To dream is free. Dreamcatchers are sold separately.
That’s rule no. 1 when visiting Dreamland Arts & Crafts Café by Indie Green Culture. Rule no. 2 Disconnect (with social media) to connect (with real people) - live in the moment, be inspired, bring back the art of conversation, selfie all you want. Dreamland is perhaps the dreamiest and quirkiest café and boutique bed and breakfast place in Tagaytay. Just like their original branch in Lipa, Batangas, Dreamland is radiating with beautiful art, positivity and enchanting dreamcatchers. The moment I entered, it felt like I entered another (wonderland) dimension and the inner child and artist in me were awakened.
The owner, entrepreneur Phoebe Duran and her soul mate and life partner RJ Mangubat, with the help of their creative staff and homegrown family of artists, built a fairy-tale like, bohemian and artistic space, which was once just their dream. And they did it all with flare and passion. Their efforts and hard work obviously paid off as evident by the number of dreamers, mostly millennials, who troop to the café any time of the day, 24/7. Yup the café is open round the clock, and the place easily gets filled on peak hours and during weekends.
The main café is a dazzling eye candy, bursting with lights and rainbow colors. It is decorated in shabby chic style with star lights, scarves, feathers and beads adorning the ceiling and walls. Almost everything are made of recycled and up-cycled materials all DIY with love. Dreamcatchers are everywhere. Native American Indians believe that a dreamcatcher filters a person's dreams, letting through only the good ones.
Inspiring framed quotes and sayings are pinned on the wall. Those that caught my attention were: “Home is wherever I’m with you.” “Make art, not war.” And this long love letter that says: “My desires in a relationship have changed over time. I no longer want someone who promises to always love me and never leave me, I need someone who understands that life happens and sometimes things don’t work out. I don’t want someone who sugar coats things and never gets angry with me, I need someone to tell me how it really is and put me in my place. I need to be able to go five hours without talking to you and not feel lost or incomplete. I am complete without you. But with you, I want to be so much better. I want to be stronger with you. I want us to grow together and help each other grow individually. I don’t need you, but I really fucking want you. And this may not work out, but the fact that you understand all of this and this how our relationship works, makes me think we’ve got a pretty good shot.”
The owners evidently look up to music icons and legends such as The Beatles and Bob Marley, and cultural treasure Apo Whang-od, the Philippines’ last mambabatok.
The café has an extension, which looks more native but still has that laidback vibe. I like its novel “see-through” dreamcatcher wall.
Signature drinks and scrumptious comfort food, most of them made from Phoebe’s heirloom family recipes, are available all-day for diners.
The café, by the way, employs a slow food system, meaning they only cook when there's an order. While waiting, diners could make art, color their dreams and make them happen, or take pictures in every nook and cranny of the place, or shop for vintage dresses, jewelries, accessories and dreamcatcher kits at the nearby Arts and Crafts Shop.
Completing the Dreamland experience is a good night “sweet dreams” stay at their bed and breakfast place. There are nine themed rooms, all hippie and uniquely charming.
I had a delightful overnight stay at Indieka Aqua Room. Named after the couple’s daughter and bathed in aquamarine color, it is the most romantic among all the rooms.
I also got a glimpse of their signature rooms – the Tsong and Tsang (monikers of RJ and Phoebe). The rooms reveal the individual personality of the couple – the Tsong has this masculine appeal and wonderful bicycle décor, while the Tsang is more perky with plentiful abubots.
Other rooms have Hello Kitty, jungle, beach and outer space themes – all of them are cute, quaint, mystifying and relaxing.
Staying at Dreamland is invigorating to the soul. In a way, it made me think about what I want in life.
I have
so many dreams but for now I have these three, lingering and ideal. The first
is just waiting around the corner, second is world peace, and third, I want a
world envisioned by Edward Bellamy in Looking
Backward.
From Manila, take Tagaytay bound bus from Lawton, Buendia or South
Terminal in Pasay. Get off in Olivares. Dreamland is about 5-minute walk from
Olivares (in the direction going to People’s Park).
Dreamland Arts & Crafts Cafe + BBB
Purok 157, Brgy. San Jose
Tagaytay City
Tel. No.: 0917-6529075
