The best puto in town and probably the whole country!!! Soooo good, melts in your mouth. I eat it…read morelike peanuts.

Bought a couple of stuff here. The suman pinipig with buko is excellent. Highly recommended…read more However, I've tasted better puto pao, puto and pichi pichi. Staff is pleasant.

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.

The first time I went to Industriya, I was blown away by the interiors. Some restaurants have…read more"instagramable" spots, but the whole of Industriya IS Instagramable. A former shoe factory in a more suburban part of Marikina, Industriya recycled everything they could recycle to make one of the most beautiful and memorable restaurants in Metro Manila. And then I tasted the food. Bland, uninspiring, an afterthought. Hay, sayang. I guess that's that. So why have I rated Industriya 5 stars? This is solely based on my SECOND visit to this place. I was part of a special Marikina tour organized by the local government, and we wrapped up the tour in Industriya. I was hoping they'd serve something nicer than what I had before because I really wanted this restaurant to work. Here's the thing: The first menu of Industriya was too long and had items that didn't match the vibe of the place. The way Industriya is built, either you go local (As Marikina has a unique cuisine) or you go full continental (a throwback to the international clientele of Marikina back in the day). The menu I saw the first time I went there was a hodgepodge of items that didn't make sense and didn't represent anything. So we ended up ordering some local dish and some sushi. Not only did the pairing not work, the dishes themselves were lackluster. However, for whatever reason, Industriya decided to embrace their local cuisine and rolled out a series of dishes for the tour participants. They stated that this was part of their revamped menu which would be rolled out really soon. Basically, we got staples of Marikina cuisine, with some slight but significant reworkings. We had Lumpiang Ubod on Lettuce Leaves instead of wrap, a pate-type spread made from Everlasting (a meatloaf unique to Marikina), Pinakbet topped with Bagnet (!!!), Mechado with generous portions of beef, and an honest to goodness Laoya (Marikina's take on Nilaga, with peanuts and bananas -- it works, trust me). Needless to say, the dishes were excellent. I was very, VERY happy with everything I ate. But more than that, if this is an indication of the food that will be served in Industriya from this point onwards, then this place just became the most important restaurant in Marikina. Before, Industriya was just a beautiful restaurant will so-so food. Now, it's a showcase of Marikina's storied past and present.

06.27.2015 It may…read moretake a while before you find Industriya in the Calumpang, Marikina area. IMHO it might be easier to find this place on foot--or on three wheels--than on four wheels. But it will be 100% worth it. Industriya's interiors are BEAUTIFUL, and is one of the most Instragammable places you will find as far as restaurants are concerned. I highly recommend the lengua. Most restaurants can nail the tenderness of the ox tongue, but very few can make a flavorful and beefy lengua dish. I also ordered the callos. The portion that was served that night seemed small, but it is a good dish if you don't mind a dominant olive flavor. A second visit to this restaurant is long overdue, and I will explore its menu and write about its other bestsellers in the near future. 12.24.2015 It's the day before Christmas, and my East of Manila 'kada got together for lunch. We availed of Industriya's promo--50% off on its signature fried chicken dish. We also had the binagoongang bagnet, the nachos, and the chocolate lava cake. The fried chicken was decent, but it came with a delicious gravy that brought it closer to all-star status. The binagoongang bagnet was definitely the star on our table. YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS! I wish it had more eggplant and tomato though, but I will come back for more of this. The nachos were good. Thank God the cheese sauce wasn't poured straight out of a Cheez Whiz jar. Our dessert was also a standout, but not the best bang for our buck IMHO as the portion was tiny and most definitely not for sharing. Not even by skinny b*tch standards. Overall, Industriya did not disappoint. Still one of the places to dine in.

