I had accidentally placed an order online noticing that their prices were double of what I could…read morefind on Amazon. I contacted them immediately to cancel my order and they refused to refund it to my original payment method and only to store credit even though the item was literally just purchased and no processing or shipping was done. I told them I'd refuse the package as well but they shipped it regardless. Extremely shady business practice.

This was the High End Mall, before all the other High End Malls appeared. And to this day, it…read moreretains a lot of the class and style that defined it as THE mall of choice of Manila's elite. Rustans is special because they were handpicking and curating the vendors and suppliers for a sensible, classy experience even before curation became a thing. And that's probably why Rustans has remained relevant. While other malls and department stores are content with featuring whoever and whatever, stepping inside Rustans was an experience in itself. If you had the scratch to spend on a place like this, you could step out of there in style. The men's section in particular gives you the whole "Manly and Classy" vibe that is just almost impossible to find nowadays. An amazing, amazing place.

While visiting the Philippines I stopped by Landers with family. It's a bit different coming here…read moresecurity must give you a check in card and must look in your bag prior to entering store. Something I'm not use to but it is what is done routinely in this country. We bought a few things and enjoyed the food court and cafe. I have to say their choices of eats are amazing. My children kept talking about how they want to go back when we go to Manila. We ordered a little of everything on the menu to try it out. We did come here as a large group At the food court we ordered: Pasta. Two choices both are amazing. Yet my nephew was not use to savory Italian style pasta. My children did enjoy every bite. Chicken roll with sauce this is similar to the chicken bake we have in Costco in the USA. I didn't even know it came with sauce until my brother pointed it out. We had already eaten all of it when we saw the sauce. Very tasty. Pizza. Whole wheat crust. I have to say this was very good. My husband ordered a supreme pizza. The cafe is a sweet treat. Dessert and coffee is available. My family ordered coffee and some sweet treats. They are looked so yummy. Stars 1 star for facilities 1 star for service 1 star for clean bathrooms 1 star for food and merchandise 1 star for overall experience.

Contemporary subway-themed diner attracts the shoppers to drop by for grub. The Landers Central…read moreshares the space with Dough and Co. bakery and Doppio coffee shop. The dining hall is a posh waiting area while Mom is doing all the shopping. Dads can get a haircut, shave, and massage at Talas Manileño. The isles are full of chocolate bags, premium meats, high-class liquor, and branded furnitures. Pail of nutella and the glorified wine Ice Cream easily charmed the potential shoppers to become a member. Premium membership is at P800. Online application has the current promo rate of P400. Save half the price of expense. Fill up a form, present a valid ID at the branch, and you're good to go. It was actually a friend who convinced me to visit. Went straight to the dining hall after going through the wide grocery racks. A slice of NY pizza (P109), hotdog (P149), chicken (P149) and fries (P49) is shared by the two of us. It is apparent that it is a regular fastfood taste. Nothing special on the food but good enough to fill-in a hungry shopper. Landers Central also serves pasta dishes.

Looking for cool and functional items you didn't even know existed? Then head on to Saizen, an…read more88-Peso store that sells items from Japan. Every time we pass by Trinoma, it's a must to visit Saizen, since they update the store every month and goodies are available every now and then. Although it is a surplus store, their items are still efficient and safe to use and eat (for the snacks). They sell from cute, colorful notebooks to yummy chocolate wafers, kitchen and dining items, bathroom items, and even beauty items! They sell all kinds of things, and some even make great ideas for gifts! Don't worry, 88 Pesos may be expensive for a three-piece candy, they offer half prices or one price for two items as well, so you can be assured you're getting enough for what you pay for. Tip: it's inside True Value hardware shop, so don't back away when you don't see it as a standalone shop.

