1 of 2

Pat & Pat conjures memories of suburbia, with a grown-up palate

THE house which Pat & Pat has transferred to had been a legend in its own right, with whispered tales of its ownership back in the 1970s and 鈥�80s. A graceful bungalow with curling grillwork on the arches surrounding the walled garden, it had gone to seed. I would know: I lived in the townhouse block on the same street in Old Balara from grade school to college and saw how much the neighborhood had changed over the years.

Pat & Pat, built as a concept by the Freedom Hospitality Group of Patrick and Marichele Gregorio, moved from its space up in Capitol Hills and down to Old Balara this month.

鈥淢y husband saw this house. It was old,鈥� Ms. Gregorio said over lunch on May 19. So the house has been completely remodeled: the old arches are gone, but the Gregorios kept the ironwork and used it for the ceiling. The old faux-brick facade has been eliminated for something more modern. While we sat at lunch, Ms. Gregorio got up to supervise the installation of a few paintings by a good family friend, a National Artist (for music 鈥� he just happens to do other things). The black walls, the birdcage booths, and the metallic accents may seem a bit imposing compared to the lighthearted menu.

A family came by, a clutch of schoolgirls in Mary Janes accompanied by their grandparents 鈥� they seem to be the people who should be in Pat & Pat, with a menu decidedly fit for a nice Sunday lunch with your family.

The restaurant is even named after family members: Pat, as in Patrick, as in Mr. Gregorio, and Patricia, their daughter, who is General Manager for Freedom Hospitality (the two came early to the family meeting that decided the restaurant鈥檚 name). Pat & Pat and their other concept, What About Coffee? (with outlets in nearby UP Diliman and Katipunan), was born around 2022. This new Pat & Pat only opened this month, and they will use their old location as their third What About Coffee?.

Ms. Gregorio said that while they were employed in different industries (hotels, for one), they ventured into entrepreneurship through restaurant franchising (hint: it鈥檚 chicken). While they kept their chicken franchises, opening their own food business gave them freedom (hence the group name).

For lunch, we had their Shrimp Tacos (P359 for three pieces, served with salsa, chimichurri, and tartar sauce on the side). It was perfect food for summer: light on the palate and heavy in the belly. I am not a big fan of their Herb Crusted Roast Beef (P999), because while it was flavorful, it was a bit dry, and had more in common with corned beef at that point. I will note that their mashed potatoes are really good, with a little bit of smoke in it (achieved by roasting the potatoes before mashing).

Three dishes stood out. First the USDA Prime Grade Ribeye Steak, which feels like it does not belong hidden in suburbia, with the right amount of tenderness and extra juiciness (they have the same meat supplier as a very popular steak chain).

Memory plays with my other favorites. The Three-Chorizo pasta (P399), made with an assortment of sausages saut茅ed with garlic and tomatoes, felt like something my mother would make when in the mood for something good, and I鈥檓 sure the experience would be shared by others. Dessert felt even more personal: a cake called Capitol Hills (P309). This is a homemade chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream, and drizzled with chocolate sauce, its chocolate shavings forming a shell on the ice cream. It felt like something I would have made from things I could find in the fridge, growing up in the townhouse block next to the Balara bungalow. I鈥檓 embarrassed to say that I might have shed a tear while eating it.

But that鈥檚 the whole point of Pat & Pat: conjuring up memories of suburbia, elevated to a grown-up palate. 鈥淚t鈥檚 comfort food talaga,鈥� said Ms. Gregorio. 鈥�Ang gusto ko lang, flavorful (What I really wanted was something flavorful).鈥�

That鈥檚 also the market that they鈥檙e planning to corner. Ms. Gregorio said, 鈥�Taga-QC tayo diba (we鈥檙e both from Quezon City, right)? Once you鈥檙e from QC, always, dito ka na (you鈥檒l always be here).鈥�

She recalled that one of the reasons they built the restaurant was because while living in Capitol Hills, they wanted somewhere nice to go in their neighborhood instead of having to drive to the malls. Their marketing head, Ogos Aznar, said, 鈥淥ur vision is really bringing this kind of concept close to the community 鈥� paglabas ng gate nila (once they get out of their gate), we鈥檙e there. You won鈥檛 see us in the malls.鈥�

Pat & Pat is at 5 University Valley, Matandang Balara, Diliman, Quezon City. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

Earlier this month, we had dinner at Palm Grill, Miguel Cabel Moreno鈥檚 paean to Mindanaoan cuisine, with special attention given to Tausug cuisine (the indigenous people from the Sulu archipelago, from whom Mr. Cabel Moreno claims descent).

At Palm Grill, our party of four had the multi-dish Dulang Share (P2,499 for five). It鈥檚 a Tausug specialty with Pianggang Manuk, Tiyula Itum, Beef Kurma, Kaliya Puso, and Belachan Manuk.

Chicken Pianggang is chicken slow cooked in coconut milk, burnt coconut, and spices, then grilled and topped with the same sauce. That sauce is pamapa, a Tausug condiment made from burnt coconut, ginger, turmeric, galangal, and other spices. Tiyula Itum is a black beef soup with burnt coconut, ginger, galangal, and other aromatics. Chicken Belachan is chicken marinated in turmeric and lemon juice, then grilled with belachan shrimp paste. Kaliya Puso is banana heart cooked for a long period, then saut茅ed with aromatics and bubuk (dried coconut, dried fish, chilies, and spices). Beef Kurma, meanwhile, is a beef stew in coconut milk and spices.

No misses: all of it was good, and none of it familiar.

Imagine a platter of silver, with the colors of its dishes ranging from bright yellows to moody blacks. The chicken dishes were grilled and browned to perfection and had flavor down to the bone. The Tiyula Itum, which we encountered for the first time, was the moody-looking black soup we mentioned: on the palate, however, it鈥檚 full of depth and had a comparatively light flavor. We were definitely surprised by the Kaliya Puso, another dish new to us. While we don鈥檛 normally like banana hearts or anything else in it, this time the taste was delightfully complex despite its rather humble ingredients, and we found ourselves spooning more onto our plate.

BRINGING MINDANAO TO MANILA
In a speech given during the preview for IFEX last week, Mr. Cabel Moreno said that his first memories of the kitchen were at his grandmother鈥檚 house in Sulu, then moving to Zamboanga. After moving to Manila, 鈥淒ining in restaurants that served Filipino food never felt the same,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot getting the opportunity to see Mindanaoan specialties on the menu is one of the reasons why I started Palm Grill. I wanted to really advocate for regional cuisines and Southern Mindanaoan specialties.鈥�

The restaurant opened in 2017, and at the Michelin Guide ceremonies last October, the restaurant received a Bib Gourmand recognition (the chef received another such citation for another outlet, Cabel, near Malaca帽ang). In a Viber message to Businessworld, he said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 been seven months since the recognition, and I don鈥檛 think I could ever get used to the extra attention. Don鈥檛 get me wrong 鈥� I am so grateful to have been recognized for my work at Palm Grill and Cabel. I feel that the Lord blessed me in return for all the sacrifices, hard work, and roadblocks we had to endure.

鈥淩emaining laser-focused and never giving up on the goal, despite not earning for many years, is just one part of the journey. But the Michelin Bib Gourmand is truly the validation we have been waiting for over the past eight years. It magnified our voices and it validated that our food is worth discovering and trying,鈥� he said.

Their restaurants source their main ingredients from Zamboanga and Sulu, he explained. 鈥淭his way, we are able to preserve authenticity while also helping local farmers and fisherfolk. This matters deeply to me because I know how it feels to go unseen and unheard. Giving back to the community means giving them importance and opportunities to grow.鈥�

He talked about why he chose to open restaurants in the capital, rather than opening in their home base. It was 鈥淭he lack of representation and the absence of Mindanaoan specialties in many Filipino restaurants are among the reasons why I established Palm Grill in Metro Manila. I have always felt that we are more than what we already know. As Filipinos, we need to be proud of our regional dishes 鈥� they are a part of who we are. I also wanted to change perspectives and narratives, especially when people talk about Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago.鈥�

He added, 鈥淚 like to believe that through my restaurants and work I have finally broken down barriers and allowed people to discover Tausug culture through food. I always say that the best way to understand people is through their food. For the longest time the Tausug people have been seen stereotyped, and now more and more people are beginning to discover that these are peace-loving people with a vibrant history and culture.鈥�

We go back to associating Mindanao with conflict. While the conflicts caused by regionalism, extremism, and other -isms don鈥檛 appear in the news quite as often as they used to, it鈥檚 a reputation that is still implanted in the nation鈥檚 memory 鈥� that the land, rich and bountiful as it is, is always looked at as a powder keg waiting to explode. Mr. Cabel Moreno has built a place where the memories of Mindanao are of home, and good times, and not what is on the news.

鈥淭here is conflict wherever you go in this world. But to label our land and generalize it as unsafe simply because it was once war-torn is where we fail as Filipinos. Mindanao is a beautiful place 鈥� vibrant, rich in history, and full of culture. To dismiss it as an afterthought is like saying we do not care about it,鈥� he told 大象传媒.

He is helping build this reputation through the uniqueness of his home鈥檚 food.

鈥淭he flavor profile of food in Mindanao takes a completely different direction. This is because of centuries of peaceful trade with Southeast Asian countries that heavily influenced its cuisine. Many people may not know that Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi were never colonized by Spain. The pre-colonial cooking methods that have been preserved are part of our identity. To me, they represent the true essence of who we are,鈥� he said in a Viber message. 鈥淲e, as Filipinos, should be proud of this,鈥� he added.

鈥淚t鈥檚 through food that we get to understand people and culture. All these preconceived notions and ideas about Mindanao should be changed,鈥� he said. 鈥淐onversations should be about flavor, and the stories of the cuisines from there.鈥�

Palm Grill is located in 179 Tomas Morato Ave. corner Sct. Castor St. in Quezon City. It will also be opening a larger restaurant in Gateway Mall 2 in Cubao in August. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 2

Ditta Sandico never gives up

WHEN we say 鈥渋t鈥檚 a wrap,鈥� it usually means we鈥檙e ending something. When Ditta Sandico says that, she鈥檚 talking about her continuing work.

It鈥檚 A Wrap: Unraveling the Future of Fashion 鈥� published by Far Eastern University, written by Francine Medina Marquez, and edited by Gayle Zialcita 鈥� summarizes the designer鈥檚 40-year journey, beginning in her observation of Mangyan textiles in her girlhood and ending with her 40^th anniversary fashion show last year.

While it is about her life, there鈥檚 a wider discussion in the book about Philippine textiles and materials, and the people who made them. Photographs of the designer鈥檚 work and as they were shown in magazines and runways give the book color and heft. The book launch was held on May 13 at the Yuchengco Museum, with a fashion show showing off the designer鈥檚 work.

Ms. Sandico, born the daughter of the family behind the COD Department Store, studied at the University of the Philippines and at Tobe-Coburn in New York. She began designing in the mid-1980s. In the late 鈥�90s and early 2000s, she found her signature: abaca (which she branded as 鈥渂anaca鈥�). Working against the material鈥檚 stiffness, she manipulated the fibers into wraps used to jazz up outfit bases. One such wrap appeared on the runway during the launch: in a rich bronze color, it appeared first like a cocoon around the model, covering her upper body and face. Unfolding the wrap, she turned it into something shaped like a flower. Wearing a Ditta, every ordinary woman could be someone flamboyant, someone the opposite of invisible.

In an interview while she signed the books, she told us about the sort of person who wears her pieces. 鈥淭he first few years were difficult for me. We had to initiate; we had to teach people how to wear the clothes themselves, the wraps. Even the colors. It took time, and it took a lot of courage from the women to be able to get themselves out there.鈥�

We told her a story about a friend of ours who was graduating magna cum laude, and insisted on wearing a white Ditta wrap over her white graduation dress 鈥� this woman wore Ditta in her early 20s. Pointing first to her own wrap, Ms. Sandico then pointed to a loyal customer who is 90 years old. 鈥淪he鈥檚 wearing the same wrap,鈥� she explained. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 worn differently. I guess it鈥檚 really the manipulation. The way things are reimagined and reinvented.鈥�

The wraps seem almost amorphous, taking shape as a partnership between herself and a customer. Asked what other shapes she can still do, she said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 always a work in progress. Every time I wake up in the morning, I look forward to a new day. All these inspirations just come, through dreams.鈥� She corrected herself, saying, 鈥淚 do a little research here and there to find out what鈥檚 going on in the malls and in the retail market. It just grows from that.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be clich茅 to say everything is divine inspiration. But it does come from there.鈥�

While today we take for granted the mainstreaming of Filipino textiles, she was one of the first to use them in her collections, opting to work directly with indigenous weaving communities. 鈥淭here seems to be such a redeeming factor,鈥� she told 大象传媒. 鈥淚 feel so validated, every time I think that I was one of the first, and I didn鈥檛 give up,鈥� she said.

鈥淚鈥檝e always kept that in my vocabulary 鈥� in the things that I do and the things that I come up with. There鈥檚 got to be a progression in things and it just doesn鈥檛 come easy.鈥�

Her clothes have been shown around the world 鈥� in Helsinki, Paris, Rome, Dubai, Los Angeles, New York, Moscow, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Kuala Lumpur, among others.

