Frannywanny

A school fair is something that every high school student looks forward to. It's a weekend well-spent with friends, crushes and, for some, their special someone. A school fair is also where students push their books aside and allow themselves to enjoy for two full days! Coming from an exclusive girl school that is located right across an exclusive boys school, we were fortunate to be able to experience two school fairs every year. Ours normally happens every October while our neighbor have theirs every February (just in time for Valentine's Day). I have very good memories of my school fair days when my friends and I would dance the night away during the variety show, try out the different stalls at the food court and create our hiding strategies from the jail booth people. Oh, those were the days... To all high school teens out there, here's one school fair that you shouldn't miss. Xavier School Fair Also check out the variety show! Luckily, I live a couple of blocks a...

Today was a pretty easy day. No panic requests, a semi-close deal with an advertiser, an email containing positive remarks from one of my superiors and best of all, I was able to shop -- something that I haven't done for a long time. I had to drop by Robinsons Galleria to do some errands after work. Wanting to be able to reach home to still catch my family awake, I skipped dinner at the mall and opted to just grab something on the way home. I was driving out of the mall's compound exiting via the EDSA opening. I followed the arrows which says "To Greenhills" and waited for the red light to turn green. Unfortunately, a greedy looking, MMDA enforcer saw me and quickly approached my car and tapped on the window. I was dumbfounded. I knew I followed the signs and I have no idea why I was being approached. I politely asked him what my violation was and he can't even give me a straight answer. He asked for my license which I stupidly handed over and began to walk away i...

As a promise to my friend and fellow blogger Monique , I'm sharing with you my latest kitchen experiment inspired by my favorite pasta dish from Cibo . Mommy turned a year older and wiser last Friday and she specifically requested that pasta be served for dinner. Not wanting to go with the usual spaghetti bolognese with extra serving of cheese on top, I prepared a dish that only took me less than 15 minutes to prepare and won the approval of the family. BIG thanks to Paul and Marilou for helping me too. What you'll need: - Olive Oil - Fusilli noodles -- cook as instructed on the package - Baby Shrimp - Pesto sauce - Garlic - Onions - 1 pack All Purpose Cream - Parmesan Cheese - Freshly ground pepper A Yummy Dish in TEN Easy Steps! 1) Pour a small amount of olive oil in a hot pan 2) Add in the shrimps, cook quickly until they turn orange 3) Set the shrimps aside 4) Pour more oil on the same pan 5) Add in chopped garlic and onions 6) Pour in a generous amount of Pesto Sauce, mix ...

...and so our beefy love affair continues.. To celebrate our 63rd monthsary (I have a strong feeling we'll continue to celebrate our monthsaries till we're old and gray Ü YaY!) , Paul and I had dinner at one of our favorite casual dining restaurants. We love it so much that we used to travel all the way to its first branch in Mile Long along Amorsolo street in Makati. Thankfully, they have opened a second branch along Pearl Drive which is way closer to home and the office. Sango! The Burger Master is one place that never cease to tickle my fancy. With its brightly-lit store setting to its origami give-aways and of course, it's good Japanese burgers and cornflakes shake, my Sango experience continues to get better and better with every visit. I also love the fact that the service is always very good. Upon entering the restaurant, you'll be greeted by the head server with a warm "Irasshaimase!!" which means "Welcome" in Japanese. Choosing what to orde...

I guess it's no longer a secret how much I love to eat out. I honestly find sheer excitement in being able to visit a new food spot and I am always game to try a new dish. However, there are also times when I just want to sit back and relax. These are the moments wherein I would just like to enter a restaurant, allow the server to lead me to a familiar spot and even without opening the menu, I already know what I'm getting and I'm 100% sure that I'll like love it. There are just a handful of restaurants that fall under this list. These are the ones who have proven their consistency and quality of service through the years. These are also the ones that have been around for more than a decade or so. Take Chilis Grill & Bar for example. Located along a busy street outside the Greenhills Commercial Center, this restaurant has been our regular hangout back in high school. It has been our venue for group dates, barkada dinners and class reunions. Funny that no matter ho...

