When I was a kid one of the trends was to wear sandals. You were cool and trendy when you wore…read moreBirkenstock. Birkenstock was known for its durability and looks and for being a tad more expensive when compared to others of its kind. Wearing sandals was cool back then, it was sort of the middle line between a shoe and a slipper. Nowadays, people like to wear slippers in the form of flip flops or slippers that more resemble shoes than real slippers like Crocs. It's sad to see that this brand has fallen by the wayside in the face of new brands and trends. But alas, such is the result of time moving forward. I'm not sure whether this place still earns enough money or if they're starting to lose their market sharer to newer brands like Crocs. If and when it foes go, it will sorely be missed.

Uniqlo is now one of my favorite brands. When I say brands I do mean brands and not just clothing…read morein particular. I mean, I love the fact that Uniqlo sells high quality stuff at extremely low prices. They make the expensive stuff very affordable. Uniqlo gives people what they're really looking for, value. Price is what we pay for. It's the money that leaves our pocket or wallet. Value is what we in turn receive and Uniqlo gives it in spades. I mean, damn, some of their products are made from supima cotton. It's some of the best fabrics on the planet. I'm no expert, but the fact that they're able to sell it at such a low price point is amazing to say the least. I walk into Uniqlo with a few thousand pesos and walk out rich in clothes. They have almost anything I could possibly be looking for. The fun thing about Uniqlo is that it's always like this massive store that feels more like a grocery store than a clothing store. You'll here someone say something over the mic about a special discount or what not. The Uniqlo in SM is by far my favorite since it's the biggest one among the lot.

Uniqlo is probably my favorite clothing brand right now. It's simple and minimalistic, with the…read morebasics that get you through every day in style. Their jeans are so comfortable and it's great how they're so stretchy. Also, their tees are great! The recent collections of their graphic tees include Star Wars, American Movie Characters, Pixar, and a whole lot of other neat, sleek designs. Their shirts really get you to breathe comfortably, and the cloth just feels so good that I even wear the nice shirts at home! Also, one of the more popular choices in Uniqlo for the college males are the Easy Shorts, and with all those different colors to choose from, it's not hard to see why we like to hoard as many as we can and wear them every day. They're just so comfy! Uniqlo is priced awfully okay for an international brand, and there are always some items on sale. Something completely underrated in Uniqlo: the socks. They're so cute, and some of the nice designs go as low as P90 per pair when they're on sale! They're such a steal.

I'm not very particular with the kind of comb I use because I'm blessed with thick hair and healthy…read morescalp. In fact, I still carry on my back pocket the cheap local brand of fine tooth comb that my dad gave me when I was still a teenager. But the case is different with my niece. She has extremely thin hair and quite a sensitive scalp to boot. No wonder she didn't like to have her hair combed. While prowling the shops in SM Megamall, I came across Hua Mulan, a kiosk selling high-quality handcrafted combs made from horn and wood. I inquired about their products and the staff at the counter told me about wood comb being gentle on the scalp. It helps prevent hair fall and is easy to use. Since the items at Hua Mulan are quite expensive, averaging around PHP 400.00 - PHP 500.00 each, I told the staff that I would return for a refund if the comb I bought didn't help with my niece's problem. The staff half-jokingly said yes. I actually went back to the kiosk after a few days, not to return the comb I bought for my niece but to buy three more as gifts for my sister, my mom, and my aunt who all had sensitive scalps.

I don't know why, but my wife has a love affair with Bath & Bodyworks' hand sanitizers. She has a…read morepile of these things at home and every time she has extra money, she buys one or two more bottles at Vitamix, located at the second floor of Glorietta. Sometimes, when I head to my favorite comicbook place, she would ask to be left at the kiosk to take a look if they have new stocks of her favorite Warm Vanilla hand sanitizer. I understand her tendency to hoard these things because she does not only use them but she also gives them as gifts to family and friends. Just the other day, she again asked me to buy a couple of hand sanitizers from Vitamix. When I went there, I realized that the kiosk doesn't only sell hand sanitizers. They actually have other Bath & Bodyworks items such as lotions, colognes, and hand soaps. The funny thing is all these beauty products aren't even their main business. I didn't notice it before, but their bread and butter items are actually imported herbal supplements and multivitamins. Now I know why they are called Vitamix.

