BIRTHDAY AND CUPCAKES

Good friends, bunnies and unicorns were part  of the beautiful set in lilac, pink, lime and lavender who came out to celebrate the Bag Hag’s 25^th (she claims) birthday at the Vanilla Cupcake Bakery.

Imagine Lilly Pulitzer, Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren in wonderland. Alice definitely was in Mary Katranzou. 

ROLLIN LIKE A BOSS

Thanks to the country’s record economic growth, iconic British luxury vehicle brand Rolls-Royce has finally come to the Philippines. Fast forwards and a couple of glasses of cranberry cognac and champagne after, I just found out the Rolls-Royce Ghost on display for P25.9 million has been bought on the spot by Willie Revillame. Ok, I think my jaw and my man boobs just dropped. haha

(At last night’s launch: myself in a bespoke black suit from Yuen’s, Striped green dress shirt from Ralph Lauren and Fratelli Rossetti black calf cap-toe lace-ups. Ingrid and her Papillon leather twisted and knotted bag by Bally – beautiful! )

And oh, I think I was the only non-Chinese in the crowd aside from Victor Aliwalas hahaha. Anyway, where on earth is my cheese fondue?

INVESTING DOWN UNDER

Some guys like to hang loose, and other guys need the free leg movement afforded by boxers, but not me. I have always liked mine tight.

Selecting the right underwear is not a walk in the park. Honestly, just like my Alden’s and dress shirts from Armani Collezioni, Brooks Brothers and Ascot Chang, selecting the right underwear is just as important.

Rounderwear offers a wide variety of underwear that could suit your personal preferences.

Rounderwear, the premiere innovator of world-class underwear and outerwear products that significantly enhances the physical appearance of men and women, introduces rounderbum, a gluteal shaper, perfect for those who want to enhance and define their hoo-ha’s.

Try it out and snatch up a pair from rounderwear that fits best for your geometry.  Remember, equipment do come in different sizes and with rounderwear, there’s one for everyone from mid leg boxers to package briefs.

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. 

ELEPHANT FOUND: CHELSEA BEACH

LoveBrand & Co., the prestigious beachwear company founded by Oliver Tomalin, has finally opened its first boutique on Chelsea’s “beach” just by Fulham Road at 5 Park Walk, in London.

The 1,000 sq ft Flagship Boutique intends to encapsulate both the relaxed sense of being on the beach and the exacting nature of a luxury flagship. The store showcases the brand’s responsible ethos and 'modern classic' style through a blend of unusual upcycled furniture and traditional brass fittings. 

The display units are made from old scaffold boards with a brass rail holding the colorful products on elegant engraved hangers. Products are also stored inside the impressive scaffold units in old apple crate 'drawers'.

For the check out counter, an old post office with provenance dating back over 150 years, has been upcycled to its former glory, preserving the original brass grates that now surround touch screens instead of stamps. Behind which a round glass table with a base beautifully crafted from upcycled driftwood carries a rainbow of swim shorts in a circle. 

On entry is the press wall with lines of clipboards holding recent press features. Below is a table upcycled from floorboards and old ironmongery on which refreshing iced teas and 'health waters' are available for thirsty shoppers. 

Behind the traditional large sash windows are the two windows displays using upcycled driftwood poles from which old boat rope is bound holding Love Brand & Co. products with pegs. “This flagship store represents the Love Brand & Co.’s values. I wanted to create a space that would offer a unique shopping experience, with an exquisite customer service and high quality products”, explains Tomalin.

Love Brand & Co. donates 5 % of its sales to elephant charities Elephant Family, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Tusk Trust, raising key awareness and funds for vital elephant conservation projects.

SMELLING LIKE SCOTT SCHUMAN WITH A HINT OF SANDALWOOD

I am pretty much obsessed with my new scent.

I have always been a fan of all things powdery with a hint of floral (think Jasmin, Bergamot and Frangipani) until I got myself a bottle of Sartorial by the perfume house of Penhaligon.

Your jaw must have dropped and no, it doesn’t bother me at all spraying anything feminine - they just tend to mix well.

"The perfect illusion of a tailor’s workroom…the oiled flash of shears cutting cloth, the rub of fabric beneath fingers, tobacco tinted cabinetry, puffs of chalk in the air and old paper patterns vanilla with age.”

Inspired by the workroom of a Saville Row Tailor, the scent is inherently old fashioned, warm, worn-in, leathery, woody and vibrant, it's like you were wearing your abuelito's old brogues that’s been kept since the 50’s. Linear and powerful, it’s a good scent for getting noticed in a crowd on a Wednesday or Thursday night ( Because I don’t normally go out on weekends). Thank god for Adora!

Who would have thought I'd love it.

What’s next? Probably a bottle of Artemisia or Laurel  by Comme des Garcons x Monocle.

JACK FITZ ON MY WRIST

I rarely accessorize and when I do, I make sure it’s something not as gaudy as yellow gold or silver from the Middle East.

(Kiel James Patrick)

In my case, less is definitely more, and quality will always win out over quantity. It has been a year since I have been drooling over Kiel James Patrick’s insanely and exquisitely crafted nautical cords and finally got one from his Lanyard Hitch Collection ( read previous entry) a few weeks ago at KAPOK.

(The Lanyard Hitch Collection consists of fifteen colorways of nautical cord twisted in New England and shipped free to your door.  The weathered cord in hues both vibrant and muted is adorned with a brass anchor clasp allowing you to remove the bracelet)

His anchor bracelets are quintessentially and effortlessly classic American that you can’t help instantly being transported to the shores of New England at some preppy clambake or go local and just hit the weekend market in seersucker shorts, your trusty pique shirt and yes, your ever-dependable schnauzer.