Women take art beyond the box


Local and independent artists are creating a lot of buzz these days—and for good reason. From viral personal projects to the Visible Women campaign, the Internet is making Filipino art extend its reach. Some tools of the trade have gone digital, creating a new and welcome medium that the public can access and appreciate.

Last year, the comic book “Beyond” was drawn entirely using the iPad Pro. Working with celebrated Filipino artists Harvey Tolibao, Manix Abrera, and Merlin Malonzo, the comic collaboration with Beyond The Box featured each of the artists’ known and recognizable styles.

 While there’s a handful of artists who turn to digital art for their creative pursuits, three hand-picked diverse and talented female illustrators will continue to make the world of “Beyond” come to life, with their own quirky characters. The comic is set to be released tomorrow, Oct. 7, Saturday, at Fully Booked BGC.

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Where to find a matcha-ddicting lava cake


The current weather is quite unpredictable, but I found a hot-and-cold combination that surely beats it both ways. And in case you’re not quite aware yet, the foodie’s cardinal rule is: Always have room for dessert. If there’s something I bet you already know, though, it’s that matcha-infused goodies are always so intriguingly irresistible with its earthy flavor.

 If you’re a fan of Royce’s Nama chocolates, rediscover its ooey-gooey goodness in Hanamaruken’s Matcha Lava Cake with Ice Cream (P180). The creamy, melt-in-your-mouth taste of matcha in every bite will make you order dessert as an appetizer.
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Matthew Vaughn’s ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ is a test of empathy


Sequels are a tough act to make. Matthew Vaughn’s “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” tried its best to create a follow-up movie that would remain as original and engaging as the first.

The “Kingsman: The Secret Service” introduced a different breed of spies, gentlemen in their signature tailor-fit suits who work for an independent international intelligence agency which, in discretion, keeps the world safe. 

It was in 2014 when director Vaughn first released an inventive and trope-challenging movie. Now its sequel still has the old-school spy thrills that were met with some rogue cowboy Americana. 

The movie begins with an acrobatic, gravity-defying fight scene in a moving vehicle, introducing Eggsy Unwin (Taron Egerton) as the new Agent Galahad. He may no longer be the Kingsmen’s new recruit, but he still wasn’t as polished as Harry Hart (Colin Firth).
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llaollao madness

llaollao’s fourth branch is now open at Trinoma
Since it first opened in 2016, llaollao (pronounced as yao-yao) still isn’t in every mall I frequented as I hoped it would had by now. It currently has branches in SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, Glorietta, and—finally, right in my home turf, Quezon City—Trinoma!

The malls in Fairview don’t offer any froyo, which is a complete disappointment. So when I drop by malls that actually do, I try to grab some frozen yogurt goodness whenever I can. While there are other stalls and stores that offer this cold treat, it’s the different toppings this Spanish franchise has that make me want more of it.
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Reviving the forgotten art of postcards

Photo from ban.do
The first time I remember receiving a postcard from a friend, its stamp was dated Sept. 17, 2013. I unexpectedly found it with the pile of monthly bills—which seem to be the only things that occupy much of the mailboxes in the age of e-mail and Facebook chat.

 On its pink-colored front was a scribble of a girl with curly hair, paired with free-hand calligraphy in the same style of the drawing that said “planet curls.” In her letter, my friend revealed that the postcard she sent me was purchased from a biannual arts bazaar called 10a Alabama Arts and Crafts Fair.

 “I got this card from a girl who sold woodcrafts. I was actually very amazed that I was able to take home some cards considering that no one really sells postcards nowadays,” she wrote. Flash forward a few years later, and the interest in the art of creating and sending postcards are slowly being revived.
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Guy Ritchie’s ‘King Arthur’ has no soul


Will it still be called a legend without the telling of a hero’s adventure?

In the beginning, “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” shows promise. With familiar elements from the insurmountable film series “Lord of the Rings,” the scenes of Camelot’s war convinces the audience that, maybe, there is still much to tell about the tale.
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Why Leonardo DiCaprio should (finally) win an Oscar


Leonardo DiCaprio’s acting is top-notch, good enough for him to finally win an Oscar. The recent masterpiece by director Alejandro G. Iñárritu may be DiCaprio’s best chance yet.

 Sure, his toughest competition may be Eddie Redmayne of “The Danish Girl,” in what may be the most exquisite and sensual role of his career, in which he makes the audience experience the fear and passion that comes with the dynamic change within his character.
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Zedd takes control of Road to Ultra: PH music fest

Photo by Rio Deluvio
Sure you hear his tracks on the radio everyday and Spotify may be your best friend when it comes to tracking his past hits, but Zedd sounds entirely different when he’s manning the deck live.

At the Philippine leg of the Ultra Music Festival last Sept. 15 staged at the Mall of Asia Arena, Zedd’s transitions were as kinetic as his beats—never playing one song for too long, or if you ask me, never enough. But the multiawarded DJ knew just how to hook his audience without dropping the bass too early.

His first song was “Beautiful Now.” Zedd made a simple entrance by playing the stripped version of this mix, which put prime focus on Jon Bellion’s vocals at the bridge of the song. It didn’t take long for Zedd to play around, he quickly shuffled to “Starving” and “All the Way Up” to pump up the crowd in his third live set in Manila.
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Falling for Uniqlo’s Fall/Winter 2017 collection


Uniqlo has done it again.

They take well-loved traditional fashion pieces and weave in Japanese innovation into every fiber of their clothing. We’ve all fallen for the brand’s signature combination of simplicity and functionality, but it’s always the seasonal collaborations that blow us away.

