Captivated by the Cunning F&X

Tell me! Where do you shop for baby and kids clothes?

My usual suspects are:

- Carter for onesies and sleepwear

- Petit Bateau for sandos

- Gap, Zara, H&M and Cotton On Kids for regular clothes

- Then there's googoo&gaga, Beginnings Baby, Mothercare and Gingersnaps here in Manila

- Joe Fresh when we are in Canada. 

J. Crew crewcuts are cute but pricier than what I would usually shell out for. Thankfully, Berry gets J. Crew crewcuts from her Ninang Me-an and Tita Xsa who dote on her, heehee.

When Lawrence of Bench invited me to check out F&X, I was amazed at what they had in store. Actually, I had seen F&X in Singapore previously, but I just never had the chance to check it out. Why? Because I was shopping so much at the Cotton On Kids outlet store in Anchorpoint on Alexandra Road ($5 leggings and $5 tank tops, imagine!) and I did all my clothes shopping for Berry there - house clothes as well as for going out. Guilt usually sets in and I don't bother entering other stores anymore heehee. (So I guess Bench really scored here, especially now that Cotton On Kids is in Manila and also owned by Bench!)

Anyhoo, I didn't realize they had the cutest kids clothes. I think we spent the most time here, because Berry couldn't decide on which Hello Kitty shirt to choose.

Then she saw this "ballerina" t-shirt with sequined pointe shoes hanging on the rack...

...and she loved it so much she wanted to try it on, right there and then. Fitting room? What's that?

It was on sale, so right there and then, I said "Game!" But the shopping budget had to be shared with Xavi. At the time, Xavi wasn't out yet, so I was also on the lookout for boys clothes and found plenty as well.

I got Xavi this cute Kermit the Frog onesie with matching footsie pajamas as well as two Disney themed short sleeve onesies:

Plus there were plenty of shoe options! Both for little girls and boys:

The shoe wall was just one wall in the Baby section. There were more dresses, socks, Care Bear printed tops and an assortment of bottom basics to mix and match:

 

Bigger kids get to choose from an array of Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty cartoon print tops, as well as floral cardigans, polka dot tops, skirts and denims in store:

Us adults also have plenty to pick from. From graphic tees to plaids and polka dot tops, these are definitely more than the usual basics. But I liked the tissue thin tees and bright colored denims the most:

The little boys at heart meanwhile will love the Spiderman and Mickey Mouse tees. Although there are plenty of "grown-up" plaid shirts and windbreakers, denims and shorts to pick up as well:

I managed to fill a shopping bag with clothes for Berry and Xavi. The softest, prettiest, tissue thin cotton t-shirts for Berry and cartoon print onesies in nice, thick but breathable cotton for Xavi. At least I know there's another option for me when shopping for clothes for the kiddos!

Not to say I am no longer dropping by Cotton On Kids, especially now that they just opened in Mall of Asia. Hopefully there's a little section as well at Cotton On Lucky Chinatown Mall and Bonifacio High Street Central. Heehee!

Visit F&X is located at Greenbelt 5, Robinsons Place Manila, SM Cebu, SM Clark, SM Mall Of Asia, SM Masinag, SM North Edsa-Annex, SM Southmall, SM Megamall, Trinoma. I visted the F&X at Active Fun Building located in Bonifacio High Street :)

Daphne Home Scents at Bench & Dimensione

When I got home, I just had to open the package right away and use my Daphne Home Scent in mint jasmine

You know how sometimes finding a hostess gift can be such a chore? That's how I feel sometimes when I am pressured to come up with something for a friend who invites us to their home. We often end up bringing a bottle of wine or some yummy specially ordered dessert. But food & wine, they don't really last long enough to make an impression. The fun in it can be fleeting, if not forgettable. 

That's why when Daphne Osena-Paez launched her line of home scents at Dimensione on Bonifacio High Street, I knew I found myself a winner. Because scents don't just linger, they leave memories too.

The scents, which come in lavender, mint jasmine and homemade lemon tart simply smell divine, are prettily packaged (reminds me of Jo Malone scents, in that simple but striking clear glass bottle with a black cap) and are special and thoughtful enough to give to hosts as gifts for housewarmings, play dates, or as a little something extra during pot lucks. I think these make great presents for our children's teachers and tutors too, or for colleagues at work!

While you can never really go wrong with any of these three scents "or flavors" as Berry calls it, if you are worried about choosing the right scent as a present, my suggestion is - simply get all three! At Php348 a bottle, you've got something that will surely please, at just a little over Php1000.

Meanwhile, for all of us especially, who read Daphne's blog, you may be well aware that she started her eponymous furniture line sometime back. Her first piece, which also debuted at Dimensione, is a range of chairs fashioned from farmed mahogany wood. Considered her signature piece, the Daphne chair is "whimsical yet rooted in practicality".

Apart from the red, white and blue you see above, the Daphne chair comes in an array of ice cream colors, like yellow, pink and lavender, as well basic black.

Daphne Home Scents retail at Php348 each and are available at Dimensione stores and selected Bench stores nationwide. Daphne chairs are available at Dimensione.