L’INDOCHINE: RECUERDOS DE MI CASA (MEMORIES OF HOME)

I finally got the chance to drop by L’Indochine yesterday after reading about it in the papers last month and yes, I went home with a huge smile on my face.

(Photos from The Inspiration Seekers) 

Friends who have been following me on instagram @buddhabanana pretty much know that I’ve been busy fixing my pad after repainting the whole unit white, turning it into a perfect canvas for just about anything pretty from my newly hand painted antique rattan table in red to horses sourced all over from Ubud in Bali to the antique stores along Hollywood road in Hong Kong, W17 in La Fuerza to the streets of Bangkal in Makati.

Growing up in a house filled with well curated home accessories like the ivory blow pipe from Indonesia to wooden carvings and Buddha heads from Thailand, antique wooden oar from Tawi-Tawi to framed textiles by the Yakans of Basilan and Zamboanga and wooden Maranaw bauls from Marawi and even coral tombstones from the island of Sta. Cruz in Zamboanga – these exotic one-of-a- kind pieces my parents hand carried during their trips took a toll on me and damnit, I’m addicted!

(L’INDOCHINE’S Leona Laviña-Panutat (left) and Charlene Panutat-Carlos) 

“The opening of L’Indochine just brought heaven closer to Earth. It’s the perfect Doña store!” I candidly shared (hahaha) with L’Indochine’s Leona Laviña – Panutat. Everything in the store were expertly sourced from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar mixed with unique ethnic items from Thailand, the items in the store are sourced directly from local artisans and craftsmen — the hill tribes of Chiang Mai, artisans in the Mekong delta, weavers in Hanoi, craft villages in Vietnam. I drool!

I should really stop myself from spending too much unless I’m willing to crawl home naked and hungry – NOT! Hold on, I still have a Martha Stewart – Lilly Pulitzer themed party to go to tomorrow.