THAT VERY NIGHT A FOREST GREW

The 1963 classic, “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak, winner of the 1964 Caldecott Medal as the "Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year was an integral part of my childhood.

(Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another and his mother called him "Wild Thing!" and he said "I'll eat you up!" and he was sent to bed without eating anything....that very night in Max's room a forest grew)

Flipping through pages of my first copy mom and dad got me when I was three had this really vivid imagery that seeped into my subconscious at an early age and has stayed close to my heart all these years. It was the best illustration book I have ever seen, better than the classics (think Peter Pan, Little red riding hood, etc.)

I wanted to take a wild leap back into my childhood but I couldn’t seem to locate my first copy so I decided to get a new one at fully booked over the weekend.

SEVEN FOR CHRISTMAS

Every year I compile one long Christmas gift wish list and end up having only half of the items on my list under my own Christmas tree.

This year, I only managed to pick out a handful. I can’t seem to think of anything to get myself. Is Christmas getting more boring each year?

MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST
1.Mismo heavy duty, plain-woven canvas and detailing in full grain and
vegetable tanned leather Canvas.

2.Tan Miller Washed Brogue by Paul Smith
3.Call me boring but yes, more flannel, plaids and madras
4.Opening Ceremony desert suede boots in black
5.Magazine subscriptions ( Monocle and Wallpaper)
6.New Moleskine
7.And a box of cupcakes from +wondermilk haha someone has got to courier me a box from Kuala Lumpur

BOAT RIDES AND ESPADRILLES IN LITTLE SPAIN

Sometimes you don’t really need a passport or a visa to get to one of the most secluded places on earth.

I grew up down south, and to me , el pueblo de Zamboanga was more like Seville in Espana than crazy Tokyo – as far away, secluded, and steeped in nature as any place could possibly be.

There is beauty and calmness in the pueblo that the metropolis has long forgotten, and I adore that.

Why Zamboanga? The hours are definitely longer down south – a dreamy golden hour quality. In that light, you end up having coffee with an older relative and in my case, it’s definitely my mom or my favorite aunt Nela and telling them all my secrets.

It may be a little farther away from everywhere else but the smell down south is what I always think of – a combination of freshly grown grass, the mountains, the sea and of course an 80 percent chance of running into someone you know when you step out of your car.

My favorite food? No surprise : crabs, prawns and curacha, a very popular deep-sea crustacean found only in the waters of Zamboanga, where spectacular seafood abound. I wont eat it anywhere else but in Zamboanga. We buy them right off the boats and have crab bake with mussels, oysters, sausages and tuna belly thrown into a fire pit against the rock. Oh how I miss the luxury down south.

(Don’t forget to bring out your floppy sun hats and espadrilles. See you all next month! Photo from The Sartorialist)

PAUL SMITH FOR EVIAN

In Paul Smith’s own words, ‘It is a nice glass bottle with colourful stripes around the top, printed with organic ink!’

Limited Edition Paul Smith Evian bottles will be available in stores tomorrow, November 18, 2009.

visit Paul Smith Manila at Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City +632.729.9898//+63.920.916.8906 and Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City +632.636.0488//+63.920.952.6525 or email them at paulsmithmanila@triomarketingventures.com

BASIC MATTER 14: PAPER BAGS

Japanese brand “siwa” has recently collaborated with Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa to create a range of products using Naoron.


(Soft yet strong and highly water-resistant, Naoron is a totally new kind of paper that doesn’t really tear easily and can load up to 10kg.)

ZERO HANDCARRY AND A BROKEN LUGGAGE

Selamat petang! As a frequent traveler, I know how difficult it is to pack. Mum would obsessively do all the packing for us when we were younger, neatly rolling and folding our shirts, trousers, etc just to make it all fit in one luggage.

(Downtown Kuala Lumpur's Petaling St. is a bustling night market serving as a bargain hunter's paradise and one of the premier shopping areas in the city)

My experience during my last trip to Indonesia from Singapore was horrible, carrying 2 huge luggages from terminal 1 to 3 at Changi was a nightmare and learning that most of the airlines right now are charging as much as $25.00 or Php 1,175.00 per check-in is another big thing and it makes packing light more sense than ever.

Thank god my 6 year old Samsonite luggage finally gave up on me during my big move last week. Anyway, I won't be able to pack as much into a bag that is heavy to begin with.

One should always get a lighter luggage – I actually got mine in leather that I really like last Christmas at +AC 632 (Thank you Ricky and Chito!). It’s always important to travel in style haha.

(Style Guide : Perfect downtown wear in the tropics. Amir Toos of NYC in White pique shirt and seersucker shorts. Photo from The Sartorialist)

WHAT TO BRING:
1.5 to 6 pairs of shorts
2.A pair of dark blue jeans
3.My favorite loafers and tussled moccasins I got from Dad
4.Crisp white oxford shirt
5.Lightweight pullover
6.My trusted iXus
7.Moleskine
8.Ray-ban aviators I got from Dad
9.And my Fred Perry Canvas tote

Always choose the right Clothes depending on the weather and since I’m traveling to another tropical country near the equator, gather all the lightweight clothes you can possibly wear.

COTTON SHEETS AND SEPARATATION ANXIETY

I just moved in my new pad yesterday. Done un-boxing 3 out of the 6 boxes, exhausted, lying in my bed on a new clean 500-thread count khaki Egyptian cotton sheet and white duvet.

Listening to Toro Y Moi, windows open, the sound of the elevator, a bottle of cold beer on my makeshift nightstand along with a framed watercolor painting I did 6 years ago.

(Photos from chillhiro and Toro y Moi)

I haven’t shopped in months, I haven’t blogged in weeks, I have a lot running through my head, I need a breather.

Counting the days till my first official 5 day leave from work.

10,9,8…..

PAUL SMITH EARLY CHRISTMAS CHEERS

30% OFF on all items except stripes, swirls, minicooper and novelty items.

Visit Paul Smith Manila at Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City +632.729.9898//+63.920.916.8906 and Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City +632.636.0488//+63.920.952.6525 or email them at paulsmithmanila@triomarketingventures.com