Jonathan Adler Templeton Bed Sam Briones-Lagaac, writer

Lotus Lounge by Ann Pamintuan Patrice Uytengsu, Carolina’s Lace Shop, Owner

Luisa Robinson’s Troza Table Jaybee Llaban, Int’l School of Beijing, teacher

Eames Molded Plastic Armchair with Wooden Dowel Base by Charles and Ray Eames Jason Lagaac, Thinking Hat Development & Design, Developer

“Problem Child” by Uzi Emperado Carlo Villarica, ZeroThreeTwo.com, partner

Composition of Blue Glow by JLO opens with notes of mangostine, Valencia orange and cranberry blossom. A heart incorporates wild water lily, vintage rose, vanilla orchid and foamy aquatic accords. A base features a blend of cedar, sandalwood, mahogany, moss and Venezuelan Tonka.

Price (Approximately): P2280

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I first met Tess through my dear friend Jun Escario at a birthday lunch at Anzani’s. Without uttering a word, she reveals something extraordinary about herself with her soulful almond eyes. As I gazed into them that time, I already thought, “This lady is special,” and then hoped that we both could find the time for more than a mere chit-chat.

The next time I saw her was at the Red Cross Ball at Makati Shangri-La. She was wearing a beautiful gown created for her by her close friend Cary Santiago. With such a huge crowd and all the champagne served that evening, all we managed to talk about was the DEDON showcase in the Salone de Mobile that I attended last year in Milan. It was a short conversation before we said our pleasant goodbyes.

Then, at Zee Lifestyle’s Black and Bling party at the Rizal Library, I saw Tess again and this time with her dashing husband Hervé. I couldn’t help admire how beautifully in sync they were on the dance floor. They were like yin and yang as they swayed their bodies in harmony to whatever genre of music was playing— from the 70s disco, to tango and mambo.

“We met in Mi Vida, a dance club in Cebu, more than a decade ago,” Hervé recalls with a smile. The unexpected meeting led to another evening of music and dance.

“I did not waste anytime,” remembers Tess with laughter. “I invited him to celebrate my birthday with me in an intimate dinner.” Apparently, the moment they first hit the dance floor, they never stopped dancing—eventually to the rhythm of life as they became man and wife. Finding each other in Cebu was the beginning of living in paradise for both Hervé and Tess.

Hervé Lampert grew up on a farm in France. Even at an early age, he dreamt of running a business his own way. He worked shortly in the Marketing Division of an American company in Paris whilst still finishing his business degree from the Graduate School for International Business Administration in Strasbourg. In 1997 he met Bobby Dekeyser, the founding chairman of DEDON and moved to Lüneburg, Germany to help build the company.

In 2000, at the age of 24, he made a big leap into unknown territory and moved to Cebu, to set up DEDON’s manufacturing facility, which would address the recurring problems with quality in the company.

Hervé confesses, “It was the hardest in the beginning because of the trust we gave to this couple who was supposedly our partner in building the company but who failed us in more ways than one.” Nonetheless, he looks back with pride at how challenges became opportunities for him to move on and succeed. His secret in life, he says, is “living with passion and inspiration.”

Starting with seven employees, Hervé saw the growth of DEDON Cebu within a span of 8 years, providing fair and gainful employment to 3,600 employees in a part of the world where such ethical practice is an exception rather than the rule. He is the force behind DEDON’s commitment to their employees and their social responsibility. But for the record, DEDON is not comfortable with the term ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ or CSR.

‘’For one thing, we don’t think of ourselves as particularly corporate,” Hervé says. “‘Corporate social responsibility’ can sound like a PR obligation—something a company does because it’s expected to—whereas at DEDON, positive social action is an everyday expression of our culture.

“There are certain values, such as respecting others, that we hold in our own lives,” he explains, “so why shouldn’t they be the foundation of the organization as well? When you look, for example, at the work people do here in Cebu—the time they spend, the processes involved, the beauty they create—you have to respect it by allowing them to share in the success of the organization.” For Hervé this means not merely complying with local labor standards but, as with everything they do, setting their own standards and continually raising them.

“We’re not in Southeast Asia because it’s cheaper, but because of the competency and skills here, weaving in particular. So for us, it’s natural to show people that we care about them, the same as we do care about our partners everywhere. The respect is real. We’re all part of the same team.”

Hervé’s ultimate commitment nevertheless is to his family. It is the same respect that he accords his team in DEDON that he extends to his partner in life, his wife Tess.

