Maja Olivarez-Co's love affair with markets

Best known for her role in the rehabilitation of the century-old Paco Market in Manila into — as was described in a CNN television feature — a doable “model market for the country,” interior designer Maja Olivares-Co is also an avid world traveler. Perhaps her many global jaunts, which began with a family trip to Hong Kong when she was 10, and have since extended to dream voyages to Fuji, Bhutan, Morocco and beyond, have developed within her a master’s eye for what is beautiful and timeless and, more importantly, what works.

Maja, who is part of the interior design and consultancy firm Sonia Santiago Olivares and Associates, loves the old world pageantry of, for example, arriving via boat to a lakeside hotel in Rajasthan, but is also very plugged in to the new and now, like, for example, the artistry of avant-garde Japanese fashion designer Rei Kawakubo.

Being attuned to the sights and sounds of travel may have helped Maja, together with project head Gina Lopez of the ABS-CBN Foundation, in her task of transforming the rundown public market into a modern souk. Maja has always had a fixation on the great markets of the world, including the shopping districts of London, Paris, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Bangkok, Tokyo and Sydney, because they are, as she puts it, “windows into the real culture of people.” She continues, “Markets really show an unadulterated view of a society through what they buy, what they eat, and how they conduct themselves.”

In the 3,000-square-meter Paco Market, aside from new and standardized stalls for over 600 vendors, Maja has installed an activity center where children can take part in educational workshops for, say, reading and music, and a palutuan. These innovations have been built to inject renewed life — and, with hope, tourist traffic — into the heritage site. The neighboring estero, which has been turned into a landfill over the years, has also been cleaned and planted with flowering greens.

Recently, CNN featured the story of Paco Market —with the very amiable Maja as its face — as one of the highlights in its special report on the Philippines. Well-spoken and chicly dressed, the interior designer toured CNN reporter Anna Coren through the redevelopment, a project that she hopes will spark urban renewal in the area. So impressed was the international reporter with the Filipina’s passion that, when Maja hied off to Hong Kong, the pair reconnected over dinner to discuss their common causes.

PHILIPPINE STAR: What do you remember most of your first trip abroad?

Joy ride: Irene Araneta and Maja join a parade of painted elephants on the streets of India.

MAJA OLIVARES CO: I was 10 years old. It was my first trip overseas to Hong Kong with my parents, brother and sister. I couldn’t sleep all night in anticipation of spending Christmas and New Year’s in a foreign country. I was particularly excited about the head-to-toe winter clothes my mom had prepared for us.

What won’t you leave home without?

My two BlackBerrys — Globe and Smart — and my watches — one for my daily use and the other for the more roughing-it moments of the trip. 

How do you pass time at airports?

Strategic shopping. (Laughs) Meaning, if you’re in a hub that connects to destinations like Moscow, check out the vodka section. It will most likely have the most extensive collection. A hub like Paris, Frankfurt or London will have major luxury food brands like Fauchon, the French gourmet food maker that sold tea and sweets to kings, Fortnum & Mason, the British food and goods store that has been granted the Royal Warrants of the Queen of England and the Prince of Wales, or Hediard, the popular Parisian culinary shop. Of course, hanging out in the airline lounge, checking e-mails, taking a shower, or having a massage before the next leg of the long haul are the best.

Who is your ideal traveling companion?

Happy trails: The Cos on a ski trip at Mt. Fuji in Japan.

Several! It depends on where I want to go. (Laughs) My husband Rombit together with the kids and other family members for regular trips to the ocean and the much-awaited family vacations to anywhere. My female buddies for our culture vulture and shopping escapades. (Laughs)

What is the first thing you do upon checking in at a hotel or a resort?

Keep valuables in the vault. Shower. Unpack my packets of clothes. I pack all my garments by category in soft plastic containers: underwear and socks, pajamas and exercise clothes, sweaters and shirts. Slacks, suits, or blouses end up on the top flaps of the suitcase, so they won’t be too wrinkled. This leaves me with very few pieces to hang individually. The packets are just stacked on the shelves of the closet. My hair is “wash-and-wear polyester” by Chiyo Tagami, the Makati stylist who cuts the manes of the chicest women in Manila. I wash, towel dry, and gel. I don’t even own a comb!

What would you consider a must-do activity in every foreign city that you visit?

I have several must-do’s, but it all depends on the length of each stay. Explore a great local market. Go to a museum. Try a hawker place or a local non-tourist joint. Eat at an outstanding fine-dining restaurant. Shop at the high-fashion street as well as the local market such as the souk. (Laughs) Doing the above gives you a good cross section of the culture of the people despite how short the visit.

Describe your most memorable trip.

