FIRST LOOK: SPOT Pass Gives Readers the Chance to Make Their Own Matcha + More
Cookie, paella, and wine classes are all happening in the month of March.
Published on Mar 3, 2026
(SPOT.ph) Dearest gentle reader—actually, scratch that, you've never been gentle with us. To butcher a quote from the 2012 film adaptation of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, "There can be no peace for us; there is only misery, or greatest happiness." And boy, do you make that super clear in the comments whenever you get the chance, reader.
For 18 years, we at SPOT.ph have written out for you the latest and (sometimes) the greatest of what Metro Manila has to offer. However, in recent months, it hasn't quite felt like enough. Sure, we can tell you about food trends; we can give you ticket prices and show schedules; we can type at you about what's great about the city all day long, and we often do.
But now, we'd like to show you what's great about the city. Enter: SPOT Pass.
Here's what you need to know about SPOT Pass:
Over the past couple of months, we've been putting together workshops and masterclasses based on the topics that you, the audience, have responded to the most. Our theme for March 2026 is Food & Community—which just about encompasses most of us, but we needed to cast a wide net and waste no time finding those of you ready to learn what makes Metro Manila a place you can be proud to live in.
In line with our inaugural theme, we kick off SPOT Pass with four classes, one for each full week:
Artisanal Cookie Making Workshop with Custom Cakes by Bam
Wines 101 with Meggie Ong of Terry's Bistro
Matcha 101 with Jacque & Matcha and Moonbug Matcha
Paella Making with Chef Michelle San Miguel of Gourdo's
The only sad thing about all this is, as of writing, those first three classes are already entirely booked—but keep your eyes peeled for other editions of SPOT Pass throughout the year! Ultimately, we're looking to create and curate enriching experiences for SPOT readers based not only on your interests, but also on what we'd be proud to recommend to any visitor or tourist—domestic or international.
We're following only one real trend here, and it's the global return to analog and meaningful, immersive experiences. Indeed, in our search for these workshops, we found that there are undercover masters just waiting to share their singular passions with a curious and equally passionate audience—and we know that the SPOT reader is exactly that.
We hope that you'll love the SPOT Pass classes as much as we loved putting them together for you. (And if not, well, we're sure you'll let us know.) And who's to say this doesn't spell out that organic encounter you've been manifesting?
If you’ve never been afraid of how much someone loves food, you’ve never met Michiko Manalang. She predictably has multiple cats; she less predictably can row 70 pounds.