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This is a late post of the week-long plus Metro Manila trip between May 12 and around May 20 this year. I know, I know. If you want the real-er time update on this one, you can check out the personal public 'gram. I posted photos and some video clip snippets of this trip on there in my feed. Actually, I made like, maybe 3 sets of posts for this whole trip there that's written, arranged like a photo and video clip diary of sorts...in 3 parts.
Outfits wise...let's focus on the fact I did not pack a lot during this trip but I did pack only the ones I knew I'd get the most use out of. I basically lived on a capsule wardrobe here with just 1 pair of sneakers. Lol. I like to vary my footwear most times but this was one trip I hardly did this in and I'm changing that up in the upcoming Metro Manila, overseas but still around South East Asia, back to Metro Manila trip in a few weeks...in 2 weeks or 3, to be exact. You'll find in this post that I have a lot of items in my packing cubes I kept repeat wearing or I wore at least 2 times maximum. Lol.
I didn't pack a lot of clothes, an extra pair or 2 of shoes, and maybe an additional 2-3 bags for this trip like I normally would for week+ -long trips because I was mostly there to work on stuff (the family's new place in Katipunan, Quezon City) and I didn't really think I'd be spending hours to a whole day with some friends there. I did have 1 event in my mind I went to with a good friend so I did pack some fancy clothes for that one, some, but I still ended up dressing minimally for it. Lol.
Most other that made the bulk of my luggage was the toiletries, cosmetics, self-care stuff. I refused to buy a lot of these in Metro Manila for some reason so I brought those I bought from here in advance instead. Lol. I only had 1 checked in baggage so far for this trip and I used it for just going to Metro Manila. Going back, I packed the stuff to check in into my dad's checked in luggage instead since he came in from a brief international trip.
Let's...maybe see what things were the most used in my luggage for this trip at the end of this post. Let's also see some new addition to the capsule wardrobe I got while I was in Metro Manila because I needed them then and I still pretty much make use of them now that I'm back here in Cagayan de Oro City, my home city...for the time being anyways.
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First day in was around Sunday morning. Very early Sunday morning I didn't get enough sleep the night before. I almost got late for the flight into Metro Manila because I thought mine was still around 8 a.m. and I got busy cleaning up my room while I packed. Multi-tasking galore, yes.
I begrudgingly downloaded the Grab app on my phone and took the Grab car to my uncle's place in Caloocan City from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport...Terminal 2, I think? I took the Philippine Airlines flight/s...and the fare for that cost me 1000+ Php. Seriously. Transport is expensive around the metro. Not surprising at all.
Didn't do much on the first day, I just caught up on some sleep at my grand uncle's couch and then I and an uncle very briefly met with my dad the day after, Monday, at the family's new place.
The third and fourth days, Tuesday and Wednesday, of this week-long trip were for going around the Mall of Asia and Ikea Philippines. My uncle's place is in Caloocan City so I took the LRT 1 from 5th Avenue to the EDSA station and a jeepney to get to these two. Here is my going around Ikea PH those 2 days and some of the night of the 3rd day:
Of course, there're a couple gratuitous snaps of Ikea plushies here just because... I think I may be getting back into them these days. I used to have a large collection of these back when I was a kid, a toddler or so. I'll probably get 1 next time I'm back there maybe in the next 2 or 3 weeks, we'll see...
You can tell the white tshirt here got lots of use for this trip. White tshirt and a pair of denim shorts/cut offs have been uniform for me since...hmn...the 2010s? 2000s? This formula has never failed me in looking casual, effortless since then 'til now. It's right up there with an oversized tshirt or white tshirt, especially, and a pair of leggings or a pair of bike shorts. The latter is something I wear more often especially when I know I'm going to always be on the go for a whole day of activities anyway.
Outfit details for this one:
Levis cut-offs/shorts: @thrifterstyle on instagram
White tshirt: SoEn PH White TShirt (Vneck) via Shopee PH // SoEn PH White Tshirt (Round Neck) via Shopee PH
Shoes/sneakers: Asics in royal blue from a Marshalls in NorCal from 2 years ago or 3
Note on the shoes: I don't why I'm not finding locally made shoes in this color or yellow since those two colors seem to be the ones I gravitate to lately. I get there's a lot of Navy but it's a boring neutral color that jives with the rest in my closet and it'd be good to just have a pop of color somehow here and there in the form of sneakers now and then now. ....if that makes any sense. Anyway, these are comfortable so they're good to wear everywhere you're doing a lot of walking in like in Ikea PH and in the much more massive Mall of Asia the former is annexed to.
