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Cryptic short answer to that is: I am poor once again!

They are on sale until March 30! Check out their page for the location HERE

I remember earlier this day I was so engrossed by the Lazada bday sale, and almost spent Php 1,000 on some Nyx make-up! I know, 1k ain't bad for 3 lipsticks, an eyeliner, a blush, and a eye crayon, however I felt in my bones that my 1k should be spent somewhere else- lo, and behold my spider senses went tingling once I got off my bus stop going home!

So where did I spend my money on? The Great Warehouse Sale! I think it is some sort of cosmic alignment that this wondrous event is at their warehouse near my home, like as if there's this unspoken thing that tells me you don't need make-up, you need more books that you'll end up parking in your bookshelf, but vowed on reading soon.
Sorry na
So here's how things went down...


Upon checking, today was actually a 'preview' day for the Laking National Bookstore card holders, which is their equivalent to a tita's trusty Advantage card. Since my sister lost my card last year, I figured this is God's way of telling me to get another one now, since I'll end up purchasing a lot of stuff from National Bookstore on the coming days YES CONFIDENT HAHAHA! With that said, I applied for the card, paid, then rushed to the warehouse full of hope!


In order to make sense of this blogpost, I'll enumerate some of the tips and advice that I can bestow upon you, because I am definitely being your best enabler right now- YOU MUST GO THE GREAT WAREHOUSE SALE!


1. Please don't bring a huge bag with you. Don't be like me who came straight from work with a huge backpack that has a laptop, and dirty clothes inside- and I was carrying it for 3 straight hours... huhu.

2. Are you sensitive to dust? Oh this place will be hell for you, fo' sho! So I suggest you bring a face mask, wear a long sleeves shirt, and if possible some gloves as well, since this sale is held inside their warehouse (literally), expect that it isn't as clean as their stores in malls.


3. Not sure if things were more orderly in the morning, but when I arrived at 6:00 pm awhile ago, the place was a mess! Books were strewn all over the place! With that, it is a must to scavenge every nook for a unique steal! I think I have hovered a certain shelf for like 3 times before I got lucky with a copy of Ready Player One.

4. A quick guide to choosing the right armor shopping basket:
A. The big ol' metal push cart - If you know in your heart that you are going to blow major cash on all your heart's desire, then go for this. 
Pro: Maximum space for all your purchases.
Con: Less mobility, since there are a lot of people, you won't be able to go through small, claustrophobic halls.
B. The plastic pulley trolley - If you are sure you want to buy a lot, but not A LOT, this one is for you.
Pro: Can accomodate around 20 books, plus you can pull through the claustrophobic halls.
Con: Having a hard time for situations where you actually have to push the trolley- in the end you end up lifting it instead #WorkOut
C. The common basket - If you know you have set a budget, and vows to buy only 2-3 books, then grab this one.
Pro: Amazing mobility, makes it easier to assess your purchases at a glance.
Con: You'll end up filling it up in no time, because stuff are craaaazy affordable, hence #DoYouLiftBruh #WorkOut #BalikAlindog in no time.

5. The sale has a very simple rule: 
A. Things with red sticker means the price of the item is 80% off its original price.
B. Things without sticker means the price of the item is 60% off its original price.
C. All books with Php 50 price has final price wala na syang i-bababa, namimihasa ka na daw.
D. Items with the red sale tag indicates final price as well.

6. Not sure with how the price goes, or are you just really doubtful of your math skillz, don't fret because they have around 4 price-checking counters where you can confirm the prices of stuff. 

Mah saviour
7. On that subject, I urge you guys to really check your purchases! There are books with red sticker on it, but when you scan the bar code here, you'll see that 80% off discount doesn't really apply on the item you want.

8. The final price is the teeny little promo price below, REMEMBER THAT! Otherwise you'll be forever disappointed that your chosen items aren't really on sale, when in fact that's not yet the final value.


 9. Aside from books, they also have items such as stationery, craft materials, party decors, and these babiesssss! For those who have no idea how much Sennelier Artist Watercolor half pans cost, the original price of EACH pan costs around Php 319, and yes EACH PAN, while if you are opting for a set of 12's palette, go check out HERE and be #shooketh. Since these individually wrapped half pans have red stickers in them, I got each half pan for Php 63 only!!!!! Sugoi Ne indeed!


