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Dreamland: The making of an arts and crafts café

Zest Magazine gets “lost in paradise” in Dreamland, an arts and crafts café in Tagaytay.

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Dreamland is the name of the bar in Miss Saigon; where Kim was pimped by The Engineer to the highest bidder (who happened to be Chris). In not so many words, Dreamland – in my mind – is a whorehouse…

BUT then, there’s a Dreamland in Tagaytay that perhaps wants to reclaim that word, that name from the clutches of sexualized euphoria. Instead, it wants to focus on the literal meaning of that word – i.e. as a place that, borrowing the title of that Robin Williams movie, “where dreams may come”. And so welcome to Dreamland Arts and Crafts Café.

WHAT’S THERE

The place is not that hard to find because of the its artsy appearance even from the outside. Largely made of (or at least covered with) wood, there are numerous – and I mean NUMEROUS – dreamcatchers outside Dreamland, immediately giving it a sense of being peculiar (if not Bohemian). So much so that the sign a the door, which reads “Lost in paradise”, doesn’t sound… trite.

The inside is divided into “sections”. One section (at the left when you enter the door) has stalls; these have goodies from artists and (let’s admit this) pretend-artists that are for sale. On top of this section is a sitting venue for customers. On the right of this section (with the stalls) is the bar/order counter. At the right of the bar/order counter – and which can be seen from the outside – are more seats for the customers. These seats are also surrounded by stalls with more stuffs from artists, all of them for sale.

Dreamland is, to start, a café. And so expect to see café goods here – e.g. kape/coffee (obviously), frappes and pastries galore. But this place is more than just a café; it’s already a mini-resto of sorts, and even offers “silog” meals (more on these later)…

Dreamland is also an “art space”, and so there are “spots” where anyone can do art pieces. These pieces may also be hanged/pasted on a corkboard by the main door.

And, of course, Dreamland is also a “store” (as noted repeatedly), allowing artists to sell their wares to diners and… just about everyone who goes there.







WHY GO THERE

Suffice to say, Dreamland is quite an enticing place. This is particularly true for various reasons…

  1. If you’re health-conscious.

For instance, there are coolers that are healthy – e.g. Indie Minty Pinomansi (from P100), Indie Greens Kalamychee (from P100), and Indie Minty Strawberry (from P100). There’s also detox water (P60), and lemon water (P25).

  1. If you want to imbibe that artsy feel.

I’m not sure everyone knows the relevance of dreamcatchers, but that there’s a place full of them in Tagaytay at all is already enough of a come-on for many (like me)…

  1. Support local.

And yes, if you want to support local, this is a good place to start. There are more localized versions of teas, for instance – e.g. tanglad, malunggay, salabat, lagundi and guyabano (P100 per teapot). Also, the goods being sold are often made (by hand) by local artists; so if you want to support them, head here…





WHY AVOID THE PLACE

HOWEVER, just because this place seem “cool” doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. I, myself, found some things that made me not fully like the place…

For instance, for a venue that has an extremely long menu, so many of the offerings supposedly there aren’t (always) available.

In the two visits, faves like Mamung’s Matcha Mambo (from P80), Sylvanillas Crunch (P120), Indie Greeantea Affogato (P140), and Sansdreamval (150) weren’t available. The same was true with many of the yummy (even if quite pricey) frappes (P200 to P240) – e.g. Matcha ni Tsang (P240), Avocado George (P210), Dream de Leche (P210), and Uberly Gerry (P210).

The place can be expensive for some – e.g. chicken wings cost P200 per serving, potato wedges for P160 per serving (to share), rice toppings from P100 (for Oh My Omelette) to P150 (for Hippie Wings of Love), and ‘silog” from P180 to P220 (!).

This place is also needed to be “dayo”/specifically targeted, and so for those without private transpo, it may not always be accessible.

IN THE END…

Without a doubt, Dreamland has its charm – from the numerous dreamcatchers to the local goods being sold. But it also has limitations (e.g. can be expensive, limited availability of goods, quite far). I’d say, though, that with the proliferation of the likes of CBTL and Starbucks (and others that so many of us see as emblems of “development” and “progress”), anything local – like Dreamland – ought to be supported somewhat. And here, a visit is called for, even if done only once so one can decide for oneself if it’s a place worth visiting indeed…







For more information on Dreamland Arts and Crafts Café, head to @DreamlandTagaytay or @DreamlandLipa in Facebook; or search for #dreamlandph.

Believing that knowing on its own is not good enough, "you have to share what you know, too", Mikee dela Cruz gladly shares through his writing. A (BA) Communication Studies graduate, he had stints with UNAIDS, UNICEF and Ford Foundation, among others, writing "just about everything". Read on as he does some sharing through Zest Magazine.

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Destinations

Going Chinese in Pulilan, Bulacan

Craving for #chinesefood in #Bulacan? We tried the offerings of Lee Foo Panciteria #Pulilan, and we’re on the fence here (yes if no choice, no if you can go elsewhere).

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We happened to be in Pulilan in Bulacan, and I had pancit craving. As if on cue, we passed by Lee Foo Panciteria Pulilan, which – after we Google-checked – is supposedly one of the more frequently-visited Chinese restos in these parts of the province, so… of course we checked.

@outragemag Craving for #chinesefood in #Bulacan? We tried the offerings of Lee Foo Panciteria #Pulilan ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, this place is really, REALLY easy to find. Located along the Pulilan Regional Road in Barangay Cut-cot in Pulilan, this is right in the middle of the municipality.