The SoEn tshirt is probably the softest I've got in my closet along with some made in the Philippines Bench TM soft tees which I have, I just discovered, two of: one in white, another in charcoal or dark gray. But if you're into 100% cotton shirts that are a classic like I am, too, these are the better alternatives I'm thinking of stocking up rn, maybe when I make it back to Metro Manila in two or three weeks:
Fruit of the Loom (FotL) Round Neck White Ts in 3s via Cotton House NCR on Shopee PH
Hanes 3 pcs Classic Crew Neck T-shirts via Cotton House NCR on Shopee PH // 3 pcs Hanes Round Neck 100% Cotton T-Shirt White via Cotton House NCR on Shopee PH
You can also shop Fruit of the Loom shirts at their main store in this orange shopping app but I like Cotton House NCR (Shopee PH)'s stuff since the pandemic starting with their cotton masks so they're my go-to for anything cotton. Their prices on these tshirts in packs of 3s seem fairly priced for me, too, as well as their Hanes underwear/panties that I'm eyeing to wear with the SoEn stuff in between and I'm considering stocking up on these when in Metro Manila in 3 weeks or so, on my birthday week.
After those 2-3 days of staying at my grand uncle's, uncle's in Caloocan City, I spent the next 2-3 days in the family's new place as I dropped off some things I furnished it with per my dad's instructions. It's a convenient spot in Metro Manila to be in because the big universities are very close there, both Ateneo de Manila and the University of the Philippines, Dilliman Campus. Basically this is Katipunan, Quezon City. My girl friends, new and old, are also in the same area so being here works for me whenever I'm there to spend some time with them when I can.
Needless to say, main highlights of this trip with me was meeting a new friend off of Twitter/X and Plurk in the U.P. Town Center and hanging out with an old friend, just having bobba/milk tea with her after lunch and well into dinner time Friday that week. Then Saturday was spent on checking out a pop up event of curated vintage instagram shops like Threadful Club in Makati's G Studios with another really good friend who's into sustainability, healthy (vegan) eating/diet, and environmentalism like yours truly. This one was fun. We only got accessories from Beads Table (they're now accepting online orders of their customized jewelry, by the way!). They customize necklaces, chokers, bracelets, anklets and you get to choose the charms to put in them, the type of chain you want used and more which is really cool. I chose to go with the sea/beach-theme with the charms, as per usual. Oh and we also had matcha with oatmilk from the drinks vendor they had there, Matcha Mama PH. It's always a plus, really good to have something to drink while browsing through racks of clothes, bags, shoes, belts and more at pop ups like this, thrift stores and more, of course!
Again, the white tshirt and Levis denim cut offs/shorts from ThrifterStyle on instagram is in full use here. Again. I had to type down again 2x just because... I wasn't kidding when I said I had some 2 pieces in my suitcase/bag I wore a lot of times in the week plus I was in Metro Manila, yep.
My go-to bag is this Kipling sling bag that housed my daily essentials gifted to me by a grand aunt in the dad's side from that US trip 2 years ago (2022-2023). I totally got sick of said bag and shoes during this trip but well...they were all I had packed so yep, I have no choice but to make good use of them at this time.
The closest I can find to this bag here in the locale is this:
It's the most similar in the site I could find in both structure and style and/or design.
After this one and before getting lost again around malls in Makati on our way to Trinoma and SM North EDSA, we had dinner at the Green Bar Cafe. It's a vegan cafe/restaurant and is in the same area as G Studios where the curated vintage stores and more pop up took place.
I definitely got addicted to their kopi roti or coffee bun the day after this one because I finished both of it when I got home here in Cagayan de Oro City after a delay in our flight back home here. Lol. I'd probably go back to this restaurant/cafe when I can just to get this bread from there.
I spent maybe a total of 7-8 days in Metro Manila and I did not come home empty handed. Here are some things I got while I was there:
The first that came home with me is this pair of very cozy, lounge-y linen pants from Penshoppe PH I hunted down when I found some of it on sale in Mall of Asia on my first day and night there (in MOA and Ikea PH, not in Metro Manila). It's perfect for summer and the heat in Metro Manila and the rest of the Philippines including here at home in Cagayan de Oro City.
