Frannywanny

Last Sunday, Paul and I spent the afternoon playing to our heart's content. After enjoying the online games over at shareoreo.com , we were able to interact with fellow OREO lovers at the activity center of SM Megamall . To enter, all you need is to purchase three OREO sampler packs worth P5 EACH! After which, you'll be given a coupon with four activity boxes where you and your family can enjoy. This event reminded me of our school fair where you go from booth to booth to try the different challenges and as a reward you get to bring home more OREO sampler packs! What a great deal! Our first challenge was the Sticky Darts where we were given three Velcro balls and we have to fit all 3 OREO cookies posted on the wall. It's so easy and everyone gets to bring home an OREO cookie for every successful hit. Little kids may also avail of the Face Painting where they get to have cute OREO designs painted on their faces. This is a great way to declare your love for OREO...

Happy Birthday to the man who first showed me what LOVE is.... my Papa . I love you very much!!! Will always be Papa's little girl, Fran

Here's something you and your kids can do at home to liven up your day. Try the OREO online game which you can access at www.shareoreo.com . Here are the two games that you can play: Twist, Lick and Dunk! The challenge is to drag the corresponding blocks to the correct empty box labeled with a "?" This is a perfect hand and eye coordination game where you have to make sure you can easily navigate your mouse around the screen. OREO bonding puzzle Given various items found on the screen, you have to be able to click on the corresponding pieces following the conversation between the mom and her child. The goal is to get both mom and child on the table to enjoy their pack of OREO as they Twist, Lick and Dunk! This game may be a bit tricky but as soon as you get the pattern, it is very fun and interesting to play. This is actually my favorite game in the site! Check out these fun online OREO games over at www.shareoreo.com !

My family would tease me that I have an extra sensitive nose. Since I was born on the Year of the Dog, they somehow would connect this to my zodiac sign. For instance, I can easily sense when a garbage truck is coming even when it's still at the other end of the street. Good thing also, my extra sensitive nose has helped me determine the different types of coffee when I was having my certification as a Coffee Master . This extra sensitivity has worked to both my advantage and sadly to my disadvantage at times. I can't stand foul smells and going in a not-so-clean bathroom is torture for me as the moment the nasty smell hits my nose, it immediately makes me feel like throwing up. Yesterday, I received a lovely basket sent to my office by Downy. I am very much familiar with the brand simply because we use this at home. Oh how I love the soft touch of our clothes combined with the light, floral scent. The basket was tightly wrapped in plastic but as I took a peek I can't s...

I enjoy lunch breaks spent with my colleagues. Aside from the hour-long chatter and laughter, nothing beats enjoying delicious desserts like this: Mango Torte by Cuerva Bakeshop I've been a fan of Dulcelin's Mango Torte and I love it that a distribution point is just minutes away from my home. It's literally just a phone call away. However, I've been hearing about another Mango Torte that can easily rival Dulcelin's because it's pretty good too! I was fortunate to be able to enjoy a slice of this much-talked-about Mango Torte the other day and here's what I think... I love it that the mango balls stays soft even after putting this in the freezer overnight. It is very sweet and cold making each bite very pleasant. The meringue crust is very thin and crisp. I love the nutty texture that makes a great contrast to the soft, juicy mango balls. While I have yet to try more of this and perhaps have another round of Dulcelin's to say which one is t...

It's like something right out of a scene in Sex and the City. Fashion-forward ladies catching up on their lives over delicious gourmet dishes and a glass of bubbly wine. That was exactly what my sister and I did one weekday lunch a couple of weeks before my BIG day. Upon receiving an invite to an intimate lunch to try the new dishes of L'Incontro Ristorante Italiano , I immediately invited my sister to join me as I know she has been a fan of this restaurant back when it was still with the first owner. She has been raving about the food, the ambiance and the wonderful service prodding Paul to bring me there on a date sometime. That's how much my sister loves me. Unfortunately, time did not allow our L'Incontro date to push thru up until we found out that it is now under a new management headed by Tina Pamintuan , a big fan of L'Incontro and a well-traveled food lover who will definitely breath fresh air into this classic Italian restaurant. Our lunch was held...