Tess, a true-blue Cebuana, grew up with her lola when her parents separated early on. She recalls her childhood with nostalgia: “My journey in life is very colorful. I’m a lola’s girl. I grew up in a simple life with her but very conservative and religious.’’

She admits that as she was growing up, life was never easy, but then she also never saw her cup as half empty nor half full; instead, to her, it was always more than enough.

“I never complained,” she says. “I accept things as they are and do my best to make things better.’’ It is this positive outlook in life that makes Tess extraordinary.

“It was a dark period in my life when I met Hervé. I was just healing from a previous relationship that had scarred my inner core.’’ The most colorful part of her past had made her the woman that she is today—confident, certain, committed, and passionate.

But what I find most fascinating and inspiring is how Tess talks honestly about her life lessons and how, despite all the moments that she was down and broken, she was able to keep her heart whole.

Though she never pursued her career as a nurse, so she can be there for her family, she feels that being a mother is her most important role to date. Hervé and Tess have two beautiful girls, Veia who is six, and Maori who is four. The Lamperts are a typical family; Hervé is the doting father who insists that the girls clean up after their toys, while Tess enjoys dressing them up. With a mixed background, conversations in the family slide effortlessly from English to French and Visayan, and meals are a hodgepodge of croissants, pasta, and bangus with rice. The girls’ nanny, Dorothia Galolo, has been employed by Hervé since he was a bachelor and she is a valuable member of the family already. Tess, however, is in her element at the kitchen where she can whip up French and Filipino dishes befitting even, the French ambassador.

Quite the multi-tasker, Tess continues to pursue her other passions as she fully embraces the roles of being a mother and a wife. Currently, she is wrapping up two special projects that she also considers her two babies. One has required her creative instincts in transforming an old house that they purchased four years ago into a French country home. Her constant travels to France, Hervé’s first home, have exposed her to the authentic colors and textures of the homes outside of Paris.

When the tenants vacated a property that they own in Maria Luisa, Tess immediately got the idea of doing a total makeover, not just with the structure of the house but also its interiors, furniture and fixtures included. The result is an elegant French country home with gray walls with white detailing.

Tess proudly shares her feat. “I am very happy with this project. I poured into it blood and sweat looking at every single detail till the entire process of renovation finally paid off. Now I can’t wait to bring in the furniture to finally complete the transformation.”

The other “baby” of Tess is something even more special—the most anticipated DEDON Island Resort in Siargao island in Mindanao. January and February had been the most intense for the Lamperts preparing for this.

“Dedon will offer its services as bespoke travel—from limo service at your city of origin, to a stopover in Cebu where we have chosen abaca as our partner, or in Manila, whatever the guest prefers,” Hervé points out.

Indeed, the site’s remoteness makes it a truly private island. Although the local government has taken notice and has built a sparkling new airport there, and a local airline might increase its number of flights as well, the resort will still operate in the strictest sense of exclusivity, dictated mainly by a price range that makes it prohibitive except to a few who can splurge its four-figure euro daily rate. The island houses nine private villas, which can accommodate 24 guests at a time.

Taking the Friday shuttle to Siargao almost weekly, it has been Tess’s job to usher a team of French architects and designers ever since the resort was acquired from its previous owner, Nicholas Rambeau. Tess, who speaks the local dialect, was tasked with the Herculean job of polishing the existing structure, as well as augmenting it with four new villas, into DEDON luxe. It involves the entire DEDON team to actualize this project, including Hervé’s brother Vince Lampert, who is responsible for creating all the special DEDON product exclusive only to the resort and who also serves as the Managing Director of DEDON.  Tess is only more than happy to get her creative hands into the project. She has also taken time to travel from Cebu to different parts of the country in order to discover artisan products that she can integrate into the lifestyle of the resort. We are not just talking about furniture here.

When the company pursued the philosophy behind the name which goes beyond the indoor and outdoor furniture that they are known for, a bigger idea came to life—DEDON Places.

“DEDON Places is a budding collection of one-of-a-kind accommodations around the world,” DEDON founding chairman Bobby Dekeyser says, “each with its own outdoor orientation, from a ski chalet to an island hideaway, an African wilderness lodge, a tree house, an igloo, a boat or a city harbor hotel.

“In many ways, these accommodations are a reflection our company’s nomadic spirit,” he explains. “Because we’re always on the move, meeting up with partners, team members, and friends in so many different parts of the world, we’re always discovering incredible places. Now we want to let others know about them and share the experience, too.” And the first to open in this direction will be DEDON Island Resort on Siargao Island in the Philippines.