It took me 2 different Penshoppe PH stores/branches to get me this one in my size (large now) between the Mall of Asia one and the SM City Makati one. They only had this in small, medium, and extra large in MOA/the Mall of Asia when I first found it on sale there for Php 599 (about 10-11 USD converted).
Of course, you won't find me wearing this one when I'm on my period. Lol.
This is likely out of stock now since Penshoppe PH here in Cagayan de Oro City/CDO/CdeO has also changed stocks since but here are some similar ones from the same shop online still up (that I'm also considering getting when I can, I'm not sure yet, we'll see):
This may be the most similar to this one and it's heavy discounted to just around a few Philippine pesos and cents to Php 400 (it's under Php 400 now):
I'm honestly not a huge pants girl though I'd wear some capri pants/trousers now and then now but light weight pants/trousers just have a place in my closet now. I think I'd gravitate onto these than I would some jeans/denims I have been also getting into lately. Haha. Linen is definitely something super comfortable to wear any time of the day and even night here in the Philippines...along with 90-100% cotton anything.
Before finding the Penshoppe PH linen pants above, I had also been eyeing this pair in brown from OXGN on Shopee PH way before I flew into Metro Manila in May early this year. It was around sale time at the app so I kept close tabs on it until I could get it below Php 400 (8-9 USD converted) when the sale went into full effect on the orange shopping app. Upon its arrival to me at my grand uncle's, uncle's in Caloocan City, it did not disappoint except for the polyester layer in it that was in the length of a pair of shorts...I cut that off when I got home here in Cagayan de Oro City/CDO/CdeO so it's been comfier to wear around since.
I think this is the unisex version but here's one that's still available in navy blue and in just one size now, sadly, off of their official shop at the orange shopping app:
It's not available elsewhere anymore though I haven't really checked their official store in Lazada yet. Lol.
This one's in chocolate or deep brown so I can definitely wear this out and about even when I'm on my period compared to the light-colored one from Penshoppe PH.
I wanted to just say I was eyeing this chambray pair of pants/trousers in dark denim, ankle length, from OXGN PH on the orange shopping app but it's only available in medium now so...I'm sadt now. I still have some others to wear outside of this anyway so it's not much of a loss. But anyway, in case OXGN Ph wants to restock this thing and then price it lower on a sale later...we'll see... I may have better luck finding it in store in Metro Manila on my birth week, we'll see...
Other things I got to bring home from there were a tote bag and a bra from SoEn PH from the massive SM Store in Mall of Asia/MOA, an umbrella from Watsons Ph/Pharmacy PH also in Mall of Asia/MOA, and an oversized men's tshirt and 2 handheld rechargeable electric fans from Surplus PH in SM City Makati.
The tote bag is for just because I was getting tired of the Kipling bag and I needed a reusable shopping bag at the same time, the umbrella is always a necessity, rain or shine, whenever you're here in the Philippines and by this, I mean, when you're anywhere here in the Philippines. I know the west hates umbrellas but us Asians love them so... ....heh. I probably got tired of my 2 or 3 white shirts I packed with me from here to Metro Manila so the peach ish men's tshirt from Surplus PH in SM City Marikina was a good addition to the ones I already have...for variety's sake. Oh and the handheld fans today are as much a necessity when you're around Metro Manila and going from one public transport to another...even when the trains there have AC. Hehe.
I also got a pair of earphones from Daiso in U.P. Town Center and a water bottle I left behind in the fam's new place I'll likely be using more of when I'm back there in 2-3 weeks from now.
Oh right, I also got the yellow/pale yellow tank top from Leisure Supply/Leisure PH on this trip but I already covered that one in the post before the one before this (if you get what I mean) so you can reference that one for this.
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I don't buy a lot of things new lately unless they're essentials and if they're not, then I just get 1 a piece so it's not like I spent most of the funds for the new place there on myself on my 1 week+ stay there in May early this year. I'd honestly rather thrift than buy things new but some curated vintage stuff like the ones at the pop up we were at in Makati City were pretty expensive (but they're of decent quality so one can't really complain if they got some things off of there anyways) and I didn't get a day in to just thrift at one place I'd been meaning to go to: Cubao, Quezon City, which is close to my fam's new place there in the metro so... I mostly stuck to the below Php 500 budget per clothing when buying new there at most. I can't imagine myself spending over Php 500 for clothes and even some shoes now.