After indulging in all those to-die-for sweet desserts and heart-stopping, cholesterol-loaded dishes during the holiday season, Starbucks Coffee has launched their new line of healthy drinks and food items for us to enjoy (minus the guilt!). I was so excited to check them out that I dropped by my office Starbucks store one day early. The barista, trying her best to suppress her laughter and amusement, just told me to come back the following day. Of course, I did as told and found myself leaving the store with a short warm Green Tea Soy Latte on my hand. mmmmmm...! Tonight, Paul and I tried the Granola Yogurt Cheesecake (Php. 120/slice). This cake reminded me of one dinner that I had with my friends a couple of months ago. After dinner, I treated them to dessert which includes a Granola Cheesecake that some of my colleagues truly love. Knowing that my friends love anything healthy, I figured that they will enjoy this cake as well. Thankfully, I was right! Paul and I took one look at t...

**I would like to interrupt my regular blogging for some shameless plugging** For years, Real Living has always looked like this: However, we always strive to make things better and so this year, we are proud to present our new cover look which I think is really pretty Ü To celebrate this wonderful change, Real Living is having a month-long exhibit in three Ayala Malls namely: Trinoma, Glorietta 4 and Alabang Town Center. The exhibit features various rooms designed by our very talented stylists: Coni Tejada, Gwyn Guanzon and Issa Villar. This will run from January 16 - February 15 (except for Trinoma which will end by January 31). How to get there: 1) Trinoma - located at the Ground Floor near Gift Gate and VNC 2) Glorietta 4 - located at the Ground Floor near Florshiem, Marks and Spencer and Rustan's 3) Alabang Town Center - located at the Ground Floor (Home zone) near the Activity Center Hope to see you there!! Related posts: New year, New look for Real Living

I guess it's no secret now that I am a huge fan of Yummy Magazine . This is also one of the main reasons why I am where I am right now. Every month, I slowly read every single section, browsing through each and every recipe and earmarking the ones that I will be trying over the weekend. As much as I have accepted the fact that I have a brighter future as a chef that as a baker, I can't help but try my luck every time I read Chef Aileen's column in the magazine. Just imagine how excited and starstrucked I was one Wednesday afternoon as I was tasked to interview her for Spot.ph . Once again, this article is for the website's ongoing promotion with Nescafe called Gold Spots . Related entry: Introducing Gold Spots Judge, Chef Aileen Anastacio SPOT contributor and Yummy’s Associate Publisher, Fran Haw , sits down over coffee with Pastry Chef Aileen Anastacio - Gold Spots panelist, owner of Goodies and Sweets, columnist, and entrepreneur. First and foremost, what is your defi...

If I were to look back and remember my first ever foodie experience at a child, it would probably consists of spaghetti, cheeseburger, hot fudge sundae and the best tasting thing ever created called the fries. As a child, I grew up loving Ronald McDonald and his friends Grimace, Hamburglar, Birdie and a whole lot more! While unwinding tonight, I thought of visiting YouTube and view the different McDonalds TVCs made around the world. Here are some of my favorites: Taiwan USA Egypt Korea and lastly, our very own McDonald's ad... Philippines *video source: YouTube

I can still remember my trip early last year to Cebu . It was the farthest place that I've ever traveled to for work. For one thing, to get there requires riding a plane. Upon arrival at sunny Cebu, we were warmly greeted by our fellow partners who excitedly toured us around. While walking around Ayala Center Cebu, one of the city's major shopping malls, I asked a partner what are the must-eat places around the area and without even batting her eyelashes, she said, " You have to try the ribs at Bigby's ". Unfortunately, our time in Cebu was pretty limited and most of our meals were taken inside the resort, thus I said goodbye to Cebu without having a taste of Bigby's famous ribs. Needless to say, I was disappointed and vowed to return to Cebu soon. SM Megamall's Atrium is starting to be one of the places that we frequently visit during the weekends. It's very exciting to see a new restaurant opening one right after the other in a matter of days. Unlik...

