real inspirations

while in my side of hk, i really got inspired by the packaging of these "healthy" chips...

i love the use of "real" photos against graphic drawings and fonts...

it reminds me of those cookies with a look that i liked so much...

all this inspiration led me to buy these set of coasters that could be an additional peg for our upcoming cup noodles...

they're still all about "real" black and white faces against cute, bright colors.

inpsirations + this noodle box + yummy healthy noodles could maybe be something great :)

now all i need is seed money for this exciting project.

show me the money!

tai kang lu

my first stop in my brief trip to shanghai is this area called tai kang lu, as recommended by a friend who lived in shanghai. she said it would be so up my alley, and she was absolutely right!

it was originally an old residential village in shanghai built in the 30's that has been turned into an enclave of little artsy shops and cafes. the narrow walk ways that spread throughout an entire block were so full of texture, i couldn't help but take photos almost at every turn.








i loved the all the little details...





and i really loved shopping there! you could buy all kinds of trinkets, jewelry, scarves, chinese vintage pop stuff, one of a kind clothing, artworks....









can't wait to show you my loot! :)

wanchai wonder

well in one corner of china, i discovered this new area i've never been to before: the 'star street' area...

which is really a group of small streets -- star street, moon street, sun street, etc... right in wan chai (we should have known right???)

it's a great combination of the modern and the decrepit... case in point: glass building looming over dodgy buildings...

or brightly colored buildings among old drab ones...

or an oldie-in-sando fixing the windows above a street of italian furniture shops...

or clothesline looming over a cute mosaic....

ANYWAY, the star street area is right up our alley (no pun intended).

li'l antique shops,

quirky art galleries,

cute cafes and restos with the mandatory-blackboard-outside-the-store (you get the picture...)

(cute name for a yogurt place :) )

this is one of my favorite finds: the 'classified' mozzarella bar.

the aesthetics totally fit my taste... that mid-century american look (more on that later)...

the hub and i decided to drop by for a snack...

here's their cute menu that looks like vintage classified ads.

check out the menu!!! had i not been so full, i would have had that baked camembert with truffle!!! (they also had fried mozzarella wrapped in bacon!)

here's our half-drunk wine and the hub's half eaten cheddar on bread.

*burp*

*inspired*

speaking of inspired sets, i finally finished the period "short film" i had been working on the past months! here are some stills i took from the set....

"kwan tong, china" shot somewhere in rizal. i had to cover the entire existing yero house facade with wood!


shot outside el hogar in binondo... we actually just put sandbags and fake barbed wire barricades on the street and dressed some american and japanese soldiers...



my favorite set has to be the shoe store on gandara st. in binondo which went from the 1930's through the war and all the way til after the war. i love how the "wallpaper" (stenciled wall with a pattern inspired by lust caution!) turned out. (this was actually built and shot inside an abandoned building).






we also built some "apartments" in an empty house. the walls are actually covered in cartolina so we can paint it to look like green wood panels :) and we added some styrofoam circles on the grills to make it look more like the 50's :) the ceiling fan is fake too - made of styrofoam and plywood!



this was set-up in another area of the house to look like a 60's apartment in davao...notice the old electric fan? we used to have one of those when we were kids :)


and lastly, onto the present day scenes... recognize the room? :) yes its twinpopbro's old room that i painted lilac and purple - there's my white night table and shelf (from the old ishq store!), and the red club chair (from starbucks!). we made a headboard with plywood and foam and hung mom's orchid manansala (ssshhh!). harhar :)


:D!

and as if i'm not "chinese-d" out, i'm off to shanghai in a few hours!!! see ya soon!