JOEL'S JOURNAL

Two people standing side by side outdoors, each holding a black takeaway coffee cup of Joel’s Place. One person wears a yellow and blue jacket with nude-colored nails, while the other wears a denim jacket with red nail polish.
March 5, 2026

In a world that constantly demands movement, a cup of coffee can quietly invite us to slow down, not to do more, but to simply be.

An illustration of various Filipino food offering laid out on an altar with a religious portrait
October 9, 2025

They say grief is love with nowhere to go. It makes sense then that food—an expression that encompasses multiple love languages—has a significant place across various traditions dedicated to the dead. 

Come Over for Dinner
September 11, 2025

What having 27 guests come over in two months has taught me about having company over and how social ties are nourished by different kinds of gatherings around the table.

a packed lunch on top of a table with a person holding a spoon and fork
July 17, 2025

At lunch over my packed food, I get a glimpse of the values that shaped me, the culture I grew up with, and the nostalgia of my childhood in one tiny container.

A graphic illustration of people enjoying a summer day on and around a giant glass of halo-halo, a Filipino dessert, with colorful ingredients like shaved ice, purple yam, and fruit pieces
May 29, 2025

A spoonful of halo-halo, a bite of banana cue, or a whiff of grilled liempo transports me to the past, as if they are time capsules carrying memories of my childhood summers.

A close-up of a sliced loaf of bread
February 6, 2025

How to keep a sourdough starter alive—and what it can teach us about love.