Yes! Finally, I saw my first ever work as Spot.ph's contributor posted on the website! I really had fun writing this piece simply because the person who I was tasked to interview is a friend, a wonderful colleague and above all, one of my favorite editors even back when I was still a reader of Yummy Magazine . I would like to share with you my short yet very inspiring conversation with Yummy Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Becky Kho . By the way, this article is for the website's ongoing promotion with Nescafe called Gold Spots . I would like to invite everyone to show your support and cast your votes here . Yummy is the top selling food magazine in the country. It began a year and a half ago with just a handful of food-loving editors. The magazine was well accepted by its readers and continues to convert a great number of individuals who are simply passionate about food and who now look forward to each new issue. With the growing popularity of the magazine, the name Becky Kho...

After a hearty lunch yesterday, my friends and I decided to get something sweet as a perfect way to end a wonderful meal. While not forgetting to take the healthier alternative, we made a unanimous decision to head to Lulu belle for some yogurt treat. I had a hard time deciding whether I should go for the same cup of strawberry yogurt that I had before or perhaps try the green tea which they're quickly gaining popularity for. Then my eyes shifted further down in their menu and finally, I know what I'm getting. A tall cup of Strawberry Smoothie (Php. 120) that consists of a natural yogurt base mixed with a scoop of FIC Strawberry Ice Cream. It's healthy and yummy at the same time. It somehow reminds of the mouthwatering milkshake that I've tasted last year with a hint of sourness from the yogurt. I think I found my Lulu Belle favorite! I'll definitely be back for more s moooo thie! Lulu Belle is located at the 3rd floor of the Power Plant Mall (Playground Section...

While I love trying out new restaurants on a regular basis, I also seek comfort in places where I know I can always get good food and wonderful service. Such is the case for Pepper Lunch . It can be seen how much I love the place from the numerous times that I've blogged about it here , here and here . It's funny because no matter how often I visit, it always takes a while for me to decide on my order simply because everything looks so good. I always have a hard time deciding whether I should order something new or get any one of those that I love. Over lunch today, I tried a combination of something that I have already tried before and something new. No, I didn't order a feast for myself but instead got the Unagi & Salmon Set (Php. 538). I'm not really sure if this is available for a limited time only, nonetheless I'm glad I was finally able to try it. Served on the same sizzling plate, I was also given a saucer filled with sweet Unagi sauce which I generousl...

Not so long ago, I blogged about tasting good beef after quite a while . This prompted a warm welcome from the beef-loving community who happily accepted my return. Just like a prodigal daughter, I didn't let the community down. To wish two of my dearest friends a very temporary bon voyage, we scheduled an evening to dine in one of the best steak restaurants in the metro as confirmed by the Miele Guide . Elbert's Steak Room is one of Makati's secret food treasures that is slowly being known to food enthusiasts all over town. Every review and feedback given speaks only of one thing: GOOD STEAK . This really excites me despite the fact that they have quite an expensive menu. The night of our dinner at Elbert's finally arrived. Finding the restaurant can be a bit tricky. First, you have to locate the building (Sagittarius Building III is located right in front of a Mini Stop along H.V. dela Costa in Salcedo Village). After getting a good parking slot, just ask the frien...

Presenting the Jan/Feb issues of my two magazines.... This 2009 presents a lot of new sections , a great new cover look and new surprises for our dear readers! I'm so proud of my two talented editors-in-chief and their team! I can't help but show off our lovely covers to the world! Grab your copies NOW!!!

"I was born under unusual circumstances..." This was how the story of Benjamin Button began. It traveled far back in the 1920s, just around the time when World War One has ended and a baby boy was born. However, unusual as it was, he was born in his eighties, having the physical appearance of an 80 year old man complete with arthritis and wrinkled skin. His life was narrated by Caroline through a diary given by Benjamin Button to her dying mother, Daisy . As years go by, we watch Benjamin grow younger while he go through life meeting different people, experiencing different challenges and joys and of course, falling in love with his first love, Daisy (Cate Blanchett). The movie was simply amazing. Thanks to my friend, Azrael and Warner Bros. Pictures who invited a couple of bloggers to the special screening tonight. Normally, a good movie would make me shed some tears. Though my eyes were dry tonight, Paul and I still agreed that it was a very good movie and Brad Pitt tr...