Looking for fun activities or events in Manila this weekend? Coconuts has put together recommendations of the best things to do this weekend in the city. Indulge in chocolate-y goodness at a chocolate fair, shop and support local at a flea market, or celebrate the release of Speak Now TV at a sunset pop-up.
We update this list every Thursday so feel free to bookmark it!
S Maison x Auro World Chocolate Fair 2023
The S Maison x Auro World Chocolate Fair returns this year. Don’t miss out on limited-edition treats, sweets, pastries and desserts crafted with Auro’s award-winning chocolate by Overdoughs, Conrad Manila, Kultura Filipino, Bubu Bars, Poison Doughnuts, Tiger Sugar, Le Sucre Lab, Half Saints, Tender Loving Cakes, Simone and Amelia, and Daniel Baker.
Admission is free. World Chocolate Fair 2023 runs from July 5 to 9, 10am to 10pm at Main Atrium, S Maison, Seaside Boulevard, Pasay City.
Flea Market at Palacio de Memoria
Love local? Then don’t miss out on Palacio de Memorial’s Flea Market, featuring an exciting lineup of homegrown brands and artisanal finds, alongside live music and workshops such as floral arrangement, and wine and chocolate pairing.
The Palacio de Memoria Flea Market runs from July 8 to 9, 10am to 9pm at 95 Roxas Blvd, Tambo, Parañaque City.
From the Vault: A Sunset Pop-Up
Whether you’re in the mood for some art or Taylor Swift music, drop by Seltsam on July 8 for From the Vault: a Sunset Pop-Up by Oat Collective. Listen to the newly dropped Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) album and sip on a cocktail, alongside tattoo and tarot card reading sessions, as well as handmade crafts from Sunny Label, Laro Ceramics, Muli MNL, Tara Samson, Blacksmith, and carpo.
From the Vault runs on July 8 from 2-8pm. Seltsam is on the rooftop of the Gervacia Building, 152 Amorsolo Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City.
Mono by Phono: Pililia St., Makati City
Love the vinyl record bar Phono in Quezon City? Then you’ll adore its Makati sibling, Phono: a hidden gem of a record bar closer to your favorite Makati haunts along Pililia St. It’s everything you love about Phono, plus an expanded food and drink menu. Catch your favorite artists and vinyl selectors on the deck each week, or bring your plaka of your own during Vinyl Choose-Days (Tuesdays, get it?).
Mono by Phono is at 9654 Pililia St. Makati City.
Silverlens Gallery presents Nona Garcia and Jon Pettyjohn
Leading Manila gallery Silverlens is hosting two exhibitions — realist Nona Garcia’s Overland and renowned ceramicist Jon Pettyjohn in Steps — that run from June 8 to July 8.
“In Overland, her latest solo exhibition for Silverlens, Baguio City—Garcia’s adopted homeland—receives an incredible tribute. One that goes beyond the general perception of the place, often called the ‘nation’s summer capital,’ as hers demonstrates a deeper bond with the lay of the land: rocks, slopes, trees, and other objects that became one with it. Like a true settler, she is able to generate a highly subjective impression of what makes the place unique. And the distinction, most of the time, feels like an invitation to hold on or bring back a possible remoteness. Unadulterated, unspoiled, and closer to silence.”
“In Steps, Jon Pettyjohn’s third solo exhibition at Silverlens, the artist advances his pursuit of personal expression within the framework of traditions and techniques to which he has dedicated himself for close to 50 years. ‘It is a challenge and an honor for a potter like myself to be offered a space in a prime contemporary exhibition space like Silverlens.’ says Pettyjohn. ‘I have attempted to use my pottery skills to go a little further and say something more.'”
Silverlens Gallery is at 2263 Chino Roces Ave, Makati City.
Edoweird opens with Patrick Cruz’s ‘two rubies make fire’
Contemporary art gallery Edoweird opens in Katipunan, Quezon City with its first exhibition, two rubies make fire, by visual artist Patrick Cruz. According to his website, “Patrick Cruz’s artwork is informed by the intersections of cultural hybridity, the machinations and paradoxical effects of globalization, and the complex practice of decolonization. As an immigrant to Canada and an expatriate from the Philippines, Cruz contemplates the conflicting feelings and conditions of leaving, longing, and coming back to one’s homeland. Driven by folk sentiment, Cruz channels the embodiment of play as an ethos for survival and a lubricant for generating creative ruptures and disjunctures.”
‘two rubies make fire’ runs from June 17 to July 31. Edoweird opens at 5pm at the 4th floor, Marius Acropoli Building, 142 Katipunan Ave., Quezon City.
The Spirits Library
Enjoy a beats-filled night at The Spirits Library with some well-crafted cocktails on Friday, as DJs Ory and Moe Cabral take over the decks. Reservations encouraged!
The Spirits Library is at 4963 Guerrero St., Poblacion, Makati City.
Sunny Label launches preserved flower earrings
Thinking of a thoughtful gift for mom? Sunny Label, known for its adorable hand-painted candle pots, has launched earrings made of preserved flowers that its founder, Sunny Tolentino, grows herself. These earrings are made in limited quantities, with the flowers taking three months to bloom — but part of its beauty lies in the rhythm of nature.
Order from Sunny Label here or visit their stall at Legazpi Sunday Market, Legazpi Village, Makati City, on Sundays.
Aesop at SM Aura, BGC
Cult-favorite Aesop has opened its newest outlet in the Philippines. This time, it’s bringing its signature minimalist interiors to SM Aura in BGC, Taguig City. Here, the design hearkens back to architectural cues from Manila’s history — including a traditional capiz shell facade and influences from the Manila Metropolitan Theater.
Aesop is at Level 1 of SM Aura Premier, 26th Street Corner McKinley Parkway, Taguig City.
Sari Sari Cocktails: Makati City
An unassuming yet eye-catching display of a sari-sari store or corner store conceals a new speakeasy called Sari Sari, whose interiors seem to take influence from Shanghai’s jazz scene (Bangkok’s Maggie Choo, anyone?). Calling itself “an ultimate drinking destination,” true to its name, Sari Sari promises a diverse selection of cocktails.
Visit Sari Sari at 5661 Washington St. cor. Dela Rosa St. Makati City.
It’s Vintage: Makati City
If you haven’t made your way to It’s Vintage, named by Vogue as one of the best vintage stores in the world, then this is your reminder to do so. Tucked in the neighborhood of Salcedo Village in Makati City, It’s Vintage showcases a curated yet eclectic selection of vibrant vintage finds — from colorful Americana pieces like racing jackets to retro animé graphic tees.
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