There seems to be a whole slew of independent groups organizing one or two day pop-up shopping…read moreevents these days. Personally, I feel that there are only quite a few that are actually worthy of a visit. One of them is The Caravan, which is a lifestyle market that usually pops up at the Proscenium's Kirov Model Unit located beside the Rockwell Tent at the Power Plant Mall. Usually a two-day affair, The Caravan has a carefully and thoughtfully curated group of vendors selling one-of-a-kind home décor, beautiful jewelry, clothes, accessories, locally produced beauty products and even artisanal food choices. I'm not exactly sure what their schedule is, but The Caravan usually happens twice or thrice a year. For a better gauge of their schedule, it would be good to start following them on their Instagram account - @thecaravanph.

Fab is a little wing in Robinsons Metroeast mall where they have a bunch of clothes, shoes, and…read moreaccessories stores selling some unique items you don't see in the usual tiangge. It's like a more curated bazaar where spaces are taken up by independent shops more than just resellers. They don't have dirt-cheap items, but it's all still very much affordable! There are some recognizable shops like Girlshoppe but there are many other interesting shops that have unique, nice looking, custom products like The Heel Project Manila. They have durable, nicely designed heels and sandals that they make themselves from their factory in Marikina! You can even have one specially-designed for you alone. There's another store that makes nice swimwear for around 500 for the whole set! There's another that has 80s and 90s style shirts and sweaters that would work great for fun themed parties, hahah. Most of the stores generally design and make their own items. You can stock up on both trendy pieces and well-made basics to add to your wardrobe!

Who says socks can't be a fashion statement? Iconic Socks is a kiosk located at the UP Town Center…read moreMall that sells socks in a variety of cool and hip designs. Ranging from shin-high to ankle socks, this store will actually make you want to invest in them. The socks are pricey though, but hey, what can you expect from something so well designed? There's just too much to choose from actually! It actually makes you rethink their functionality.

This is one of my favorite event venues both as a participant and as a merchant. I love that it is…read moreso accessible because it's just right beside Powerplant Mall. Whether you're driving, taking a cab or even using other modes of public transport, it's so easy to get to. The tent is pretty big, it has comfortable air-conditioning, the bathrooms are right beside it. I've joined as a merchant for Mommy Mundo bazaars when they were still holding them here and that was one of my most productive selling days. Mommy Mundo transferred to a different venue last year because they were told that Rockwell Tent will be undergoing some remodeling. While we had high hopes for the new venue, it really didn't perform as good as when we were in Rockwell Tent. Foot traffic was cut by about half just with that move. I do hope they give Rockwell Tent a makeover. But even if they don't, I love it just as it is. I will continue to visit the bazaars there and maybe even join a few that will be held there.

The Rockwell Tent has been one of the most enduring event centers and venues in the metro. NBC, a…read moresimilar tent-like venue has bitten the dust last year, and Rockwell remains as a place that can be transformed to suit every function or event, such as parties, product launches, fashion shows, musical events, bazaars and flea markets, programs and wedding receptions. A lot of really memorable events have happened in Rockwell. It is a favorite performance venue for my samba school and community, and we would hold concerts, performances, football viewing parties and similar events in the tent. You don't have to worry about the place being too warm because their air-conditioning game is always on point. Several independently-organized bazaars also often pop up in the tent from time to time, especially during the holiday season. It is where I usually shop for presents, since they are very selective with their tenants. All the bazaar sellers actually hawk interesting and moderately priced gift items that make my Christmas shopping hassle free and worry free! I also like that I'm almost always able to hail a cab in mere minutes, a feat that is almost impossible elswhere.

We arrived to Legazpi Sunday Market around 10am and it was already bustling with people, especially…read morearound all the food stalls. It was nice to see a variety of things to eat or drink and even purchase like handmade clothing, bags, and trinkets. Since the market is right by the park, you have access to the restrooms and places to sit and eat. So we ended up staying in this area for a good few hours. We had a pleasant time, so we highly recommend checking it out!

Outstanding Sunday market if you want to stroll a bit and have a bite. The vendors were all…read moreextremely friendly, especially the chicharron tita who adopted me on the spot. While it initially appears very small, it's like Harry Potter waved his wand with the spell to make the inside of the tents bigger. It was a veritable maze of delicious goodies. Great spot to walk off a long flight and take in the local eats.

