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christina topacio ∙ creative partner ∙ storyteller

@buildwithcee

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designing spaces to gather — food, stories + experiences
culinary studio • @salosalostudio • bay + LA
💌: [email protected]

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I think a lot about the past two years — who I was, the decisions I made, and how fear presided over it all. I was so anxious, knowing the rooms I was in and the energy I was giving wasn’t aligned with where I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. I kept solving problems to avoid choosing the scary, the *absolute* unknown.

And yet, in the unknown, in the fear, I’ve found the most gratitude. The most awe for how life begins to move in my favor when I stop resisting where I’m meant to go.

Here for this next chapter, wherever it takes me.
@salosalostudio

Music: party 4 u remix by @kurttheviolinist taken in San Francisco, California by @buildwithcee

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a year ago

A little BTS on a recent install with @marinelayer:

Team Execution:
To play on the customization, we did a ‘This or That’ where guests could play in the savory and sweet palettes. The grazing installation had savory and sweet spreads + edible accessories and the small bites were equally sweet v savory. And depending on your curiosities, you could have a mouthful of different textures and bites across the table. This dip/spread installation was inspired by infinity + reflections. It goes all the way back to the droste effect and I have this deep fascination w infinite reflections. There was something about having food appeared, mirroring itself, thus mirroring the one swiping through the dips and spreads that clicked for me. And then, seeing @vikilund.studio take on a version of the method inspired the vessel of which to reflect. Mirrors providing the infinite immersive of food. Likeeee, brain explosion. And because the client’s pop-up was all about customizing, a palette ‘choose your own adventure’ became the focus and using surprise and delights across the mirrored landscape allowed guests to truly experience personalized bites.

Menu //

SAVORY
+ whipped vegan ricotta with an herby olive, caper + almond topping
+ whipped feta with a spiced carrot salad, calabrian chili oil + cilantro

SWEET
+ whipped brie with a guava + chile preserve drizzled w honey
+ whipped brie with passionfruit + a pistachio vanilla crumble

GRAZING INSTALLATION
The grazing installation had whipped honey vanilla butter, strawberry preserves, honey labneh + pistachio vanilla crumbles, garlic labneh, pistachio pesto, Filipino pickled mustard seeds + olives with assorted breads from my favorite spots; @acmebreadcompany @themidwifeandthebaker @rizeupbakery

Marine Layer’s Custom Club Pop-Up is open through the holidays. Def recommend going, the patches alone are so damn good. // 2225 Fillmore, SF

PHOTOS: by the ever incredible @annaalexia
SS TEAM: @jillievarona @tru_nuf @lxrenzx + Maz
EVENT TEAM: @sadie__creative
FLORALS: @marigold_sf taken in San Francisco, California by @buildwithcee

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a year ago

The desire for security AND flexibility is today’s currency.

But how do we chase our dreams without going broke?
How do we go after our goals without breaking?
How do we have it all — without losing ourselves to reality?

I think the more we release the idea of ‘either/or’ and embrace ‘lightness,’ the more possible it all becomes.

There’s always a conversation about threading yourself into the next: the throughline.
What can we do now that brings us closer to what’s possible?

For me, it was never about dropping one thing for another.
What I do for founders co-exists with what I’m building next, because of the throughline. The commonalities among my creations make both possible.

The same goes for you. Everything you want on the other side of THIS already exists within your throughline.

It’s not about letting go. It’s about loosening your grip.

Hold both. Give yourself permission to intertwine them, integrate them, connect them.

Your narrative and vision aren’t separate — align them.

Find the throughline.
Follow it.
Bring it to life.