“Remote and exotic, with clear blue waters and lush tropical flora, it’s a destination we’ve been visiting for a decade,” Bobby Dekeyser says. “Having acquired it earlier this year, a group of 30 of us, including the celebrated designer and DEDON collaborator Jean-Marie Massaud, his architectural partner Daniel Pouzet, and their families, spent 14 days living on the island. Based on our shared experience there, Jean-Marie and Daniel are adapting the property to match the vision of DEDON Places.” Massaud is known for his contemporary minimalistic and at times futuristic furniture such as the Aspen Sofa from Casinna and the Kennedee Modular Sofa which he design for Poltrona Frau. Together, they designed the architecture behind the Chivas Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. Both are currently the in-house designers of Dedon.

And this is where the journey of Tess to paradise continues. ‘’I have made Siargao my second home,” she says, “ever since we started developing the DEDON Island Resort. After the French architect Jean-Marie Massaud and his partner Daniel Pouzet worked on the amazing architectural design of the entire resort, it is now all in my hands to complete the picture. From the purchasing of every minute detail to personally hiring and training the staff and immersing our foreign staff into the local culture, my heart and soul are involved.’’

More importantly, she has helped increase the environmental awareness of both the locals and the resort management—to ensure their commitment to creating and preserving an ecological consciousness that would be a way of life not just in the resort but in the rest of the island as well. After all, in her very words, ‘’Siargao is more than a surfing capital of the country. It is paradise!’’

written and produced by Melo Esguerra photography Olivier Yoan locale DEDON Island    

creative director and styling Melo Esguerra photographer Olivier Yoan models Ria Bolivar and Pedro Mologni make-up artist Harold Santos (Maybelline New York) hair Roel Papa (L’Oreal Professionel)

Nestled up in the mountains of Busay sits a 1.7 hectare property which Jaime Chua has been using as a nursery for his landscape business for over a decade. It was only in 2010 when he decided to build a weekend home in the middle of all the lush greenery. With the help of his friend, self-taught landscape artist from Laguna, Ponce Veridiano, they planned the layout of the house. His cousin, Modern Architect Alex Medalla designed the exterior while Jaime had his touch on the interiors. By November of 2011, a beautiful Tropical-Asian contemporary house emerged.

From a distance, it looks as if the house is floating on a bed of lotus flowers, that is because it is built around a man-made lake teeming with koi and lotus flowers imported from Thailand. The path leading to the entrance of the house is made of random cuts of granite slabs on green grass. At first glance, you would have to guess which architect mastered the project but then the cube-like, concrete and modern, structure that jots out from the Tropical Asian style of the house gives a distinct Alex Medalla signature. As you enter the imposing solid wood doors, a small foyer welcomes guests into the house. To the left is a door that opens to a modern, well-appointed kitchen, while to the right is the bedroom and bath. His bedroom is equipped with a state-of-the-art entertainment system to make watching movies a pleasure. Inside his room, cantilevered stairs made of tugas hardwood lead to a loft that can sleep several people at a time, perfect for when Jaime has guests sleeping over.

The kitchen, bedroom and bath are the only areas with four walls. Laid out like a letter ‘T’, the kitchen and the bedroom are adjacent to the longer, larger and cental portion of this weekend home. The central area is an open structure that resembles an oversized gazebo surrounded by wooden railings that double as long benches for sitting or propping planters up. In the middle of this central space is a 20-feet-long dining table; a solid slab of magkuno or ironwood lays on top of Piedra Pinoy stone that holds the table in place. A collection of titanium-colored Dedon chairs in different designs surround the table. This is the perfect gathering place when the homeowners entertain during weekends. Another favorite piece of Jaime is the Obelisk from Dedon, an impressive work of art, made out of four chairs and a table. Together, the Obelisk gives the impression of a long, spreading stone, which is a stand-out in any setting. He also has a couple of Leaf Beach Chairs, also from Dedon, placed on the opposite side. With careful attention to detail, hanging tea lights are suspended on every corner. One side showcases a wide collection of beautiful orchids in bloom, while the rest of the area is surrounded by foliage in all shapes, colors and sizes, placed in planters, pots and even an old wooden Bangka.

