I love shopping at Claire's especially at Christmas time and I have a lot gifts for my tween and…read moreteen godchildren. They have the cutest items that are great for that age range. The truth is, I also buy a lot of things at Claire's for myself. They have a lot of hip accessories like sunglasses, jewelry, hats and bags. The best gift I found there were locked diaries for tweens with cute owl designs and a bejeweled red one. They are also among the few stores that have gloves, we're not really a glove-wearing country so that's a bit hard to find before Claire's. And they also carry the Prism line of Katy Perry. They often go on sale offering buy 1, take 1 promos for items of the same price. If you ever chance upon one of those, I suggest going big on the shopping because you will always be able to find young girls and those young-at-heart to give the items to.

Claire's is every pre-teens dream come true. When i would vacation in the US, my shopping itinerary…read morealways included Claire's for all my kikay needs. Their accessories are the best! They sell colorful hair pieces as well as cute earrings, belly rings (for the rebellious kind) and even boy band merchandise. Just so you know, i didnt buy any of the Justin Bieber stuff when he was super famous. In grade 6, all my classmates wanted to have my denim wallet which had glitters and the world Angel stitched on the front part. When i told them it was from Claire's their faces looked a bit upset because they knew they wouldnt be able to buy it right away. When i saw Claire's open their first branch in BGC i remember feeling what i used to feel when i wouls enter their US stores before. Unfortunately i was already working so i decided to be happy for the preteens instead. I still pass by once in a while and delight in the cute stuff they have.

I've had a recent interest in kooky jewelry using found objects and odds and ends, stringing them…read moreonto chains or rope and wearing them as necklaces. There's really nothing skillful or crafty about it, but it's fun to do with stuff that are pretty but you have no idea what to do with them. And I don't know anywhere else to get small chains but in Quiapo, at Joyo Fashion Accessories. It's very easy to miss this store walking along Evangelista St. from the Recto LRT Station, since it's covered by the area's wealth of stands hawking religious items, flowers, and candles, but it's not hard to find, really, since it's near the church and one of few stalls there that aren't selling construction supplies or phones and gadgets. If you've ever been around the stores in Quiapo, it's very much like most other places there, just stacks and racks and walls of stuff everywhere. You see necklaces, earrings, rings, and other accessories first before you get to the actual good stuff--beads, charms, trinkets, lace, cording, and other things you'll need to make your own jewelry. There are other places in the area selling similar things, but Joyo has an advantage being closer to Recto Station, and being in the somehow calmer, less dense area of Quiapo.

I miss this place! I wish it's still open!…read more This is our go to gift shop back in the days

A visit to Greenhills will never be complete without going to Regina Gift Shop…read more When I was a kid my parents would remind me that it's a gift shop meaning I went in to buy gifts for other people. I believed that lie until I was about ten. I guess that was to prevent me from buying all the awesome goodies this shop has to offer. Sorry, parents. I'm buying gifts for myself. They have everything! And I really mean everything. They have all my childhood candies next to a stand of plastic balloons. You know, those little tubes which you squeeze until this substance comes out which you blow into with the use of a little stick. There's a shelf with plates, spoons and forks and knives, cups and lunchboxes. And in the center, you'll find notebooks, stickers, pens, art materials, cellphone cases and the occasional sex toy. Speaking of toys, they do have toys for babies and children and adults who collect toys. Not into those things? They have bags, clothes and hats too. I remember being dragged here by my mom whenever I needed a costume for school. "You're only going to wear it once anyway. But it at Regina," she'd say. Don't get me wrong, their clothes don't break after one use. They have cool socks and hats. And sometimes if you're lucky, they have sell Christmas stockings. I can't remember everything they sell at this shop. So it would be great if you have a look for yourself. You won't be disappointed and you'll leave with lots of loot.

There are so many activities, restaurants, and shopping center in this mall. As basic as grocery…read moreshopping to shopping expensive clothes and make up, you will find many things to do. There is Gerrys grill, jollibee, mcdo, pizza hut to landmark, bench, and many more.

