How’s Your Coffee? + A Quick Visit to Toby’s Estate Makati

Coffee has played a big role in my life this week. I’m usually a tea person. Wait, let me qualify that: I’m a microwave tea person.  I heat water in the microwave then dip my tea bag and viola, I have something to keep me from craving for sweets.  Well, Ponggo is the legitimate coffee and tea person: he actually boils water & puts his tea leaves in a tea infuser–he’s OC like that–before he can enjoy his tea.  When he takes his coffee, he always has all sorts of comments about the flavor, the dimension, the beans, the smell, the blend et cetera! Anyway, here’s what happened earlier this week:

A lot of the times, when we’re both getting crazy racking our brains for ideas & chasing deadlines, we find ourselves working in coffee shops.  Today, we sought refuge at Toby’s Estate along Leviste in Makati after realizing we can no longer take the scorching heat just a little after lunch.  We entered this pretty cafe and at first, as with all well-designed places, I had qualms if they actually served good coffee.

Toby’s Estate Coffee is an Australian Coffee brand that recently opened 3 shops in Manila this year.  Ponggo had a cup of Flat White while my cousin & I had 2 large cups of Mocha.  Their coffee is really strong, I must say.  My mocha also has a bit of chocolate surprise that makes it different from all the other cups of mocha that we’ve tried.

I can’t help but fall in love with the lighting fixtures too! I’ve always wanted a version of these at home ever since I saw a version of it in one of the issues of 101 Woonideeën Magazine I found at a train station while on vacation 5 years ago. 

Above: I’m also actually surprised that my color-addict self has the capability to appreciate minimalist black & white design–so clean, classy & simple. *When will I ever learn to design with a mindset like this?*  Above Right: It’s just so apt that my cousin Carol opened a Bloomberg Magazine on the page that says “The Design Issue” while we were waiting for the coffee to be served.  

Above: Lastly, here’s another lighting fixture I would love to have in my future home. Meanwhile, I can already see myself going back to this particular branch & making sure I get to sit at the different tables so I get a different perspective of the place each time 🙂 *Hmm….just reviewed everything I wrote & I officially sound like an ad or one of those yearbook write-ups with nothing but compliments. Hehehe.* 😛

It’s just sad that we had to leave so soon because we had to run to another city. Oh well, ’til we meet again Toby’s Estate Makati! 🙂

Toby’s Estate Makati (Salcedo Village Branch): 125 L.P. Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati