There is nothing new about associating Lipa, Batangas with its widely-known “kapeng barako”. So when our team arrived in the “Little Rome of the Philippines”, we immediately thought of searching for none other than the said coffee.
However, the Fates seemed to favor us by letting us discover something worth coming back for in Lipa aside from its famous product.
It was already past 9 when we, the Volkswagen PH team, went looking for a place to save us from starvation. We stayed in Lipa, Batangas for two days for our car display held at Robinson’s Lipa. To both our amazement and slight dismay, most establishments in Lipa close at 8:00 pm. Our display ended at around 8:30 in the evening. We still had to attend to the egress matters before leaving. When we were all set, we drove around the area to find a decent restaurant/grill that could offer us the meals that our indignant stomachs deserve.
That night of Sept. 20, 2015, Erubz, one of our sales consultants, suggested to check De La Salle Lipa’s premises. As expected, most of the establishments nearby had already closed or had taken the final orders. We almost went back to our demo units with nothing but misery to fill our bellies. Until a sign managed to catch what was left of my drifting attention.
CAFE. That was the only thing that my weary brain cells had the strength to comprehend. I entered the place, hoping beyond hope that it could be our most awaited savior that night. To my surprise, it even exceeded my expectation.
Dreamland. That was what cradled us and stripped us away with all the ill wills that we gained from hunger. Apparently, Dreamland Arts and Crafts Cafe is a sanctuary owned by Arjay Mangubat especially designed to cater to the needs of dreamers and indie souls. It is located at 149 Yakal Street, Villa Lourdes Subd., Brgy. Tambo, Lipa City, just opposite of De La Salle Lipa. The cafe has artworks of its customers, photos, and notes as the backdrop of its walls.
When you enter, vintage stuff and collections for sale will boast its refinement to your eyes. The cafe sells the handmade goodies by Indie Green Culture. There are variants of hippie necklaces, bracelets, and other accessories. There are framed paintings and artworks all over the walls. Handmade keychains like dreamcatchers and mini “balisongs” are also available, as well as Aztec-printed blouses, scarves, socks, and shoes.
And of course, it’s not only the retail products that the cafe offers. It has meals that are both pleasing to the eyes and the stomach. It also has the kind of menu that supports healthy living. It has malunggay products such as malunggay garlic bread and malunggay rice. Here’s the list of the menu:
And a taste of heaven on Earth..
You can just imagine how the place managed to make our exhaustion ebb away with its homey ambiance. Around are books, musical instruments, artworks, photos, and board games for the indie soul’s content. You can enjoy a good read while having coffee. You can play the guitar or sungka. You can also practice calligraphy using their colored pens and sticky notes. The cafe believes in the “disconnect to connect” mantra. There is no WiFi connection so its customers may have the time to disengage themselves from the addictive effects of social media and relearn what connecting with people really means.
We had the whole place for ourselves so we made the most out of our liberty to choose our own separate tables.
Every inch of the place highlights the potential of making things happen. Through the random notes and artworks on its walls, it brings the person to “Dreamland” where he/she can be whomever he/she wants to be. The cafe encourages people to chase after their dreams and believe in nothing but their possibility.
That night of Sept. 20, 2015, we only dreamed of having a decent dinner to compensate for the fatigue. But Dreamland Arts and Crafts Cafe surpassed that dream as it brought us to our own “Dreamland”. The experience was the best way to complete our successful trip in Lipa. Not only did it give us something to satisfy our stomachs with, but it also granted us something worth coming back to in Lipa that we had not even thought to dream about in the first place.
Here are their contact details:
For inquiries
Business Phone: +6343 404-9787
SMS/Call/Viber +639166498271
Email: indiegreenculture@gmail.com
IG: @indiegreenculture
FB Page: Dreamland Arts & Crafts Cafe
You’re welcome. 🙂
Alecks Ambayec 