Close encounters of the best kind
Having reached the over-ripe status of Senior Citizen earlier this year, it would only be expected that there would be people I have encountered in my life who, when I look at them now, and what they have achieved or are striving for, could elicit from me an irrepressible smile that would creep onto my face and stay stuck there for minutes. The funny thing is, more often than not, when you encountered them earlier in life, it was really just a case of being yourself, using your position, age, and what common-sense knowledge you possess, to be of some help. It’s not some conscious effort to be their Yoda, Svengali or mentor; but just accomplishing what has to be done, and hoping you’ve been of some value in their finding themselves. And not having scarred them for life!
Went to an event launch recently for Harver Hill, an outfit specializing in Filipino custom-made furniture and home accessories. Harver is the brainchild of three enterprising PSID (Philippine School of Interior Design) graduates, who, at the start of their professional careers formed Empire Designs and have steadily made a name for themselves in Interior Design. With a stunning portfolio of projects and residences that they’ve been attached to, I made it a point to be present as Mark Steven Perez is one of the design triumvirate.
When I first joined ABS-CBN Publishing 11 years ago and was tasked to head marketing, Mark was a fresh college graduate and had the dubious pleasure of calling me his direct boss. Never discouraging him from pursuing his dream of taking up Interior Design, despite the great work he provided in creating visibility and marketing initiatives for the ABS-CBN titles, it was always rewarding to watch from the corner of my eye, through the years, as he made a name for himself and Empire Designs, and would even style shoots for one of our titles Metro Home & Entertaining.
A pipe dream that has now come true, the Harver Hill showroom can be found at the Robins Design Center (fronting the area between PhilSports Arena and Capitol Commons). An offshoot of the Interior Design work it does for numerous clients, Harver Hill is essentially a haven for bespoke furniture and home accessories requirements. It boasts of customized, Philippine-made work; and the guarantee that for a significantly lesser pice tag, Harver will create the look, feel and quality of the global brands and pieces we may have dreamed of acquiring and finding in our own homes or living spaces. Whether working with brass, stainless steel, glass, mirror, solid wood, or other more innovative material, Harver will find a way to produce the furniture of your dreams.
As a local lifestyle boutique, the proprietors of Harver have curated and amassed a smart collection of accessories from all over the world. At times stately and elegant, at times whimsical and playful, I was struck by the intelligent selection made and how, as Mark enthusiastically reported, this was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what Harver promises its clients and patrons.
Me, I was just proud to see Mark working so hard, finding success and now expanding the horizons of Empire Designs, and making the “climb” up Harver Hill. From Alveo projects, to private residences and commercial spaces, I’ve seen the Empire Designs name stamped on “living spaces” that have impressed me with their versatility and clean, polished lines.
Life in black and white (Plus hues of gray and scarlet)
The three novels today are written by distinct storytellers with very unique voices. Mario Vargas Llosa has won the Nobel Prize for his Literature; while Paul Beatty gives his own account of the Afro-American experience. As for Ben Tripp, here is escapist reading with a whole lot of taste!
The Discreet Hero by Mario Vargas Llosa (available on Amazon.com) We are back in modern-day Peru with this latest novel from the master! It’s structured as a double-helix narrative about two individuals trying to just do well and survive. In Lima, we have Rigoberto, office manager of an insurance company, who has recently retired. Complications arise when his boss decides to remarry and cut off the inheritance of his two sons with Rigoberto acting as a witness and Rigoberto’s own son is suffering from visions of the “devil.” In the second narrative, Felicito, the self-made owner of a transport company, is being extorted by a “gang,” and with dire consequences up ahead, he refuses to be cowed. The novel examines a form of heroism that can be part of everyday life, and the price it can exact from us.
The Sellout by Paul Beatty (available on Amazon.com) In what has to be described as a stream of consciousness diatribe against notions of racial equality in today’s United States, we have this novel from African-American author Beatty. The premise is both wildly absurd, and yet, so spot on — in a small disenfranchised suburb of Los Angeles, our protagonist decides to question the meaning of “separate but equal” by doing the unthinkable, taking on a “slave” and pushing for segregated schooling in his district. The “slave” in question would be a long retired black child actor, from the original Little Rascals series and our hero pushes for schools and buses to have “No Whites Allowed” signs, creating a situation of reverse discrimination that cuts to the core of the hypocrisy that characterizes race relations to this day and age.
The Fifth House of the Heart by Ben Tripp (available on Amazon.com) Tripp is known throughout the world as a designer of modern spaces and has dabbled in film, and in artistic installation pieces. This knowledge and talent come into play as this novel, his peculiar twist on a modern-day vampire saga, unfolds. The main protagonist is a highly regarded antiquities dealer, whose fame is secured by his knowledge that the best hoarders of prize acquisitions and art pieces are vampires! When he finds himself the target of a female vampire nestled in a German castle, he is forced to take the offensive with the help of the Vatican — themselves collectors extraordinaire. What follows in both action-packed and cinematic in scope, while informative about the art world, and the treasures that changed hands during the Second World War. A superb guilty pleasure!
