I've always enjoyed furnishing my apartment or house wherever I moved to or even helping out…read morefriends who couldn't really be bothered to design and spruce up their place. In Manila, we have many opportunities to find some home furnishings and custom-made items. However, its also tricky to find well-made and interestingly designed pieces that are of good value for money. When a friend of mine decided to get her own apartment in Makati, I was happy to help her hunt for design pieces as well as furniture for her apartment. One place we checked out was Perch just across the Legaspi Active Park. The quaint but interesting showroom of Perch showcases some well-curated local-custom made and imported off-the-floor pieces. Many of the designs are contemporary or modern-classic. Each one has character as well as a customizable aspect. If you're a design fan, you will probably recognize some modified versions of classic chairs, couches, tables, and other fixtures. Its a cool place to start dreaming and its also useful to talk to any of their friendly staff who are more than happy to help you find what you are looking for to add functional yet beautiful pieces to your home or office.

When I was younger, I thought "when I start living on my own, I will buy all my furniture here"…read more Reality check: It's 2015, and I've been living on my own for almost three years, and honestly, I don't even have proper furniture! I have a table from Ace hardware, a shelf from SM Hypermarket, and hand-me down stuff that my family gave me out of pity. I do know I've made it in life when I actually have something 10 times bigger than the picture frames and cool knick-knacks I've purchased here through the years. Back when these chain of Dimensione stores were new to malls, everyone ooh'd and ahh'd over contemporary and minimalist furniture, as if the whole Philippines never new it existed. Pieces in Dimensione are classy, tasteful, and well-curated. It has consistently made its vision apparent in all the pieces they sell in their stores, and I do think that this chain of stores were actually the purveyor of modern interior design locally...well at least in the mainstream society. Personally, I love everything here, and even if you're not buying furniture, there are still reasons to check this place out as they have a lot of interesting and modern home decor and gift items (check out their Umbro stuff!).

*Note: This is a 4.5 Star review…read more I'm excited to share that my "engagement house" renovations are speeding up and, yes, we started to shop for furniture/fixtures! Our architect was more than willing to help us out in purchasing what we need. He suggested that we go to his "Suki" store and ended up here. For me, I wanted to go somewhere where I go buy everything at a very reasonable price. Plus, we were recommended to go here because our architect has a membership card! 5% off is still a good discount! The warehouse is fairly small compared to the ones in Pasig. But, the selection they have are the reliable brands that come with a good price tag. However, they didn't have some brands that I wanted to buy. A bit inconvenient but I plan to just go to the main branch for other items. The one thing I didn't like was that, when we needed help, it took quite awhile for any staff to help us. Only when they noticed that we were buying in bulk that they started to eagerly help out. When their staff did start helping us, they provided useful, informed, and practical advise on which product to buy. In the end, we bought 3 sets of toilets and sinks, 2 sets of showers, my kitchen sink and other fixtures! After adding it all up with the 5% discount, we were ready to pay. Then, the manager approached us and offered that we pay Cash on Delivery. Whut?! That is unheard of but, of course, we accepted! This shopping trip really got me excited for the next few weeks! :D

When I was still in college but decided to move out of mom's Caloocan place, I wanted to live…read moresomewhere near UP just so I don't have to wake that early for my morning classes. Fast forward years later, I've never left Teachers Village East even if my time in university has been over. PROS: I know the names of the street might be confusing for the first couple of years. But with all the booming activity, how could one really not know Maginhawa, Magiting, and Malingap? Teachers Village East houses these streets. And the food festival was held here as well. Restaurants, cafes, laundry shops, spas and salons, printing services, transportation access, this place has it; In spite of the development, this is still a residential area. Lots of apartments and townhouses are for rent/sale; This place is pretty accessible to at least 3 big universities, a handful of malls and churches, hospitals, and even a police headquarters. CONS: This is QC, and this is prime real estate. So expect prices for rent or leases to be expensive. One house for sale costs 14 million pesos; "Mag-ingat sa basag kotse," as indicated in the tarpaulin. Unless the place you'll be staying in has some form of security, try to avoid parking on the streets. It causes traffic and it puts you at risk. I've known two people who had their cars stolen in this barangay. TL;DR: Consider this place for in-the-middle-of-the-city but not too urban living. We're talking about accessibility to establishments but without the high-rise buildings and heavy traffic.

