Arts & Culture

Here’s What’s on the Zee Lifestyle Team’s Holiday Wishlist!

We’re making a list and checking it twice! Just in time for the holiday season, the Zee Lifestyle team shares what’s on top of their wish list this year.

EVA GULLAS
Publisher

Aman Summer Palace, Beijing

Orient Express

If you’re looking for a trip to the Orient, the Aman Summer Palace in Beijing should be first on your itinerary. Simple and elegant, the Aman Summer Palace is a trip through time, with a traditional courtyard style reminiscent of the aesthetics from the glory days of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

There are 51 rooms and suites, all featuring period furniture like intricately carves screens, bamboo blinds and clay tiles. The dining experience is extraordinary, from the centuries-old tea ceremony to the selection of classics like the Szechuan Chicken and Peking Duck.

1 Gongmenqian Street, Summer Palace, Beijing, PRC 100091
amansummerpalace@aman.com

Slim Picks

Although giving is truly what makes the season bright, the holidays can also be a great time to love yourself. Indulge in the advanced Radio Frequency (RF) Treatment, a non-surgical procedure for cellulite reduction, collagen stimulation and tightening the skin. The machine works using thermal waves to target fat cells, with the Exilis Elite dual energy delivery that causes the cells to shrink by speeding up metabolic activity.

The treatment is available at Dr. Hopee Solano’s clinic, where she offers a wide range of services. We’ve never been disappointed with an experience with Dr. Hopee, who addresses any questions and concerns you might have before the procedure, and her staff.

Rm. 316, Cebu Doctors Medical Arts Building 2, (032) 53 8358
[Facebook] A Touch of Hope

SHARI QUIMBO
Managing Editor

Hair Today

Few feelings are quite as enjoyable as walking out of the salon with freshly colored hair—what’s not as fun, though, is finding the time to touch up your roots. Thankfully, Piandre introduced lived in color this year, a technique that brings different tones to your hair color for a natural sun-kissed look. There’s the option for darker roots that gradually fade into light ends (a modern, softer take on the ombre look), or lighter shades to frame and flatter the face.

Oakridge Business Park, AS Fortuna Street, Banilad, Mandaue City
(032) 412 1824

Gateway Hotel, Hong Kong

Getaway Gifts

It’s no surprise that Hong Kong remains one of Cebu’s favorite destinations for quick weekend trips—the city offers so many experiences, from food and culture, to shopping and recreation. Of course, staying at the Gateway Hotel will give your holiday a bit of an edge.

Part of the Marco Polo Hotels group and located centrally in Harbour City in bustling Tsim Sha Tsui, Gateway Hotel features a modern, sleek and artsy design that creates a boutique hotel feel with a five-star twist. There’s also a complimentary mini-bar, a Handy Phone with unlimited data connectivity, and a chocolate cake at Three on Canton that I’m maybe planning my next trip for.

No. 13 Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
gateway@marcopolohotels.com

CARLO RIVERA
Features Editor

The new Crimzone at the Crimson Mactan Resort

Beach Blitz

It’s always been on the wish list to spend Christmas Eve by the beach, and Crimson Mactan’s villa is just the right place to do it. The bed is perfect for sleeping in, and the view is picture-perfect.

For when you do feel like going outside, the plunge pool and infinity pool will make it feel like summer in December, while Crimzone will keep the little ones happy throughout the day. And of course, there’s the amazing selection of tapas from Chef Chele Gonzales at Enye—this could be the best noche buena ever!

Seascapes Resort Town, Soong, Lapu-Lapu City
crimsonhotel.com/mactan

If the Shoe Fits

The recent trunk show of Spectre Manila in Cebu introduced me to the Loake Shoemakers, the British shoemaker with a Royal Warrant of Appointment by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The impressive lineage stands out really stands out, but this pair does that even on its own. With its polished leather and intricate details, it’s the perfect footwear for special occasions.

916 Luna Mencias, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
[Instagram] @spectremnl

Best Laid Plans

Every year, Tita Witty releases her unconventional and hilarious planner. With relatable quotes (like hugot lines from One More Chance) and weight-loss pointers, it’s the perfect companion for 2018.

www.wittywillsavetheworld.com

MELO ESGUERRA
Editor-at-Large

Dedon Island Resort

A romantic holiday with the man I love at Dedon Island Resort.

JANET ALFAFARA
Copyeditor

A romantic holiday with the man I love at Dedon Island Resort.

EHDS JAVIER
Artistic Director

The portable Polaroid ZIP Instant Photoprinter

Though the world is becoming digital, some of us still prefer analogue. The super portable Polaroid ZIP Instant Photoprinter would be the perfect gadget to up my fame in setting up an awe-inspiring polaroid bunting display without the actual Instant Camera–just my smartphone.

ROMERO VERGARA
Makeup artist

A limited supply of Dior shirts! I am a big fan because they’re comfortable, and it will always look good on you.

Gia Mayola
Editorial Assistant

Anyone who knows me, knows about my extensive love for boots. This year, Gucci came out with the most beautiful pair that I’ve ever seen. This pair is made of Bordeaux leather and features the house’s stripes with dragon embroidery. A great statement piece, this boot’s pointed toe can instantly make you look sleek and sophisticated.

KYLA ESTOYA
Writer

My holiday wishlist is simple: a Moleskine Watercolor Sketchbook. I’ve been visiting Lazada.ph almost everyday staring at it and I never had the guts to buy it. I really think Santa should give it to me as a present. If he can’t, I’ll stare at the website again.

