BOOKISH HAVEN: A VISIT TO MT. CLOUD BOOKSHOP.

When I first saw and heard Mt. Cloud from Kevin's post a few years back, it immediately became a personal goal to visit. There's just this magical pull from Indie Bookstores that a visit is a must. Luckily, I had the chance to revisit Baguio (currently drafting while in transit to Manila) and the first order of business is to locate it.

Most cab drivers weren't familiar with Mt. Cloud but they know Casa Vallejo by heart. Mt. Cloud is just there, sitting calmly in the middle of a busy area and it's honestly easy to find. I took a bunch of photos first before I entered the store and honestly, I wasn't expecting anything. I just let the store blow me away and it diiiiiiiiid!

Mt. Cloud Book Shop houses Filipino Authors and Artists. Every single corner has illustrations, accessories, bookmarks etc made by Filipinos and every shelf space carries Filipino blood. Well, that's based on what I saw! Seeing the books friends wrote and artist's talent in painting/drawing just made me feel so damn proud of being a Filipino! Not only Filipinos are courageous and brave but we are also amazingly talented and Mt. Cloud made sure they display that for everyone to see.

Made it!

Children's corner and some amazing crafts!

Look at that! Stairway to Heaven!

View from the second floor/loft

More books! I saw Romance Class books here!

Look at my happy face! I couldn't help not to pose for a pic! Mt. Cloud is just an amazing bookstore and it is absolutely worth visiting!

And now the haul --

Here you go! I saw a few more Romance Class titles that I've been eying for a while but I don't wanna hoard just yet so I got the ones on top of my list slash I cannot find in Manila hehehe! So lucky also I stumbled upon these illustrated Filipino themed post cards because I am kind of obsessed with post cards lately. And I gotta have the Mt. Cloud stickers for my bujo!

Mt. Cloud Book Shop sure has such cozy and warm ambiance that would immediately make one feel at home. They have well stocked shelves and it is exciting to see books by friends. Visiting Mt. Cloud is definitely one of the highlights of this short trip!

Have you been to Mt. Cloud?

BOOKISH HAVEN: THE BOOK STOP IN BGC.

Ever since I heard of The Book Stop PH Project, I couldn't get it off my head. As a bookworm myself, checking out a pop-up library locally is a a must-do. I think that projects like this would not only be beneficial to sharing the love for books but also for those people who wanted to get a headstart in to reading. I am all for this! So last Sunday, August 20, after one hundred years of putting it off, I have finally visited the one in BCG with bookish friends.

It wasn't the number one agenda of that day but we happen to be within the area and decided to drop by. It was both exciting and saddening at the same time. Saddening in a sense that it was raining that week so some books got wet, some parts of the pop-up library were damaged and it wasn't as pleasing to the eye as I expected it would be, at that time. The books were so disorganized and it was a truly heartbreaking view for someone with slight OCD like me. But my excitement exceeded the sadness because BOOKS ARE SO ACCESSIBLE AND YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO LEAVE A BOOK SO YOU CAN TAKE ONE! OR YOU COULD JUST DONATE!! I have few boxes of extra books at home that I don't have plans on reading anymore so The Book Stop Shop is the best place to donate books to!

L-R: JM from The Book Freak Revelations, Me, Hazel from Stay Bookish and Eunice from The Nerdy Talks Book Blog

Most of the books I saw from the shop were self-help books and few classics. But my friend Eunice spotted some YA titles from the same shop but during their stop in Ayala Triangle. I am planning on going back and bringing a box of YA books so I am hoping my schedule would free up some time in the next coming weeks. You could also donate and drop by! You can follow them on their Facebook page and get updates on their next stops!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PROJECTS LIKE THIS? SHOULD WE HAVE MORE AROUND?

BOOKISH HAVEN: BIBLIO, UP TOWN DILIMAN.

Last April, I attended a #RomanceClass event in UP Town Center in Quezon City. The #AprilFeelsDay2017 event was the second RC event I was able to go to because there is no way I would pass this one up. It was also the first time I went to that place and boy, I fell in love. The place was the perfect venue for the Feels event because it's cozy and warm.

Since it was my first time there, I wasnt expecting anything special aside from the typical mall boutiques. But something special was there. The event was just beside Biblio, a local book seller of bargain books! It was the first thing I went into before I actually registered in to the event. Of course, you know me guys, I love rummaging book sale tables so this store wasn't any different but different altogether.

I've read about Biblio in a online article last year but I didn't think I would be able to visit or rather stumble upon its branch in UP Town. I mean, I legit squealed when I saw it. Then I immediately scanned the wallshelves and I was just sucked into the vortex of books.

What I liked most about Biblio is their wall display. My bookish heart couldn't take it at first but it's just a brilliant way to display it and I also liked that they sell other bookish materials like bookends, notebooks, paperweights etc. I really wanted to buy the vintage bike bookends though.

