One definite sign that I'm growing older is the abundance of friends, siblings and relatives having…read morekids or being asked to attend children's birthday parties or baptisms. Of course one cannot go empty-handed to celebrations such as these. Recently, I have found myself visiting the baby and toddler clothing store, Gingersnaps, in Greenbelt 5. And I've got to say, if I were a toddler, I would love to have Gingersnaps sponsor my whole wardrobe. The store itself is bright, colorful, and abundant with cool, fashionable clothes for kids of all ages. What I like best about the store is the fact that it's a local brand but can easily be mistaken for an international one. It can definitely give the other international kids clothing brands a run for their money.

I did a shopping haul at this store. I probably spent about 30 minutes browsing and trying on…read morestuff. It was fun. I found some unique items that were related to the Philippines. The cashier was friendly. They charge for paper shopping bags just like they do back home. The cost was 2 Philippine Pesos. I'm glad this was the last store we visited at MOA because I didn't want to lug around a large shopping bag all over the mall.

Went here to shop for some clothing. Great and affordable place with great style. Multi floors to…read moreshops with varies choices and plenty of happy, friendly, cheerful, nice and attentive to help you of your needs. Got more than what I would like plus there is a sew on station so got couple done there. Love the store, the staff, the clothing style, the prices...the whole package. And they do have a cafe there too. This is 2nd I saw after the Hong Kong one.

My friend was looking to buy succulents for her condo a few weeks ago and she told me they had a…read morelot in Farmer's Garden in Cubao! She thought I was the right person to go accompany her because I live near by, I was more than excited to go with her because I've been meaning to check out what they have! We went early in the morning and we were so overwhelmed with what we found! The first aisle of stores had so many cut flower options, roses, orchids, mums, even sunflowers! While I wanted to grab some because I was there already, I figured cut flowers didn't last too long so I didn't bother to bring any home. Right behind the cut flower aisle were the plants, so many of them! We found hydrangeas, herbs, trees, orchids and succulents! They were pretty affordable too and they came in so many different shapes and sizes! We each grabbed 3 plants for only 100 pesos (a little haggling might be required!). I also bought myself a peppermint plant while I was at it (for my mojitos!). Looks like growing plants will be a new hobby for me now! Drop by if you have a green thumb (or feel like you do!).

Popped into this garden center last weekend just to browse, and ended up leaving with three new…read moresucculents and the biggest smile! The place is like a little green oasis right in the city--rows of vibrant flowers, healthy starter plants, and that huge succulent corner that had me geeking out for ages. Picked up a couple of gorgeous echeverias and a spiky little cactus for only Php 75 each because they had a surprise 20% off on pots that day. The staff guy was super chill, gave me quick tips on watering and sunlight without making me feel dumb, and even threw in a free tiny bag of soil mix. Everything looked so fresh and well-cared for, no wilted leaves in sight. Already planning my next haul--definitely my new favorite spot for plant therapy! 5 stars

Popped in on a random Tuesday after work, craving some plant vibes to brighten up my tiny…read moreapartment, and this spot totally delivered. The succulent selection is insane--plump, colorful echeverias, quirky haworthias, and these adorable little aloe pups that were calling my name. Snagged four beauties for under 400 pesos total, including a cute ceramic pot that was already on markdown. The guy working there was so genuinely helpful, no pushy sales vibe at all; he just chatted about which ones would thrive on my east-facing windowsill and even showed me how to propagate one of the offsets right there. Plants were all super healthy, nice and firm, no sad droopy ones hiding in the back. Left feeling like I'd just had a mini nature escape in the middle of the city chaos. Already counting down to my next visit--this place is pure plant heaven! 5 stars

Okay, so the Albert Avellana Art Gallery isn't the easiest to come to. Especially on a Friday…read morenight, especially when there's a storm and especially when you don't' have a car. But I had to be there, it was my bestfriend's exhibit and I promised her that I would not miss it. So, after a cab ride that I had walked out from right on bumper to bumper EDSA, a 15-minute walk to the MRT, a 40-minute sardine ride in it and a 20-minute cab ride driven by a sketchy driver, I finally made it. Walking into the compound made me feel like I was in 1950s old Manila. With a slew of wooden houses enveloped by gardens and trees-it was exactly how I imagine old-fashioned Manila to have been. The gallery is a charming old space filled with retro-modern functional art and being inside the compound made me forget the diesel fumes and blaring horns outside.

