Delicacies from all over the country under one roof—from ‘suman’ to ‘chicharon’
THANKS TO EFREN Peñaflorida winning the CNN Hero of the Year, it’s cool to be a Filipino nowadays. However, I am still tongue-tied whenever I am asked by friends where to bring their foreigners and balikbayan guests for the best of what the Philippines has to offer—in one go.

Here are suggestions where to take them pasalubong-shopping.

Market! Market!

In Bonifacio Global City, Market! Market! is a one-stop shopping destination to please both the eyes and the palate of your guests. Here, you can do Divisoria-shopping in comfort.

Outside the mall, you can treat them to the best the Philippines has to offer. Check out the booths of the Department of Trade and Industry’s One Town One Product project.

Each booth showcases the best of each province, from Cebu’s famous dried mangoes to Bacolod’s piaya and Bulacan’s sweet pastillas (milk candy); cornik (deep-fried corn); and chicharon (pork cracklings).

Booths also feature Nueva Ecija’s carabao milk and cheese (kesong-puti), and Baguio’s famous strawberry jams and peanut brittle.

At the Fiesta Market food court, you can sample native fare—from sisig to balut and lechon.

For smorgasbord fare, you should try the Kamay Kainan’s P249 lunch/dinner buffet, which serves 50 piping-hot Filipino dishes.

For desserts, you should not miss the original, Tita Paring’s suman-latik. It still tastes good as it did years ago, sticky glutinous rice on a bed of coconut syrup.

Bazaar

And you think we don’t have enough malls to answer our shopping needs, try bazaar-shopping on weekends with your balikbayan guests.

Discover underground and upcoming brands. Buy wholesale for generous discounts, and hop from one booth to another flexing your bargaining powers.

I was able to buy a 10-percent leather bag in cobalt-blue from Saco E Sacola (www.sacoesacola.multiply.com) for a song, thanks to my tawad skill.

The owner, Maya Recto, is as beautiful as her sister, ’80s supermodel Bea Recto-Agnir, who I found out is now based in China.

The bag is actually three-in-one, it can be a tote, hobo satchel or body bag since it comes with different straps for different occasions.

For those bag hags who want second-hand bags, Bagaholic is the answer. I saw its booth in a bazaar and it was selling an orange Hermés Birkin and a blue Hermés Kelly.

You may check out its store at New World Renaissance Hotel in Makati. And from Blue Parasol (www.blueparasol.multiply. com), I bought a nice pair of Old Navy sneakers for my nephew. The booth sells mostly infants, children’s, swimwear and ladies garments at affordable prices.

One must check out also Sugar Plum’s offering (www.sugarplum.multiply.com)—scent diffusers. I always end up snapping its lavender ones since it is very effective in zapping out unwanted odors, which is very helpful for me since I have three lovable dogs.

Those who love one-of-a-kind trinkets may order from Mau Suguitan (www.mauc. multiply.com). Her charm bracelets and necklaces are unique, and she can even accommodate your own design.

For those who love scrapbooks and stationery, Treasured Memories by Sunshine Asuncion (www.sasuncion.multiply. com) offers monogrammed gift cards and patterned papers. She also offers scrapbook compilation, invitations, scrapbook materials and even scrapbook buffet parties.

The bazaar season in the Philippines usually starts as early as September and goes full blast November to December.

The ones to watch out for is the St. James the Great Christmas Bazaar Nov. 27-30 in Cuenca, Ayala Alabang; Venture 7 at Hotel Intercontinental, Dec. 5- 6; World Bazaar at the World Trade Center; and Noel Discovery Bazaar.

For those who love midnight-shopping, the Rockwell’s Moonlit Bazaar at the Rockwell Tent will be home to a variety of non-fashion items, knickknacks, home accessories and other unique gift ideas.

The bazaar will be open from 12 noon-12 midnight, Nov. 27-29, Dec. 11-13 and Dec. 18-20.

For those who love original DVDs and CDs, the Grand CD/DVD sale on Quezon Avenue is in full swing every weekend, until December.

I dropped by last week on its first weekend run and did not go home empty-handed. Imagine an entire 10th floor of Universal Records full of CDs as low as P20 and DVDs as low as P85!

I bought the entire boxed set of “30 Rock” for only P575 per season, plus a host of other original titles.

Just look for the Smart Wireless Center Building before Examiner Street, and complete your movie and music collection.

At least your balikbayan guests will never have a hard time declaring their hoarded original DVDs upon reaching the Customs counter.