It offers hand-painted pots, too
It is a fact that, for many, the pandemic has gravely contributed to their anxiety. With the unsettling news, constant fear, and social media noises, it is becoming a challenge to find Zen, even in the comfort of our own home. That's why many Filipinos dabbled into their creative side, got busy in the kitchen and with other hobbies, as they seek productivity and a form of therapy these days.
This narrative couldn't be more true in Oyence Reyes' case. In a now viral Facebook post, the creative shared her story on how the pandemic affected her career and her craft. After work burnouts, rediscovering the artist within her, and finding a firm that values her as an employee, Oyence merged her passion for the arts and coffee by opening her own café.
Located at Barangay Isla, Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija beside Curvada, her Florentias café is a budding hotspot for garden aesthetic-loving individuals and coffee fanatics.
"It has been my dream/goal to have my own small coffee shop since I was 19, but I did not expect it to happen sooner," she posts. "My 19-year-old self would be so proud!"
Opened last March 28, 2021, the chic café serves a variety of coffee drinks, hot and cold brews, made of Barako and Kalinga beans, and Thai milk tea. A perfect match to the caffeine fixes are the store's chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes.
Apart from the treats and drinks, Florentias also features some of Oyence's pot designs, and also offers customized works.
"I know this is just the beginning and just one of my many goals in life but I’m proud to say that this coffee shop is an investment from my own paycheck," Oyence says.
Check out more of Oyence's Florentias café and her artworks @florentias.co on Instagram.