So it's been 17 years since last went to the Philippines, and I didn't know what to expect…read more What a pleasant surprise it was when my parents and I checked in to the Airbnb and we find out that the Venice Grand Canal Mall was just across the street. I spent a lot of time here. As soon as you walk into the mall, it doesn't feel like you're in the Philippines anymore. The canal was nice to see during the day and at night. You can even take a gondola through the canal. They also have an area where you can feed pigeons seeds. They have a lot of the stores and the restaurants that we have in the US. I was joking around saying that I traveled 7200 miles to eat at a Denny's in the Philippines. Lol. And you know I had to hit up the Uniqlo here! Will I be back? Of course. Especially if I stay at the same Airbnb. I'll see you when I see you Venice Grand Canal Mall!

The Venice Grand Canal Mall is a large lifestyle center located in Taguig, Philippines…read more The Venice Grand Canal Mall should be viewed within the context of a master planned development. Encircling this mall are apartments, condos and office towers. The mall offers a lot: a supermarket; bookstores; fast food and casual dining restaurants; a multi-screen movie theater; spaces for dance and play--and a lot of retail shopping. You can also buy tickets for a gondola ride or rent a swan boat. This location provided an opportunity for me to people watch; examine products and brands unfamiliar to me; and to price compare goods in the PHL, versus back home. It was interesting.

This, as the rest of the malls in BGC are all overhyped. Just filled with people acting as main…read morecharacters holding zero shopping bags in their arms, and rather blocking the walkways spamming photos for their social media to "look rich." Not a fan of this area.

This place is like a 5 drive from my home!! The Taco Bell here is amazing, but the Halal Guys has a…read morebit of a metallic, smoky after taste though, but still not a bad restaurant

While Sta. Lucia of Cyracuse (from which I believe Sta. Lucia gets "her" name) is the patron saint…read moreof the blind, you can imagine that it would be poetic to completely overlook this otherwise hidden gem in favor of the nearby Robinson's Metro East. However, you would be at a loss. Although this particular mall is not as well-lit or up-to-date as it's nearby counterpart, or, indeed, like other malls of better caliber in the other areas of Manila, Sta. Lucia caters to clients from all walks of life who are looking for items of all kinds as well. Here you will find a hodgepodge of items that can be good deals of higher-end products sold at bargain prices, or you may even find older items that are no longer sold at conventional stores anymore, and for a reasonable price. Food stalls are abundantly distributed along the mall and between the stores, and it is surprisingly bigger than it looks from the outside. So don't let appearances or first impressions fool you; being blind sometimes leads to a leap of faith.

I am alway at fond of this mall... There are a lot of variety and range in their store offerings…read more From "tiange" types to local and emerging brands, to popular brands... from inexpensive clothes to designer handbags (such as Pierre Cardin), if you just look and shop meticulously you will find them!

A very nice mall. Very large. Great selection of restaurants. Loved walking in it. Although…read morethere's still some empty spaces. Enjoyed our trip there.

At Naughty Nachos The chicken is so spicy #foodporn…read more#burger #fries #unliwings #chickenwings

Greenhills Shopping Center is one of my favorite shopping mall in the Philippines. I've been going…read moreto this mall since the 80's. It's known for its diverse range of stores and products like clothing, cellular phone sales, repairs and accessories, jewelry store, toys, pearls, souvenir items, restaurants, bars, video arcades, religious facilities and the ever popular tiangge that sells imported and local products for bargain hunters. A lot has changed but it is still one of the most beloved malls in the country.

