Lots of great chinese pasalubongs.. They are all very…read morehelpful. There are different varieties of candied dried fruits.

I think specialty delis/food stores have their own unique charm and Bee Tin in Bindondo is no…read moreexception. Located at the heart of Binondo on Ongpin Street, Bee Tin has not changed much over the years, making it a must-see stop in Chinatown. The Chinese deli/food mart has everything you need from preserves, imported food, Chinese candies and sweets, cured/smoked meats, dehydrated produce, frozen goods and more. I really like going here because there's so much to see and buy that's not usually in your local grocery. I think I picked up the habit of learning how to appreciate delis such as Bee Tin thanks to my grandma who'd always bring me whenever she needs to replenish her supply of preserves. Speaking of preserves, you really have to taste Bee Tin's selection because there's a lot of them! They are neatly stored in bins and you can buy them according to weight. My favorites are the plums - they are pretty large and the mix of sweet and sour has a nice effect on the palette. Another thing I'm crazy about is Bee Tin's beef jerky. While they also have the packaged kind of beef jerkey (I'm looking at you Cow Label), their own mix of the large and leathery strips of beef is a class of its own. You can also purchase these according to weight, and we tend to buy a lot of it. (Might as well make the drive worth it right?) The taste of the beef jerky plays between sweet and salty and the meat itself isn't too hard to chew on. Before I go to the check out counter, I also make a beeline to the chocolates and candies section. Sometimes they stock these really weird but good gummy candies from China (I once bought P5 packets of peach and cola flavored candies - these were really good!), and they also have imported Japanese chocolate snacks like Pocky. Other stuff you can see at Bee Tin are the packaged noodle soups, dry seaweed, Chinese candies and chocolates, haw flakes and lots more other stuff. Another plus for Bee Tin is that their prices are a lot cheaper than in regular groceries.

There are stores with names that have next to nothing to do with what it sells or the services that…read moreit offers. There are stores that are named after the owners. There are stores that a good description of what they are. Then there are stores that basically tell you what you should do which is what Pick & Mix does. Pick & Mix is another store that molds itself after Candy Mix. I can't say that there's anything wrong or bad about it. Nor can I say that there's anything good about it either. The thing here is that it's nothing entirely new or original. It's been done before and I see no real rhyme or reason why I should give this more attention or preference than anything else. Anyway, it's still a nice place to get candy though so don't give it a pass simply because it's not something new.

Aji Ichiban is the kind of store that really makes me feel in Asia. It's a candy store, but the way…read moreit's organized (like those traditional Chinese stores we see in the movies) and the products they offer make it much more interesting. Everything is displayed on acrylic cases, so you just choose what you want (you can try first) and the amount (usually scoops) and the attendant puts it inside a little plastic bag. My favorite product there is their dried ginger dusted with sugar. I always buy it when I have a sore throat or a cold. It's natural and it really makes me feel better :) They have other types of ginger, but this one is the best for me. I highly recommend it. Pair it with a cup of hot tea or hot chocolate...instant comfort and relief!

Oh, Aji Ichiban, another store from my childhood. My mother used to buy me sweets from there, and…read moremy favorites were the chocolate filled marshmallows that are, sadly, not there any more. Anyway, Aji Ichiban is a snack food store that has lots of food from all across Asia and America. Have you ever heard of a store that has both Japanese-style Seaweed and Skittles? Yeah, this would be it. The have food that ranges from Beef Jerky to Dried Plums to Gummies to Chocolates. The selection may sound random, but it's really fun to see what they have in store! However, it may sometimes be a little pricey depending on the food item. It'll be up to you to decide if it's worth it or not.

