One of the things I’ve always wanted to do when I started this blog (in 2015! Can you believe it?) was to be able to do a proper “neighborhood crawl” and feature many of the small businesses and establishments here.
I’ve always been a QC girl. That’s Quezon City in the Philippines, I mean. I have lived here all my life (save for those couple years I spent as a corporate girlie in Makati City). And for all of its faults, QC will always be home to me.
Of course, my QC neighborhood crawl never materialized, because life happened and I needed to make a living.
So when I had the chance to go on a work-approved “Well-Being Day,” I immediately thought of going around our vibrant community and check out some of the establishments that give this place that different kind of vibe and culture.
For context, apart from working as principal of Gal at Home Design Studio, I also work as the editorial lead of UK-based publishing company, Inspired By Publishing. The entire team is completely remote, and “Well-Being Day” was one of the solutions we thought up to support our goal of increasing team happiness and well-being while reducing burnout caused by increased workloads.
It’s basically a dedicated day for self-care and activities that foster well-being, which we hope will enhance productivity over the long term. I automatically thought well-being = massage. But because I regularly have at-home massages, I wanted to do something I don’t normally do.
The catch is, I needed to keep to a budget of PhP1,000, which is the company-approved, reimbursable budget for Well-Being Day. Leading up to the day, I did my research, and whenever I went out of the house, I would look at the establishments I could spot from the streets and shortlisted those that I wanted to try.
After some careful consideration and research, I ended up with this itinerary:
- Lunch at Toastman Cafe on Matimtiman Street
- Window-shopping at Mala Tree Maginhawa Street
- One-hour massage at Same Same Wellness Spa on Maalalahanin corner Mapagkawanggawa Street
- Coffee at Corner 26
I checked their menus and offerings on their social media accounts, and made sure I could stay within my budget.
And so on Well-Being Day, I set off on my neighborhood crawl in style:
Lunch at Toastman, 54 Matimtiman Street, Diliman, Quezon City
Toastman is a tiny cafe tucked in one of the streets of Teachers Village in Quezon City. I had seen it in a couple posts from some of my friends on Instagram, and had it on my To-Try-One-Day list.
It was a rather small place, and when I arrived, all tables had been filled. Good thing a couple left as I was ordering on the counter, and I was able to secure a corner table for myself.
The cafe interior was cozy and quaint enough, with a combination of camping seats and tables and salmon-pink and green chairs. The counter was made of decorative concrete blocks painted olive, and red metal lamps illuminated its wood-block countertop.
Everything on their Instagram page seemed temptingly good, but reviews told me that their Philly Cheesesteak was a must.
And it did not disappoint. The beef tips were tender and packed with just the right amount of flavor. The caramelized onions brought that sweet-tangy kick that had me doing involuntary heavenward eyerolls with every bite.
And that rustic sourdough? Perfectly toasted with a golden, buttery crunch that held everything together without getting soggy. Honestly, it was so good I didn’t even feel the need to dip it in the cheez whiz it came with. For P275, I’d say it was just right.
The only drawback? That cheap pedestal table. It was wobbly as heck—made slicing through my sandwich a bit of a workout. (I prefer using utensils when eating my sandwiches.)
And while the interiors were cozy enough, the bench I was on sat just a bit too high for comfort. I know ergonomics isn’t usually top of mind for small restos like this, but it does chip away at the whole dining experience. My design brain couldn’t help but notice—sorry, haha.
Crystals shopping at The Mala Tree Boutique, 189 Maginhawa Street, Quezon City
As Toastman was quite near Maginhawa Street, I decided to walk off my lunch to visit The Mala Tree Boutique, a crystals shop that I had also been wanting to visit for the longest time.
While I had just done my crystals shopping from a different crystals shop at another city, I thought of checking this one out as this was so near my place. And they did say on their website that they were “the #1 crystals and dharma shop in the Philippines”!
It’s a pretty small shop on the 2nd floor of 189 Maginhawa Residences. But as soon as I entered, someone from the back came out to warmly welcome me. There’s all kinds of crystals, mala beads, tumbled stones, pendants and bracelets. There were money trees and crystal balls, towers and wands.
As someone who has just recently started exploring the world of crystals and all sorts of witchy things, I was thrilled to see a shop like this so near to me.
I had a look around and was immediately drawn to these colorful threaded ornaments in one corner.
The salesperson was quite helpful in explaining what they were for—I appreciated how knowledgeable they were about what they were selling. These are called ojo de Dios (or God’s Eyes), a handmade yarn weaving rooted in Native American tradition. They’re now often used as a symbol of protection for the home.
Depending on what kind of energy or support you’re seeking—like focus for studying, abundance, or health protection—you can choose specific colors that align with that intention. Traditionally, they’re also hung in living spaces to watch over loved ones and serve as a spiritual reminder of care and connection.
