I first learned about DITO: Bahay ng Sining when I was helping out one of my best friends for her…read moreband's second music video. They were doing a cover of an OPM classic and we used DITO as one of our major locations. Upon seeing DITO, I was certainly impressed by its set-up. Half of it was a mini-theatre, complete with stage and built-in spotlights. They had monoblocks chairs, benches, beanbags and an audio mixer for the plays that were staged here. Apparently, the owner of DITO is an award-winning playwright from Ateneo. He wanted a place to stage his own plays so he decided to build one with the help of his parents. A lot of other plays have been staged here and SPIT has also done a show here. Right beside the theatre is the café part of DITO. They don't have an extensive menu but they have a couple of rice meals, pastas and sandwiches. The café also serves coffee and I have to say its one of the best I've had. It wasn't a latte or a frappucino - it was just straight up Kapeng Barako, and it was delicious. They also serve local beers and other cocktails, which comes in handy right after the play. At the back end of the café, you will see couches and a huge shelf full of books and a ton of board games. This gives customers a chance to just really hang out at DITO with their friends, even if they're not into theatre arts. That doesn't stop there. DITO's walls are furnished with some up-and-coming local artists' works. All those that are displayed are being sold so feel free to look around and check out what you like enough to purchase. If nothing urges you to buy, then just take a hipster photo with those pieces as background. DITO: Bahay ng Sining is a pretty cool place to hang out. If I lived near Marikina or easily had access to this place, I'd probably become a regular. I can just sit back, read and have a cup of coffee, and burn the hours away. It's definitely one hipster spot you "non-hipsters" will absolutely enjoy.

As a southerner, I was a bit uncomfortable going into the bowels of Marikina for an impromptu…read moreperformance, which a friend invited me to. But after actually visiting the place, I wouldn't mind going again! Dito is found on the second floor of a two-storey building. The stairway going up is decorated with artworks, including the chandelier and a huge mural on the wall. There were no windows at all, so I was surprised when I saw the interior: a large dining area with enough room for a tech booth, a small stage with basic lighting. There are artworks for sale on the walls and there were shelves with ample reading material. My favorite part of the restaurant: a part of the large bookshelf at the back of the restaurant with books and boardgames slides backward to reveal another room! Well, actually, it's the dressing room for the performers, but still! Secret doors are awesome! :D The dressing room - which is complete with a mirror with stage lights, chairs, and just enough space to warm up a bit - also comes with its own storage area (for costumes, props, etc.) and its own private bathroom. As a performer, I'm soooo thankful for this! Their menu isn't large, just some basic pasta, sandwiches, and appetizers, and beers. I ordered their bacon, egg and mozzarella tarts. Yum. It's got bacon, I don't need to explain anything. Dito has regular events and seems to be a good venue for young, aspiring artists and avant-garde performances. A couple of friends and I did contemporary dance improvisation here, followed by some spoken word, folk dance, and a Japanese koto accompanied by acoustic guitar. I haven't heard of any other place that does events like these, so it's definitely worth more visits!

Sometimes, even the smallest gestures can make someone smile, and that's what usually happens…read morewhenever I go to this Starbucks branch. The baristas are always friendly that I don't mind if they make a mistake in spelling my name hehe. It is in this branch that I learned about Starbucks' sugar-free vanilla syrup, which is a lot less sweeter than the regular syrup used for most Starbucks drinks. I often order their iced green tea latte with a shot of soy milk. Yum! It's great with most of their snacks, but I recommend the Spam jalapeno sandwich with egg & cheddar.

I'd tried various restaurants in Marikina and most have been very good. Thought I'd check out more…read moreby looking on Yelp, then decided to try Mama Chit's. I'm visiting my family for a month and trying a different restaurant or two every day.. I got the double cheeseburger. It was quite big, though taste was nothing to write home about. Compared to hamburger places back home in the US it's cheap, but for the Marikina area a bit high priced for what you get. The waiter was friendly which was a plus, and the decor though odd, was interesting. I was curious because of other reviews but unfortunately not really impressed.

Whenever we pass this road, we always see a throng of bikers chattering and munching at the al…read morefresco area. This was enough for me to get curious and give it a try. The vintage pop look and vibe of the restaurant (or rather, diner) is accentuated by pop art paintings of Marilyn Monroe, old tin cans, memorabilia, photographs from the 50s to the 80s, vintage soda bottles, and even old posters of cough medicine only our parents would be familiar with. Thoroughly excited, I ordered a cheeseburger while my friend ordered their pepper steak sandwich. I was impressed by the selection of imported sodas they had, ranging from Dr. Pepper to cherry and vanilla Coke. While my friend decided to get a can of Dr. Pepper, I decided to turn it up a notch and got a cherry float. Our meal cost us less than PhP 200 each, and by the satisfaction we got, I'd definitely say Mama Chit's is a must-visit and must-try for all foodies and vintage art lovers.

Coming from California, USA, it was great to see a milk tea and boba cafe. Milk tea is getting…read morepopular from where I come from. I ordered a caramel milk tea and it did not disappoint. The boba tasted very good. Definitely coming back.

This branch of Infinitea is strategically located in the intersection of two streets - Gil Fernando…read moreAvenue and the Marquinton-end of Cirma Street. Among the three milk tea places in the area, this one is the most spacious. Its prices are competitive and there are many types of drinks to choose from: fruit tea, lemonade, coffee, milk tea, yogurt drink, yogurt slush. All of these factors combined, it becomes clear why Infinitea is almost always filled up. There were times when I could not find a free table or even a seat. Then again, milk teas can be brought on-the-go so this isn't really much of a problem. However, during peak hours (4pm onwards on weekdays), the place can be quite noisy. Having a relatively big space, it also attracts a bigger crowd which would mean more people talking or laughing at the same time. Couldn't blame them. It is really nice to bond with friends in a tea place. So my advice is if your plan is to relax or study, you may want to stay somewhere else. But, if you want to hang out with friends, then (provided you find a free table) Infinitea is the place to be.

What attracted me to this bakery/café inside Robinson's Supermarket is its logo: a black and white…read moredrawing of a lady wearing a gown. This basic elegance extends to the layout of the whole stall. Everything looks clean and neat. After a few weeks since its opening, I finally had the chance to eat merienda in Senorita. I tried their Four Cheese Pizza and Tuna Mayo Sandwich. Both were delicious! For the sandwich, they used wheat bread and the stuffing also included lettuce and tomato, not just tuna and mayonnaise. Generous! Then, the four cheese: very tasty and, except for the crust, soft to chew. I am not quite sure what types of cheese they used but I think there was cheddar, mozzarella and either kesong puti or cottage cheese. There were also sprinkles of parsley, which gave a refreshing twist to the tartness of cheese. I would definitely come back!

One thing you would easily notice about this branch of Serendipitea is its small size. It only has…read more4 tables each of which could seat around 4-6 people. Initially, this may sound like a negative comment. However, if, like me, you go to milk tea places to relax, a small and quiet space would be preferable than a big yet crowded one. The interior's color motif, aqua blue, adds to the relaxing vibe of this place. With only a few customers, it is a perfect place to read, study, reflect, or even talk to some friends as you wouldn't have to compete with lots of voices. As for the tea, the edge of Serendipitea is the various types of add-ons or sinkers: rock salt, cheese, pearls, pudding, oreo, coffee jelly. Mixing and matching these sinkers could add oomph to even a light-flavored tea and result in various unique blends. A definite must-try.