The sheer size of the UP is mind-boggling. It's not surprising, I guess, for a Lasallian like…read moremyself to marvel at the expanse of the Diliman campus, since our campus along Taft Avenue is so cramped and crowded, without a tree in sight. So when my girlfriend took me on a walking tour of the University of the Philippines, I was like a kid on some school tour, pointing at random stuff and asking a whole bunch of questions, and requesting that we stop underneath huge trees just to enjoy the breeze and the leafy shade. Like some kid though, I got tired and irritable too, so my girlfriend took me to Area 2, which was an awesome idea. An ENTIRE street of cheap food. It's like Agno, but way, way better. I practically ran from one place to the next and then back again because I couldn't decide what to get. In the end, we sampled all of the food, and went home very, very happy.

The UP Diliman campus is almost synonymous with cheap and delicious food and none more so than the…read morefood strip known as Area 2. Specifically, the street's name is J.P. Laurel, but everyone on campus know it as the place to go for lutong bahay, milk tea, ice scramble, fruit shakes, rice meals, burgers... Basically, almost anything you could be craving. The Snack Shack is rarely seen without a waiting line, but the wait is worth it. Kainan Street offers rice meals, pizza and mojos with their own brew of bottomless iced tea that's really addicting on a hot day. TBA has mocktails in calamansi mint and dalandan basil, and Endless Summer Café's got thick and creamy milkshakes and sisig meals. And of course, there's no beating the street food standards - siomai rice meals, ice scramble, and lutong bahay. How cheap is cheap? The most affordable meals along this food strip range from P25-40, while those in the P120 range are already considered quite pricey. Hooray for student-friendly prices! So if you find yourself in UP, stop by Area 2, whether it's breakfast, lunch, merienda, or dinner. You're bound to find something you'll want to eat.

This place is amazing! Phenomenal customer service! I forgot the time duration from US to the…read morePhilippines and was not able to order flowers for my wife. Talking to me till 2 am 12 ish Philippine time. Just to get my order in for the delivery the next day! My wife loves the flowers being her favorite! The price was just right too!!

When I want to buy local souvenirs, I usually go to Kultura Filipino or to Filipiniana. Both are…read morelocated in Makati, close to my place. And both offer all the traditional symbols of the Philippines - barong tagalogs, pinneaple fiber clothes and table runners, t-shirts, Mother Pearl picture frames, pearl and coral jewelry and so on. I particularly prefer Kultura Filipino, because I have the feeling it's better served. Actually I think the store is bigger. Anyway, I prefer it. But when I don't want to cross Glorietta to get to the SM building, I go to Filipiniana, inside The Landmark. I highly recommend it for those times you have to buy a gift for a foreigner friend or buy some souvenirs to your family when you go back home on vacations.

If you're a foreigner or balikbayan looking for authentic and inexpensive Filipino souvenirs and…read moregoods, you have to stop by the Filipiniana section of Landmark. The large section is dedication just for Filipino crafts, products and food and I love how you have so many options to choose from. I'm not a foreigner or a balikbayan and I'm not looking for souvenirs but I do love going around this section and buying things. I love being a Filipino and I'm certainly proud of our skills, talents, culture and food. In this part of the department store, you'll find any kind of souvenir you want. It's basically a one-stop-shop. You can find gorgeous handmade and local artisan crafted furniture, home accessories, jewelry, clothes, traditional costumes and even yummy Filipino food snacks like peanut brittle and the famous dried mangoes! I always bring my foreign friends and family members from the States to this store and they always buy so many things and come out of the store happy and satisfied.