INK.ing IT AND A LITTLE BIT OF SEXINESS

I have always enjoyed dining out whether alone or with friends. I mean, who doesn’t?

Though a plate of eggs benedict at the Museum Café or Apartment 1b paired with a glass of cold mimosa or that bowl of pomelo salad from People’s Palace is always a treat – I also enjoy going to restaurants in the city that are pretty much low-key.

Sometimes we run into a little eatery that you would never initially enter, but surprises you with an experience that is anything but.


(Hipster central - Melrose Avenue)

Right across the pond, located where Hamasaku used to be along the twelve-block shopping strip on Melrose Avenue or what Angelenos call “the hipster central” – with designer shops like Miu Miu and Marc Jacobs sprouting like mushrooms alongside trendy Fred Segal, Kitson and vintage shops like Decades is Ink., chef Michael Voltaggio’s first signature restaurant.



Eating at Ink. creates an incredible impression with flavors inspired by the myriad of cultures that make up the city of Los Angeles.


Chef Michael Voltaggio of Ink. Photo credit: vegas and food)

And yes, there is always a good reason for all the hype. I hear most people take away happily.

Ink.
8360 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood
California 90069

GUESS WHO IS FINALLY ON FACEBOOK

Me Buddha Banana is finally on Facebook!



It’s easy, just hit the LIKE button and we’re all good.

WHEN BLUE DOES NOT EQUATE TO SADNESS

It is common sense that us gentlemen do need to have a pair that are a little more conservative – that makes most of what I own except for the purple and green pair of Gommino’s from Tod’s and Zara.

Thirty years and 7 days later, I have come to realize I was never a believer of comfort. I have enjoyed the pain of blisters just as much as walking around the room, looking at myself in front of the mirror with a handsome pair of loafers.


(Finally baptized them at the weekend market yesterday. And oh, an inch and a quarter heel - not bad for added confidence. Not that I'm short because I am not!)

And yes, there is more to shoes than black and brown – I just got myself a pair of suede tassel loafers in blue. Think Nicolas Sarkozy minus Carla.

Though I still have not blessed them due to Manila’s damp weather, I just can’t wait to pair them with my red trousers.

Here is a smart guide to buying shoes:

1. Always buy in the afternoon. No matter how much you’re itching to spend your few thousands, wait until your feet swell to their largest as the day progresses and yes, it is better to buy a pair that are a little too big than a little too small.

2. Check the inside. If it does not have any lining like most local brands and the grains of the leather is exposed, expect it to smile and say hello in two months.

3. Walk around the shop when trying them on. Do not settle sitting down and checking the tips of your toes like a ballerina in training. You need to see how they function and oh, if it hurts – forget it!

Happy birthday to me!

FAT FREE HUMOR

Looking good isn’t a bad thing at all. Honestly, men now are just as concerned about their appearance as the ladies and yes, even go to the extent of looking better than them.

I mean, you can’t really blame us.

It’s not about wearing labels that cost you a weeks’ meal, it’s about wearing clothes that fit you well and make you look good.

Edit! Time to burn those E.H shirts you have been wearing since god knows when.


(Skim Milk maintain their prestige by only producing limited edition runs–each numbered and never to be reprinted again.)

Just like Skim Milk, after being unimpressed by most designs in the market, they have decided to take the art of making cool shirts into their own hands.



It really is all about the humor. Each shirt from Skim Milk is exceptionally unique with the most thought-provoking designs, blurring the lines of innovation and sarcasm.

And despite my preppy aesthetic, I would love to have one in blue.

BASIC MATTER 37: THAT PERFECT CITY BAG

Now that I’m a year older, I have finally replaced my huge bags to simpler ones from Jack Spade, LL Bean and Porter.

I choose not to panic. And, honestly, I'm not panicking.


(The Facteur is available in a range of colors and can be found at Garbstore and Oki-Ni.)

Yes, 22 bags wrapped and all compulsively stored, hoping my sister won’t spot them.

However, (don’t stop me please) I again have spotted the perfect city bag with more easy to use side compartments and with a fully adjustable shoulder strap and easy release.

Classic and timeless, the Facteur by Veja is crafted from organic cotton grown by a co-operative of producers in the Northeast of Brazil.



Their bags are crafted from organic cotton, grown using the agro-ecology method which bans the use of chemicals and pesticides. Even their leather are tanned using extracts from the Acacia plant, a natural and pollutant free alternative.



I just need to have one of these! A post birthday gift is always a welcome treat.