Secret Garden

MANILA, Philippines -It all began with weddings: Natalia Zobel's brother Jake's, and then the all-white blooms at Bianca Zobel's fabulous union to Christopher Warns, the latter attended by 800 family and friends.

At Lanai Manila’s opening last Tuesday at indie lifestyle concept space The Alley at Karrivin, Zobel recalls how much fun they had putting it all together — so much, in fact, that it set in motion their own concrete plans to communicate this lifestyle to Manila’s retail scene.

They have always pursued a life filled with exotic travel and sunshine and it all began in their grandparents’ homes, enjoying the tropical breeze and recounting each other’s adventures from their lanais, surrounded by relics from travels, souvenirs of a life well-lived, all classic, timeless, exotic, gathered organically, through time.

In a nutshell that’s what Lanai is — pursuing nostalgia for those days in a space that is curated with authentic, eclectic finds from around the Philippines and from other countries that share our colorful fiesta culture and traditions of artistry and textile craftsmanship. Here, the space is divided into four.

On the ground floor is Casa, where the partners enthuse about the art of effortlessly combining the old with the new in home décor featuring homegrown brands. Standouts are Kassa’s leafy placemats and embroidered table napkins, acrylic glassware by Mario Luca Giusti as well as Lanai-branded Romblon marble pieces designed by the Lanai team and crafted by the local artisans. On one side of the room are exquisitely packaged scented candles in clean, vetiver notes that veer away from the usual gourmands and florals, as well as accent pieces that all bring color and vibrancy into your home.

Giving the space some foot traffic is the Lanai Café, differentiating itself from the neighboring restaurant and café with its familiar and nostalgic flavors. Here, coffee is served with condensed milk, Filipino-style, alongside grilled cheeses and salads by La Creperie’s Marc Licaros. (He can tailor a menu for your events.)

What makes the space particularly inviting is it somewhat feels like a garden, filled with bouquets of tropical blooms. Orchids here come in every genus as well as hydrangeas and other flora that you can ask Lanai’s floral specialist Maria Parsons all about. Here, she continues her mother’s legacy as the Philippine’s premier provider of floral arrangements. She offers floral consultations, weekly flower rejuvenation whether for the office or home, basic bouquets, classic and custom arrangements, tabletop landscapes, pocket gardens for smaller spaces, framed flowers, and coronas for loved ones who have passed on. A full execution of these three spaces can be duplicated for event styling, interior styling, and are also available for wedding registry.

Zobel notes that the brands in their fashion space Ropa are ever-changing and rotating in merchandise, but are always curated in line with the exotic travel lifestyle they love. At the moment, local boutique brands Filip+Inna and Amarie, both upholding Filipino textile traditions by commissioning local weavers, as well as a capsule collection of Ria Prieto x Gian Romano, are laid out vis-à-vis accessories from Colombian lifestyle concept Casa Chiqui; London eyewear favorite Linda Farrow is also located on the second floor, completing your look as you rethink your space with precious treasures and trinkets, from the Lanai girls’ homes to yours.

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Lanai is located at C-4 The Alley at Karrivin Plaza, 2316 Chino Roces Avenue, Pasong Tamo, Makati.

Photos by REGINE DAVID

Sittings by DAVID MILAN