She talked about her 40 years in fashion, and how she measures her own success. 鈥淚 think the 40 years speak for itself. I don鈥檛 really have to shout it out. I was always: what鈥檚 going to happen to me next? I was always kind of insecure about things. 鈥業s this enough?鈥�

鈥淏ut now, I can鈥檛 look back. I just have to keep moving forward. There鈥檚 nothing to stop me now.鈥�

The book is partly titled 鈥淭he Future of Fashion,鈥� and on her own future, she says, 鈥淚 still have to think about that. I鈥檓 learning to really appreciate my individuality. I鈥檓 learning to appreciate being myself, and being out there in the world seems a bit daunting.

鈥淢any things can come.鈥�

It鈥檚 a Wrap is available for purchase through TAMS Bookstore at TamsBookstore@feu.edu.ph. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

IF ALL goes well, in a span of a few years, a person will be able access an entire library of Philippine textiles right from their phone.

The Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Textile Research Institute (DoST-PTRI) talked about its new app, SalinHABI, at the J. Amado Araneta Foundation鈥檚 (JAAF) traditional weaving fair 鈥淗ibla: Tradition Woven Forward.鈥� The fair was held from May 15 to 17 at Araneta City鈥檚 Gateway Mall 2.

Jennelu Caya, supervising science research specialist at the DoST-PTRI, estimates that the institute has been working on the digitalization project since 2022. Since that year, PTRI has been tracking down weavers and weaves. The project鈥檚 goal is twofold: while onboarding, filing, and uploading the works of the weavers (and allowing them to be contacted for business and research purposes), they are also saving the work for future use.

The weaves are preserved using high-resolution images. These are fed to software that analyzes color, thread counts, thickness, and other variables, and it is then recreated using PTRI鈥檚 digital looms, allowing the manufacture of what Ms. Caya calls 鈥渄igital twins.鈥� From this process, the method and matrices of the woven products are saved and can be recreated once again. She likens this to making sheet music: 鈥�Sa piano piece, meron ka nang notes (you鈥檒l already have the notes).鈥�

Access, however, is restricted, and the public can view only the finished product through the app. As for weavers, 鈥淚f the community is the original weaver of that pattern, we will share it with them.鈥�

Ms. Caya shared the successes of the digitalization project. Since 2022, they have scoped and identified about 5,000 weavers from all across the country. They are still working on getting them all on the app, however: 鈥淲e are now able to commit 1,400 plus, plus weavers in the platform.鈥� They have also managed to preserve woven works that have become extinct: there are some samples of Philippine textiles in the Field Museum in Chicago which are the only ones left of that specific pattern. After feeding images of these to their software, they have managed to recreate the patterns again using the digital looms, and their matrices can be made available again to the communities that had once woven them.

Being on the app can also help in weeding out the fakes that have proliferated: machine-woven textiles using indigenous patterns have been spreading in the market and being passed off as the real thing. 鈥�Kapag nakita mo iyong community sa SalinHABI, 100%, alam mo na producers sila ng handloom wovens,鈥� she said.

Interested parties can download the SalinHABI app from Google Play and the App Store. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 3

Choose a reasonably priced glass at World Cellar inside Gateway鈥檚 upscale World Kitchen

WHILE we鈥檝e written before about how much fun we鈥檇 had at Araneta City鈥檚 World Kitchens, which opened last year, a new addition to the 鈥渇ancy food court鈥� makes the trip to Cubao a bit more exciting.

Enter World Cellar, which opened in January this year, where diners can choose from about 400 available wines, either by the glass or by the bottle.

Food columnist and consultant for World Cellar CJ Juntereal told 大象传媒 at a pairing lunch on April 24 about how World Cellar went about selecting these 400 wines, more than there are days in a year. Aside from a division in price tiers (more on that later), she said, 鈥淲e wanted a representation of all wine regions. All grapes; as many grapes as we could do.

鈥淭he wines are a mixture of large established wineries and smaller boutique wineries,鈥� she said. We saw some wines from established Old World estates, from Spain and France, but then she pointed out, for example, the presence of bottles by female winemakers. There are also wines from Japan and Israel. 鈥淭hese are the new wine regions,鈥� she said of those countries.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a range of interesting wines: safe choices, and choices that you can discover,鈥� she said of the cellar鈥檚 offerings.

WINE PAIRING OVER LUNCH
Part of the joy of dining at World Kitchens is the large amount of food choices (https://tinyurl.com/yb6cah48). Since it is still part of World Kitchens even though it is physically separated from it, we ordered dishes freely from the establishments outside the (climate-controlled at 18掳C to 20掳C) cellar to pair with the wines.

The wines we had for lunch were chosen by their in-house sommelier, Benedict Tan. Just in his 20s, he has a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) level 3 certificate in wines. After hearing our choices for lunch (which mostly veered Asian), he picked out a Clos de Centenaires Art 2020, and a Les Pensees de Pallus Chinon 2019. He said that the wine choices he made were centered on right levels of acidity and a certain level of minerality, to complement the rich appetizers and the sweetish mains.

Here鈥檚 what we had: the Clos was paired with the Otoro Rolls from Kuro Maguro. The fresh, juicy, mineral scent of the Clos cut through the very fatty and thick tuna belly. We also had tuna sashimi, a leaner cut compared to the otoro. With the Clos, the tuna was given some spice and liveliness.

We also had Chinese selections from 18 Jade and HK Ma, as well as the Beef Cheeks Adobo from Chef Jessie鈥檚. These we paired with the Chinon. The Chinon had a very tannic-forward scent, smelling almost like tea, and made our mouth water. With the adobo, it added some spice but cut through the fat and the gelatin. With a ubiquitous Sweet and Sour Pork, the wine added some gravitas. For Prawn Noodles from HK Ma, it added some liveliness to the seafood and starch.

A surprising dish from 18 Jade was deep-fried eggplant served with pork floss and, get this: condensed milk. It鈥檚 a confusing dish that surprisingly works, balancing all the tastes with texture. This must have been a challenge to find a pairing for, but the Chinon added a fruitiness that was welcome.

REASONABLY PRICED
The wines have a surprising markup: the most affordable ones in their selection are priced at P800 a bottle, which Ms. Juntereal estimates would cost about P2,500 somewhere else. Wines by the glass start at P200. The explanation is delightfully elegant: this is a pet project of Jorge Araneta, the Araneta Group鈥檚 chair, and bon vivant.

Of course, they have other choices for the more discerning buyer: we saw bottles going up to P30,000, from his personal collection on site. One section of World Cellar is devoted to his collection, which you might be able to tour if you ask nicely (and promise to keep your elbows in check).

鈥淢r. Araneta wants to build a wine culture here,鈥� said Ms. Juntereal. 鈥淗e wants to introduce wine to more people.鈥�

For a lot of people there are two big barriers to drinking wine, said Ms. Juntereal. 鈥淥ne, the price. Two, it鈥檚 seen as something difficult, complicated, or kind of snobby and sosyal. We want to take that away,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he price barrier is gone.鈥�

WINE CLASS
Not only is the price barrier lowered, World Cellar is promoting the joy of drinking wine through education.

Every Friday from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Mr. Tan holds a wine class called Wine 101. The guided tasting costs P999 per person. 鈥淏y making wine education accessible and engaging, the program encourages a broader audience to appreciate the craftsmanship, stories, and traditions behind every bottle,鈥� says a statement from the cellar.

As limited slots are available per session, interested parties ought to register in advance via or via the QR code on the official social media pages of World Kitchens.

World Cellar is located inside World Kitchens, at Level 4 of Gateway Mall 2 in Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City. For inquiries and reservations, contact 0918-939-4537 or e-mail wk.reservations.aranetagrp@gmail.com. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

A preview of what is in store was held at the Likhang Filipino Exhibition Halls, refurbished earlier from the former PhilTrade Center. Since Likhang Filipino鈥檚 selling point is that it is like having the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions鈥� (CITEM) annual trade fairs extended for the whole year, we asked CITEM Executive Director Leah Pulido Ocampo why IFEX was being held elsewhere. It is all a matter of space 鈥� though that will change.

鈥淲e have a very small space, she told 大象传媒. 鈥淲e need at least 16,000 square meters (sq.m.) [for IFEX]. We only have 8,000 sq.m. here,鈥� she pointed out. 鈥淲e鈥檙e actually planning to do that: expand the entire facility, and hopefully, maybe in two to three years (we can hold IFEX here).鈥�

By her count, there are already more than 400 exhibitors for IFEX. Last year, according to a release, IFEX Philippines 2025 welcomed over 10,000 buyers and visitors from more than 50 countries, generating $80 million in export sales.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 our positioning as a country,鈥� she said about the tropical theme. 鈥淥ur target markets are Europeans, the Americans, the Middle East. These are countries that do not have what we have.鈥�

鈥淣ot everybody has ube (purple yam), or mango. Pinag-aawayan talaga (they fight over it),鈥� she said.

KITCHENS, SUSTAINABILITY
The preview earlier this week showed off the plans for this year鈥檚 IFEX. This includes IFEX Kitchen, which invites Filipino chefs from here and abroad to cook and talk about Philippine cuisine.

There will also be the Sustainability Solutions Exchange (SSX), the country鈥檚 first sourcing platform dedicated to a more resilient food ecosystem, featuring eco-friendly packaging, green technologies, and waste management solutions across sectors, such as agriculture, home and fashion, manufacturing, and technology. SSX will also introduce the Start-up Pitching Competition and Networking, an avenue connecting sustainable innovations from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups to key partners for capital and collaboration.

The FOODPhilippines Trade Hall will serve as the hub for top Philippine brands. It will also feature a Business Solutions Zone, as well as regional brands showcasing heritage crops and regional specialties through their respective pavilions.

There will also be foreign participants reflecting global flavors and industry trends at the International Hall.

Finally, the Marketplace provides a designated area for direct retail.

KATHA AWARDS
A highlight of the preview was the awarding of the Katha Awards for food. Organized by CITEM, the award champions creativity and excellence in the industry, furthering the global competitiveness of Philippine food MSMEs, including emerging export players.

The Power of Slow Carbonated Coconut Flower Nectar Drink won the Beverage category, while Golden Flavours Shortcakes (using jackfruit, durian, and pineapple) won the award for Bakery Products and Confectioneries. Munggo!, an instant porridge made from mung beans, won the award for Functional, Healthy and Alternative Foods.

Cocoes Coconut Aminos Crema Balsamico (resembling balsamic vinegar) won the award for Processed Fruits and Vegetables, including Sauces and Condiments. Gourmet Tahong (a preserve made of mussels) won the award in Seafood, while Kangkong Chips in Sinigang Flavor by Kangkong King won in Snacks and Ready-to-Eat award. Marcelo鈥檚 Microcreamery took the award for Specialty Gourmet for their coconut-based ice creams.

Ms. Pulido Ocampo said of the winners, in relation to their future exportability, 鈥淏uyers would always say that our products have a unique taste. Even if it鈥檚 more expensive compared to, for example,鈥� and here she gave a list of our Southeast Asian neighbors. 鈥淥ur products seem to be preferred.鈥�

鈥淲e have volcanic soil and sea breeze. All of these contribute to the unique taste,鈥� she said.

Visit ifexconnect.com to join or know more about IFEX Philippines. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

The procession 鈥� which is usually held on the last day of the Flores de Mayo festival honoring the Virgin Mary 鈥� commemorates the search by Queen Helena of Constantinople and her son, Constantine, for the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Thus, the parade, held in parishes around the Philippines, is headed by a woman playing Reyna Elena, accompanied by a boy playing Constantine. A court of queens and biblical characters join the procession behind the queen.

On April 28, the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) and the Intramuros Administration announced that the Reyna Elena for this year鈥檚 Grand Santacruzan will be played by beauty queen Teresita Ssen 鈥淲inwyn鈥� Marquez. Ms. Marquez, the daughter of actors Joey Marquez and Alma Moreno, won the Reina Hispanoamericana pageant in 2017.

Jaison Yang, president of PTAA, said during the press conference at the Museo de Intramuros that the 鈥淧TAA will always choose a role model that will represent not just the Philippines, but our culture.鈥�

This would be Ms. Marquez鈥� first time participating in a Santacruzan, noting that even back home in Para帽aque, she had not been joined. 鈥淚鈥檓 just very lucky to be here, to see the tradition and heritage be celebrated this way.鈥�

She added, 鈥�Hindi lang siya about beauty, the magarbong suot (it鈥檚 not just about beauty and the fabulous outfits)鈥� 鈥� the procession is often criticized for a focus on couturier outfits worn by beauty queens. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about how you show your true Filipino attitude, how you respect people when you walk around Intramuros; how you make them feel.鈥�

According to Mr. Yang, Ms. Marquez and her court will start the procession from Foro de Intramuros, pass by San Agustin Church, Gen. Luna Street, the Manila Cathedral, the Palacio del Gobernador, and end at the gates of Fort Santiago. The court will be comprised of representatives from the establishments around Intramuros: hotels, universities, airlines, and the Bank of the Philippine Islands (one of the sponsors). 鈥淚t鈥檚 a collaboration of different people from the industry,鈥� he said.