10. While there are a ton of Children's books available in this sale, PLEASE DON'T TAKE YOUR KIDS WITH YOU! Spare them from all the trampling, dust, long standing queues, and claustrophobic spaces, because unlike Big Bad Wolf Books Sale, being here ain't like a walk in the park.

11. Wear comfortable shoes, 'nuff said.


12. Bring a friend, because they'll be very useful to you during this trying times. You can have them look after your loot, check out stuff other people discarded, talk to you when you get bored, and have them pay your stuff via their credit cards- which you MUST pay them in cash after, of course.

13. Speaking off, they accept cash, credit cards, Paymaya, Sodexo GCs, National Bookstore GCs, and probably your kidneys (but must come with your most recent medical exam results).

14. Bring wet wipes and alcohol, because your hands will reeeeeally get dirty.

... and at last I see the light!
15. Lastly, after paying for all your purchases thank God that He blessed you with the money to buy all the useless stuff you have purchased, that for sure will gather so much dust you'll have a dust bunny in no time.

That all being said, I suggest you alarm your clock early, and go there before 10 am! Happy shopping, co-hoarders! Now, run and make it rain!


Love Always,
Nicole

P.S.
Will share the loot that I got in a separate post... nux!
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As per Marie Kondo, no.


Before I got engrossed with skin care (I blame my job hahaha), I was, and still am a sucker for discounted books. You see, it's a fusion of 2 things that I love the most namely, books and a good bargain! So when I found out that Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is coming back in our shores, it made me smile a bit, then moved on. Wonder why I did not get the initial enthusiasm? Well, coming from my experience from last year's book sale, which was also their first in The Philippines, I was quite underwhelmed with the titles. Sure, there are millions of books I can choose from, but they just don't spark joy 🤔 I felt that they were selling surplus titles, books that people clearly wouldn't buy at full price. With that, I have mediocre feels about it.

But lo and behold, I suppose fate really wants me to see Big Bad Wolf on its first day! Supposedly my boss planned to go on the VIP day on Feb. 21, after receiving a pass from one of her close friends. My boss is a crazy bookworm like me, and I know for a fact that she is looking forward to it. Unfortunately she had to attend to a family matter that day, which ended up with me having her ticket instead 😍😍😍


Given I came from work and had to wait for my friend, we braved the car park traffic (pretty wild because after exiting the steel parking you'll see Edsa doesn't even have heavy traffic!), and managed to arrive at World Trade Center in Pasay at 10 P.M. 🤘🤘🤘

The VIP day is up until 11 P.M. only, also the ticket holder can bring an extra adult friend, while you can bring as many kids as you can (hahaha field trip?).



I want this for myself!

Upon entering the glorious gates of World Trade Center, you'll be greeted by thousands of children's books. I must say Big Bad Wolf's specialty are children's books, because they offer A LOT of titles, some I was quite surprised that they actually have it available.


I did a book review of this HERE




An upgrade that I noticed in this year's Big Bad Wolf is the selection of titles, particularly for Young Adult. Sure, they still don't have the John Green & Adam Silvera titles, but hey they have Ransom Riggs, Meg Cabot, and Suzanne Collins, and that ain't bad! I was so tempted to grab Victoria Aveyard's Glass Sword, which was actually a sequel of Red Queen! But I was not sure back then if Glass Sword is the sequel because I have no internet to check, SAD. so I ended up buying a standalone novel instead *shrugs*




Another positive feat I have noticed are the increase of Fiction titles! Last year, the fiction section was so small, and I remember how people have commented online on how they were a bit underwhelmed that they weren't able to score titles from Murakami or Coelho. In all fairness, the organizer of BBW heard our pleas and added more fiction titles that are well-loved, and are available in bookstores nationwide. I was able to spot some Chuck Palahniuk, Jojo Moyes, Emma Donoghue, and Judy Picoult titles, but still no Murakami 🤣😂

I have this book!



And my most favorite part in every bookstore (aside from the stationery and useless trinkets area), the beauty and fashion section! There are around 2-3 rows jampacked with amazing titles, from styling, constructing, and even illustration, the fashion area is well-decked! It was so hard for me to resist not buying all of the majestic fashion titles available, but since I am saving up for a trip I had to let go with a heavy heart.
Ultimate WANT!!!







