Baguio has long been a haven for art lovers, including people who love crafts and crafting. The second run of Mandeko Kito (Ibaloi for “Let’s sell!”) hosted artisans from all over the Cordilleras and ran every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of November – perfect timing to get in some Christmas shopping before the holiday rush.
I made a few rounds on a rainy Friday afternoon and went home with some awesome handmade goods.
These pot holders from Everything is Pine are pretty and practical. I have a bad habit of using oven mitts or whatever rag I have lying around to set down hot pots and pans. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of use out of these, and it’s great value for only Php60 apiece.
I passed by Salad Avenue’s stall intending to get a bar of chocolate, then walked away with much more than planned. Aside from their chocolates that come in a wide variety of flavors, they also offer baked goods, preserved goods, and ready-to-eat food. I love chili garlic on my siomai, so I bought a little jar for my dining table. I also love pastillas! (Not together with chili garlic, to be clear.) These extra thick pastillas are chewy and not overly sweet.
I recently bought a pair of dragon trees (dracaena) from a buy-and-sell group and was hoping to get some pots to put them in. Although the ones I saw were too small, I did find a nice, sturdy metal stand for Php500. Once I do get a pot for this tree, this stand from Roby’s Pick will become its permanent home.
Anyone who has studied or worked in UP Baguio knows about Manang Mane and her school-year-round (pre-Corona) presence on campus. I myself have fond memories of snacking on cheese bars and mangga (lots of alamang and no salt, please) bought from her stall on my way to class. Her stall featured peanuts, peanutbutter, pomelo slices, mangga, and alamang. I got a jar of peanutbutter. Check out the festive label!
One more unplanned purchase – but one that I was very happy with: this adorable air plant holder from PNKY. Miss Camille Quinto chatted with us about their lovely selection of products, many of which she designed herself. The bookworm plant holder caught my eye because it looked so cute on display, and when I took it home and put my air plant inside, I appreciated it even more.
Mandeko Kito wraps up on the UP Baguio Oblation Grounds on November 30th. If you weren’t able to drop by, don’t worry! You can still support the merchants mentioned in this post. Most of them deliver! Check out the links below for more information.
'Ka ni Kim 
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