Who doesn't love Saizen? It's such an amazing store and I really spend hours just looking through…read morethe P88 finds. Whether it's items for the kitchen, for the office or for personal use, you will definitely find something to your liking at Saizen. Funny though, I always go here not intending to buy anything but I always end up with several items costing me about P500 or P600. No worries though, I always end up using what I buy anyway. The best finds so far, the vacuum / compression bags. When you're packing for a trip, they really save a ton of space in your luggage. I also found some wool gloves for those quick trips to winter countries. I don't mind buying the cheap kind since I don't use them that often and they actual work for protecting your hands from the cold. If you like being creative with your kid's baon or your own packed lunch for the office, Saizen is an amazing place to buy bento stuff. They have rice shapers, sandwich cutters and different types of lunch boxes that would drive any bento momma crazy.

I.Candy is a clothing line which has always been one of my favorite stores. Not only do they sell…read morecolorful, updated and retro style clothes, they also offer dresses that suit for almost any occasion. You can work their dresses up as a semi-formal outfit with high heels or wedges, but you can also style it casually, with sneakers of your favorite Keds. With these, you know that one dress can rule almost any outfit, you just have to style it right! Regarding quality, I like the fact that some of their dresses can be easily altered without major cuts and re-linings. They're manageable, especially if you know how to sew. Thankfully, I do! So I.Candy is one of my dress shop bffs. Btw, they also have cropped tops and other blouses, if you're not big in dresses.

One, if not the most beloved SM branch in the country for me, is, SM Quiapo. It is actually one of…read morethe two Outlet Stores of SM. It is still one of the best kept secrets in Manila because its hidden in the streets of Quiapo and it's a haven for bargain hunters. Most, if not all, of the sale items in different SM stores that weren't bought are delivered here. From clothes to toys to appliances and even school supplies, SM Quiapo offers its clientele the orange to red tags, denoting that original prices are marked down. One of the nicest polo shirts I bought came from this store. Originally priced at Php799, I bought it for only Php250! A pair of running shorts and a gray undershirt cost me only Php 150. It packs a lot of people especially during weekends but come on an early morning weekday and the store has a few buyers. A tip for everyone: Learn to ask for the cheapest racks for clothes, anyway, you wouldn't go here if you are not looking for quality and cheap clothes.

For starters, I don't know why this place is called SM Department Store Quiapo when in fact it's…read morelocated in Sta Cruz, very near the Carriedo station of the LRT. Maybe Henry Sy prefers to keep it this way. The story of SM's growth from mere shoe store in the '60s to the biggest department store chain in the country begins near this branch. The original SM was located a few meters away but the building where it was located has seen better days. This SM is known as a clearance outlet and I've known for the longest time that it's one of the best places in town to buy imported chocolates. For several Christmases, I bought assorted chocolates here to give to my family, friends and office mates. A friend who worked briefly for SM tipped me off about this branch. He told me that some items were being sold below cost. Now what can be a bigger deal than that? In my latest visit, the bargain sweets were still there, and I hope they will be for as long as there's an SM. I've also bought small items here in the past and was not surprised that the prices are not too far off from the sidewalk vendors outside. Since the place is comfortably air-conditioned, it's also a nice place to cool off and shop at the same time. Of all the SM department stores inside their malls, this place definitely has the lowest prices. That's saying a lot because SM already has a reputation for having the best prices in town.

I can't remember how many times I've been to the Landmark since I moved to Manila. I guess it was…read morethe first store my husband showed me. I remember that entering there was like a baptism, a début. I could almost hear the voice over: "Welcome, Danyella! This is the one and only Landmark! Here you'll find EVERYTHING you may need from now on. And for a cheaper price!". Did I say EVERYTHING? Yes, because that's exactly the feeling you have when you enter the Landmark. I just cannot decide where to look at. All products catch my attention. It's crazy. I'll give you a short list of what I already bought there, so you can feel the vibe: a Hello Kitty towel as a monito monita gift; a beautiful tea pot; maternity clothes; comfortable shoes; baby onesies; underwear; step ladders to reach high shelves; cute notebooks; toiletries; Instax instant film; scarfs; bags; a wallet; table linens and much more items. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the grocery. It's cheaper than Rustan's and even SM and you can find great variety. TIP: They sell Santis's meats and cold cuts at Landmark! I highly recommend it because of the quality. It's great to have this facility, so I don't have to split my grocery list anymore and go to Santis Deli at Rockwell.

