I have been to many coffee shops in the Metro but this was one of those that have a unique take on…read moreit. The Warrior Poet is located in Cubao Expo otherwise known as Cubao X. This was the area formerly known to be a great place to buy different kinds of shoes with good quality and value for money. Now it is known as a venue for the arts. We saw this space while doing a bit of walking around and thought that it looked like such an inviting and relaxing place to sit and talk for a bit. The place showcased different paintings that were really attractive and for an art junkie like me, I definitely enjoyed analyzing them. The coffee was great too! It was a cold brew. I got mine iced and spiced! A bit of cinnamon was added and it definitely made the coffee better, in my opinion. It was the first time I had my coffee "spiced" and I found it really good. Other than paintings and murals, they also had a blue booklet on the table we sat in. It contained a number of poems written in Tagalog. What is a place called The Warrior Poet without poems right? I found this spot very cool because you don't see much places like this in Manila. I also heard that they also hosted small events of poem reading and appreciation which definitely gave me another reason to come back. Not only was the place cool, but the owner and Warrior Poet himself was! Noel Santos was friendly and had a little chat with us. He was very inviting and filled us in with what happens in both his shop and the whole Cubao X itself! I would recommend those who love art, poems and basically anyone who want something different to come check this place out! You'll definitely love it! Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/TheWarriorPoetArtCafe Instagram: @letstellyourstory Twitter: @TheWPAC

I was hanging around Cubao Expo during a flea market and vintage sale weekend, and since I couldn't…read morefind anything worth buying, and since I was tired from rummaging around the dusty and moth-eaten shelves, I decided to check out the only place that seemed quiet enough to do my e-mails. I sat inside The Warrior Poet Art Cafe and was instantly welcomed by the bubbly owner and his friends (who all introduced themselves, but goodness me, I can't remember their names). I was looking around and checking out the artwork for a while, then I decided to get the spiced tablea hot chocolate. I was very happy with the spiced chocolate, as it was really creamy and rich: exactly how I would like a cup of hot chocolate to be. The owner kept me entertained and they were showing me how to fold origami cranes. I like the artworks so much that I promised the owner that I would come back to buy one of the paintings. Well, call me a liar because I haven't been back. Ha ha! But seriously, i think you should check this out the next time you are in the area, even just to chat with the owner.

I love going to the mall, but that poses to be a challenge lately when I bring my two daughters…read morewith me. I have a super active two-year old and a three-month old baby with reflux (I always bring an extra shirt with me when I'm out in case she throws up on me) and I take them with me anywhere. So as much as I love (window) shopping, with all the minor accidents and judgy stares from strangers at bay, it's much easier to stay at home instead. Thank goodness the Ayala Group came up with Family Lounges in their malls. I recently went to Greenbelt 5 (daughters and a yaya in tow) and was able to use their Family Lounge on the 4th Level. Inside the lounge were several comfy couches (where customers can rest after all the shopping), a play area for the kids, and a couple of desktop computers for those who want to surf the net. The place also has wifi for those who want to access the net through their smartphones. At the farthest end was the best part of the room - a totally secluded and cozy nursing area where I can breastfeed my hungry baby without worrying about strangers staring at us. The little muchkin did a two-hit combo (vomit and poop) when we were in the nursing room and while that would've been the cause of alarm for me, I felt totally in control of the situation because a really large comfort room was just a few steps away and I was able to clean the both of us up (good thing I brought an extra pair of pants that day too) while I can hear my firstborn happily playing in the kids area with her yaya. I had a better experience malling with the kids in Greenbelt 5 because of the Family Lounge. I hope more establishments here in Manila would come up with areas like that.

The Family Lounge is one of the reasons I love Greenbelt! Going anywhere with a toddler is never…read moreeasy. Sometimes, you just need a breather -- a minute where you could rest and the kid can safely play without the frazzled mommy worrying about strangers or rough edges on furniture or even little pebbles on the floor she can trip on. The Family Lounge does the job for this oft-tired hands-on mommy. I've been loving this little nook in that quiet area of Greenbelt since my daughter was an infant. I was looking for the breastfeeding lounge and was pointed in this direction by mall security a few years ago. I've been to many breastfeeding rooms in malls from SM to somewhere in Orchard Road in Singapore, but this one is really my favorite! The seat is so comfortable and it feels more like a spa than a nursing room. Even my daughter felt that way because she instantly falls asleep every time we use the place. Now that she's a rowdy little toddler, the Family Lounge is still one of our favorite places to go to when I need to get her away from the busy shopping crowd to calm her down. I'm so glad Greenbelt has this special place for family bonding moments in the mall.

There was once a time that I was hanging out with a friend of mine from Alabang Hills Village. We…read morewere smoking in his car just chilling when it suddenly hit him that he had yet to buy his girl a Christmas present. He was flustered. Panicking, the man dragged me along to Alabang Town Center to help him find a gift for his lady love. We went from one store to another. He had absolutely no clue about the kind of gift that he wanted to give his girl. I advised him that the least he should do is give her something that she could use. We ended up at Gourdo's of all places. Gourdo's just sells a lot of stuff that's related to cooking and baking. We ended up getting here a cookie cutter. I forget the pattern, but a year or so later I can distinctly recall here giving us a batch of cookies cut out in the shape of the cookie cutter that we bought that day.