There will be programs held at the beginning and end of the procession, helped along by the tour guides and vendors of Instramuros. The vendors and tour guides will be compensated by the PTAA (by buying the packaged tours and the vendors鈥� wares). 鈥淲e wanted to help the affected tourism workers,鈥� he said in an interview. This is due to a pivot on their part to promote domestic tourism in light of the energy crisis caused by the Middle East conflict, which has raised prices of flights. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 also the request of the Department of Tourism, to push more local tourism. Having a Santacruzan is a way of doing that.鈥�

The Grand Santacruzan at Intramuros will take place on May 22 in the late afternoon. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 3

THERE鈥橲 A LOT of buzz around sustainable fashion because not only does the issue affect us globally: the issue sits right next to our skin.

During a webinar on April 27, Jessie Jiang, founder of online community platform Basically Borrowed, talked about the ways we talk about clothes, and how we can make the message land right.

Basically Borrowed started in 2019 as a platform that once offered clothing swaps between its members, centered around the idea of the sustainability of the practice. Since then, she has pivoted to making content devoted to discussing the issues surrounding fashion and its sustainability.

On Zoom, she said, 鈥淭here is no globally accepted definition (of sustainability).鈥� She cited a definition from the United Nations: 鈥淪ustainable fashion is a shift away from exploitative, high-waste models toward a regenerative, equitable, and circular textile value chain.鈥� However, she says that this definition 鈥渋s a great opportunity鈥� to 鈥渢ake advantage of the loopholes.鈥�

Moreover, awareness does not always translate into action: citing data, she said that while 70% of consumers have expressed awareness about issues circling sustainability (the environment and human cost, for example), less than 30% actually care and commit to changing their habits. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an actual big gap between people being aware of it and people actually doing something about it,鈥� she said.

She gives a framework on addressing this gap. 鈥淧eople respond better to simple, clear messages.鈥� For example, with regards to just citing a company as being sustainable (now vague and muddied due to the loopholes found in the definition given above), she says, 鈥淵ou can say which specific areas: is it packaging? Supply chain? Transparency.鈥� She added, 鈥淵ou have to say something specific.鈥�

Next, she said, 鈥淲e trust people who sound honest and credible 鈥� and not perfect.鈥� She expounded: 鈥淲e鈥檙e really influenced by people like us, people who we trust, who are already in our social circles, [rather] than by a random brand or even official sources.鈥�

Another point is that the topic gets a better response when the message is positive. 鈥淩ather than a guilt-trip or pressure,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he message has to make it seem like they鈥檙e not making a terrible huge sacrifice for sustainability. It still has to be appealing. We still have to offer an appealing option.鈥�

For example, criticizing someone鈥檚 fast fashion haul won鈥檛 work. She鈥檇 reframe the criticism, for example, as, 鈥淚 realize that I keep buying things that I barely wear.鈥�

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e talking about something that people care about that鈥檚 relatable to their everyday life, of course, they鈥檙e going to engage,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou create a sense of connection.鈥�

Follow for more insights. 鈥� JL Garcia

1 of 3

WHILE meant as a children鈥檚 story, Alice in Wonderland grips the imagination to this day. While we can鈥檛 go down the proverbial rabbit hole (or can we?), Conrad Manila launched a buffet concept that should feel the same.

Conrad Manila held a preview for their dessert buffet, called Wonderland Reverie, on April 18 at their buffet restaurant, Brasserie on 3. All of the buffet stations were transformed solely for dessert that day, providing a task just as daunting as Alice鈥檚.

Rupert Hallam, general manager of Conrad Manila, told us in an interview that they got the idea from a similar concept from their sister property, the Tokyo Hilton, some years ago. 鈥淭he amount of detail, time, and effort that got into producing all of the desserts is incredible,鈥� he said about this Philippine edition. According to Nicolas de Visch, executive chef at the Conrad Manila, brainstorming and executing all the ideas took about two months.

Each station had a theme: Mr. De Visch said in a group interview, 鈥淚t鈥檚 been placed on your arrival according to the chapters of the book,鈥� he said, referring to Alice in Wonderland. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 really all about the way you want it.鈥�

That鈥檚 why it started with a Victorian Tea Party-theme, decorated daintily and laid out with treats such as madeleines and a Battenberg Cake (pink and yellow sponge cakes beneath a marzipan shell; supposedly named after Queen Victoria鈥檚 granddaughter and King Charles鈥� great-grandmother, Princess Victoria of Hesse, who married into the princely House of Battenberg).

The next station was 鈥淒own the Rabbit Hole,鈥� through which Alice entered Wonderland. Treats included miso caramel brownies and maple bacon cupcakes. Then there was the 鈥淢ad Tea Party,鈥� where Alice met the Mad Hatter and the Hare. There was dulce de leche pot de creme and a pistachio sphere, among others. We then went to the 鈥淩ed Queen鈥檚 Court,鈥� which, of course, had chocolates dyed red and shaped like roses (and other things), but also her famous tarts.

There was a savory interlude called 鈥淔rabjous鈥� (a made-up word in the book), and here we had our fill of sausage rolls (made with a woven pastry shell), salmon blinis, and smoked tomato soup. The next station was the 鈥淧ool of Tears鈥� (which Alice created by weeping), with curious food and drinks marked 鈥淓at me鈥� and 鈥淒rink me.鈥�

At the White Queen鈥檚 station, there was chocolate babka and a donut wall, but also a castle carved out of white chocolate. Overall, the whole display brings a sensorial delight.

That is, if you can handle it all.

During the launch, we only managed to eat about five plates (savories included). Combined with the free-flowing tea, it鈥檚 certainly a task for two hours.

Mr. Hallam, general manager of Conrad Manila, told us in an interview, 鈥淔or celebrations, it鈥檚 perfect. Everybody likes a bit of indulgence.

鈥淥nce in a while is fine,鈥� he said when we pointed out the task of actually going through all the desserts. 鈥淓verything in moderation.鈥�

The dessert buffet is available every Saturday and Sunday until July 31 from 3 to 5 p.m. for P2,500 net per person. For inquiries, call 8833-9999 or e-mail MNLMB.FB@ConradHotels.com. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 5

A Quezon City contest focuses on making new clothes from old

OLD CLOTHES were given life anew at Retashow, the Quezon City government鈥檚 sustainability project that promotes its own textile waste programs. The show, with 10 finalists, awarded three winners with P70,000 each and a plaque.

The show was held at SM Fairview on April 24. The clothes were judged by designer Avel Bacudio, director of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Textile Research Institute (DoST-PTRI) Julius Lea帽o, Jr., and Wear Forward founder Prince Jimdel Ventura. The clothes were judged by their wearability as well as the amount of recycled materials used: each outfit had to be made of 70% recycled material.

This year 鈥� the contest鈥檚 third edition 鈥� the theme was centered around 鈥渢winning,鈥� so designers had to make two looks.

Nino Casiwan used old curtains, kitchen towels, and scrap fabrics from his own studio to make patchwork shorts set, twinning with a Mod-inspired skirt.

Edel Santiago used discarded white cotton, and dyes using mangosteen, coconut husk, and onions. This made for a rather exciting terno–bolero with a tulip skirt, and a matching wide-lapelled jacket on the male model. Fabric was patched onto lace as a binder.

Janeth Belchez used sheer fabric made as a balintawak native dress. On this, she used her version of the rags Filipino households sew together from fabric scraps, this time made from satin scrap, which dotted the skirt. On another outfit, puffed sleeves were stuffed with more scraps, giving them volume and movement.

Evelyn Rocela made clothes for kids: a vest set for a boy was made with woven scraps bound by a base of denim, while a matching outfit on a girl was a full-length coat in this make (very grunge).

Danryl Purisima made a polo shirt ensemble, and a casual denim look that unfolds into a longer outfit. Jashmin Iballo, meanwhile, used leopard-print scraps, with some avant-garde elements like hoods. Catrina Lopez combined satin ruching with a jean patchwork skirt and a denim corset top 鈥� the twinning outfit placed the satin on the jacket.

Ron Renigado also made a denim patchwork outfit, but this one was buttoned at the back, and had a denim pussybow and an apron. A matching dress is made similarly but zipped up the front (someone in the show bought this off the runway).

Sophia Servando made sundresses with printed chintz and batik from curtains and dasters, the average Filipino housedress. Finally, Prince Galang made outfits with a denim lattice. A maxi skirt turned into a mini, and the leftovers fold into a bag. Pants unzipped to turn into shorts, and the extra legs turned into bags.

The winners were Prince Galang, Ron Renigado, and Nino Casiwan.

SUSTAINABILITY

Ms. Belmonte discussed the city鈥檚 own sustainability efforts, chief among them the single-use plastic ban and the passage of City Ordinance SP-3472, S-2025, or the Textile Sustainability and Circularity Ordinance of Quezon City. This aims to create a system for the collection, processing, and distribution of textile products for repair, reuse, and recycling. Kilo/s QC, the weight-based secondhand clothing store in the Quezon City Hall complex, uses its proceeds to pay for public school tutoring programs (which reduced by 2,000 children the 7,000 non-reading children in Quezon City).

鈥淲e have created readers out of our non-readers because of textile reuse and recycling,鈥� she said in a speech.

Furthermore, the project has diverted around 10,000 kilograms worth of clothes from landfills. A Circularity Hub in Payatas launched last year provides livelihood to women there and trains them as weavers for a cultural enterprise. On a smaller scale, the city collects discarded corporate wear to give to job applicants who can鈥檛 afford them.

鈥淭hrough our initiatives, we have shown what sustainability can truly be,鈥� said the mayor. On her own part, Ms. Belmonte said that she regularly repeats outfits, even for special occasions 鈥� so much so, that according to her, people have started to feel sorry for her clothing budget. In a mix of English and Filipino, she said, 鈥淲hen it comes to sustainable fashion, one of the strongest messages we can send is using clothes that are already in our wardrobe.鈥� 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

Movie Review
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Directed by David Frankel

WHEN The Devil Wears Prada came out in 2006, it was the peak of a silver age of magazine publishing. The busy, bridge-burning life cushioned by freebies and proximity to power wasn鈥檛 only aspirational 鈥� to some people, it was real. In the same chunk of time (the late 2000s to the early 2010s, right before the explosion of social media that changed all our lives), documentaries that were an answer to The Devil Wears Prada purported to show the reality behind the movie, and sold that life as something we should all want. 鈥淒on鈥檛 be ridiculous, Andrea. Everybody wants this. Everybody wants to be us,鈥� Miranda (the most powerful fashion editor of her day, played by Meryl Streep) told Andy (the newbie who was all of us played by Anne Hathaway).

Twenty years have passed since this exchange, and it鈥檚 laughable now how… well, who wants to be us? A cousin once looked me in the eye at dinner, he who worked in influencer marketing, and told me, 鈥淏ut print is dead.鈥� (Of course, the movie鈥檚 Runway magazine and my own career are separated by several layers of power and the veil of reality, but you get my point.)

This is the changing media landscape that both Andy and Miranda now have to face in The Devil Wears Prada 2, which we saw this week through a special screening by Globe. Andy is now a respected journalist in her own right, and Miranda is holding on to her power by just her nails. The first movie opens with Andy brushing her teeth to KT Tunstall鈥檚 鈥淪uddenly I See,鈥� the friendly guitar strumming reflecting the innocence of both Andy, and the times. Now, this second movie opens with Dua Lipa鈥檚 鈥淓nd of An Era鈥� (but still with Andy brushing her teeth) 鈥� and that basically signals the movie鈥檚 plot.

Andy wins an award in journalism, and in a beat, her whole team loses their jobs due to corporate layoffs. On the other end of the spectrum, Miranda places her trust in a fast fashion company that turns out to rely on sweatshop labor, and thus becomes fodder for the social media mob鈥檚 鈥渃ancellation鈥� (a concept unknown in the years of the first movie). Andy is hired by Runway (bypassing Miranda) to solve this morality problem (thus making a statement on how business now has to run on some sort of scale of purity). The rest of the film shows this: how the lives of several people in publishing, living their dream, are hinged on finance, corporate decisions, and website hits.

Emily (the first movie鈥檚 witty assistant played by Emily Blunt) got off the boat before it started sinking: she plays a supporting role as a fashion executive with whom Miranda now needs to bargain with in order to save the publication. Nigel, Miranda鈥檚 right hand, is played still by Stanley Tucci, helping Miranda navigate through the humiliations of her reduced power (no more silver Benzes, just Ubers; no more private jets, just seats in coach).

Emily works for Dior 鈥� named in the movie, something we mention because in the first movie, designers were afraid to be in the film for fear of retribution from Vogue editor Anna Wintour, supposedly the inspiration for Miranda Priestly (the book the movie was based on was written by one of her many former assistants, Lauren Weisberger). In the cover story for this month鈥檚 Vogue, Ms. Wintour appears next to her film incarnation, Ms. Streep in costume as Miranda 鈥� so we guess she鈥檚 given her cool assent to the film. In the interview for the cover, Ms. Streep said, 鈥淲ell, everybody was afraid of Anna on the first one, so we couldn鈥檛 find any clothes. Nobody would give us any clothes.鈥� This silent assent has given the film so much: it allowed more designers and celebrities to make cameos 鈥� Donatella Versace, Marc Jacobs, Lady Gaga, even; but then, also one of the Bush daughters.

