The cut

My approach to getting my hair cut was exactly the same as it was for my first-ever haircut in Singapore: to put it off for as long as I possibly could. Back then, I was converting from Philippine peso to Singapore dollar, and looking at salon price lists made me swallow hard and walk away. When I started working, my wallet loosened up and got used to it. Then I moved here... and the whole process began all over again.

Except now, I was mentally converting from Singapore dollar to the Euro. Haircuts became twice the price they were in Singapore, ranging from €45 to €80, or S$80 to S$140 (a whopping PhP 2,700 to almost PhP 5,000!). And judging from the expat forums I'd read, you weren't even guaranteed good customer service or a shampoo and blowdry (!), much less a great haircut. So I put off the whole thing for five long months.

One day I woke up and I decided I couldn't take it anymore. Happily, it was also the same day I woke up to find a little extra something-something in my bank account. I went online to do some research on kappers (hairdressers) in Amsterdam, and after much deliberation, decided to go Kinki.

Kinki Kappers, that is. It's a Dutch chain of salons that's known for being relatively affordable (€41 a pop for ladies' haircuts) and quite edgy. I admit, seeing these kinds of hairstyles on the Kinki website freaked me out a little... and these are the tamer ones. 

But I easily get bored with my hair, so I was figured I could use a little edge. I've never been the type to show my hair stylist pegs of the cut I want. Instead, I composed this litany: "short, no precision cutting because I have wavy hair, side bangs, little to no styling needed." Then it was off to the Kinki branch on Van Baerlestraat, 10 minutes by tram from my house.

Kinki was pretty much what I expected of an edgy yet mainstream salon chain. Graffiti on the floors, eye-popping walls and fixtures, stylists in funky hairdos with lots of body piercing and ink. While waiting, I saw this woman getting a perfectly normal (if rather butch) haircut, which did a lot to quell the images of green locks and spiky Mohawks rattling around in my brain.

The guy who gave me a shampoo was about six foot three and had huge hands, which made up for his lack of technique. The whole experience called to mind silicon oven mitts (his hands) cradling a baseball (my head).If you ever want to feel like a baby again, a shampoo by a big strapping Dutch guy (or girl) is a virtual time warp.

I couldn't have been happier with my stylist, Iris. For one thing, when I requested side bangs to cover my wide forehead, she smiled, shoved aside her own side bangs to reveal her forehead, and said: "Me too!" And while she was blowdrying my hair with a diffuser (which emphasizes natural curls), she remarked: "I love your curls. Let's switch?"

Wow. This was worlds away from Manila stylists who will insist on rebonding as a prerequisite to a haircut. I once nearly walked out on a Bench FIX stylist who had the gall to tell me: "Magpa-relax ka muna. Kulot ka kasi eh. Kahit anong gupit ang gawin ko diyan, hindi talaga maganda lalabas." Kapal! Bumalik ka nga kay Ricky Reyes!

So, stylists of the world, the way to my heart is through my curls. I always know I'm going to have a great cut when stylists show that they can appreciate my curls, or can at least deal with them. And Iris did more than just deal with them. After the jump: presenting... my first Dutch haircut!

Tadaaaaa! This was me fresh from the salon. My first thought was: Edna Mode, you've been a very naughty girl. My second thought was that I look like I should be living in Berlin... in the 1920s. Don't get me wrong... I love it! Long in front and short in back, with bangs cut much further to the side than I've ever had, it's edgy enough for safe old me, but is also soft, feminine and versatile. It would go perfectly with both my favorite vintage outfits and my normal, er, present-day wardrobe.

Here's the cut a few days later at home. I haven't been able to style it exactly how Iris did at the salon, so I've taken to using a curling iron on a few random strands to get the whole piece-y effect.

Still, getting my hair to curl is a hell of lot easier than getting it to stay straight. Making it loose and messy is a lot easier (and more fun!) than making it perfectly neat. My hair never looks exactly the same every day and instead of stressing out about it, I've come to love it. It feels really good to stop struggling with my curls and finally like how they look. Maybe I'm getting old. Or maybe it's just a really good haircut. Definitely €41 well spent!

Fun finds

In between all the trips we've been taking lately, Marlon and I have somehow managed to squeeze in some time to pick up some nice new things for the house. 

For the living room, I picked up this clean, graphic-print yellow and purple thistle cushion at Mikkili, a webshop with a lovely collection of Nordic design goods. 

My photo-printed lampshade from Pictureprint was delivered shortly after. I eventually went for the yellow Joya painting to add a bit of color to our mostly neutral living room. Now all we need is a cozy armchair and the living room will be all set!

I did a last-minute bathing suit run a few hours before we left for the Algarve. On the way back to the tram, Marlon and I spotted this wineglass chandelier by Leitmotiv in a little design shop tucked into the Nine Streets. We've been in search of a lighting fixture for the dining room since we found out that the Muuto Unfold lamps we wanted are sold out both here and in Denmark, where they're produced. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that the chandelier in the store was the owner's very last piece... and was being sold at a 50% discount. Deal!

