Real Living Space

I occasionally drop by designer Eric Paras’s home store/lifestyle place A11 (at 2680 FB Harrison in Pasay) unannounced, just to take in the beautiful settings and see what’s new. There’s always something new—new furniture, new artwork, or stuff that’s simply moved around, the mere move making it look fresh. I must say, even his cats are stylish! They go well with the decor.

Just like Trini, the itinerant cat that almost made it to our March 2009 cover…

When I stopped by late last week, that same spot was transformed—not entirely different, but different in a very dramatic, still-life sorta way…

Belated Happy Birthday, Eric. So sorry dear, I am forgetful.

My mom had her cataract operations last year, and thankfully, our friendly ophtha was very kind in helping us out. The operations were both successful, and now her eyesight is better than mine. So the exhibit and sale of artwork for the Opthalmological Foundation of the Philippines sorta rings close to my heart. The proceeds from the sale of art pieces by the likes of National Artist Bencab, and noted artists Impy Pilapil, Valeria Cavestany, and Betsy Westendorp will go to the healthcare of needy cataract patients in the Mountain Province. Cataract operations are costly, and the replacement lenses are very expensive, and the proceeds will go directly to the IFSU-OFPHIL Eye Center at the Ifugao State University.

So if you’re an avid art collector, why not make a prized purchase for a cause? Here are some of the art pieces with their respective prices:

This art-sale-for-a-cause will be held at the Manila Polo Club on February 3, Wednesday, at 6PM.

Feng Shui Expert Marites Allen will be visiting a couple of malls in the metro where she’ll be sharing her 2010 Astrology Forecast/ Face Fortune in the Year of the Tiger. Check the following dates and see when you can possibly squeeze in this new year treat.

29 January, 5pm - The Podium

30 January, 4pm - SM Mall of Asia

31 January, 3pm - SM Marikina

No reserved seating.

Aside from the free forecast, FREE CONSULTATION awaits to those who will be arriving early.

So go ahead and pencil her, Marites Allen, in your date book. You never can tell, attending this event may just up your luck this 2010.

*tiger image from this site

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with finding the perfect console table for my mini-entryway, and side table for my living room. These are the last major pieces I need to complete the first floor–after that, I can accessorize!

Problem is, I’m having the hardest time looking for the stuff I have my heart set on:

Both these acrylic babies are from CB2, the sort of hipper arm of Crate & Barrel…in the US. Sigh. The stuff I’ve found here so far are a little over my budget, but I’m convinced that there’s got to be a local fabricator somewhere. Do leave a comment if you’ve got any leads!

Papers are one of the hardest things to organize–bills, documents, receipts, lists, letters. And since there’s a constant stream coming in, a pile-up is almost inevitable. Whenever I do some spring cleaning of my own, I end up being stalled by paper, paper, paper–I end up reading everything (time-consuming), trying to figure out what to keep and what to toss (agonizing). Yes, even OC people have their moments.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of paperwork you have to organize, then it might be time to get some professional help–and you’re in luck! New York-trained professional organizer Kat Ong is conducting an Organize Your Papers Workshop! She describes it as “a cozy, fun class where participants bring papers and attack!” Workshop details:

Organize Your Papers Workshop with professional organizer Kat Ong. Jan 30/Feb 6/March 6 (Saturdays), 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Filipinas Heritage Library - Old Nielsen Tower on Makati Ave., Makati.

Class fee is P1,500, with supplies. Text 0917-845-2579 to register. To learn more about Kat, visit her website.

People have different ways of dealing with cleaning up their houses. Some homeowners actually roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty themselves. Others have help from their household angels—one local mag even employed uniformed househelp to demonstrate how to clean house instead of doing it themselves, even for a shoot (as if touching a dust rag would weaken their social climbing powers). I, on the other hand, want to take a magic pill, fall into a deep sleep, and then wake up the next day to find that all my mess had been spirited away!

We dealt with New Year spring cleaning in the January/February Real Living ish, but there’s another good read out there that can help us in that department. Check out sister mag Good Housekeeping Philippines’ new book Clean,Organize, Decorate: 650 Ways to a Picture Perfect Home. This little big book is chock-full with really informative housekeeping tips (hopefully most you can do on your own—try to live without househelp once in a while!).

