Toby's Sports is one of the biggest retailers of sporting goods in Metro Manila. You will find…read moretheir stores in leading shopping malls here in the big city. Whatever type of sports and fitness apparel or equipment you need, there's a big chance that you can find them at Toby's Sports, particularly in their big branches at SM Mall Of Asia and Glorietta. If you're a die-hard UAAP fan, you can also get genuine UAAP apparel and accessories from Toby's. My branch of choice is in SM Aura Premier. Although the store is smaller compared to other Toby's Sports branches, I like it here because the display racks are clearly organized by theme or sport. The last time I visited was when I bought swimming goggles for the summer. They have a wall of different types, brands, and colors of goggles. The choices can be a bit overwhelming. It's a good thing that a salesperson approached me and guided me on what type of goggles would best fit my needs.

You can buy everything inside a health store and you still wouldn't be healthy without exercise…read more And if you're not naturally athletic and the thought of free running is making your joints ache then it's best to buy equipment that will help you achieve your goal. Welcome to Toby's- your one-stop fitness store filled with the latest exercise equipment in Manila. I've made a little home gym from buying their merchandise and so far it's been a worthy investment. I have a couple of weights, a yoga mat, a medicine ball and boxing gloves all purchased at reasonable prices. I wish somebody would give me a P10,000 gift certificate in this store because there's so much here that I want to take home. (Okay, maybe I'm being cheap, let's raise it to P25,000) I don't know what else to say except that I hope my wish comes true because Toby's is great and I'm a fan.

I've been looking all over Manila for Philippines fighting sticks, made from a special tropical…read morehardwood. I found them at Metro Department Store in Cebu, but figured they'd be just as easy to find in Manila. I'd been all over town, and finally found a beautiful set at Chris Sports. This is a small, but very complete sporting goods stores. The other ones I found were either outdoor gear or tennis shoes. And there were so many helpful employees, nine of them. Like I told them, in the US they'd be lucky to have 3 people working at a store of that size.

This is yet another street in Manila with a special purpose. I recently discovered Bambang when my…read morebalikbayan friend asked me where to buy scrub suits for work (she's a nurse in the US). I volunteered to take her to Divisoria, but a friend of hers told her about Bambang, a street full of stores selling medical supplies and equipment. So off we went. The street of Bambang wasn't as busy as that of Divisoria, with fewer commercial establishments, but at the middle of the street is where you'll see the long line of stores selling different hospital supplies. The items there can go from brand new to second hand (I remember my hubby's comment about an old hospital bed, "Parang may namatay na dyan eh.") but all at a bargained price. My friend was so happy with her scrub suits in different colors and designs costing 300 pesos a pair (compared to a mall price of 700 pesos). What made the trip worthwhile for me were the nebulizers. For households with little kids, nebulizers are a must-have. But the most basic ones cost over two thousand pesos in malls and drug stores. In Bambang, you can get one for 850 pesos. Not bad, right? We have a big, heavy and durable nebulizer at home (costs over five-thousand bucks, a worthy investment though) but I'll probably be back soon to buy a more lightweight, travel-sized one.

Bambang Street was just a minute by foot from where I used to live. But I never realized the…read morepopularity of the place until I moved to Quezon City. My friends used to beg me to take them to that street where they can buy all the good ukay-ukay stuff. I was left puzzled not knowing what exactly they were talking about. Apparently, Bambang Street was an institution. Aside from discount stores with really good deals on some of the best branded items, Bambang also offers a wide array of medical supplies with stores located one after the other. Located so close to the street are plenty of public and private hospitals that can explain the influx of medical supplies and equipment. They also sell them in wholesale prices so you can be sure to get a good deal with anything you buy. Make sure though to take care of your belongings as it can get a little rowdy at times.

I started scaling mountains recently and I enjoyed the rush reaching the summit gave. It was really…read moreexhausting and physically demanding but I'm glad that I was able to survive. My companions for that trip were already experienced hikers and mountaineers. They all have their gear, clothing and equipment specifically prescribed for those kinds of activities. I was in a light shirt and board shorts. I got by but I knew I had to do about my wardrobe and my personal equipment should I choose to embark on a similar adventure which I probably would. I passed by Habagat yesterday and got the chance to make a checklist of the things I would probably need in future hikes. The sales people were very friendly and helpful in explaining the uses and benefits of the accessories and other paraphernalia that I wasn't familiar with. I got myself a versatile scarf and dry bag from the wide range of hiking and mountaineering equipment that store offers. I won't say that I'm now fully prepared for my next hike but at least I now know where to get the gear that I would need to make my experience easier and more enjoyable.

