Coffee Crawl 001 – Legazpi Village

One Friday afternoon, me and my friend, Sharmie, decided to have coffee. Well, it’s not a simple plan just like that. We have been trying our best to have coffee get together for the longest and we failed miserably because of our schedules and prior commitments. To give you a short back ground, me and Sharmie are both coffee lovers. We cannot start our day without our daily dose of caffeine. Sharmie has always been asking me what coffee shops I frequently visit and I have decided to bring her in one of my most favorite neighborhoods to get great coffee here in Metro Manila.

Me and Sharmie – Off To See and Taste The Coffee

To be exact, we have visited a total of four coffee shops all in Legaspi Village in Makati City and we call it our coffee crawl date.

As you have probably know by now, I am a big lover of coffee house aesthetic and most of the time, I prefer the quaint, not-so-secret coffee houses over the franchised ones.

First stop is The Curator. This visit is my fourth time in Curator and I can consider it as one of the best shops to have your coffee. I really envy those people who work nearby as they can just pop in and out of this secret coffee shop anytime.

Minimalist

Shake O Wat O

Curator’s design aesthetic is very minimalist mixed with a slow club hits that remind you to just slow down and have fun. The music they play kind of reminds me of Boracay backdrop whenever I’m there that tells me to to just slowdown and enjoy my cup of coffee. I also consider Curator as one of the most pleasingly aesthetic coffeehouse I have been to (together with the coffeehouse in Mozaic Design). Sorry but I am big fan of neutrals and thinking of having that color scheme when I get my own place soon.

Hint of Greenery

Happy Face

Off to the next stop is Yardstick. Another must visit place for all coffee lovers out there. Yardstick is workshop place for coffee roasting. Aside from roasting their own coffee, they also supply beans to different coffeeshops.

Happy Face (Part 2)

Yardstick aesthetic is bright like exposure level +50 in snapseed. It is so bright there, given that the place is a workshop. What’s great with bright places is it makes everything pop and will help you process your pictures easier. I also love the color scheme they have selected for their coffee cups.

Love The Colors

Hard At Work

All Hearts for the Coffee

Before going to our third coffeeshop, we stopped by a garden in the middle of the city. It gave our body some lieu way to process the caffeine we had and to enjoy some greenery in the process.

Zen

OOTD ~ See my previous entry for details

After that quick side trip, we moved on to The Local Edition. Out of the places we have visited so far, Local Edition is the most jam-packed.

Teaspresso

That Cheesy Goodness!

Always Doing The Most

Sharmie have to pass on drinking some coffee and I opt to get their teaspresso instead. I think I ordered the exact same thing the last time I was there. Their grilled cheese sandwich was the best grilled cheese I had and it is so affordable, I really recommend the grilled cheese sandwich in The Local Edition.

Last but not the least, one of my most fave if I will tally all the coffee shops I have been to, Fundamental Coffee would end up on my top three list. Unknown to many, Fundamental Coffee is only a few steps away from Glorrieta. I really love how people do not really notice this coffee place and I want to be greedy and not to share this place with everyone.

Happy Face (Part 3)

Contemplating What To Order

Iced

That’s our coffee crawl in Legaspi Village in Makati. Me and Sharmie are planning where to do our next coffee crawl. Check out her facebook account as she was able to post a vlog about our coffee crawl day. This coffee crawl is definitely not the last one and you can see more of Sharmie on the next coffee crawl post.

Thanks Sha! Until The Next One! 

This post is for all those coffee lovers out there. Manila is really bustling with great coffee house and I am happy to see the growth of third wave coffee in our dear country.

‘Til the next pose & post!

PS – Click the LINK for Sharmie’ s vlog. 

Gimme, Gimme That Ice Cream

Summer in Manila is scorching. As in like very hot. Though, as per the weather agency, summer will soon end and we only have until the second week of June to enjoy or hate this climate. For other countries, summer is just starting; but for us here in the Philippines, summer is almost over. Anyways, do not overthink it, we have summer almost all year long with the exemptions of the days/ weekends/ weeks we have a tropical storm in our territory. We have officially the months of March, April and May as our summer months but in fact you can hit the beach almost any day of the year.

