byzantina
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be razed to the ground. A Japanese officer decided to inspect the home and, upon doing so, noticed a photo of the widow in a kimono. Pleased that de Castro had taken an interest in Japanese culture even before the war broke out, the officer spared Casa Irosin, but a neighbor’s house was destroyed in its place. According to management, Casa Irosin is a showroom and is for heritage tours only. Casa San Juan One of the most striking structures in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Casa San Juan is considered one of the most well-maintained. In fact, it now stands in Bagac almost in its original form. It was owned by a prominent family in San Juan, Batangas. Atty. Lorenzo Hernandez, who was a member of the Liberal Party, later on married into the family that owned the house. Because of his political ties, Casa San Juan has received many of the country’s leaders: former presidents Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdinand Marcos, and Sergio Osmeña, to name a few. According to management, Casa San Juan is a showroom and is for heritage tours only.
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Casa Lubao Casa Lubao was built in the early 1900s in Lubao, Pampanga. It was the plantation house of Valentin Arrastia and Francisca Salgado, a couple who managed rice and sugar lands. During the war, the Japanese used the Lubao residence as a garrison. Considered a bahay na bato, the ancestral house had a wooden upper floor and a ground level made of concrete. The structure’s original design included a straight, grand staircase—a common feature of architecture at that time. Later on, the structure became known as the ArrastiaVitug home. It is currently Las Casas’ games and entertainment center.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR
Clockwise from left: Casa Lubao’s interiors; the pool area of Casa Irosin; Casa Gapan
Casa Quiapo Casa Quiapo was a mansion originally located at the corner of Calle San Sebastian (now R. Hidalgo St.) and Callejon de Carcer in Quiapo, Manila. It was built in 1867 and was designed by Felix Roxas y Arroyo, the country’s first practicing architect during the Spanish era. The mansion was the first campus of the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts. In 1927, the school transferred to Padre Faura in Manila and the house was repurposed into a bowling alley and a dormitory, among other things. After years of neglect, Casa Quiapo fell into various stages of decay. Now it is home to the Bellas Artes Projects Foundation, a hub for contemporary art that was founded by Jam, daughter of Jose.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR
INSPIRED
Adaptive Reuse Life behind bars gets a new twist in empty Dutch prisons WORDS SOPHIE MIGNON/AFP PHOTOGRAPHY EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP
Voices echo around the magnificent, luminous dome of Breda prison, breaking the silence of the 130-year-old building, now empty of inmates like dozens of others in The Netherlands. Falling crime rates over the last decade, as well as changing ideas about punishing criminals, have robbed this penitentiary of its original purpose, and its gates clanged shut in 2014. Built in 1886, it was possible to watch everything happening in the prison from its central
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courtyard under the main dome—a classic example of the 18th century social theory of Panopticism on passive behavior when people are constantly observed, first mooted by the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham and later built upon by his French counterpart Michel Foucault. Metal spiral staircases snake all around the dome down to the former canteen under the glass floor. Old sports areas are marked out on concrete; all are surrounded by cells stacked four stories high,
their now-rusted doors swinging open. Unlike the previous occupants, some 90 businesses hold the keys to the building, free to come and go at will. “A lot of history” Miguel de Waard, co-founder of the 3D Red Panda VR start-up, is among those who believe they have found a perfect office location, helping give new life to a protected national monument.
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“It actually feels like not a prison any more. If you look around, it looks like a prison of course, but with all those start-ups, it’s got new energy,”
“We just instantly fell in love with this particular office: the high ceiling, the nice touches and the big windows and the lighting,” de Waard told AFP. “We don’t see bars, I think, when we look outside; we just see a beautiful part of Breda.” But he acknowledged the past has cast long shadows. “Every time we enter the dome or the women’s prison, it’s pretty dark, that’s true. And there’s a lot of history, and sometimes you can feel it as well,” he said. “The first time we were here and we had the keys, we were, like, wandering around at night in the dark, and it’s a pretty amazing experience.” From cells to restaurants There are now only 38 prisons still in operation in The Netherlands, with 27 closed since 2014. Six were sold for about 20.7 million euros ($23 million), while others have been rented out, often as centers for asylum seekers, bringing in a total of around 18 million euros. After leaping crime rates swelled Europe’s prison population in the ’90s, numbers in The Netherlands have dropped thanks, in part, to prevention
programs and a greater focus on re-integration. “Judges are sentencing people in different ways. Not more lightly, but differently, with community service, or ankle bracelets and rehabilitation clinics,” said Anneloes van Boxtel, who administers the interior ministry’s real estate. Crimes fell some 26 percent between 2007 and 2015, according to the official Central Statistics Bureau. In a decade, the number of people imprisoned every year in The Netherlands fell from 50,650 in 2005 to 37,790 in 2015. And the rate of incarceration stands at 57 prisoners per 100,000 residents, compared with 458 in the United States. So the Dutch have sought to put their empty cells to good use. A detention centre in northern Veenhuizen has been rented out—guards included—to Norway to house its own inmates. A former women’s jail in northeastern Zwolle is now an award-winning restaurant. With a 60-million-euro price tag, a penitentiary in Amsterdam Overamstel is to be transformed into a new residential district with thousands of homes. And a centre in Haarlem, bought by the local municipality for 6.4 million euros, will open its doors in 2019 as a university college. New buzz In Breda, the prison and its 33,302 sq. m. (358,330 sq. ft.) of space was handed over to a special body in 2016 to be re-used for “social” projects. “That was our biggest challenge: to open the prison again,” said Mandy Jak, communications and marketing advisor for the VPS association. But interest has been huge, with some 300 people swiftly signing up to move in. “It actually feels like not a prison any more. If you look around, it looks like a prison of course, but with all those start-ups, it’s got new energy,” she added. However, one summer evening, new “inmates” were spotted, as about 350 people were once again locked in, taking part in perhaps the ultimate “Prison Escape” adult adventure game that have become popular in many countries. Barricaded into the cells, participants have to plot an escape over three hours with the help of some 80 actors. But once rid of these thrill-seekers, the building again sank into silence. Until the next business day.
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Begin tomorrow today.
- Menardo R. Jimenez
As we built Menarco Tower, it was clear we had to drive the conversation on the design of future-focused work environments. - Carmen Jimenez-Ong
A new entrant in the property sector, Menarco is poised to disrupt present conventions and initiate discourse in authentic value exchange. Built around the central theme and macro-trend of health and wellness, it is understood that the choice of office space becomes a business critical and strategic decision in recruiting, maintaining and retaining valuable human capital. Menarco Tower is the only WELL certified building in the country, thus speaking of industry leadership, increased productivity, better return on investment, improved employee satisfaction and retention, which all redound to a building that actively builds businesses. Menarco Tower is a unique, boutique office tower deliberately designed to help your company grow today, and well into the future. Menarco Tower’s Main Lobby
32nd Street, BGC, Philippines menarco.com.ph
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The LEEDÂŽ Certification trademark is owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and is used with permission. International WELL Building InstituteTM and the related logo are trademarks used with permission from the International WELL Building InstituteTM.
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