My version of heaven would probably have an area that's a mixture of Gourdo's, Kitchen Elf, and…read moreChocolate Lovers. Basically, it will be a baker's heaven, with every ingredient, equipment, and packaging I could ever dream of for my kitchen, there for my taking. Unlike Kitchen Elf and Chocolate Lovers where I regularly (read: OFTEN) buy stuff, Gourdo's is more of a special occasion kind of thing. Why? Well, let's just say I need to save up for most of the products they offer. They have, for example, my dream Kitchenaid mixer (in mint or fuschia, please) for Php 27,000. They also sell a wide variety of Wilton products that are proven and tested when it comes to baking, but come at hefty price tags, too! If you're on a tight budget like me, I recommend that you visit Gourdo's during the holiday season (starting November). They're generous with sales toward the end of the year. Last year, I was able to score some Wilton frosting tips and a jigger/shaker at discounted prices!

I booked Zenas for my sister's garden wedding last year, and honestly, she made the whole thing…read morefeel like a dream we didn't even know we had. We gave her a modest budget and a loose vibe--soft pastels, lots of greenery, nothing too fussy--and she turned our simple venue into something straight out of a magazine. The floral arches were breathtaking, mixing fresh blooms with these delicate hanging vines and little fairy lights that lit up perfectly at golden hour. She even surprised us with these gorgeous escort card displays using vintage books and tiny succulents that tied everything together. Super patient with all our last-minute tweaks, always smiling, and her team was so professional on the day. Every guest kept raving about how elegant and personal it looked. If you're planning anything special, trust me, Zenas is worth every star. 5/5 forever!

Zenas is a rockstar…read more She's an awesome lady who has all the talents that make her a good event & party planner. She listens well and shows you her ideas, so there are no unexpected surprises. She has a great taste and knows of the latest international trends, so she makes great recommendations. She has a great network of suppliers, so she can execute your dreams at a reasonable price. She has humor and is sweet so she is patient with you when you change your plans and comforts you if you are feeling insecure. Nothing less than 5 stars.

I was looking for a place to buy cheap balloons in. This place I had bought stuff from before in…read moreGranada didn't feel like they were giving me a bargain, and I like to get a little more variety and reliability than an National Book Store, so I searched the internet and finally the Yellow Pages (remember that?) and found this place which was just a jeepney ride away. The area around it's a little rough (it's Cubao) and when I got up to the place I was greeted by a crazy barking dog. They operated out of a house, so I had to holler to make sure the place was open, but the kind businesslady let me in and once inside, it was all cuteness and kid's party vibes all around, even in the dim fluorescent light. The store's owner Ruby was very kind in helping me out with what I needed, which were a shitload of balloons, and I was pleased to learn that they had all colors imaginable (like black, which I love) and that the balloons came cheap--I could get them at eight bucks a pop. Like most other party supplies stores, they have a lot of other offerings, like pabitins, small toys, plastic chairs, and even a karaoke machine, though I did just come for the balloons and I left pretty damn pleased with myself and the store.

Probably one of the most useful stores inside SM Makati is this little one called Buttons & Wrap…read more They sell all sorts of bits and bobs, boxes and gift wrapping paper, ribbons and lace trimmings. Essentially, it's a one-stop shop for all your gift-wrapping needs, or even craft project needs. There's also a little gift wrapping counter on the side of the store, should you feel too lazy to wrap those gifts yourself.

I think it was a mistake that I got to eat Fruiquet for the first time. So the story was this: It…read morewas a cold December night and my dad got sick. He needed to be hospitalized for a few days. And me working nearby, thought I could drop by and spend the night there in the room to relieve my mom. In the middle of the evening, to our surprise, a delivery man came to drop something off--a fruit bouquet! We were weirded out at first because we never ordered any, so we told them it was a mistake. But we were forced to accept the thing anyway. So long story shot, still very much weirded out, we just accepted the thing. Later as we investigated, we found out that it was actually meant for the previous patient of the room. He had complained that the construction across the street wakes him up, so the company building the structure sent it as some sort of apology. I don't know if it was Fruiquet that's slow, or the company themselves because it came after the patient was discharged, but we didn't care. We're all good and happy with delicious, ripe, sweet fruit slices for a midnight snack, thank you!

I like Fruiquet. I mean the name is humurous without being pretentious. It's also reflective of…read morewhat they actually do or sell. Fruiquet is an obvious portmanteau of the words fruit and bouquet. And that's basically it. I mean, what else is there to say? The service doesn't cost that much. I mean sure you pay for what they do but you have to remember that you can at least eat the fruits that they arrange for you. Fruiquet's target market is probably the sort of person who wants to give something that isn't flowers but has no idea what else to give. It's good in a sense in that a Fruiquet is something familiar and accepted but at the same time given a twist to make it refreshing and new. The real question is whether or not it will actually last. It strikes me as a novelty that once given to someone will eventually lose its appeal, hence the lack of a reason to patronize the service again. Well at least it's something a bit new and original.

I absolutely love the Papemelroti gift shop. I have been to two of their branches - the one in…read moreMegamall and the one that is near the Tomas Morato area. This place really reminds me of my childhood. I remember visiting the store whenever I needed to buy a gift for my mom - whether it was her birthday or mother's day, they had scrolls with the loveliest poems written on them and my mom would really appreciate it so much. I also like that they have now updated their products, they are selling cool wall decals and other fun stuff too like stationeries, notebooks that have uplifting quotes, notecards, etc. My cousin loves to stop by Papemelroti without even wanting anything in particular, she said it's always nice to look at the stuff inside their store and usually, she would actually come out with some random thing on hand like a nicely designed box, this store is crafty person's dream come true!