All summer long, I’ve noted all the ice cream places I’ve visited. I’m no food blogger/ specialist but all of us have that foodie inside of us. Ice cream has always been my guilty pleasure and my to go to dessert (or sometime snack, lunch?). Aside from that, ice cream looks good on your Instagram feed. They are my favorite food subject for all those #Nomnom or #FoodPorn. Are you guilty of that? Yes, I am!

So here goes my shortlist of my favorite ice cream stops I’ve had this summer 2015:

MILKCOW – Located in Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City
   

  

Milkcow is a popular ice cream chain from South Korea that serves soft serve ice creams. What makes it standout is the variety of unconventionally toppings that you can add or choose from like honeycomb, macarons, cotton candy among others. To make it easier for you, they have their menu so that you easily select which combinations you like. Not enough toppings or wanted that cute macaron on topof your sundae? Fret not as you can add those sweet things ala carte. 🙂 And Lee Jong Suk all over the shop, add on!

MAGPIE CAFE – Maginhawa Street, Teacher’s Village, Quezon City

  
Magpie Cafe is part of a new neighborhood food complex in Maginhawa Street called “Streat”. This cafe has some serious Korean vibe in it. Small space who can only accommodate less than 10 people at a time. Though it has a very limited sitting, that gives a relaxed vibe and ambiance. Magpie Cafe serves coffee, pastries and bingsu. Ever wonder what a magpie is? Magpie is actually a type of bird that can be found in Korea.

RITA’S – UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City

  
Rita’s Ice is a gelato parlor that originated in the Unites States but gelato are Italian desserts. You need to go to this place multiple times as they have great variety of things to offer. They have gelato, custards and all sorts of sweet things. You can even have a bubble gum flavored iced water!

COLDSTONE CREAMERY – Branches all over Metro Manila.

  
Variety. They have a lot! You can choose from all those flavors. Good thing is that you can have different size for your ice creams and you can try up to 5 flavors in one cup or serving. Craving for the same flavor? Worry not, just tell the them that you want all your 5 scoops with the same flavors. Just after they took your order and prepared the ice cream, make sure that you are literally ready to catch your ice cream as they will throw it to you. Don’t worry if the ice cream falls in the ground, they will make a fresh one for you. All just for fun!

KOOL KIDS – SM Mega Fashion Hall, Megamall, Mandaluyong

  
Ice cream made using some experiment and done in front of you. Think of Dexter’s Lab meets ice cream. Once you have ordered, they will make your ice cream while you wait. It’s not a long wait by the way, just around a minute or two. They just put the ingredients together and some cold smoke comes out from all the chemical reaction, viola you have your ice cream!

FLAFE (FLOWER AND CAFE) – Cityland Tower, Ortigas Center, Pasig City

  
One of my most fave coffee shops in Ortigas area, aside from the fact that the owner is very friendly and nice, Flafe offers different things and all sorts of Korean sweet treats. I have done an article about Flafe before. They have updated their menu, so when you haven’t visited Flafe the longest time, feel free to drop by and enjoy their new offerings. Of course, the patbingsus (bingsu) are a must-try. Pick a flower on your way out, they have such great flower arrangement. That’s a cute combination, flower and coffee!

SNOW CREME – Maginhawa Street, Teacher’s Village, Quezon City

  
Shaved flavored ice are the best coolers. Every country in East and Southeast Asia has their own version of shaved ice. Snow Creme is a concept from Taiwan. Taiwan has been known as one of best shaved ice in the world. So it only means one thing. Try their milkteas and snacks too, you will not be disappointed.

CAFFE BENE – Citywalk 2, Libis, Quezon City

  
Caffe Bene is known as Korea’s most popular coffeehouse chain. No wonder why they are named such as. Aside from their very unique coffee offering, they also have tons of things to offer like gelato, toasts, pastries and bingsu! All items are Instagram worthy. Aside from how cool everything looks like, the taste is as cool. You want to stay in this coffee house as long as you can. Daydreaming like you are in a K-Drama scene. Literally, the ambiance is among the best I ever experience in a coffee shop. Or maybe at that time, it was not a primetime when we visited the place and we were the only visitors. Best time to visit is during opening time. Though Caffe Bene opens a little late for a coffee shop.

