I took me quite a while to place the correct categories for this place, as there seems to be no…read morecategory called "CUTE THINGS YOU DON'T NEED BUT WILL BUY ANYWAY". Yelp, get on it! I'm a sucker for anything that has animals on it (NOT their skin! Ditch fur and leather, please!). Or polkadots. Or vegetables. Or fruits...Or all! This place is for every girl who likes "kawaii" things --BUT of course, that wouldn't be appropriate to say because this store hails from Korea, so instead, say "gwi-yeo-wo-yo"! Are you celebrating someone's birthday soon? If so, this place has the cutest little party hats (of course, with animals!) to top your dear celebrant's head with, greeting cards, party "gear", and other colorful festive things! If you're a sock collector, then this is the place to get cute silly socks! Pretty notebooks that are too cute to write on? Check! Mushroom lamp? Check! And if you have not outgrown your sticker addiction, they have soft, "pillow-y" ones that are just ~squeeee~! Koreans really know how to make things murderously cute! Take my money!

If you're like me who likes random stuff, you would love this store! Artbox is more than just a…read morestationery shop. Sure, they have really cute paper products like notebooks, planners, stationery and even greeting cards, but they also have other cute stuff like accessories, printed paper bags, birthday candles and hats, clothes, socks, etc. Artbox is a Korean store, and we all know Koreans are pioneers for cutesy stuff! Artbox is the perfect store for you if: A) You're looking for unique notebooks / planners B) Collect pens C) A fan of Korean products Or D) all of the above! You'll surely enjoy ogling at what Artbox offers. And because their prices are very affordable, I wouldn't be surprised if you walk out of the store with a purchase! After multiple visits from this store, I have yet to walk out empty handed. Don't say I didn't warn you!

I've been passing by Tie Me Up Buttercup every time I use the restroom near Banana Republic in…read moreGreenbelt 5, but I don't really pay much attention to it because I never really felt the need to buy ribbons or gift wrappers. That's my wife's job. All that changed one January evening when, as I was on my way to meet my wife in a steak restaurant on the far end of the hall, I suddenly remembered that my gift for our wedding anniversary wasn't even wrapped up yet. It's bad enough that earlier in the day I almost forgot to buy something for my wife. I would only feel worse if I didn't present my gift to her in a traditional manner. Good thing, when I got out of the nearby restroom I saw Tie Me Up Buttercup. Colorful gift wrappers were no longer my problem. Also, I realized that the kiosk didn't only offer ribbons and gift wrappers, they also have various greeting cards, party decorations, and stationery for everyone--kids, moms, dads and even grandparents. I decided to add to my purchases a big greeting card with the word WIFE in big letters on it. The paper products that they sell are made of high quality materials and the designs are a feast for the eyes. Just be prepared to shell out big bucks when buying from this store. Yes, it is just a small kiosk, but their items are a bit pricey.

Paper Stone is a newly opened kiosk in Glorietta 3. This company is originally from Singapore and…read moreit sells different paper products, stationery, bags, mugs, and pens. From the looks of the place, one could tell that the main target customers of the store are young students. Even so, some of the items being sold can be great gifts to older folks. Here's a little secret. Whenever I go to National Bookstore or Powerbooks, I buy a notebook while my wife buys pens. We don't really intend to collect these things but it's like an addiction for us. Besides, we just appreciate good pens and paper products. So when we passed by the Paper Stone kiosk for the first time, we naturally felt compelled to buy something. I wasn't able to find a notebook that suits me because most of the designs on display are either too bright or too girly for my taste. As for my wife, she got a pack of three fancy pens for PHP 89.00. It's not bad considering she intends to give the pens to her niece.

Whether you are looking for something cute or kitschy, Typo has it all. This Aussie franchise…read morefinally opened their first two stores in the Philippines last September in Trinoma and in Greenbelt. Everything in there is just too cute for words. They have home décor, crafting materials, paper products, travel and tech items and so much more. If you're looking for a great gift idea for that person who seems impossible to get a gift for, this place will make it so much easier for you. They have a lot of bundled items (4 notebooks for P600) and on-sale items too. This place really is a dream come-true for a paper product obsessed girl like me. Whether you need candy-colored paper mache letters or vintage stamps or magnet boards, there's something you can check out at every corner of this store. I scored two unique pens today, both made with resin. One with a pug on top and the other shaped like a skeleton. Surprisingly, the price isn't that out of reach. They have items ranging between P250 to P300 (Folders, manila envelopes, pens and phone casings). I can't wait to go back to do a little more shopping.

Every time I go to Typo, I always manage to find so many cool, cute and quirky little things that I…read morewant to bring home with me. The shop has got so many random knick-knacks that you can literally spend hours just poring over all the pieces on their shelves. What I like most about the space is that they've got a whole wall of craft starter-kits things that can get anyone's creative juices flowing. Personally, if this store were around during my teenage years, I would really have lost it. They've got all sorts of notebooks with interesting prints, cool pouches of all sizes, wooden block letters, quirky frames and posters - and I've only scratched the surface here. You have really got to check out the place for yourself because there really is so much to see and go gaga over.

Probably one of the most useful stores inside SM Makati is this little one called Buttons & Wrap…read more They sell all sorts of bits and bobs, boxes and gift wrapping paper, ribbons and lace trimmings. Essentially, it's a one-stop shop for all your gift-wrapping needs, or even craft project needs. There's also a little gift wrapping counter on the side of the store, should you feel too lazy to wrap those gifts yourself.

