Frannywanny

Just as we thought we've seen them all..now comes a new player in the Yogurt world . Coming all the way from California, USA; Tutti Frutti has finally arrived in Manila! Unlike its friendly competitors, Tutti Frutti will help you exercise your freedom to choose as you go through the entire self-service procedure with the help of their friendly staff. Here's a simple guide on how to enjoy your visit to Tutti Frutti : First, choose the size of your cup . If I'm not mistaken there are four different sizes. I like the huge tub at the far right, this is perfect for a group of four. Second, choose your yogurt flavor . After trying at least six different flavors ranging from chocolate to taro and even fruit strawberry, I ended up getting the Original Tart which is your basic yogurt flavor. Third, take a pick from the wide variety of toppings . I originally wanted to get blueberries and crushed graham but the blueberries looked different that I just ended up creating my own mix...

The weather has been unpredictable lately that a short drizzle can turn everyone paranoid thinking it might cause another catastrophe similar to what we have witnessed last Saturday. Everyone is still in a sad mood due to the news that we get every morning about the rising death toll, the number of families that are homeless and the constant plea for more donations from kind individuals . During this bad weather, everything and anything that can uplift one's spirit is highly appreciated. For me, I turn to a plate of steaming hot pasta as my ultimate comfort food. My first encounter with a dish called ravioli was during my first year in college. I would take a short walk to CPK in Shangri-la Plaza, together with a good friend, we would share on a plate of creamy Portobello mushroom ravioli to which I would sprinkle a lot of Parmesan cheese before taking a bite. Oh how happy I was when I found out that a kiosk specializing in ravioli dishes opened right at the middle of the Robinsons...

It was a couple of minutes past 9PM when Paul and I took a very short drive to Xavier School to drop off two plastic containers of crispy chicken nuggets and a cooler filled with C2 Lemon and some Mineral Water. I also brought a bag of crackers and candies for the victims. It wasn't much really...I was disappointed that I wasn't able to buy much since most of the supermarkets are out of canned goods. Still, we wanted to help in any way we can and so we thought of bringing cooked food and some drinks for the hardworking volunteers. After a series of text messages sent back and forth between myself and fellow bloggers Jane and Christa , Paul and I finally arrived at the Angelo King Multi-Purpose Hall of Xavier School. After dropping off our items, we stood around and surveyed the area while watching the busy volunteers sorting, packing, boxing and sealing boxes which will be dispatched to 5 key areas namely: San Juan, Malabon, Quezon City, Marikina / Rizal and Manila. A couple ...

September 26 morning began with non-stop rains and moderate gust of wind. We were hesitant whether or not we should push through with the Candy Fair at the Megatent in Pasig. Setting up was a bit stressful as we had to wait in line in order to bring our items out safely. Luckily, at exactly 11AM our booth was ready to open. Little by little, Candy girls arrived but unlike last year, they came in trickles. Still we kept our optimism up and still put on a huge grin on our faces as we welcomed them to our booth. At around 12 noon, my mom has received an SMS from our friend who lives a couple of houses away from ours. He was looking for someone with a tug boat because water is starting to rise inside his home and it has already filled up their basement. I felt a huge lump on my throat, the only person left at home was our dad, Scottie and a helper and almost every road leading towards home was flooded. We were told that the San Juan creek has overflowed causing the great flood along Wils...

Calling all girls (and boys), kids and kids-at-heart!!! Here comes the Greatest Show on Earth ! Happening on September 26, 2009 (Saturday) at the very accessible Megatent in Pasig City , be there as the Candy Cuties are Coming to Town ! It will be a fun-filled day where you and your friends can meet and chat with your favorite Candy cutie, participate in booth games, win loads of prizes, dance and sing to your heart's delight at the Variety Show and best of all, get to try really yummy Hotdog Poppers and Chicken Nuggets at the Big Bite stall !!! Simply bring a copy of your Candy Cutie mini-mag or pay P100 to enter! See you there!!! Oh, and Paul will be celebrating his birthday on that day too so please do drop by our booth and wish him a happy happy birthday! :)

This morning, I opened my Plurk page and browsed through the unread messages that were posted by my fellow plurkers . One specific message caught my eye which led me to the official website of the Philippine Blog Awards . I can't believe it has been a year since the last awards night where Paul and I went to 1 Esplanade to applaud the winners and mingle with our fellow bloggers. Indeed, it was a fun night. I can't believe we're a week away from this year's awards night and boy am I excited! What makes this year's awards night more exciting is because of this latest development.... Frannywanny.com is one of the finalists under the Food and Beverage blog category Yahoooo!!! Another reason to celebrate! See you all on October 9 for the Philippine Blog Awards !!

