The Wutz Up in the Philippines!

The phrase ‘healthy is sexy’ would really catch one’s attention. Commonly, health is associated for not being sick, as common sense dictates.  However, this generation, being called a fast-food generation by many, gives little attention to health.  Or if they do, the road to health is as complicated as an English maze in which many are lost.  While for some, they fully understand the concept but taking the first step is as complex as solving a rubrics puzzle. Aside from this, being healthy and sexy at the same time is much more of a challenge.  It is like maintaining a perfect eight figure while balancing a bank account.

Sigh.  What would an urbanite do?  Many have drafted their plans on how to be healthy and sexy but time is essential.  Urbanites would rather think of ways on how to create opportunities or how to spot ones than plan their meals and be sexy.  Hence, the great plans of achieving a gorgeous and gregarious body would just be, well, a plan.

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MANILA, Philippinea – For the second time in her life, it was boredom that drew Susan Gaddi Campos to the world of retail.

“In the ’80s, my husband was assigned in Cebu and I got bored again,” she says. “I’m not the type who likes to play mahjong [all day], which my friends did. I was hired as merchandise coordinator for all ladies’ RTW in Rustan’s Cebu.”

When the family returned to Manila after two years, she settled into her role as full-time housewife—until four years ago, when the monotony of keeping house for mostly absent sons kicked in.

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Take a quick scan of the room where you are right now and immediately you may be confronted by old receipts, buttons torn from clothes, ribbons, coins, postcards and their small windows of stamps, things that don’t have any visible use but which you are still saving for “later,” and other bric-a-bracs you accumulate amid the larger and what you consider as more important possessions. Collectively, these things amount close to nothing, on the verge of being thrown away and never to be seen again.

But these objects—small and mute as they are—are still potentially useful. They may re-serve their old purpose or they may be given voice as art. Conceptual art, mixed media and found object are friendly territories for “things” not only because of their physical properties (their hue, size and texture) but because of the ready commentaries they proffer on what kind of life we live. Our material culture reflects our tastes, choices and aspirations. It presents a polished mirror on how we live as a society.

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MANILA, Philippines – The fashion spectacle at the State of the Nation Address (Sona) Monday wasn’t so much who looked best as who dressed who. From our perch, it was a fashion designers’ derby.

Days before the event, Rajo Laurel, favored by celebrities, high society and politicians, was interviewed on an early-evening newscast. He said he was making 15 gowns for the Sona. Who knows how many of these were actually worn — some clients are known to order several gowns from different designers they can choose from — but nonetheless, 15 for one occasion is nothing short of impressive.

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MANILA, Philippines – More than 500 participants trooped to Sunset Pavilion of Sofitel Philippine Plaza last Saturday for the biggest food-styling seminar ever held in the country, conducted by internationally renowned and most-in-demand food stylist Delores Custer.

As far as events went, it went way beyond expectations.

As early as 7 a.m., participants from as far south as Cebu, Aklan, Leyte, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Camarines Sur, and Davao, and as far north as Nueva Ecija, Pangansinan, Benguet, and Baguio City, gathered at the registration desk, two hours before the seminar.

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MANILA, Philippines – A wedding with 150 to 200 guests is considered big in the United States. In the Philippines, that size is “cozy” for weddings, where guest lists can go up to 2,000 people.

During her three-month research before launching Likha Event and Catering Specialists, Filipino-American caterer Charmaine Sandoval learned a lot about the local market, its huge size and unique demands.

“For one, the market here is much bigger than we first thought,” says the 26-year-old Los Angeles native and Likha chair. “Competition is also quite stiff and not as welcoming.”

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MANILA, Philippines – There are days when nothing is more comforting than a stack of fluffy blueberry pancakes right off the pan, loaded with maple syrup and topped with creamy butter, accompanied by a pot of coffee to complete the deal.

Feeling sinful? How about a breakfast platter of sausages, corned beef, crispy bacon strips, toasts, and eggs done your way?

Flapjacks offers these breakfast fare and more all day. “Flapjacks is not just a breakfast place. While the food is American-style, we tweaked it a bit for the Pinoy palate,” says marketing director Lisa Ronquillo.

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MANILA, Philippines – A study conducted by researchers from the University of Ottawa and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that women who push themselves to the limit eat the most after exercising. They consume more than 90 percent of the calories they burn, as compared to low-intensity exercisers who only eat 30 percent of the calories they burn.

Weight loss results will be slow or unnoticed if you burn 1,000 calories a day then eat two slices of cake or two slices of pizza right after a tiring workout, which is equivalent to 800 to 1,200 calories.

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Located in the middle of bustling Makati City, Skin Inc. stands as a veritable grooming gold mine. To rid your skin of the city’s dirt and grime, as well as other skin blights, you can include this center in your shortlist. The clinic boasts of personalized facial services, state-of-the-art machines and certified medical staffing to help achieve your grooming goals.

“One thing we really are proud of is the customization of our services,” explains Dr. Windie Villarica-Hayano, MD, one of Skin Inc.’s founders. “It’s like you come here and we really see you first and do a proper assessment, history, and do proper physical examination. It’s a very medical approach and very personalized.

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Unveiling his first ever collection at Philippine Fashion Week, New York-based Filipino designer Robin Tomas spins the glamour and allure of the big city into a rich, sensual collection that remarks both the inimitable romance and exquisite rawness of modern urban sensibilities. Unapologetic about his classic-wearable approach, Tomas marries the practicalities of ready-to-wear design with the opulences of couture treatments in a seemingly effortless articulation of contemporary style. From very feminine, flowy cuts to tempered occasions of voluminous play to strong shoulders and sharp tailoring, his is a remarkably well-composed, mature first collection that demonstrates how fashion can be an intelligent, informed, and tactful negotiation of art, market, economy, and trend.

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