I love making roundups, especially on brands and businesses that need to be shared to you.
Since the start of the quarantine I’ve been deep into listing down websites and IG accounts to know where to order certain foods, since going to the grocery is not the best option at the moment. Here are some of my personal recommendations—these are not sponsored by the way! But I personally have tried / have most of these on my stash so I thought it’d be worth sharing. 🙂
Coffee
BUT OF COURSE we start with coffee!
Yay coffee! My Jacob’s stash (which is pre-ground and I realize, not really the best kind for my pourover lol) is close to finished, so I finally decided on ordering two bags of Weekender from Nine Three Coffee for pourover and french press. Lately I’ve been prefering FP more because it uses less waste (no filter for mine) and I love how I can make cold brew with it too. The brew is not too strong but perfect with a cookie or to start a day (I usually just have a cup per day).
Also: not a big milk person (#allergies) but their Milk Brew is great! Worth a try, and worth the lactose lololol
If you’re looking for big batches of cold brew or Vietnamese latte, Stout Coffee is your go-to! They also have beans and drip packs.
Recently ordered bags from LICK.ph (based in El Nido) to support my dear friend from LU (who now lives in Palawan) Maka. Have yet to try but will report back if it’s good! I got Millalitra and Honey. Wish I could try the Horchata but it’s only exclusive to El Nido. Also: yay, free shipping for 400g and up of coffee!
Was looking for tea leaves and Sophie directed me to Celestea. I got both Chamomile and Peppermint—I haven’t tried the former yet but the Peppermint was good. Personally, I just find it way too expensive especially ’cause the shipping costed me PHP250 🙁 I’ve long accepted that shipping with Metro Manila is around PHP150 tops so, yeah. Anyway, I think this will last me long so I’m looking forward to have more cups of tea during the night time, before bed (the ones I ordered are caffeine free).
Plant-based treats
I love sweets! I mean, not always—and also, most definitely not thanks to the breakouts I get after especially for treats with dairy. So instead, I found some plant-based treats that don’t taste vegan at all. I could go on and on about how good these are!
Always been a fan of Everyday Mom‘s banana bread with walnuts (!) and also their coffee jelly (that I can finish in a short amount of time…oops). When they released their plant-based cookies and loaves, I was so excited to place an order. Luckily auntie Pam (thanks Sophie lol) sent me some to try. My current faves are the PB Sea Salt Dark Chocolate (above) and Carrot Walnut loaf. Still savoring the last few pieces here on our pantry as I type this out!
For the taste, they really don’t skimp on the ingredients and it’s hard to believe this is actually butter, egg and dairy-free. It’s still very rich and goes well with a cup of black coffee (I LOVE contrasting flavors).
If you’re looking for sweets to munch on—also cookies—Honest Junk is your best bet. My personal faves are their Super Gummies in Mango and Calamansi, as well as their Zooper Cookies in Coco Chia flavor. Warning: super addictive. Best part? Vegan and gluten-free. Another thing: I love their packaging. I’ve kept one to display in my room because why not!
Last but not the least in this category is Earth Desserts. I’m in love with their Vegan Fudgy Brownie and I can eat them at least once a day for the next week, but I might be giving my stomach a disservice, lol. Prices are also very reasonable. I’m looking forward to try their brownie brittle soon. I try to limit ordering stuff every week because I gotta check on my finances, haha.
Health and Wellness
If you’re looking for some essentials to unwind, here are some of my faves.
I don’t share a lot about makeup and skincare on my platforms, because OBVIOUSLY I’m an artist and that’s not why you’re here lol. Also my skin has had its extremely dark days; I have suffered most of my early years (until now) because of horrible dermatologists and poorly managed skin. These days, I’m really focusing on eating well and giving my skin pure nutrients and oils in order for it to be healthy.
I saw OIAM at one of my Instagram stalking sprees (I do this a lot to research on local brands, hehe). I bought a bottle of their Blemish Be Gone oil spot corrector and so far my skin likes it. I developed cystic acne again this quarantine (must be the heat and a combo of stress and sometimes falling out of my dairy-free diet on some days) so I needed something natural to treat it (since I no longer take BC pills—but I still have PCOS lol woo). Noreen (the owner) was also kind enough to send me oil rollers and I’ve been keeping them on my side regularly. So good.