If it wasn't for all the Filipinos inside the mall, it'd remind me of the malls in California. It's…read morea pretty mall with fountains outside and architecture that makes you ooh and ahh inside your head. It gets crowded due to being one of the nicer, fancier malls. Like amusement park crowded. Grab a buddy and you'll be fine. They seem to have everything here too. Even a chapel that has masses. No joke. I was walking through the mall when I saw crowds of people standing. For mass. The masses get so much traffic that people have to stand outside the chapel. People don't stare at you here like at most other public places. I would think it's because most of the people here are middle and upper middle classes and a lot of tourists probably come here so it's nothing new to them. I liked this mall.

If you're up for all things kawaii, looking for something to decorate your room or organize your…read morenotes with, or just simply wanting a new stuffed toy, Happy Land is the land for you. Happy Land originates from Japan, with their front character, Rilakkuma (Japanese pronunciations for 'relax' and 'bear'). Aside from the world famous Sanrio characters, Rilakkuma is getting quite a huge attention as well. For more information as to how much kawaii-ness Rilakkuma bear could bring you, visit Happy Land!! They sell LOTS of stationery, school supplies, stuffed toys, glassware/some kitchenware, towels, what have you!

Sadly, I am not immune to the cuteness of Japanese Mascots. Sure, everyone's heard of Hello Kitty…read moreby now but how about the lesser known Sanrio-X characters? Kutusitanyanko? Mamegoma? Afroken? What about Rilakkkuma? For the uninitiated, Rilakkuma is a Sanrio-X character described as a bear in a "lazy and relaxed mood". He's simply that: a cute little teddy bear. Might be just me but I enjoy seeing foreign franchises come our way. Happy Land (yes, that's what it's called) sells nothing but Rilakkuma merchandise. Stuffed toys, notebooks, chopsticks, keychains, cellphone accessories... everything that you would expect to find in a quirky Japanese stationery/merch store. And as exected, everything is toothachingly adorable. And unfortunately, walletachingly expensive. Of course, your mileage may vary. If you've got some cash to burn, a huge fan of Rilakkuma and can't resist some decent quality merch, I say go for it. Personally, I might go back to get myself one of those headphone jack plug in things because I can't resist. (There goes my wallet.)

Need to update your wardrobe this year? Want a new swimwear? Or do you just want to shop till you…read moredrop without burying your wallet alive? Then this discreet yet stunning local clothing line could do the trick for you. Apartment 8, with branches in Trinoma, Greenhills and Glorietta, have been around for some time and has been creating quite a stir because of their trendy collections. Endorsed by famous fashion bloggers, Apartment 8 offers clothes for women, mostly for teenagers and young adults. But hey, their clothing line is for everybody, as long as you wear the dress, and not let the dress wear you. From casual to formal, from summer to winter, from vintage to modern - Apartment 8 surely has them all.

The Sidcor Market I grew up with can be found in EDSA corner Main Avenue--the current location of…read moreHypermarket Cubao. As far as I can recall, it was 8 years ago when it was launched again in Centris. I often visit every Sunday morning for my favorite Empanada, Pad Thai, and Buco Sherbet. This is home to a variety of food selection from regional cuisines to international flavors. Sidcor is also a great source of fresh produce, organic vegetables, and fruits. The price is at par with local neighborhood palengke and definetely cheaper than supermarket. Sidcor is open from 6:00am to 1:00pm but fresh market's stocks runs out easily. Be sure to arrive earlier. There are a lot of parking spaces available at Sidcor as well. Commuters can take the Quezon Avenue MRT station. It's a walk away from the train stop.

Spent a Sunday morning here is fun. Here you have 2 prices,…read morelocal and expat. Unlike in salcedo sat market, here you can find avocado for 150/kg, while it's 250-300php in salcedo! You can also find quite good collection of plants to decorate your home. Super hot though!!! But will come back!