Wanggo reminded me that I was the one who urged the novel upon him, and how he wept upon reading it.
I've just finished re-reading Kazuo Ishiguro's fine work today, and I think I must have been a zombie when I read it the first time. I did want to burst into tears this time from unbearable sadness. From something unsettling and weird that also only feels familiar, the story becomes one of deep pathos that truly hits close to home. Never Let Me Go is the work of a master at the peak of his game.
My dream is to have a completely inconspicuous and self-effacing wardrobe. Clothes that speak only of simplicity. Of other things--fun, perhaps, and a bit of frivolity--I would like the accessories to speak.
Hat, Topman; Glasses, Wisdom in Archaeology, Powerplant Mall; Socks and bow tie, Celio
Patrik Ervell is, for me, one of the best new menswear designers around. He combines subdued palettes with mildly quirky proportions and excellent styling. The clip above is the featured animation on his website's landing page, which I think is breathtaking.
Staring at the page nonstop, I couldn't help wishing I were the guy there, wearing all those wonderful clothes.
Azuthai Restaurant in Pasay Road is barely two years old, but it already feels like an old reliable. The taste level and service--both excellent--had been largely invariable on each of my visits there. They say a good dining experience makes you want to do two things at once: to replicate it exactly and to share it immediately with people who are dear to you. I'm happy I got to do both recently with my friends Kate, whom I was with when I first tried the place; and GP, a good friend who has not been there.
Azuthai is a worthy addition to the family of restaurants that includes Milky Way (Filipino), Tsukiji (Japanese), Cirkulo (Spanish) , each of which is distinguished in its cuisine and is housed in the same building.
Come to think of it, the mayor, if he knows his food, should accord that building the privileges of a major landmark.
So this is what I was up to the past few months, volunteering for the Aquino presidential campaign. I didn't know it would take up so much of my life! But it's all worth it when you feel like you're fighting for your country's soul. It's so sweet when your candidate wins.
Now that it's over, I'm personally putting all talks of politics on hold. It's time to lighten up once again. Consumerism, I missed you! Music, art, books and clothes--you have my attention back.
Thanks to upstart concert promoter Intercept!and indie label Kindassault,I had the pleasure of watching one of my favorite acts, the Kings of Convenience perform live last week. The guys were charming and funny, and most of all, they sounded terrific. Very close, in fact, to their recordings.
I went with only two important requests in my head, and while "Cayman Islands" came after just a few songs, I would go home not having heard "Homesick." But what do you know? They reserved that for the very last song of their encore. Thank you, guys.
Anyway, now that the two above entities are in existence, I kind of want to start a petition for them to bring in Phoenix. One can always dream.
If you don't know the label Bespoken yet, now is a great time to do so. Their A/W 2010 collection--which I'm completely posting below--is my favorite of the show season so far. The clothes have a perfect balance of nonchalance and thoughtful polish.
Meanwhile, here is what The New York Times's Eric Wilson, who celebrates the brand's price point here, tells us about the label's pedigree:
Bespoken was started by a group of young cool kids that includes the brothers Paulo and Carlos Gonçalves and the brothers Liam, James and Sam Fayed (whose family owns Harrods, Turnbull & Asser and the Hôtel Ritz in Paris, where they first showed their line in June, and lots of other fancy things). The Fayed brothers apprenticed with the English shirtmaker as teenagers, giving them a taste for fashion and an inspiration for the name of their collection.
I never thought it possible, so when I was given this packet of Starbucks Via, which promised to "taste like a freshly brewed cup of Starbucks coffee," I was sceptical at the very least.
Two sachets later, I am pleased to announce that the Starbucks Via delivers. It is aromatic, flavorful and full-bodied: everything I want my coffee to be.
Thanks to my friend Lai for making me try it. Now I wonder when Manila will have this.
Filled with charming, delightful and quirky songs, Contra proves Vampire Weekend's debut album was no fluke. What a promising start for music this 2010.
Here is the wonderful music video of "Cousins," the first single from Contra.
New year, new Moleskines. This year I went with the 3-pack of simple brown paperback notebooks, so that my notes will be more organized.
I stuck this on the first page of each notebook to remind me of the qualities I want to strive for. (I found the phrase years ago in an essay in Adam Gopnik's wonderful book, Paris to the Moon.)
