Well, the Lunar New Year fell on a Sunday and the government neglected to declare a non-working holiday… so we had to leave for Manila during lunch time today.

I went out to buy my handmade shampoo bar and dishwashing liquid from the local weekend market. I also bought brunch for me and my twins… Not happy with our food 🙄 I should have stuck with the artisanal breads.

I also bought vegetables to bring with me to QC because I knew I wouldn’t have any time to spare to shop for veggies when I get home.

By the time we left my mom’s house, the traffic jam was already bad near the hot spring resort areas. This is a sign of what is to come this summer. 🤦‍♀️

Right now, I’m already racking my brain regarding the logistics of moving houses. I will be leaving mid-May and that is the height of traffic jams in this part of the world. I have to do the major move on a week day. If I do it on a weekend, my cargo truck will be stuck on the road for 5 hrs.

We went straight to Mitsukoshi in BGC to check out what’s there. Our main destination is Kinokuniya.

The girls got excited by the large selection of manga in Japanese and English.

My girls were crestfallen when they saw the price of each manga volume. 😁 So they’re just going to stick readinmg manga online.

As for the stationery… 🥱 That was a big disappointment. It was just the usual Fullybooked fare. I wish Loft or Maruzen would open a branch here.

But I did find a few stationery items outside Kinokuniya x Fullybooked, like Sailor fountain pens and other ink brands. They also carry Travelers Notebook refills but not the leather notebook covers. No Hobonichi as well.

We checked the accessories section and got stuck there. Well, the girls got stuck because they were overwhelmed with the earrings choices.

In the end it was only Twin I who bought earrings with her money in her Maya account. Twin A decided to save her money to prepare for the February Fair in my university hometown because they will be hanging out with their review center friends.

I bought my first Waterfront umbrella in Asakusa, Tokyo and I never took it out of my handbags. My current umbrella is almost six years old and is still going strong. It’s small, very lightweight, and yet sturdy. Perfect for sudden rainshowers in the city or when I travel abroad.

I didn’t find Prior by Shiseido in the cosmetics area. *sigh* I can’t even find it online.

We tried the food court but our choice was not a good one (Tenya) and we were not happy… again.

To make up for our disappointment in food and stationery, we went to Fresh, Mitsukoshi’s supermarket.

This time, we were satisfied with what we saw. And bought.

I finally was able to buy: light miso paste (a whole bag weighing 800g!) for less than PhP 200, dashi, bonito flakes, green tea powder, cooking sake, tsuyu for cold soba, and Japanese ramen that are cheaper than what are sold in SM and online.

And beer.

I wanted to buy one for each variant but it will be too heavy to carry to the car.

Next time I drop by here, I will take home with me the canned goods and seasonings ❤️ Mitsukoshi Manila is still on soft opening and only a few vendors and brands are still being carried. The food court is not yet SG Takashimaya-level in terms of choices but there is potential given that the department store itself is huge and it has sprawling gross floor space, unlike in Mitsukoshi Taipei where everything is crammed into small shelves, sacrificing the presentation of the merchadise. I don’t remember entering a Mitsukoshi in Tokyo so I can’t compare.

I’ll be cooking Japanese this week. 😁