It's been two years since I last visited Greenhills and their renovations have paid off. It…read moredefinitely had a nicer, modern look with a more open feel in the main mall. Restaurant row was more inviting with more sit down choices and better design. Security upon entrance was still the same. Large bags were inspected upon entry. The tiangge section (Shoppsville side) was untouched with rows and rows of stalls selling pearls, clothing, suitcases, shoes and more. Everything here can be haggled over. I was on the search for some local food items but the stall I sought out was closed for some reason. The chapel in the mall was still something unique to see but quite convenient to attend mass. The indoor garden across the way was updated and more inviting than I remember with more seating. Parking here has always been and will likely still be a challenge. Security guards still direct traffic but drop off areas by the mall entrances do get backed up frequently. Definitely enjoyed the shopping experience more than before.

We love Podium and it's our family's first choice for social events; whether it's a day of…read moreshopping, trying out new foodie spots or just catching up with friends, the Podium mall is always a great place for lunch, dinner and everything in between. Not too crowded and a decent crowd at that.....you'll feel safe and comfortable walking around and making good memories with your favorite people. Great selection of retail shops (though a little on the pricey side), with decent customer service. What more can you ask for? ;) See you soon Podium!

Everything you need in one roof. But I came here for the exhibit at Art Lounge Manila.read more

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.

I bought an appliances in the supermarket. Ang gugulo magtrabaho ng mga staff. Isa lang binili ko…read morepero 5 sila mag aassist sayo kunwari para di utusan ng manager, nagtatago. Then, parang tinatamad pa makipag usap ang ilan sa kanila to explain to you the appliances.

If you're a foreigner traveling to the Philippines or someone who just decided to migrate here, you…read moreshould know that one of the biggest chains of malls would be that of SM. Owned by business magnate Henry Sy, SM malls have become the easiest landmark for any part of the Metro. Even where you think SM won't be, there will surely be a branch! One of the reasons SM malls are patronized by the masses is because of how many the stores are inside. True to their tagline, they do really have it all! Personally, I love taking a trip to their grocery stores. But because Megamall (which is the nearest SM mall where I live) is almost ALWAYS too crowded for my liking, it's been such a blessing that they've put up SM Supercenter in Pasig. Hypermart, as I fondly call SM Supercenter, is basically an extra-big grocery store that also has a few stores inside it. Think Target or Costco. Its grocery is legitimately packed with everything you want to see in a grocery. International brands? Check. Local manufactured goods? Check. Mini appliances corner? Check. Everything you need to survive a zombie apocalypse?! CHECK AND CHECK! What I love about Hypermart is that it's not big enough to attract customers who are just there to check out what's new in Forever21 or H&M but they house enough stores that cater to a jam-packed errands day. They've got a BDO branch, which is open Mondays to Saturdays, a food court and several other restaurants, Watsons, Surplus shop, beauty services shops, massage parlors, Ace Hardware store, etc. They even have an LTO branch inside! Even with Hypermart, SM still stays true to their mantra. Hate to say it but Henry Sy's done it again. So if you're looking for a (literally) one-stop shop on your errands day, you may want to venture to SM Hypermart in Pasig to skip the crowds and the hassle.

Ayalas are rich but they cant even make their mall senior PWD friendly. One, their elevetor should…read morehave a personnel or operator so that if there are seniors or PWD, they can be prioritized. We've waited so long because it is always full! Two, it is OK if wheelchairs are for rent for Php200; but when I asked for a receipt, they do not have as per staff. Tsk-tsk! So where does the 200 goes?!.. in SM malls, wheelchairs are just borrowed and not rented. Grabe naman kumita!

The glass selection are good, the prices are a bit higher than others frame and lens considered,…read moreand the waiting time is more than 7 working days, unreasonably long considering that the competition can release their units within one hour. You have to return after two weeks. In a pandemic situation where it is risky to go out, where sudden declarations of ECQ can close malls, this poses a lot of complications. Pre pandemic, I was a customer here a few times. I like the designs here but if their staff told me I will have to return in 2 weeks to pick it up during the pandemic, I would never had my eyes checked and bought a unit here. I still bought a unit, they did the eye measurement after all. But a pity, I have to wait two weeks for a glass that costs twice what I paid in the optical shop in the same floor of the same mall.