Let’s just cut to the chase here—these tarot cards will NOT determine your future, but they’ll help you figure out your path. Practical Magic is owned by one of my good friends, Chinggay, and her latest baby is a PM Pinoy deck. If you’re into reading tarot, consider getting a deck. If not, maybe try out her online reading bundles. Hopefully it’ll give you some clarity during this time.
ALSO: since we’re here, I’m collaborating with PM on a goodie bag for the shop! More about it soon. *confetti*
If you’re looking for eco-friendly products, check out Loop, which is owned by Sip (correct me if I’m wrong). They’ve got stuff for your kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.
Olk Candle was kind enough to send me some samples, and I highly recommend their candles. They smell so good and the prices are very reasonable. Plus points for the really cute decorations!
Daily Essentials
I’ve been a longtime fan of Badass Tote Girl because of their functional tote bags in beautiful colors (I’m talking mustard and salmon colors). One of their new releases is a mask shield which sold out v fast (I hope they will restock)—I managed to get one and the colors are lovely as well. If we’re talking function + aesthetic, Badass Tote Girl delivers indeed.
Highly recommend the Basic Tote, and Campus Tote if you want a zippered tote. Size is perfect for a laptop and other essentials. You can also watch my video here to see it.
Bought these washable face masks from EIKA and because I’m such a basic b*tch I had to get the white one. It’s breathable and durable, so double yay! I also got the neoprene masks because they had it in pretty colors, but unfortunately I’m disappointed with the sizing as it was too big for me. Obviously there are no more returns, so I’m thinking of fixing the measurements and designing them for a creative project, lol.
Who needs Ziplocs when you’ve got Zippies? These sustainable zip bags are great for storing anything—meat, snacks, dry goods, and yes, stationery. My cousin achi Jac owns this, and I’m currently planning to order these for my future goodie bags as they’re perfect for storing washi tapes and samplers. Stay tuned!
PS: I love these new colors. Reminds me of Mildliners!
I’m so happy to see more sustainable clothing brands on the rise in the local scene. As someone who’s an advocate for sustainable fashion (I mean, I’m slowly getting there—baby steps!) I’m very interested to purchase from Candid Clothing. I’m on their site now checking out which top to get, lol. Probably the Reversible Blouse since it’s an innovative concept.
Stationery & Art Supplies
Save the best for last, amirite?
Y’all, bye savings.
Ordered stuff from Scribe because I “needed” Japanese stationery. I’ve also been writing in cursive lately for personal practice (and an exercise in lesser screen time) so I recently purchased a TWSBI Eco fountain pen (which I have yet to unbox). Apart from that, I bit the bullet during their warehouse sale (Tombow brush pens at 50% off!) and you get free shipping with a minimum of P2,500. Woops. I guess, treat yo self is always valid 😛
Really though, quite happy I can shop for my favorite Japanese stationery on Scribe without leaving my home. The price markups also aren’t very high!
A homegrown brand and one of my personal favorites, Papemelroti is pretty much known for their wide variety of stationery and home decor. My personal favorite collection is the Artists and Philippine Stamps collection. Some items are on sale as well; check it out on their website.
Plus points for their deliveries because they come in a lovely kraft box that says Special Delivery. Feels like Christmas!
Also: I will be filming my quarantine stationery haul in July!
I’ve got a soft spot for flowers—moreover, vintage style, hand drawn ones. Cynthia Arre‘s illustrations remind me so much of that, and I love her initiative for Philippine flowers to be more recognized and known. Check out Cyn’s stuff at her Instagram and webshop. They’re great for journaling, sending out cards to friends, and more.
La Local hosts a variety of local brands. Some of my items are stocked with them in the UST branch, but due to the quarantine a lot of foot traffic has been lost. Check out their Instagram Stories highlights for their catalogue and which items you can order. They ship within Metro Manila.
Yeah OF COURSE my shop is here. With every purchase from Shop Abbey Sy, you’re helping our team invest more back into the businesses by making new products, producing YouTube videos and funding for stuff such as hosting for this website and my Shopify pages. Plus, you get to be inspired to create and make things. Win win, yes?
Hoping this roundup inspires you to support small businesses especially during this time.
Bonus!
Places where you can shop for groceries online (YES I have become that person)
- Freshmart (Local)
- Minimart (Local)
- Cesco Shopping (Korean)
- Famulei Grocery (Asian)
- In A Nutshell (vegan cheese and butter)
- Healthy Options (for all my allergies)
- BeautyMNL (Snacks)
- The Superfood Grocer (I love their cacao nibs)