Anyhoo, here's the complete round-up of my Big Bad Wolf experience, plus musings that may help you if you plan to go:
📚 It's best to go to BBW with a friend, especially when you need to go to the bathroom because that person will take care of your loot.
📚 Be open in reading titles from authors you have never heard of!
📚 Expect loooong lines! You are not the only one who adores books and sales, so be patient, and enjoy passing by seas of books 😀


📚 The lowest price of books is Php 190 or roughly $4, while the most expensive ones are retailed at around Php 1,499. Usually the coffee table books are the most expensive.
📚 Don't bring too much stuff, you don't need to bring your whole 10-step skin care with you.
📚 You can pay with your PayMaya account! Aside from that, they also accept cash and credit card (either Visa or Mastercard). However they do not accept debit cards!!! I had this problema last night because I did not bring my credit card nor was I able to withdraw prior to going here, so I only had my debit card and phone with me that night!!! Good thing my friend has cash with him, so he paid for it instead-See? That's why you need to have a friend with you!!! 💁‍♀️
For the love of Class Act Ph

📚 Go early! If you can, just go early or go verrrry late in the evening, because there will definitely be a shortage when it comes to parking spaces.
📚 Eat before you go here! The only time you'll get to see food is after you have paid for your loot, and the food are a bit pricier than the usual, so better eat before going into battle.
📚 Look out for the books with 'SAMPLE' on the cover, since most books are cling wrapped, you cannot open it if you want to take a peek, that's why there's a sample book for that. 
Like this!
📚 Bring eco-bags! Let's save the environment, and say no to plastic packaging 🙋‍♀️
📚 Keep your receipt! I remember passing through 2 receipt check before being able to leave the vicinity.
📚 Have fun!

So do I recommend this to my fellow bookworms? 🤘🤘🤘 

Let's go-again! Hahaha!


Love Always,
Nicole  🍒

P.S. 
Thanks for the tix Ms. Van! 
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I love books, I really really do, that's why I am more willing to spend money on a new novel, than splurging on other stuff like clothes. That's why when I found out about National Bookstore's Book Binge Book Fair, my world stopped for a minute, much like how Ewan McGregor's character felt when he first saw the love of his life in the movie, Big Fish.

This, THIIIS!


At first, I was a bit hesitant to actually do some full splurging on this bazaar, since also in February there will be another book fair which is The Big Bad Wolf Book Fair. I actually set a meager budget, and even wrote a list of the books I have specifically intended to purchase- oh boy, how I have forgotten about the list when I get there.


 The book binge bazaar was last week, and until now, I still feel this certain high from being surrounded by amazing books at discounted prices! Waaaaah, I was in heaven back then!

Sooooo, I actually went to the book binge bazaar twice. One was last Friday, Feb. 9, right after I got off from work. I remember feeling sooo ecstatic, that I did not mind riding a jampacked bus just so I could go to SM Megamall faster- since the queue to ride the MRT is just plain unbearable.

Once I finally arrived in SM Megamall (after an hour and 10 minutes, because Friday night traffic is the worst), then the megatrade (where the book binge was at), I saw this:


Yup, there were a lot of human beings scourging through numerous tables full of good reads. It's not as crazy as I was expecting, but there were some few instances where I saw some assholes pilfering books from other people's carts while they aren't looking. Since I arrived pretty late already, I resorted to buying 5 books only that day; I bought 2 fashion books for Php 275 each (original worth of each book is Php 1,000 and above), 2 novels with one worth Php 175 and another one for Php 75, and lastly a children's book for my niece, which is worth Php 175. For the 1st night, my total bill was Php 975-which is good, but I thought then, I could do better, that's why I decided to go back again the next day... the moment the mall opened its doors.
Just imagine, I arrived at around 9:50 which is 10 minutes before the openining of the mall, and once the mall opened its doors I was the first one to rush to the megatrade, and yet there's a queue waiting for meeee! But luckily, it wasn't a looong one, and it moved pretty fast.

Since I was on a mission to get as much books as possible, I wasn't able to take a lot of photos. My eyes are focused on finding myself a copy of Ransom Riggs' Tales of the Peculiar, which I unfortunately wasn't able to get my hands on *cue sad face*. However, I did score a lot of books that were quite hard to find in that book bazaar.