The entire house is creatively done. The cool mountain breeze and the lush greenery, make it the perfect weekend getaway. But to Jaime, this is the place where he can work, play and be inspired over and over again.

by Hannah Lim photography Genesis Raña sittings editor Katsy Borromeo assistant editor David Jones Cua

You need to see this,” Fay Hartstein recalled saying to her husband, Jay, showing him in an e-mail, a photo of an infinity pool, somewhere in a sleepy town south of Cebu. It was overlooking Sumilon Island, with sweeping views, they’ve dreamed of owning a house with a view like this for a while. After scouring almost half of southern Cebu, the couple was soon the proud owners of this very private property in the fishing town of Mainit, Oslob.

Fay confesses to love both the openness and intimacy of the place: the former being the ability to see so many islands in the distance such as Negros, Bohol, Siquijor, and Sumilon, and even the tip of Mindanao on a clear day, while the latter being cut-off from the rest of Cebu and the hustle and bustle of the city. Even the sound of commuter buses and cars on the highway are immediately muffled once you reach the main living areas.

The property has three structures: the main house and two guest villas, which were already built before the couple acquired the property. The steps to the ocean, however, were unfinished and the house was unfurnished but this was not a challenge at all for the couple.

“We love the Filipino-native look, but with a modern touch,” and found Murillo furniture to be perfect as the couple had also noted that furniture company had some pieces included in the Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf Kreiss Collection. “Much of the house and the Guest Villa have various pieces of furniture, and we took great care to give the place a feeling of comfort, while keeping a tropical look.” Fay being from Cebu, and Jay being from L.A., the couple shuffles between the two cities regularly, with beautiful daughter Moira in tow. For the time spent away, they decided to rent the place out, and Villa On A Cliff was born.

Villa On A Cliff is a tropical estate suspended on an oceanfront cliff, roughly 20 meters above sea level. It is a fully-staffed vacation home, with four full-time employees. “George and Charito do most of the cooking,” noted Fay. “George is from Bicol so we do a mean Bicol Express at the villa.” Jay also recommends George’s fried calamari and Charito’s bam-i and leche flan “which always seems to get rave reviews.” To maximize your dining experience at Villa, it’s advised to call ahead so they can plan an excellent set menu. A masseuse is also easily available.

The two guest villas are always ready for occupancy. Villa 1 is the most elevated of the levels. It is equipped with its own bathroom, a refrigerator, a queen size bed, and a cozy seating area. It is air-conditioned but you can let the sea breeze in without letting the bugs with the sliding screen doors. The second villa is perched on a lower cliffside and has the same provisions as the first villa. The lower level of the main house also has two bedrooms with a private bathroom and allows exclusive use of the living and dining areas.

Security is not a problem: apart from the towering wall around the villa, and the full-time staff living there as well, the property is also guarded by two big dogs, Bo and Robin. And as it’s better safe than sorry, the couple had installed a security system as well in the main house.

Staying in Villa On A Cliff doesn’t necessarily entail a sedentary lifestyle, although that can be very appealing. There are many activities you can busy yourself with. Oslob has suddenly and is increasingly becoming a popular destination to see and swim with the spotted whale sharks, or butanding. Oslob has its own waterfall as well, Ginatilan Falls, and Kawasan Falls is merely a short bus ride away. “We also love taking our three-seater kayak for a ride down the shore,” mentioned Fay, or take a quick trip to Sumilon island for some snorkeling or hiking, or plan a diving trip to nearby sites, then come back to the villa to slowly take it all in, and reflect on what adventures have gone on in the day.

Oslob’s close proximity to neighboring Dumaguete also makes it an ideal vacation property. When you’re done with the many activities in Oslob and its nearby towns, a daytrip to Negros Island is also very feasible.

by Ian E. Baol photography Genesis Raña

An Art Exhibit featuring five of Cebu’s emerging talents: Sigmund Torre, Takako Sono, Joe Green, Gina Arjona, and Subtle Accents.

Drop by the 856 G Gallery from April 21 to April 27, 2012.

Hierbas De Ibiza Eu De Cologne is made with the natural essences of orange and lemon peel, thyme, sage, lavender, rosemary, jasmine and orange blossom, amongst others. Particularly outstanding are its bright and fresh scent notes, which are perfectly harmonized with green aromatic nuances.

Get a chance to win a bottle of Hierbas De Ibiza Eu De Cologne by simply answering this question:

Who were the 2 Tattoo-Powered FOOD ENTHUSIASTS featured in the YOUNG TATTOO TRAILBLAZERS spread in last month’s issue (Youth issue with Vania Romoff on the cover)?

E-mail your answer to contest@zeelifestylecebu.com with the subject: HIERBAS DE IBIZA.