If you're looking for deals this good on clothing, shoes, bags, etc, obviously, the SM Store and Surplus PH are the ways to go apart from sales at Penshoppe PH and OXGN PH (and even at Bench PH). Just go to the sales racks if you find yourself in the latter two...three stores at any SM City mall including the one at MOA. Fast fashion store clothing and stuff are severely overpriced everywhere here except maybe some good stuff now and then at Terranova PH (I like checking out the one here in Lim Ket Kai mall/center occasionally for some good stuff) so those mentioned above are your best friends everywhere in the Philippines when looking for non-thrifted, new, and comfy stuff wear out and about here. I'm currently a huge Surplus PH nut just because most of my favorites in my wardrobe lately are from there plus they're wayyyy cheaper than when in fast fashion stores here. Lol.
Oh and if you're shopping online for good deals, Shopee PH, the orange shopping app is your best bet for those...them. Their interface is easy to use plus you can stack up the coupons/vouchers there and get even better deals on sales days so yep, shop online for stuff you need there, too, when you can. They also carry household stuff, wares, and even some food, drinks/beverages and more so the next time you feel too lazy to go to the stores in Metro Manila due to traffic...you can just do your groceries there and have them dropped off at the drop off/pick up center nearest your place. I did this when I stayed in the fam's place and it's super convenient because my drop off/pick up center there is at a pawnshop in the same area. It's just a few steps away from the fam's new place so I got maybe 2 or 3 items from Shopee PH there.
For those shopping vintage at curated vintage instagram shops based in Metro Manila as I do occasionally here in CDO/CdeO, some of them do Shopee PH checkout so you can just get them sent to the drop off/pick up point in your area. There are some shops on ig now that don't use Shopee PH checkout so I'd just address my stuff to my uncle, grand uncle's if that's the case. Lol. My fam's place isn't the best one for door to door deliveries, to be honest. I find it inconvenient for this way of getting stuff you'd bought online delivered at your door step. It's either Shopee PH check out, meet up with the seller or bust for that one.
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Other places to check out when in the metro/National Capital Region/Metro Manila...?
I honestly did not go out much aside from the 2 days I went out with friends when at my fam's new place there so apart from Green Bar Ph, I have 0 knowledge of cool places to go there for vegans and non-vegans alike but...
....hmn...
For those who like Mexican food (like I do, I like cali-mex because it was one I had the most or what I usually have when at my mom's family's in SoCal), there's the fil-mex cantina in U.P. Town Center that one of my longest online bffs and I went to that Friday for dinner, Silantro. You can find them on instagram here:
Feel free to add this on your where to eat list when in the metro, Quezon City area to be exact.
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Something super random about me and my relationship with the vast metro up north (NCR/Metro Manila)...
While most Metro Manila/NCR vloggers I know and follow on and off would rather be in that one area in Taguig, the Bonifacio Global City/BGC, I grew up around Caloocan City and Quezon City between grades 1-3 in elementary school so I'll say I've always been more of a Quezon City girl at heart than a BGC girl. Most of my online (livejournal etc) friends are also in Quezon City. My fam's new place being in that area is just apt for me (and the rest of the fam) because we frequent Metro Manila for errands and more often and we hardly ever stay in and around BGC.
I don't know, I find BGC a snobby place to be so you'll never find me there. Ever. Except maybe this one trip I'll be in there with my aunt in my birth week next month. I'm showing her around the metro so this will definitely be the first and only time I'll be in the area and you'll hardly ever find me there again after this unless I have something really important to do there. Lol.
Definitely watch out for some new places by there I'll be in with my aunt in the next Metro Manila/NCR, greater Luzon island blog. I'll be playing tourist with her there in the 2-4 days we'll be there with an overseas trip between both. This one is both a leisure and a work trip for me, yep, as per usual. The whole family here is not yet done furnishing the new place and making it even more livable for others who may want to pay soon to stay there. We're working 'round the clock whenever we're there to get the place ready for occupancy, make it a cozy home for potential space renters and the likes since all of the family prefer Cagayan de Oro City to Metro Manila anyways. Lol.
The reason for the last part is because cost of living in Metro Manila is expensive and its a chaotic place to be compared to Cagayan de Oro City here down south, in Mindanao Island. The whole family is just in consensus the new place there is for passive income somehow.
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Who's up for a packing post? I might do a packing post for the next blog so stay tuned here for that!
A travel capsule wardrobe post may follow soon after...
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