They got it all for youuuuu this one is a one stop shop especially here in the Philippines no…read moreaircon no problem

There are a lot of SM malls out there to choose from such as the Mall of Asia, or SM Megamall. Out…read moreof all their malls however, I would have to say that SM Southmall is the mall that I've been to the most. It is after all the one closest to my village and is the biggest mall in Las Pinas and indeed maybe even the south, but don't quote me on that one. Anyway, this place has a lot of stores and floor space is huge. Each floor has different sections or wings with each wing specializing in a particular type of merchandise. For example, the top floor is mostly about tech and gadgets. There are plenty of stuff up there that a gadget or computer love could find. The other thing I find unique about SM Southmall is that it's one of the few malls left that still has a skating rink. It's smaller than I remember, and I think they changed the location, but it's still there.

Remember when you were in highschool and you had no idea what to wear for Prom? Well back then, we…read moreonly had beepers and tamagochis and the internet had almost nothing in it. There were no smart phones, no Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to help us figure out what kind of dress was best. Even more, most of our stores back then were local. No Zara or Mango stores at the time and if we needed something formal, a trip to the local mananahi with our mothers who usually decide on everything was our only option. Nowadays, kids have it easy. They can easily just go to Se La Vi Clothing and walk away worry-free, clutching a new gown that fits like a glove. It's no wonder so many ladies trust this shop- they can create a custom dress from scratch, working with little as a sketch and create something beautiful in a short amount of time. For students in need of a prom dress, I suggest you get in touch with Angelie Sevilla, the owner at least 2 months before your prom. Best to get ahead of everyone.

I've been seing this ukay-ukay shop for several months before I really paid a visit. It was just…read morefiled at the back of my mind as a place I could buy from should I need certain kinds of clothes for low prices. And, it's almost across the tricycle terminal where I ride to get home. One time, I was looking for pants and shorts. I needed some, especially for travel. The shop had conveniently arranged certain types of clothes by rack. Bottoms like shorts and pants, for example, were in one rack, and so I looked there. I got two nice pairs of shorts in colors I could easily pair with other clothes - one of them I now use on many of my beach trips. I got one for P100, the other for P120. The prices here are a little expensive for an ukay-ukay, I think, but you can haggle, especially when you buy more than one piece, which is what I did. They also have nice shoes like sandals, boots, and sneakers here. So far I haven't found any of my size which I like but I've seen a few customers happily walk away with shoes that they really like.

Another thrift shop that I frequently go to, not that I'm cheap, but I'd like to see it as bargain,…read moreor a talent of finding branded beautiful used clothes in mint condition aAnother thrift shop that I frequently go to, not that I'm cheap, but I'd to see it as bargain, or a talent of finding branded beautiful used clothes in mint condition and d working it out. I was able to see great finds in this store, you just have to be patient in checking each garment one by one and aisle by aisle. It's like finding needle in a haystack once you find it, it feels great. I was able to get two Jag pants for only Php 100.00 each, a Fendi vest for Php120.00, several knitted cardigans and shirts for only Php25.00 each, Liz Claiborne and three winter clothes jackets for only Php100.00 each. They have new stocks every month but I advise waiting for a few weeks after the delivery because new stocks are priced higher, so be patient and wait until they have the sale sign out, clothes jumps from Php150.00 to Php 25.00. Ukay digging is fun, try it.!

My favorite local grocery spot! Robinsons is just around the…read morecorner from my place, which is a total game-changer. What stands out most is how chill the whole place is -- no crazy crowds, aisles are easy to navigate, and I always find what I'm looking for without the hassle. Super smooth shopping experience every single time!

This is the new place to be in Las Pinas. Said who? Me. Haha. I like coming here because it's less…read morecrowded than most malls in this area. It's not as big, but there's a supermarket, movie theaters, some specialty stores and different dining establishments which makes it great for quick stops or hanging out. While it's highly unlikely for me to shop for clothes here (shoes are okay, they've got Payless), it's where we go to when we need a few items at home. I'll go to a different place if I have a long list of things to buy, but for relatively shorter lists, their department store and supermarket will certainly do. I also like exploring the food scene here; they do have your usual fast-food chains, but also other interesting restaurants that used to be missing in Las Pinas. My favorites so far are The Urban Farm and Magnolia Flavor House. If your usual Starbucks branch is always packed, they're already open here too!

