There seems to be a whole slew of independent groups organizing one or two day pop-up shopping…read moreevents these days. Personally, I feel that there are only quite a few that are actually worthy of a visit. One of them is The Caravan, which is a lifestyle market that usually pops up at the Proscenium's Kirov Model Unit located beside the Rockwell Tent at the Power Plant Mall. Usually a two-day affair, The Caravan has a carefully and thoughtfully curated group of vendors selling one-of-a-kind home décor, beautiful jewelry, clothes, accessories, locally produced beauty products and even artisanal food choices. I'm not exactly sure what their schedule is, but The Caravan usually happens twice or thrice a year. For a better gauge of their schedule, it would be good to start following them on their Instagram account - @thecaravanph.

Who says socks can't be a fashion statement? Iconic Socks is a kiosk located at the UP Town Center…read moreMall that sells socks in a variety of cool and hip designs. Ranging from shin-high to ankle socks, this store will actually make you want to invest in them. The socks are pricey though, but hey, what can you expect from something so well designed? There's just too much to choose from actually! It actually makes you rethink their functionality.

Pop-up events in Manila are surely getting more interesting. Once such event was The Gourmand…read moreMarket, a food fair that really got the whole town buzzing and eating. Situated in the small park in front of Bonifacio High Street Central, The Gourmand Market was truly a fete of fantastic flavors. Numerous stalls lined up the park, offering delicious goodies that one can't find anywhere. Most were independent fare, cooked lovingly from the home, perhaps a quality that made whatever they were serving even more special. Standouts include a bagnet-filled wrap, chorizo quesadillas, mangga and suman flavoured ice cream and so much more. Perhaps what was even more interesting is the whole atmosphere of fun and revelry that was buzzing about the whole weekend. This is only the second installment of the series and I certainly hope that the organizers continue this event. Heaven knows that Manila needs more of it. To be updated with the market's schedule, follow @thegourmandmarket on Instagram.

Whenever there's a food event, I always try to go to it! I mean come on, who doesn't love pop up…read moreevents right? When I first heard about this, I was really glad to see that this management being Gourmand Market really set up the place to look bespoke! It actually reminded me of Brooklyn, with the barrels turned into tables, light bulbs turned into lights, and the plants everywhere. I love how this event wasnt just a food place - I also got to see stalls selling plants (like cacti). It's such a fun time going around trying the different food from sweet to savory to sweet again. I got to buy a bag full of bagels from LES Bagels, cookies from Brothers Bakers MNL, and iced tea from Stellina's. The place and the food stalls are small so it's not hard to walk around again and again. It's really a nice place to bring your family and friends!

This is one of my favorite event venues both as a participant and as a merchant. I love that it is…read moreso accessible because it's just right beside Powerplant Mall. Whether you're driving, taking a cab or even using other modes of public transport, it's so easy to get to. The tent is pretty big, it has comfortable air-conditioning, the bathrooms are right beside it. I've joined as a merchant for Mommy Mundo bazaars when they were still holding them here and that was one of my most productive selling days. Mommy Mundo transferred to a different venue last year because they were told that Rockwell Tent will be undergoing some remodeling. While we had high hopes for the new venue, it really didn't perform as good as when we were in Rockwell Tent. Foot traffic was cut by about half just with that move. I do hope they give Rockwell Tent a makeover. But even if they don't, I love it just as it is. I will continue to visit the bazaars there and maybe even join a few that will be held there.

The Rockwell Tent has been one of the most enduring event centers and venues in the metro. NBC, a…read moresimilar tent-like venue has bitten the dust last year, and Rockwell remains as a place that can be transformed to suit every function or event, such as parties, product launches, fashion shows, musical events, bazaars and flea markets, programs and wedding receptions. A lot of really memorable events have happened in Rockwell. It is a favorite performance venue for my samba school and community, and we would hold concerts, performances, football viewing parties and similar events in the tent. You don't have to worry about the place being too warm because their air-conditioning game is always on point. Several independently-organized bazaars also often pop up in the tent from time to time, especially during the holiday season. It is where I usually shop for presents, since they are very selective with their tenants. All the bazaar sellers actually hawk interesting and moderately priced gift items that make my Christmas shopping hassle free and worry free! I also like that I'm almost always able to hail a cab in mere minutes, a feat that is almost impossible elswhere.

The Sidcor Market I grew up with can be found in EDSA corner Main Avenue--the current location of…read moreHypermarket Cubao. As far as I can recall, it was 8 years ago when it was launched again in Centris. I often visit every Sunday morning for my favorite Empanada, Pad Thai, and Buco Sherbet. This is home to a variety of food selection from regional cuisines to international flavors. Sidcor is also a great source of fresh produce, organic vegetables, and fruits. The price is at par with local neighborhood palengke and definetely cheaper than supermarket. Sidcor is open from 6:00am to 1:00pm but fresh market's stocks runs out easily. Be sure to arrive earlier. There are a lot of parking spaces available at Sidcor as well. Commuters can take the Quezon Avenue MRT station. It's a walk away from the train stop.

