After a good meal at 12/10, you will want something light and sweet. Restock is a good palate…read morecleanser. Literally just a hop away from the trendy izakaya, Restock is a true breath of fresh air aka a true non-mainstream spot (aka, a true hipster haven). From their location to their DIY Kinfolk-y decor to their indie merchandise to the publications they offer (Cereal, Kinfolk - of course) to - you guessed it - artisanal coffee, this place is, in all honesty, a good respite from the usual hustle and bustle (and stress!) of the city. Almost feels like hanging out at a friend's artsy flat. Order a cup, get a chocolate chip cookie, find your spot, own a copy of their latest issue of Cereal and get ready to stay in your bubble of calm (time to let the 12/10 food digest!).

When the hipster gods descended from their grand (but sustainable) kingdom (Otherwise known as QC),…read morethey set their sights on Makati. The gods decreed that this city of glass and steel needs a coffee shop, where people can have coffee they can't understand while marveling at artwork they don't understand. In true hipster fashion, they decided that they will put up this coffee shop in a location that is slightly inconvenient for mere mortals to visit (Which makes it perfect for the hipster legion). This coffee shop is now known as Restock. Okay, kidding aside, Restock is a fun, lively, cozy coffee shop located in Guijo street in San Antonio, Makati. The place is, without a doubt, flying the hipster aesthetic to the nth level as it's decidedly third wave, and by the fact that they sell artwork and limited stock items. It is a fun place to get some writing done, to hang out with friends, and just to marvel at all the Instagram-worthy spots in the coffee shop. The fact it's right beside 12/10 just ups Restock's hipster cred. The coffee's fantastic, too. Don't worry, the very well-educated, painfully cool staff will help you should their coffee menu confuse you. Either that or just order a Long White. Never fails.

BGC Bonifacio Global City will always be my first choice whenever I visit Manila, and Bonifacio…read moreHigh Street is most defintely a highlight. This reminds me of Las Ramblas in Barcelona, where wide pedestrian walkways/parks are between several retail. service and restaurants, and where people can stop and rest at benches, stairs/tables right at the center. There is literally a chain, or blocks fn these walkway/parks so we can walk through one, cross a street, the enter another. It's very family oriented. We saw several families playing in the park. It's also very pet-oriented where several people were walking (or carrying) their dogs. It's one big social. The choices of dining are endless, and one can take-out fast food, or stop and dine inside a restaurant. For US residents, it's almost like being in the USA because of the amazing number of US-based restaurants. Best of all, as a female senior citizen I felt perfectly safe walking by myself.

This place is so overhyped lol. Wasn't really amazed since I've already been to other Asian…read morecountries with MUCH huger shopping districts and more developed infrastructure. Just a hype spot that's oversaturated by people obsessed with spamming their social media taking posing photos in this place. People here are not friendly, wouldn't recommend for families.

This mall has an outdoor and indoor portions the indoor food stall has a ton of local snacks…read more Totally worth trying if you are in the area

Market Market!It's been around for quite a while, even before BGC was developed. I visited the…read morePhilippines many times when I was younger, and back then, there wasn't much around. Seeing Market Market now shows how the Philippines has become more modern. It's a lively place where families can gather for special occasions, with various stands offering good prices, though I remember thinking the prices were quite reasonable. Interestingly, when you travel to the provinces or countryside, souvenirs and treats can be cheaper than here. Market Market has a nostalgic vibe, blending modern shopping with Filipino charm. Cheers to an OG spot with good food, great vibes, and a place that has stood the test of time!

Cubao X used to be the original hipster paradise. A decade ago, the Marikina Shoe Expo opened its…read moredoors to businesses not necessarily from Marikina and not necessarily about shoes. The compound attracted manila's artists and whatnots to form what we call Cubao X now. Back then, there were a couple of galleries and a lot of interesting curio shops and everything in between. If you were a part (or aspiring to be part) of Manila's artistic scene, this was the place to be seen. A decade later, Cubao X lost a bit of hipster cred. The galleries are all but gone, and the original shops have been replaced by newer shops that kinda still live by the same vibe the original Cubao X did. There's also a lot of antique shops here for some weird reason. Cubao X may not be as cutting edge as it used to be, but it's still here and it does deserve a visit.