TJ DELIMA
Graphic Artist

After my 6 year old Canon camera died recently I’ve decided that my holiday wish list is the new Sony a7s II camera. It’s small, easy to carry and it can shoot 4k videos. Very useful since I also shoot videos for work.

Arts & Culture

Chaos and Clarity: Zen Aesthetic in Oj Hofer’s Art

by Jing Ramos |

Oj Hofer, our fashion contributing editor, is a Fine Arts graduate from the University of the Philippines. Though he began painting at the age of eight, his artistic journey took a transformative turn in 2013. While volunteering as a costume designer for Siddhartha: The Musical, he encountered Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-Stroke Calligraphy, sparking a deep devotion to Japanese sumi-e painting and kanji calligraphy. Over the years, he refined his craft, using his art to share the Dharma through exhibitions while supporting the Hsing Yun Educational Foundation. In 2022, his spiritual path deepened at Nan Tien University, where he embraced Zen and Humanistic Buddhism, shaping his artistic philosophy.

“Plum Blossoms in Moonlight.” Serigraphy on abaca.

In his recent works, Hofer merges traditional calligraphy with serigraphy, drawing inspiration from his friend Charles Lahti—an internationally recognized New York-based painter and printmaker. Lahti, known for his collaborations with post-war American artists like Robert Rauschenberg, Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, and LeRoy Neiman, introduced Hofer to silkscreen techniques. Through a workshop Lahti conducted in Cebu—arranged by their mutual friend Greg Urra—Hofer integrated silkscreen into his Zen artworks, particularly those on abaca.

“The Circle of Harmony” Serigraphy and Calligraphy on abaca.

Hofer’s cross-disciplinary approach challenges conventional Zen aesthetics. His layered paintings on abaca may seem far from tranquil at first glance, but closer contemplation reveals a meditative core. His serigraph of an Enso circle, for example, initially appears chaotic, filled with Tang Dynasty poetry and overlapping, repetitive forms. Yet, by focusing on a single calligraphic element, the viewer experiences a moment of clarity—a glimpse of awakening within the visual complexity.

“Monkey Mind” Serigraphy and Calligraphy on abaca.

Even more engaging is his diptych Monkey Mind. At odds with the traditional Zen emphasis on negative space, this piece is deliberately busy, reflecting the restless nature of the mind. A distracted viewer may struggle to find a focal point, but one attuned to emptiness and presence will perceive clarity amidst the seeming disarray.

Ink and intention—creating calligraphy in support of one of my advocacies.

By fusing Zen philosophy with the discipline of serigraphy, Hofer invites his audience to look beyond surface impressions and discover stillness within movement, balance within complexity. His art does not merely depict Zen—it embodies the paradoxes at its core, offering a path to mindfulness through the act of seeing and the experience of doing.

Arts & Culture

What is Sappia? The Rice Myth Goddess of Bohol Who Helped Feed the People During a Great Famine

by Emma Gomez

The story began when the people of Bohol started to experience hunger and famine. All the livestocks were inedible and the fields were dried out leaving only weeds planted on the ground. The people prayed to the goddess of mercy, Sappia, to ask for food.

Sappia, the rice myth goddess of Bohol

Sappia, from the heavens, heard the cries of the people. She saw the dense population of weeds and offered to help them. Sappia thought of nourishing the weeds to be edible and healthy for the people of Bohol. Straightaway, she sprinkled the weed with milk from her bossom. She emptied each breast until blood came out. Before she left, she whispered to the weeds that they may be nourished and be able to feed the people.

When harvest season came, the people of Bohol quickly gathered the nourished weeds. They observed that the ones sprinkled with milk were white, while the other were red. They called the new plant rice and they replanted these in honor of Sappia, and for the people to devour.

Arts & Culture

Kimsoy’s Canvas of a Lifetime in Full Display

by Diana Gillo

There is nothing more fascinating than seeing an artist’s lifetime of work in one room. Such is the experience in Jose “Kimsoy” Yap’s third solo exhibit entitled “Kimsoy: Episodes of Mastery,” at Galerie Raphael Cebu. This serves as the truest form of homage to his enduring journey, showcasing works that span over decades.

Kimsoy with his student and muse, Zhara Rivera Mercado, at the entrance of Galerie Raphael

The exhibit speaks greatly of Kimsoy’s evolution as an artist, with his shifting mediums and remarkable variety of subjects. His creations range from heartfelt portraits of individuals he encountered along his journey to detailed landscapes inspired by the different walks of his life. The room’s layout carries the weight of his years of craft with one wall lined with pastels, another with watercolors, and another with oil painting.

As the River Flows Onward by Kimsoy Yap 2020 | Oil on canvas | 82×48 inches

The exhibit transcends beyond just the commemoration of Kimsoy’s masterful periods. It wanders more into a sense of intimacy reflecting Kimsoy’s life’s journey—from his roots as a young boy in Negros Oriental, through his pursuit of greater artistic mastery in New York, to his prominence in Cebu’s art scene. All his work freehanded, created both with his left and right hand, depicts the ways in which we all leave traces of ourselves in our work and in the world.

A Friend of Mine 1979 | watercolor on paper | 24×18 inches

In a Relaxed Mood 1977 | water color on paper | 16×19.5 inches

The opening ceremony featured Ambassador Jose Mari Cariño, alongside special guests Ivy Ang Gabas, Paolo Li, Angbetic Tan, Laurie Bouquiren of the Visayas Art Fair, and Valerie Go of Galerie Raphael Cebu. The exhibit is open until March 21, 2025.