We know, our online shopping habits have to cease because all that bubble wrap isn’t doing our fight against plastic any favors (although there is now a paper alternative to this). But if you’re going to do it, at least do it to resuscitate the economy and to support local businesses.
[READ: A guide to safe online shopping in the time of COVID-19]To help you sift through the many products out there (we have a feeling that marketing people are working extra hard to make their products visible on our timelines), we present to you our selections for this week.
They are an assortment of new and new-ish things from clothes and accessories to furniture and food—oh, and even some digital finds like movies, series, readings and whatnot.
This week, we’re featuring new furniture from Ito Kish in collaboration with some notable local makers, tailored shorts perfect for our work-from-home situation, a coffee sampler with beans from different localities and a musical about the Katipunan starring renowned figures in the local theater scene.
In case you want to redo your home in quarantine
Furniture designer Ito Kish quietly released his new collection this month, a collaborative selection of familiar silhouettes reimagined by close friends and new creative partners alike.
His award-winning throne-like seat design Georgia takes on a new colorful form imbued with meanings through designer Len Cabili of Filip + Inna’s selected weaves gathered from different weaving communities.
Another close friend of Kish’s, Apol Massebieau of clothing brand Good Luck, Humans takes the geometric Arellano vase and puts her whimsical twist on it by incorporating buttons and hand-embroidered butterflies to the arrangement called “Hardin.”
And then there’s potter Joey de Castro, who’s known for his sculptural ceramic forms and tableware, who transforms Kish’s accent table lamps into a rustic piece by replacing the shade with earthenware.
All these are available for viewing and purchase in the coming days at the designer’s showroom in Makati.
Tailored WFH-wear you wish your co-workers could see
Imagine all the linen clothes we could have been wearing all summer long had we been outside to the beach or anywhere sunny. Well, actually you could technically wear it at home during conference calls and still get the same effect aka compliments from your officemates.
But if you don’t already have a linen or seersucker number in your closet (no need to buy a new one if you have a perfectly fine piece already), here’s a suggestion: Studio Sampaguita ghurka shorts.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with ghurka shorts, they are these high-waisted, barrel-legged, pleated shorts with adjustable belted waistband aka the perfect bottom to make you feel like everything is under control.
[READ: I miss ‘dressing up’ for work]We’re not just recommending this because we are a sucker for pleats but also because the people behind Studio Sampaguita are also very well-versed in tailoring as they also run haberdashery Masanting Sastreria, so you know each piece is thoughtfully made.
These shorts are made-to-order on a pre-order basis. You can choose to have it done in cotton or seersucker in the color you like, too.
Coffee, tea or a trip around bean-producing communities sans going out?
Apart from nourishment, eating can be a transporting experience, an especially important benefit of food now that we are stuck at home.
Benguet up north is known for its coffee making tradition but no, we can’t go there in person either. We can only do it, sort of, through Kalsada Coffee’s 2019-2020 Harvest Tasting Pack, which has four 180-gram bags of different Benguet bean varieties processed in three different mills.
Oh, and Kalsada will not hold your hand throughout this sensory experience, meaning there are no hints or clues as to what notes are in each pack—you will have to find out for yourself.
They will only be accepting 100 orders for this sampler until July 12 so make up your mind soon.
Finished your Netflix queue? Good. Now for some local historical musical…
Unfortunately, local theaters are still closed but as with most everything, movies and theater plays are now available online for our personal viewing pleasure.
[READ: The show must go on… line: CCP and Tanghalang Pilipino plays are now on YouTube]So when you’re done with your Korean drama or Thai BL queue, you might want to consider streaming local productions like “Dimas Ayaran” co-presented by the Commission on Human Rights and Pocketplay Philippines about revolutionary katipuneros.
This 20-minute musical written by Gary Granada and directed by Caitlin Caseñas stars Ebe Dancel as the lead Pio Valenzuela, Pepe Herrera as Emilio Jacinto, Noel Cabangon as Jose Rizal and Dong Abay as Andres Bonifacio among others.
It’s a very timely watch, too as Katipunan celebrated its 128th founding anniversary this week.
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