I've always wanted a novelty store in Manila. It was often buying stuff online which was initially…read morefine but with shipping fees and added taxes, it can be a pain. Thank the novelty gods and goddesses someone thought of putting up Quirks! Quirks is a quirky person's Mecca. They sell a lot of unique and fun things like mugs with brass knuckle handles, skull shot glasses, sun jars, grow-your-own-crystals, waterproof world map printed laundry bag (all stuff I got from the store) and many more! I love going in and looking at everything. Too bad I can't buy the whole store! So many cool stuff to choose from. I've already bought a handful of stuff from them before for my family, friends and myself; and those gifts are always a hit! Definitely a store to stop by if you're gift hunting. They'll even give you a points card where you can gain points each time you buy an item and get something for free!

With a storefront that says 'Quirk novelties & curiosities' how can you not be curious what kind of…read morequirky items you can find in this place! Obviously I went in for a look because it's always cool to give unique gifts or funny novelty items to your friends and family. I was a bit disappointed for two reasons. The first reason is the assortiment, there is really not that much to choose from, you can browse through the entire store within 5 minutes. Second of all, the quality of the stuff wasn't that novel, unique or funny or innovative. Items I saw were kinda boring e.g. Desktop putting stationairy set, greeting cards, billfold leather thingees, travel adapters, funny touch pens for your tablet etc. The only really cool thing was the smartphone projector, which was only a bit more than a 1000 php. So very average, 3 stars.

Almost every mall in Manila and in provinces has one of this clothing store…read more They carry nice jeans and shirts, mostly on the casual attire look is what this store is about. If you like this kind of look, this is for you. You want a nice pair of jeans that best suits you and accentuate you know what? They have these jeans. High waisted? Yes! T-shirts? Pick one and pick the right color. Their style though is mostly customized for petites but I'm not a 100 percent sure as I went straight to what caught my eyes. They have something called "Japan fit". Idk what it means tho, sorry... They also carry nice undergarments and tons of accessories. I've always like this store so, when I arrived, I had to get in here and check it out, came out with armful of stuff. I can't tell you what I bought. Secret... I like their style and presentations. Must check this out when you get here. Dollars? Well, it is pretty Westernized so be prepared. It still won't disappoint your wallet and I still won't tell you what I bought.

If you're a frequent traveler, chances are you've gone into The Travel Club to drool over the best…read moreand the newest in travel accessories. They carry most of the well known brands: Samsonite, Delsey, Pacsafe, Rimowa, Genius Pack, Tumi and so much more. They have luggage, backpacks, locks, laptop bags and everything you'd need for your trips abroad. Their service is also quite good. After a trip to the US, the handle of my sister's Samsonite kept getting stuck. When the handle was up, it wouldn't go down. When the handle was down it wouldn't go up. It was still under warranty so we sent it to The Travel Club to get it fixed. We basically went there, explained what was wrong, then they called us 2 weeks later to tell us it was fixed. Easy peasy.

My dad is obsessed with buying luggage and I'm not sure why. We only travel about once a year, yet…read morenever does he let a year go by when he doesn't buy a new bag. While he has mostly been getting new wheeled luggage, it seems like he's shifted his attention to backpacks and duffels this year. With his sudden desire to do pilgrimages, wheeled luggage just doesn't make sense, so he's gone out of his comfort zone to try new types of carryons. Of course, he still shops in the same place: Travel Club. I have a feeling he's spent more money here than any other mall store, and the frequency of his shopping sprees relate closely to the schedule of impending trips. He enjoys this store the most because of their knowledgeable staff and wide selection, and I have to think that he's bordering on addicted. And he says I have too many bags?

Whenever you're driving along D.Tuazon in Quezon City, your eyes will be immediately drawn to…read moreSimple Cyclery and the bikes they have on display. Bikes of different colors, shapes, and sizes line the outside of the shop, seducing passersby with their sexy aluminum alloy and steel curves. Simple Cyclery is all about simplicity. Their focus is on fixed gear and track bikes as well as single speeds, commuters, and even folding bikes. Each bicycle they sell is captivating and looks like they were just plucked from a magazine. If you're thinking of getting a bike for your own (or someone else), go inside and talk to the man in charge, Mr. Gilbert Sy Chan. Whether you plan on building one from scratch or buying one off the rack, he'll gamely walk you through on what you need and what to expect if you want to dive in this wonderful world of 'simple' bikes.

(Tom Cruise voiceover)…read more The vibe is niche footwear store for Complex Lifestyle needs! Mhevy warmly greeted us! I had to get something other than flip flops for all terrain adventures on mud, water, yachts, and gorgeous and super clean BGC sidewalks! Mhevy was super helpful! Ended up with Merrell's that took the best aspects of modern materials and design. She helped me find a pair of elegant sporty togs that look in place scuba-certified diving from a yacht or some exclusive tropical island! Would buy them again! Thanks, Mhevy! Woohoo! Mabuhay!

The guards treat me and salutes me, they first check your bag. The service is great, the selection…read moreof foods are a legit complete.

I wanted to buy a postcard in Manila to send to my children and was told that my best bet was to…read moreshop in Intramuros. There were fewer gift shops than I might have expected for the most tourist-facing part of the city, but I was happy to run across Tesoros in the Plaza San Luis Complex. It was a small souvenir shop, unassuming but cute, with eyebrow-raising prices, especially in comparison to everything else in Manila. I guess Tesoros is 100% for tourists who don't bother with mental conversions, or who, like me, need to do their shopping as quickly as possible while her group waits outside. As it turned out, Tesoros did not carry postcards, but there was a spinning rack of cards featuring photos of Manila, with blank space for writing inside. I paid something like $7 for one of these cards, which was not of particularly notable quality. I didn't have time to browse the rest of the shop, but there seemed to be some good stuff in there. I picked up a Christmas ornament of a Pinoy Santa Claus serving lechon, a very worthwhile keepsake. I got what I needed from Tesoros. I was able to send my kids a card from my hotel, and the Santa will get good placement on my Christmas tree. I'd recommend this shop if you want a nice souvenir from Manila.

With the rise of the eco bag, Sac People saw a need and fulfilled it. I'm sure there are plenty of…read moreyou who would rather have an eco bag that's just more than your generic Savemore-Shopwise-Puregold ecobag, right? Or at least you're hoping to find something that looks nice as well as remains functional. That's what I found here. They sell eco bags. Yep, eco bags. They're lightweight, sturdy and pretty medium sized. Personally, they aren't big enough for the weekly grocery haul but they're big enough for smaller trips. And I love their designs. Not only are some of them cute but some of them are cleverly packaged. When not in bag mode, some of them can be rolled up into shapes like coffee cups, cupcakes, flowers and little monsters. Even better is the fact that they come with these hooks that you can hang off the side of your bag. They're great. They're a bit on the pricier side depending on your perspective though. At a price tag of 150php (or at least they were when I got mine), it sounds like a good price for a clever little product that serves its purpose and then some.