The fashion is of course, on point: we saw Chanel, Dior, maybe vintage Halston. The clothes do seem less 鈥渞eal鈥� though: the fashion in the first film could sometimes border on the ridiculous, but maybe because of increased support from designers in the new film, everybody seemed a little too dressed up for day jobs. Still, while it chips away at realism, it helps sell the fantasy.

The movie is shot with less care compared to the first one, perhaps a sign of this period鈥檚 more frenetic eye. For example: a sequence with Lady Gaga performing at a fashion show, which should be one of the splashiest scenes, left the eye focusing on nothing and everything. Several scenes where the camera should linger saw quick, confusing pacing.

The acting 鈥� well, there鈥檚 a reason why they鈥檙e all there for the sequel. They鈥檝e only gotten better, 20 years since.

There are several laughs in the movie 鈥� while we鈥檙e supposed to sympathize with poor Miranda losing her power, we laugh at her retorts that have to be shushed by her assistant in the age of smartphones. 鈥淲hat can鈥檛 I say? Methadone?鈥� Emily is still as cracking smart as a whip, and even in another language: in one of her scenes, she shouts at Donatella Versace in a restaurant in angry, fluent Italian.

We do note, however, that there are less iconic scenes in this movie. No cerulean speech (though the sweater is seen in the movie), no coat-flinging sequence (Miranda has to hang up her own coat, as a gag to her reduced circumstances); hardly anything. There were attempts by both Ms. Streep and Ms. Blunt to have monologues as enduring as in the first one, but they just don鈥檛 land the same way.

Perhaps the emotional resonance with the film can only come to someone who has lived that life 鈥� and in these times, how many can those be? Oddly enough, our closest parallel is the Queen Mother from The Crown complaining about having to meet commoners in S2E5. 鈥淪mall wonder we make such a fuss about curtsies, protocol, and precedent. It鈥檚 all we have left. The last scraps of armor as we go from ruling, to reigning… to being nothing at all.鈥�

It鈥檚 still a great movie to watch though 鈥� it鈥檚 a great snapshot of what we鈥檝e gained and lost in those 20 years. My seatmate during the movie said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not a warning. It鈥檚 already happened.鈥�

1 of 3

THE BISTRO GROUP has a new strategy for the increasingly apparent energy crisis brought on by the conflict in the Middle East: solo plates.

This month, we were invited to Bistro Group outlets Longhorn Steakhouse and Las Flores to try out their lunch plate offerings. But they are not the only ones going solo.

In a message to 大象传媒, Lisa Ronquillo-Along, The Bistro Group鈥檚 chief marketing officer, said their other restaurants also have solo plates: Juniper offers a la carte bowl meals for lunch, Las Flores and Rumba offer meal sets for lunch, and Ember, The Test Kitchen, and Helm continue to offer their regular a la carte menus. 鈥淵ou can expect these at all our restaurants. You choose your starter and entr茅e, then a drink. Portions remain substantial, as expected by our guests,鈥� said Ms. Ronquillo-Along.

鈥淭he Bistro Group is offering affordable all-day meal sets to attract more diners while balancing value with quality, making our restaurants accessible to a wider market (and especially the Millennials and Gen Z) while maintaining brand loyalty,鈥� she said about the reasons for offering the solo plates. 鈥淭hese sets are designed to provide a complete meal experience at affordable price points appealing to office workers, families, and casual diners who want a good experience without overspending.鈥�

Discussing how they are adjusting operations amid the energy crisis, she said: 鈥淲e have not made any price adjustments. Instead, we optimize sourcing of the same quality ingredients, consolidating raw ingredients used across our brands, looking at cross usage as appropriate.鈥� In the office, they have implemented work-from-home setups to save on energy. 鈥淲e are looking within four walls; more cautious spending,鈥� she said.

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE
At LongHorn Steakhouse at the Shangri-La Plaza, the solo plates start at P595, and are available from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each comes with one starter, an entr茅e with sides, and a drink.

Longhorn also added new items to their selection like Buffalo Chicken Bites, Wrangler Fried Chicken Steak, French Onion Pork Cutlet, and Smoky Bacon Glazed Steak.

Choices for starters include Mixed Green Salad, Shrimp and Lobster Chowder, Loaded Potato Soup (+P50), Wild West Shrimp (+P45), and Buffalo Chicken Bites (+P125). Of these, our favorite was the surprisingly flavorful and refreshing salad, but especially the Buffalo Chicken Bites with their blue cheese sauce.

The entr茅es are Cowboy Pork Tenderloin, Wrangler Fried Chicken Steak, French Onion Pork Cutlet, Smokey Glazed Bacon Steak (+P140), Baby Back Ribs (+P160), Braised Beef Short Plate (+P160), and the 4 oz 7 Pepper Sirloin (+P650).

We鈥檝e never had anything quite like the Smokey Glazed Bacon Steak, which combines the best of cows and pigs with the taste of beef punching up and meeting with the taste of bacon. The Braised Beef Short Plate was also quite good, with an excellent tender texture. Sides for these are Saut茅ed French Beans & Onions, Corn Riblets, and Glazed Carrots & Baby Corn.

For drinks, diners can choose between Iced Tea and Lemonade, and add P65 to make it refillable.

LAS FLORES
Meanwhile, over at Las Flores, Bistros鈥� Spanish-Mediterranean outlet, the new lunch plates pair an appetizer with an entr茅e, complemented by a glass of Calamansi Iced Tea, at P795. The menu was developed by Executive Chef Pablo Ramirez, together with R&D Chef Ana Aguilar and Brand Ambassador Marta Ba帽os.

The appetizers are Salmon Tartare, Beef Carpaccio, Sopas de Verduras (Vegetable Soup), Green Salad, and Caesar Salad. For the entr茅es, they have Pork and Chicken Paella, Canelones, Grilled Salmon Porchetta, and Aglio Olio Pasta. This selection is called 鈥淟et鈥檚 Do Lunch,鈥� and according to a statement, they鈥檙e 鈥渄esigned to balance ease and elegance,鈥� and are 鈥減erfect for business meetings, relaxed catch-ups, or a quiet solo break amid a busy day.鈥�

For Las Flores, the plates are available at their branches in Bonifacio Global City, Conrad, Greenbelt, Hann, Okada, and Uptown Ritz. LongHorn Steakhouse has branches at Level 1 Streetscape Shangri-La Plaza, and at Level 2, North Entertainment Mall, and SM Mall of Asia. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

REAGAN TAN鈥橲 restaurant group, Mc Wilson Corp., looks at different cultures through its various restaurants: Gringo Chicken & Ribs (Latin), Tokyo Bubble Tea (Japanese), Honeybon (desserts), Tatatito (Filipino), and Kaokee (Singapore). 大象传媒 went to a tasting at Kaokee鈥檚 branch at The Podium on April 17 to see how the group looks at Singaporean Food.

We started off with the egg tarts: extra creamy and runnier than we鈥檙e used to, as well as flakier (the crust was like a croissant). No complaints, here; if anything, they鈥檙e better than the standard.

Kaokee then brought out its Roast Hokkien Chicken, with aromatic flesh and a fragrant skin that packs a crispy zing.

We were given three choices for the Singaporean Crab: either in a chili sauce (as in Chili Crab), salted egg, or in garlic oil. The chili sauce wasn鈥檛 the fiery exercise it is in Singapore; if anything, this version is a bit too sweet (in a group interview, Mr. Tan admitted to adjusting tastes and spice levels to meet the Filipino palate). The garlic sauce was knife-sharp, and the salted egg version was excellently rich: add that to the almost silvery flesh of the crab and its own sweetish flesh, and you鈥檝e got a good meal.

Something more prosaic is the Beef Shortribs with Black Pepper Sauce: it did, however, have an excellent char, in contrast to the sweetish sauce.

The restaurant had another surprise with the Char Kway Teow, wok-fried noodles with shrimp, squid, pork, and soy-based sauce. Frankly, we were inclined to think this dish was going to be boring, but it was a more than pleasant surprise that this dish seemed to be the most complex: it achieved that smoky flavor one can only get from a wok, and had a light airy consistency, as if still being tossed in a wok while inside your mouth (it鈥檚 also one of Mr. Tan鈥檚 favorites).

Then there was the Hainanese Chicken: succulent, juicy, and tasting almost pure. It is Mr. Tan鈥檚 baby. During the COVID 19 pandemic, with his restaurants shuttered, Mr. Tan practiced over and over again how to make Hainanese Chicken at home until he perfected the recipe. He then sold the chicken dish to neighbors, giving him a lifeline during the crisis. After travel restrictions were lifted, he and his team flew to Singapore to research the perfect chicken. This gave him the start for Kaokee, which opened in 2024.

The branch at The Podium is Kaokee鈥檚 third. It first opened at Belamy House in Makati in 2024, followed by The Corner House in San Juan.

As a local chain dabbling in foreign cuisine, Mr. Tan said in a group interview that all his restaurants tell a story. 鈥淎 restaurant for me is telling stories. Doon ko na–eexpress iyong creativity (that鈥檚 how I express my creativity),鈥� he said.

According to him, Kaokee roughly translates to 鈥淪tall 9鈥� in Hokkien: that鈥檚 the number of the stall where he had the best Hainanese Chicken during his research trip in Singapore. Kaokee鈥檚 story, then, according to him, is the journey for the food: 鈥淭he different hawkers, the different chefs, that we met along the way,鈥� he said.

Hungry customers can expect more from Mc Wilson Corp. in the near future. They are opening more branches of Tatatito, with a forthcoming one in Mandaluyong in July. Mr. Tan is also cooking up something a bit more chef-driven, with a concept centered around the chef鈥檚 specialty, pies. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 3

COCO CHANEL once said: 鈥淎 woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.鈥� But what if the person getting that haircut doesn鈥檛 identify as a woman, or does, despite their assigned sex at birth?

We met up with Paul Sumayao, who co-founded Barbierro with his life partner Jedi Directo, on April 23 in the Bi帽an, Laguna branch. Barbierro is billed as the country鈥檚 first 鈥渜ueer鈥� barbershop.

Here鈥檚 the thing, though: with all the stereotypes about gay men doing hair, doesn鈥檛 that mean that all hair spaces are automatically queer? Not quite.

鈥�Kung babae ka (if you are a woman) or feminine ka, you go to the salon? Pero 鈥檖ag macho-machohan ka (but if you are macho), you go to the barbershop. But what if you just want a decent haircut?鈥� said Mr. Sumayao.

He gives examples of microaggressions that queer people can encounter in the gendered spaces of barbershops versus hair salons. 鈥淲hy is there a dichotomy?鈥� he asked. A queer woman with short hair, for example, can be told that her hair would be better longer, and rebonded and styled. Queer men, in barbershops, would get conversations about sports, women, or other things that they鈥檙e boxed out of. Actually, that鈥檚 how the kernel of the business started: growing up, he was the one tasked to bring his siblings to the barbershop to get their haircuts. Labeled and treated as a 鈥渟oftie鈥� by the staff, he said he felt uncomfortable in those spaces.

鈥淚t鈥檚 claiming safe spaces and queer spaces in areas that were traditionally masculine. If nobody else is claiming it… and no one else is doing anything about microaggressions sa mga (at the) barbershops and salons, bakit hindi namin gawin? (why shouldn鈥檛 we be the ones to do it?)鈥�

The staff at Barbierro undergo SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression) training twice a year, and the barbershop itself is a member of the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and is recognized by Strands for Trans, a global network of salons identified as safe spaces for trans people. They also practice gender-neutral pricing: he noticed that in salons and barbershops, women automatically get higher pricing (regardless of length and complexity). In Barbierro, haircuts are priced according to length and the time it takes to cut it (from P220 to P330, depending on the seniority of the stylist). 鈥淲e want to eliminate that barrier,鈥� he said.

Founded in 2022, he remembers that they had a hard time hiring staff at first because the barbers simply didn鈥檛 get the idea. Furthermore, some refused because they thought cutting women鈥檚 hair impinged on their masculinity. Mr. Sumayao said, 鈥�Hindi naman kasi kami naga-advocate ng kabaklaan (we鈥檙e not advocating for queerness). It鈥檚 more really just advocating for a safe space for everyone.鈥�

Right now, they have two company-owned branches: this one in Bi帽an and another in Camarines Sur (where he hails from). There will be another soon in Quezon City. They do have a branch opened through a queer-led franchise partner in Sampaloc, Manila, and a forthcoming one in Taft. It鈥檚 not that he discriminates, but he prefers queer-led businesses as franchise partners, because otherwise, 鈥�Alam ko naman na mahihirapan rin sila (I know non-queer partners will have a hard time) to navigate the whole thing. Especially if they鈥檙e not coming from our own native story.鈥�

Asked why the branches are located outside the country鈥檚 capital, when queer life is so much richer in the city (at least, that鈥檚 what it seems like), he replied: 鈥淚鈥檝e always felt like an outsider, and I鈥檝e always felt like Manila is not the center. If there are queer spaces in Manila, or in Cebu, in Davao 鈥� kung saan man iyong sentro (wherever the centers are) 鈥� I feel like badings (queer people) in towns, probinsyas (provinces), they also deserve a safe space.鈥�

He campaigned for former vice-president and presidential candidate Leni Robredo down the street in Bi帽an where the barbershop is now located.