Installing this fixture was hell on the nerves. It was Marlon's first time to wire a light fixture. And I was almost afraid to breathe until each of the 32 wine glasses were hanging safely on their metal perches. 

It's been up for nearly a month now, and so far no accidents or clinking glasses. Just soft light and interesting shadows... just what I wanted!

The change in lighting also prompted a reevaluation of our dining chair strategy. We decided to move the two Tolix chairs out to the balcony and bring in the two white Eames chairs from outside. From "vintage industrial", the brief has now changed to "clean and modern." So one sunny Saturday, we paid a visit to the Kartell store on Westerstraat. 

We agreed on a pair of transparent Frilly chairs by Patricia Urquiola, whose designs I've always liked. Eventually we can save up for another pair.

At nearby Noordermarkt, we discovered De Weldaad, a store with a great mix of vintage, industrial and vintage-inspired things for the home.

I got a cast-iron trivet to replace the grotty Ikea cork ones from Marlon's bachelor days.

I can hardly ever go to Noordermarkt without picking up a little trinket for myself. I spotted these adorable teacup and milk jug ceramic rings that reminded me of all my tingaling tea-and-crumpets friends (you know who you are).

For daintier ladies, there were crepes and coffee... 

... and heartier fare for those with a bigger appetite. The little salmon slices and steaks are just too cute.

I got myself a little breakfast plate of toast, coffee and a hardboiled egg, which is pretty much what I have for breakfast. 

To paraphrase Beyonce: if you like it, you shoulda put it on a ring.

Sibling revelry

A week before Easter, Marlon and I welcomed our first official houseguest in the person of my sister, Sheila. 

Many awesome things transpired during, and because of, her visit. First and foremost among them was the cleanup of the spare bedroom, and its transformation from disaster area/dumping ground for assorted junk into a hospitable and rather pretty guest space.

I loved being able to finally do girly things, things that I've learned not to foist on Marlon. Such as hours upon hours of window shopping...

Loved this gold bag by A.P.C. Hope to find it at the A.P.C. outlet in Paree!

Move over, Kate Moss... make way for Kate Mouse!

... during which, naturally, some actual shopping also took place.

 My new suede shoes: comfy lace-up sandal/booties from Bershka

Our girly pursuits also extended to gratuitous camwhoring...

Huli ka, Ate!

... and camwhoring's style blog-inspired subset, known as outfit shots. It was so nice to just go "Outfit shot!" without reservation and have someone automatically know what to do. I haven't trained the husband in this area yet. Nahihiya pa ako. But with a sister, hiya does not apply.

Outfit shot! on Prinsengracht

Outfit shot! at Museumplein

Outfit shot! in the Jordaan

Finally, it wouldn't have been a girly week without our shared appreciation of the many... er, ways that Amsterdam is superior to Singapore, KL and Oslo (all cities we've lived in). We didn't agree though on whether or not it is superior to Manila in terms of eye candy. 

 Ben Affleck isdatchu? Maybe 10 years from now!

From the tram rides to the police at Schiphol airport, the Dutch men did not disappoint. It must have been the weather! Salamat, mga ginoo, at di naman ako napahiya sa aking bisita.

Kikay pursuits aside, it was great to just show my sister around my new home, my new life, and take her to some places that have become fast favorites in the four months that I've lived in Amsterdam.

Lipsmackingly authentic Chinese food at Nam Kee in Zeedijk 
(complete with MSG headache!)

Dutch design for your home at Moooi Gallery, 
merchandised with playfulness and panache 

The yummiest (refillable!) giant margaritas, 
caramel crepes and Mexican grub at Los Pilones

Green serenity at the Begijnhof, a 14th-century courtyard tucked into the busy Spui 

Lazy sun-drenched afternoon at the Vondelpark with a good book

Steak and lobster at Restaurant Red on Keizersgracht

Having my sister around also gave me a great excuse to go out, explore the city, and discover some new favorites. Call me weird, but I prefer to keep my exploring down to a minimum when Marlon is at work. He gets so envious (not that he stops me), I end up feeling sorry for the poor guy—what with me out and about in this gorgeous city while he has to stay cooped up in the office all day, 5 days a week.

 Apres Anne Frank House, La Perla's crisp wood-fired pizzas

 Enjoying an appeltart, coffee and sunshine at Cafe P96, a boat cafe on Prinsengracht

 The Friday book market at the Spui

Besides, going out and exploring is just so much more fun with company. So I (and Marlon, on the weekend) went on the tourist trail for the first time since moving here and finally got to tick off some tourist staples.