I miss this place! I wish it's still open!…read more This is our go to gift shop back in the days

A visit to Greenhills will never be complete without going to Regina Gift Shop…read more When I was a kid my parents would remind me that it's a gift shop meaning I went in to buy gifts for other people. I believed that lie until I was about ten. I guess that was to prevent me from buying all the awesome goodies this shop has to offer. Sorry, parents. I'm buying gifts for myself. They have everything! And I really mean everything. They have all my childhood candies next to a stand of plastic balloons. You know, those little tubes which you squeeze until this substance comes out which you blow into with the use of a little stick. There's a shelf with plates, spoons and forks and knives, cups and lunchboxes. And in the center, you'll find notebooks, stickers, pens, art materials, cellphone cases and the occasional sex toy. Speaking of toys, they do have toys for babies and children and adults who collect toys. Not into those things? They have bags, clothes and hats too. I remember being dragged here by my mom whenever I needed a costume for school. "You're only going to wear it once anyway. But it at Regina," she'd say. Don't get me wrong, their clothes don't break after one use. They have cool socks and hats. And sometimes if you're lucky, they have sell Christmas stockings. I can't remember everything they sell at this shop. So it would be great if you have a look for yourself. You won't be disappointed and you'll leave with lots of loot.

So let's say you want a memorable gift for someone or maybe an eyecatching centerpiece for an…read moreevent. Have you ever considered candy? And not just any candy. There's actually somewhere in the metro that makes hand pulled, hand rolled rock candy. And it's not going to break your bank either. You can get a small jar for 100php or a bigger jar for 175php. For that much, you get a bunch of small, 3-5cm large candies with individual designs. These were pieces cut from one long roll. It blows my mind that these guys are able to make designs like cars and letters and hearts and even little Captain America faces out of rolls of colored, flavored sugar. No molds, no guides. Just rolling and kneading. Blows. My. Mind. The flavors are great, too. My personal favorite is (no prizes there for guessing) the salted caramel. Not only do you get that pure sugar flavor from the caramel but you actually get little flecks of salt from time to time. I found myself cracking the jar open multiple times in the day. Just a heads up though, if you want to use these as centerpieces then make sure they're kept away from hot lights. They don't keep in heat very well. Keep them on a table in the jar a few days, they'll still be okay but they might end up kind of fused together.

I'm a sucker for sweets with a little something extra, and Twisted Candy gives you that. It's…read morealmost just regular hard candy, sure, but it comes in a lot of different flavors, and comes in these little cute designs that are just made by hand at the store itself. It can be pretty mesmerizing to watch these guys just throw around the soft candy into ropes and bang it out into these itty-bitty buttons of fun. They even do personalized designs, which I think is pretty cool. I buy these for my brother when I'm thinking of getting him a treat, since they look so appealing even in their plastic bags. My brother goes through dialysis almost daily so he has a lot of food to avoid, so he appreciates a little special something when he does actually get something he can eat. I do think they're a little on the pricey side though, since a hundred bucks would only get you a small bag. But I guess it's fair with the work that goes into them, and just the variety of fruit and other sugary flavorings they come in, which makes you want to try everything! Luckily they have the variety packs for you to do just that.

Our sweet tooth lured us to Sugar Factory even with a full tummy. We were careful and ordered the…read morebasic chocolate fondue set for 2 people. We requested for Spaghetti and Meatballs and it was unavailable (On a busy Saturday?) The staff was nice enough to accomodate us on the large couch and they were very attentive. Large sugary cocktails, milkshakes, waffles, big burgers... it truly is a mad menu! I think the sugary items are too overwhelming for me with their huge servings but I see this'll fit well for those with mad cravings. I'm not sure if this is a place I'd go back to but maybe I will if I'm taking kids out with me.

It's was just ok for me. The food wasn't too good and the drink was ok. If I go back I'd just try…read morethe dessert. This location didn't have much in the gift shop. It's a really cute concept.

My family has a big sweet tooth! I pretty much believe it stems from when we were kids. My aunt…read morewho's a flight attendant for Cathay Pacific, would always give each of us a massive bag of candies whenever she'd come back to the Philippines. I also have another aunt who lives in the States and works for Nestle. OMG, during the holidays, she brings home the best kinds of chocolates and candies. We didn't only have heaps of candy during Halloween, hehe. Don't worry, we brush or teeth regularly! Needless to say, we became candy addicts. Candy Corner would be our favorite candy store. I love how you don't necessarily need to buy the candies in packets but you can buy them in kilograms and put as many candy in the plastic bag as your heart desires - a literal candy buffet! Our cinema must-haves would be gummy bears (one time I ate 2 whole bags in one sitting, haha!), jelly beans, gummy worms, apple-o's and the super yummy candy strips sprinkled with sugar. We love the balance of the sweetness and sour. These candies would be the perfect movie snack if you're a sweets lover.