I went with a friend of mine once in this place called Vitamix because my friend wanted to get a…read morespecial kind of supplement he needs to take alongside with him constantly working out. I got dragged to go here and well in this place you will see a long of products that are of herbal foundation (meaning they are all healthy herbal supplements). They are definitely all imported products and for the ones who go here regularly it is not pricey but for someone like me, I found it to be pricey. As from the herbal supplements, I notice they have a lot of Bath and Bodyworks products like body sprays, hand sanitizers, hand soaps and lotions. If I went here during my phase of hoarding Bath and Bodyworks products (years ago), this place would be my best friend! You know what I find a bit weird? They have bread and butter products which is so far from the beauty and healthy products! Overall though, this place could help you especially if you are into herbal medications.

If you are in SM Aura Premier, the only place where you can buy medicine, even prescription…read moremedication, is Watsons Pharmacy. As a matter of fact, I think that this pharmacy pretty much has a monopoly inside every SM mall. Anyway, I can't complain. They usually have the medicines that I need and the pharmacists at the counter usually offer generic alternatives to branded meds. That means I usually save a lot when I buy from Watsons. Besides, they accept SM Advantage and BDO Rewards cards for rebates and payments. Thus, the more I buy from them, the bigger points I get. The actual pharmacy section of Watsons in SM Aura Premier occupies about a fifth of the outlet's total area. The bigger chunk of the shop is dedicated to cosmetics, hair accessories, and other beauty and personal hygiene products. Occasionally, they offer discounts and Buy One, Take One promos for toll-packed Watsons products. The last time I shopped, I was able to buy plenty of Watson-branded scented wet wipes for my nephew.

Watson's is one place I really love going to when I need toiletries or anything beauty and hygiene…read morerelated! It's the most convenient place to buy all these things. It's a one stop shop and it really saves a lot of time. They have a lot of brands to choose from as well. They have shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, moisturizer, deodorant, and even make up! If you're a girl, this would be a complete beauty haven! They even have hair related products like straightening irons, curling irons, and hair dryers! I think you don't even have to go to the department store to search for all these products in different places. It's all just here! No matter where I am in the country, I definitely look for Watson's when I forget to pack toiletries. They even have a pharmacy so you can purchase some medicine you'd need in case you get sick in the trip!

Quirks Novelties & Curiosities is an interesting store to say the least. They have all sorts of…read moreknickknacks that you didn't think you wanted or needed but now that's right in front of you, you're frothing at the mouth for it. Their products are nothing more but simple things, but jazzed up in a way that makes it quirky and interesting. One of the best examples I can think of (and one I really want) is the scratch off world map they sell. It's basically a matte black world map with a gold foil overlay. The idea is for you to scratch off the places you've been to, one country at a time. Quite an interesting conversation piece when hung at home, wouldn't you agree? One weakness I see with Quirks is that with all their products, nothing is vital. What happens is that people, including me, just go inside and ooh and aah without buying anything. Though I have to admit, that map sure is tempting.

As the name suggests, everything you find at Quirks is simply quirky, novelty, and entertaining. It…read moreoffers products that take ordinary things designed in such unique ways that make decorating and gifting even more fun. It's difficult seeing the line between knowing what you need and what you want in this store because most of the products have actual practical use, but the appearance is so deceptive as though they are merely toys to play with. It's always fun browsing products at Quirks. My favorite item? The scratch world map!

I discovered Sexy White Shirt by chance. I read a feature on it online and I thought, oh hey, cool,…read moreI love sexy white shirts anyway so why not give this brand a shot? I went on their website, put in an order, and I received my white shirts within the next two days! Awesome. I was impressed with the stellar customer service. There are plenty of options available style-wise (round neck and v-neck) and even other colors so that's great. I went for the white V-neck cotton shirt with and without the pocket just cause I like to keep things simple. They're pretty great and as their tagline says, sexy, modern and versatile.

A big store with a lot of merchandise. This is where I get…read moremy Oat Milk and Almond Milk from. A recent discovery is their ready to drink Kombucha.