Two weekends ago, Paul and I went siopao-crazy as we tasted more than 10 steaming-hot siopaos in two days! From our neighborhood favorites to those recommended by friends and fellow bloggers, we drove around the metro trying one siopao after the other. He loves the asado kind while I still prefer the ones with huge juicy pork meatballs inside. We each have our own way of enjoying the siopao but in the end we both agree on who has the BEST siopao in town . Once again, this is based on our taste thus our choices may differ from yours. Nonetheless, I'm proud to present to you my ... Top 10 Siopao in Manila Happy munching! :) photo by: Paul Ang

After the gloomy skies and heartache over yesterday's tragic incident , we wake up this morning with a happier news. A new Miss Universe has been proclaimed and this is no other than Ms. Mexico, Jimena Rosete !!! Our very own Venus Raj did well to as she'll be coming home with the 4th runner up title besting more than 80 other contestants! Congratulations!!! :)

Lighting a candle for Peace Today was a very sad day not only for the Philippines but for everyone in the world as a 10 hour hostage-taking happened at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila where a tourist bus filled with Hong Kong visitors heading towards the Manila Ocean Park was hijacked by an ex-policeman by the name Rolando Mendoza . The hostage drama had a very bloody end as the SWAT team has successfully killed the hostage-taker however found seven other passengers dead. Read CNN news here This is currently the talk of the town as Filipinos grieve for the victims of this brutal incident. We are one with the families of these Hong Kong passengers. As a result, the Hong Kong government has just issued a travel ban to the Philippines warning its locals to avoid all travel to our country for the moment. I hope and pray that our government can tighten our security and make the Philippines a safer place to live in.

It was a lazy Sunday for us when we decided to visit the new Saizen store in Trinoma . Upon entering the mall, it took us a while to locate the store as we later found out that Saizen may be found inside True Value. So better to ask around where True Value is to be able to find it right away. Saizen is one of the retail brands under the Robinsons Retail Group that is part of the Daiso Industries in Japan. It boasts of handy home items all worth P85! What a great deal! Roaming around the store, I am amazed that it carries a wide array of products from... School and Office Accessories Japanese Ingredients Gloves, Scarves and Socks Plastic Organizers Bathroom Toiletries and Toys for the little ones! We spent a good hour and a half going through each item and finally made our choice as we pushed our cart towards the check out counter. We had a total of 10 items ranging from handy travel calculators, Takoyaki sauce, stove-top griller, a new glass, and s...

I remember days before the wedding, I found myself majorly craving for Omakase . Oh how my mouth waters at the thought of its creamy Uni Sashimi and crunchy Seafood Dumplings. Since our schedule has been hectic and we left the country shortly after our BIG day, it took me a while to be reunited with my favorite Japanese dishes. When my good friend A invited me out to dinner to catch up and plan for her upcoming wedding, I suggested that we go to Omakase as nothing beats bonding with your friend over good food. We were both hungry that evening that we ordered a feast! I began with my favorite Uni Sashimi , which I requested that they served extra chilled as recommended by my sister -- a fellow Uni lover. Since A does not eat raw food, she allowed me to indulge and enjoy the plate the Uni all by myself. I love you A! :) As usual, Omakase's Uni is one of the best that I've tasted so far, it's so creamy and it does not have a slimey texture that can become pretty overwh...

Wheenever I think of tempura, I remember my A-I (aunt) who simply adores this dish. No visit to a Japanese restaurant would be complete without this on the table and she would make sure that every single tempura would be consumed as she hates to see a good piece of deep fried shrimp go to waste. I think she'll be very happy to hear this news... Saisaki will be having a ONE DAY Eat-all-you-can Tempura Buffet for only P330! That's a steal given that you can eat as much tempura as you want plus you get rice, soup and drinks to go with it. Remember, it will only happen for one day so mark your calendars and see you there!! :)

I love it that whenever I travel with Paul , we make it a point that our visit to that particular foreign country has a mix of trying out their local cuisine, visiting historical landmarks, shopping till our legs give up and lastly, being touristy by going to highly recommended tourist spots. Our honeymoon trip to Kuala Lumpur was not any different from our past trips. For instance, we made sure we spent a good amount of time admiring the beauty of the Petronas Twin Towers , we treated our taste buds to their local cuisines and those that we have not seen for sometime , lastly, we planned a visit to the Aquaria at the KLCC (Kuala Lumpur Convention Center) to see hundreds of water creatures and more! Entrance fee is only RM 45 (approximately P650) and you get full access to roam around the Aquaria, watch feeding shows and go inside the Oceanarium to see the fishes and sharks up close. Aside from water animals, Aquaria also has an exhibit of rain forest creatures that is s...