Candy Corner is my sweet little happy place. Offering tons of gummy candies, jelly beans,…read morechocolates - basically anything your sweet tooth desires. Before watching a movie at the Power Plant Cinemas, I always make pit stop to this place and buy myself some sweet treats. I usually go for the pick-and-mix, which is essentially picking all my

One of my favorite stores to buy baking supplies from is Chocolate Lover. This store has literally…read moreeverything you need for baking. If you're planning on selling cookies or crinkles, they have every size and shape of baked goodie containers you can imagine. They have several shelves full of different types of chocolates - sweet, semi-sweet, unsweetened, dark, white, pink and blue. If you need fondant for a birthday cake, don't bother making one, just pick them up by the dozen here. They even have huge character fondant pieces which you can slap on any ready-made or store bought cake to give your kid's birthday party that special ommph. I've personally done this for my daughter's 3rd birthday. I bought a yummy chocolate cake from a trusted baker added their Hello Kitty fondant topper and voila, I'm a super mommy to my kid. They also have cookie sheets, cookie cutters and baking pans in unique styles and shapes (much more than just the round or square options you'll find in most supermarkets). In the refrigerated area, you'll find gourmet butter for baking and several pounds of cream cheese for that recipe you've been wanting to try for cheesecake. My favorite part of this store is the area for sprinkles and dragees for decorating cakes, the shelves are filled to the brim which so much color and loveliness, you'll feel like you're in some part of a cartoon show (think: Rainbow Brite or Carebears). The prices are very practical and the ingredients are top-quality, this is a dream place both for home bakers and professionals.

To all you baking and cooking lovers out there, this shop is for you. You can find all your…read moresupplies here for sure. From flour to oil to different colored chocolates and candy, it's the place to be! Their main branch is located in Quezon City. You've probably passed that building at least once or twice in your life. It's along P. Tuazon and it's a chocolate castle. Does it ring a bell yet? Anyway, whether or not it does ring a bell, I am delighted that they have finally opened a branch in Makati and so close to my house! Now, I can just quickly head there in my pambahay and get some ingredients that I need. When I say everything, I mean everything! And they really do have everything! Not only do they sell things and ingredients for baking, they also sell party supplies! So to all you DIY loving mothers or even just normal DIY loving people, this is the perfect shop for you!

I was in grade school when I first saw a Candy Corner open at my school. It was for me, one of the…read morebest places to go to. They sold almost everything a kid with a sweet tooth could possibly want. It was also one of the most expensive stores, considering my meager allowance at least, on campus. I would sometimes save some of my money to buy a lot of the candy that I wanted. Times have changed, but Candy Corner hasn't It's still a small stall that has a lot of the stuff that you would rarely, even if you could, find at your regular grocery. Look at what they have to offer and even if you have only one tooth in your mouth wanting something sweet you'll most likely end up salivating over everything that they have. Price is fair I would say, I mean, this place isn't the sort of thing that would leave a normal person with an empty wallet.

I was walking along the alley inside UPTOWN mall and saw this store in the middle of the walking…read morearea. The design of their store is so welcoming that you'd think you are in charlie's chocolate factory. They have the same design that would entice your craving for chocolate and at the same time look elegant than most chocolate shops. We got the chocolate chip caramel apple and a few of their chocolate pieces with almonds. Their candy apple is gonna make your tastebuds crazy. You wouldnt believe how the chocolate blends so well with the apple. After one bite, you wouldn't blame Eve for biting the forbidden apple too. Dont think that because their candy apples are so good that their chocolate pieces aren't. These are the david and goliath of chocolates. They maybe small but they sure as heck taste awesome. The chocolate was so rich and creamy while the almonds were perfectly nutty. Definitely going back again soon to try more of their products.