 For this year’s Fall/Winter 2017 collection, Uniqlo worked with designers JW Anderson and Inès de la Fressange to bring the traditional British charm and Parisian chic into everyday clothing for both men and women.

 Adding the Uniqlo U and the denim lines, the brand beefed up a solid rotation of wardrobe classics that will come out on Sept. 22.

 Some people would come up with any excuse to shop. Whether it’s an upcoming autumn trip abroad or you’re just getting ready for the rainy weather, here are 10 Uniqlo F/W 2017 pieces you shouldn’t miss:
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The other side of K-pop: taking the Korean music industry back to basics


There’s a fine line between being a musician and an idol.

 We’re all familiar with the latter, as K-pop grew from a genre into a cultural lifestyle. The global music phenomenon turned its fans to loyalists who call themselves either a “stan” or “trash” of countless “biases.”

 In English, these K-pop listeners have turned into obsessive fans, identifying themselves as belonging to multiple fan bases of idols from different entertainment companies.

 It’s easy to spot an idol. Usually belonging to a group, idols often sport identical or thematic clothing. Their crazy-colored hairdos also make them hard not to miss. They also have synchronized group greetings that, by now, fans have memorized.

 Fans look forward to each idol group’s comebacks, and these dictate the next concept the group partakes. Each concept is a representation of something new and fresh—making idols change into skin that are always crazier than the last.

 We also know how a K-pop star’s story usually begins: They audition in their early teens and spend years training to finally debut as an idol.

 Idols are groomed to become what they are today. While we get a glimpse of their personality on variety shows, short interviews and behind-the-scenes clips, a bulk of their image is built on trends and strategies.

 They sing chart-topping music that take the global stage by storm, but how much of the music actually resonates with those that perform them?

 On the other side of K-pop are Korean musicians who are starting to give idols a run for their money. The country’s current music trend is shifting the focus on individual artists.

 K-pop undeniably redefined the music industry, but its local market recognizes the need to go back to basics: Discovering artists who create their own content, and honing homegrown talent that no longer needs to be dictated upon. And the rest of the world is starting to take notice, too.
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Getting into Yokohama’s Pikachu madness


YOKOHAMA, JAPAN—Tokyo is a quiet city.

 Besides the sounds of trains on railway tracks, the pedestrians stomping on street crossings, employees shouting their oishi menu promos, and even the noise of crickets at night, the city of 13 million people generally lives in serene silence.

But that silence can easily be broken by seven syllables, said by a familiar voice that goes: “Pika-Pika-Pikachuuu!”

 You’ve probably seen viral Facebook videos of Pikachu mascots in droves dressed in different costumes. In their yellow tubby form, with an ever-smiling face and thunder-shaped tail, we see them walking in sync, waving hello and dancing—making them cuter than they already are.

Outside of your screens, these Pikachus can be seen in the city of Yokohama every day of the week starting Wednesday, Aug. 9. The Pikachu shows run until Aug. 15 this year.

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Confessions of a K-drama stan


One last episode, I swear.

This is possibly the most common lie K-drama fans tell themselves; and before we even realize it, we’ve finished one whole series in a single night.

If we could only list binge-watching a drama as a skill on our resumés, we would have done so—a long time ago.

Filipino K-drama “stans” (obsessive fans) all have that one show that made them ride the Hallyu—Korean Wave—along with the rest of the world. In the early 2000s, our local TV networks would dub high-rating East Asian dramas in Tagalog and these easily became part of our daily afternoon and primetime routines.

A bulk of them came from Korea. Who could forget about “Full House,” “Coffee Prince,” “Lovers in Paris,” “Princess Hours,” “Playful Kiss,” “Boys Over Flowers” and how much kilig these made us feel?

These were the shows we looked forward to in the latter part of our days—and are also the topic of our conversations come the next morning.
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Cookies that match your Butterbeer


Accio, cookies!

The moment I saw PRESS by Fully Booked post about their Harry Potter-themed cookies, I knew I just had to get my hands on them. I loved sugar cookies, after all, even if it stained your tongue with the crazy colors of its designs.
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YEIN redefines classic


YEIN is a siren. Her voice sounds delicate, often with a seemingly whispered flow, but her serene storytelling floods listeners with emotions. Her first digital album “5” is available on Spotify. Here, she talks about pioneering her genre, Future Classic:

 I just love to sing. I say what I want to and represent myself whenever I sing.

 I think these are what I do best even when I’m still so into so many art forms. I like combining them. I consider art as one—you can separate and categorize them, but eventually they are one in a big way.

 There are different stories in each and every song I write and sing. When I finish one, I listen to it and it makes me feel really peaceful—and I want people to experience the same thing. That’s why I think I try hard to bring in that kind of naturism feel, that kind of atmosphere into my music. I’d like to think that the tone of my voice could make them feel at ease and relaxed.
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The story on YEIN




“This is the best interview I’ve had on this whole trip,” I told YEIN as we stood up to wrap up our conversation.

And I really meant it. It was already our third day in Korea for the Universal Music press junket and we had five interviews with K-indie artists scheduled on that day alone.

I needed a translator for most of the interviews I conducted during the trip, which badly made me want to study the Korean language all the more. (If I knew the language, I wouldn’t have to wait for my K-drama episodes to be subbed, too.)

A lot of things do get lost in translation, and I can’t stress how frustratingly true this was in my case. I felt like the artists I spoke to were opening up about a lot of things I couldn’t understand but wanted to know about—there was interest in their tone and sincerity on their faces as they explained and shared their experiences. I couldn’t even ask the right follow-up questions. I had a time limit to be concerned about as well.
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