Each room in the house is covered per chapter, with step-by-step tips on how to clean, organize, and decorate (of course, how can you add decor when your room is filled with all the junk on earth?). The book gives a lot of fresh ideas, like nifty tricks on how to use ordinary kitchen items like baking soda and lemons, and the Laundry Room chapter will help you figure out all those mysterious dials on your washing machine.

Clean, Organize, Decorate is available now at bookstores for P195. Now excuse me while I read up, lest I have to look for my magic pill.

I was perusing the sale rack on the fourth floor of Rustan’s Department Store in Makati last Monday (Their Christmas ornaments are on sale!) when I came across these pretty little things.

Mini- Chandelier Oranament, P595, Rustan’s Department Store

and these too:

Fancy Printed Ornaments (can also be used as gift tags); P1,250 for a set of twelve, Rustan’s Department Store

They were designed by Wendy Addison, an artist from Missouri who is now based in Port Costa, a town north of San Francisco in the US. She channels her passion for Victorian sensibilities through her designs with the use of antique materials from flea markets and other vintage-looking materials.

I really heart those tiny chandeliers! They’re so cute! And it doesn’t matter that the holidays are over. I can still hang these in my room and it wouldn’t look out of place.

But those tag ornaments are precious too. Oohhh… Which one should I choose?

images by Jun Pinzon

I have been called OC many times over the years, and to some degree, it’s true. I keep my bills arranged by denomination and crispness in my wallet (faces forward), prop up knocked-over cones in the middle of an ultimate drill or game, and always, always close cabinet doors and drawers. (It was a nightly ritual in my family home for me to make sure all the drawers and cabinets in our kitchen were closed properly.) It drives me nuts to see them slightly open, which is why this piece of furniture is probably something I absolutely cannot live with:

It’s called the Rebellious Cabinet and it’s designed by Dutch company OOMS. The drawers of this cabinet can never fully be closed. If you close one, the one next to it will open a bit. MADNESS. It’s designed for fun, I suppose–and for other people it might be. But in my case, it’s designed to keep me up at night. This thing isn’t available here, but just looking at a photo really bothers me! What’s next, a bed that remains forever unmade? *shudder*

Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest ones—no bells and whistles, no gimmicks, just stuff that do their job well. Here are the things I’m loving lately, like the Seva yoga mat refresher. What I like about it aside from killing funky smells from your yoga mats is that it smells like clean laundry, and not too new-agey or herb-y like the other eco-mat sprays. Email snr_ent@pldtdsl.net for orders.

Other stuff I love: Beabi containers, like these zip-up luggage organizers in cute colors, really handy and nifty. I so heart their stores—which are chockfull of organizing stuff, from laundry bags and shoe bags to makeup travel kits and pencil cases. Check them out at Mall of Asia, Robinsons Galleria, and Greenbelt 5. I always pass by their MOA branch on my way home to my folks.

Another simple but cute thing: Lookers acrylic takeout containers from novelty store Quirks. These takeaway boxes in yummy, jelly colors can also be used as catchalls for small bits and bobs on your desk. Nice that they’re clear, too, so you know what you’re digging into. Visit Quirks at the R3 level of the Power Plant Mall in Makati.

So that’s my simple stuff roundup for the week. I do wish the larger pieces (furniture, lights, etc.) out there were just as inspiring!

I was never great in mathematics. I only understand it to a certain point. After that, all those high falutin’ equations might as well be written in Huttese for what I can make of it.

But when I saw the invite to Pablo Fort’s latest offering …

Well, I got curious. You too? Together with it was a write up from which I quote, “As basic universal symbols as “-”, “+” and “*” are, they contain a list of what they might signify. Primarily used in mathematical equations, these symbols are selected by Dexter to layers of personality and narratives attached to his portraits….”

To understand what he is talking about, do drop by opening night on January 20, Wednesday, 7pm. There’s the off chance that Dex just might personally explain it to you.

Dex Fernandez
Exhibit run - January 20 to February 24, 2010

PABLO Fort
Unit C-11, South of Market Condominium, 26th Street corner 11th Avenue,
Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

www.pablogalleries.com