Man is truly a genius, creating beautiful works of art that makes this world a pretty place to live in. All day these towers stand tall above the leafy greens as if to serve as a guide to the lost travelers making their way. In the afternoon, it opens its doors to a thousand employees as they make their way home. Around it joggers enjoy the steady pace as they go round and round the landscaped path. But what I love most is in the evening when the towers glistened in the dark sky as if covered by tiny diamonds all over. The Petronas Towers is the 5th tallest building in the world following The Barj in Dubai and Taipei 101 in Taiwan. It is truly a majestic structure that makes Malaysia so proud of. This is definitely a must-see spot for every tourist visiting Kuala Lumpur . To get there: It is a 5 minutes walk from the Raja Chulan monorail station where you have to get to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, follow the directions towards the park that will lead you stra...

Upon landing at Kuala Lumpur and heading straight to our hotel to check in, Paul and I decided to grab an early lunch at the Pavillion Mall which was located right beside Novotel KL . Following the map, we made our way down to the basement where there was a huge Food Republic and a row of interesting looking restaurants. One immediately caught my eye -- Madame Kwan's . I remember this being recommended by a reader here and I told Paul we have to try this. I love the cozy green and white interiors and the service was great too. We were immediately led to our table and soon we were busy scanning the menu. Since first tasting the Nasi Lemak served at the Swissotel's breakfast buffet spread and I've been hooked ever since! I love the aroma of the coconut rice mixed with salty peanuts and anchovies! Since this is a Malaysian dish, of course it is a must to try Nasi Lemak right in Kuala Lumpur and this was one of the dish that we got here at Madame Kwan's. Knowing ...

Today was a happy Monday! While going through my long list of things to do, I was surprised to come across an email alert telling me that my interview with AJ has been published at the Manila Bulletin 's Tech Section today. AJ is a columnist of the Manila Bulletin's popular section called Blog-o-Rama and I am privileged to be interviewed by her. While it might be to late for ya'll to grab a copy of the paper today, I'd like to share with you excerpts from the said interview here: Click here to read my full Blog-o-Rama feature! Note: It was also the first time I was officially referred to as Frances Haw-Ang. *woot* Q. If your blog were food, what would it be and why? A. Definitely colorful platter of sushi! It always has serving of fresh stories, a colorful array of experiences and it is something people will keep craving for :) Q. What was the best experience you've had as a blogger? A. Definitely getting to know my readers -- I started blogging thin...

I remember my childhood filled with bubbly rootbeer float, meaty Coney Dog and a lot more. I can still recall numerous afternoons spent with the friendly looking bear in orange sweater and how fun those days there. Yes, that was my A&W childhood life. A&W has been a part of every Filipino kid's life up until a couple of years ago when they finally bid adieu to the Philippine market. Oh how we missed A&W so much! We tried to make up for the lost with other rootbeer brands but we know that deep inside our hearts, nothing can come close to the A&W experience. Just imagine our happiness when we chanced upon the friendly looking bear in orange sweater again right at the heart of Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur. Located right at the Bintang triangle, you won't miss this for sure. We had lunch already but upon seeing A&W we made space in our stomaches to accommodate a delicious early afternoon snack. Entering the restaurant, we both knew what exactly to ge...

I first saw Marrybrown at the exit of the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) of the Kuala Lumpur Airport. Initially, we expected it to be a local fast food offering Malaysian dishes. What we didn't know was Marrybrown could actually rival Col. Sanders's crispy delicious fried chicken. Yep! Marrybrown is a Malaysian fast food specializing in fried chicken and a lot more. Of course, we were in Malaysia and so we had to try something different. I was so hooked to Nasi Lemak the entire time that I was in Singapore. Oh how I love the taste of rice cooked in rich coconut milk. It has been my morning guilty indulgence. No matter how much I've tried, I couldn't seem to stop. Mix this with salty anchovies and peanuts, I was in food heaven. :) Scanning the board of Marrybrown, I noticed that they have Nasi Lemak (RM 8.90) as part of their line-up. Of course, they use fried chicken this time. I didn't mind and got this with additional chicken (RM 6.05) to share with Pau...