The Sidcor Market I grew up with can be found in EDSA corner Main Avenue--the current location of…read moreHypermarket Cubao. As far as I can recall, it was 8 years ago when it was launched again in Centris. I often visit every Sunday morning for my favorite Empanada, Pad Thai, and Buco Sherbet. This is home to a variety of food selection from regional cuisines to international flavors. Sidcor is also a great source of fresh produce, organic vegetables, and fruits. The price is at par with local neighborhood palengke and definetely cheaper than supermarket. Sidcor is open from 6:00am to 1:00pm but fresh market's stocks runs out easily. Be sure to arrive earlier. There are a lot of parking spaces available at Sidcor as well. Commuters can take the Quezon Avenue MRT station. It's a walk away from the train stop.

Spent a Sunday morning here is fun. Here you have 2 prices,…read morelocal and expat. Unlike in salcedo sat market, here you can find avocado for 150/kg, while it's 250-300php in salcedo! You can also find quite good collection of plants to decorate your home. Super hot though!!! But will come back!

KNL means Krus na Ligas and it's one of the communities that's in UP Diliman's immediate vicinity…read more My brother would joke that the posh subdivision beside Teachers Village is Cayénelle. We've called it like that ever since. PROS: Next to inside campus dorms, rent and bedspace are cheapest here in KNL. A lot of students board in houses in this area. Since it houses students and families as well, it has a lot of small businesses offering various services - laundry services, computer shops, grocery and sari-sari stores, cheap restaurants and carinderias, even vulcanizing shops for tricycles. There's also a Catholic church, their barangay hall, and the community park. CONS: It's difficult to walk at night alone, especially if you're a woman and especially if you're in KNL. There will be drunk men on the street catcalling and gazing; The streets are very narrow and crowded with people and vehicles. It's difficult even for tricycles to maneuver their vehicles, so don't even think of driving inside here; This is a lower-middle to low-end type of community that has a number of informal settlers. Being sosyal and conyo has no place in this area. But if you can koboy it, then grin and bear the place. It has cheap everything. TL;DR: If getting the cheapest place to live outside of campus is your objective, not minding security nor convenience, then you may take a look around KNL for a boarding house or apartment.

KNL o Krus Na Ligas ang pinaka maliit at astig na komunidad sa Diliman. Kahit may pagka-ghetto ang…read morelugar, matatalino naman ang nakatira. Dito nangungupahan ang karamihan sa UP students ng murang dormitoryo, apartment at bed space. Ilan din sa mga magulang dito ay may mga anak na nag-aaral sa UP. Maliit, masikip at walang maluwag na daan sa loob ng Krus Na Ligas dahil hindi nawawalan ng mga sasakyan na nakapark sa gilid ng kalsada. Sa kabila ng pagigig maliit, nagawa pa rin iting tayuan ng sariling simbahan, eskwelahan at maliit na talipapa. Dahil maraming estudyante sa lugar, nagkakaroon na rin ngayon doon ng mga maliliit local food establishments at karinderya--mayroong milk tea, burger at iba pang miryenda. Kaya talagang buhay na buhay ang kugar na ito sa araw. Huwag nga lang magpapagabi dito dahil medyo nakakatakot maglakad ng isa lalo kung tulog na ang mga tao. May mga kaso na rin kasi ng hold-up na naitala dito.

When I was a freshman, the only reason I'd go to Katipunan was to get smashed at Drew's. Yes, I'm a…read morefailure. Years later, the place really evolved into this yuppie, all-around place where you could find some really cool restaurants or even just a place to get double-sided tape. PROS: Katipunan Avenue holds at least three big schools/universities, a church, a barangay hall, a mall, a myriad of restaurants, high-rise condos, and other establishments. There are lots of places where you could hang out with your friends, go on a date, chill by yourself, or even study. You could grab anything that you need in the stores along the area, like groceries, school supplies, and clothes. There are also local services for our every need, like laundry shops, tutorial centers, whatever you could think of. Katips has it. CONS: There will always be heavy traffic in this avenue, except maybe at around 11 at night to 5 in the morning. But during school days and rush hour, it is hellishly heavy and I try to avoid passing by Katips at all costs; It's a usual sight to see street kids begging for your food or for some change once you step outside an establishment. TL;DR: It's a god-send for everyone living in the area because of its establishments, but a curse for those needing to pass by it to get to Marikina or wherever.