I was able to buy 3 books from this branch and got a free coffee! If I didn't have any events to go to, I would have stayed a little bit longer. They have various titles from all genres! They even have encyclopedias (I think) there!

I am scheduling another trip there in the next coming months and this time, I will savor my stay bahaha I dunno what I'm
saying but it's definitely a nice place to spend time at!

Here are the books I bought from Biblio!

FAREWELL, MY OLD FRIEND.

Isn't it the hardest? To say goodbye to things you love? To let go of all the good things? To not see the only thing that makes you feel alive?

I didn't see this coming and even if I did, I would've never been prepared enough to say goodbye. But I gotta let go. And today I am saying this: goodbye Powerbooks, Greenbelt 4 Branch. Goodbye, my old friend. Farewell, my love.

Next to Bestsellers, Galleria Branch, this is (was?) the next store under the National Bookstore's umbrella that I truly loved. It was huge, fully stocked (as opposed to other branches) and my go-to place whenever. Well, it's one of my happy places. (Was?) in and out of this store for as long as I can remember and what made it hold a special spot in my heart is because it's the place where I've realized most of my bookish dreams (meeting SJM, LBARDUGO, COHO, ELOCKHART) and gained so SO much friends.

This is (was?) where I attended my first book signing (ANÖEL) and first Blogger's Forum (TMAFI) - an event which like affirmed me as a legit Book Blogger (thank you! The feeling just never gets old!). Here, I met and became friends with the bloggers I look up to. Where we shared so much memories. The place where I talked and listened to a lot of fantastic authors. Where I learned so many things and acquired so many books. A place I called home for the past four years. My heart broke when I learned they were closing and lamented over MY loss.

This branch opened up a lot of doors for me not only as a reader but as a book blogger. I may have not given justice to the store in these photos (most of these are from the second floor) but I will definitely miss this huge place (with cafe inside and smoking area) and will long for the moments I've had in it.

Thank you for all the love, Powerbooks Store, Greenbelt 4 Branch! I will treasure our memories forever! Thank you, National Bookstore for sharing this branch with us! #clingy

What's THE book store you won't be able to part with? Like your most absolute favorite?

BOOKISH HAVEN: FULLYBOOKED FORT.

A new feature here on The Bookaholic Blurbs where I share places I go to on a monthly basis that are all cozy and bookish! Not in any way sponsored by the establishments. Just personal bookish adoration for the win!

I worked within the Bonifacio High Street area for a little less than two years. It was around the time I was pretty much new in the blogging community. BGC is my top favorite place here in the metro because the area is clean, cozy, beautiful (especially two years ago when buildings were less), the fields are so open and well, people are nice. It is also the area where Fullybooked (local bookstore) is located. Perfect combination for a bookish person like me.

Ground floor: Best sellers area near the Customer Service booth and cashiers.

Whenever I feel down or if I am hunting for a certain elusive title, Fullybooked in Fort is one of the places I always go to. Not only the place is inviting but I feel so much at home there. I can browse their shelves and I could even grab a book and just read in a corner. There is also a Starbucks upstairs and a huge room for graphic novels and Funko Pops!

My fave floor which I name the YA Floor. Their YA is up to that wall that the back.

This store is huge. I think they have like, 5 floors? I usually just go to the second floor (and sometimes upstairs to check their graphic novels) because their Young Adult section is in there. I love it there so much. Fullybooked has the most up-to-date shelves so I don't feel like am being left behind when it comes to newly released titles. They are a little expensive though as opposed to their competitor but I love their Customer Service so much.

One section there with beautiful art by Herakut

Lucy (@_Fullybooked) has been my bookish virtual friend for a while now. It started with tweets reserving books or asking for titles. She answers right away! Then after years of doing that I could say, there was a nice virtual friendship there. I knew back then who was manning the account. However, back in 2014 when I was on a terrible blogging slump, I stopped ordering books and then found out the original Lucy left the company. The new one now doesn't know me anymore and they stopped taking tweets for orders. But to make this short, Lucy provided top notch customer service and that's one thing that kept me going back. I mean, the business is a beast alright but it amazes me how world class the service they provide. I also have been fond of their staff Joyce and Chitz.

Shot from the third floor.

Been visiting this place for ages but I haven't taken a photo of this beautiful piece of art until I needed for this post. It is so gorgeous in person and the artist is amazing. Perfect focal point for the bookstore. They have a lot of artworks around the store and seriously, you wouldn't get tired of staring at these wondrous pieces of paintings.

Close up shot of the bookish art, still by Herakut.

Fullybooked Fort earned my love through all these times I've visited. It's a haven for book lovers because of its ambiance, friendly staff and superb titles. It's a bookstore with such huge welcoming smile for everyone, It kind of set the standards of what high quality service is when I visit other bookstores. Fullybooked, Fort indeed is certainly one hundred percent BLURB-ified.

What do you think of the bookstore? Hope you enjoyed this post!