So many cutesy butingting, so little room in the house…read more There is a section at the Landmark Department Store that can be considered a haven for hipsters - in that it features products that are shabby chic, and full of typography and graphic designed travel stuff. As you enter from the walkway that connects it to Greenbelt, you'll see the area on travel-inspired designs of notebooks and planners. And then there's the tin-can containers reminiscent of the things we used in the 80s as kids but the design is more English rose country and shabby chic. Still some of the home decor items are of prints and typography that would fit any room occupied by a hipster. Not that I'm a hipster, lol. But they are soooo cute!

When I want to buy local souvenirs, I usually go to Kultura Filipino or to Filipiniana. Both are…read morelocated in Makati, close to my place. And both offer all the traditional symbols of the Philippines - barong tagalogs, pinneaple fiber clothes and table runners, t-shirts, Mother Pearl picture frames, pearl and coral jewelry and so on. I particularly prefer Kultura Filipino, because I have the feeling it's better served. Actually I think the store is bigger. Anyway, I prefer it. But when I don't want to cross Glorietta to get to the SM building, I go to Filipiniana, inside The Landmark. I highly recommend it for those times you have to buy a gift for a foreigner friend or buy some souvenirs to your family when you go back home on vacations.

If you're a foreigner or balikbayan looking for authentic and inexpensive Filipino souvenirs and…read moregoods, you have to stop by the Filipiniana section of Landmark. The large section is dedication just for Filipino crafts, products and food and I love how you have so many options to choose from. I'm not a foreigner or a balikbayan and I'm not looking for souvenirs but I do love going around this section and buying things. I love being a Filipino and I'm certainly proud of our skills, talents, culture and food. In this part of the department store, you'll find any kind of souvenir you want. It's basically a one-stop-shop. You can find gorgeous handmade and local artisan crafted furniture, home accessories, jewelry, clothes, traditional costumes and even yummy Filipino food snacks like peanut brittle and the famous dried mangoes! I always bring my foreign friends and family members from the States to this store and they always buy so many things and come out of the store happy and satisfied.

Crossings is like a mini mall. It has a grocery store, restaurants and fast food, a department…read morestore, a lotto outlet, a photo studio, an electronics shop, and a National Bookstore outlet. I go there for school supplies, food, photos, clothes & shoes. You can say that it has mostly everything I need to live. The best part is that there aren't that many people there, so it isn't as cramped as malls tend to become.

I used to love just taking a trip to the National Book Store branch at Quezon Ave. when it was in…read moreits warehouse state and now in its renovated prettier building, but when their space shrank and they lost Tower Records and Fiorgelato, they lost their appeal to me also. I do, however, come back on occasion to visit the Crossings above it. The department store sells a whole lot of stuff from sporting goods to toys to even furniture, but what I'm most attracted by is the stuff from The Ramp. If you like their merch--a cardigan here, a statement ring there, a pair of cool shoes or a cute bowtie--there's the chance you'll find it in Crossings for less. While it can be a little sad and lonely in this corner of the building, they often have things on discount, so it's always worth checking out.

Need to update your wardrobe this year? Want a new swimwear? Or do you just want to shop till you…read moredrop without burying your wallet alive? Then this discreet yet stunning local clothing line could do the trick for you. Apartment 8, with branches in Trinoma, Greenhills and Glorietta, have been around for some time and has been creating quite a stir because of their trendy collections. Endorsed by famous fashion bloggers, Apartment 8 offers clothes for women, mostly for teenagers and young adults. But hey, their clothing line is for everybody, as long as you wear the dress, and not let the dress wear you. From casual to formal, from summer to winter, from vintage to modern - Apartment 8 surely has them all.