By the way, I wasn't able to mention, you see most of the books sold at the Book Binge were Young Adult Novels and Children's books. There were some fiction books, but not as abundant as Levithan's Another Day, or the Bane Chronicles. Majority of the books sold were retailed at Php 175, while lifestyle books are at Php 275, which is the ceiling price of the books sold-the imported ones that is. So, just imagine how seeing people pushing carts bulging with books is just a natural phenomena that day.

This is a logical action. I am helping the economy.
I suppose, the ultimate tips/advise I could give to people, just in case the Book Binge Bazaar would do an encore, are:

1. Opt for the plastic basket/cart/trolley type instead of this metallic piece of shit. You see, there are a lot of people milling around desks cluttered with books, where if you decide to also have a look while pushing this you'll definitely have a hard time checking out desks after desks. Unlike if you use the smaller ones, you can still go to the narrow bookshelves without rolling onto other people's feet.
2. If you see something interesting, grab it! There's a big chance that if you go leave it on the desk, you wouldn't find the same copy again. 
3. Find a small nook near the corners where you can sift through the books. Let's be realistic here, we really don't have all the money in the world to purchase everything we see (unless you do, you lucky asshole, skip this one), hence the reason why you have to re-evaluate whether all the books you have dumped in your basket should be given a chance to proceed to the check-out counter.
4. Shop with a friend! I noticed how this is really helpful, since 2 pairs of eyes are definitely better than one pair in finding a certain title. Also, with a friend, you can easily ask him or her to guard your basket while you try to check out the nooks with less spaces. However, in the event that you go there alone, it won't hurt if you make friends with a fellow bookworm, which I did! In the end, I did not only scored amazing books, I also gained new book recos and a friend. Win-win 👌
5. Go early! Even though the staff do stock new books by the hour, it's still best to go early since there are definitely more choices in the morning.
6. Eat something light! It's never fun shopping if you are feeling hypoglycemic!
7. Be very patient! Always check the weird nooks, because most often than not, sought-after titles are hidden in the most unexpected places.

After 2 shopping trips to the Book Binge, I have acquired a total of 25 books which cost me Php 4,500+, which I think originally would have cost me more than Php 10,000. Now, excuse me as I pay my credit card hahaha!

Nvm the They Both Die at the end and the thousandth floor because I bought that before mehehe!
Love Always,
Nicole 📚🎈
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As of this writing, my heart is fluttering with such giddy happiness!


It's that time of the year again where books are discounted at National Bookstore!!!! Most of their imported books are at 20% off, and some local titles at 10% off. What's even better is that some titles are at 50% off! Waaaah, my heart is still hyperventilating with joy.

That 4 letter word that makes me fee alive!
Suuuure, most books nowadays are free in the internet. I know a couple of sites that give out free e-copies of well-known books and titles. While it seems more handy to lug around a kindle or iPad Mini than bring along a heavy book, it still doesn't beat that heartwarming feeling of turning a crisp page, or smelling the book itself! Ughh, books make me weak in the knees!

Upon knowing about the sale, I did not think that much anymore, and decided to let my book hoarding heart win this time. Here are a couple of titles I bought:

1. My (Not-So) Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella - Original P rice: Php 315, Sale Price: Php 215 at 20% off


I bought this one a couple of weeks ago, but was only able to start reading when I finished my Chevening application hahaha! I've been intending to buy this book even before, but the only copy I seemed to find then was the bigger one which retails at Php 800 or php $16+!!! So, expensive! Good thing, I did not buy it right away!

2. The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand- Original Price: Php 359.00, Sale Price at 20% off: Php 287.2


3. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee- Original Price: Php 459.00, Sale Price at 20% off: Php 367.2


And the wildcard...

4. They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera- Original Price: Php 459, Sale Price at 20% off: Php 367.2


What a spoiler, am I right?

I think I've saved as much as Php 300! I could buy another book with that saved peso! I was about to buy more books (eyeing that Carrie Fisher's The Princess Diarist that is at 50% off huhuhu), but if I do so, I'll probably be asking myself whether I should eat or read for this week hahahaha, emphasis on 'OR'. 

The sale is until tomorrow! So, fellow bookworms, go and make your libraries grow! 

Love Always,

Nicoco

P.S.
Gotta commend the people from National Bookstore Greenbelt 1 in Makati, especially Geraldine for finding me the last copy of The Last Time We Say Goodbye! *besitos!*

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Nicocosity

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