from Cake to Sweet Avenue

   In our Makati area, the neighborhood cake supplier was "Cake Avenue".  Here, it was...well...none really, except Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, Babycakes (which has shut down and is now only in Festival Mall), and recently Sugarhouse.  There have been cupcakes from the area with the classic cardboard taste and texture, I hear.  Many residents are, I know, really good bakers.  And so rather than another cake shop, a smart mother has set up "Sweet Avenue", a baking supplies shop.  I don't know her but I can say she has savvy marketing skills.  She left a business card on my table where I sold desserts. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet her.  She spoke to my friends, the foreign friends who just two days before, had driven by themselves for the first time to Carla's Confectionery and Baking Supplies in Sucat. 

   My friend who drove was so determined, she overcame her fear of the slex.  My instructions were to look for the huge Bakemasters Inc. sign on the right side of Sucat if they missed the U-Turn slot to Carla's (which is across Shopwise).  They did end up at Bakemasters which I'd never been to, and were happy to find a shop with aisles so they could touch items. They had things Carla's didnt, and generally found prices to be cheaper.  The trip to Sucat isn't too bad, but Sweet Avenue is one of those shops that make you think, why didn't I think of this?  With no scientific research, I have a gut feeling it could really work.

   I know cupcakes were so trendy from a couple years ago.  It just amazes me how many mothers in this town are really into baking. I even asked a friend who used to bake birthday cakes in Manila whether she was planning on going into it when she moves to Nuvali.  She said she had actually given up taking orders in MM due to the saturated market.  If even I have been trying to bake, I guess the 'growing' atmosphere in this town (city) just produces confidence in most of us.

   Sweet Avenue is in the building housing Rustan's Express, across Don Bosco Church.  It seems this building is now an Avida property...I wonder if they will finally renovate it. It needs a facelift, but I was glad to have experienced a clean and dry restroom upstairs! 

   Anyway, back to Sweet Avenue...they have many things Carla's has...nuts, bread baking ingredients, sprinkles chocolate bars, tools.  There are currently summer workshops for kids.  I really love that the owner's children were minding the store by themselves while mom was at the school conducting workshops.  I wish I took photos of my kid doing the transacting with them. I will say again:  I wish this aspect of this place remains the same, though as it 'develops' things will change.

 https://www.facebook.com/#!/SweetAvenueStopAndShopForYourBakingNeeds

    In the years to come, this city will develop its own roster of sweet providers akin to Becky's, Vargas kitchen, Miss Desserts,  Polly's, Purple Oven, Estrell's, Costa Brava...let's make this a game, please add to the list!