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.

I may be giving out my age here but this shop used to be my best friend when cellular phones and…read morethe internet are not yet household names. I go to Papemelroti when I need to send a love letter to the girl I'm courting. Yes kids, it's that thing where you use an actual pen and paper to communicate with the girl you like. We really used to do that. And you have to wait for a day or even several days just to receive a response. Papemelroti has stationaries and notebooks made out of recycled paper with cute designs and vintage look. The said stationaries and notebooks also have nice designs and even sayings. They also sell trinkets like brass necklaces and bracelets. They even have little jewelry boxes made of recycled materials. The fact that Ms. Patty, who partly owns Papemelroti together with her siblings, is such a nice person is another reason for me to continue patronizing this store. Yes, the first two letters of Papemelroti is from her name. RO is for Robert, the sibling who is the creator of the designs and drawings you see in their products. Their classic and beautiful items should be more than enough reason for customers to continue patronizing them. If you need another reason then it's nice to know that the crafts and trinkets that they sell are handmade by mothers living in destitute areas. Papemelroti provides them with materials and pays them for the labor. Just keep in mind that everytime you purchase an item from Papemelroti, you are also supporting these mothers who found a decent livelihood because of Papemelroti.

Ever since I started working, there was never a year that I did not receive a gift coming from…read morePapemelroti. This just goes to show that this rustic-vintage inspired store is on top of a lot people's list for gift items. I can't blame them, it's on top of mine too. The place sells a wide array of stationery made of recycled paper which gives their items the old fashioned vibe without making it look used or scrappy. They also have small trinkets and thingamajigs perfect for giveaways or tabletop displays. What I usually get from this store is their small boxes of inspirational messages that can brighten anyone's day in a jiff. I would just tie a little ribbon around it and it's good to go. I wouldn't have to spend a little extra for gift wrapping. So the next time a friend or family member celebrates anything and you can't think of a present to give, you can always go back to the basics and give this place a visit.

This is the perfect place for hipsters! From the name itself, you already know that this store will…read moreprovide you with weird, yet stylish gifts, goodies, and fun novelty items. This store is famous for their water-resistant and tear-resistant mighty wallets. It looks like it's made out of recycled papers, but once you get a hold of it, you'll eventually notice that these wallets are hard as a rock. Once, I tried putting it underwater just to test its durability and nothing even happened to it. Besides wallets, they also have things to decorate your room. They have a Stick-It-Easy Clock that you can easily put on any dry surface. One of my personal favorites is their lunch bag that looks just like a disposable paper bag. It is built to keep your food hot when you're travelling or on the go. Just like the mighty wallet, it is also water-resistant and tear-resistant. If you need new decorations for your boring room or apartment, make sure you visit this place. Quirks will find a way to make it look fun and stylish. PS: Prepare your wallets 'cause this place is expensive!

Quirks is a store for people with a bit more personality. You'll never know what to find in here!…read moreSo many random trinkets will tickle your fancy because of its design or functionality. This is a gret place for buying gifts and tokens for friends and family. Sarcasm is highly appreciated here so if you think you have a good sense of humor then come here the next time your looking for a container to hide that stash of grass ;) There also useful products of course. But their design offers something unique and eye-catching. So better than being useful, it will make you happy seeing it and knowing that what your purchased matches your personality! In Quirks everyday, ordinary stuff can take your imagination places and offer you something that regular stores won't.

Papemelroti used to be my go-to place as a child for gifts to my friends. I remembered it as a…read morequaint shop that offered truly handmade items made with love. Seeing Papemelroti at UP Town Center was a surprise! 2 reasons why: There's finally a place within proximity where I can buy cheap gifts with great quality for my friends, and also... they revamped the whole store! The sell a lot more products now that appeals to young millenials, so it's safe to say that they "updated" their merchandise to the changing times. A number of their stuff is decorated with beautifully designed quotes to live by. Yes, they never let go of their magnets, mini notebooks, and schedulers, but you'd be pleased to find owls, posters, and earrings too.

There are a lot of pretty cool things that you can find in Cubao X. Honestly, if you just want a…read moreplace where you can find unique and vintage items, Cubao X has a number of them. One of the stores that has the most unique offerings is My Breathing Space. Just stepping inside My Breathing Space, you kinda feel like you're in a hoarder's home. It seriously has the randomest things and you can't help but want to buy things even if you're not gonna use them. It has items from mugs, to bobble heads, to figurines, to paintings, to old trinkets, to snow globes, to band posters, to so much more. The place is a goldmine for collectors in Manila and it has that old world charm to it. I'm sure if you're looking for a birthday gift, you can easily find one here.

Being a craftsy and artsy girl, it was but natural for me to fall into doing a little styling after…read moredoing events for almost ten years. One of the first online suppliers I ever bought anything from was Mansy Abesamis of Hey Kessy. At that time, she already has a website set-up, and it was one of the hardest purchases I had to make in a while. Nope, it wasn't her, nor her website. It was the pretty and adorable designs of her washi tapes that made it difficult for me to choose what I needed (or was it wanted?) to buy. Upon placing my order, I promptly got an email confirming my order and informing me of how to proceed with my purchase. In less than five days, the whole process was over and I got a little nifty package, sealed with a washi tape (of course) and it even came with a cute note. Will I buy again? Yes. Will I really NEED what I will buy? Maybe. Hahaha!

Arts and crafts, DIY, calligraphy... all these and more are getting more and more popular nowadays…read moreespecially to young teenage girls. Craft stores have started popping up, and one of which is Hey Kessy. Hey Kessy is an uber cute store that sells various products ranging from watercolor palettes and washi tape to brush pens and temporary tattoos. It's small, but noticeable from the outside because of all the window decors and the word "MAKE" that stands by the doorway. They had so many washi tape designs that I wanted to have for myself, but I had to fight the urge because I currently have a lot at home. Not as pretty as Hey Kessy's though! They also had ZIG brush pens which are, to me, the best brush pens you could buy. Okay, I confess, I'm not really great at handmade things. I dreaded Art and Home Ec class in Grade School! I'm more of a digital artist, but this handmade movement has got me hooked. They only have limited supplies of certain things though despite the variety. I hope they restock with more colors for the brush pens soon!

They sell Hair accessories, Jewelry and other more, overall it's prices are affordable and worth…read moreit!!