To be very honest, I am currently having a love-hate relationship with Eat-All-You-Can buffets. Being a food lover, dining in buffets is the perfect way to be able to try different menu items without over-ordering and spending a whole lot. However, after trying various eat-all-you-can buffets here and there, I've come to realized that it is also important to choose quality over quantity. Just yesterday, I accepted a long-standing invite from a friendly PR representative who once invited me to try an afternoon dimsum buffet. The said buffet is being hosted by Gloria Maris Podium . Unfortunately, I had to decline her first few invites as my work schedule was pretty hectic then. Finally, I told her that I'm free on the 21st if the schedule is still ok with her. She agreed and so my dimsum date was set. With two fellow bloggers in tow, I arrived at the mall a little past 230PM. We proceeded towards the restaurant and I immediately called my contact to inform her that we were alread...

I've mention time and again how much I love hanging out with friends. However, I also do enjoy spending some time in my lonesome. In fact, there are actually some activities that I'd rather do on my own. Take shopping, for instance, I treasure the moments wherein I can easily go through one store at a time at my own pace. It's simply that quality me-time that I regularly treat myself to once in a while. Yup, I'm unique like that and I honestly don't get it why people would take pity over those who chooses to spend some time alone. Last week, after finishing a major presentation due pretty soon. I treated myself to a quiet dinner at Joey Pepperoni , a casual dining restaurant located along Pioneer street in Mandaluyong City. I entered the restaurant and noticed that there were quite a number of tables occupied by big groups. After telling the server that I'm dining by myself, he ushered me towards a table by the door and handed me the menu. I was craving for pas...

When I first opened my 2nd Anniversary raffle promo , I thought to myself... I'd be really happy if I'd be able to get at least 30 respondents. I also thought that most of the responses that I'd get would be from my fellow bloggers and friends. My dear readers, You just made me feel so special and loved as at the end of exactly 10 days from the start of the promo, I was surprise to have a total of 125 respondents and majority of which are from readers whom I've never met and I hope I'd be able to meet something. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on how I can improve and the things that has made you come back regularly to my blog. I am truly overjoyed hearing from all of you and thank you also to the first-timers whom I hope to see more often here :) There are times when I would just browse through your suggestions and comments and i can't help but smile while reading all your kind messages and words of encouragement to keep on blogging. All I can say is... TH...

I guess I was lucky...to be born right on the decade where technology was starting to take the mainstream. I guess I was truly lucky...to be spoiled by my dad who would easily give in to my wants despite my mom's undying attempt to teach me to just stick to the things that I need . That was my life as a teenager. I admit I have fallen victim to a number of technology trends that has, at some point, became the center of very teenager's attention. From beepers to analog phones to the coolest Nokia 5110 and to the endless changing of styles and models. I have repeatedly pleaded for my parents to get me the newest product in the market just so I can keep up with the trend. Yes, shamefully, trends and technology has brought out the whining brat in me. Luckily, this phase ended pretty quickly. It was when I have learned to stay loyal to just one model for years and would just consider replacing this when it's already on its death bed . I guess, eventually, we would find that o...

It was pretty late in the afternoon when our shoot ended. Feeling a bit tired and hungry, we decided to grab something to eat. Since my sister, a proud Blue Eagle , knows Katipunan Avenue inside and out, we allowed her to take care of choosing where to stop for our hunger-fill. We finally decided to bring out our carnivorous side as we stopped at Bite Club for our late afternoon snack. As mentioned before , it wasn't long ago since I've re-joined the beef-loving community after five years of hiatus. I never looked back since then. So there we were inside Bite Club's receiving area browsing their laminated back-to-back menu. Since it was our first time in their Metro Manila branch (the other branch was in sunny Boracay) , we went all out and got the humongous XXX burger with Garlic and Cheese dressing (Php. 260) to share . For all Bite Club newbies, the XXX is actually a 1 pound burger filled with your choice of toppings. It's really for those with a hungry ...