Ikalawa, the resto is actually divided into three parts: one side is for those with reservations, another part is for walk-in diners, and another part is for events. If/when the resto isn’t full, only the main part (middle one) is kept open.

No, this isn’t some fancy resto. More like an airconditioned karinderya, complete with wooden tables and plastic chairs. Look-wise, it wasn’t dirty naman when we were there, so that’s a plus.

Ikatlo, the workers were friendly naman… and they moved fast – e.g. while waiting for our orders, we were given must-check peanuts, and since we finished what we got fast, our waitress was more than happy to accommodate us.

Ika-apat, now… how was the food?

The house specialty, the Lee Foo Chicken (₱265 for half, ₱495 for whole), looked like fried chicken with ketchup. Okay… the breading was okay since it didn’t overpower the meat. The chicken, too, was properly cooked, and it wasn’t dry. But it was tasteless overall; so the ketchup taste is what stays with you.

The Pancit Canton Bihon (₱255) had thin pancit noodles, almost as thin as the bihon. It didn’t have lots of sahog; instead, you’d notice the extenders (like kikiam, and so on). I like good pancit, I swear… but this isn’t one of them, sorry.

The weirdly-wrapped Hakaw (₱155) was small, so it was bitin.

And then there’s the Siomai Steam (₱155), which was, in a word, weird. The size was good, similar to those ₱10 siomais. But the way this was prepared was weird for us – e.g. like the meat was overwatered, and having a hard time staying solid, so that it was smudgy, and disintegrated in the mouth even without chewing. I suppose that, at least, it wasn’t disgusting taste-wise.

Lee Foo Panciteria Pulilan is, we believe, popular. Like President in Chinatown, or a branch of David’s in some mall. To each his or her own nga naman. But for us, we’re off to look for other Chinese restos na muna as we head out in search of more lafangan venues.

Lee Foo Panciteria Pulilan is located at 159 Barangay Cut-cot, Pulilan, 3005 Bulacan Province. For more information, contact 0925 800 0168, or email leefoopanciteria@yahoo.com.

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Travel

Treacherous beauty: Hiking at South Stack Lighthouse in Wales

#Lighthouse fever in #Holyhead, #anglesey via the #SouthStackLighthouse, as checked during this #LGBT trip to #Wales.

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Yes, tech has made many lighthouses redundant. Not that they’re no longer relevant. But navigation-wise, we know we have more advanced solutions. Which, perhaps not surprisingly, led to the reconfiguration of many of them.

In Holyhead, Anglesey in Wales, introducing the South Stack Lighthouse.

@outragemag #Lighthouse fever in #Holyhead, #anglesey via the #SouthStackLighthouse, as checked during this #LGBT trip to #Wales ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, you’d need a ride to be there. Some use private cars, as we did; others join tours; and others cycle to the place.

Ikalawa, what’s there?

The lighthouse itself is located on a small, rocky island off Holyhead. From afar, it looks like someone’s grand home; mansion-like. Accessible siya after you descend down 400 steep steps. 

What will you see while there?

  • the former lighthouse engine room
  • the top of the lighthouse
  • South Stack is also home to breeding seabirds including guillemots, razorbills and puffins

Here’s an FYI: seasonal lang siya bukas.

This is a must-check for lighthouse lovers, of course. Historic, it was built in 1809 by Trinity House from the design of Daniel Alexander. 91-foot tall, it used to allow safe passage for ships on the Dublin–Holyhead–Liverpool sea route. 

Another FYI: It is  allegedly haunted, and has been visited by a team from “Most Haunted”.

The area housing the lighthouse is, itself, worth checking. There are trails for hikers or joggers or cyclists; though the same could be enjoyed by those who are there only to look for good shots.

Check when you’re in the area… even if you just pass by. Nice siya, promise.

But off we go for more LGBTQIA+ rampa

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Travel

Enjoying nature via trail hiking in Wales

Enjoying nature via #trail #hiking at #Snowdonia #SnowdoniaSlateTrail during one #LGBT visit in #Gwynedd, #Wales.

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When in Bangor, you’d be told often that among the best things to do is to hike. And among the must-check is the Snowdonia Slate Trail, which links the old slate-quarrying communities of Eryri/Snowdonia.

So… ayan na nga, even without the right outfit for hiking, but ayaw ma-miss ang chance to check the area, off we went.

@outragemag Enjoying nature via #trail #hiking at #Snowdonia #SnowdoniaSlateTrail during one #LGBT visit in #Gwynedd, #Wales ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the circular route starts near Bangor/Porth Penrhyn. And you need a car or whatever to get to the starting point.

Ikalawa, the trail isn’t just for hiking. It’s also for biking or walking dogs. So you’d be sharing the 133-kilometer long trail with others.

Ikatlo, what’s there?

Mountains built by remnants from quarry sites, to start.

So… Gwynedd used to be known for slate quarrying, and among the biggest players is Penrhyn Quarry which is near Gwynedd, part of The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Now… with slate quarrying, around 75% of extracted material are inferior in quality, called overburden, and so becoming mineral waste. Here, they’re now mountains.

But the trail also shows views typically associated with Wales – e.g. rolling hills that go on forever, rock fences, sheep farms, canals with flowing water… and more.

Usually, sa matatag, people hike the Snowdonia Slate Trail for up to seven days, passing through Bethesda, Llanberis, and so on. But for others… it’s but an opportunity to commune with nature, in a way, while taking those must-have shots.

But we’re off for more LGBTQIA+ discoveries…

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