See you in the next love letter. by @buildwithcee

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2 years ago

her.
@daisha.simona
proposal video loading. ♡ by @buildwithcee

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a month ago

pop-up success // tysm for having me @village__fm. A little love letter to my hometown. ♡ serving you tacos inspired by my family + friends. so much love to all who came out, all who supported me through this and this sweet neighborhood spot that is truly one of my favorite reasons to live here. @salosalostudio by @buildwithcee

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a month ago

Our dear (and extremely talented) friend Christina @buildwithcee of @salosalostudio is coming to town from the Bay area! Her dining experiences are rooted in flavor and culture, are design-forward and evoke (and create!) memories. We first worked with Christina on a pop-up for a maker’s market where she served tacos and since then, we’ve been dreaming up the perfect scenario to showcase her skills in Portland. Her food, her creative eye, her energy…it’s unmatched. ♥️

She’ll be collaborating with the Pamana crew at @thehoxtonhotel for our kick-off party on Friday, October 9th. Tickets launching this week!

Pictured: said tacos 🌮 and the insane chicken 🍗 Christina made last summer that Delia was lucky enough to devour. taken in Portland, Oregon by @buildwithcee

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a month ago

see u at the pop-up // @village__fm

ON THE MENU:

→ Braised Beef Adobo Tacos | served with lola’s housemade pickles
cabbage + herb slaw, aji verde + spicy escabeche served on the side
(GF, contains dairy)

→ Braised Mushroom a la Chifa Taco | served with lola’s
housemade pickles
cabbage + herb slaw, aji verde + spicy escabeche served on the side
(GF, contains dairy)

→ Salo Salo Pork Lumpia
with leaf lettuce, fresh herbs, sawsawan

→ Saba Lumpia Split
banana lumpia on vanilla gelato with miso caramel, fresh mango, toasted coconut + whipped by @buildwithcee

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a month ago

It's a salo-salo with our friends @salosalostudio! This Monday 8/24, We're thrilled to be hosting @buildwithcee and her team with a slew of Filipino classics, and of course Salo Salo's legendary lumpia we all know and love. Come early, grab a drink, stack your plate and let's have a handaan!

On the menu:
♦️ Braised Beef Adobo Tacos | served with lola's housemade pickles
cabbage + herb slaw, aji verde + spicy escabeche served on the side
(GF, contains dairy)

♦️ Braised Mushroom a la Chifa Taco | served with lola's housemade pickles
cabbage + herb slaw, aji verde + spicy escabeche served on the side
(GF, contains dairy)

♦️ Salo Salo Pork Lumpia
with leaf lettuce, fresh herbs, sawsawan

♦️ Saba Lumpia Split
banana lumpia on vanilla gelato with miso caramel, fresh mango, toasted coconut + whipped cream
(contains nuts) taken in Village Cafe & Bar by @buildwithcee

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a month ago

from a disco night out,
to “will you be my wife?” in a garden.

over a thousand days later,
you’re my home and I am yours.
07.28.26 ♡ by @buildwithcee

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2 months ago

life is about to change in so many ways.
And every moment lately has been like, yeaaaa but it’s gonna get even better.

But I look back, and it really has been good. Even through the challenges.

So yea, it’s gonna get good(er).
But it already is, all the same.
♡ by @buildwithcee

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2 months ago

Each month becomes more special than the last.
June being my birthday month amongst other celebrations.
And lots of cooking, lots + lots.
Celebrating 39 at @barpanisse with my lovie.
The first month @mise___mail went out to so many letter lovers.
A new knife from @bernalcutlery came home with me thanks to my madre.
Practiced my piping + baking, still a work in progress.
@salosalostudio produced two baby showers back to back, one of them for my baby sister @gracevcovarrubias, with the help of the whole family.
Checked out neighborhood spaces @themudclubvallejo with bestie @hmdr_
Explored more NA options like challenging my day to make me a pickle martini on Father’s Day, no gin. Pickle juice + sparkling water is supreme.

More to come for June. by @buildwithcee

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2 months ago

the reality is //
we asked for our dreams to become real, become tangible.
And so they did.
Doesn’t mean this sh*t isn’t stressful, hard or feeling like, “how about we quit…” but we only knew what we knew when we decided to choose our dreams.

Keep chasing through the hard.
And shake a little cheek.

As I tell myself on day four of @salosalostudio prep. by @buildwithcee

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3 months ago