Restranded, orange, gourd-shaped antique beads allegedly dating back to the Mexican Galleon Trade, interspersed with antique, orange carnelian beads and white, fresh-water pearls from Dumaguete. The pendant is a heavy, unpolished, solid brass Igorot chieftain's earring purchased many years ago from Greg Sabado of Baguio City. I am still wondering whether it ever tore off anyone's ear lobe and dropped to the ground.

On the wall behind me is the iconic Comedy/Tragedy pair of masks from New Orleans, a gift from actress Naty Crame-Rogers. Originally dark gray, I had it repainted a metallic yellow gold. Very few people know that a larger pair of the same New Orleans masks hung over Ateneo de Manila's old proscenium theater for years. Reflected in the mirror, in the background, is our mannequin Diego dressed in Ifugao garb.

Photo by Neil de Leon