Many! It’s quite difficult to choose! Japan: It’s a once-a-year or ideally twice-a-year trip for the last eight years. The more we go, the more local we feel. My husband reads Kanji and drives on the right side of the road, so there’s that ease of travel. Every visit is special as we joyfully assimilate its culture of tradition, refinement, innovation and coolness on all levels, from architecture to music, fashion to cuisine, into ourselves. Bhutan: What an amazing culture! It was breathtaking to see the transformation from a tropical vista to a temperate landscape, all in one breath! And Turkey: There’s truly nothing like seeing a country through the eyes of a local. My sister is married to a Turk and though they don’t live in the country, they spend summers there. Her in-laws were also the best! The people are rich in heritage and tradition yet so progressive. Awesome cuisine, too! My mom and I truly hold that trip close to our hearts.

What is the best travel advice you were given?

Travel with just enough cash — of course “just enough” is relative — two credit cards — Visa and Amex — and photocopies of the relevant pages of your passport. Travel light. Did I say “travel light”? (Laughs) I’m still trying to master the art of traveling light.

What is the strangest thing you have done on a trip?

Pre-9/11, I went to Toronto from New York on a business trip as a very young professional. When I re-entered the US, my visa had expired by a day. I begged the Immigration Officer to grant me entry. I was let through upon promising to file for a new visa as soon as possible. Gratefully, frequency of work travel and assurance of compliance allowed me admittance. (Sighs)

Let’s talk favorites now. Name your favorite city abroad.

Again, not an easy question. Tokyo: I’m a Japaholic! My husband and sons have become addicted, too. It requires a regular fix! New York: I went to school and worked there for a total of 11 years! It is a second home. The experience of working for a top New York design firm — Naomi Leff and Associates — for clients’ homes like Tom Cruise’s, shops such as Ralph Lauren in Holt Renfrew in Canada and Selfridges in England, and The Beach Club of Galen and Hillary Weston in the US was really a professional experience of a lifetime!

Name your favorite spot in the Philippines.

Santelmo Cove in Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas. We call it the blue lagoon and locals call it mini Boracay. We have been dropping anchor there for over 20 years now. We are blessed that the new owners continue to allow us access. (Smiles) San Vicente in Palawan is a true Virgin Town, too. That is where we will spend our “working retirement.” I am very grateful to be part of building this community. It’s yet another chance to push for “The Power of Design in Building Communities.”

Favorite airline?

Cathay Pacific. Gulfstream and Learjet, too! (Laughs)

Favorite airport?

Chek Lap Kok Airport in Hong Kong. It’s been operational for 14 years and yet it remains so modern and innovative. It has the lowest noise levels of any busy airport in the world and has excellent lighting. Everything is indirect, whether artificial or natural, except of course, the retail spaces. Planning is so clear and organized. You almost just need to follow the indirect light from the ceiling. You see, humans are photropic, so “just follow the light” seems to be a driving element. (Laughs)

Favorite museum?

Tate Modern in London. It’s perfectly planned and laid out. A forced-flow circulation naturally moves you in and out of collections. There are also periodic windows that let you look out to the River Thames. These act like a palate cleanser between meals. In this case, between collections. (Smiles)

And if you could take home a piece of art, which one would it be?

“The Crying Woman” by Andy Warhol. (Editor’s note: Perhaps refers to the artist’s silkscreened Jackie Kennedy portraits in black veil?) My then three-year-old son Rama wept when he saw the painting and asked, “Why is the woman crying, Mama? Did she lose her child?”

Favorite hotels?

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York. Built in 1929, it continues to maintain its quiet “grand dame elegance” without ever feeling staid. It is home to the famous Bemelmans Bar, a jazz joint where many greats have played. Jazz minus the grunge — love it! There are also murals by Ludwig Bemelman, the Austrian author who created the children’s book series Madeline, around the bar. The Peninsula Tokyo offers a high international level of service, but with a very strong local aesthetic sensibility. Truly special. The Upper House in Hong Kong is very Asian chic. Minimalist but not cold. Very today. The fine dining restaurant on the top floor, Café Gray by Gray Kunz, has a spectacular view of Hong Kong and the most refined Asian nouvelle cuisine I’ve had — the kind that won’t leave you hungry and wanting more.

Favorite resorts?

Amanjena in Marrakech. The villas were designed in the likeness of a mini palace with the usual minimalist but very luxurious Aman hand. It makes you feel like a modern princess. I can still remember the yummy almond milk! I also like The Oberoi Udaivilas on Lake Pichola in Udaipur. Arrival by boat at sunset is truly gorgeous — so gentle and so quaint. At the end of the day, I guess I do love the pageantry of the old world, but I do like the modern conveniences built into the old traditions. I adore the past, but I’m happy to be born in today’s era.