In Barbierro鈥檚 Instagram account, he once posted that hair is political. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the easiest part of our body (to use) to make a statement,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the most obvious. It鈥檚 what people see first.

鈥淭he possibilities are endless. Ang buhok, wala talagang kasarian (hair really has no gender).鈥�

Asked how they measure their success, he said, 鈥淚 would say we succeeded if marami nang gumaya sa amin na barbershop rin (if many barbershops copy us too). We don鈥檛 want to be alone forever. The only time that an advocacy succeeds is when we鈥檙e no longer needed 鈥� when everything and everywhere is already a safe space.鈥�

In Bi帽an, Laguna, Barbierro is in Unit 1D, Bldg. 1, RJ Titus Building, Brgy. San Francisco, Bi帽an City, Laguna (Flying V Gas Station). In Sampaloc, Barbierro is in 2157 Laong Laan Road, Sampaloc, Manila (across Bulaluhan sa Laong Laan). In Camarines Sur, it鈥檚 across the Pili Municipal Hall, Altamarino Bldg., Arejola St., Pili, Camarines Sur. For more details, visit instagram.com/barbierrobarbershop. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 2

FROM 2016 to 2017, Manila moved closer to the center of the culinary world due to Madrid Fusion Manila, the then-only Asian offshoot of the world-famous food congress held in Madrid, Spain. The project was shelved in 2018 after an administration change.

On April 20, 10 years after Madrid Fusion first arrived here, we got a peek at the past with Spain Fusion, a project by Vocento Gastronom铆a, the organizer of Madrid Fusion. This was held at The Westin Manila in the Ortigas Center. For the past five years, Spain Fusion has been traveling the world, from Zurich to Houston. It鈥檚 not quite the same as its older sibling.

鈥淚n Madrid Fusion, we are looking at the global situation of the global scene of cuisine. An international point of view of different cuisines, chefs, and also trends in gastronomy,鈥� said Benjamin Lana, managing director of Vocento Gastronom铆a in a group interview. 鈥淲hen we鈥檙e pushing the name of Spain Fusion, we are trying to show the rest of the world Spanish cuisine.鈥�

Spain Fusion is organized with the support of Foods and Wines from Spain (FWS), a promotion program run by ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, whose role is to promote exports of Spanish food products to Spain鈥檚 priority markets, introducing new products and developing the market for more established ones. 鈥淭his is a relationship quite close with the Spanish government. They want to share a little bit more about the knowledge nowadays of Spanish cuisine in many countries.鈥� In short, while Madrid Fusion is a food congress, Spain Fusion functions a bit as a traveling caravan promoting Spanish goods through talks about Spanish cuisine.

Spain Fusion included talks about Spanish wines by Master of Wine Fernando Mora, talks by celebrity chefs Albert Adri脿 and Ricardo Camarena, a cooking demo with olive oil by Chele Gonzalez, and talks about Spanish olive oil by Castillo de Canena鈥檚 Rosa Vano and 鈥渇ood fetishist鈥� Alfonso Fernandez. The event wouldn鈥檛 be culinary without food: tapas were shared freely during the wine tastings. (Memorable was an egg by Mr. Adri脿 鈥� frozen and vacuum sublimated to extract all moisture from the egg, then fried. This resulted in a crispy egg 鈥� like the crispy, lacy edges as they like it in Spain, but all over instead of on the edges. This was topped off with caviar and a pasteurized egg yolk. )

About the possibility of returning Madrid Fusion Manila here, he said, 鈥淲e would like to be here again.鈥� But: 鈥淲e need big support from the local institutions or the companies. Now there is (none) of that. We鈥檇 like to be here in the Philippines. We will be trying to focus here to create events or trying to work with the local restaurants or with the companies.鈥�

Pointing to the presence of the Michelin Guide here, he says, 鈥淎fter the government took the decision of the Michelin Guide, I suppose… They are trying to put that idea.鈥�

鈥淭here is no problem to have the Michelin Guide and to have another international congress as Madrid Fusion. But for that you need support and money.鈥�

He said that they are developing projects in different parts of Asia. 鈥淲e have smaller Madrid Fusions. We have one now in June, it鈥檚 going to be in Tokyo, for the third edition in Japan.

鈥淭his was more or less the same idea that it was in Manila, but smaller. A pocket version of that.鈥�

Asked if they plan to make Manila a regular stop for Spain Fusion, at least, he said, 鈥淲e would like, but we don鈥檛 know. We are in the middle of the event. We have to finish the event; we have to check if it has been successful, and what is the answer of the local sector.

鈥淚f possible, I would like to be here.鈥� 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

The restaurant closed its doors in 2011. Its loss is still mourned in the culinary world. The restaurant survives in a different capacity as elBullifoundation, a gastronomic resource and research facility.

Ferran鈥檚 younger brother Albert, who was El Bulli鈥檚 creative director and pastry chef, was in the Philippines in April 20 as one of the speakers at Spain Fusion: The Premium Experience. The talk was organized by Vocento Gastronom铆a, also the organizer of world-renowned food congress Madrid Fusion (see main story, 鈥淢adrid Fusion Manila returns鈥�).

He鈥檚 been busy since El Bulli鈥檚 closure: during his talk he spoke of projects he had done since. There was Barcelona鈥檚 Tickets, which was in 2019, No. 20 on Restaurant Magazine鈥檚 list of The World鈥檚 50 Best Restaurants. It closed its doors in 2020, just like another award-winning restaurant of the brothers, Pakta. Current projects he鈥檚 running include Enigma in Barcelona, which is No. 34 in The World鈥檚 50 Best Restaurants list. In his talk, he said (through a translator) that 1,200 dishes come out of their kitchen every day from Monday to Friday, with about 55 workers.

大象传媒, in an interview, asked him what it鈥檚 like to live after reaching the very top of the world. 鈥淓ach time in life has its moments,鈥� he said through a translator. 鈥淓l Bulli is obviously the past 鈥� a very, very important part. It changed many things.鈥�

Still, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think of the past or the future. I focus on today.鈥�

Asked why they closed then, at the very height of their power (though there are reports of the restaurant simply not making enough money): 鈥淲e had already given our lives to El Bulli. We were getting older. We were having children, having a family. We thought (it) the best moment to close and start anew.鈥�

AROMAS AND JOKES
He had a hectic few days. He had flown in from Rio de Janeiro the night before he gave the talk at Spain Fusion, doing a dinner at Gallery by Chele, then flying off to Shanghai right after.

Speaking to 大象传媒 without a translator after the talk, he joked, 鈥淚 retired at 50.鈥� With a real age of 56, we joked that he looked 10 years younger. 鈥淲ithout jet lag, 35,鈥� he answered.

We asked about his first memory of food, and he said, 鈥淚t was not food. It was aromas. Smells.鈥�

These were the aromas emanating from pots in the kitchen while his mother was cooking.

In Diane Ackerman鈥檚 A Natural History of the Senses, she posits that the sense of smell is the most emotive due to its direct link to the brain. 鈥淎 smell can be overwhelmingly nostalgic because it triggers powerful images and emotions before we have time to edit them.鈥�

鈥淎nother aroma is from the pizza,鈥� he told us. 鈥淲hen you make an artisanal pizza, each aroma is different. The mix of the flavors, with the cheese and the tomato, and the duck, it鈥檚 one of the most beautiful sensations.鈥�

Mr. Adri脿 will probably be remembered to the end of his life as one of the world鈥檚 greatest chefs. Asked about what a legend eats on weekends, he said that he lives in front of the Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona, one of the world鈥檚 most famous markets (a fitting address). 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 home, I cook a lot of vegetables. I really love vegetables Asian-style. Like in a wok. I fry. Very simple. Nothing special.鈥� 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 3

IF YOU THINK color analysis, as popularized on social media, just means draping cloths to determine which color looks good on you, then you鈥檝e got to talk to Carla Pamela Florin, president and chief executive officer of The Lookbook Style Studio.

Ms. Florin was a guest lecturer at the Korean Cultural Center鈥檚 K-Beauty Week at its Taguig site. The event runs from April 15 to 23. During her class, she explained what goes on into color analysis and how it helps everyday life.

For example, it鈥檚 not just a matter of vanity. She said that it saves time and energy: 鈥淲hen you go shopping, you just go directly to that specific color,鈥� she said, eliminating trial and error.

Colors are grouped according to season: Spring and Autumn are warm; Summer and Winter depend on cool tones. How they interact with your skin depends on one鈥檚 undertone: more pinkish undertones mean one has a cooler palette while more yellowish undertones mean a warmer palette. The skin鈥檚 surface is affected by things like sun exposure and genetics. Contrary to popular belief, many Filipinos, despite what seems to be a uniformly brownish tone, lean more towards cooler palettes due to pink undertones. 鈥淚t鈥檚 actually based on your blood,鈥� she says about the science of it. More hemoglobin in your blood gives you a pink undertone, while more carotene in your body gives the yellow tones.

During her demo, she showed with a volunteer what goes on in a class. Despite the numerous white lights on the model, she says that during consultations, they depend more on natural light. They can鈥檛 use yellow light as it gives a person a deceptive warm glow, while they need to control the brightness of the white light because it will then make a person look too pale.

She works with the Korean color system, which she says differs from the Western system. The Korean system is based more on lightness, or color value, due to the nature of East Asian pale skin. The Western system depends on the color鈥檚 saturation, due to the diversity of hair, eye, and skin color present in the West.

Lighting is a factor as well (just look at how sunlight differs here and in other countries). That鈥檚 why she鈥檚 planning to develop a more Filipino-centric color analysis course. 鈥淲e have a different concept of beauty here in the Philippines. We have a different climate. And our average color is different,鈥� she said in a mixture of English and Filipino. 鈥淚 think it would be more into saturation as well. We鈥檙e medium-colored.

鈥淲e鈥檙e also researching what are the usual colors from our local brands,鈥� she says, the better to fit this Filipino-centric color analysis, should it come to fruition. For this she uses her background as a sales analyst. She went into personal image consultancy and color analysis (earning her certifications from Malaysia, Japan, and Korea) as a second chapter after retirement (while being helped by her daughters: one an interior designer and the other in business).

One assumes a large celebrity clientele (which is true), but many of her clients come from the professional class: doctors, lawyers, accountants. One such doctor, an oncologist, asked for her advice. 鈥淪he wears dark colors. She felt that it鈥檚 more professional.鈥� After figuring out that she looked good in cooler, paler summer tones, she concluded with the doctor: 鈥淚t also helps how your patients see you. It鈥檚 not going to be so dark,鈥� since the doctor鈥檚 work in cancer was very serious.

Of course, we don鈥檛 have to follow what color analysts say 鈥� clothing is a way to express ourselves in the world, and a specific color palette might disrupt that. 鈥淎t the end of the day, it still boils down to your preference and what you want.鈥�

Visit for more information. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

While the word 鈥渞iviera鈥� comes from Italy (it means 鈥渃oastline鈥�), it鈥檚 become more closely associated with its neighbor, France and its southeastern coast. Either way, wherever there鈥檚 a shoreline, one can wear Riviera-style fashions.

The show began with a white embroidered blouse paired with jean shorts and a luxury wicker bag from Rodo. Next came three flower-sprigged dresses in different cuts: one was draped on one shoulder like on a Greek statue, the other one had a high neck and cap sleeves but a tiered skirt, while the last one had a bit of a plunging neckline. Darker dresses and a matching set appeared, more appropriate for evening, when there鈥檚 less sun. After this was a heavily embroidered pink coat from Criselda, but paired with a green swimsuit.

It鈥檚 a little more staid with the men: think a taupe chore jacket with a white T-shirt and jeans, then a crumpled sky-blue linen shirt. A couple came out in matching pink shirts and white pants, showing that the color travels between sexes. Kids were in on the fun too: there was a boy in beige separates looking like he was wearing a safari suit, flanked by a girl in a shift dress with a red pattern. Finally, a family in white and navy came out on the runway.

In a statement, the store said, 鈥淩ustan鈥檚 presents more than just a seasonal update. It offers a complete expression of summer living, where style, experience, and atmosphere come together in a way that feels effortless, refined, and distinctly its own.鈥� 鈥� JL Garcia

1 of 3

DURING pairing dinners at restaurants, we鈥檙e usually given wine or some other alcohol. At a dinner on March 26 at No. 8 at Grand Hyatt Manila, we were given two novelties: one, the food was paired with tea, and two, the tea was sparkling. The evening was thus wholesome, and we were still wide awake at the end of it.

Mindful Sparks, a company from Hong Kong and the official tea partner of the Michelin Guide Hong Kong & Macau in 2024, recently partnered up with the hotel.

The dinner tea pairing was a little bit ad hoc, and our host just ordered off the menu 鈥� perhaps the better to enjoy the tea in a more natural setting. Three teas, packaged and poured like champagne, were offered to us: Yuzu Genmaicha, Osmanthus Golden Oolong, and White Peach Earl Grey. We noticed at first sniff that the Yuzu Genmaicha was very fragrant and had a rich, hay-like scent. The Oolong Osmanthus was richly fragrant with floral notes, and we thought it would be our favorite, but we noted that it had a flat taste that would benefit from some sugar (or maybe that was just us). The White Peach Earl Grey tea by itself was very elegant and had a well-balanced and complex taste.