Morelli’s Gelato – Shangila Mall East Wing, Mandaluyong City

  
Been eyeing this place for quite some time but always failed to go there as it’s either we already had dessert somewhere or my friend already have something in mind where to get their sweet fix. Morelli’s offers a great deal of classic sundaes in a very fancy packaging. Don’t be fooled by how it looks as how tasty and delicious their sundaes are, Morelli somehow is quite reasonable for it’s price. They have usual classics like chocolate & strawberry mix, you can order gelato by the scoop and correct me if I’m wrong as I might have seen someone having a banana split in Morelli’s?

And my top picks are:

FARMACY – Net Lima, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

  
Think old school ice cream parlour. That’s heaven, right? Farmacy is the same group who are responsible behind Wildflour Cafe and Bakery. Farmacy indeed bring us back to the golden time of the 40s and 50s. Though it is not my generation, I can relate to the real ice cream classics. The classics really are for the young at heart and young alike. Classic knows no generation especially when we are talking about ice creams.

CAFE SEOLHWA – 2nd Floor Forum South Global, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

  
Been here multiple times this summer, Cafe Seolhwa is a newly opened Korean desserts cafe. Cafe Seolhwa has been my automatic to go to desserts place for Summer 2015. I love everything this cafe offers but my forever favorites are the bingsus. My recommendations: Injeolmi Bingsu and Mango Cheesecake Bingsu.

Not too late to have an ice cream and I hope I gave you an idea where to get that cold and sweet fix. Cue Red Velvet’s song “Ice Cream Cake”.

‘Til the next pose & post!

More Epic Than The Usual

Who might have thought that coffee and bike go together? Such a different concept right? Very unusual but you can definitely find one.

This Will Greet You At The Entrance

Vintage Vibe

Vintage Counter

Epic Coffee Roastery is a coffeehouse located in the heart of Kapitolyo, Pasig. The Kapitolyo area can be dubbed as Food Capital of Eastern Manila. Ok, Im just the one who came up with that but hey don’t you agree as Kapitolyo is crowded by restaurants, watering holes and bakeries. Not just your run-in-the-mill restaurants but awesome restaurants with different cuisine.

Ceiling & Blackboard

Bag of Coffee Beans

When you enter Epic Roastery Coffee, you will be greeted by the aroma of the coffee and the quietness of the area. Unless you are like me and my friends, you might be a little embarassed talking a little loud for almost all people are studying (or pretending to do so), surfing the net or on a meeting (or group study). I really don’t get the idea why you need to study in a coffee shop, never done that and never intended to do so but hey this is democratic country so you can choose your own poison, right? One of the reasons I like about Epic is that even if you decided to have coffee on your own, you will never feel the sense of being an outcast or a loner.

View To Outside

To Inside

Even the Condiments Counter is Up For The Concept

I Find This Cool

Bikes Remind Me of Japan

Words of Wisdom

Epic Roastery Coffee has a Japanese sub-urban vibe. Minus the part that they use bossanova as their background music which I believe is a must for all coffee house to achieve the coffee house feel. The theme/ concept of bicycle is very “Nihon” less the excessive kawaii-ness. I’ve found a new obsession with coffee house aesthtic and Epic definitely exceeded my expectation. I love how the drop lights are strategically place so as the tables, they are perfect.

Wall Counter

The Vibe is Perfect

Anatomy of Coffee

Those Cups

Color Cake!

Class Picture

Well Deserved Solo Pic

So if you have the time to drop by and/or nearby Kapitolyo area, I really recommend you to visit Epic Coffee Roastery to get your dose of coffee instead of running at the usual coffeeshop chain. They don’t just have coffee, they offer baked goodies like cakes and bars.

Perfect for Take Outs

‘Til the next pose & post!

Waiting In Vain?

Flower and Cafe – Flafe

Flowers and coffee, such a cute combination right? The concept of flowers and coffee is not really new but combined with a very good ambiance, it would be the perfect coffee date with friends.

There’s a new coffee house in my favorite part of Metro Manila, Ortigas Center. Flower is a common sight and coffee is the main course being served. Remember how I wish like a few posts ago that another quaint coffee shop will open and viola, it was answered very quickly. Run and owned by a Korean, the boutique coffee house really represent all sort Korean. From the background music ranging from KPop ballads from the like of IU, to the desserts that are very Korean, it seems you are easily transported to some small coffee shop in Busan, Korea. The place is well-decorated with flower adornments which you can’t help but snap those pictures away. Take a picture with your friends as the place will give you that “oh-so-nice” feeling while the coffee is being brewed.

