Words by Mikaela Zulueta
Ever had the hankering for a sparkling wine directly imported from Spain, or a craving for Davao’s melt-in-your-mouth Malagos Chocolate, or maybe even the sudden desire to decorate your study desk with an adorable succulent but had no idea where any of the answers to these random impulses could be? Look no further; UpMarket at Alphaland Makati Place has all this and more.
Carefully designed, UpMarket has something in store for absolutely any type of customer. And all in one venue! From the furniture obsessed Titas of Manila, to the health-conscious millenial, and even the carbo-loading athlete, it will be difficult to walk away from even a single stall empty handed. Here are a couple personal favorites:
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Baguio Highlands Crafts
If you’ve ever envied the furniture and decor on Balesin Island, this is your chance to take some home—without sneaking it off the resort. Baguio Highlands Crafts employs Ifugao artisans, whose craft has been passed down over the years. Here, UpMarket gives us the chance to support sustainability and promote indigenous culture.
Chelcie’s Spreads
Although still a relatively young purveyor, with just over a year in business, Chelcie’s Spreads is already being supplied and delivered nation wide. This doesn’t surprise us. Try any of her homemade spreads (spicy longganisa or creamy spinach and dill are Chelcie’s own preferences) and you’ll quickly realize why, as well.
Greenola
For the sweet tooth watching their sugar intake, Greenola serves up a medley of snacks guaranteed to satisfy even the most demanding child’s call for dessert. With granola flavors like carrot cake’ and ‘brownie’, or trail mixes like ‘cacaonut nut’, you’ll be asking yourself if this even really counts as ‘healthy’. (Protip: get their candied nuts ‘nutty and nice’, and your snacking habits will be changed forever.)
Pedro Brewcrafters
Ask for beer anywhere in the country and there will, most likely than not, be the two usual options available for you. But the Philippines has so much more to offer by way of local craft brewers. Like Pedro Brewcrafters! Armed with a unique flavor profile, highlighting flavors like caramel and coffee or citrus and clove, these beers are sure to pique your interest. Their quirky names and artfully made labels are just another (huge) plus to their brand.
Take Root
While healthy eating in Manila has certainly taken off, healthy snacking still has a long way to go. Take Root offers healthy alternatives to the junk we absently consume on a daily basis. By ‘drying not frying’ their leafy chips and fruit chewies, along with their dark chocolate or peanut butter ‘bliss balls’ and ‘chewy ‘cocoroons’, we get a guilt-free snack that just begs to be devoured. (Confession: I finished their kale chips in one go and licked the crumbs clean.)
While their trade also manages to sustain a commune of farmers and bring about sustainability in a myriad of ways, they say they prefer their customers to just focus on the food. With flavor like theirs, it’s no tall demand.
So here’s some good news to those who wanna make this world a better place but don’t know where (or are too lazy) to start: it can be as simple as watching what you buy. People make a lot of noise about what we put into this world, but I think its equally important to take note of what we’re taking out of it. Sometimes, its all about making the right choice.
UpMarket makes making that right choice so easy.
UpMarket @ Alphaland Makati Place
G/F The Shops at Alphaland Makati Place, Malugay Street corner Ayala Ave. Extension Makati 1209
0942 047 0089
Operation Hours: 11:00am – 8:00pm everyday
www.facebook.com/UpMarketatMakatiPlace/