The more things change, the more things stay the same. The same can be true for this big old…read morebuilding. It's changed hands several times and with each change brought with it a new name. At the end of the day it was still the same to me. It was still that local mall. Small, middle class, and a reminder of where I came from. Having something like this in your life is a reminder how things change, not necessarily grow, as time marches forward and at the same time how some things will never change. There's a Puregold grocery, a variety of small restaurants, and stalls that sell a wide variety of different products ranging from cheap phones to health and nutrition supplies. I'm actually quite astonished that I find some of the things that I do in this place. It's also my usual go to place whenever I'm looking for something to snack on.

Having seen this area change from Manuela to Valuepoint, to Starmall is something I am proud of,…read morehaving lived in the area all my life. There's so much to write about with regards to Starmall, but et me focus on why I have recently loved it more. I've always been wary of the cinemas at Starmall, which is right outside our village. I guess it's the stigma of not liking so much what you have right in front of you. It took my fixation for Vin Diesel and The Fast and The Furious franchise that I let my defenses down and said yes to watching a movie there. "Wow." That's what I said when we were buying tickets. Good thin, yes. At PhP250, I got to watch the movie in 3D and got a bucket of popcorn. Now wasn't that a good deal? I didn't even have to spend for gas to head to the mall. Best part is that since it's relatively new and not a lot of people watch here, the cinema is clean (well it 'feels' clean) and the seats are comfortable. I could even be bold enough to compare the whole experience to watching in Greenbelt or maybe Power Plant. Don't believe me? Come over and I'll watch a movie with you. That's my guarantee.

I sincerely do not know anyone who doesn't like buying stuff at Daiso. I mean really, some things…read moreare just too good and reasonably priced at PhP88 to pass up. A few years ago, my sister and I bought practically all of our home items from Daiso when we moved into an apartment. There are times I would really enter Daiso just to look around and see what I could buy. Yes, a bit of an impulse buyer here. Anyway, I was glad to find a big Daiso store at the newly opened Robinson's Place Las Piñas, mostly because I knew I no longer have to go all the way to Glorietta in Makati or Market Market at Bonifacio Global City to score god deals for random things I need like kitchen items, things for the bathroom or bedroom, even school supplies! I particularly found it nice that they had more than the usual attendants going around, refilling stocks and assisting customers one aisle after the other.

When I still living abroad with my husband, there were only two places I'd go to if I needed…read moresomething for the house - Ikea and Daiso (yes, imagine how our tiny home looked like). Now that I'm back home, I don't have the need to go to Daiso that much, but when I do, I always end up buying a lot. They have EVERYTHING here! From stationery, to home decor, toys, cleaning products, even food! My dad found some barley tea here and I have a friend who recently went to Hong Kong and forgot to buy treats for some of his relatives while he was there. Guess where he ends up buying chocolates? Not one of his aunts suspected a thing! My favorite finds would be the organizers (for every OC person out there) and the baking supplies. They're all so cute and so cheap. Okay, for Daiso fans like me, they have a new branch in Robinsons Las Pinas. And it's big. The best part is, people haven't really discovered it yet so we have less competition for our kawaii finds.

Pop Culture isn't so much as a store so much as it is a part of Alabang Town Center. This place is…read moreto Alabang Town Center as a district is to a city. I hope that analogy helps clear things up for you guys out there. Anyway, Pop Culture has a lot of small stores, one of them sells video game hardware and games. Most of them sell clothes for girls at a really low price point. Then there's a store that specializes in selling ipies, bongs, and rolling paper and other Rastafarian paraphernalia. It's interesting to walk down this part of Alabang Town Center because of just how cool some of the stores are. Most of them have forgettable names, but it doesn't make the place any less interesting. When I just window shop for the heck of it, I find myself strolling around this place even if it's just for a few minutes.

Do you sometimes feel like your limited budget is keeping you from enjoying a mall? That's how I…read morefeel often whenever I'm at Alabang Town Center and mostly everything I see in shops are out of my budget. Though with Pop Culture around, I finally have a place where things are of "within reach" on those days where I'm in a pinch. Pop Culture is that section of Town, beside the food court that's basically a small group of boutiques that sell a lot of good clothing, accessories, shoes, bags and whatnot. There's a Girl Shoppe by the entrance, which sells a variety of women's accessories, while the other stores inside have a lot of imported clothes from Bangkok and sometimes locally manufactured like Get Laud. Lots of Korean accessories too. What I love about Korean accessories are how dainty and quirky the designs can be. Most of the prices here are relatively cheap to averagely priced (around Php 100-450 for, let's say, a top) so there's surely something that fits every budget.