My earliest memory of this horseshoe-shaped complex is being hauled by my mother in order to shop…read morefor school shoes. Perhaps some, if not most of the younger millennials do not realize it but Cubao X used to be called Marikina Shoe Expo, a project spearheaded by the former First Lady Imelda Marcos in the late 70s meant to showcase world-class footwear locally crafted in the City of Marikina. These days, it is still an expo of sorts, but this time of Filipino youth culture that follows similar movements happening in other parts of the world, but in a distinct way that remains firmly grounded on local flavor. Although there are still a few shoe brands that persist in the enclave, it is now also home to other different subcultures, with art galleries, and shops that cater to surfers, skaters and musicians. You want to look at surfboards, skateboards and street wear? How about some vinyl records or a new bag for your ukulele? Cubao X. There is even a popular Itallian restaurant owned by a former Itallian paparazzo and his Filipino wife, which sits a few paces away from a boutique run by a divinator, though one has to make an appointment to have fortune read. But more than a shopping gallery for curious knickknacks and quirky finds ranging from the progressively artsy to the vintage indie, it is at night that this place really teems with life. Crowding within and spilling from its smallish diners and watering holes are animated conversations about hardcore philosophy, puppy love, high and pop literature alike, and the next super hero film. Every now and then, small music festivals are held here where both renowned and up-and-coming performers take on the spotlight, drawing together budding artists, their muses, starting patrons and just the generally bored. Literally, anyone and everyone, all coming together to partake of cheap alcohol, specialty food and generally great music. So the next time you find yourself wanting to explore new ideas over a few bottles of beer, or to just chill in a place where being vastly different from the guy in the next table is the most normal thing to be, just step into the menagerie that is Cubao X.

When I still live in the Philippines, I've been going to SM Megamall since it opened in 1991. It…read morewas the biggest mall in the Philippines at that time and had its run for 17 years. Now it is the third largest mall in the Philippines and the thirteenth largest mall in the world with almost 1,000 shops including retail and dining outlets. This mall have almost everything, from specialty stores, clothing, electronics, arcade and video games, hardware, bookstores, sporting goods, restaurants, cafés and food court, movie theaters, and kiosks by merchants. Most of the items are great value for money and service is always on point! They also hold special events and holiday celebrations. Check it out!

I'm so jealous the states side don't have these kind of malls!!!! Everything you need all in one…read morelocation! Great stores, great staff, great food options! I love the mall!!!!

I've seen better SM malls around the Philippines. Wasn't amazed here. Crowd is obnoxious and place…read morefeels overhyped as the rest of BGC.

Beautiful SM in BGC. Not sure how new it is but lots of trendy stores and food spots for your…read moreenjoyment. Just a little smaller than I'm normally accustomed to for SM malls. They love their mall culture in the Philippines and it reminds me of the early 80's in the US when malls were still packed with visitors and peeps keeping up with joneses. Tried some small Chinese spot that was like a poor man's Din Tai Fung and the food was good. Want to say it was on the 2nd level. Hope to visit again soon when I'm in BGC again.

