Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2020 i Lifestyle Asia

The world is currently in a state of emergency. In the onslaught of the novel coronavirus pandemic, 208 countries and territories have been affected, placing 20% of the world’s population—or an estimated 1.7 billion people—on lockdown. Never has this generation seen a health crisis of this magnitude, with many predicting this to be the next global recession. While the lives of the Baby Boomers and the Gen X-ers were greatly shaped by the impact of World War II, an economic crisis, and other life-changing world events, millennials and Gen Z will forever be changed by the COVID-19 pandemic (for millennials, this will be the second global recession their adult lifetime). Paradigms are shifting, and our way of life is evolving. Life, as we know it will be different moving forward…

For most in the metro, there was a sense of detachment about the issue of COVID-19. “We were, I suspect, a little bit in denial about the gravity of the situation, and I paid very little attention to it because I thought it was so far away from us,” says Rosenthal Tee. The designer held on to this sentiment until the week before the announcement came from Malacañang to hunker down for the long haul. “In an industry that thrives on people socializing, my business suddenly suffered a loss of about 85-90% in the week leading to our closure,” she says, “all I could do was to give financial cash advances with what physical cash I had on hand and allocate allowances that the company could shoulder to help those…

Things are starting to turn around for the food and beverage industry. Even if the community quarantine has yet to be lifted, many restaurants are returning to continue their operations. Though at a limited capacity, we’ve listed some of our favourite restaurants below that provide take-out and delivery during the quarantine. It is commendable to see these establishments resume and provide us with their signature fare. THE MOMENT GROUP All their brands such as Manam and Ooma are offering a limited menu is available daily from select branches on GrabFood and Foodpanda. Check out their Instagram page for more information <@themomentgroup> A MANO Offering a streamlined menu available for pick up, takeout, and delivery to the Rockwell and Makati area, the Italian concept is offers options of pizza, pasta, and…

SUBLIMAGE LA CRÈME LUMIÈRE Dubbed as the ultimate luxury, Sublimage is the ultimate expression of Chanel’s skincare philosophy. The new La Crème Lumière completes the Sublimage line, evening out the skin and gives vibrant radiance to every woman. Who doesn’t want a fresh glow? The perfect reflection of light is hampered by wrinkles, dark spots, shadowy areas and loss of firmness all caused by our daily stressors and stressful conditions. This collection combines natural Anthyllis extract, a botanical jewel from the Alps, which is a radiant generator, with Vanilla planifolia water for double radiance and anti-aging efficacy. CHARLOTTE TILBURY EYE COLOR MAGIC LUXURY PALETTES Charlotte Tilbury just unleashed an entire new collection of eye colors. It comes in four shades that im to emphasize brown, hazel, green and blue eyes.…

Opening its doors November of last year, Hola Bombon (which translates to “Hey, Beautiful!”) is one of Poblacion’s recent night haunts that has gained an increasing following for its festive ambiance, vibrant tones, and feel-good music. Not to mention an offering of Spanish recipes with a touch of Filipino influence and a mixology set that will surely knock your socks off, the pintxos bar and restaurant reinvigorates the district's wine and dine scene. Hola Bomnbon's managing partners—Kaity Chua-Jayme, Marie Garcia, Maria Orozco, Nikki Recto, Alberto Sbabo, and Isa Garcia-Sicamtransport guests and diners to the coastal city of San Sebastian in Spain with the colorful space. And with Barcelona import Chef Ruben Beltran Castellnou, authentic flavors from the region come to life and further the experience. From the rattan furniture and…

BMW X1: A NEW FACE TO TO THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MEMBER OF THE X FAMILY Since the launch of BMW X1 in late 2015, it has been the highest-selling BMW X model worldwide with almost 290,000 units delivered to customers, showing it has what it takes to be a winner. Now with the launch of the X1 sDrive18d xLine, it adds another chapter to the Sports Activity Vehicle's ongoing success story. The new BMW X1 exudes a more dominant, imposing aura at the front end, in particular. Here, a larger BMW grille—the kidneys now merging in the center—links up with the new LED headlights, including sharper light iconography and a bumper with larger air intakes. The rear end of the X1 also houses new stylistic features. For example, the new…

