Yasmien Kurdi welcomes us to her native-themed and animal-friendly home!
Uploaded: January 26, 2010
"'Yong sala ko, native.''
Yasmien says of her home. "Kasi, I always believe we should be the one to patronize our own Philippine products."
This member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the international animal-rights organization, adds, "I don't want to use leather sofa out of respect for animals."
The furniture and accent pieces were purchased from the Tiendesitas commercial complex on Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City. Yasmien's mom, Miriam, bought the big painting now hanging on the wall. "Noong binili ko siya, akala ko fish," she says with a laugh. "Musical instruments pala. Pero tugma naman sa bahay, kasi singer naman si Yasmien."
The house stands on a lot off V. Luna Road, Quezon City, where Yasmien and her mom Miriam live. The original place was actually inherited by Miriam from her father, Rodolfo Yuson. Yasmien had the original structure demolished, and had a new three-story house built in 2005.
In keeping with the native theme, the lanai on the second floor features bamboo walls, a trellis with hanging plants, and a small water fountain made of stone. The lanai is where Yasmien usually stays when she's working at her laptop or hanging out with her friends.
With Yasmien is her other adorable dog, Chito, a gift from director Louie Ignacio, who was involved in the GMA-7 star-search show, StarStruck (2003), where Yasmien emerged first runner-up. This three-year-old shih tzu just happens to be the namesake of Chito Miranda, the vocalist of the band Parokya ni Edgar, and Chito Miranda just happens to be Yasmien's neighbor. "Minsan, noong tinatawag ko si Chito [the dog], lumingon si Chito Miranda," Yasmien recalls.
Yasmien also owns a flowerhorn fish named Emerson, which she keeps in an aquarium in her lanai.
Earlier last 2008, Yasmien was nominated—along with local and Hollywood stars Geneva Cruz, Chin-Chin Guiterrez, Joaquin Phoenix, and Natalie Portman—as PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity.
Her reaction: "Ay, nakakaloka! Ewan ko ba't ako nasama doon. Tignan mo naman kalaban ko! Pero okey lang, siyempre, nakaka-flatter."
Singer Leona Lewis and band vocalist Anthony Kiedis emerged as winners.
The kitchen, joined with the dining area, is equipped with standard kitchen accessories—refrigerator, double-burner stove, microwave oven, water dispenser, four-seater dining table, and pantry stocked with healthy foodstuff.
A known vegetarian, Yasmien cooks her own food, dishes that are mostly made of veggies and tofu. When and why exactly did she become a vegan?
"Noong 2006 ako nag-start, pero di pa 'yon strict," she says. "Noong 2007 na talaga. Kasi nagda-dive ako sa Zamboanga del Sur, 'tapos na-stuck ako alone sa baba na 95 feet na wala akong kasama. Talagang nakita ko sa taas, puro swordfish na. Alam mo, sa awa ng Diyos, di ako nila inano. Di ba, muntikan ka nang mamatay noon? Tatamaan ka talaga!"
This display cabinet is where Yasmien keeps all the awards she has won through the years. Among them are trophies from the SOP Music Awards (from the GMA-7 variety show SOP) and for songwriting competitions, sports tournaments, and spelling contests; academic medals from grade school and high school; and crowns for different inter-school beauty contests.
"Siga ako maglakad, 'kala mo tomboy na di mo malaman, pero nananalo ako sa beauty contest," she says with a smile.
An uncle, Rodolfo Yuson Jr., helped design Yasmien's beach-inspired bedroom. The warm colors and bamboo details on the high ceiling complete the tropical feel. The walk-through bead-and-shell curtains separate her sleeping area from her workout area.
Lining the shelf near Yasmien's bed are her DVDs, ranging from the U.S. television series One Tree Hill and The OC to the movies Dreamgirls and Meet the Fockers. She even has old cassette tapes of the '80s boyband Menudo and singer Lea Salonga. Also in her bedroom are her three acoustic guitars, which she uses to compose music.
Yasmien's workout area has a treadmill (a gift from Dr. Vicki Belo of the Belo Medical Group), a stationary bike, and full-wall mirrors, which she personally requested from her uncle to give the workout area an illusion of space. She doesn't often use the equipment here, but says being a vegan has improved her health and keeps her fit.
"Dati, ang taba-taba ko nga,"she admits. "Noong eleven years old nga ako, nag-thirty-two ang waistline ko. Ang dami-dami kong ginawang diet—'di ko na ma-name, basta sobrang dami. 'Tapos, siguro with age na rin, parang kusang tumaas metabolism ko."
Yasmien, who was raised in the Middle East, can read, write, and speak several languages—Hindi, French, Arabic, English, and, of course, Filipino.
"Pag kasama ko si Mama sa bahay, Tagalog. Si Papa, Arabic. Pag nag-usap kami together tatlo, English. Noong bata ako, mas fluent ako sa French."
Mom Miriam, who met Yasmien's dad when he came to the Philippines in the 1980s to study, recalls how her daughter sometimes got into fights because of incidents of racial discrimination when they were still living abroad: "Minsan, nakipag-away 'yan sa Kuwait. Hindi mo kasi matanggal 'yong discrimination. Kasi alam nila, pag Filipina-maid. Naku, nambabato 'yan. 'Yong shoes niya, 'binabalibag niya."
The funky giant glasses are a souvenir from Yasmien's recent trip to Dubai City, the United Arab Emirates. Other little knickknacks from her travels are displayed all over the house.
"Siguro wala nga akong collections like bags or shoes," Yasmien says, "pero Diyos ko, pag ako nag-travel, si Mama sumasakit ang ulo. Like itong year na 'to, laspag na 'yong passport ko.
"Tuwang-tuwa ako pag laspag na passport ko. Parang, 'Yehey, ang dami ko nang pinuntahan, ang dami kong pictures!' 'Yon ang sobrang kasiyahan ko, as in, nowadays, di siya matutumbasan ng kahit ano."