What I really liked aside from the range of coffee and teas they provide, they have a modest set of cupcakes and pastries in store. Though I haven’t tried them yet but I already made a mental note that on my next visit, I will surely try those baked goodies. They look delish but the last few occasions I visited the shop, I was really full and was just looking for some desserts.

On my second visit to the shop, I didn’t pass up the chance to try those “Patbingsu” as what the owner and the baristas said are like the Philippines’ Halo-halo. When you taste the bingsu, it would taste like the normal halo-halo less the dozens of ingredients added. Instead of comparing it to halo-halo, I prefer to compare bingsu to Japanese kakigori. Well, whatever they call it – kakigori, bingsu or halohalo, it was really a tasty and cold treat.

Did I pass on to taste coffee, of course not!

I really enjoyed the place and planning to visit it more. Since the shop just recently opened, hopefully they can offer more in terms of food and drink but enough said, I really recommend “Flafe – Flower and Café”. How nice they thought of the name right? Did you even notice it?

Flafe – Flower and Café is located at 118 Grand Emerald Tower Ortigas Jr Road Ortigas Center

‘Til the next pose & post!

PS. Can you still remember my last outfit post? It was taken at Flafe!

Sober or Tipsy Coffee?

Growing up, I am not a fan of coffee. I like my drinks frothy and milky. So any day you would ask me: milktea? OR coffee? My automatic response would be milktea.

Coffee!

Wall Art

Later on, I developed a taste for coffee. Though if you’ll see me ordering one in a coffeeshop and ask the barista what I usually order, they always say, “That drink is too sweet!”. Like I said, I prefer my coffee frothy and milky plus a loads of sweet added- that is why Splenda is my coffee bestfriend. 😉

Just a few days back, my college friends introduced me to “hole in a wall” coffeehouse which coincidentally located where our family used to live like 12 years ago. I never had the chance to revisit “my hometown” and it was really nostalgic to finally revisit the area. Too bad that we agreed to visit the coffeehouse a little late, I was not able to drop by or visit some of my childhood friends’ place.

2nd Floor Coffeehouse

Tipsy Beans is coffeehouse that of course serves coffee with a little bit of twist. They have a whole line where coffee or drinks are mixed with liquor. Though the idea of mixing liquor with coffee is not a new thing for me as I tried it some years back. I have to say that their coffee really tastes nice and milky (just the way I like it). The place has an ambiance of privacy though you will never feel claustrophobic. The lights are not dimmed but still very homey and relaxing.

One of the reasons I like going to coffeehouses is to oogle to their interiors and designs. Countries like Japan and Korea have small coffeehouses that are well designed. I even watched somewhere that in Korea, those little coffeehouses can only accomodate 5 people the most at a time. Philippines, specifically Manila, is following that trend. Remember Subspace Coffeehouse? (You can read about Subspace by clicking HERE) Hopefully more and more coffeehouses like Subspace and Tipsy Beans will open soon. Anyways, I am eye-ing one coffeehouse in Manila and I am dying to visit the place for a year now but I don’t have the chance yet. Maybe next month or next week?

Small Space But Comfortable

Some Designs

Coffee Grounds = Environment Friendly Fertilizer

Literal: Liquor Over Coffee

Agree

Freedom Wall (Paper)

What I Wrote

What Jhen Wrote (Explain?) 😉

Korea Inspired?

Blacks and Whites: Perfect Color Combination

Wall Half-Full of Quotes and Ehlaine is Ready for the Camera

Of course food and drinks are part of the reasons to visit coffeehouses. What differs Tipsy Beans from others is their line of food and drinks with liquor like rhum, whiskey, vodka among others.

Vodka + Rootbeer = Vootbeer Float

Bacon Milkshake

Irish Creme on Coffee Rocks

Tipsy Frappucino

Different Pastas and Sandwiches

Spicy Tuna Pesto. Anthing with pesto is love!

Tipsy Beans Menu

I will definitely be back in Tipsy Beans soon. Maybe I can ask my childhood friends to have coffee there and do some major catching-up the next time I visit the area. A little bit of info, I visited Tipsy Beans twice now.

First Time on Tipsy Beans with Amor and Ehlaine

What I Wore The First Visit (It was a very rainy night)

Tipsy Beans is located at 50 Domingo M. Guevarra Street (Formerly Libertad), Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City

‘Til the next pose and post!