Who hasn't heard about Maginhawa? Seriously?…read more PROS: It has the perfect balance of the residential- and commercial-area feel that a middle-class millennial like me is looking for while gearing up and growing up into an adult; If you haven't heard, Maginhawa houses lots of restaurants that are NOT franchises or chain ones, but small- and medium-enterprises by young professionals. It's a "for the yuppies, by the yuppies" kind of place that has all kinds of eateries, in every form of quirk and theme. There's a food fest by October too. Aw yeah; It's perfectly accessible to and from a lot of places. CONS: It's not as urban as Makita with its high rise condos and corporate offices a few steps away, nor is it some gated subdivision with tight security. As the tarpaulins state, "Mag-ingat sa basag kotse." TL;DR: Maginhawa is home. I've always been thinking that if I could relocate anywhere in Metro Manila, I'd still be perfectly happy here in Teachers Village.

Living very near the Tomas Morato strip has been amazing. This foodie haven means a wide array of…read morefood choices to satisfy every craving. So when I found out that the company that I will be working for is located along Maginhawa, I was extremely excited. I have never really tried roaming around the strip so this was my chance to do so. My office mates and I vowed to try at least one new restaurant a week, but failed to do so. Not only did we keep going back to our favourites, eating out too often was hard on the wallet. Thankfully, most of the restaurants offer student-budget prices. My favourites would have to be Katsu Café, Gerry's Jeepney, Pino, Rodic's , Jeck's Ku-Bo, and Crepeman. I have yet to try so many restaurants on my list, and the list just keeps on getting longer because it seems like there is a new restaurant opening every week.

Must visit if you're in the area on a Saturday morning. This market is held every Saturday morning…read moreat Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati. The market offers a wide variety ranging from Fresh produce, fruits , local Filipino snacks, seafood & a ton of food vendors. I loved the pumelo & went back to buy more. It gets busy so get there early. There's so much to choose from and wanted to try a little if everything. It's a great spot for a snack or lunch. Many vendors offer free samples. There are tables to sit but you can find a seat in the park to enjoy your food. I had a great time here. They also sell beautiful fresh flowers.

Just being here with all the plethora of food choices. In a setting right out of a movie, what more…read morecan you ask for. Considering you're in Makati a bougie neighborhood pricing is actually reasonable. They have everything, so I'm just going to tell you what we have. Puto bong bong made infront of you and Illocos empanadas fried fresh are the standouts. Just come here and take in life.

Forget fucking rollercoasters. THIS IS WHERE THE REAL THRILL RIDE IS…read more I used to be scared of heights. Really, really, really fucking scared. Now, I can ride rollercoasters and do ziplines no problem, but back when I was scared of heights I thought I would wet myself even just looking out of a really high floor of a building. When I was in second year high school, we went to this Mathematics Training thing at this chinese school along Marcos Highway every week. One of the training days, we got out early during the afternoon and we decided to have lunch in SM Marikina since we figured we could probably get back in time. We took the overpass that passed through both sides of Marcos Highway where you could walk aaaalll the way to SM Marikina. WORST. DECISION. EVER. It might have had something to do with the fact that my friends were scaring me into it, but really, I was just fucking terrified. The side-fences were only up to my hips, so a literal push could send me plumetting to my death. The floors were made of this steel that looked like they just cobbled it together from spare party. Even worse - my friend pointed out that one of the beams looked like it was being held up by a piece of alambre. (Of course it wasn't, but my paranoia was setting in.) I said "HOLY SHIT WE'RE GONNA DIE" upon hearing that. Naturally, I freaked out a lot of kids in the process. Even now that I'm not scared of heights, passing through this overpass still freaks me out a lot. I mean, fuck rollercoasters and ziplines. THIS is real terror. Like no other.