Lush life

Patricia Pastelero may have spent four years at the F.I.T. in New York, studying Fashion Merchandising and Textile Design, but she’s currently making a name for herself as a florist. And hence the title of this feature, as we continue to highlight individuals who have successfully merged entrepreneurship with their passion. The title doesn’t refer to her nocturnal drinking habits, but rather, to the acclaim and plaudits she’s been earning turning weddings, tablescapes and even walls, to microcosms of lush vegetation, floral beauty and “tropical paradise.”

Spruce Floral Designs is a mere two-year-old endeavor, and operates out of a unit at Palm Village. Upon calling the 519-2937 landline or her mobile 0917-8836046, Patricia will arrange to sit down, confer and customize the floral arrangements for your occasion. Professionally, everything is a challenge for her, as she likes to play with set designs, constructing things like benches that are adorned with flowers and mixing crafts, like blending paper flowers with natural ones; all to give each “job” something unique and personalized. An admirer of such luminaries in the floral industry like Matthew Robbins and David Starck, Patricia recalls an 8x12 floral wall, and having to rush a thousand paper cranes, as among her toughest challenges.

Note the attention to detail of these floral arrangements that were used on the buffet spread; how the shades of the flowers blended with the grapes and strawberries. Photo by Pat Dy

In the world of gardens, there are two distinct schools; one would go for a more cultivated, manicured look as seen in France and the continent, where symmetry and imposing order are the bywords. The other school of thought would lean more towards replicating nature, having “wildness” carefully recreated, as seen in the English countryside and their gardens. Patricia prefers the latter approach, and it’s seen in how her arrangements, while meticulously planned, simulate the blend and clash of colors and hues as we find in nature.

And just to show she hasn’t turned her back forever on her F.I.T. education, she recently got together with some friends and set up an online shopping site, catalogue63.com, that specializes in local design houses such as Tala Manila, Naked Sun and Renegade Folks. But for now, with all the buzz she’s generating with Spruce, life has turned up roses for Patricia. It may have started off with offering to arrange bouquets for friends during such occasions as Valentine’s Day, but a “blooming” enterprise it’s certainly turning out to be.

American pie

The three novels today come from American writers who have made substantial “waves” over the last years. Whether in crime fiction, comedy or contemporary fiction, Connelly, Sedaris and Shteyngart, have all managed to make the American experience something that’s appreciated globally.

Three diverse doses of Americana.

The Reversal by Michael Connelly (available at Fully Booked): The twist to this novel is the fact that Mickey Haller, “Mr. For the Defense,” is now on the prosecution side — in his own inimitable manner. It’s the retrial of child killer Jessup, and when Mickey is asked to prosecute, he does so on the conditions that LAPD Detective Harry Bosch investigates and ex-wife Maggie McPherson is his second in the court room. A good part of the novel has to do with the preparation and research that goes into any case before it reaches the court room; and a lot of human drama unfolds, as Connelly has always been excellent at creating fully-fleshed characters, even when they’re not the main protagonists.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris (available at National Bookstore): I had the chance to meet and interview David Sedaris when he was in town years back, and he made mention of a work in progress that had to do with animal fables — and finally, here is that book. In true Sedaris fashion, they’re animals with a twist, as Sedaris bestows the various animals with human attributes and qualities. So much so that at times, they’re even more human than us: petty, vain, proud, neurotic, vengeful! You name it, and these animals have it in spades, a sly mirror held up for us to see our own human folly and foolishness. It’s vintage Sedaris; and an easy read! Hilarious, and yet pithy at the same time.

Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart (available at National Bookstore): Billed as a love story of the near future, the main characters are nebbish Lenny and his true love, Eunice, a Korean-American. Dysfunctional in capital letters, their precarious romance is set in a time when the USA is mired in debt, when there’s political and social chaos in America, and the preoccupation of the business Lenny is involved in has to do with extending life as a commercial venture. The novel is really more about vignettes of this doomed relationship, as Lenny’s boss also has designs on Eunice. It’s about seeking security, love and stability at a juncture in time when all are in short measure.