STACHE THE MINI MAG
THE OCEAN IS OUR CHURCH, AND WE HAVE COME HERE TO PRAY + The Circle Hostel Billabong The Cranberries Alfred Marasigan
STACHE Editor-in-Chief Maine Manalansan
Lifestyle Editor Nessa Santos
Associate Editor Jared Carl Millan
Senior Photographer Pat Nabong
Marketing Editor Ellie Centeno
Marketing Associate Coco Macaren
Head Graphic Designer Mary Silvestre Music Editor Mare Collantes
Beauty Editor Thea de Rivera
Fashion Editor Ecks Abitona
Art Editor Koji Arboleda
Photographers Adrian Gonzales, Elisa Aquino, Kaye Clarete, Roanne Cabradilla, Hannah Magsayo, Patrick Velasco, Grace de Luna Angel Castillo, Jelito de Leon, Karen de la Fuente, Patrick Guillermo Writers Samie Betia, Regina Reyes, Karla Bernardo, Kristel Silang, Christine Exevea, Katrina Eusebio, Regina Reyes, Maan Bermudez Illustrators Maura Rodriguez, Marella Ricketts Stylists and Make-up Artists Vince Ong, Esme Palaganas, Bea Manzano getcreative@stachemagazineonline.com
Since it’s summertime, we might as well drain our creative juices! We broke our bimonthly rule to give you another issue featuring The Circle Hostel and Billabong. We got a chance to spend a few days in Zambales to immerse ourselves in the surf culture and sink our toes in the sand. We also have photos from The Cranberries concert and contributions from Alfred Marasigan. We hope everyone enjoyed their summer vacation and cheers to a productive one! Special thanks to The Circle Hostel, Billabong, Jam 88.3 and Karpos Multimedia. :) Maine Manalansan, EIC
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We don’t just read books at http://stachebookclub.tumblr.com
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O T E D O N A CRAN E TH 4 /The Cranberries
O RIES R E B N
DA EDIA M OLE I B T R L A OJI ILLAN POS MU K Y M R B L TOS Y CAR S TO KA O H B P ANK RDS WO IAL TH C SPE
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The Cranberries defined a generation. Or two. That is why if you have not heard at least one of the band’s songs, you are either very young or very old, either of which nevertheless means you are missing out. Big time. The band was first put on the map during the nineties, the age of the cassette tapes, pixie cuts, and, of course, great music—and great music they indeed have provided us last April 10. The SMART Araneta was packed with some ten thousand people to witness the band perform their greatest hits, along with their new songs off their newest record Roses. The 90-minute set started off with the 1992 hit “Dreams,” to which the crowd exploded into deafening cheers. Dolores O’Riordan, the band’s front, showed how much of a good time the band was having, literally rocking the stage with her many dances and fist-pumps. (The band first came to Manila in 1996. Sixteen years later, they found themselves again on Philippine soil, which Dolores said had been “too long.”) Although there had been some rough patches with the acoustics throughout at the concert, the beautiful stage and lights compensated for it, as well as the relentless participation of the audience. Many people know The Cranberries. I grew up hearing their songs and singing them—in this country growing up with no karaoke machine within one’s vicinity is unheard of, and most often than not, those machines have at least one Cranberries song programed to it. It had been amazing seeing all those people from different age groups gathered to share the one thing that we all had in common, which was our love for music, our love for the Cranberries. Of the 19-track set list, the crowd favorites were “Dreams,” “Linger,” “Salvation,” “Ode to my Family,” songs which had most everybody rocking and head banging. Of course the night would not have been complete without their smash hit “Zombie.” The song barely got into its first lines when everybody started getting on their feet and started screaming. The band bid their goodbyes and left the stage. The crowd, relentless, clamored for an encore. They came back on stage and performed the last three songs of the night. One does not have to be a concert-genius to know that the night had been a success. The venue was packed. The band and their performance were amazing. Everybody had a great time. It had been a great throwback to the 90’s. Special thanks to Karpos Multimedia for making all this possible.
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review by
Coco Macaren
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If you happen to be quite ignorant of things (like how I sometimes can be) you wouldn’t know who Jennifer Egan is. You wouldn’t know that she’s the author of a novel turned movie that starred one of Hollywood’s finest, or how quite a number of her books have been national bestsellers. Assuming that you are a tad-bit ignorant, Jennifer Egan happens to be the author of a Pullitzer Prize winning novel entitled: A Visit from the Goon Squad. Don’t let the pastel colored dancers in its cover fool you for this book isn’t your normal easy-read. With the elements of time (past, present & future) as its theme, Egan focuses on how lives of individuals can get intertwined with just a similar interest. As Egan writes about their past, the present and their future, details of their lives are shown. The characters’ past which is filled with the craziness of that time period has become the foundation of who they are in their present, or perhaps not? Similarities between the then and now’s evident and yet the future becomes a different story. All the craziness of time and its way of weaving its web of connections between characters were all made with music. Egan’s writing of music and people took out the cliché of rockstars and record companies. Yes, the drugs, the sex and the alcohol will never leave such a lifestyle, however, sudden twists on how real her characters are and on the reality that there are different types of people is what sets it apart. I’ve never seen someone write about music and its relation to life so genuinely. Egan definitely shares her passion for music through the different eyes and perspectives of people in the city and in the industry; it’s quite refreshing to stay away from books that solely revolved around sex and rock and roll. If you’re one to want to refresh yourself from all the clichés and see reality through a different perspective, this book’s for you. Music lovers are in for a treat too, the lives of the workers of the music industry is focused on, that it would make you fall in love with music some more. Honestly, despite the sex, the drugs, the parties and the common cliché’s, the moment you see how life is magnified in this book, you wouldn’t want to put it down. You’ll realize how much it’s real and how genuine the emotions are, you’d understand why this is a literary prize winner. Never knew that those pastel colored dancers would represent life, pale yet incredibly vibrant. Before the summer ends, refresh yourself and quench your thirst for something real with this book, you’ll never know how it could change you.