Spent a Sunday morning here is fun. Here you have 2 prices,…read morelocal and expat. Unlike in salcedo sat market, here you can find avocado for 150/kg, while it's 250-300php in salcedo! You can also find quite good collection of plants to decorate your home. Super hot though!!! But will come back!

Yabang Pinoy is a collective of like-minded individuals who are in the pursuit of Filipino…read moreexcellence. They passionately support Filipino products, ideas and services and work hard to instill a concept of pride in Filipinos, old and young alike. Founded in 2005, they became the pioneers in the Filipino pride movement, working mostly with Filipino youth to get their message across. A few times a year, Yabang Pinoy plays hosts to the Global Pinoy Bazaars, a series of shopping fairs and fund-raising events that highlight proudly Filipino-made products, brands and concepts to the interested public. Without a doubt, these bazaars are proof that Filipino brands can complete at the global stage. So if you're curious to see what your creative fellowmen have to offer, a visit to the Global Pinoy Bazaars is a must. To ensure that you get the schedule of bazaars, make sure to sign up for the Yabang Pinoy newsletter at yabangpinoy.com.

Whitespace Manila is one of those huge, sterile warehouse-type places that often house grand art…read moreexhibits, concerts, and occasional pop-up bazaars. While I have been here a couple of times, my most memorable experience at Whitespace must have been when I saw the Lemonheads perform live in Manila. The great thing about Whitespace as a music venue is that it's not too large, but not too small - perfect for housing indie rock bands, or in the case of the Lemonheads, grunge bands undergoing a sort of renaissance period in their careers. I must commend the air conditioning at Whitespace, because even during the Lemonheads' performance, the body heat from all the other people wasn't enough to drown out the coldness of the venue. Whitespace is large enough to walk around and have a good amount of personal space from other people - it hardly gets packed to uncomfortable capacity, making it a perfect place to host bazaars and exhibits. It even served as a headquarters for packing relief goods during Typhoon Yolanda. I quite enjoy Whitespace because it is a great venue that fulfills artsy purposes, and does not make the visitor feel cramped and unhappy.

Whitespace Manila is the perfect example of "Build it and they will come". A huge warehouse…read moreconverted into an event space, Whitespace has played host to a series of high profile events, concerts, and markets. Whitespace has a bit of the snob factor working for it as they highly curate the events they stage in the premises. Because they do that, Whitespace has an unmistakable look of cool around it. Whitespace is actually two sections that can be used separately, or can be combined as one big space, depending on your needs. The structure itself is impressive and well maintained. My only beef with Whitespace is its accessibility, as commuters can only access it via jeep from the Magallanes MRT station. Having said that, it's not too difficult to get there. On a personal note, Whitespace will always be special to me as I did my first live coverage of a concert on Whitespace, a Wolfgang concert.

Who says socks have to look plain and boring? Proppy Socks, the portmanteau result of Proper x…read morePreppy, combines the dressy and "proper" look of office attire with the laidback and "preppy" comfort of casual wear. Having recently opened their pop-up at Power Plant earlier this June, Proppy Socks displays a more upbeat and colorful approach to socks that you can wear for any occasion, be it a morning walk or a wedding. Designs can range from classy to eccentric, or both. You might see your typical dotted and striped socks hanging on one corner of the shop, then not too far away, brightly-colored socks featuring 8-bit farm animals like cows, pigs, and chickens. On a nautical note, there are even designs of cartoon lobsters, sailboats, and...divers? I'm not making this up. The inevitable downside? Although they can be snug and comfortable, one pair of socks costs P349. However, Proppy Socks has just the right balance of style and flair that allows you to bring it in a dapper kind of way. With 87% cotton and 100% proppy factor, these socks make me want to grab a shiny pair of oxfords to match.

Just the place to get some bargain knock offs! Yep, I'm cheap. Everyone's respectful and no one…read morepushes their stuff on to you. Just check them out and get only what you want.

Over the years, Tumblr users have skyrocketed. It's so popular that a lot of kids, teens and hip…read moreyuppies get inspiration from Tumblr blogs. May it be photography, quotes, memes, gifs, art, pop culture, style and most especially fashion. My friend actually introduced my sister and I to Fashion Market. After learning about it, we go there every time were at this mall. Fashion Market is split into 2 sides on the mall - the left and the right. I suggest going through all stores. It can take hours though, haha, but you won't regret it. They have every style and trend you'd typically see on Tumblr, fashion blogs, Youtube beauty channels and fashion week! Inside, you'll also find spas, salons, money changers and ATM's. The prices range from super inexpensive to normal clothing price rates. A lot of stores sell super hip shoes, clothes, hats, shades and even prom dresses and traditional Filipino costumes. Definitely check out these stores I frequent when you're there - (right side) Push Thru, Mastermind Chase and Muradito, (left side) Nava, Berca and Ballow. Happy shopping! :)