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IN THE MORNING OF THE TIGER
» 2010 January-February • Welcoming 2010•

Malipayong Bag-ong Tu-ig! After the fireworks and the festivities, after the fitful sleep that follows an evening of wonderful food in wonderful company sharing sublime wine, after kissing (or slapping) 2009 as it leaves on cloven feet, there is the inevitable morning after. 2010 stretches on on clawed feet and yawns, opening sleepy feline eyes to the new year.

Graphic Art by M. Arnado

Greetings to a new year from friends visiting town and family from far away always warms the engine for another 365 days on the go. The first day of work is always the hardest! Nobody can quite pull themselves out of the Christmas languor to hack away at the dredges of last year's assignments. I prefer to accuse the wonderful food that comes with end-of-year celebrations instead.

I'm on my way to perfecting the Palao Family lemon meringue pie. On my way!(via FoodNetwork)

What did I say...I got there!

Plump Californian seedless grapes, queseo goat cheese, and red wine!

• • • • • • •

On the calendar of Very Important Events, up this March is the Cebu Next [»] furniture show. We have been participating in the Cebu show for as long as we have been active in the industry, in whatever name and incarnation it was christened in. I remember how it used to be PIFS Cebu; a younger sister, fledgling exhibition that took off from the older PIFS (Philippine International Furniture Show) Manila. To give it a distinct name of its own, at some point in the 90's we all came together and decided that "Cebu-X" would be more fitting––an exhibition place, a factor to consider in the macroscopic outlook of furniture design, a playful enigma, a dynamic, chemical reaction.

It has been so far the most important show for us, which is why apart from the Salone show in Milano, we always hustle and bustle for the March deadline. The crisis has not been kind to anyone in any industry, and it's not surprising to find even major fairs missing some prime exhibitors in the area. Exhibitors, and visitors too; technology has allowed negotiations between buyer and manufacturer to commence online, saving the latter time and money in flying back and forth.

Tutt glows patiently while the backdrop and other props are prepared for shooting.

A far cry from how I remember we did it, when Gus and I began this business in the really early 90's. In fact, there was a lot of rifling to do to produce a product shot, and a lot of fuss for a photoshoot! These days it's as simple as getting the perfect light, pointing, and clicking. That's not to say that shooting days pass by in a humdrum thrum of inactivity! Where the negatives and developing have gone, Photoshop has taken over. While old-school photographers and film affectionados have something to say about this, I am quite happy with how it has allowed a greater majority access to techniques, and a taste of artistry that has been, until then, unreachable.

Staff adjusting the makeshift reflectors as Gus tries for the shot

Well, with everything hurtling into the final days before the show, there is hardly any breathing space left in the office! Not just for myself, but for everybody. We will be releasing the first wave of our 2010 campaign shortly, so watch out for that!

•

»»All photos (except Meringue Pie lifted from Foodnetwork) taken by K. Batiquin.

Labels: 2010, cebu-x, events-new year

HAVE YOURSELVES A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS
» 2009 December • From now on our troubles will be miles away.

It is actually a difficult thing to follow the encouragement blasting through loudspeakers everywhere this season: 'tis the season to be jolly!' On the one hand, gifts are starting to trickle in. There is always the childlike anticipation that mounts in us when we see a wrapped present (although what we wish for these days has evolved from pining for a simple doll or two, into things like a trip to Spain or a year's worth of fancy dinners every night).

On the other hand, there is the tedious preparation of presents. While I do enjoy shopping for gifts for people––it is also a way of 'updating' myself with friends, when, say, I find myself choosing baby favours for an old classmate for whom I'd chosen a sleek pair of leather pumps the year before––the lines at the cashier areas are impossible. Suddenly, as if it had been a hidden fact all along, department stores seem to become appallingly badly-designed! Suddenly the corridors are too narrow; suddenly the aisles feel very cramped; suddenly escalators are where they should not be. Suddenly, a sprawling shopping mall feels like a tiny broom closet.

But after this little 'combat for the counter', the trip home becomes a more relaxing affair.

• • • • • •

This year, instead of physical presents, Gus and I have decided to give something special. I have talked about the Capuchin Tertiary Order of the Holy Family, [»] and their project which I support. We've found a way to extend the beauty of their endeavour to friends and family members who, we know, will be willing to help as well.

At the close of this year, several orphaned girls––in the many ways that one can be orphaned and left alone––will have a brighter, more hope-filled 2010 to look forward to.

• • • • • •

In the mornings, as is a tradition here, we strive to attend the Misa de Gallo, Morning Mass, which is held everyday at our local parish for 9 days until Christmas morning. A novena mass as it is, with origins in Spanish-occupied Philippines. It starts at four in the morning; a feat, considering that on a typical day, I'm the type to sleep at 2am!!

But then that is why they say that this is the season to be jolly––not for the self, selfishly, but for others and for how you can become better as a person. I come to look at it like an end-of-term examination (in both senses of the word): How am I different this year? and From all the things I have learned both fortunately and unfortunately, how can I put them to practice?

