It was such a pleasant surprise to see that there is now a Papemelroti in Greenhills. Apparently,…read morethe branch is new and just opened last May 19, 2015. It does look new as not too many people know that there's a Papemelroti in the mall and not too many people visit it yet. They have their usual products, but there's more of it displayed in the shop. Almost all the walls are covered with words and quotes and several pieces of art. There are several shelves just for their notebooks and tables that have earrings with Filipino designs. Because Father's Day is coming up next month, they have many gift ideas for dads. (Buy them before they go out of stock.) Most of the designs in this shop centered on owls and dolphins. I found that really interesting because you rarely see these animals all over one shop. They have the occasional figurine of Mary, Joseph and Jesus and some religious books.

I have never seen a store with so many writing paraphernalia! Seriously, this is a writer's…read moreparadise. In the last couple of years, I've gone from handwriting to the old-fashioned (read: not electronic) typewriter and finally to a laptop. I've been trying to recreate the art of hand-writing everything from love letters to my daughter to postcards. I don't get to do this often for lack of a good pen to write with. When I came across Scribe, I was overjoyed! Fountain pens, ball point, brush pens, quills and ink jars and so much more. It's been years since I've had a Parker Pen with my name on it. Scribe made me want to get one - and of course, I did. Oh, and they've got some beautiful notebooks and journals, too. This store helps rediscover a lost art and maybe even start me on the path to Calligraphy since they do have the materials for it.

Calligraphy has been such a big trend in Manila now! Left and right you will see so many…read morecalligraphy workshops by so many artists. You will also see stores that add calligraphy related merchandise in their stores! Scribe is actually one of those stores that opened up when the calligraphy trend was just starting. But they they don't just sell calligraphy stuff (they're just really known of that). I went on a shopping spree here once because I even so pretty magnet boards! They've got pretty notebooks as well! One thing I love here is the collection of brush pens! Although I get bummed out most of the time because they don't usually have stock anymore of the basic colors like black. For some reason, someone is just always hoarding (I think)! For some reason also, I end getting someone here (even if I don't need)! So for the calligraphy lovers like me, check this store out!

I absolutely love the Papemelroti gift shop. I have been to two of their branches - the one in…read moreMegamall and the one that is near the Tomas Morato area. This place really reminds me of my childhood. I remember visiting the store whenever I needed to buy a gift for my mom - whether it was her birthday or mother's day, they had scrolls with the loveliest poems written on them and my mom would really appreciate it so much. I also like that they have now updated their products, they are selling cool wall decals and other fun stuff too like stationeries, notebooks that have uplifting quotes, notecards, etc. My cousin loves to stop by Papemelroti without even wanting anything in particular, she said it's always nice to look at the stuff inside their store and usually, she would actually come out with some random thing on hand like a nicely designed box, this store is crafty person's dream come true!

Clipper is a really awesome store you should go to if you love Japan, anything Japanese or anything…read more"Kawaii". This gift shop originated from Harajuku, Japan so it's guaranteed how authentically kawaii all their products are. It's definitely the place to be when you want to buy quirky and unique gifts, novelty items, bags, key chains, stationaries and a whole lot more. Every time I go in the store, I feel like buying and collecting everything. I've bought some awesome stuff my friends have loved like a pencil case that's shaped like a chocolate bar, a glasses case with a design of a cute bear and an adorable mug with a bear face and bear ears. Whereas I have bought this cool compact mirror that looks exactly like a cookie with vanilla filling and then my favorite would have to be this cool and badass backpack I bought that had a skulls and roses with thorns as an all over print and chains on the zippers. It was really cheap like P600 if I remember well. I've had it for years and it's super sturdy! Also great for traveling since it's thief proof because it looks so scary, haha.

Most people know Muji as a Japanese store that offers household items, clothes, notebooks, pens,…read moreand other supplies. They are known for selling quality goods at an affordable price. What most people don't know is Muji is actually a great place to buy make-up. I don't really know a lot about make-up, but I have been using concealer and foundation for a while now to cover most of my dark spots, dark circles, and small blemishes on some areas of my face. I have already tried using Garnier and Clinique Advanced Concealer, but I am just not happy with it. I can't seem to find the perfect Garnier concealer that would match my skin tone and Clinique is just too expensive for me (relying on your parents for money is not easy). I like the Muji concealer because it doesn't clump and it actually matches my skin tone. It's also really affordable. You can buy it for less than 1000 pesos. They also have eyeliners, eye shadows, blush, and brushes so make sure to check Muji out if you're the type of person who just can't live without make-up. PS: I am NOT a make-up expert AT ALL, but I think I know enough about concealers for me to make a review about it (LOL)

There's just something about Muji that draws me towards the store - I think it's the mere fact that…read morethe store exudes a very minimalist look. I also love the packaging of the products here - the logo is not really seen and the look of it sticker labels are so clean. I always like going to Muji to buy pens and notebooks! I usually hoard them (I don't know why but I could easily go back to the store right) and well my cabinet still has unused notebooks as of to date. I also like going to Muji to check out the foldable travel bags and other travel accessories. I actually use Muji bags when I travel because they're very light and functional. My friends say the snacks here are also good - now that I have yet to try out! I'm really glad that there are a lot of Muji branches all over Manila.