I used to avoid Healthy Options stores because I've always had the impression that everything here…read moreis pricey (and even personally called it "Wealthy Options"--I am very lower middle class, if you should know). Generally speaking, this place can seriously break your bank. But to my surprise, *some* products here aren't really that expensive, and reasonably priced, considering the good quality of their products and how ridiculously hard it is to find some of them elsewhere. For health nuts, vegans/vegetarians/people on plant-based diets, clean eaters, and virtually anyone who would like to switch to a more natural lifestyle while minimising the amount of chemicals in their food, personal products and so on, this place is very, very helpful in making that way of living possible and very convenient. There are a couple of products I head here for, such as: - Daiya cheese (non-dairy, vegan brand of cheese. EXCELLENT on pizza!) - Bob's Red Mill products (mostly raw ingredients like flours, grains, oats, etc.) - Nutritional Yeast (Red Star or Bragg - So far this is the only place I know where these are available) - Almond milk, rice milk - Apple Cider Vinegar - Witch Hazel facial toner - Jason Vitamin E Oil (so fragrant, and does wonders on the skin!) - Aztec Indian Healing Clay (super cleans all the clogged gunk on your face!) - Alba Organics tinted lip gloss/balm (great colours!) And this particular branch is the biggest one I've been to so far. It's spacious, well-lit, and they even have shopping carts here! Healthy Options also has an organic farm (no surprise there!), and fresh produce are available here. I am amazed at the quality of their oyster mushrooms. They're SO beautiful, plump, and fresh! So yes. Healthy Options: Good for you. Bad for your wallet.

Earth Green Shop offers variety of natural products that many people will love. They offer rosemary…read moreessential oil, tea tree essential oil, black seed oil, peppermint oil, castor oil and other essential oils that you use for your DIY personal care products or projects. It's located in CUBAO EXPO, Unit 22, so, it's easy to find it within the busy city of Quezon. Also, they're open from Mon-Sat at 12nn-7pm and on Sundays at 1:30-7pm.

Formerly known as the Geo Shop, Earth Green is easily one of my favorite shops in Cubao Expo…read morebecause it revolves around the concept of natural healing and organic products. All of their items on display and for sale are sourced locally from all around the Philippines incluidng honey from Benguet and oils from various provinces. The prices are affordable too and I would come in and buy an occasional bag of tofu chips for less than Php40 while checking out everything on the shelves. The shopkeep/ owner is nice too and will entertain all of your queries, no matter how meager and dumb. I usually buy my box of Victoria natural laundry soap here so I don't have to hand wash my kid's clothes with Perla every night. Although even after buying Victoria, my mom still forces me to hand wash my kid's clothes but with the Victoria soap powder this time.

For kids, wandering around Wilcon while parents shop for bathroom fixtures and other household…read moreneeds is super fun! Haha. It's a huge store, so there's all sorts of stuff to look at and keep boredom at bay, like giant shiny jacuzzis and model kitchen units. Now that I'm older, recently my dad asked me to come with him to help shop for pipes and stuff for the extension we're building for our house. He's getting older too, and needs an assistant. So on my last visit, I was able to appreciate how completely stocked Wilcon is. Tiles, bathroom stuff, kitchen stuff, garden tools, locks, even pet supplies, it's all under one roof. It's the ultimate in convenience among hardware stores.

The thing about building a house is that saving time is as important as buying the right materials,…read morechoosing the right contractor and having the right design. The more time you lose, the more money you spend. This is why it's important that you choose a hardware store that has everything in it. You don't want to run around and drive to so many places just because one doesn't have a specific pipe and vice versa. You're better off at settling in 1 store where you can keep your sanity intact and your gas tank right above low. So where is this hardware that promises to give these things? It's the Wilcon Depot at Filinvest City in Alabang. My brother-in-law swears by it, and believe me he is the most anal person when it comes to these things. I came here yesterday to help him buy locks and other things for his almost finished house and it took us a few minutes to find everything we need. I would have loved to walk around more because of the nice tile selection inside but we didn't have a lot of time. So, if you're building a home or perpetually fixing an old house (like me) AND you live in the South, come to this branch and make it your home base.