Favorite landmark?

The Eiffel Tower in Paris is still an engineering and design marvel to this day. It’s a timeless iconic structure.

Favorite building?

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Awesome form. The way its titanium skin changes depending on the time of day is so iridescent. I also like any of the bamboo structures created by Simón Vélez, the Columbian-born architect who invented a unique bamboo bolt system with strong and durable joints.

Favorite park?

Central Park in New York City. It’s so big, yet so human in scale with pockets of space for specific usages. Of course, the vast greenery with the buildings of Manhattan in the background is always picturesque.

Favorite musical?

Dream Girls and Cats. Absolutely mainstream, but very entertaining.

Favorite play?

The Year of Magical Thinking in New York City. It’s an hour-and-half monologue (based on the Joan Didion memoir) by Vanessa Redgrave. How does one talk alone for so long and manage to keep an audience engaged? Sheer pure talent! The monologue was so good and super entertaining. What a colorful life she had!

Favorite shopping streets?

Minami-Aoyama in Tokyo. It is home to Herzog and de Meuron’s Prada Aoyoma Epicenter and Yoku Moku’s headquarters, where you can find the best Japanese cookies and sweets and super thin galettes for breakfast. It likewise has all the other Japanese greats like Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, and Yohji Yamamoto. Dover Street Market Ginza, also in Tokyo, is simply beyond words! Rei Kawakubo, the Japanese fashion designer and founder of Comme des Garçons, has redefined herself again. She has taken art in fashion and co-branding to a different level.

Favorite shopping district?                      

Omotesando and Aoyama, both in Tokyo, for all the cult and top Japanese brands and more.              

Favorite restaurant?

So many! In Manila, Masseto is very refined but not highbrow, while Antonio’s in Tagaytay hits the spot. In Tokyo, Kyubey is a 100-year-old sushi institution and Chateaux Joel Robouchon offers the most sophisticated Japanese-French fusion!

In Hong Kong, Otto e Mezzo serves authentic Italian cuisine by the jolly “big” chef Umberto Bombana, who is always present. There’s also Pak Lok, which serves comfort “Chiu Chow” food staples like steamed gobi fish, soy goose, silver fish, baby oyster omelet, etc., etc., etc. (Laughs)

In Fuji, Yashima by Amano Hiroyoshi serves omakase like I’ve never had. His take on food always leaves me with a very fresh culinary experience. My sons asked if it was a degustacion meal. Gyushu serves yakiniku with every Japanese meat you can imagine. Akami and Kambi are my favorite. The sidings of seasonal vegetables and mushrooms are the added dimension to the meal.

In New York, there’s Katz Deli for the classic pastrami and Mario Batali’s Del Posto, which has flavorful traditional Italian food.

Favorite bar?

BarM in Salcedo Village. It may be super small as it sits only 32 people. But it has a very cozy and private feel. It’s a modern day speakeasy bar with good music.

Name an event anywhere in the world you would like to participate in.

If there was one, a conference on the “Power of Design in Building Communities!” Communities in the Philippines are being built without any concern for aesthetics or its surroundings. Preservation of the environment is gaining awareness, but mostly on a superficial level, and not at the same speed as we destroy it. Aesthetics and culture are always an afterthought. This doesn’t need to be the case. We have begun to defy the norm in the Paco Market redevelopment. If we can only learn more from what other countries are doing, we could certainly do better. (Sighs) Of course, with more funding in Paco, we could do better. (Smiles)

What are your pasalubongs — outbound and inbound?

For outbound, they have to be non-conventional mother of pearl items — pearls from the Muslims in Greenhills. They’ll string them any way you want it. It’s a super hit! For inbound, any seasonal or sought-after foodstuff or wine depending on where I’m coming from.

What is the worst souvenir you have ever bought back from a trip?

An expensive tanka, a Tibetan embroidered painting in silk, bought in Bhutan. Aesthetically, it doesn’t work in our apartment or farm. I was so desperate for a shopping fix because there was nothing to buy and it was our last day. Chary A. and Irene A. were so right in dissuading me. (Laughs)

Name a city you have never visited but would like to someday.

Buenos Aires and Santiago. They produce some very nice new world wines from beautifully designed vineyards.

Name a country you wish to explore.

Argentina and Chile. I’m truly dying to see their estancias and vineyards.

What would you say is the best part of travel?

The experience of new culture, art and cuisine and the visuals of new sights and smells, both the good and the bad. Immersing yourself into the lifestyle of the locals is always such a learning sensation.