There are many stores that sell Li-Ning sporting goods, but I still like to visit their standalone…read moreshop in SM Mall of Asia. The store offers more choices. It's perfect for very finicky shoppers like me who want best performing shoes and apparel when playing badminton. Li-Ning satisfies my need for good quality sports products at affordable prices. I always look for good value for my money, especially when it comes to a hobby sport like badminton. I have tried other brands before, but I was not very happy with their performance. My first badminton training shoes were actually made by a well-known brand and, in just two months, the sole in one shoe decided to separate from its toe box, making it look like a huge flapping tongue whenever I took a step. Li-Ning has different equipment and accessories for many other sports like basketball, volleyball, and running. They also sell jerseys, jackets, and backpacks. But the only reason I visit their shop is to buy badminton training shoes, shuttles, and rackets. I got my two favorite badminton rackets from this store.

I've underestimated the importance of good, microfiber towels…read more A few Christmases ago I was gifted with an Aquazorb towel by one of my good friends. I was really, really pleased by its "performance". It's a microfiber towel so expect it to be way lighter than most towels, and it absorbs liquid very well. What's great about their towels is that they come in all sorts of sizes for various types of activities (i.e. yoga towels, beach towels). They are great for travel as well, because of being so lightweight. Their towels make me want to go out and get physical!... Okay too much enthusiasm. But really. I do need some sort of physical exercise to spice up my sedentary lifestyle. I used to be able to see this brand only at Rox at BGC, but I was so pleased to see that they've branched out to having several kiosks in major malls such as Megamall, and here in Glorietta.

Years ago, I attended a Christmas party with friends wherein we all had to bring a wrapped gift for…read morethe Kris Kringle game we were going to play. When all the wrapping paper was torn and all the gifts were exchanged, we all realized one thing - Aquazorb towels, in all colors and sizes, was the Kris Kingle Gift du Jour. And rightly so! I love Aquazorb towels and I have been a long time fan of the brand. Locally made, these lightweight and incredibly soft, quick-absorbing and fast-drying towels are the best things ever. Since they're so lightweight, you can fold them up and they won't take so much space in your bag. That's why they come along with me in every out-of-town trip I go to. Aquazorb towels are also available in different sizes - from the extra large to the normal-sized ones, to medium-sized ones that are perfect for the gym, to small facial or hand-towel sized ones. They've even got bathrobes and bath slippers too! I said it once and I'll say it again - Aquazorb towels are the best things ever!

The best pointe shoe fitter around. They really know their stuff…read more Lots of cute items in their store too. The best store to buy gifts for ballet dancers and ballet enthusiasts. Prices are very reasonable.

Danse Boite is a dance store inside the residential area of Valle Verde I. It's a lot of effort to…read moreget to, because you can only get to the store via car, taxi, or by foot, but majority of ballet dancers in Metro Manila still do. Why? Because they stock just about every brand of pointe shoe there is, along with the right garters, ribbons, toe pads, foot paraphernalia you need as a ballet dancer. Most importantly, they offer consultations and assessments on pointe shoe fitting for first timers, provided by Desiree Peralejo, a dance lecturer at the UP College of Music and alumnus of the National Ballet School of Canada. Owned by the Peralejo family, patrons of the arts, Danse Boite also has a dance school and studio, the DBCISAS Conservatory. They offer ballet, music, and creative writing classes, and remain to be the only ballet school in the Philippines that teaches the Italian Cechetti Ballet Syllabus. Keep a lookout for Danse Boite sales too! Selected pointe shoes can go as low as P1,500 - that's almost 70% off the original price! :) (I bought 3 pairs during their last sale! Woohoo!)

There are many establishments that sell sporting goods and apparels. But when it comes to my…read morebadminton equipment, I usually go to Juego in Greenbelt 4. This store has a complete line of accessories from shuttlecocks and rackets to grips and badminton apparel. Based on my experience, this store carries several brands of badminton shoes, including Yonex, Babolat, Li-Ning, and Kason. Badminton enthusiasts, and even those who are just starting to play the sport, know the value of wearing the right kind of footwear. Badminton shoes need to be lightweight with ample cushioning, particularly in the ankle area, and with thinner non-marking rubber soles that have good traction and grip. So I really appreciate the time and guidance that the staff at this Juego branch gives to their customers, specifically to those buying their shoes for the first time. I also respect the fact that they sell locally-made shirts and shorts at very affordable prices. Although this store specializes in badminton goods and apparels, they also have items for tennis, volleyball and basketball. It is also worth noting that this Juego shop is small, so it could be quite difficult to try on badminton shoes for someone who's big and tall as me. Do not hesitate to ask for assistance from the staff.