Yabang Pinoy is a collective of like-minded individuals who are in the pursuit of Filipino…read moreexcellence. They passionately support Filipino products, ideas and services and work hard to instill a concept of pride in Filipinos, old and young alike. Founded in 2005, they became the pioneers in the Filipino pride movement, working mostly with Filipino youth to get their message across. A few times a year, Yabang Pinoy plays hosts to the Global Pinoy Bazaars, a series of shopping fairs and fund-raising events that highlight proudly Filipino-made products, brands and concepts to the interested public. Without a doubt, these bazaars are proof that Filipino brands can complete at the global stage. So if you're curious to see what your creative fellowmen have to offer, a visit to the Global Pinoy Bazaars is a must. To ensure that you get the schedule of bazaars, make sure to sign up for the Yabang Pinoy newsletter at yabangpinoy.com.

Pop-up events in Manila are surely getting more interesting. Once such event was The Gourmand…read moreMarket, a food fair that really got the whole town buzzing and eating. Situated in the small park in front of Bonifacio High Street Central, The Gourmand Market was truly a fete of fantastic flavors. Numerous stalls lined up the park, offering delicious goodies that one can't find anywhere. Most were independent fare, cooked lovingly from the home, perhaps a quality that made whatever they were serving even more special. Standouts include a bagnet-filled wrap, chorizo quesadillas, mangga and suman flavoured ice cream and so much more. Perhaps what was even more interesting is the whole atmosphere of fun and revelry that was buzzing about the whole weekend. This is only the second installment of the series and I certainly hope that the organizers continue this event. Heaven knows that Manila needs more of it. To be updated with the market's schedule, follow @thegourmandmarket on Instagram.

Whenever there's a food event, I always try to go to it! I mean come on, who doesn't love pop up…read moreevents right? When I first heard about this, I was really glad to see that this management being Gourmand Market really set up the place to look bespoke! It actually reminded me of Brooklyn, with the barrels turned into tables, light bulbs turned into lights, and the plants everywhere. I love how this event wasnt just a food place - I also got to see stalls selling plants (like cacti). It's such a fun time going around trying the different food from sweet to savory to sweet again. I got to buy a bag full of bagels from LES Bagels, cookies from Brothers Bakers MNL, and iced tea from Stellina's. The place and the food stalls are small so it's not hard to walk around again and again. It's really a nice place to bring your family and friends!

The Farmers Market in Quezon City is one of the oldest, largest, and most revered markets in both…read moreMetro Manila and the Philippines. I went just to sightsee and thought it was pretty wonderful, a giant, colorful open air market absolutely teeming with life. The place was huge, with what felt like hundreds of vendors selling fish, meat, and produce in tightly arranged stalls. There were lots of people and the occasional cat, and we tourists were in the minority--I think almost everyone else was there to buy or sell food. The produce looked fresh, and there was a robust seafood section. We'd visited the Navotas fish port that morning, and I gather that a lot of the fish caught there make there way to the Farmers Market. We stopped by the food court and picked up mango and green mango shakes at the Fruitas stand. I'm sure we missed out on other excellent eats, but those shakes were delicious. I'll bet you could spend quite some time exploring this Farmers Market. I enjoyed my visit and would recommend the place to anyone living in or passing through Metro Manila.

Seriously old world. Even though much more organized and clean than what I remember. Old world open…read moreair market. Open air in that there are no walls so even from the middle you can see the outdoor city streets. There is a ceiling covering the entire market so no food or person will be exposed to the sun and/or elements. The place is huge like at least one city block. Every vendor is its own business, so every stall you go to you will have to make a payment. Also able to haggle if you have any skill for it. I do not but natives...it's in their blood. No card transactions either straight cash, and actually have smaller bills so to make giving change easier. When I said old world, I meant old world! Place is also sectioned off...vegetables in one area, fruit vendors in another, beef, poultry, eggs, fish and shellfish are all grouped by their product. A little overwhelming for me but if you shop here regularly then I suppose you can figure out which vendor works for you, then you can establish a relationship. No shopping carts or even baskets. So bring your own bags. We only brought 1 bag and after buying more shellfish than what we came for, my aunt and I went to the house wares area and bought a small plastic bucket to put our bags of seafood in. We put all our produce in the bag I brought. The nature of the market will give first worlders fits. Nothing is refrigerated and is just sitting out in open air. Even seafood and meats like beef and pork. Just sitting or hanging in open air, and that air is not cool or temperate. Lol. I got a little queasy a few times but it is just how certain countries have been doing it for centuries. Sure there are modern grocery stores here that will rival any grocery store in the US or Europe, but I wanted to see one of these again before my trip ended. It just is in more in touch with regular people, people who are living their daily lives. That is what I wanted to be a part of. Whilst putting down food for my family, I was also able to help another put food on theirs. An exchange I can smile and feel good about. 5 Old World Stars!