Now on to the dinner: we started out with a West Lake Minced Beef Soup with coriander, tofu, and egg whites. We paired that with the Yuzu (we paired with intuition; the dinner had no rules), and we found the soup filling and warming, with a nice, gentle umami note. This umami note was tempered by the yuzu tea, preventing it from becoming too rich.

A dish of Spicy Poached Clams was next, which we were sure would benefit what we thought was the blank canvas of the oolong. We were wrong, and gladly so: the oolong gave a little sparkle to the otherwise flavor-packed clams. This was followed by Braised Chilean Sea Bass with ginger, garlic, and black bean. The dish, served sizzling in a rock bowl, combined light flesh with a rich sauce. Paired with the oolong, it brought out the more oceanic flavors of the dish, but playing around by pairing it with the yuzu, we noticed it brought out the fish鈥檚 sweetness and delicacy.

Next came a Barbeque Combination Platter with roast duck, air-dried beef, jellyfish, and char siu. With the oolong tea, it gave a canvas for the zing of the jellyfish to come out. The white peach tea, meanwhile, tempered the rather strong flavors of the air-dried beef. The yuzu added sweetness and juiciness to the pork char siu, while the oolong provided further complexity and fragrance to the duck.

We paired a dish of Scallops and Broccoli with the yuzu tea, and the pairing gave some zest to the sweet flesh of the scallops.

We ended the meal with a Peking Duck with all the works: we were surprised at the quality this restaurant could offer, jaded as we were with the multiple ducks to be found in the city. Theirs had a very thin, almost airy skin with a noisy crack: almost as if its fat was bubbling just under the surface, waiting for one鈥檚 bite. We didn鈥檛 have a hard time pairing this duck with anything: it was perfect by itself and went with everything.

Lucy Chen, restaurant manager at No. 8 China House, said that they started this promotion with sparkling teas because it reminded them of the trendy drink Kombucha (also a bubbly tea drink). 鈥淲e sense that if we added different scents of tea, and different flavors, that can enhance the tea taste,鈥� said Ms. Chen. 鈥淐hinese cuisine sometimes, we think that it鈥檚 a little bit greasy, and a little bit heavy,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith this refreshing and bubbly tea, it will enhance the whole dining experience.鈥�

No. 8 China House doesn鈥檛 quite have the buzz we think it deserves (we suppose it鈥檚 because of its location, tucked away in the hotel; and the fierce competition from more established names). Ms. Chen, just starting her term last month, is making a few changes. They鈥檙e coming up with single, signature-dish set menus to cater to solo diners. 鈥淔or Chinese cuisine, usually, the ordinary thinking is that it鈥檚 for family dinners, or it鈥檚 all family-style,鈥� she said.

She鈥檚 also planning to push the restaurant to the Filipino Chinese and the Chinese community in the Philippines, and said they鈥檇 鈥淏ring out the authentic Chinese cuisine to the Filipino.鈥� She added, 鈥淭aste the authentic Chinese cuisine, without going to China. You can taste the real taste outside China.鈥�

The tea collection is available at No. 8 China House (at the 5^th floor, Grand Hyatt Manila) for lunch and dinner, served by the glass or bottle alongside free-flowing dim sum for lunch from Mondays to Saturdays, as well as curated tasting menus and 脿 la carte selections offered for lunch and dinner daily. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

ON THE HEELS of its first restaurants Hey Bo and SaladStop, the SaladStop! Group has opened a third brand, Wooshi.

The first branch opened at Central Square in BGC, sharing space with the SaladStop! Branch there. Rooted in maki rolls and rice bowls, Wooshi presents a modern approach to Japanese-inspired comfort food.

鈥淭he tagline is 鈥楽ushi set free鈥�,鈥� said Adrien Desbaillets, SaladStop! Group chief executive officer. 鈥淗opefully nobody thinks of it as traditional sushi. It鈥檚 not, at all. If we were to present this to a Japanese chef, it would probably be quite insulting,鈥� he said with self-deprecation during a group interview at the April 7 opening.

Not bring traditional doesn鈥檛 automatically mean a decrease in taste: he鈥檚 particularly proud of their Philippine-exclusive Pork N鈥� Rolls which presents the classic adobo with a twist of flavors of mango strips, white radish pickles, and cilantro mayo topped with chicharon (pork crackling).

We tried other rolls: the Tuna Turner with yuzu shoyu chili crab sauce, and nuts; the vegan Big Bang Tofu with tempura enoki, and toasted almonds; and the Cali Crush, modeled after the California Maki, with crab sticks, avocado, roe and wasabi mayo.

Some of the options use heirloom rice (Mr. Desbaillets says that they work with Filipino farmers).

We will say that the dishes have that clean flavor characteristic of health food options (the very backbone of SaladStop!). We will also say that we dislike the sachet format in which they serve their condiments of soy sauce and wasabi (but then, that might have been a first day thing) due to the potential mess.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the last piece of the puzzle,鈥� he said about opening Wooshi in the Philippines after their other two concepts. He says that it can be built next to one of the existing concepts: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit more versatile.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit more of a to-go brand,鈥� he said about this place offering rice rolls and bowls. 鈥淚 think with Hey Bo and SaladStop!, sometimes you need to sit down.

鈥淚 think being rice-based as well, I think, can go a bit further in terms of local adaptation,鈥� he added.

MIDDLE EAST EXPANSION ON HOLD
He did go into the current conflict in the Middle East and how it is affecting their plans as a Singapore-based group. 鈥淲e were actually going to expand heavily into the Middle East. So that鈥檚 on pause,鈥� saying that they were supposed to open a SaladStop! in Dubai this month.

鈥淯nfortunately, we鈥檙e seeing it impact our food cost. That鈥檚 now going to be (affected by) transportation within each market. What is it going to do to consumer confidence as well?,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e are still in a price point that most people will still be okay with鈥� 鈥� prices for the rolls start at about P250 and up 鈥� 鈥渂ut still.鈥�

But in the Philippines, they鈥檙e planning to fully launch their catering arm. 鈥淥nce you have the three brands, it鈥檚 naturally quite easy for us to host an event.鈥�

On another note, Joan Aquino, GoodEats by SSI General Manager (who brought the brand here) says that they鈥檙e expanding their SaladStop! Group franchises within Luzon, particularly in Pampanga and Santa Rosa, Laguna, especially with the opening of the SM mall in Nuvali by the end of the year. They also plan to open the Philippine franchise of UK-based bakery Bread Ahead (with an adjoining baking school) by the year鈥檚 third quarter. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 3

STEPPING into the Rajo store鈥檚 third branch at SM Aura in Bonifacio Global City on April 11 felt like accidentally walking into a Laurel family reunion. Nephews and aunts walked around with hotdogs, and old friends walked in and out with shopping bags and drinks.

This is Rajo Laurel鈥檚 third store, which he opened last Saturday, debuting his Spring/Summer 2026 collection as well, called 鈥淐hild鈥檚 Play.鈥�

Inspired by the home of designer Nina Tolstrup, bold prints abounded. Gingham and seersucker set the tone for summer 鈥� particularly popular is a shirtdress in a blue or green, in that checked pattern reminiscent of picnic tablecloths. On men, there are the same fabrics, combined with enviably sheer fabric. Plaids and checks are seen throughout (but also wilder patterns for shift dresses).

More serious and sexy are black or red slip dresses under sheer shifts in the same colors (but you can buy both and play).

鈥淭here鈥檚 so much doom and gloom and negativity in this world at the moment. I just wanted to remember that when we were children, we were fearless, happy; we didn鈥檛 really care about the world,鈥� said the designer in an interview with 大象传媒. 鈥淵ou find solace and peace and happiness.鈥�

The closeness within (their) family was also reflected both in the collection and the opening: his sisters were involved in the collection (more on that later), while his nephew DJed, and his nieces helped with styling. 鈥淓very step of the way, my family鈥檚 with me,鈥� he told 大象传媒.

A lot of Mr. Laurel鈥檚 outfits in the collection were free-sized: we鈥檝e seen some younger designers come out with collections that reflect clothes only for the youngest and thinnest of us. 鈥淲e have to be inclusive. Not everybody is Kate Moss,鈥� he said. On his sisters鈥� involvement with the collection, he said, 鈥淢y sisters are real women. With hips, with stomachs, and arms.鈥� He added, 鈥淚鈥檓 a big person myself.鈥�

鈥淚t resonates with a lot of people because you can鈥檛 make fashion so exclusive,鈥� he said of sizing. 鈥淵ou need to discuss that, and you need to address that.鈥�

It鈥檚 this same inclusivity that鈥檚 driving him to open this third store, offering ready-to-wear (the first two branches are in Rockwell and Shangri-La Plaza). 鈥淚t鈥檚 a matter of just playing my cards and putting my design language and vocabulary in different spaces. I think it鈥檚 very important that we create fashion that is speaking to the times. When was the last time you actually had something made? That window is getting smaller and smaller, but you need things that are special every day,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he space of ready-to-wear is so wide for Filipino designers. There are very little of us doing it. I think it鈥檚 something that we should consider.鈥�

Speaking about the different discipline required between his usual bespoke work and the ready-to-wear collection, he said, 鈥淏espoke is more internal. You鈥檙e speaking to one person; one client鈥�

鈥淗ere (with ready-to-wear), you鈥檙e able to create a language wherein a lot of times, you can actually leave it to the person to interpret,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat I love about ready-to-wear is that when I design something, when it lands on another person, it could be a completely different thing.鈥�

On another note, last January, Mr. Laurel represented the Philippines in a partnership with Thailand鈥檚 Creative Economy Agency (CEA) established with the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC), under the Department of Trade and Industry. This resulted in a fashion presentation, and an opportunity to expand abroad. He updated us: 鈥淲e鈥檙e actually getting more momentum there, primarily because we鈥檙e now talking to investors.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 going to be quite something to discuss in the fourth quarter of this year. I鈥檓 not at liberty yet to say 鈥� baka ma-udlot (we might jinx it).鈥� 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 6

WHILE the candidates for Binibining Pilipinas 2026 were announced late last month (all 36 of them), the pageant initially held out in releasing each of their territorial designations. It was because the event where the candidates were 鈥渟ashed鈥� with the communities they represented was usually held privately at the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) offices beforehand. This year, for the first time, they held it publicly, in the pageant鈥檚 first sashing ceremony at the Novotel Manila Araneta City.

On April 6, all the candidates went up on stage and were given their sashes. The ceremony also proved to be a way for pageant-watchers to see how the candidates speak and walk (as they had to introduce themselves with their territorial designation during the event). We already heard some old hands at pageants set their bets, as well as compared some of the women to previous contestants and showbiz figures.

鈥淗istorically, this event has been something Bb. Pilipinas has kept to the family and kept a little private,鈥� said BPCI executive committee member Pia Roxas Ojeda-Banal in a speech. 鈥淲e recognize that our 62^nd batch of Binibinis is something that we should really celebrate. Not just who they are, but where they come from: the provinces, the cities, and communities that they represent.

鈥淚t takes a village to go on this journey. The sashing ceremony is really Day 1 for our girls,鈥� she said.

鈥淭here鈥檚 really so much to celebrate about these girls and the places they represent. Sure, we like keeping it in an intimate setup, but it鈥檚 also nice to be able to share that with everyone,鈥� said Ms. Ojeda Roxas-Banal in an interview. 鈥淲e鈥檙e open to new ideas. We鈥檙e the oldest pageant in the Philippines and so we want to bring some fresh air into it.鈥� Asked about new things they鈥檙e planning for the pageant, she said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a secret. Surprise na lang.鈥�

One also looks to the past while looking to the future: one of the women placing the sashes on the new contestants was Vida Doria, fashion designer, visual artist, and Bb. Pilipinas – Universe 1971. In an interview with 大象传媒, she compared the women of today versus the women of her pageant heyday. 鈥淲e were much younger than the girls now,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are very few (now) who are less than 20 years old,鈥� she said, noting that in her time, the contestant usually had an age range of 17 to 21 (and 21-year-olds were pushing their luck).

Not much emphasis was given back then to their advocacies and causes: 鈥淭hey just asked us what we wanted to be, because most of us were still in college,鈥� recalled Ms. Doria. 鈥淲e were only thinking of finishing college.