I like to start with simple, real things. Something as commonplace as waking up an extra hour or two earlier is a small achievement, which can snowball to bigger things like designing items for the next show earlier in the show season. Something as everyday as perfecting the Palao family lemon pie can actually find echoes in business decisions when weighing which draft to put into production.

Season's Greetings!!

Labels: 2010, new year, projects-CTS-Novitiate

HERE COMES THE SUN
» 2009 September • Wading, waking, water and willpower.

RELIEF. The moment muggy August makes its gradual departure, the moment the -BER months begin their cool descent from the north, the palpable change of weather is a warning that all things dry must soon be soaked in days of constant rain.

At this point the prudent designer––of course imagining the possibilities for the next great show––thinks of outdoors and weatherproof fabric and warp-free moulding. It is indeed wise to plan (and plan well), but perhaps only Noah could have foreseen that deluge; when they describe these as 'flash floods' the notion of the intrusively quick and unfettered force of nature comes as an overwhelming surprise.

Typhoon Ketsana [»] (Ondoy is its Filipino name) came and went like a rude, uninvited guest, sweeping its torrential rains over the capital city of Manila. I am ever thankful that Cebu––for all its sometime-humdrum––has generally mild monsoons.

But it is a beautiful thing to see so many people responding to those in dire need. Everywhere help is coming in in the form of donations, relief goods, money, ready-to-use commodities.

Sr. Luz of the Capuchin Order, whose endeavours I greatly support, and whose orphanage in Pembo Makati is located in a dangerously low-level area, remarks:

"We are alright, but our neighbors (are) not so; last night more than two dozen persons and families took shelter with us. Floowaters are receding, but we are still helping them get back (on) track...God bless us all."

Perhaps, I told her in a brief phone conversation earlier today, that is why it had to be YOU who remained untouched; it falls to YOU to be strong and to assist those who aren't.

Cirrus lounge in outdoor-resilient fibre; resembling a salva-vida, ready and steady for a good family of four to cozy into.

We call floating life preservers "salva-vida", Spanish for "saver of lives" To toss a couple to fellow humans in need (a hard downpour has resumed as we speak, a friend tells me), please consider these relief sites:

• The Philippine Red Cross [»]
• PayPal donations for Relief Efforts [»]
• Bayanihan Online [»]
(collates all information and shout-outs found in NGO Twitter pages, independent relief groups, and provides up-to-date status reports and requests from various sectors)

I remember an especially endearing quote from a childhood Sunday comic, "Peanuts." Charlie Brown, unassuming protagonist and posterboy for the modest wallflower, tells an especially depressed Snoopy: “Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don't worry...I'm here. The flood waters will recede...the sun will shine tomorrow."

A fine torrent of hope then.

Labels: effervescent-effusions, events-ondoy, goodwill

TURNING SEASONS
» 2009 September •

CHANGE. While a recurring phenomenon that heralds progress and evolution, it has not quite been put into pure focus as much as it has been this year, as evidenced in the successful campaigns that have wrought so much fervour, influenced so much of the bold movements in different industries. The triumph of Obama and his optimistic slogan is not the least of them; neither are the drastic, often daring strategies taken by all sorts of businesses in the wake of the recession.

It's all over the news. But while 'change' is synonymous with 'evolution', timing it to suit the occasion is crucial, as one puts many things at risk. The reason why the DNA helix is shaped like stairs (of course one can argue the inverse, especially where the iconic works of Ross Lovegrove [»] are concerned) is because change that begets a proper and long-term result, needs to be a progressive effort: one step at a time. Suddenly switching to a completely vegan diet [»] for instance, may have good intentions behind it, but certainly isn't advisable!

(Neither is cutting off all sources of sweets. I still prefer the occasional doughnut with my morning coffee.)

(via Tom Howard Design [»])

There are many things to consider when employing this keyword to major endeavours. It is strong enough to signal the end and the beginning of many ideas and plans, all of which in turn will affect other people. A word of caution then, in these changing times: know where you are going.

And always be sure to pack lip balm.

• • • • • • • • • •

There's a cold front pressing against the borders of the tropical island humidity these days, and there are mornings when I wake up with a sense of vertigo as I turn my head to the window: Surely this isn't -----? I ask myself, filling the blank with one of the many beautiful places I have been privileged enough to experience.

There are the rainy mornings of Milano, always ready in the seasonal grey-and-monochrome hue characteristic of springs in Northern Italy...about the same time we go for the Milano Fair. There are the even colder, muted sunrises of Cologne, of Frankfurt, that challenge the thickness of the most insulating overcoat. There is Paris, in the grey hour, where T.S. Eliot remarks how the weather is "like a patient etherised upon a table."

So when the sky dims over (even at high noon) and a chill breeze slips under the doors of a room, we lighten up and warm the the place.

• • • • • • • • • •

All this nostalgia for traveling!

