Thanks to the barangay elections that led to All Saints' Day and afforded us not just a long weekend but a long and restful week off work and school. That rare "vacation" gave people more time and opportunities to be able to visit their dearly departed in cemeteries, memorial parks, crypts and columbarium.

Those who found their way around the Commonwealth area in Quezon City to pay their respects found not just peace of mind and solace for their souls for being able to do their obligations.

They also "discovered" a lovely place to satisfy their hunger pangs and a charming and cozy garden-themed coffee shop to hang out with family or friends and enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee with a slice of cake or a piece of pastry. It used to be Commonwealth's best kept secret, a café that responds to the name Cafe O.

It is located in an almost unlikely or unique location—at the ground floor of the nine-story building that houses Aeternitas Chapels and Columbarium, yet is very much in line with the owner's idea of creating a convenient and comforting space for their clients.

The café is named after the chairman, Orly Francisco, whose lovely wife Barbie is manager of. The entire building is designed to be like a hotel — with butler service at that — and is named after the Roman goddess of eternity, Aeternitas.

Café O came to be as a result of the lockdowns during of the pandemic. Barbie had friends in the food business who had to close shop due to the strict health protocols and quarantines being implemented at that time. Many of them turned to online orders and eventually thrived because of the pivot.

Barbie supported her baker friends' endeavors by patronizing them. So Barbie thought of opening Café O, which now offers these items that Barbie and her family continue to enjoy and source from various local bakers and home cooks. And with a husband who is a certified coffee lover, Barbie also made sure that Café O offers good coffee as well.

The coffee and non-coffee items are quite a delightful range at Cafe O. Enjoy freshly brewed basics like Americano, O'Latte, Cappuccino, White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel Macchiato, Dark Chocolate Mocha, Spanish Latte and Salted Caramel Latte.

For those looking for more than the usual, there are the fancier Peanut Cream Latte (which has peanut butter), Blue Dream Latte (with milk, cream, and blue curacao) and Einspenner (sweetened iced Americano with less water and more froth cream), Matcha Latte and Tiramisu Latte, among others.

Also available are non-caffeinated drinks like Lemonade, Lemonade Yakult and assorted teas.

To match the coffee, growing favorites at Café O are its Banana Bread, Brownie Fudge, Butter Croissant, Choco/Tuna Waffle, Plain Waffle, Classic Choco Chip Cookie and Pain Au Chocolat. The Banana Loaf also makes for a good takeaway.

Also available are cake slices, including Blueberry/Strawberry Cheesecake, Carrot Cake, Classic Chocolate Cake, Matcha Indulgence Cake and Red Velvet Supreme Cake.

For a light snack, Café O offers savory items include Pizza (with pepperoni and pineapple topping), Tuna or Chicken Sandwich and Fruit Cup. Soon it will also be offering pasta dishes.

To keep customers happy, the café offers free Wi-Fi access for one hour and 30 minutes for every food and drinks order. Wi-Fi vouchers are given per order.

These days, Café O is no longer a "secret," as it is frequented by lots of walk-in customers who enjoy having a cup of good coffee with bites of delicious pastries with family and friends in the cozy café. And, yes, the strong Internet connection helps, too.