Lifestyle store pays homage to extraordinary artists, gourmet eats

SPECIAL PLACE Rachel Harrison and talented son Julyan; Zambawood Lifestyle Store
— Contributed photos

Last October, Arte Autismo Filipino exhibited works by artists in the autistic spectrum at the Zambawood Gallery of Rockwell Club. Eight very talented artists—Nina Bantoto, Vico Cham, Jon Jon de Guzman, Julyan Harrison, Chico Joaquin, Samantha Kaspar, Daniel Sanchez and Keith Sy—who had previously exhibited their creations in New York, were featured. Their works were not only on canvas but also reprinted on merchandise such as bags and greetings cards.

Audiences loved it so much that Zambawood Gallery is here to stay and has expanded to become Zambawood Lifestyle Store at Rockwell, not only promoting the advocacy of embracing autism but also a lifestyle of wellness and gourmet food.

It was named after the Zambawood Resort in Zambales, created by Rachel Harrison for her very talented son, Julyan.

“Zambawood is a haven for the heart,” Rachel shares. “When you go there, you fall in love with nature and so you fall in love with yourself. It is also a haven for the mind because nature brings you peace, tranquility, serenity; you also get in touch with your spirituality. Through the Zambawood Lifestyle Store, we are bringing this lifestyle to the city.”

Zambawood products are an offshoot of Julyan’s creative explorations. The resort has become his outlet of expression, where he is Julyan the farmer, growing sunflowers and mangos, among other produce, and where he is Julyan the artist, as his workshop is also at the resort. With his harvest, the farm is able to make jams, labeled Julyan’s Farm, which are packaged very elegantly – as the glamorous Rachel would – and though previously available only for bulk orders by select clients, these are now sold at the Rockwell store as well.

Aside from products by Julyan’s Farm, Zambawood Lifestyle Store also carries products from Pedro the Grocer, Antonio’s Tagaytay and Balai Dako.

FOR FOODIES Selections from Antonio’s Tagaytay and Julyan Store

Deli curation

Rachel teamed up with world-renowned Chef Tonyboy Escalante to bring his excellent deli products to this new lifestyle community. If you have eaten at Breakfast at Antonio’s, you will notice their pasalubong corner where they have their signature bottled sardines, gourmet tuyo, spicy tinapa and minced daing na bisugo. They also produce their own house-made jams and Antonio’s has also become famous for its ice cream. At Balai Dako, Chef Tonyboy also has a specialty store with Pinoy snacks such as biscocho, otap and piaya. These will now be carried by Zambawood Lifestyle Store.

Breads baked fresh daily from Tagaytay and ready-to-eat deli meats like house-made corned beef and tapa carried by Pedro the Grocer are also available by order. (Pedro the Grocer, which is gourmet heaven as well, is also located at San Antonio Plaza Arcade, McKinley, across Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes. For details, check out facebook.com/pedrothegrocer.ph.)

Zambawood Lifestyle Store also carries Malagos cheeses, although you will need to pre-order. Rachel is also busy curating more products from artisans and microbusinesses to expand the deli selection ever further.

This Christmas, if you are both naughty and nice, they have Vegan Chicharon by Julyan’s Farm. It is made of cassava, green beans and potato, then deep-fried using virgin coconut oil and sea salt. It’s the best of both worlds! Make it Santa’s gift to naughty-pretending-to-be-nice little you.

Speaking of Christmas, they also carry Christmas packages and Christmas card versions of the artists’ paintings. Or just make a basket of all the goodies from this store. It would be the perfect gift for your ninongs and ninangs, the boss you want to impress, your in-laws and corporate clients. Plus, you get to contribute to the paradigm shift toward embracing autism and spreading the word to focus on the special and not just the needs of those with special needs, as their talent makes our beautiful world even more colorful, more vibrant, more delicious, more alive!

Zambawood Lifestyle Store, basement 2 (gym level), Rockwell Club, Amorsolo Drive, Rockwell. Contact 09176860895 for inquiries.