The illustrious St. Augustine (for whom my husband is named after), intellectual and theologian once remarked that the world is a big book and that those who do not travel it read only one page, and I thoroughly agree. As a lover of books myself (while not as voracious as my niece and some of my friends, I do have a regular literary diet), I make it a point to pick up at least one magazine on design or interiors wherever I find myself in.

What a joy then, to find that friends from all over encourage the practice, by sending in samples of THEIR publications! An even greater honour and surprise to find that there's someone VEERY familiar in that Lifestyle section, and then suddenly I wish I hadn't eaten that evil little doughnut the month before, in a fit of guilty binging. One doughnut, or two?

from InsideOutside India [»] (click link to view PDF)

from Good Homes India [»]

And many more to come! These will be updated also on our Press page [»] as well, so do pass by and view other features.

Photos by K, Gus

Labels: effervescent-effusions, press-related

THE SHOW GOES ON
» 2009 April • Reflections on Cebu X part 1

CONSUMMATUM EST. It's finally over! I say this with a huge sigh of relief, and immediately imagine myself kicking off the killer heels, falling into a soft, warm bed on a cool, pleasantly windy evening (with the smells of gastronomic temptations wafting in from the kitchen––maybe intense spice-flavoured dishes?). Gus will have slipped in a warm bossanova beat that will carry on from the living room, and I will be faced with a momentous decision (like all decisions those who have entered Cebu X faced): to get up and eat, or to succumb to a few sweet hours of rest?

Sweet rest is definitely what I've missed the weeks prior to the show. While it's to be expected that the attendance both of the exhibitors and the visitors would definitely not equal to the numbers of prior years, that certainly doesn't mean decreasing one's standards in terms of designs or performing halfheartedly just because there's only one seat taken in the opera house, as they say.

On the contrary; the more the wheels need to turn, the more the song needs to play on! This year's show was peaceful; that is to say at least we didn't have to worry about unwanted stragglers hovering around the booths being difficult! As with most shows, however, Gus and my sister, Marian, are the ones who man the booth at the forefront. I am at the homebase, where the bigger collections, an afternoon of business and slightly-not-so-business related chats are waiting with me (and coffee, freshly brewed!) I can only ever go around during the last day, visit my friends in the industry (some of whom come all the way from somewhere else in the Visayas to show).

This year, the sentinels of the stand have been joined by Carmen, my sister, and K, my niece. The latter, in particular, has been helping me with many of the preparations, appropriations, and concoctions related to the show. Baby steps for now, but that is what we all start with; I can still remember my own crude inventions before properly assessing them with a technical perspective. Last year's show had her helping out with the Hako [»] concepts; this year an unprecedented surprise in the form of the MUGNA Nomination for Contemporary Furniture marked another year of progress. Like me, she is learning the ropes in furniture design on-the-job; her background as an English major and her exposure to other fields of communication and art is also an interesting addition to the fold.

• • • • • •

What other better way to welcome the end of another show's run (and the Japanese say 'お疲れ様でした!' to congratulate and encourage each other), than to hear from friends from around the world? I am very glad to know that despite the struggling currencies "of a rapidly bankrupt world" as they say, still many have positive and proactive approaches in abundance.

Recently our friends from Abaca, India, paid us a visit, and this time it was our turn to give back to them what was a wonderful experience last year. 'Karma' is also another word for wonderful recapitulations, and almost immediately coinciding with this was the publication of InsideOutside India [»] which my friend Devyani Jaykar edits. I met her during my visit to Mumbai, and besides talking about furniture and all things interior-design, she asked if her journal could feature my house in one of its spreads. There is a trend amongst designers to evoke balanced atmosphere in the space evoking tropical, down-to-earth yet homely and sharp interiors.

When it comes to my own house I simply want to create for myself a space where I can be myself. As unextraordinary as this response may be, it is truest and the sole reason why my house looks the way it does. You could say I've prepared it for Debbie, after she's home tired from playing the boss or tired of her heels and just wants to listen to music whilst relaxing in the lounge area.

• • • • • •

Two things to keep in mind in what my friend calls "survival mode". On the one hand, careful strategy must be applied to the managing of the books, the work systems...the "dirty job". All hands on deck; not a minute should be spent idle. On the other hand, after work hours, what to do with all the time? Open space after a tight squeeze; suddenly evenings are free from after-hour appointments, and hours stretch in a surprisingly languid manner after being cramped for so long. So what to do? Far fro distressing, I prefer to 'de-stress'; that is, to carefully analyse and recapitulate back to these "dirty jobs", and fix loose ends.

Of course, with a calming cup of tea on the side, or for that matter, a nice, slim glass of Chardonnay. And while one is at it, why not pick up a copy of the wonderful ESPACIOS book on interior design that my friend from Panama has graciously forwarded? Besides the refreshing view of South American furnishings, there is much one can learn with regards to achieving a balance between a homely space, and a lavish entertaining area.