Hydra, curiously pronounced as ee-dra, is a 64 square kilometer picturesque isle by the Aegean Sea, off the coast of the Greek capital city of Athens. The landscape consists of a single mountain range, with towns and villages at its base, all lorded over by the mystical Mount Eros. Though reachable in an hour by hydrofoil from the seaport in Piraeus, we opted for a more leisurely two-hour boat ride to get into the relaxed mood. As we sluggardly sailed going into the crescent-shaped port, we spotted in spotless berths after berths multiple multi-layered yachts of tycoons and titans—some complete with helipads—sturdy catamarans of the adventure seekers, spacious sailboats of merchants and traders for their goods and wares, sleek motorboats of water-loving visitors and practical rowboats of the residents. Excitedly,…

March 15, 2020. It seemed like business as usual in Bonifacio Global City as the urban center eased into the night. Streetlights illuminated cars and pedestrians rushing home amidst traffic. Neon signs competed for people’s attention. Another busy day coming to an end, another night of fun and excitement about to begin. Except—and everyone knew this at the back of their minds—that things were far from normal. On that fateful day, Metro Manila was placed under community quarantine, barring travel in and out of the urban region. Checkpoints were set in place, and frontliners set off to keep peace, order, and safety in check. Kevin Tan was standing a block away from Uptown Mall that evening, snapping a shot of the vibrant shopping center. The Megaworld-owned structure had the word…

Much has been said about how humanity deals with crisis and how it reveals character — bringing out the best and worst of people. And while there is no question that we are living through a crisis of global proportions—what exactly it has revealed about us, remains debatable at best. For the Villar Group, however, it seems to have been an opportunity to step up and showcase the best of what the private sector can do. We spoke with Camille Villar, congresswoman of the lone district of Las Piñas and scion of the Villar Group to find out how they have been navigating the challenges of both the pandemic and the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). “It cannot be emphasized enough,” says Camille, “all acts of kindness, whether big or small,…

The telco industry is known for being predominantly run by men. Women who are part of this field are seen as outlanders, treading unknown waters. But Eastern Communications’ co-coordinators, Atty. Aileen Regio and Ms. Hermi Hizon, prove that women have what it takes to succeed and rule in a male-centric territory. As co-coordinators, they oversee the company's key operations and create the highest level of efficiency possible within the organization. Their road to the top was met with hurdles that had tested their devotion to create a better environment and improve the management at Eastern Communications, but they powered through. For Atty. Regio, her work ethic and eagerness to overcome challenges served as her fuel to thrive in the telco business. And while being part of Eastern Communications was something…

Easy, fuss-free basics that are made to last and can be worn from day-to-night define the Jill Lao aesthetic. Trained at the Parsons School of Design and having worked with Naeem Kahn and Oscar de la Renta, Jill also lived in Paris where she saw the impact of well-done, tailored classics on a wardrobe. A presence at the Comme Çi x Cura V The Concierge fashion concept, and with her wares sold at Lanai, things were looking up this year. And then COVID-19 burst into the scene. Jill, along with many designers, had to adjust. “We temporarily stopped production, our custom projects have been postponed until further notice,” she says, “I hope to work on my RTW collection soon.” Before the President had announced the quarantine on March 16, Jill…

Jay Laurel and Kyla Olives met 12 years ago while playing baseball and softball. “Because of our shared passion for competition and a never-ending thirst for improving ourselves, sports have always played a big part in our relationship,” shares Kyla. Today, they spend most weekends playing golf with the Laurel and Olives families. Jay proposed in Ilocos, after which the couple decided they didn’t want to have a long engagement, and thus started planning the wedding right away. “We both believe that the recipe for a successful wedding is for the love of the couple to really shine through because it carries the whole mood of the wedding,” says Kyla, “that along with the right mix of the people, good friends, great music, good food, and a lot of booze.”…