Great selection of unique gifts from the Philippines. We found gifts for all our family members…read moreback in the states

One of the things I feel strongly about is saving the earth. His is mostly because, well, it's the…read moreonly place we can call home, right? This is one of the reasons why I like Papemelroti. They use recycled paper for all their paper products, from notebooks, calendars, scrapbooks, even extending to boxes and other décor. They also have home décor available that would definitely be a lovely addition to any country or shabby chic home. Aside from patterns as prints, they also have several items with themed illustrations such as birds, flowers, or even designs that are very Filipino such as jeepneys, tricycles, men and women in baro't saya, etcetera. I must admit that sometimes, I even go just to look around, mostly because there's so much beauty inside. There is a warmth to all of their products, even in the handmade trinkets and accessories. One of the owners' children, artist Robert Alejandro, paints and decorates the walls and even the ceilings of their stores, which makes just going around the store a delight.

I come from a family who loves art and literature, so growing up, writing and arts and crafts…read morebecame 2 of my favorite past times. I would usually go to National Bookstore or Fully Booked to get special writing supplies but ever since I discovered the beauty of Scribe, I never looked back. Scribe is a heavenly one-stop-shop for high end reading and writing supplies. It's guaranteed that what your buying is of great quality. All the items have a pre-possesing quality too and would help in channeling your inner Jane Austen or F. Scott Fitzgerald when you're old-school writing using paper and pen. I do calligraphy sometimes, something I learned from my dad when I was a little girl. I love their selection of calligraphy pens as well as their beautiful journals that have a romantic and old world feel. Definitely a store I come back to when I run out of writing materials!

I try my best not to buy pretty notebooks because they're just so darned nice that I find myself…read morenot writing in it, because I don't want my ugly chicken scratch handwriting ruining the perfection of the notebook. That's why I stick to writing everything digitally on Evernote or something. But whenever I pass by a place full of notebooks, I can't help but go in and admire. Scribe is like a writer/doodler's paradise. They have all sorts of writiing paraphernalia, from fountain pens to ink to notebooks with specialty paper. They also sell these certain kind of notebooks that look and feel exactly like Moleskines but sell for about a fourth of the price. During January they even have Moleskine-like planners! I never end of buying anything because the stuff is just too damn nice, but if you're an unabashed notebook hoarder, this is the place for you.

I have never seen a store with so many writing paraphernalia! Seriously, this is a writer's…read moreparadise. In the last couple of years, I've gone from handwriting to the old-fashioned (read: not electronic) typewriter and finally to a laptop. I've been trying to recreate the art of hand-writing everything from love letters to my daughter to postcards. I don't get to do this often for lack of a good pen to write with. When I came across Scribe, I was overjoyed! Fountain pens, ball point, brush pens, quills and ink jars and so much more. It's been years since I've had a Parker Pen with my name on it. Scribe made me want to get one - and of course, I did. Oh, and they've got some beautiful notebooks and journals, too. This store helps rediscover a lost art and maybe even start me on the path to Calligraphy since they do have the materials for it.

Calligraphy has been such a big trend in Manila now! Left and right you will see so many…read morecalligraphy workshops by so many artists. You will also see stores that add calligraphy related merchandise in their stores! Scribe is actually one of those stores that opened up when the calligraphy trend was just starting. But they they don't just sell calligraphy stuff (they're just really known of that). I went on a shopping spree here once because I even so pretty magnet boards! They've got pretty notebooks as well! One thing I love here is the collection of brush pens! Although I get bummed out most of the time because they don't usually have stock anymore of the basic colors like black. For some reason, someone is just always hoarding (I think)! For some reason also, I end getting someone here (even if I don't need)! So for the calligraphy lovers like me, check this store out!

This is one of my favorite bookstores in the Philippines. I love the aesthetic inside and how it…read morewas laid out especially when they have photo of a woman create with books. It was also bonus that my book, Bridging the Confidence, was available at this location. Definitely a must go if you love book stores.

Bookstore -- more than books! (MANILA Philippines)…read more My two daughters would absolutely love this bookstore if we had one in the U.S. My 10-year old niece who resides in the Philippines introduced me to this store when I told her that I was looking for Sonny Angel merchandise for my adult daughter at home who loves this stuff. Not only did they have them but they had so many different kinds of Pop Mart blind box merchandise meaning you do not know which figure you will receive until you buy one and open the box. The bookstore also carries a good selection of Manga books series which my other daughter would be excited to see. For Yuko Shimizu fans... they sell the mural shirts here too. After all the searching for the Sonny Angel merch I was glad to find them in this bookstore and surprised my child with the plush. Customer service was excellent, they were very friendly and helpful. Great prices! The bookstore is located in the Mitsukoshi BGC in Taguig Metro Manila. Review #3294

Thank heavens for gift and flower shops conveniently found near or within hospital grounds. In a…read moresense, they are also a life saver. These shops can avert a potentially embarrassing situation which is you forgetting to bring something for the patient you're visiting. Case in point is Liza's Flowers at Manila Doctors Hospital. This small shop offers different types of flowers, balloons, and stuffed toys that can surely touch the heart of the person you're visiting. I bought a colorful bouquet of fresh flowers for my wife's relative who had just given birth at MaDocs. Initially, I wanted to bring food because, by tradition, that's what most Filipinos would expect. But since I didn't have the time to shop for the perfect food takeaway, I settled for flowers. My gesture was much appreciated by the recipient. But alas, I paid a lot for convenience! The shop also offers personalized t-shirt printing, if you can believe it! Although this service isn't necessarily intended for hospital patients, maybe someday it will become a popular souvenir for loved ones confined in the hospital.