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.

For those with a sweet tooth, various small candy shops have emerged with their plastic stalls…read moreloaded with all sorts of delights that make a mouthful of sweet, sugary goodness possible. While I have grown out of splurging on too much candy, I still delight myself whenever I see a Candy Corner; I remember myself from before, so much in love with their delectable, sweet smelling, uniquely shaped candies that are so much the favorite of the young, hyperactive metabolism that can't wait to get all of that sugar down and exhaust it by running around and playing a lot, burning off so much of it and giving the adults a harder time before the eventual sugar crash and nap time. Ha, those were the days. Some things never change, I suppose; we still have these Candy Corner shops with the friendly women in aprons giving children what they wish to have to soothe their sweet tooth, and occasionally for the adults as well, who never really grow out of it.

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.

My dad loves kiamoy--that sweet, sour, salty dried plum often found in Chinese stores and in Aji…read moreIchiban. As a growing teen and now as a still growing adult, the idea of picking candy out of an array of different treats to be put in a bag and weighed to exactly a hundred grams or hundred bucks is a trip, and I do still like to have a jolly good time at Aji Ichiban. Though they've lost a few brances, I'm glad this one in the less dense Shoppesville area in Greenhills has survived, probably because it's across the all-important Mercury Drug. I stop by here on occasion and go for gummy anything, like their blue-white gummy sharks and sour colas. A lot more "traditional" products are also worth getting here, like White Rabbit chews and haw flakes--those red, sweet, round dried fruit wafers that I've always had as a kid. Sometimes you'll even be surprised by what they have. Sour candy is my weakness and this one time they had this sour lemon drop candy that I bought and loved and which I still long for sometimes. Bring them back, Aji Ichiban!

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.

Sasmuan Delicacies is the perfect place to go to if you're looking to buy pasalubong for your…read morefriends and loved ones. I consider it as the home of the best-tasting Filipino sweet treats. They sell polvoron (powdered milk candies), yema, pastilyas, pili tarts, and many more. I often go here whenever I want to eat something sweet after lunch. I don't normally order desserts in restaurants because it's too expensive, so I often look for desserts in different food stalls that can satisfy my sweet tooth. Sasmuan Delicacies is best known for their milky and great-tasting polvoron. They use local and pure ingredients to produce their polvoron. They have a variety of flavors to choose from that everyone will surely love. They have Butter, Choco, Cookies and Cream, Ube-Pinipig, and many more. This polvoron just melts in your mouth and won't leave you gasping for air. If you're looking for sugary treats to satiate your craving for sweets, then head over to Sasmuan Delicacies.

I don't remember the first time I've set foot inside an Aji Ichiban store. I think I've always been…read moreaware of its presence since, well, forever. Hahaha. My mom has always been a fan of this place, often indulging herself with some champoy. Recently though, I checked out the Aji Ichiban branch in Megamall and was pleasantly surprised to find that they have leveled up their offerings! You can now buy a bunch of sweets here too, apart from the nuts, dried fruits and chocolates they used to offer. When we swung by, we came out with a plastic of sour candy - my favorite. My little kiddie heart was thoroughly pleased!

Candy Corner has always been a favorite of mine ever since I was really young. They used to be one…read moreof the only few stores in Manila that offered candy from all over the world. Most of the well-known malls in Manila have a candy corner branch - Shangri la, Rockwell, Eastwood, Greenbelt 5 and Megamall. I think that they are also smart to put it where the cinemas are located (or at least near the area). The variety of sweets I can get in a cinema snack bar is sadly, really limited. I always seem to get my sweet fix in Candy Corner, I am so happy they have my favorite chocolate bar, Violet Crumble! Aside from being in malls, you can also rent out a 'party cart' for a minimum of P7,500.00, and I think that's for 100 bags of candy, too! That would be an awesome addition to any party! I think Candy Corner is the best candy store here in the Philippines.

My brother, who is a self-proclaimed gym junkie and nutritionist, told me that candy (no matter how…read moreit's made) is one of the last things that you should eat if you're trying to be healthy or you're trying to lose weight. Ever since I was a kid, I already knew that candy is a big no-no! But, seriously, who can't resist the goodness of sticky and sugary treats, especially if it is coming from the Candy Corner. Candy Corner is like a paradise for a candy-lover like me. They have all types of sweet treats from different brands like Wonka, Jelly Belly, Brown and Haley, and Russell Stover. They even sell the infamous Bean Boozled Jelly Beans. Bean Boozled Jelly Beans have the weirdest and most disgusting jelly beans flavor. They have rotten egg, toothpaste, vomit, and even centipede-flavored jelly beans. Like WTF?! If you're looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth, Candy Corner just might be the perfect place for you.

Michelle's Putong Ube is definitely a must try ESPECIALLY when it's FRESH. When it's not, the taste…read moreand texture really change. One time, I bought Michelle's Putong Ube from a reseller, not directly from the shop and I found the puto to be less tasty and drier than usual. I really have a hard time choosing which one my favorite is. I like the ube and I like the cheese. Well now I don't have to choose anymore because they just made the best thing ever - ube puto with small cheese squares on top. Omg. This is like a gamechanger. Two amazing things in one. I ALWAYS get this now. Other flavors they have: Putong Ube, Putong Queso, Putong Pandan and Putong Mascobado