My Mommyology

Learning from Motherhood.

My Mommyology’s Manila Discoveries: Industriya

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One of the first items on our agenda upon arriving back in Manila was the bridal shower for my soon-to-be sister-in-law.  It was arranged by the wonderful women in her family, and held at Industriya.

The signage alone evokes that classic, historical heritage.

The signage alone evokes that classic, historical heritage.

I’d never heard of it up until the shower invitation so I Googled it.  Not much came out, save for the Industriya Facebook Page and its location on Google Maps.  There were some good reviews of the food, and so that was something to look forward to (after all, that’s what Filipino gatherings are made of! ).

I found out it was in Marikina, quite the distance (with traffic) from where we were staying.  Marikina is one of the older cities in the country, and is most commonly known as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines.  The history books say that the best, sturdiest shoes that were ever manufactured all came from Marikina.  I believed that as I grew up and my folks would only buy my school shoes if they were “Made in Marikina”.

Thankfully it was a Sunday and so the drive down was fairly painless.  I left the girls under the care of their Tita Parrot so I could meet and bond with the family’s future in-laws.

My sister-in-law’s family arrived and once the greetings were done, they gave us a quick tour.  One could tell upon entering that the place was very rich in history.

Apparently, Industriya used to be a shoe manufacturing plant!  The owners went from shoe manufacturing to shoe distribution, and instead converted the space into a restaurant and events venue.  The nice part, was that they “repurposed” machines, equipment and materials and incorporated them into the entire ambiance.  Every detail adds to the charm and personality of what Industriya is known for today, and what makes it a destination place you’d want to check out.

Around the compound are old machinery that are turned into artwork, or fixtures that give it the classic feel.  I can’t say “historical” enough because that’s exactly what resonated all throughout the place.

The old machines, the dining area, and the sofas made from materials used on shoes!  Check out the couch's "feet"!

The old machines, the dining area, and the sofas made from materials used on shoes! Check out the couch’s “feet”!

There were shoes everywhere!

The staircase rails upon entering the main dining area.

The staircase rails upon entering the main dining area.

I found it cute that they used shoes as the ends of the sofas and chairs.  The shoes were even on door handles and were used to mark the lavatories.  A high-heeled shoe for the women, while typical black working shoe was used for the men.

One set of placemats had images of tools used to manufacture the shoes, and the other had the shoe sizes of men and women on them.

Note the placemats with the shoe sizes on them!

The charm of the placemats.

Our hosts ordered some of the Filipino dishes on the menu.  My favorites were the Crispy Pata (yummmm!) and the Kare-Kare.

Cholesterol!!!

Cholesterol!!!

I’d drink it with their bottomless Dalandan juice anytime!

Industriya seemed like a popular place to dine too, because that dining area I showed you earlier was pretty full by the time the Bridal Shower was in full swing.

I always enjoy the discovery of something new in a city which I thought I knew inside out.  I’m so glad that my future in-laws decided to host such a happy event here.  I’d say it’s definitely worth a trek over!

Author: mymommyology

I am the mom that I am because of my two wonderful little girls. They teach me everyday.

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