‘It’s your wonder, it’s your curiosity…imagination’.
It was a blustery and rainy day when I stumbled upon Quriocity. We had planned a day trip out of town but the weather had other ideas. Our friends were desperate to escape their short-term accommodation and we were desperate to escape the confines of condo life. There was no appeal in hanging around in shopping malls and nothing of interest was showing in the movie cinemas.
And then I remembered this place I had heard about…
‘Q stands for quest. I like it when you are in this journey called life, everything is a quest. And special emphasis on R because R is to reflect, recalibrate, repost, rethink things, so that’s hopefully what we are trying to accomplish here’.
Quriocity is an indie store, a bookstore, a creative space. When you walk in through the large glass and steel industrial doors, you feel yourself exhale.
It is a sanctuary, a retreat, a place to escape the day to day madness of Manila life. A place where you can silence your mind for a while. This is what Elo Quiambao, Lifestyle Entrepreneur and owner of Quriocity envisioned when she came up with this interesting concept. ‘I thought to myself, how can we create something here in the city, we don’t have to go out of town, it’s a space, an idea, a project that would enrich families’. This is a place to reconnect with each other, to reconnect with your creativity, a space which encourages you to dream.
The heart of Quezon is where you will find this unique bookshop and treasure trove. There is something to see in every nook and cranny. The rooms are filled with objects, each with a story to tell, a swing hangs in one corner, and a book nook invites you to snuggle in and read for a while. There is space on the floor to spread out games, and a table to create art. My favourite part though is the window. Light streams through old style windows with wooden frames and a small white table runs along the width. Macramé plant holders and decorations adorn the area and I feel as though I could sit there forever and just write, create and feel inspired.
The space in Quriocity is multipurpose. You can visit to hang out, spend creative time with your children or sit and enjoy a cup of tea from the selection in their Wildcrafting range. Next door is their coffee shop called Jiro, which offers a local brew and simple menu that promotes the full flavour of local produce. Elo also rents out the space to small groups and often runs workshops and storytime evenings. ‘There is joy…from creating things with your own ideas, you have a say, and what to put and how to make things nicer, then there is the ownership factor’.
The passion Elo has for deepening family connections fills the space Quriocity inhabits. She is clear about her goal – to help us all live more balanced lives, together. She wants us to switch off for a while and enjoy simple things, such as the old analogue telephones and traditional games like pick-up sticks. So, next time you are looking for a rainy day activity come along, and be inspired.
How to find out more about Quriocity:
Address: 2/F Crossroad Center, 77 Mother Ignacia Ave, Quezon City
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 11am-7pm, Saturday – Sunday 10am-3pm
Social Media:
Instagram: @quriocityph
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quriocitybyworldroom/