Impulsive buyer ka ba? Kung oo, for sure makakapag-shopping ka nang malala at Japan Home Center!…read moreKung hindi naman, ngayon mo na malalaman kung anong feeling maging impulsive buyer teh! Hahaha! Parang imposibleng wala kang mabili sa Japan Home Center eh. Yung mga borloloy na hindi mo mabibili sa department stores eh makikita mo dito. Take note: super affordable! Yung mga kakikayan na binebenta pasok na pasok sa budget and usually less than P100 lang sila. Hindi mo mamamalayang nakaka-mahigit isang libo ka na pala kakaisip na "Ayy ang mura!" tapos nakarami ka na girl. OR BAKA SA AKIN LANG NANGYAYARI TO HAHAHA Japan Home Center yung kaya kong tambayan nang ilang oras kakaikot lang sa loob tapos nag-eenjoy na akong titigan yung mga kaartehang binebenta nila. Usually kikay pero useful kaya bagay sa tulad kong mapagmaarte....pero wala masyadong pambili! Char!

How can anyone go wrong with Japan Home Center? It's inexpensive, practical, and the Japanese came…read moreup with it. It is like a 99 cents store but instead everything costs 88 Pesos or less. And they sell everything you'll need in the house from cookware to silverware. They have those authentic Japanese bowls used in restaurants to serve ramen or sukiyaki. They also sell candies and chocolates from Japan. My favorite are their school supplies. A whole pack of colored gel pens, folders of all shapes and sizes, and notebooks with cute anime characters and silly quotes are some of the things i check out when i visit Japan Home Center. Some of the really practical things to buy from here also include tissue paper (because it is sold by bulk), laundry detergent, and cleaning supplies. Their products come in big packs so, if youre looking to fill up a house with stuff you'll need, you can try buying from Japan Home Center and getting everything you need without spending a fortune.

Edeng's in the Gift Market section of the Market! Market! mall is a very convenient one-stop-shop…read morefor all things fun! If you are looking for party supplies such as toys, balloons, plastic plates and cutlery, disposables, giveaways, costumes and other related merchandise, you need not go to Divisoria to scour the endless stores. Edeng's has pretty much everything you will need under one roof, so it saves you a trip to the hot, crowded and chaotic shopping district. At least here, it is inside the mall premises so you don't have to suffer the heat or the humidity of the outdoor, or poorly airconditioned stalls in Divisoria. For my friend's birthday surprise, I was able to cop a few balloons, cake toppers, plastic tiaras. candles and loot bag goodies at such a cheap price. For my niece's Nutrition Month celebration parade at her pre-school, we were able to find a cute costume which saved us a lot of time (than if we'd have done it from scratch).

If you need affordable toys, party decor, favors and stationery but you can't be bothered with a…read moretrip to Divisoria, then Edeng's Toy Center in Market! Market! is your best bet. For my daughter's first birthday, I scoured the streets and malls of Divisoria for the cutest and cheapest party favors and prizes I could find. But two weeks before the party, I felt that I still needed more prizes for games, but a Divisoria trip was out of the picture. So I went to the Edeng's branch in Taguig instead. I'm glad that I was able to bring my daughter with me because the place was airconditioned and not as crowded as the main branch. The little girl enjoyed looking at all the toy displays. They have a lot, ranging from the rather cheap to the more expensive ones. You get what you pay for though, so the moderately priced ones have, of course, better quality. Speaking of prices, expect their items to cost higher than the one in Divi, but still more economical than mall prices.

Ever since I started working, there was never a year that I did not receive a gift coming from…read morePapemelroti. This just goes to show that this rustic-vintage inspired store is on top of a lot people's list for gift items. I can't blame them, it's on top of mine too. The place sells a wide array of stationery made of recycled paper which gives their items the old fashioned vibe without making it look used or scrappy. They also have small trinkets and thingamajigs perfect for giveaways or tabletop displays. What I usually get from this store is their small boxes of inspirational messages that can brighten anyone's day in a jiff. I would just tie a little ribbon around it and it's good to go. I wouldn't have to spend a little extra for gift wrapping. So the next time a friend or family member celebrates anything and you can't think of a present to give, you can always go back to the basics and give this place a visit.

I may be giving out my age here but this shop used to be my best friend when cellular phones and…read morethe internet are not yet household names. I go to Papemelroti when I need to send a love letter to the girl I'm courting. Yes kids, it's that thing where you use an actual pen and paper to communicate with the girl you like. We really used to do that. And you have to wait for a day or even several days just to receive a response. Papemelroti has stationaries and notebooks made out of recycled paper with cute designs and vintage look. The said stationaries and notebooks also have nice designs and even sayings. They also sell trinkets like brass necklaces and bracelets. They even have little jewelry boxes made of recycled materials. The fact that Ms. Patty, who partly owns Papemelroti together with her siblings, is such a nice person is another reason for me to continue patronizing this store. Yes, the first two letters of Papemelroti is from her name. RO is for Robert, the sibling who is the creator of the designs and drawings you see in their products. Their classic and beautiful items should be more than enough reason for customers to continue patronizing them. If you need another reason then it's nice to know that the crafts and trinkets that they sell are handmade by mothers living in destitute areas. Papemelroti provides them with materials and pays them for the labor. Just keep in mind that everytime you purchase an item from Papemelroti, you are also supporting these mothers who found a decent livelihood because of Papemelroti.