Deadline of entries will be April 30, 2012 and we will pick one(1) winner randomly (via Random.org). Winner* will be notified via e-mail and will also be mentioned on the Last Page of the next issue coming out..

*Winner will have to claim the prize in our Zee Publications Inc. office in Cebu and present a valid i.d. for identification.

- Vania Romoff

She walks into the room in a white wrap-dress, cool, calm and collected, her hair in perfect loose waves and her make-up, barely there. “As a designer, I have always been inspired by impossibilities. I believe that what the spirit desires, the spirit attains,” fashion designer, Vania Romoff says as she adjusts a gold pendant bearing her name.

Clearly, she has made no bones about continuing a legacy that her grandmother, Viring, began. She cites Inno Sotto, Jun Escario, Arcy Gayatin, Philip Rodriguez, Oj Hofer, and her brother Anthony Romoff as people who have inspired and shaped her as a designer. But Vania admits that it is her mother, Virgie Romoff, who inspires her the most, and whom she describes as strong and kind, and runs a manufacturing business focusing mostly on uniforms, very well.

Although following in their footsteps, Vania does anything but ride coat tails. Ambition took her from the family nest in Cebu to Manila where she pursued formal training at the School of Fashion and the Arts. Her debut at Philippine Fashion Week in 2009 was well received and had cemented her name as one of the country’s up-and-comers. Her design aesthetic, described by fashion bloggers as “unpretentious, modern and understatedly sophisticated” and “[displaying] an understanding of woman’s fashion,” caught the industry’s attention. This launched Vania into a successful collaboration with retail titan The RAMP at Crossings. Her upcoming collection featuring pieces enthused by vintage Romoff are to exude a Parisian “je ne sais quoi” and inspired by Nouvelle Vague and icons like Jean Seber and Anna Karina. She imagines dressing the women she admires, strong, driven, and multifaceted. “I am obsessed with Carla Bruni Sarcozy, Gwyneth Paltrow, Clemence Poesy, and Lea Seydoux,” she says.

After only six years of designing, the talented twenty-three-year-old racked up quite a number of awards and merits like the CITEM and Manila FAME Fashion Eco Design Award, Preview’s Emerging Fashion Talent Award, and Privè award for Best Couture Designer. In 2010, Vania earned a spot in the prestigious 69 Artists Who Will Change The World, in the Philippine Yearbook.

The exuberant young designer had her work featured in magazines, Zee Lifestyle Magazine included, and she herself has graced the covers of Metro Magazine’s Annual List of Young Women to Watch, Sense and Style Magazine’s Young at Art List 2010, and Mega Magazine’s 10 Women to Watch. This proves that she is not only capable of creating beautiful things but personifying them as well.

Last year, she was handpicked by the Philippine Consulate General of the United States as one of five designers to participate in the International Fashion Tour. This honor allowed Vania to show her Spring/Summer 2012 collection in Seattle and in New York, one of the fashion capitals of the world. Pushed out of her comfort zone and into the big city, Vania was left to her own defenses. She battled anonymity and the New York subway system, an experience the designer regards as unforgettable and amazing. “I flew in alone and had to do everything myself, unlike having a show here in the Philippines where you have friends and family around to help you. Your professionalism had to be in check and your patience, too. I found myself knocking on random doors. I went to Parsons, FIT, Intermix, and CFDA handing out invites to my show. We all have to start from the bottom and we work our way up.”

Not one to be easily discouraged, she takes it as part and parcel of conquering her dreams. “People think [the industry] glamorous, but it’s not all parties and excitement. Critics bash you and put you down but you do what you do anyway. In New York they were like, Who are you? Do you know anyone here? You fail once, you try again. It’s about persistence and resilience. I’ve always known that my dreams are bigger than myself.” She says that as a matter of fact and with a flip of her hair. She searches her black Prada satchel for her keys and thanks us for a great chat with a big smile.

Vania shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. A role model to any aspiring designer for her persistence and determination, it is truly inspirational to see one of our own reach for the stars. She represents not only Cebu, but most importantly, herself in the highest of regards. Her constant strive to be the best she possibly can be all bode great things for Vania Romoff, for whom we can expect even greater things. New York is only the beginning and the sky is hardly the limit.