I made a mental note to put that in my shopping cart some day soon; I love the colors, and even more the symbolic presence it would give to my space.
But I was actually on a mission: the palo santo stick I use daily for meditation had burned down to a tiny stump, and it was time to restock. Palo santo is one of my go-to tools for clearing the energy in a space—it has this grounding, woodsy scent that instantly puts me at ease.
The Mala Tree didn’t have palo santo sticks, but they did have packs of palo santo incense. At P85 for 20 sticks, it fit my budget and would last me almost a month. Sold.
Crafts and candle shopping at Corner 26, Maalalahanin cor. Mapagkawanggawa Streets
The next item on my itinerary for the day was supposed to be a massage, but the spa opens at 3pm and it was only 2:30 on my watch. As the spa was on a complex of old apartments that had been turned into an artsy enclave of sorts, I decided to go and explore.
I took another trike from Mala Tree to Corner 26, which sits right on the corner of Mapagkawanggawa and Maalalahanin Streets.
There’s a variety of establishments within Corner 26, an old apartment complex that was converted into shops, artistic boutiques, a cafe, a spa, and a restaurant. I only had a few minutes to spare and was thinking of grabbing a latte at Gedli Coffee, which was on the second floor.
But Gedli was packed with the after-lunch, college crew (it was a Friday after all), so I settled with exploring the other smaller shops within. There was a pottery studio, a floral boutique, and a cute arts and crafts shop called Helga Crafts.
I met Aila, the owner and artist behind Helga Craft, and she was game enough to tell me a bit about the crafts she had been working on while I was at her shop.
I also bought myself a sandalwood candle from the shelves, which was affordably priced at P250.
Massage at Same Same Wellness Spa, Corner 26, Maalalahanin corner Mapagkawanggawa Streets
It was now time for me to get to my spa appointment. I had been seeing Same Same Wellness Spa for months now, especially as it is so near where we lived.
As it was opening hour, I was the first customer. The reception was dimly but appropriately lit, with Filipino and Southeast Asian ornaments decorating the place. Upon arrival they gave me piping hot cup of herbal tea and a health form to answer, to ensure I was medically sound enough to receive a massage.
It was a bit unnerving to find one of their massage therapists lounging on one of the batik-covered La-Z Boys, watching something on his phone. He was also quite loud as he spoke to the receptionist, which kind of disturbed the peaceful ambience of the spa.
However, when I asked questions about their facilities, the treatment, even some of my ailments (I have carpal tunnel), he was extremely accommodating with answering me, even offering suggestions on how I could relieve my wrist pain. I realized also as it was a very small apartment turned into a spa, they probably didn’t have a separate lounge area for their staff. But perhaps something for them to consider in the future.
Normally, they treat customers with a foot bath before starting the treatment. But as I had been outside in the midday sun, I asked if I could instead take a quick shower. They didn’t seem prepared for this request, but they accommodated me as best as they could.
They had a small shower, though it was without hooks, towel racks, or even a shower curtain. But it was clean, there was a big bottle filled with bath gel, and they gave me a clean towel and a sarong to change into.
I was led to the second-floor massage area, and there were thick red curtains to separate each bed. I had my own basket to put my things in, and the room was appropriately scented. I noted a lack of wall hooks, as I had wanted to hang the clothes I had been wearing.
I availed of the Kisig Amuma massage, which they had told me over the phone was just Swedish massage. But as someone who’s been doing massages almost monthly since I was 18 (it’s been my required form of self-care since I became an adult), I would say they put their own spin on it, as it seemed more than just the usual strokes and kneading that are often used in a Swedish massage.
They may have used a bit of Thai massage, as we did a few stretching motions during the treatment. The pressure my massage therapist used was just the right amount—not too hard, not too light. Suffice it to say, the massage treatment succeeded in getting me significantly relaxed.
They gave me a hot towel after the treatment, and asked me if I wanted tea or water as well. I opted for tea, and again made a mental note to come back, this time with my husband. The Kisig Amuma is only P650. And while I know one can get cheaper massages elsewhere for less than P500, I would say this was worth the cost.
Should we all be doing a Well-Being Day every now and then?
After spending almost an entire day doing things just for myself—and sticking to a budget too—I really believe more people should be setting aside time like this every once in a while. Whether it’s company-sponsored or something you plan on your own, a Well-Being Day gives you permission to pause, breathe, and check in with yourself.
Sure, it can be just a pampering or “treat yourself” kind of thing. But I believe it can be more intentionally about stepping out of your usual routine to reconnect—with your body, your surroundings, your interests, and maybe even your local community. If you do it with friends or coworkers, it can even become a shared experience you bond over. A reset button and a memory-maker.
Honestly, I’d love to do more of these neighborhood crawls. So if you’re from the area—got any other spots or activities I should check out next? Drop them in the comments or send me a message. I’d love to add them to my next Well-Being Day itinerary.