5 reasons why Pinoys love malls

MANILA, Philippines - We are a mall-crazy people, we have to admit that. Just when you thought you had your favorite go-to mall and that you wouldn’t wanna go anywhere else, another one appears a few blocks away, and when you end up going, you see both malls still end up full! I personally love going to the mall too, and I guess we all have different reasons why we go out when we go out. Here are a few you might be able to relate to, and a couple of suggestions of where to go too.

Our love for malls surely must stem from our love for family and closeness to our barkadas. And the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls acknowledges that, which is why they’ve made these places for us to be able to create unique and memorable experiences with our loved ones.

1) We want to take a breather

Like: we literally want to breathe fresh air. Day in, day out there is so much stress at work, on the roads going to and from work, and from time to time we like going out of the house to relax and unwind. There aren’t many parks in Metro Manila but when we do find a chance to just sit down, stare at the trees, watch the world go by, we enjoy every moment of it.

Destination: Burgos Circle, Fort Bonifacio

One of my favorite places to hang out in the Metro, this area really makes you feel like you are away from all the hustle and bustle of the city, even if you are just literally 5-10 minutes away from EDSA. My personal favorite places to eat in this area are Keizo, Cafe Juanita, Uncle Cheffy’s and Wrong Ramen. But there is a lovely row of dessert places with delicious cake and gelato you also must try! Very pet friendly, you will often see the cutest dogs being walked around by nearby homeowners. Really a great place to sit down al fresco and enjoy a delicious meal alone or with loved ones.

2) We want a one-stop entertainment shop

One destination but everything we need should be there — that is what most of us demand nowadays. We are so busy with work or school, errands to run, managing the home, that when we do get to go out, we want to be able to do everything we need to in that one place. Dapat sulit, as we say.

Destination: Eastwood City

Restaurants, cafes, shops for fashion, beauty, tech, kids, lifestyle, plus bazaars and events, cinemas, bars — they do seem to have it all. There are so many restaurants popping up regularly in this area that it’s almost hard to keep up. Italliani’s and Lucky Niku are favorites of my friends and me, but again, para sulit, when it comes to buffet lovers, Sambokojin is a great option. You also have the option to dine al fresco in many of the restaurants and cafes. Comfortable cinemas with a wide selection of food and drink stalls is also a huge plus. When it comes to shopping, you have two malls to choose from (Eastwood Mall and Eastwood City Walk) as well as regular bazaars in the area of the City Walk. If you are a pet lover they also often hold many events, and if you are a music lover, so many of the country’s biggest artists perform here as well. Every year they have holiday concerts lined up, and it’s usually a favorite for barkadas, couples, or families to go to. 

3) We love to shop and we love enjoying a good meal with our loved ones

Pinoys love to make kwentuhan. We love talking about food even when we are already eating. We love catching up especially on weekends to talk about how our week was and often even the latest news or celebrity chismis. We like trying new restaurants all the time, but we also have our favorite places where we order the same thing each and every single time. We love to shop, and we love to window shop. We love to imagine wearing that outfit that’s in the display window, and though we can’t buy it just yet, we look forward to either saving up for it or looking for a less expensive option.

Destination: McKinley Hill at Fort Bonifacio

Slowly becoming a favorite alternative for people who don’t want the usual mall experience, this huge development consists of three different areas, all of which offer shopping and dining with a twist. Tuscany is now home to charming specialty restaurants that you will only find in this area, from Italian cafes to a New York-style bagel place, to German-inspired beer gardens, these are the places that have become popular by word of mouth. At the Venice Piazza are more options especially for families, with a wide range of restaurants to choose from and regular live musical acts that really take you away from the city stress even for a while. What is most promising is The Emperador Stadium, a 2,000-seat, all-weather turf home to our Philippine football players and enthusiasts, a unique and alternative experience for Pinoy sports fans.

4) We love the nightlife

Cheers to the freakin’ weekend is an awesome line by Rihanna, because really, that is how most of us feel once the Friday workday is over. And the Manila night scene is crazy! So many people are surprised to see how alive, hip, and energetic our nightlife is, with people going out til the wee hours, and even on weekdays! We always find a reason to go out. “It’s the start of the week,” or “It’s the hump day (Wednesday),” or “It’s payday!” It’s okay, don’t feel guilty, you can party.

Destination: Newport Mall at Resorts World Manila

I may be biased because these establishments are owned by friends (including “Supreme” editor Tim Yap), but with the hundreds of people who go to Opus and Republiq every single night, it’s safe to say that it’s not just bias, these two establishments are certainly among the top hot spots in Metro Manila. I love how Opus is more chill and steady on weekdays, but can also get crazy and wild on weekends. Republiq on the other hand is always crazy fun. Always full, but always fun. Not to mention they always have the biggest and the most memorable (and odd, because you sometimes don’t remember much about the night the day after, ha-ha) Halloween and New Year’s parties around. If you aren’t much for partying but still enjoy nights out, they have many restaurants unique to Newport only that you may want to try. And the Newport Performing Arts Theater is truly world class. They have shows that run for a few months, so if you love the theater scene, this is a good option for you.

5) We always want to see something new

Not because we get bored easily — or okay, maybe that too — but we always, always like discovering or going to new places with new things to offer. If, before, malls were just malls, now they’ve grown to be so much more than just shopping and dining destinations, they’ve evolved to become experiences for families and friends. It’s also always a huge plus if it’s just right around the corner from where you live, so you can actually walk to it.

Destination: Lucky Chinatown in Binondo

Lucky Chinatown has five levels of shopping, dining, and entertainment. It’s located in the heart of a bargain hunters’ heaven, and so this mall offers a great alternative to everyone who loves to shop. If food trips are your thing, they also have a wide range of specialty restaurants. And yes, they have cinemas too, so you can catch the latest movie releases if you wanna take a break from all the shopping. The best part of the mall is the Chinatown Walk, reviving one of the oldest Chinatowns in the world and sets to bring back Binondo to its glory. The Lucky Chinatown Walk is a great tourist destination and offers a variety of authentic Chinese cuisine.