The Vania Romoff Atelier at 207 – B The Gateway Centre, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City; Photos of her Spring/Summer 2011 Fashion Show

by Danica Ronquillo sittings editor David Jones Cua creative director Mikey Sanchez photography Jan Gonzales fashion photography Hannah Bacalla model Kris Janson hair and make up Gari Son locale Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino

The temperament is noticeably different once you hit the heights of Busay Hills, the mountainous range that lines the vista of Cebu island. The air is cleaner and the weather is much cooler at over 1,000 meters above sea level, and it’s easy to drift into a cloud of tranquility and watch the bustle below disappear.

Buying a house up in the Busay Hills was a dream to businesswoman and mother, Coy, but was made a reality by her husband, Wilson, who said, that if they were going to get away from the city, they might as well go all the way up the mountains. He surprised her with a 7,500 square-meter property located in the Balamban vicinity.

Driving closer to the structure, the exteriors give off an “industrial” impression, from the amount of polished concrete, steel bar railings, and tall glass windows used. But the exacting elements are broken by the tugas hardwood double-door, and upon entering, the organic feel of the wood-plank ceiling. The use of many tall- and corner-windows and multiple open spaces give a sense of the outdoors wherever you are in this house.

Taking note of the homes around the area, Architect Ed Gallego drew plans for a structure that would be welcoming and homely, and require low maintenance but at the same time take full advantage of the surrounding nature. The result is a symmetrical, four-level, eight-bedroom house that stands on a little over a thousand square meters of floor space. It uses corner glass windows to take full advantage of daylight; glossy coating to finish the insulated concrete; and high ceilings for natural ventilation.

The main level has the living area, the dining room and the kitchen all within easy reach of each other. One set of wood stairs lead to the master bedroom and two bedrooms on the second level, while another set of stairs, enclosed in sliding glass walls, leads to the highest level, where the daughter’s library is located.

All the planning was done with the primary consideration of the children’s needs, Coy admitted, which were mostly privacy, and a place to chill and entertain. Daughter Diandra wanted her own place to read and have her quiet-time, so the library was built for her collection of books.

“We sourced as much of our furniture locally,” said Coy. “The interiors are still a work in progress, but it has already been enjoyed by friends since September of last year.”

“My favorite part of the house would be the masters bedroom,” says Fatima, one of Coy’s best friends, “when you open the curtains, you get a postcard view of the mountains.” Wesley, the second of the two boys, loves the basement the most, where he and his friends gather. This lowest level of the house has an entertainment area with a fully-stocked bar and two spacious guest bedrooms. A second kitchen is also being worked on for this level.

That’s the great thing about the multi-tiering of this house—a party can go on at different levels, and without interrupting each other.

The possibility of a landslide does not bother the homeowners because the land was shaped and matted with steel before any beams were constructed. “Stilts are dangerous because the land shifts,” said Coy, and although Wilson wasn’t very particular with the design, he was quite adamant about maximum safety. Having the grounds landscaped by family friend Prudence Salutillo added sentiment to this home. He worked with Coy on her other business, including designs for her Catholic book store Kerygma, the stalls of her House of Praise franchises, and other private projects like residential and church renovations. The homeowners entrusted most of the interior decorating to Prudence while Coy brought in more of her décor, especially inspiring quotes framed and hung on the wall, which she collects from her travels around the globe.

Now that the children are grown—with the youngest having turned fifteen recently—Coy chose to close her small bookstores and gospel music stalls, and go into a semi-retirement. “The kids think they don’t need you anymore once they reach a certain age but believe me, they will always need their parents’ guidance. I just want them to know I am always here for them, and this weekend house will always be a special place for us to spend time together.”
 
 
 
by Ian E. Baol photography Adrian Yu producer David Jones Cua sittings editor Katsy Borromeo additional interior styling Rizelle Ostrea, PIID (Philippine Institute of Interior Designers)

As one enters through the ground-level beer bar and moves up to the second-floor saloon and outdoor deck, it is hard not to appreciate the interiors that breathe life into Gilt. According to Jay, the process of arriving at the aesthetic was just as creative as the output, where he, his girlfriend Lani Taylor Pasquet who owns a business that manufactures exotic skins, and artist and interior designer Delphine de Lorme pooled in suggestions and left it up to Delphine to

work her magic. The result is an explosion of whimsy that really works—traces of personal artifacts from the three creators, out-of-the box design ideas using recycled paraphernalia, and a showroom for local art that can be purchased while drinking with friends. Next up for Gilt’s clientele is a new menu they’re cooking up. “People will be interacting with the food much the same way they already do with the furniture and the art on display by allowing the items to appeal to each of their five senses,” Jay revealed.