UP Diliman is full of quiet places where you can settle down with a book or with your notes as for…read morewhen you are cramming for your next exam or final, but nothing beats the Art Circle Gallery when it comes to comfortable places in the campus where I can sit for hours and ponder on my lessons or my readings. Art Circle Gallery is located at the ground floor and towards the back of the UP Bahay ng Alumni. This quiet pocket in the edge of the campus is also a perfect location for a quaint and intimate cafe that serves lunch, breakfast and coffee-time favorites. I particularly love the vegetarian pita wrap and their Kalinga coffee, which they usually serve around snack time. You can order from a menu of dishes and light snacks such as pasta, rice meals and sandwiches to pair with their coffee and tea. The main cafe area is air-conditioned and the WiFi is reasonably fast considering it is free. But what I love the most about Art Circle Gallery and the adjoining Gallery Cafe is you can always request to be seated in the gallery of paintings and atwork. If you are looking for a bit of creative inspiration, or if you would just like to surround yourself with the beauty and the artistry of the Philippine artists on display, you can have your coffee and enjoy it in this explosion of color. I have spent many quiet afternoons with a friend or a classmate, enjoying a slice of their tablea chocolate cake with coffee in a press. Such bliss.

Sometimes, all you want is an escape. Some time for yourself in a world full of motion is rare, and…read morethese free moments are the times when you want to appreciate beauty and nature, or to simply relax. During my free time, I sometimes like to walk around campus or talk to my friends. Sometimes, I go to Art Circle. It's definitely a calming place where I can sit by myself and contemplate the present while looking at the beautiful artworks that line the walls. When hunger starts to gnaw at my peaceful disposition, I order and eat some of their light snacks such as sandwiches and coffee before I zone out once more. A person really needs times like these, and for me, it's best to spend them comfortably in Art Circle.

GuadMall as natives of the area fondly calls this place is the center of commercial businesses in…read moreone of the busiest locations in Makati. It sits along EDSA for more than a decade, conveniently connected to MRT Guadalupe station and the Guadalupe wet market. In more than half of my waking life, this has been my go-to place for my daily purchases. I've gotten cute tiangge finds here, bought emergency school and office supplies, sewing supplies, grocery shopped for my cats, even shopped for electronics and furniture in the early 2000s. It was just super complete, there's no other mall coming close (literally, because it's just along my street, lol). Here are ten secrets of the GuadaMall: One: You can do BIR filing here. During filing seasons, they setup a table near the entrance. Make sure your requirements are complete, though. Two: There are TONS of mobile repair shops here. Take your pick. All of them are fairly experienced. Three: An official kiosk of Torque mobile is found here. Four: If you're a business owner and is looking for a convenient place to rent for an office or shopfront, the mall is pretty accessible with lots of traffic. If it fits your fanny, why not? Five: You can buy kitty-printed shirts in the tiangge areas here! Six: You can go to the wet market area through the mall. You wouldn't have to crowdsurf down the road just to get to it. Plus, you'll be safer. Guadalupe has a lot of snatchers and pickpocketers. No saying you should let your guard down in the mall, though. Seven: Cheap musical instruments! Eight: A CD-R King. And a HUGE one. Nine: 99-peso buffet, anyone? Ten: Homeware galore!

People who live in Guadalupe Nuevo and its surrounding areas know Guadalupe Commercial Complex…read more(GCC) as ABC. This community mall located along EDSA-Guadalupe has long been the go-to place for entertainment and shopping even before the big malls along EDSA, such as SM Megamall and Robinson's Galleria, were constructed. I remember, this is where my lola brought me to watch a movie for the very first time. Afterwards, she would bring us to Green Plate to eat palabok. Both the cinema complex and the restaurant have closed down already, but the Guadalupe Commercial Complex still stands. Now, this mall has become known as a destination for bargain hunters for electronics and clothes. There is a discount department store and a grocery warehouse at the ground floor of the mall. Because of its strategic location, GCC has become a home to IT-related schools like ACLC and IETI. It's also worth noting that famous fast food chains like McDonalds, Mister Donut, and Chowking have branches here, too. Jerbs Bookstore, a shop selling pre-loved books located at the second floor of the mall, is a place to be for bibliophiles. Even though there are security guards inside the mall, it's still a smart idea to be careful and to keep an eye on your belongings when inside this mall. Hordes of people pass through the building because of its easy access to MRT-Guadalupe Station and to the bus and jeep pickup points along EDSA.