Shoes Inculturation

I really wanted to visit for the longest time the quaint city in Metro Manila dubbed as “The Nation’s Shoe Capital”. I just dont have the time (and effort) to go there even if it is just like a 15-30 minute drive from my workplace. Finally, I was able to visit the area because of the shoe exhibit/ fair they are annualy running.

Marikina City is known for their craftmanship for quality shoes. I have to be honest this is actually my very first time to buy a pair of shoes made in Marikina, and dont you worry I am planning to go back every now and then to buy some shoes and be proud of Philippine made products.

It started one Friday afternoon after work, me and my “ate” ( “ate” is a Filipino term for older sister, but this “ate” I was referring is we are not related by blood- mainly a co-worker) went to this small city because we wanted to visit the “Sapatos Festival”.

The late afternoon started in “Cafe Kapitan”. Known to locals as the home of the first ever sapatero in Marikina. They renovated the place and made it into a classy restaurant. We are not supposed to eat there and my co-worker only need to give something to the owner but we were invited to the banquet organized by the owner because of the celebration of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. We experienced the generousity and warmness of the Marikenos. Thank you very much and we really enjoyed the food. If you have the time, please don’t hesitate to drop by “Cafe Kapitan” and enjoy the great food and ambiance.

The entrance

What we really planned to do for the afternoon is to buy some shoes. I feel like I am in a house full of shoes. I can go broke here buying all I want to buy – and the prices are so super affordable.

Happy Shopper

Very tourist-y shot

After enjoying some time shopping and trying on different shoes. We are so famished. We decided to eat at the renowned “Cafe Lidia”. To be honest, I dont know anything in Marikina and good thing that my friend / co – worker knows a lot of stuff around Marikina. He did all his research beforehand and I believe it was his 3rd time in Marikina to buy shoes and to enjoy the cuisine.

Pasta Lidia and Marinara

I enjoyed the local culture and one of my 2014’s resolutions is for me to experience more of this kind of education. I will do my best to support local stuff like shoes and clothes, and enjoy local cultures. Don’t forget to visit the “Zapatero Festival” in Patio del Zapatero in Shoe Avenue Marikina City just beside the Shoe Museum (too bad, we werent able to visit the museum because it is too late).

Very nice art installation

Til the next pose and post!

Subspace Coffeehouse

I really wanted to go to some artsy coffee shops for quite some time now but they are not here in Manila nor in my country. I know, I am an east asian junkie (but hey, Philippines can be sometime be considered East Asia ~ am I right?), and whenever I watch those Japanese or Korean lifestyle travel shows from Arirang and NHK, I want to try those very quaint, not crowded, very authentic and artsy coffee shops and viola one opened in my favorite district in Metro Manila, Ortigas Centre.

My fascination with Japanese/ Korean culture and coffee is a perfect marriage that can be seen in “Subspace Coffeehouse”. This coffee house concept in Manila is relatively new because we Filipinos tend to go to  commercialized Starbucks, Caffe Bene or CBTL for our coffee indulgence. When you enter Subspace you will be awed with the interior. It is not that spacey and the clutter of random design/ furniture is thrown all around. Just enough room for walking area and it is not really designed to queue just like in Starbucks. If it is less crowded meaning you can enjoy more chika time with your friends which what we did yesterday. Even the playlist is very K-Pop because I happened to hear some Big Bang songs though no 2NE1’s “Falling In Love” in their playlist.

And here’s what I ordered:

That’s the Purple Potato Latte. In Tagalog, is it “kamote” or is it “ube”? Anyways it is heaven although I should have said to had it in extra hot because I want my coffee extra hot. Look at the artwork they added, it was fantastic. I even noticed that the artwork for each order is different. Ain’t that really nice? I had some light snack as well, and I ordered the very sumptous lemon bars. My friend ordered the Peanut Butter Latte, which is ok for me but I prefer what I ordered.

Here are some more pics to enjoy:

The view of Ortigas Road from the inside of the shop:

And of course I asked my friend to take a picture of me with this ala K-Drama. He said that it is like a “waiting in vain” scene from a K-Drama.

And finally this is so cute that I have to squeeze this picture in. I noticed this on the way out:

Enjoy your coffee!

Til the next pose & post!