I love history. A lot of people find it boring, but I for one enjoy reading or hearing about it. I…read moredunno, there's just something about history that my brain seems to enjoy enough that it's a subject a read up on every now and then on my spare time. As a lover of history, one of my favorite kinds of stores are antique stores, and this is what Yamasawa is all about. I saw this place from a distance. Even from a bit of a distance I could already see the swords and samurai armor the store had on display. Being a history guy and having a fascination for Japanese culture I decided to get a little bit closer. When I walked in, I saw that the store was selling all sorts of collectible trinkets and baubles. They have the sort of items that a person could collect and possibly add to their home as a decoration in order to make it look a little bit more sophisticated. Nothing says a man of refined taste or culture than a person who has a collection of interesting antiques. A lot of their items are from Japan, but some are from various other countries like the Philippines or China.

The items in this establishment are without a doubt impressive and top-notch. As a military…read morecollector, it's everything you could ask for. However the service I had in particular was incredibly poor. I visited their Robinson's Manila branch back in 2010, and was confronted by an incredibly rude and stuck-up sales lady who was less than accommodating. The heated point of my visit came after the lady refuse to let me & my mother see one of their German EK1 Iron Cross up close. When my mother asked why she would not let us inspect the medal, she gave us a VERY illogical and down right insulting excuse, sighting and quote "'Muka kang suplada kasi". Flabbergasted by what she said, my mother immediately objected, telling her "Excuse me, that's no excuse to deny us service, Is that how you treat your customers!?" my mother exclaimed in full English, to which the sales lady replied sarcastically "Excuse me, PO! No need to speak all English dito, lahat tayo Pilipino..." That really struck a deeper nerve into us. The argument ensued further between them, my mother demanding to speak to the owner of the shop, but to no avail. We unfortunately left telling the lady that we would report her to the mall authorities to which she again sarcastically replied "Sige! Go right A-HEAD!". I believe we reported to the concierges/ information desk at the lobby or to a near by security guard, but the details escape me. However a few months later, we attempted to contact the owners of the shop directly through their contact on Yelp and Yellow-pages, but the contact number provided was either busy or not in service. So my mother and I simply let the issue go, utterly disappointed at the event & lack of justification. It's a shame that a beautiful shop like that housed such unsavory employees at the time. Whether or not that particular employee is still there, I can't tell. Furthermore, whether or not their service has improved, I can't say either. I haven't been back since the incident, although I wish to do so one day. And it turned out, I wasn't alone. A friend of mine who lived in the area once stopped by the shop to browse as I did. When he had asked to look at one of the helmets, the same employee simply gave him the price and a "menacing & sour look." I am telling my story now in hopes that no other customer may experience the same travesty that I and my mother had encountered on that traumatizing day, and to speak out for those who may have encountered a similar experience. And furthermore, as a hope that management of this establishment may look at their employees carefully as to not carry a wolf-in-sheep's-clothing amongst their staff. So in summation, again, "Yamasawa" has fantastic military items and antiques, but it is my hope that their employees & customer service has since improved since my visit some 8 years ago. So take that with a grain of salt.

This collection is vintage this item was secured and im looking for a buyer who can accomodate the…read moreitem

AC+632 always has, hands-down, the best store window displays in any local mall here in the city…read more Always dressed to the nines and conceptualized with so much imagination and creativity, I always can't help but take a minute to stop and marvel at their story-filled tableaus. An interesting store filled to the brim with all sorts of interesting pieces like fine jewelry, clothes, tableware, garden tools, and all sorts of bric-a-brac, stepping inside AC+632 is like entering the charming boudoir of a 18th century French monarch. The touches found inside are very much distinct that it almost feels as if you were transported into a European city. Make sure to comb through the whole store and keep your eyes peeled for something curious and interesting. Since it's very packed with so much stuff, there might be lots of gems that you might miss out on.

I have such trouble remembering this store's name. Whenever I try to describe this store to my…read morefriends, I usually end up just saying "that expensive store that has a lot of pretty and weird stuff and has some letters and numbers in its name". AC+632 is one of those stores that you really have a hard time trying to fit into a category, as it sells a lot of things--home decor, accessories, clothing, antiques/strange artifacts, body products, and the list goes on. The only common thing about these items is that they are pricey. But, this store really attracts a lot of window shoppers such as myself. The experience is like going inside a museum--you just look at things because it's entertaining and can somewhat be educational. And, their window displays are amazing--all whimsical and tastefully curated. Well...except for the taxidermied animals (I DESPERATELY hope these are fake) and framed, preserved insects such as butterflies that make me SO ANGRY because it's so cruel :(

When I was a kid I didn't really give less than half of a rat's behind about furniture. I mean, as…read morefar as I was concerned a table was a table. A chair was a chair. If a table could properly hold the stuff I put on it then it was great. If a chair could support my weight and feel comfortable, it was great. I wasn't really picky on the looks and aesthetics of furniture. Things changed as I got older and I slowly began to appreciate the art and craft involved in making these things. It's like my issue with dark chocolate. At first it sucked, now it's great. This place is for me a nice place to browse for furniture, wooden furniture to be more precise. The stuff I see in here sort of reminds me of the hand carved sort of furniture that I would see in my lola's house. Not sure if any of them are antiques, what I am sure of though is that they're good eye candy. So if you're looking for nice wooden furniture, look no further.

Whenever I find myself inside the Prizmic & Brill showroom in Greenbelt 5, I can't help but feel as…read moreif I were transported into an incredibly luxurious African safari camp. The brand leans toward having a heavy, masculine aesthetic with their line of home furnishings made out of leather, wood and nickel fittings. Known for their beautiful one-of-a-kind trunks and valises, it's always a surprise for anyone to find out that Prizmic & Brill is produced locally. While talking to the shop assistant, I found out that all of Prizmic & Brill's pieces are fabricated in their factory in Pampanga and their pieces are shipped around the world to high-end clients and shops. It's always a great thing to find out that Filipino craftsmanship can truly compete in the global stage. And looking around the Prizmic & Brill showroom is a true testament to that.

If you've read my other reviews, you would know that I'm crazy about furniture stores…read more Sometimes...or rather, at all times, whenever I find myself in one, I'd imagine my future house and what pieces would go where. I have a very active imagination, you see. Prizmic & Brill is one of those stores that I'd want to buy from when I have my dream home. As a kid, I absolutely loved The Mummy movies. They are still a favorite to this day. I loved the set, the props, the costumes and the idea of being in a wild adventure in the deserts of Egypt. Walking into the store feels exactly that way - like I'm part of the movie and I'm revisiting my childhood. I also wanted to be an archaeologist growing up but I never got to pursue it and was also afraid of getting cursed, haha. Their furniture has this (a term I seem to use often now) old world and sophisticated, masculine feel. They use hardwood, rattan, glass, brass and leather for their pieces. And the quality of the craftsmanship is A+. I also found out that their furniture is made in the Philippines! Definitely another Filipino gem to be proud of.

I am a man who loves history in general. It's the reason why a lot of the people I know keep…read moretelling me that I know too much. There's something so appealing about finding something so old, unique, or rare that just gets to me. Gallery of Prints is basically an antique shop for anything that was printed. Maps, books, leaflets, practically anything that could've been printed by using an old printing press could be found inside Gallery of Prints. Last time I dropped by there was even this piece that cost more than half a million. That's right, more than half a mill for an old map. Perhaps it's the privilege or the possibility of owning some important piece of history that keeps me going back to this place. Sadly I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the interior so I suggest that you give this place a visit if you want to see the collection.