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 found is wooden bedside table in the shape of a book!!!!…read more At the ground floor of Glorietta 4. I asked if I could take a picture to show my mom at home, but I kinda expected it would not be allowed. So I asked if a long shot would be okay, and the lady said yes. It would've been perfect for my room! Or perhaps our library. But anyway, this gallery of wooden furniture, mostly cabinets and drawers, is a feast to the eyes for anyone who loves well-crafted wooden stuff at home.

Glad they built this place with more of an upper middle-class vibe. It feels very secure and super…read moreclean. When you glance outside, you do see a bit of a less fortunate area nearby-it's a reminder of the stark contrast, which is a bit sad. I think those who developed this mini city could do more to support the communities around them, but it's a safe and vibrant spot. Pet-friendly, everything within walking distance, and if you're visiting Manila, BGC is definitely worth staying in. For a quieter vibe, consider staying closer to Manila Bay, but be prepared to grab a ride since not much is walkable unless you're near the mall. Still, BGC really has a lot to offer and is a great base for exploring. No service requested but the Value at some of the hotels or airbnb are affordable!

The urban planners did a really nice job developing this area. It's a welcoming, clean, and modern…read moreenvironment. It's a pedestrian friendly area and thoughtfully designed. It's sensory overload and it would be wise to spend at least 2-3 days exploring this area to absorb everything that's going on. If you're looking for restaurants, art, retail and culture you'll find it here. It's a spacious open space for the community to connect with one another. While walking around I noticed families, friends, co-workers, and international travelers gathering and spending time in this area. It's a lively place to see and be seen. We took a rideshare to Market Market then walked over to Bonifacio High Street. We arrived late afternoon so it was still light out. I saw the Bonifacio High Street marker on 11th Ave and took note of the logo and artistic structure. It reminded me of rice terraces. Then after walking some ways I noticed the elevation started to change slightly, going down steps and ramps. It's nice they considered ramps for people with mobility restrictions. I saw people exercising/jogging. In this heat? Yup. It was shocking to me but I guess they're used to it. I come from a city with mild temps. If it goes above 85 degrees for 3+ consecutive days we freak out and call it a heatwave. Side story: When we took the bus up to Baguio, a lady from Colorado sat next to me. She said she stayed at the Grand Hyatt Manila a couple blocks from High Street. She said she really liked staying there. She convinced me that I need to stay at that hotel in BGC the next time I visit. We dined at Vikings, The Alley, BGC and one of my fam members had a Philippine phone number to make a reservation online since they didn't accept international phone numbers. The food was okay. Medley Buffet at Okada was better. I was shocked when we got the bill though. It was so cheap/affordable. The US dollar goes really far in the Philippines. It's no surprise my retired family members live that snowbird life. Must be nice! ;p By the time we left the restaurant it was dark out. We walked outside and there were a lot more people out. I guess once people clock out of work, everyone just hangs out here. We needed to get back to our hotel located outside of BGC and it was hard finding a rideshare pick up spot. We ended up near the 3D LED screen on 5th Ave. Rideshare kept denying our request, which was the only time it happened on our whole trip. It was pretty frustrating but I can only assume it was because it was so crowded and everyone was trying to hail a car. Eventually we connected with a driver but it took 3 tries. I guess the lesson to take from this is to find the nearest hotel and get picked up there, otherwise you might run into the same problem as we did. Or better yet, just book a hotel in BGC and enjoy the sights and sounds of this desirable neighborhood.

The reality of searching for an apartment lies in three factors - location, infrastructure, and…read moreprice - wherein you can only choose two. It blows, and it makes for a lot of frustrating searches. Thank the cosmos for reviews, where you could start with your apartment hunt at the comfort of your childhood bedroom. This is a review for the apartment building of 189 Maginhawa. You're welcome. PROS: Security? You are literally beside the Quezon City Police Department HQ. They also have security people, a lobby person, and CCTVs on the hallway; Rooms are great, with the building being newly constructed and all. Furnishings have this condo-type feel. I'm placing this in between pros and cons -- Location is great because it's in Maginhawa. Right downstairs or a few blocks away are establishments for a variety of your needs. But it's also not a good location if you're a commuter who goes out for work/school frequently. Tricycles and cabs are hard to come by. CONS: P10,000.00 a month for an 18-square-meter studio apartment, electricity, water, and cable/internet bills not included; I heard phone signal strength weakens inside the units; You climb three floors (or more) of stairs to get to your unit. TL;DR: Infrastructure - impressive. Location - depends if you have your own vehicle, but OK in general. Price - expensive for its size.