From the founders of Bookay-Ukay, this small place full of books is quite similar to the original…read morestore, with a variety of books, from bestselling authors like Paulo Coelho to not-so-mainstream finds like Chocolat by Joanne Harris. They also have old books you won't find in National Bookstore or Powerbooks anymore, like Sweet Valley High and Nancy Drew. Those books certainly brought me down memory lane. The books are grouped according to categories, though there are no category titles. The books are slightly cheaper than the books you would find in mainstream bookstores, but still more expensive than those you would find in other secondhand bookstores like Booksale. But if you're just near BookFellas or Bookay-Ukay, why not buy from them if you find a book you like, also to support small local businesses like these? I remember buying hard-to-find books from Bookay-Ukay. I would do the same for BookFellas, should I find a book I really like. On my first visit, though, I was just happy browsing. BookFellas is located just beside two food places, Happy Kitchen and Abra Miki ni Nanay. So, when you get hungry after book browsing, you can conveniently eat at any of these places. In my case, I browsed books while waiting for my order.

Fully Booked Katip is a place I regularly pass by whenever I get picked up. My dad comes from the…read morenorth, so I chill at Regis Center while waiting for him. This particular branch is really fun to stay in, because it's hardly ever full. The staff are used to dealing with the "college kid" demographic, and know all the latest Young Adult or Romance hits, and are very responsive when you want to have one ordered from another branch to be picked up or to pre-order a book. It's especially nice to hole up in the back part of the branch or in the couch seat in one corner and just will the hours away. There's fancy stationary and pens available too, if you find yourself short of any. Another thing I love about it is how it's right next to a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branch, where you can enjoy your latest book buy with some warm tea and pastries to keep you company.

Fully Booked is the heaven of book lovers! They have great selections of all sorts, and even a…read morego-to for comic books and graphic novels. The store gives a classy and comfortable vibe. Conveniently placed in Katipunan, students, teachers and even parents are the usual customers who drop by at this branch. I personally go to Fully Booked to buy quality art supplies that may not be found in other bookstores. I also find some of their items exclusive that's great for gift shopping. This particular branch may not be big enough to house the particular item(s) you're looking for, but the staff can help you find them at the other bigger branches in the metro. The downside for me is that their items can be pricey and buying from there can make your wallet cry :( However, the place for me can be a good treat-yourself once in a while. It will also help to avail their membership card if you're planning to buy books and supplies there regularly. I will surely drop by Fully Booked once in a while to update myself with cool art stuff and perhaps buy a book as well. :)

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.

After spending a good part of the day witnessing the enticements and rewards of capitalism, you…read moremight feel a desire no matter how faint to feed your soul for a change. That's when it's time to look for a book which offer inspiration and upliftment of the spirit. Enter PCBS or Philippine Christian Bookstore. Browsing through their titles, one may be pleased to discover scholarly and competent commentaries on the Bible, moving stories of people's real-life experiences of grace, theologies of various religious themes, and self-help books. They also sell CDs of contemporary religious music and popular radio broadcasts. You can also find decorative items with scriptural quotations and beautifully-printed calendars featuring artistic pictures and appropriate lines from the Bible. A visit to PCBS is really an experience which is worthwhile for any sincere soul seeking the truth about life's meaning or for anyone who just wants to take a break from the chaos of this busy world that never seems to stop for rest.

I'm very ashamed to admit that I don't read as many books as I would want to. This also means that…read moreI don't hang around bookstores and I don't go gaga whenever there's a booksale. It's something that I would absolutely want to do more of and form a habit out of. Now allow me to put some titles of books to read on my Bucket List for the year. I've been told that Fully Booked is the place to be for every bookworm out there. Its extensive collection of books is not only sufficient but overwhelming. Before Fully Booked and Power Books, I think most people only had to rely on National Bookstore to get their share of good reads. Today, however, Fully Booked makes the options endless. While this branch may not be the biggest compared to their other branches, you can still probably get what you need. If they don't have a book that you're looking for, a Customer Service Representative will be happy to look at their other branches and find one for you. Great customer service right there! They also have the cutest little notebooks, pens and pads. While on the pricey, it's so hard to deny an adorable and colorful pen that sticks out its tongue.

With the loss of Fully Booked in Gateway, this Greenhills branch is probably the nearest to Cubao,…read morealthough not at all the most accessible. I can surely more easily make my way to other bookstores, but the beauty and quality of Fully Booked is undeniable and inescapable--I just have to go to Greenhills, if only for that. Their selection of books is excellent, naturally, and I do appreciate their area of knick-knacks and doodads, plus the fact that they still carry music CDs is charming. They have a respectable comic book area, and a proper discount sale rack, like any good bookstore. How can you not keep coming back here? I do get to frequent Greenhills regardless of how hard it is to get to, and I've borne witness to Fully Booked's transformation from when it had a ground level entrance through its comic book section to its current sprawling, labyrinthine space. For many it can be a confusing set-up, but I like how weird the space is, with its many nooks and crannies. It gives you the feeling that you can just hide out with a book in one of the corners and lose your time there.

Sadly, I did not find anything here that I was looking for, but I applaud them for their effort…read more The vinyl records are indeed cheap, but the selections seem to be lacking. Maybe I came here on a day when all the good stuff has been purged. I saw a few new-wave, and alternative rock types of vinyl, but nothing I was interested. I would have better luck finding stuff back in the states.

I love how Vinyl Dump is so unpretentious in its set up and in its prices. I don't have a record…read moreplayer (so shoot me) but I do appreciate all these seemingly lost treasures. When I moved in to a rented apartment waaay back in college, I had the great idea of filling up the walls with the covers (sleeves?) of vinyls. I checked out Vinyl Dump and they had an outrageous sale for Php10 a record in the less visited area of the second floor. Records were aplenty but I was looking for interesting covers for my wall and bought over 20+ at my first go. I found some really beautiful vinyl records of some Jazz artists and some pop rock ones for Php 400 a piece and they looked pristine. Great price if you ask me. Anyway, I filled my wall with great covers of never-heard-of artists including a creepy ventriloquist who has a record out with his doll. I'd pass it once in a while and have found some awesome Beatles vinyl records at good prices. Now only if I had something that would actually play vinyls. Darn.

This really cool joint in Cubao Expo is definitely worth going through the mean traffic of Manila…read more One of the better, organized, and well-curated vinyl record stores in the Metro with other cool items at the store. They also have some collectibles, clothing and wipcaps for those of you looking for something fresh and awesome. I like the vibe and the energy of the place and they carry records from jazz to funk, to disco, to standards, to reggae, to hiphop and so on. As vinyl collecting is an expensive hobby, I would say the prices for the mint and secondhand are pretty standard and competitive. They also sell brand new and secondhand turntables and players that would tempt any newbie or even the old collectors. Whether or not you are a collector, this is a cool spot to check out if you're in the area or make the effort for no matter where you are in the metro. Trust me! The music is sublime!