MANILA, Philippines - About two years ago, I was perusing pro-environment sites on the web and saw this solar lamp being advertised. It was called the Sun Jar, literally a glass jar with a lid (the type that you can put sugar or cookies in) that you put under the sun for a few hours and then it gives off a colored light come evening. They were expensive, about a hundred dollars each, but I ordered a couple. Due to some shipping misinformation, I never got my jars. So I got pretty excited when I saw them being retailed at a store here in Manila — for just a little under P2,000.
I was in Singapore three weeks ago and found myself in the home section of Tang’s Department Store. They had this really cute two-in-one pepper shaker in the form of a bird. You twist its tail one side to get salt, to the other side for pepper. Had I bought it, the bird would have cost me P1,000. A few days after Singapore, I saw the exact dining novelty being sold for P700-plus — in the same store they sell the Sun Jar and other everyday products and gadgets given a cute twist.
It’s called Quirks Novelties and Curiosities, a blink-and-you’ll-miss it shop in Power Plant Mall that sells products and gadgets primed for gift giving. Although, there’s also stuff in there that you would surely want for yourself. Like those little Ear Buds, earphones with quirky designs; ask yourself if you want a duck, ladybug or a pig crawling out of your ears. Or the Drop Speaker, a sizeable plastic speaker shaped like a raindrop that cleverly hides your mp3 speaker. They also have mini cube speaker keychains, also for your mp3 player, and speakers in the shape of a radio made out of cardboard. Another solar-powered option would be a glow brick that glows a nice, cool blue.
Everything in Quirks is uniquely designed injected with a bit of humor. “These are well-designed, creative items with a useful practical function,” says Zerline Chan, who co-owns the shop with her sister Michelle. Most of these items are sourced from original suppliers from a variety of countries such as the US, UK, Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong.
With Christmas a few short weeks away, it’s a no-brainer to just lap up what they have. Aside from gadgets, the store also has chopping boards shaped like cleavers, his and hers keyholders, wall hooks in the shape of screws and glow-in-the-dark shot glasses, which should be a no-fail favorite in these party-hearty times.
Quirks Novelties and Curiosities is located at the 3/L Power Plant Mall.
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