I have this friend who used to shuttle back and forth between her hometown Karachi, Pakistan and…read moreManila for her work, and one time, she had to go home in a hurry because of a family emergency. She ended up moving back to Pakistan indefinitely after that, but she left a whole lot of stuff behind including her handsome Cannondale CAAD 8 road bike. Since it was just gathering dust in her condo's storage (and bikes can get notoriously rusty if you don't take them out for a spin every now and then), and since I was also starting with my first year in UP Diliman as a grad student, she thought it would be nice if I could have her bike for safekeeping and use it to go around campus. Anyway, the very nice road bike stayed with me for almost 5 months until my friend asked for it back (many injuries and a couple inches off my waist later). She had a cousin who had a business trip in Manila, and she requested me to ready the bike for international air travel. Gulp. I didn't know the first thing about packing a huge road bike for air travel. All I knew was I couldn't do it by myself, and I ended up at Cristy's in Cartimar. The moment I told them I needed to have it ready as check-in luggage, they knew exactly what to do. They quoted me a price of P500 for the box and the service and they set to work. My friend advised me to watch them as they dismantled the bike (apparently, some dubious bike shops steal expensive bike parts during this process), and it was something fun and educational to watch. They took the wheels off, deflated them (they will burst with the altitude and cabin pressure, they said), loosened all the screwed parts, and took off the chain. They soaked the chain in some liquid and brushed it clean so that it shone like new.They also carefully foam- and bubble-wrapped all the parts and put them neatly inside a box that was specifically for the same model. They took such good care of the bike during the disassembly that my friend was very pleased when she received the parcel back in Pakistan. Cristy's also has lots of bikes for sale, but judging from the volume of their customers who go their for repairs and servicing, I think it is the best place to go if you need a trusty bike mechanic. Their huge work area has sophisticated tools and very experienced mechanics that can remedy all of your bike problems.

Always a lifesaver, this litte neighborhood bike store. They are always so helpful with my little…read morebike and it is one of the cheaper shops in the area. No need to go all the way to Quiapo to get something fixed or readjusted. The bike mechanics work super fast and they give good advice for bike care and maintenance.

I'm such a fan of The Mob! I discovered it because my best friend's very thoughtful fiancé whom I…read morejust happen to be quite close with gave me one of their bespoke bag tags for Christmas last year. What a lovely idea. The Mob specializes in crafting unique products that are made of leather such as wallets, bag tags, and the like. The first thing that I noticed about my bag tag with my name carved right in the center was the quality of the leather. It was evidently high quality and I appreciate that. I look forward to giving out The Mob's products this coming Christmas.

Artistically presented, often with an antique touch. That's how I would describe the gifts and…read moredecorative items displayed in this rustic, country-style store: Simple notebooks made special because of the brown recycled paper used and the beautiful lettering of the lines inscribed on the cover. Cuckoo clocks which help you keep time in style. Card and envelope holders individually crafted, clearly not just factory produced. Unique earrings to bring out a quirky, creative you. Period paintings on wooden frames to help your relive the spirit of a romantic, bucolic age. Small lamp shades to bring a touch of class and historical context. Wooden panels, fixtures and cabinets that can bring the store's rustic vibe into your own home. In a quiet but effective way, these items grow in the consciousness of the receiver. That's probably the reason why, despite having been around for quite some time, Papemelroti has never lost its charm. So, whenever I am in search of a gift, I always put among my first options a purchase from Papemelroti.

If you're the type who takes DIY and product personalizing to a higher level, or you just want to…read moreexplore the business of making couple shirts, mugs, button pins, then head to Odeon Mall. That's an insider tip from someone who makes a business of making customized shirts and corporate giveaways. Odeon Mall looks like an old, abandoned building in Recto. It's where merchants go to buy office supplies and equipment. I like coming here with my brother and driver because of all the interesting things we see here, at cheap costs. The place is filled with stores selling different kinds of paper and stationery products and machines. We bought our first equipment here for our t-shirt business. Before going there, we knew nothing about operating the machines and getting the right materials, but the sales people trained us for an hour after we purchased the product. We also bring our items there if it ever malfunctions or if it needs cleaning.

I was really impressed with my purchase at Robee Stickers in SM Megamall. I went there to have…read morepersonalized thank-you stickers made for my nephew's first birthday. I was the only customer that time so I really had ample time to choose the size, font, and design of the stickers. Before they started printing, I made several more changes to my order and the staff was accommodating and patient enough to attend to my new demands. In less than a minute after we finalized the sticker design, my order was done. But that's not the end of it. What surprised me more was the fact that Robee's services were really affordable. Upon seeing the thank-you stickers, my sister told me that she also wanted to have her own personalized name stickers to label her books. Of course, I went back to Robee Stickers the very next day and I had the same neat experience. I ended up buying labels for my niece too. Aside from stickers, Robee also offers customized bagtags, business cards, and invitations.

Our high school wanted us to have our names stitched onto our PE headbands (yes, we were required…read moreto have headbands for PE), shirts and jogging pants every year. I'm not really good with sewing, so we had to find a place where we could have it done. We found Made For U in Trinoma, and we had my PE clothes labelled there for the whole of my high school life. Their service is quick and efficient, and they're quite affordable. Aside from this particular service, they also offer personalizing and customizing other stuff such as mugs, jackets, keychains and pins that can be used as gifts, souvenirs, and even campaign give-aways! I can say that we found a very useful gem in the depths of Trinoma.