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!

Finally, Korea's uber cute fashion is finally within reach! Artbox is full of adorable clothing,…read morestationery, mugs, and what-have-yous! I wanted to get so many things that I don't even need anyway. Like a blanket with a hood. Or an unnecessary number of socks. Or storage boxes. (Well, I may need those storage boxes.) If you're a complete sucker for things with cute animal faces, this place is a must-see for you!

For artsy people who like to make things with their hands and like to support artsy people who make…read morethings with their hands, The Common Room is a very welcome addition to Katipunan. On the heels of the growing craft scene in the Philippines, The Common Room describes itself as "a place where makers gather." I love it because it's true! You'll find everything here from wallets made from old comic books, hand-sewn patches, pins, perfume, plushies and succulents! When you step inside, you'll wish you had money to buy everything in the store (or maybe I'm speaking only for myself). My favorite brand they carry is called Tweed and Twine, which makes pouches out of really beautiful fabric. It's also located right next to Go! Salads, so when I'm there for my daily green smoothie, I can't resist the call of all things handmade, pretty and shiny, and have to exercise great restraint not to come out with pretty new stationery, magnetic pins, and other lovingly handmade things I didn't think I needed. I love it!

I have to say that this place is undoubtedly a slice of heaven for anybody's who's remotely artsy…read moreor has the slightest penchant for arts and crafts. It caught my eye because it's colorful, attractive and whimsical. I stepped inside the place and found a wide assortment of stationery, invitations (wedding and fill in invitations), gift tags, different types of cards, notepads, photo cards, notebooks, ticklers, and planners. My personal favorite are the personalized cards as they are so darn classy and tasteful. I enjoy writing people random notes, thank you notes, gift notes, and these really fulfill that purpose. I've attached a photograph here of some of the cards these guys have made for me. I'm so pleased and can't wait to put in another order when they run out!

I can't begin to describe how cute The Paper Stone is. And no, I don't mean it's in any way ugly…read moreyet appealing. Appealing yes, but by no means is it ugly! I loved browsing the shop and asking about every single product they had. They offer a wide range of stationery, from magazine holders, to pens, to gift wrappers, to journals! They may be a bit pricey though, which breaks my heart because they all have such adorable designs! The stickers are my favorite. I remember spending around 15 minutes (or more) just looking at every sticker design they had, trying to choose which to purchase. (I settled with cute bunnies). For those, like me, who can't resist cute things, you'll probably spend the same amount of time I did browsing their collection. The Paper Stone is a good place to buy gift items for your girlfriends, or your nieces. Trust me, boys.

Cute items and this is the store I never fail to visit whenever I'm at UP Town Center but the sales…read moreassistants are too clingy! I wish they'd give shoppers more personal space.

Most people know Muji as a Japanese store that offers household items, clothes, notebooks, pens,…read moreand other supplies. They are known for selling quality goods at an affordable price. What most people don't know is Muji is actually a great place to buy make-up. I don't really know a lot about make-up, but I have been using concealer and foundation for a while now to cover most of my dark spots, dark circles, and small blemishes on some areas of my face. I have already tried using Garnier and Clinique Advanced Concealer, but I am just not happy with it. I can't seem to find the perfect Garnier concealer that would match my skin tone and Clinique is just too expensive for me (relying on your parents for money is not easy). I like the Muji concealer because it doesn't clump and it actually matches my skin tone. It's also really affordable. You can buy it for less than 1000 pesos. They also have eyeliners, eye shadows, blush, and brushes so make sure to check Muji out if you're the type of person who just can't live without make-up. PS: I am NOT a make-up expert AT ALL, but I think I know enough about concealers for me to make a review about it (LOL)

There's just something about Muji that draws me towards the store - I think it's the mere fact that…read morethe store exudes a very minimalist look. I also love the packaging of the products here - the logo is not really seen and the look of it sticker labels are so clean. I always like going to Muji to buy pens and notebooks! I usually hoard them (I don't know why but I could easily go back to the store right) and well my cabinet still has unused notebooks as of to date. I also like going to Muji to check out the foldable travel bags and other travel accessories. I actually use Muji bags when I travel because they're very light and functional. My friends say the snacks here are also good - now that I have yet to try out! I'm really glad that there are a lot of Muji branches all over Manila.

Office Warehouse is a very useful place and a comparable alternative to National Book Store and…read moreother office supply stores. I became familiar with it as there is a branch in the SM Hypermart that's right by my place. Initially I thought that it wouldn't be useful to me as a student (back then), but after walking through the aisles, I realized that so many of the stuff I needed was right here. Yellow pad, 1/4 pad, 1/2 pad, lengthwise pad, Mead notebooks, Schneider pens, chalk, eraser, greeting cards, and many other essential items for work and play. Once, I even purchased a gift for Kris Kringle here (it was a piggy bank). Two thumbs up!

Office Warehouse sells office and school supplies from the simple pen and paper to printers and…read moredesks. This place is a great option for students to go before school shopping if they don't want the huge crowd and aren't really interested in the design of things. The branches may be limited and this place may not be as famous as the others but it serves its purpose. They have all your basic pad paper sizes, notebooks, pens, pencils, folders, containers for you supplies, the works! Office Warehouse doesn't cater to the biggest crowd but they definitely have the supplies you need just not with as varied a selection. This place is focused solely on supplies unlike more stores that sells books...and supplies to follow. They also have good quality office items like desks and chairs so you can really go in here and purchase everything you need for your office or study area.

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.

Call it hoarding or just plain obsessed, but I have this strange habit of collecting gift boxes,…read moreanimal-themed wrapping paper, and cheeky greeting cards months before the occasion arrives. I do this so I won't have to rush putting a thoughtful gift together on the day itself. Mother's Day? No problem, here's the card. Friend's birthday? I have just the right bag. Happy graduation day? Already signed. Tie Me Up Buttercup sees right into the desires of my decorating-happy soul, and boy, am I thankful. This gift shop lured me in with its stylish calligraphy, dainty collection of pop-up greeting cards, vibrant ready-made boxes, embossed wrapping papers, and decorative accessories, all of which will no doubt make a charming personal impression on a loved one. On my first visit I couldn't even leave the shop without purchasing two gift bags that read "a hug in a bag" and "I found this and thought of you." What I love most about Tie Me Up Buttercup is they know it's not just the thought that matters in gift-giving. It's the entire package.

Papamelroti have the BEST people They have a well rounded…read morePHILOSOPHY that centers on FAMILY, GOD and country! They deserve all the good things that come their way! They literally built their business 'empire's from scratch...a testament to their resilience and God given talents... I am proud and privileged to have known them. They are a great source of INSPIRATION for me and for others. I wish them all the BEST! Please keep up the good work...!!! GOD BLESS ALWAYS!!!

I'm such a cad for pretty stationary. Really, if it's cheap and it looks pretty, I just can't help…read moremyself! I tried to recover from my growing stationary addiction, but one look inside Papemelroti is going a step back in the recovery process. I love how their notebooks are recycled, it makes me feel a little bit better about buying so many nice notebooks and destroying trees in the process. Some people might not like having brown notebook paper, but I think it's fine. My pens glide smoothly on the page, and I like the way the brown paper looks against my handwriting. The designs of their notebooks are also really nice and beautiful, and they offer other things like simple calendars and planners and mini-notebooks, and even gift-wrapping paper too! They also have cute notepads and post-cards and envelopes and all sorts of little bits and bobs you can use for around your house or as gifts for friends. I can't pass by Papemelroti WITHOUT looking inside and browsing for a few minutes. Really love this store and everything in it.