 Requisite tourist photo at Dam Square

 Amsterdam's 'floating' flower market, the Bloemenmarkt

 Rediscovering a girlhood heroine at the Anne Frank House

 After the Rijksmuseum, camwhoring at the giant Iamsterdam sign in Museumplein

Day trip to Keukenhof, Holland's famous (and eye-popping!) tulip garden

Whew! Ang dami pala naming nagawa! Not bad considering we never left the house before lunchtime, in true Paul fashion.

It's funny, I was doing the hosting (okay, with significant help from Marlon, haha) but I really have to say thank you, Ate! It was so much fun having you here!

Rewards program

Today was spent rewarding myself for working... well, maybe not so much working hard as working smart ;) First stop was the Suntec Convention Centre for a sale event by an online shopping site I'm subscribed to. I arrived at 11 a.m., an hour before the event was scheduled to start and was welcomed by this monstrous queue.

While waiting for our turn to enter, Marlon got a crash course in women's designer handbags (he can now tell a Miu Miu from a Balenciaga, which is all that matters to me), a briefing on my color preferences (classic/subdued or bold/striking), and an assignment in my plan of attack.

We finally got to enter the event at 1:30 p.m., not a moment too soon. Let me tell you, things can get ugly when dozens of bag-crazed women are made to wait. Inside, the atmosphere was buzzing but civil—no shoving, grabbing or arguing, thank goodness. The strategy of choice seemed to be grabbing three or four bags, walking around with them while trying to decide on one, and making multiple return trips to a shelf to see if any women had discarded a bag that you were looking out for.

In the end, I narrowed it down to Subdued & Classic vs Bold & Striking. While I was vacillating in front of the mirror, a very fasyon Chinese woman ran up to me and grabbed my arm. She whispered urgently, with eyes wide open,"You HAVE to get the orange one. You have to. It's DIVINE!" and ran off.

It was in this fashion that Bold & Striking won! And so I am now the proud owner of a brand new Balenciaga Arena Covered City bag in the happy, juicy hue of orange!

Thank you, my clients! Thank you!

After a recharging lunch of kinilaw na tanigue and salpicao at 7107 Flavours in Marina Square, we headed off to Orchard Central for Fash Bash, a thrice-yearly bazaar. I miss market and bazaar shopping scene back home, so I check these things out whenever I can. I was curious about the local designers advertised, but when I got there it was really the young Thai jewelry designers who made me drool!

After much going back and forth between stalls, I chose this pair of delicate, handmade gold-plated earrings from Thai designer Fontips Tangviriyamate. I fell in love with the delicate workmanship of the intricate but organic-looking pattern, and the curved wire extending way below the earlobes was a unique touch that I really liked. (One woman asked the designer if she could cut the wire short. Anobuh! Kasama yun sa concept no!)

And with that, my personal "rewards points" are fully redeemed! My shopping moratorium starts now!

Paper pretties

as an adult, when was the last time you indulged in a childhood pastime?

there are things that we loved to do as kids. a few of my personal favorites, like making papak milo powder and licking ketchup off spoons, are easy to return to every now and then. many others, like playing in the rain, watering the garden while barefoot, or crawling into mom's bed for a dead-of-night cuddle (my patented bunso cure for insomnia or bad dreams), are things that have been permanently buried in the past.

which is why i was over the moon with my latest find at kinokuniya: the paper dolls that i used to have as a kid!

well, i didn't have these ones exactly. what i had was a book of forties fashions by the same paper doll artist. i very clearly remember buying them in goodwill bookstore in the old north mall (now glorietta). i LOVED those to death, and i always wished i could have kept them.

there's a whole line of them: italian designers, spanish designers, fashions by decade from the turn of the century all the way up to the present. and kinokuniya has them all! who needs $300 anti-ageing creams when just i can buy back my little-girlhood for just $11 a pop?

so saturday afternoon was spent cutting out all these precious little chanel outfits. there are over two dozen outfits in each book. i couldn't believe i had the patience to snip, snip, snip all those out when i was a kid. (then again, i also had an extra pair of hands, care of my trusty yaya.)

i actually timed myself -- it takes roughly 5-10 minutes per outfit, which doesn't sound like a lot but feels like a lifetime. now that i'm grown up, i appreciate all the details that went into the artwork, so i was really careful with how i cut them out.

after all the painstaking cutting, i had to have a photo shoot!

lola coco herself in a suit that she wore to a fitting in 1963. i loved that the suit includes a pair of shears hanging around her neck.

the basic, "naked" dolls. the blue striped outfits are a design for a ballet or a play, i forget which.

very early chanel. ang taray ng paper doll diba, may aso. the green dress on the right is the first chanel outfit ever to appear in harper's bazaar, circa 1916.

chanel designs through the roaring twenties:

including a costume design for cocteau's adaptation of antigone (which also featured scenery by picasso). i put the goddess in the plantbox, hehehe.

lola coco got more glamorous in the thirties -- some of my favorites in the book are from this decade.

the skin tones don't match perfectly with some of the outfits, thus creating the dreaded "espasol face" phenomenon, but who cares? these five-inch fashionistas sure made my saturday!