Tucked inside the newly renovated Garden Wing at the second floor of Resorts World Manila is Henjie Carmona’s luxury dining concept that fuses his parents’ passion for creating great-tasting food and his sophisticated eye for one-of-a-kind art pieces. Rafael’s Tapas Bar and Restaurant is named after Henjie’s father, whose homegrown recipes served as foundations for its fantastic menu of dishes. Add his mom Petronila’s elegant homemaking and Henjie’s expansive collection of fine masterpieces, and you have a well-designed space that brilliantly serves a culinary feast that looks just as good as it tastes. It is a perfect fit for the upscale hotel-casino complex and a wonderful addition to the many dining options of the location for its discerning clientele of high rollers as well as members of the social set.…

ON HER EXPERIENCE AT RISTORANTE LA FERMATA, A ONE MICHELIN STAR RESTO . . . It opened my eyes to the reality of working in a kitchen. It ignited my passion for cooking. I finished my internship, went back home to graduate and came back the next year to work for a few months in La Fermata. ON HER TIME AT THE BRASSERIE CICOU AND CHEZ KARINE PATISSERIE . . . Brasserie Cicou taught me the basics, how to work under pressure, to be strong, to be the best version of myself. At Chez Karine, we made thousands of macarons, petit fours and small cakes every day. My teachers supported me in advancing my career and encouraged me to move abroad for further exposure. ON LEARNINGS AT RESTAURANT NOMA .…

So much has been said about Anita Celdran’s corner bistro on the less rowdy side of Poblacion. Whether it’s her Cochinillo Black Pig or her famous Fabada Asturiana, the place has gained a sophisticated following thanks to word of mouth from its more-than-satisfied patrons and customers. “La Collina means ‘the hill’—as originally, we were [planning to set up] in Tagaytay,” says Anita, “It is one of the few words in Italian and Spanish that has the same meaning, but in Italian, it’s spelled with two L’s. We chose the double L because graphically it looks like a hill.” With a menu composed of both Italian and Spanish fare, the curated list of dishes is not just something Anita came up with to appease the average customer’s personal favorites. It was…

Productivity is a buzzword that has been thrown around like a jargon the past few years, but has finally made its way to our everyday vocabulary at work and in our personal life. With a limited amount of hours during the day and so many things to accomplish, it’s only reasonable for us to find ways to work smarter, hustle harder, and live happier. Through a single gadget, OPPO was able to help us meet this need: the Find X2 Pro. This powerful phone delivers the ultimate visual experience while supporting the busy lifestyles of the restless and relentless. SPECTACULAR SCREEN RESOLUTION Whether you’re playing games, browsing your email, going through social media, or simply watching a film, every pixel matters on your screen. Have the ultimate visual experience with…

This is my first time in New Zealand, and it has always been on my bucket list. I've heard of stories of how beautiful it is, and how sheep outnumber the human population. I said to myself that if I ever visit, I must do and experience everything I can. And so, I did. If you told me that I would be skydiving on Valentine’s Day in New Zealand, I would have probably laughed and said I have better things to do (or should I say more romantic things to do, if I had a partner). But that’s exactly what I did, and I have no regrets whatsoever. Why would I not mark this romantic day with such an amazing experience? I took a side trip around two cities in…

What started as a citywide epidemic has expeditiously spread through almost 200 countries and affected more than a million people worldwide in just three months. These events have pushed both governments and the private sector to aid their communities. The Belo Medical Group Founder, Dr. Vicki Belo was quick to her feet, halting nationwide operations at the dawn of the pandemic, even before the government-mandated quarantine. “Our employees and patients’ safety is of utmost importance to me. Since our business involves close and personal contact with patients, our staff and patients are more vulnerable. For this reason, I took it upon myself to close our operations even before the government ordered a lockdown,” she says. The company’s proactive solution to the overwhelming changes has given them an advantage as they…