鈥淢ost of them are career-(oriented),鈥� she said about the new batch. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e already graduated 鈥� if not doctors, lawyers. They鈥檙e more mature, compared to during our time.鈥�

The complete list of the candidates and their official territorial designations follows:

Britney Angel Rubino – Caluya, Antique

Ma. Kathrina Pauline Cudia – Jaen, Nueva Ecija

Nathalie Magat – Bais, Negros Oriental

Elli Rose L. Elola – Negros Occidental

Jarina K. Sandhu – Cauayan, Isabela

Joahnna Lee L. Ucol – Ilocos Norte

Julie Mae P. Villanueva – Ilocos Sur

Iris L. Oresca – Bicol Region

Nicole Sobria – Makati

Christine Jorelle F. Usaraga – Cebu

Alisa Keith D. Irugin – Cavite City

Zillani Eve P. Rojas – Zamboanga

Juliane Raine Antonio – Dumaguete

Kristeen Mia SJ. Lucero – Bulacan Province

Tracy Mae C. Sunio – Bacolod City

Shara Maxine M. Barber – Palawan

Ivy R. Padilla – Misamis Oriental

Angelica Arwin C. Evora – Oriental Mindoro

Anjali C. Pradeep Kumar – La Union

Stacey C. de Ocampo – Pangasinan

Samantha Marie B. Zabarte – Dasmarinas, Cavite

Sasha-Juli Belle P. Lacuna – Tarlac

Kaye Pastelero – Cavite Province

Anne Klein E. Castro – Pampanga

Camille Bernadette T. Martin – Malolos, Bulacan

Mary Adeline C. Ramirez – Malabon

Ain Niqyla S. Abad – San Jose, Occidental Mindoro

Marinella J. Catangay – Quezon City

Gwyneth Jemimah B. Chan – Cagayan de Oro

Pauline Thea Ann E. Ibuyan – Aklan

Gwendoline Meliz F. Soriano – Baguio

Arah Jasmin B. Reguyal – Occidental Mindoro

Georgette Nicole R. Coronacion – Carmona, Cavite

Patricia Lynn Beerda – Iloilo

Trisha Irish Marie N. Rosales – Gen. Trias, Cavite

Mylene B. Manschus – Tanza, Cavite

鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

While planning took over a year and there were a series of pop-ups held in the city-state in preparation, the branch officially opened on March 13.

Seating 28 people, the first Singapore Mary Grace Cafe also comes with a central bakery. 鈥淚n Mary Grace, everything has to be freshly baked. We can鈥檛 ship the ensaymadas and cheese rolls to Singapore from Manila. It won鈥檛 be freshly baked, so we had to bake them in Singapore,鈥� explained Chiara Dimacali-Hugo, executive director of Mary Grace International, and daughter of Mary Grace鈥檚 founder, Mary Grace Dimacali, during a press conference at its branch in Rockwell on March 26.

Singapore also gets a few exclusives not found in the Philippines, such as Salted Egg Ensaymadas, Kaya-Pandan Cheese Rolls, and a Crab Cake Brioche, spinning off the city state鈥檚 most famed dishes and ingredients.

Mary Grace Cafe first opened in Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, in 2006, but had already been a home-based bakery in Para帽aque 10 years prior. The company is thus celebrating being around 30 years in the business. Locally, she plans to open four more branches this year.

Founder Mrs. Dimacali talked about her feelings about expanding from her home kitchen to another country. 鈥淰ictorious,鈥� she said in a Q&A session. 鈥淓very step of the way 鈥� setting up the store, polishing the recipes… was a struggle.

鈥淓verything fell into place,鈥� she said, responding to a question about why they decided to open abroad after 30 years. 鈥淚t was time.鈥�

Why she hasn鈥檛 opened any branches outside Luzon but has in Singapore? The answer is simple 鈥� family. 鈥�鈥楧i ba Mary Grace is all about family?鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have a daughter, her husband, and two children, who live in Singapore.鈥� She said that if she had family in Cebu or Davao, she would have opened there too.

On a serious note, she said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the doorway to Asia. If we can make it in Singapore, we think we can make it anywhere else in Asia.鈥�

First a homemaker, then a home baker, then at the head of a cozy chain, she talked to 大象传媒 how she did it. 鈥淭ake your time. Life is an ensaymada.鈥� That meant that an ensaymada takes a longer time to bake than a cake, and she relates that to how she lived and worked. 鈥淚f you happen to be a mother at a certain point, and you have children: raise your children well. Then everything will be opened unto you 鈥� in God鈥檚 time.鈥�

鈥淚 could not be a businesswoman, and skip my role as a mother. It had to be them first,鈥� she said during the Q&A. 鈥淚 think it was a family effort. It鈥檚 not only me. It鈥檚 family.鈥�

In light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has driven fuel prices up, she explained to 大象传媒 how she plans to navigate around the crisis. 鈥淭ruthfully, we鈥檙e looking at rising prices and the availability of ingredients. Just like COVID, we don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 out there. But certainly, we鈥檙e vigilant; we鈥檙e alert. We鈥檒l just cross the bridge when that time comes.鈥� 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

BACK in the days when ad agencies were laser-focused on coming up with just the right tag line for their customers, they would have stumbled over themselves to hire chef Josh Boutwood if they had heard the one-liners he spouted about San Miguel over a special beer pairing dinner on March 25.

San Miguel Premium Beers held a pairing at the chef鈥檚 Michelin-selected restaurant Ember on March 25. Ember is one of the outlets under Mr. Boutwood, whose restaurants were very well-represented at the Michelin Guide for Manila, Cebu, and its environs launch last year: his restaurant Helm was the country鈥檚 first two-starred restaurant under the guide. Calling him a star chef, then, was no stretch.

BEER PAIRINGS
The meal started with Smoked Shrimps with a side of Garlic Aioli and Lemon, paired with San Miguel Cerveza Blanca. Smoked over applewood, one could smell the shrimps from a foot away. By themselves, they were robust and bold, with a hint of natural sweetness in their flesh. Cerveza Blanca served to emphasize this sweetness, providing a contrast to the otherwise smoke-forward flavors while the beer鈥檚 own wheaty notes were expressed further.

The next dish, a Baked Chicken Thigh Fillet with Sage Butter with Cauliflower Puree, was served with San Miguel Premium All-Malt. The beer鈥檚 maltiness added the suggestion of crispness in the chicken鈥檚 skin, bringing out a cleanliness in both the chicken and its pairing. Next came Marinated Grilled Pork Skewers with Jaew Sauce, Cilantro Mint Salad, and Lime Wedge, matched with San Miguel Super Dry. The strong flavors of spices and herbs brought out the beer鈥檚 complexity and fragrance.

The meal ended with a Walnut Date Cake, served with San Miguel Cerveza Negra. The cake was creamy and rich, and the cocoa notes in Cerveza Negra complement the burnt sugar notes in the cake. All the other elements in the cake and beer combined, and somehow, the beer began to taste like a glass of milk served before bed (albeit with a little snap).

FAVORITE BEER
One got an idea that Mr. Boutwood liked beer from his reaction last year after his restaurants were honored at the Michelin awards. He said then: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to leave, go to my restaurant, celebrate, open a bottle of champagne, and drink a shitload of beer, and just really have a nice night with my team.鈥�

During the San Miguel pairing dinner, we asked how he liked his beer: 鈥淚鈥檓 a true purist,鈥� he said.

鈥淢y favorite San Miguel beer is the original San Miguel Pale Pilsen,鈥� he said, though after the release of San Miguel鈥檚 Cerveza Blanca wheat beer in 2024 in the Philippines, he has had a hankering for it. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 really become my go-to beer. It鈥檚 a lot more mature; it鈥檚 a lot more rounded. It has a lot more nuances,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 less of the beer (for) 鈥業鈥檓 going on a night out.鈥� It鈥檚 more of a beer to enjoy the night out,鈥� he said, then joked about San Miguel paying him royalties for the great tagline.

What food does beer best go with? 鈥淎nything. Beer goes with everything. There鈥檚 not a thing in the world that beer doesn鈥檛 go with. It sounds like I鈥檓 endorsing them. But the selection of beers that San Miguel has can go with practically anything that鈥檚 going to be on the table.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a beer for every time and every moment,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 another slogan,鈥� he joked.

These pairings of San Miguel Premium Beers with the intimate dishes at Ember by Josh Boutwood are available starting March 27. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 2

By Joseph L. Garcia, Senior Reporter

AFTER EVERYTHING I鈥檝e tasted in the years between my childhood visits to Enchanted Kingdom to my 30s, I thought the theme park, built in 1995, would get stale. Not a chance. On a trip to the Sta. Rosa, Laguna, theme park last month, I learned how nice it was to revisit places that brought us joy in childhood (and especially now with adult wallets).

The theme park, I am glad to note, has changed little, save for a few new rides: they have the new EKlipse, a ride with rotating arms, and Agila The EKsperience (think Soarin鈥� Over California in Disneyland, but set here; due to time constraints, we did not try this ride). They also reopened the Wheel of Fate, the old-fashioned Ferris wheel taking riders up 130 feet to offer a view of the park (which, due to the same reasons, we were not able to ride).

Enchanted Kingdom gave me all-day passes, and along with my friend Alyssa and her 10-year-old daughter Lia (an alias), we all went to the very back of the park for the Jungle Log Jam, a water ride that lifts a log that seats four up a slope followed by a drop into water that splashes everyone inside the car. This was Lia鈥檚 first 鈥渂ig girl鈥� ride, but we noted that there are now seatbelts in the ride (our high school memories are now hazy, but we don鈥檛 recall using them as teens). After the climb and the splash, Alyssa hastily wiped her face because of her worry about the water鈥檚 purity. But as we were laughing as we disembarked from our log, we concluded we had a pretty good time (except for Lia, who resisted going on the next ride).

It was the Space Shuttle: in our teen years, it was seen as a rite of passage to ride on this rollercoaster that turned guests upside-down six times, forward and backward. We actually lost count how many times we were flipped by the ride, and our only real memory was screaming our heads off. Alyssa was the same girl I sat with on this ride as a 14-year-old, and we noted both with some satisfaction that now in our 30s, we could still do the Space Shuttle (but not anytime soon again). Another girl I knew, who was also at the park, approached me afterwards and asked if I was the one screaming all the R-18 expletives during the ride (I was). Well, I wasn鈥檛 allowed to back then, but who鈥檚 going to tell me not to, now?

Another thing I did that I didn鈥檛 do back then was get my pictures from the rides. They were expensive then, and they鈥檙e still expensive now (P350 for each photo! One can access them digitally through a QR code provided with each photo, but still). No longer tied down with a limited allowance, I asked before getting on any ride where the cameras were so I could prepare and pose. I鈥檓 glad to know that I can hold a pose on a thrill ride.

After riding the relatively tame childhood classic Roller Skater (as a favor to Lia 鈥� due to the ride鈥檚 popularity with the younger crowd, we were in line for more than an hour), Alyssa and I promised to join Lia in something more thrilling: the EKstreme, a drop ride that takes one 40 meters up in the air while strapped in one鈥檚 seat, before going on a fall at 76 kilometers per hour. We were not able to ride this when we were younger, so there was no familiar feeling to lean back on. The cameras captured our suffering: my lips were pursed tightly on our ascent (I developed a discomfort with heights after high school), then the various photos showed my initial gasp then scream as we dropped, then my face scrunching up waiting for our descent, then a whistle of relief while clutching the black pearl necklace I hid under my shirt (for safety reasons).

Taking out my pearls, we decided on something we thought would be more calming: the new EKlipse, the ride with the rotating arms with a gondola on each end. The theme park鈥檚 website says the ride was designed by Italian company Zamperla, and takes one up 36 feet in the air. We were wrong about the ride鈥檚 calming quality: the ride鈥檚 spin offered us a screaming view of the park at nighttime, not to mention more than a few minutes just dangling up in the air. Of course, after the ride was over, we shook ourselves off and figured it was really great fun (though not to be repeated soon).

Alyssa took Lia to the Grand Carousel for something really calming, then went to the Rio Grande Rapids, another rite-of-passage ride from our teens. On a circular boat, a party is taken through a rushing 鈥渞iver,鈥� and waterfalls and the inevitable splashes are designed to give one a good soak. Since guests emerge from the ride dripping wet, the theme park has installed dryers (that we swore were not there 20 years ago, in 2006), but they cost about P200 to use 鈥� and at that point we had already spent thousands on ride photos. Alyssa whispered that she knew a better way to dry off: the Flying Fiesta, another classic. One rides in a giant swing that takes your legs high off the ground, but spins at a less-thrilling pace.

By the time we got off the ride, it was 8 p.m. and the park was closing, so it was time to go home.

I鈥檓 glad to note that after everything we鈥檝e been through since high school, our bodies and spirits can still withstand everything Enchanted Kingdom can throw at us. The rides gave us wholesome highs and brought out an innocence that we鈥檇 forgotten was still there. If we remember correctly, the park鈥檚 old tagline was 鈥淭he magic is here,鈥� but it has since changed to 鈥淭he magic lives forever.鈥� We鈥檙e inclined to agree.

1 of 4

Lacquerware from Vietnam arrives in Rustan鈥檚

A DISPLAY of red lacquered vases stands in Rustan鈥檚 Makati. Gold-rimmed resin topped off with red lacquer and silver-leaf tinted red are polished to a gleam akin to a flame 鈥� this is the work of Hanoia, a new brand from Vietnam that recently joined Rustan鈥檚.

We were told that Hanoia has been making commissions for luxury houses around the world since 1997, but they decided to make their own brand in 2016.

