Saint Laurent Paris

From when Yves was just Saint Laurent.

It Is Somewhere Out There

I love grilled squid. I think I could eat it every day. It's like fried fish. So simple.

This place is going to the baray but i don't know exactly where it is. We had lunch there.

I like the ambience. It rained so the cool factor was seriously up. It's like a scene from a music video.

One of their 'specials' is this sauce made with large ants. Yum!

A Name From Before

Thanks to Arena Homme + I got to know a fairly obscure label outside Japan called Men's BIGI. It was big during the 80's and went on a global mission in 1985 to launch worldwide. Takeo Kikuchi was the designer of the label and they introduced street casting for their shows. They filled their catwalks with inspiring individuals to create the biggest and most extravagant fashion statement which includes dancers from Harlem, singers from London, motorbikes and gospel singers, typically.

I snapped this Men's BIGI jacket from a Japanese thriftshop some time ago. The most interesting thing about it for me were the shape and the texture of the fabric. I like that the shape and cut were totally contemporary for me. It doesn't scream 80's boxy but is in line with a more softer vision of what the 80's boxy would look like especially when you think about the works of Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga or Christophe Decarnin for Balmain, before his untimely departure due to a nervous breakdown (or drug addiction, whichever you are talking to). The fabric has some textured patterns reminiscent of woodgrain and has a little bit of stiffness that makes the jacket armorial and compact when buttoned. I like that it can wrap me tight, actually.

Hello From Where I Am

It seems like I've been neglecting my blog but honestly it's constantly in my head how I can steal a moment to jot down a note or post a few images from here and there. I wish there's a better solution than my whining but it is what it is. The thing is I've accepted this job for a magazine and it somehow warped into styling this, editing that, and a whole load of other stuff. I enjoy it that's why I've been expending my energy into realizing the issues we are working on. So far we released one issue where I was involved in and it felt great because we achieved it in a short period of time. It's far from perfect or ideal with what we envisioned the magazine to be but it was a great start. I especially like how many people congratulated me for a job well done. No, I'm not stopping my designing career. As always, like what I have done before, this is not something new for me to be doing two things at the same time. Now that I have more freedom when it comes to my time and schedule I find it more liberating to be able to come up with plans and organizing what needs to be done. Before when I had a fixed schedule, it was a bit of a challenge in juggling everything (although I still did manage to make it work). That's a little update there just in case you wondered why I'm a bit quiet on this front.

Amansara with Ted and Marichel

What Matters Is The Attitude

Fashion Diary:

top - Rococo tee

bottom - DP pants

scarf - Izzue

bag - DRKSHDW x Eastpak bag

shoes - DM's

Marichel and Ted

Iloilo has a wealth of cuisine and food tradition. Lucky for me (or a curse if I'm dieting) I have lots of chef and foodie friends. This bottled uga nga isda (dried anchovies) in olive oil is love. My friend Marichel made it.

She and Ted visited me here in Siem Reap and she is one of those foodie friends who is an expert. I must say Ted is also one, too. I experienced dining in their home and also in Ted's family house where a regular meal consist of 10 to 15 different kinds of dishes, all heirloom dishes of Ilonggo origin. Dishes like kadyos, baboy kag langka, manok sa ubad sang saging, pinamalhan, laswa, binakol, tinuom, etc.

Of course, I brought them around town to check out the many restaurants. They love Moloppor and Sugar Palm, especially the Amok.

One night we had dinner at Il Forno. Too bad there wasn't any bottarga that night.

We also tried Shabu House and Ted loved it there!

It was so nice catching up with them.

OAK

I went thrifting at the local market.

Fashion Diary:

top - Oak zipped hoodie jacket

bottom - DP

shoes - Timberland

bag - ArtBerg

Shinta Mani Preview

I was invited to the preview of the newly renovated Shinta Mani here in Siem Reap.

Designed by acclaimed architect Bill Bensley, it features his signature linear touches melding with dramatic flourishes.

Take for example these giant wooden balls scattered near the main stairwell. I don't know if it has functional value, like you can sit on it, but I love how interesting it is to look at.

How about this table with mutated legs? If only I could take it home.

This candle holder could be quite scary with the right lighting but it gives a surreal touch to the place.

The owner, Soukon Chanpedra, treated us guests to his restaurant, Kroya. It serves modernized presentations of beloved Khmer food.

There are touches of orange in the whole property. It gives a vibrant freshness to the eye in a background of calm grays and other neutrals.

Their rolls reminded me 'pan de sal'. So yummy! I think I ate like 5 of those.

The meal was good. But there's a lot to be improved. Particularly, my main of fish with a curry and passion fruit sauce didn't sit well with my taste. Passion fruit is not a traditional ingredient of Khmer cuisine so I did find it strange.

Overall, Shinta Mani is a must-see and must-stay if you are in Siem Reap.

WANDERING

OF URBAN NOMADS, PUNKS AND ANCIENT TRIBES.

DON PROTASIO FALL/WINTER 2012 COLLECTION, 'WANDERING'.