When the COVID-19 crisis hit, businesses of all scales had no guidelines or templates to inform how they would adapt, let alone survive. When community quarantine was announced throughout the National Capital Region in March, everyone scrambled to figure out what to do next. For business owners, the challenge lay in finding the delicate balance between ensuring the safety of their people and surviving closed operations. The unprecedented crisis was a litmus test for companies, its owners and its people. How an enterprise responded to this “new normal” revealed true values that its proprietors and employees upheld. For the Aivee Clinic, the situation sparked an innate commitment to charity. Dr. Aivee Teo explained, “Bayanihan is something that resonates with us. This is why we refocused our energy and manpower to…

At the core of any work of art are basic shapes that serve as building blocks–circles, triangles, s›uares, you name them. But in a three-dimensional space, the most fundamental are the sphere, pyramid, and cube. Spheres evoke totality and fluidity through its never-ending surface, pyramids symbolize power–with the Egyptian wonders coming to mind–as the towering structure peaks at its pointed top; and cubes symbolize stability, permanence, and geometric perfection. But it was during the early 20th century when the cube caught the artistic eye and was treated as an integral object by avant garde devotees. Take cubism, an artistic movement that reduced figures into geometric outlines–highly stylised and non-naturalistic. This form follows perfection, and this is at the core of AXOR–a symbiosis of design and function which appeals to the…

Born and bred in idyllic Southern Ireland, surrounded by farmlands with produce ripe for harvest, instilled within Chef Billy King the value of utilizing only the freshest ingredients one can have. “The neighboring communities had literally homegrown products. We grew our own fruits and veggies in our gardens, we fished for our own seafood from nearby rivers and seas. We even raised cattle and sheep for our meat,” he reminisced, with his signature tousled jet black hair, grown stubble, in his double-breasted chef’s attire, long black apron over his black trousers, and a kerchief around his neck not just for décor. Sans a toque, he had on a distinctive pair of red clogs. “Everything was available around us and we never relied on frozen food at all. We were self-sufficient.”…

Patty Ang’s leadership style has always been about working closely with her people. Since she started her atelier in a small one-bedroom apartment several years ago, she always considered her sewers and staff as family. When the business quickly grew, the young designer took everyone with her—making sure they all had a place at the new and improved Atelier Patty Ang. As she continued to find success, her work family only increased. Their two-floor Fort atelier includes a large workroom, where dozens of sewers tirelessly work to create beautiful garments in tight deadlines. Despite long work hours and crazy time schedules, everyone is always in good spirits. Patty likes to keep it light and enjoyable, creating a wonderful working environment for her family of skilled artisans. It isn’t an unusual…

Iñigo Taojo and Mika Magat have known each other since they were children. “Our grandparents are the best of friends. Eventually during our high school and college days, we lost contact but reconnected last 2017 after seeing each other again during a dinner hosted by Iñigo's family," says Mika. When Iñigo decided to court Mika, he asked for the blessing of her father. Several months later, they were an official couple. “I knew in my heart, he was the one for me,” says Mika. Seven months into the relationship, Batso proposed during a vacation with friends in Siargao. “He carved a space in a book where he put the ring, on the first page he wrote, “Empires rise empires fall, will you be my constant through it all?” A line…

The latest Japanese food concept to open at in the Metro, Sen-Ryo's authentic sushi offering is one that is unforgettable to the palate. Fresh ingredients, combined with age-old techniques and modern technology ensures a culinary mastery and sushi artistry that is rarely found in these climes. A well-known brand the world over, its latest iteration in the Philippines features fresh nigiri, sashimi, and kushiyaki, along with untouched ingredients flown in from Japan, created with the utmost care and passion of Japanese chefs. Order the Wagyu Beef Salad, with its delectable wagyu beef striploin with a side of lettuce, apples, and cucumbers and enjoy the melting, mouthwatering texture in your mouth. Follow that up with a Salmon Miso Soup, made of grilled premium salmon belly. The favored selection was the Botan…

