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Time Out
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Inside the retro romance of Jay and Ple Spencer
Picture this, dusky pink walls, curving bronze shelves, rattan panels and a playlist that swings between disco and dreamy lounge jazz. We're perched on a velvet banquette at Dusit Thani's new 1970 Bar, and it genuinely feels like we've stepped back into the golden age of glamour. It's here, amid cocktails and unrivalled city views, that we meet Jay and Jareyadee 'Ple' Spencer, founders of Woof Pack Projects, long-time creative forces in Bangkok, and one of the city's most quietly iconic couples. 'I think the 1970s were a time of beautifully decorated spaces,' Jay says, sipping a dirty martini. 'This bar feels like a private penthouse imagined by someone with great taste. André Fu nailed it – it's intimate, nice and private.' Ple agrees, though her eye goes straight to the skyline. 'I love the view,' she smiles. 'You're surrounded by towers in the city, and suddenly there's green. It feels calm. Dusit has always had this iconic presence – it's part of the neighbourhood. Coming here feels like visiting a friend's apartment: it's cosy, it's comforting.' If the pair were actually living in the '70s? 'I'd be in the same field, just different aesthetics,' Jay muses. 'I've always been surrounded by art and design, so I'd still be doing this – maybe just trading skinny jeans for bell bottoms.' Ple lights up. 'I'd be running a production house,' she says without missing a beat. 'I actually wanted to be an architect, then switched to advertising. I was obsessed with the idea of having a full-service creative company. My dad told me it'd be expensive. I said I didn't care – I just wanted to do it.' A film of their own: cult classics, and a little madness The vibe of 1970 Bar has them dreaming of film scenes, too. 'Pulp Fiction,' Ple declares, 'is my all-time favourite. The mood, the tone, the soundtrack… and Quentin Tarantino is delightfully mad in every way. The way Uma Thurman and John Travolta dance at Jack Rabbit Slim's? Iconic. You have to be that intense to be iconic.' Jay chuckles. 'Mine 'would probably be a horror film. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, The Birds, something offbeat and a little disturbing.' The everyday and the endless Despite the cinematic style and public-facing lives, Jay and Ple are remarkably down-to-earth. They met while working at TCDC and now juggle running Woof Pack Projects, raising two young kids, and still somehow making time for themselves, and each other. 'We're similar in some ways and completely different in others,' Jay says. 'When one of us is down, the other steps up. That's why it works. We understand each other. A relationship teaches you patience, and awareness. And having kids? That changes everything – it's a constant journey.' He laughs, glancing at Ple. 'Whenever there's a problem, she runs away.' 'Are you mad? That's nonsense,' Ple shoots back with a grin. 'She legs it and leaves me behind,' Jay teases. Then, more seriously, he adds, 'We just carry different kinds of stress. We have different ways of working, different levels of patience, and ways of dealing with things.' Ple nods. 'There's no filter when you've been together this long. We're each other's closest person, so we constantly have to adjust. I'm very honest and clear. I think that helps. But it's also about patience, supporting each other and knowing when to step back.' When things get hectic – exhibitions, filming, school runs – they still make space for time together. 'Even if we're just sitting side by side, not talking,' Ple says, 'we need those moments. It doesn't have to be romantic, just real.' Jay adds, 'We'll do date nights, travel together if we can. You always have to make time. Even just three to four hours to eat, sleep, be with each other, that's what keeps things going.' As for who's the more restless one? 'Jay's the 'let's do one more thing' type,' Ple grins. 'He never stops.' Jay laughs. 'I've never said 'let's take a break' in my life.' Ple chimes in, 'We were both like that before, but these days – with work, kids, dogs – I'm more likely to be the one saying, 'Let's pause.'' Where it all comes together Despite the intensity, they both light up when talking about Woof Pack Projects. Tucked just off Saladaeng, it's become a landmark for creative events, exhibitions, and formerly independent cinema. Now, it also houses the Time Out Thailand office. But more than that – it's theirs. 'Saladaeng is where we started our journey,' says Jay. 'After our first project in Sukhumvit, we moved to Woof Pack. We were one of the first in this area. It holds a special place in our lives.' Ple adds, 'It's our story from day one. We've done so many shows there, and people associate the space with us. We've helped shape the creative neighbourhood around it and we're still going.' Even with all the appearances at glittering events, they're selective about their social calendar. 'The line between work and life is blurry,' Jay admits. 'You don't always stay the whole night. Balance is key.' And what kind of legacy do they hope to leave for their kids? Jay's answer is simple, 'That we were present. We weren't just busy with work – we showed up for them, made time for them. That's what I want them to remember.' Ple hopes they'll understand something deeper. 'My dad always said, 'The value of a person is in their work.' I want the kids to see that. Both Jay and I give 100 percent to what we do. It's in our DNA.' As the night winds down and the lights at 1970 Bar dim a little, you get the sense that Jay and Ple don't just live creatively – they live deliberately. In a city that's always rushing forward, they've built a life filled with care, connection and just enough retro sparkle to keep things fun. And yes, Ple was right. Jay did order the dirty martini. She stuck with a glass of red wine. Some things never change. Photographer: STYLEdeJATE @styledejate Art Director: PK Vanasirikul @peeekks Senior designer: Methita Trakulpoonsub @methitaa Project manager: Sirinart Panyasricharoen @tibabit Writer: Sarunrat Ardpruksa @toeysarunrat Video: Phithiphon Mueadthaisong @temptm_ Video Editor: Weerawich Thitipatwarrachai @102_14b Photos: STYLEdeJATE @styledejate Assistant photographer: @Fernnrr.279 Stylist: Mathimon Intharasuwan @chubbyz_gt Hair stylist: Jarukit Chathong @reduce_frizz Makeup artist: Kantapong Chansamlee @katangiswho @whoiskatang Lighting: Stoppie Pumipat Concept: @laurieosborne
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Investing in Equity Bancshares (NYSE:EQBK) five years ago would have delivered you a 66% gain
If you buy and hold a stock for many years, you'd hope to be making a profit. But more than that, you probably want to see it rise more than the market average. Unfortunately for shareholders, while the Equity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:EQBK) share price is up 58% in the last five years, that's less than the market return. On a brighter note, more newer shareholders are probably rather content with the 35% share price gain over twelve months. So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress. See our latest analysis for Equity Bancshares There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Over half a decade, Equity Bancshares managed to grow its earnings per share at 17% a year. The EPS growth is more impressive than the yearly share price gain of 10% over the same period. Therefore, it seems the market has become relatively pessimistic about the company. The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). It's good to see that there was some significant insider buying in the last three months. That's a positive. On the other hand, we think the revenue and earnings trends are much more meaningful measures of the business. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here.. It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. We note that for Equity Bancshares the TSR over the last 5 years was 66%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! It's good to see that Equity Bancshares has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 37% in the last twelve months. Of course, that includes the dividend. That's better than the annualised return of 11% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. It is all well and good that insiders have been buying shares, but we suggest you check here to see what price insiders were buying at. There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of undervalued small cap companies that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