Today, the Hollywood world once again mourns for the lost of another star. This morning, we bid goodbye to Patrick Swayze who starred in the blockbuster hits Ghost opposite Demi Moore and Dirty Dancing as he succumbed to pancreatic cancer . The news was depressing to say the least. I can't believe how many stars have gone since the start of 2009. Over lunch today, I received yet another news that truly broke my heart. Coming from a fellow blogger who hails from Paul's hometown in Pampanga , I was told that Zapata's , one of my favorite Mexican restaurant in Angeles has closed its doors due to rental issues. Zapata's was where Paul and I had our Valentine's lunch this year, it was actually a memorable lunch as we truly enjoyed every thing that we ordered and the service, despite the fact that the place was jam-packed, was superb. I was hoping that Zapata's will continue to delight both Capampangan's and visitors alike. I hope that they will soon find a new...

Take a peek at what was delivered to our doorstep last Saturday.... *yum* After the successful team up of America's well-loved doughnut company and every kid's favorite cookie , now comes another exciting creation! This time, Krispy Kreme presents the Snickers Doughnut ! Soft and moist doughnut topped everything that I love in a Snickers bar -- crunchy nuts, sweet chewy caramel, nougat and rich chocolate coating! Snickers has always been my guilty indulgence back in high school. I always grab a bar during finals week to calm my nerves. I'm so happy that Krispy Kreme has made this delicious flavor for Snickers fan all over the country. Be sure to drop by your favorite Krispy Kreme to grab this yummy treat! :)

Good friends are hard to find...especially those who'll stick with you forever... As I grow up, I've had my share of meeting new friends, keeping the old ones and learning to let go of the bad ones. It sure has its own ups and downs but nothing beats celebrating true friendships that continues to grow through time. It was a rainy Saturday evening and while the weather made it very tempting for others to just stay home and laze in bed, Paul and I braved the unpredictable downpour to be able to have a relaxing dinner with three of our long-time friends and their respective special someones. The initial plan was to have dinner at a Japanese restaurant but after a long wait, we have decided to just move next door...to Cesca , a fine dining restaurant with menu items that seems pretty reasonable. Their menu was simple and since I wasn't in the mood for beef, I zeroed in on their poultry and seafood choices. Finally, Paul and I decided to share to be able to taste two dishes at o...

Let me tell you about the best dinner that I had this week. It actually consists of a wide array of dishes mostly served on an aluminum pan and brought piping hot to our table. My friends and I feasted on the restaurant's battered cream dory with al dente pasta, hot and spicy beef curry rice and a lot more! I guess we've all have encountered this dilemma before...when we wanted to order a certain dish but the serving is just too much for one's consumption that we have to settle for something else. Finally, Fish and Co. has the perfect answer to this problem by introducing a couple of delicious entrees as part of their Just for Me menu. The first on the list was the Baked Fish Napolitana (Php. 265). It has my favorite battered cream dory fillet baked with Napolitana sauce and mozzarella cheese served on a bed of al dente spaghetti noodles. I've always been a fan of Fish and Co.'s Fish and Chips and this is the exact same fish used minus their yummy crispy fries. B...

It somehow felt nostalgic, the moment we stepped into the newest branch of Whistlestop along Jupiter street in Makati . Our last Whistlestop visit happened four years ago and this was when Paul and I met up with a couple of fellow online sellers for an afternoon of chit-chats and good food. After that, Whistlestop bid us goodbye as the original owners migrated to the US. For something this good, we were hoping and praying that Whistlestop will come back. Our prayers were answered because early this year, Whistlestop finally opened its doors again under the management of young entrepreneurs Lex Ledesma and Dennis Gan . Over lunch last Sunday, we were invited by the owners to sample some of their well-loved dishes. We entered the cozy looking restaurant located beside Starbucks Coffee Jupiter which was just a stone's throw away from my previous office. Oh how I wish Whistlestop was already there when I was still working in Makati. As we exchange stories with fellow bloggers and t...