ARÁN SOURDOUGH Our signature loaf—a twist on brown sourdough bread with a distinct colour and flavour of purple wheat. ARÁN POLISH SOURDOUGH An ode to Bart’s traditions and heritage. It’s a more dense and fibrous version of a sourdough containing mostly white flour. ØLANDS COUNTRY LOAF Our take on a high hydration, heritage white sourdough. Strong acidic flavour and velvety texture with a soft crumb. ARÁN BREAKFAST PLATTER Ballon Farms scrambled eggs, butter-toasted sourdough, homemade seasonal jam, heirloom tomato salad, Knockanore Smoked Cheddar, John Joe’s Rashers, Dizzy Goat Farms Wild Pig Sausage and hash brown potatoes. SMASHED AVOCADO TOAST Marinated smashed avocado, Dizzy Goats Farm Goat's Cheese and a fried egg served on our classic sourdough bread. BALLON FARMS SIZZLING Eggs, Truffles, mushrooms, smoked lardons and onions served with a…

Back in 2016, I was working as a Social Media Manager for Shop LCP, a Manila-based boutique by Pie Alvarez that carried curated fashion finds from all over the globe. Although my previous job as a styling assistant to celebrity stylist Liz Uy introduced me to fashion's big names, it was Shop LCP that opened a whole new world to me—true global fashion. Shop LCP started carrying South American designers that hailed from different regions, some of which were produced by indigenous people and local artisans. I was drawn to how each piece spoke so much of its own culture and personality. Each item felt like owning a piece of art that exhibited excellent craftsmanship. It was Colombian designers in particular that stood out the most for me. Fun, flirty,…

About 12 hours, two plane rides away from Manila is Blenheim, New Zealand—a place I hadn't heard of until Moët Hennessy’s wine brand, Cloudy Bay invited me for a visit to their vineyard. What is in Blenheim? It is probably the world’s most peaceful and refreshing place I have ever been. With vast estates of beautiful wineries and landscapes, Blenheim houses one of the world’s best vineyards. Blenheim is part of New Zealand’s Marlborough District, and is a short plane ride away from Auckland. This particular location is known for its wine production, more specifically its Sauvignon Blanc. One of the most storied vineyards in the area is Cloudy Bay. Established in 1985, Cloudy Bay was one of the first vineyards to set up a winery in the district. Back…

To be a citizen during a time of national crisis is a difficult situation to be in. But to run a business during a time of national crisis has its own unique host of issues and pressure. For retail magnate Ben Chan, supporting Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic is well within Bench’s brand vision of loving local. More than promoting photo-worthy travel destinations, amazing food, and other Filipino trademarks, to love local is to support the society that functions beneath the pulsating vibrance of our culture. To love our travel destinations is to support the community inhabiting it. To love our food is to support its cooks. And so it follows that to love Bench as a brand is to support the Filipino people who patronize and work for it.…

At the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, the President declared on national television, “To those who have more in life, I implore you to share in the cost of taking care of the less fortunate and keeping our society intact.” Dennis Uy responded. And while his most recent moves include the possibility of turning his fleet of 2GO Group ships into floating quarantine-hospitals, Dennis explores all possible ways into keeping his company—and the country—afloat. THE SUM GREATER THAN THE WHOLE Akin to global multinationals, Dennis admits that the COVID pandemic has made a significant impact on his business, and in turn, their clients, partners, and employees. And yet unlike most international brands, Udenna’s portfolio includes not just luxury brands but consumer commodities as well. Fuel (Phoenix Petroleum), food (Wendy’s), and…