As Metro Manila’s largest city, Quezon City is unsurprisingly full of activities to enjoy for every kind of explorer—from foodies to artsy folks. Even those who have lived in QC since forever find that the city still has a lot of secrets waiting to be uncovered if you just take the time to look. We came up with a list of fun things you can do in QC if you want to take a break from your current weekend routine.
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Watch a gig.
For fans of OPM and live music, Quezon City is home to a lot of cafes and restos that regularly host gigs. If you always pass by Katipunan extension, you’ve probably made it a habit to check Route 196’s signboard to see what bands are playing the night. The bar has been around since 2007, and many of your favorite OPM bands most likely started their career with gigs at the place. Another gig place quickly gaining popularity is quaint café Jess & Pat’s. Not only does the place regularly host gigs that feature indie acts like The Ransom Collective, Munimuni, and The Ridleys, but Jess & Pat’s has a strict no-booze policy, so if you want a fun, sober night, this is the place for you.
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Shop for dainty jewelry.
Homegrown jewelry brand Pulseras by Kim finally opened a brick-and-mortar store in Maginhawa, and the place is as chic and pretty as their jewelry. Aside from dainty earrings, name-plate necklaces, and chain bracelets, Pulseras by Kim also offers personalized jewelry, which they make at their Accessories Bar. While at the shop, check out their new line of bespoke fine jewelry, Love, Susie!
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Sign up for a bag-making class.
If you’re the crafty kind, get busy and sign up for a bag-making class at Soul Flower, Co. On their website, they offer a variety of classes for all levels, from basic leather crafting and basic bag making to more advanced classes on creating handbags and bucket bags. They even offer workshops for costing, pricing, and setting up your own leather-goods business. You probably have to check their site a couple of times though, as slots can run out quickly.
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Have a chill night-out at a speakeasy.
Everyone knows that Cubao Expo is one of Metro Manila’s coolest districts, but hidden bar INT. upped the area’s cool factor even further. For one, the speakeasy is hidden behind a fully-functional photo booth! The quirkiness extends to the bar’s menu of cocktails named after movie references, like their La Dolce Vita (P300), a sweet drink with the deadly combination of tequila and absinthe, plus mango caviar.
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Shop for vintage clothing.
Old is cool right now, especially when it comes to fashion. For vintage clothing, streetwear, and other novelty items, check out Season Pass. The shop is pretty much hipster heaven, with cool vintage tees, popular streetwear brands like Supreme, Stussy, and BAPE, comic books, vinyl records, and more. If you want to up your coolness, this is the place to be.
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Get that tattoo you’ve always wanted.
Getting a tattoo is a really huge commitment so you want to go to a place you can trust to be one of the best. 55 Tinta is one of the popular tattoo parlors in the Metro—not only is it owned by Pinoy music-scene icons Jay Contreras, Led Zeppelin Tuyay, Puto Astete, and Paolo Bernaldo, but they also have a roster of fantastically talented artists, each with their own unique style. Whether you want a minimalist line-art tattoo or a more complicated design, there’s a tattoo artist for you here.
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Pose for photos with 3D art.
If you’ve always found yourself bored at museums and art galleries (we promise we won’t judge!), maybe what you need is a fun day out at an interactive museum! Art In Island is a museum full of interactive 3D art—you can pretend to be trapped in a glass bottle bobbing along in the sea, an angel with gigantic wings, a giant, a dwarf, and more. You’ll want to take lots of photos!
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Play board games at a quirky cafe.
The next time you’re craving milk tea, get your fix at Chemistea, a quirky, science-themed cafe in Project 8. Sip on coffee and milk tea served in Erlenmeyer flasks while munching on snacks like Grilled Cheese and Chicken Pesto Pasta. The geeky cafe also has a collection of board games you can use for free, as long as you order something, so bring your friends for a fun hangout!
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Try to escape an asylum.
Are you and your friends horror-movie junkies? Escape room Asylum Manila is a maze of 50 dimly-lit rooms that takes inspiration from horror-film iconography (like insane doctors and possessed dolls). There’s a crematorium, an abandoned funeral parlor with coffins, and a human slaughterhouse, and more sections to explore. You’ll also meet a lot of “monsters” and “patients” along the way. You won’t need to solve puzzles to escape Asylum Manila—just a lot of courage to brave all the craziness.
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Watch a movie at a microcinema.
For a different, more intimate movie experience, have your next movie night at a microcinema. In Quezon City, there’s Cinema Centenario, a small cinema located in hip Maginhawa, and Cinema ‘76, which is located right beside LRT Anonas station. Both cinemas screen local films, both mainstream and indie, as well as blockbuster films and artsier foreign titles.
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