More popularly known as "BF Ruins", the Good Shepherd Bazaar has become a permanent fixture and…read morelong-time favorite local haunt amongst southside folks. It's a popular "tiangge" where you can get these four things: Pirated DVDs/Music CDs, cheap clothing and shoes, mobile phones/accessories, and cheap food. It's not glamorous nor is it well-ventilated, but on days outside of the holiday season, it's a pretty relaxed place to go for some light impulse shopping after work, or a place to get some cheap, quick snacks in BF Homes. Although on holiday season, beware because this place becomes a cramped, sticky labyrinth, but still is a convenient place to get some last-minute gifts. Back when the internet wasn't such a thing and DSL connection was still unheard of, my favorite stall here would be this seller of rare/hard-to-find/indie pirated DVD's. But now, I just go here for cheap clothes and to grab some veggie snacks at Feng Ling, the cheap Malaysian & Singaporean food place, which serves tofu, veggie balls, fried kangkong, and yummy green mango smoothies. If you're planning to drop by, do visit around 5pm to be sure that all the stalls are already open. They open late, and since there is zero ventilation system inside, it's better to go when the sun is out.

It has been called by many names: BF night market, The Good Shepherd Bazaar, Ruins. But most…read moreresidents from the south know it by the name that it was first called: BF Ruins. This interesting little one-stop-shop for everything has been inside BF Homes as far back as I can remember. Before Aguirre became a famous food strip, right at its corner with President's Avenue was the ruins of an abandoned old building. Some really cool merchants started pitching tents and setting up tables to sell their wares there. You'd find a lot of really cool vintage items and some stylish clothes that you won't get in malls. Over the years, it has developed more into a find-everything-here place selling DVDs, CDs, electronic gadgets, accessories, clothes for kids, swimwear, tshirts, gift items and toys. It is now a structure with a huge roof and several stalls. It was called The Good Shepherd Bazaar for a few years now and usually runs between 2pm to 2am. However, their selling time seems to have changed very recently and most stalls are already open by noon and close around 11pm. While shopping in the sweltering heat may not be a good idea in the summer, I often brave the traffic and the heat to go here because they still have the best selection of children's items. If you're looking for class A toys, they've got a bunch you can get from P100 to P200. For instance, if you buy Shopkins (those little plastic toys with faces) in the mall, a 5-piece set would cost you about P350. Here, you get the items with the same quality - since it's all made in China anyway - for P120. You can get a two-piece swim suit for a baby for only P80 and Gerber Graduates, which is not available in malls here, for P220. Pajamas for kids run for about P100. Oh, and they have a nice little food area where you can get some really cool snacks. They have kwek-kwek and tokneneng selling for P20 for an order of 5 pieces. Chicken skin is the bomb! They sell 5 pieces for P25.

I actually chuckled out loud when I saw a Pope Francis felt plushie here months ago. I would never…read morethink of hugging the pope to sleep or having him on my bed (the horror!!!) but I guess some folks dig it. And some folks would also dig having a Manny Pacquiao plushie. I just, can't... NOPE. Anyway, other than those types of felt plushies, I do like some of Pop Junk Love's products. They're a small kiosk here in Town and they're into the whole DIY, arts and crafts thing. I was surprised to see a Pusheen plushie! Though I'm sure they have infringed on copyright here (Pusheen is actually known first as a blog with freaking adorable GIF's of bouncy cats before it hit Facebook stickers). I would still much rather order Pusheen stuff online because I would really rather support the original creator and his/her efforts. What I really liked are their papier mache cat figures! *Adds to list of must-have cat lady house decor*.

Pop Junk Love used to be an online store, gaining followers on Instagram through their cute…read morehand-made stuffed toys and knick-knacks. The owners/designers can get pretty crafty and creative with their designs, and they usually stick to whatever is trending in the Philippine market. Lately, they have produced Manny Pacquiao stuffed toys to support the recent fight of Pacuiao and Mayweather. Before that, they also made Pope Francis dolls to commemorate Pope Francis's visit to Manila. Now, they are growing steadily, especially with their pop-up store located at this branch. It's actually great that they are getting the recognition (and expansion) that they need, and that these sisters absolutely love what they are doing. I remember getting a Scrabble pillow to match my girlfriend's initials. The process was pretty painless, and I really like how everything turned out. Now it'll be even easier that they have a physical store, and you won't need an internet connection to complete your transaction.