鈥淲e wanted to preserve this kind of craft,鈥� Dinh Cong Tai, marketing and communications director of Hanoia, told 大象传媒 in an interview during the March 24 launch. 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 no better way than to have the artisan that can live with that craft; with that job.鈥� He added that in modern times, 鈥淟acquer has become more a fine art medium rather than in the daily context.鈥�

Lacquer, prized for thousands of years in East Asia, is a coating originally made from the sap of the Chinese lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum). These items were prized by the aristocracy of Asia, then traded in Europe, where the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa took special pride in her collection. These days, sap-based lacquer has become rare, replaced by synthetics, or else derived from insect-based shellac. Mr. Dinh said, 鈥淲e follow the same process, but we use modern-day materials and also technology 鈥� to help the artisan to work.鈥�

They have over 200 people in their workshop. 鈥淭he young generation doesn鈥檛 want to follow this kind of craft anymore,鈥� he says, though in recent years, they have managed to make artisanship an appealing career for young Vietnamese workers. 鈥淲e help the artisan to continue to live with the jobs. That鈥檚 (how) we convinced the young generation to continue to learn lacquer.鈥�

This is their first shop-in-shop concept abroad, and in choosing Manila as their first location abroad, Mr. Dinh emphasizes the friendship between Rustan鈥檚 president Anton Huang and Hanoia鈥檚 chief executive officer, Christian de Ruty. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a good opportunity and a good relationship,鈥� he said. More importantly, 鈥淢anila in particular is a very cosmopolitan city.鈥�

The vases we mentioned, we were told, were made within a period of two months. Perhaps that is what true luxury means, beyond labels and stories. Mr. Dinh said, 鈥淟uxury today is more about craftsmanship. What we value most is the time and skillfulness of the artisan 鈥� the touch of humans.鈥� 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 2

On its fourth anniversary, celebrated on March 19 in Rockwell, kiosk-format Pickup Coffee announced that it has over 500 stores, new store formats, an enhanced app, and is open for franchising.

鈥淲e are the fastest growing, proudly Filipino coffee chain with more than 500 stores nationwide,鈥� Francis Flores, Global Managing Director for Pickup Coffee, said in a speech. 鈥淭he 500 stores that we have now are still all company owned,鈥� he pointed out.

鈥淲e鈥檙e launching franchising soon,鈥� he said. Speaking with 大象传媒, he added, 鈥淲e believe we can be more than 500 in the Philippines. Imagine, if we were able to grow that fast on our own, lalo na ‘pag may (it would be even more if there are) franchisees.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e not stopping opening company-owned stores as well,鈥� he clarified. 鈥淣ow that we have 500 stores, we feel like there鈥檚 even more potential.鈥�

Speaking on the speed of its growth in just four years, he said, 鈥淎ccessibility and distribution is key to growing. We want to be everywhere, as fast as we can.鈥�

THERE鈥橲 AN APP FOR THAT
The fact that they have an app that customers can use to order (and access more services) helped a lot: 鈥淥ur app is a core operating tool, not just a marketing feature,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t streamlines ordering, reduces queue times, improves store efficiency, and gives us data to make better decisions 鈥� from menu development to location strategy. Being tech-forward allows us to scale intelligently while improving customer experience.鈥�

In changing how the Filipino consumes coffee, he said that in previous years, premium espresso was at too high a price point for the average Filipino. 鈥淭he average Filipino cannot afford to drink it every day. What we have seen, we became an everyday brand,鈥� he said during the interview.

In an e-mail, he added, 鈥淧ickup Coffee raised the standard for what everyday espresso can be 鈥� premium in taste, but accessible in price and availability. Through efficient formats, a grab鈥慳nd鈥慻o model, and tech鈥慹nabled operations, we鈥檙e able to make quality coffee part of daily life for more people.鈥�

With their coffee at below P100 (unlike those offered by foreign coffee chains), Mr. Flores spoke about how they are able to keep prices down. In an e-mail he said: 鈥淎ffordability has been thoughtfully built into our business model from the start. We鈥檙e able to keep prices accessible by designing efficient store formats, streamlining operations, leveraging technology to improve productivity, and scaling procurement responsibly. This allows us to offer quality espresso-based drinks at approachable prices 鈥� without compromising product standards.鈥�

GETTING BIG BY STAYING SMALL
As mentioned above, Pickup works within a kiosk model, with a grab-and-go format. 鈥淭he small-format model works because it鈥檚 capital-efficient, flexible, and scalable,鈥� said Mr. Flores in the e-mail. 鈥淚t allows us to enter high-traffic locations quickly, reduce overhead costs, achieve faster breakeven per store, and expand sustainably across different cities. This model supports disciplined growth, which is critical for long-term resilience.鈥�

However, during the event, they did announce more Pickup Prime locations (there are two: one in SM Seaside Cebu and in Quezon City鈥檚 Vertis North). This year, they鈥檙e adding two more, in BGC and in Arca South. Pickup Prime is a larger format shop, which serves baked goods along with coffee, and has seating.

鈥淧remium coffee should be accessible to everyone,鈥� he said in a speech. — Joseph L. Garcia

1 of 2

鈥淵OU don鈥檛 understand. This is an Ala茂a,鈥� said Alicia Silverstone鈥檚 character in 1995鈥檚 Clueless upon being told to hit the ground while wearing a red number with a black feather trim. 鈥淗e鈥檚 like, a totally important designer.鈥�

Just in time for the 鈥�90s resurgence 30 years after that line was delivered, Rustan鈥檚 now has the Ala茂a brand in its stores.

Founded by Tunisian-French designer Azzedine Ala茂a (who passed away in 2017), the brand once reigned in the late 1980s to 鈥�90s.听 It skyrocketed to fame worldwide with the help of muses like Naomi Campbell. Today, the brand has Peter Mulier as its Creative Director (though his departure was announced earlier this month by WWD).

While Ala茂a is yet to find a permanent home in Rustan鈥檚 Makati, there is a pop-up in its beauty floor (a search for the Ala茂a website on Google also leads to a Philippines-only link: maison-alaia.com/en-ph/). On the shelves are displayed some of Ala茂a鈥檚 leather goods. There鈥檚 the Le Mina bag, made of laser cut leather. An item that went viral last year, the east-west oriented Le Teckel (a name for sausage-shaped dogs) is also on display, alongside the Vienne (a line of Mary Jane shoes with the same laser cut on the Le Mina), and many other stylish shoes besides.

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to say that Rustan鈥檚 is the first to bring in the brand,鈥� said Jackie Avecilla, head of marketing for Rustan Commercial Corp., in an interview at the sidelines of another event on March 24. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 advertise; we did nothing. But oh my God, it鈥檚 selling like hotcakes.鈥�

She said that some styles are already out of stock: 鈥淕ood problem on our end,鈥� she said, and new stocks will come in after Easter (the shoes are apparently the top sellers).

鈥淚t kind of cements the position of Rustan鈥檚 as the premier luxury retail destination,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud that these brands like Ala茂a… and the rest to come, partner, or choose Rustan鈥檚 as the first store in which to set foot in the Philippines.鈥�

鈥淥ur goal is really to modernize Rustan鈥檚. Admittedly, it鈥檚 a 75-year-old store, and we want to bring in the younger generation without necessarily alienating our loyal clients,鈥� she explained. 鈥淏y bringing in these fresh, contemporary, modern, and young brands, we are able to attract that younger generation,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e have more brands coming 鈥� I鈥檓 sorry, I can鈥檛 divulge 鈥� we have a lot of new fashion brands; very exciting, all coming this year.鈥�

Check out the Ala茂a pop-up at the 1^st floor of Rustan鈥檚 Makati. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

THE 36 candidates of the Binibining Pilipinas 2026 beauty pageant were announced after a final screening on March 23.

The contestants were presented to the press right after the screening at the New Frontier Theater in Araneta City. The pageant is owned by the Araneta Group through Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI). The pageant currently sends its winners to Miss Globe and Miss International (which was first won in 1960 by Stella Marquez-Araneta, spouse of Araneta Group chair Jorge Le贸n Araneta).

Precious Lara Quigaman, winner of Miss International 2005 and a former Bb. Pilipinas, served as the head of the panel of judges during the screening, and is a member of the Executive Committee of BPCI. 鈥淲e have a really good batch of ladies this year,鈥� she said during a group interview. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e so articulate. They鈥檙e all so smart. I鈥檓 so proud of them.鈥�

Asked what they were looking for when they were screening the candidates, Ms. Quigaman said, 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 obviously beautiful. We know that. But I told them I really wanted to see their 鈥榳hy.鈥� Why they鈥檙e joining Bb. Pilipinas. We really listened to their stories of why they鈥檙e here.

鈥淎 girl who embodies Bb. Pilipinas,鈥� she said about the kind of beauty queen they鈥檙e looking for. 鈥淪omeone who鈥檚 very helpful to their fellow women. Obviously, we want a Binibining who鈥檚 really smart, and full of integrity.鈥�

As to what advice she can give the candidates, she said, 鈥淛ust enjoy it. Then give it their all, and just be them(selves). Be the real them.鈥� 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia

The candidates are:

Britney Angel Rubino
Ma. Kathrina Pauline Cudia
Nathalie Magat
Elli Rose L. Elola
Jarina K. Sandhu
Joahnna Lee L. Ucol
Julie Mae P. Villanueva
Iris L. Oresca
Nicole Sobria
Christine Jorelle F. Usaraga
Alisa Keith D. Irugin
Zillani Eve P. Rojas
Juliane Raine Antonio
Kristeen Mia SJ. Lucero
Tracy Mae C. Sunio
Shara Maxine M. Barber
Ivy R. Padilla
Angelica Arwin C. Evora
Anjali C. Pradeep Kumar
Stacey C. de Ocampo
Samantha Marie B. Zabarte
Sasha-Juli Belle P. Lacuna
Kaye Pastelero
Anne Klein E. Castro
Camille Bernadette T. Martin
Mary Adeline C. Ramirez
Ain Niqyla S. Abad
Marinella JCatangay
Gwyneth Jemimah B. Chan
Pauline Thea Ann E. Ibuyan
Gwendoline Meliz F. Soriano
Arah Jasmin B. Reguyal
Georgette Nicole R. Coronacion
Patricia Lynn Beerda
Trisha Irish Marie N. Rosales
Mylene B. Manschus

On March 18, Marcelo鈥檚 Microcreamery was formally launched in the country, although they have been found on supermarket shelves since last year. The flavors aren鈥檛 quite what you鈥檒l find in any normal store shelf: the brand has the Heritage Line, building on traditional Filipino snacks. These are Inutak, Ube Macapuno Champorado, Latik-Latik, Mangga鈥檛 Suman, Bilo-Bilo, and Chocolate Champorado. During a tasting at Romulo Caf茅 in Makati, they also unveiled their latest flavor, Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate (as in the Instagram-viral Dubai chocolate, done in collaboration with the chef who made it, Nouel Catis).

Due to an aversion to certain ingredients (my fault, not theirs), we stuck to something familiar: the Chocolate Champorado, made with tablea (cocoa tablets used for hot chocolate) and rice pudding churned into ice cream. This tasted richly dark and indulgent. We also had a bite of the Dubai chocolate one, and it proved very richly creamy, with a slight coolness of flavor (akin to mint) brought by the pistachios.

The flavors we tasted were made with milk, but the Inutak (smoked ube or purple yam pudding), Ube Macapuno Champorado (ube and coconut sport in chocolate rice pudding), Latik-Latik (toasted coconut curds) Mangga鈥檛 Suman (mango and rice cake sorbet, and Bilo-Bilo (a treat made of macapuno mochi, sweetened bananas, and jackfruit), all have a non-dairy coconut milk base. 鈥淥ur drive is really to partner with local coconut farmers, local tablea farmers, to really help,鈥� said Epic Brands Corp. Chief Executive Officer John Marcelo in an interview. They buy the raw materials directly from the farmers, and try to use local as much as possible. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 about time to get our flavors out there.鈥�

A former racecar driver, Mr. Marcelo and his family always celebrated ice cream. One night, during a grocery run, he saw that all the brands in the supermarket offered the same thing over and over. The family already makes ice cream for other brands, so, 鈥淚 wanted to create my own brand.鈥�

They weren鈥檛 easy to make: he recalls making the rice-based ones, and them coming out rock-hard from the freezer. The same thing happened to the chunks of fruit. That meant researching cooking methods, such as stewing the fruits more slowly, and cooking everything in a slightly different way. They鈥檙e called a 鈥渕icrocreamery鈥� by the way, because they only make the ice creams in small batches.

These flavors are tied to his own memories, making each flavor personal. The champorado flavor, for example, is a schoolboy memory, while the mangga鈥檛 suman was a memory of a weekend drive.

It鈥檚 this same idea of memory that鈥檚 driving their push to export, despite being quite new to the game. He told 大象传媒 that they are already in the Middle East (hence the halal seal on the pint), Australia, Canada, and the US. Right now, they are still in talks to bring it to Southeast Asian neighbors Malaysia and Vietnam. The reason for the push to export is the large numbers of Filipino expatriates in those countries: 鈥淲e thought that the Filipinos overseas, they definitely miss all our kakanins (rice-based desserts).鈥�

鈥淚 wanted to tap that market. Most of them, they miss home; they miss their families. So at least (we can) bring them something that can remind them of their childhood and spending time with their families.鈥�

Marcelo鈥檚 Microcreamery products are available in the Philippines for around P460 a pint in Landers, Shopwise, Marketplace, and some Robinsons Supermarket branches. 鈥� Joseph L. Garcia