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Photography & Layout: Elisa Aquino Modeling & Styling: Ecks Abitona Make-up: Thea De Rivera Special Thanks to Billabong
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words by ellie centeno and ecks abiitona photos by elisa aq uino
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The weather was getting warmer, the days were getting longer and the nights, shorter. Summer was just around the corner, and we were all itching for a vacation. The perfect opportunity arose when Raf Dionisio of The Circle Hostel invited Stache Magazine Online to spend a weekend in Sitio Liw-Liwa in Zambales, we jumped at the chance to get some R&R after the last stretch of school. People were contacted, schedules were cleared, bags were packed, and we were off to Zambales. Halfway through the trip, the skies were getting gloomier, but that didn’t stop our cheery spirits from getting excited. It was before noontime and after being on the road for three hours, we finally get to The Circle Hostel. Why the “Circle Hostel”? Ziggy Gonzales, my partner, was actually the one who came up with the name. He wanted something that sounded inclusive, like a community. Hostels are about the social aspect of it, so the centerpiece of this whole place is the common area where people get to interact. The bunkhouses are designed like that so you get to talk to the people next to you. We want people to actually talk to each other. We want people to let go of whatever baggage you have in the city, like leave your ego in Manila, kasi lahat dito pantay-pantay. What Circle Hostel hopes is that when you leave this place, you’ve made new friends and interacted with people who also enjoy the beach. How did this whole thing start? We opened late November of 2010. It took us about three months to build this. It was Ziggy who discovered the surf spot here, and we both wanted something similar to a resort. Ziggy wanted to apply his experiences in backpacking in Cambodia and going to hostels so when we saw the opportunity of establishing the same thing here, we really didn’t hesitate. We checked out the spot, the waves, and considered the accessibility from Manila. It’s day-trippable, it’s two or three hours away from the city and the roads going here are well-developed, in comparison to say, Real, Quezon, you can surf there but the roads are dangerous. The beach is also really wide, and we get some pretty tall waves here during good days. We get 6-footers that start to pipe on some days.
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What makes The Circle Hostel so unique? What do you have to offer the guests? The openness, mostly. It all comes back to how there are no strangers here. It’s a really chill place, it’s very relaxing. I guess it’s also the age of the place. It’s very young and vibrant, the art makes the walls look so alive. The art plays such a big role in drawing people in here. What’s your most memorable experience (so far, at least) in The Circle Hostel? It has to be the surf festival last year. We were overbooked, there were people who had to pitch the tents outside and they just had to pay us PHP50-100 to use the amenities. Before coming over here for the festival, I only knew about five people, but when I came home, I knew more than forty. Definitely the social side of everything. We got to bond with foreigners, too. I remember this one memory, there was a guy and a girl both from LA. They didn’t know each other, but the guy was like, “Hey, you look familiar. Are you from LA?” The girl said she was and asked the guy if he was, and he said yes. After talking for a while, they both discovered they were from UCLA and the guy said, “Oh, I knew it. I thought I saw you in one of the organizations in school.” It was just so funny because of all places they’d run into each other, dito pa. They were 3,000 miles away from home and they were in a hut, how slim were the chances, right?
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THE STACHE EXPERIENCE
• Everything above was plastered with colorful pastels as the sun started to rise from beyond the mountain range. The sky was no longer filled with pink and orange hues; the sun gradually turning the sky a brilliant blue. As the sun rose, birds chirped and nature responded wonderfully. Even at dawn, the sea is beautiful as the waves came rolling in. • The crew became accustomed to Phoebe’s, a small variety store, where we gathered for breakfast, merienda, and dinner. Stories and laughter were shared at that place. On the last day, however, there was a hint of sadness in the air but it was still a fantastic lunchtime with good company. • The nature of the early afternoon beach: this is the most alluring. Its sweetness you can’t have in the city, the site you can’t see in the city. The sound of waves crashing against the shore and the scent of sunscreen surrounds the air. The warm sand between your toes. that’s the best feeling in the world. • As the clock struck four, there were heavy hearts at the door, for it was time to leave. The feeling of being part of the ocean, riding on top of the world, the sun as it burns your skin, the taste of salt that lingers in your mouth, and the one place where it all happened—the Circle Hostel, will always be remembered.
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