Frannywanny

Pasalubong is the Tagalog term for presents given by someone who just came home from a trip. A pasalubong is normally a native product from a province or a keepsake from the visited destination. Before leaving Tagaytay City , popular pasalubongs would include Buko Pie, Pineapple, Guyabano, Espasol and Langka. On our drive home during our recent visit to Tagaytay, we chanced upon a brighly lit pink signage that says Kesong Puti and Fresh Milk for sale. We have heard raves about Mr Moo's Carabao Fresh Milk and Paul was determined to give this a try. Visiting the store, we found out that they are selling more than Carabao Fresh Milk. In fact, they have a huge blackboard filled with their items such as Pastillas de Leche (Milk Candy), Feta Cheese, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese and even Goat's Soap! Making it an interesting pasalubong stop. We ordered two bottles of Carabao Choco Milk (P36 / 200ML) to share with my sister. Since the ride home will take us a little more than an ...

In the numerous times that we travel to Tagaytay for a short weekend getaway, some things remain constant . How we would always make it a point to visit the Pink Sister's Chapel, how we would always buy Buko Pie, Tawilis and Ube Jam and lastly how we would always devote one meal at Josephine's . In fact, back when driving up to Tagaytay was a breeze and we would find ourselves craving for ice cold Halo-Halo on a hot summer day, my family would just round up the clan and head to Josephine's for an afternoon break while enjoying the cool wind and the marvelous view of the Taal. In our recent Tagaytay vacation, we had our Sunday lunch at Josephine's. As usual, there was waiting line but the turnover and service was quick that we immediately had a table ready for us in no time. Mom left the ordering to my sister and I. We immediately chose our family's favorite and added a couple of new items in our list. It was starting to drizzle and with the cold wind that...

It has been a while since my family went on a trip. This realization came when a long weekend was announced and my sister started throwing suggestions on where we all can go and what we can do. You see, ever since Papa's brain surgery, he has been more unwilling to go out, this is despite the fact that he has improved a whole lot! Of course, Tagaytay was our unanimous choice as it continues to be our favorite long weekend getaway. Anyway, we took the plunge. I made some advance reservations at One Tagaytay Place after seeing wonderful comments and photos from fellow bloggers Bong , Arpee and Eric and left it all up to Him as we pray that Papa will join us for this trip. We were all in need of a breather from work, after all. The drive up to Tagaytay was a bit slow due to the traffic along Bicutan, Paranaque. Oh, how I miss those days when it would just take us an hour to get from San Juan to Tagaytay City Proper. We arrived at 3PM and after a relaxing lunch at Sonya's w...

Have you ever been dreaming of starting your own business?  Do you have a good business idea that you wish you can make into a reality? It's time to STOP all these fantasies and make your wishes come true!    Entrepreneur Philippines is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this November and we're coming out with our thickest issue ever! That's a total of 150 editorial pages and a lot more! Read about success stories of brands that has ruled the decade and learn some tips from entrepreneurs whom we all look up to. Here's what has been keeping me busy for the past months... my pride and joy Head over to any Fully Booked branch, RB Magazine (in Megamall) and Bufini outlets and grab our special edition that comes with a Team Manila designed shirt for only P195!!! A great collaboration with Team Manila and Entrepreneur Philippines indeed!  Thank you Team Manila ! :)  Grab your copy NOW!!! :)

I had a very relaxing weekend with my family :) Spending it with four of the most important people of my life. We indulge in our favorite dishes, enjoyed the cool weather and just relaxed and bonded all throughout the long weekend. While the weather wasn't so pleasant all throughout, we saw something that made all of us smile... ...a Rainbow! I'm thanking God for giving me the best parents, a wonderful sister and a loving husband. I must have done something right to deserve all these in my life. Watch out for my Tagaytay blog series coming up SOON!

I love pasta and my colleagues can attest to this. I frequently crave for pasta that at times they would raise their eyebrows and divert their attention to my tummy with suspicion. Well, it's not what they think... not yet . It's just that I love pasta, my undying love for al dente noodles cooked with the yummiest sauce and topped with my mushrooms, shrimps and at times drizzled with truffle oil. Ohh, I'm in pasta heaven. My friend Shar is a great cook and her specialty is...PASTA! She loves to experiment with different pasta combination thus Goodles was born almost a year ago. Every time I find myself shopping in Robinsons Galleria, I make it a point to drop by her store for a cup of delicious pasta. My favorites include the Goodles Classic, Grape Carbonara, Chicken Vodka and the Salsa Rossa Shrimp. Oh how I wish Shar would open more branches that's more accessible to me soon ( Greenhills, perhaps? :) ) click to enlarge the menu In the meantime, I found o...

Look what arrived at my doorstep the other day! A lovely purple round box that got me guessing what must be inside. Pulling on the purple ribbon, I opened the box and saw four handy tin containers. Pretty aren't they? I've been a mints fan and I always believe that this is one thing you should not leave home without. Imagine what if you just enjoyed a delicious garlic-themed lunch at Krazy Garlik and you don't have mints to freshen up your breath as you head back to the coffee. Also, I rely on my can of mints to calm me down right before a big presentation. That familiar burst of minty flavor to cool my breath giving me that additional confidence that I need. I'm new to Rio Mints and I was excited to give it a try. There are four flavors to choose from: Burgundy Grape (which I think my friend Richard might like), Pink Grapefruit , Honey Melon and Green Tea and Peppermint . I went for the Pink Grapefruit and I liked the tangy flavor of the grapefrui...

Today was a very stressful day. Meeting deadlines, running around to coordinate with various departments, working together with the Editorial team, checking proofs and watching out for grammar and spelling errors... all these in preparation for the 10th Anniversary Issue of Entrepreneur Philippines . We're all working very hard on this and we pray that our readers will love it! (So make sure to watch out, check out the surprise that we've prepared and grab a copy as it will surely be a Collector's edition!) I went home with a nasty throbbing headache and all I really want to do is to curl up in bed with my fluffy pink blanket. But that didn't happen...Thank God for giving me a sweet husband who surprised me with a mouthwatering chocolate cake that he bought after receiving a text message from me early today saying... "Hunnie, I'm having a stressful day...*sniffle* :(" He knows me too well..truly food is the best way to brighten up my day. He ...

Who does not love to eat?  Eating brings people together. It builds new friendships and strengthens relationships. Birthdays, anniversaries and any kind of celebration definitely has eating involve. When planning a party, the first thing the host thinks of is what she will serve to her guests. For me, eating has always been a happy experience. I enjoy trying out new dishes that tickles my taste buds. Traveling around the globe has been made to be more exciting as we look forward to trying the local cuisines available. I also enjoy the fact that I've made great friends over our love for food and eating. However, eating has its drawbacks too. In comes unwanted bulges, increase in weight and bad cholesterol that can clog your arteries leading to nasty heart ailments and sickness. Ever since my mom had a mild stroke five years ago, my family has been more careful with our food intake. This particular episode in our lives became an eye-opener wherein we have learned to watch what ...

This particular lunch was set a month in advance when one of our business contacts invited the entire team to dine out. The venue was at 7 Corners in Crowne Plaza . Due to the sale madness happening around the area, we were a bit late for our lunch date and we arrived apologizing profusely to our host. After our HIs and HELLOs he invited us to visit the buffet spread and to start the feast. One thing I learned about buffet dining is to survey the complete spread first and to plot out my route to avoid over-eating. I began from the entrance where the pizza and dessert area were located followed by the fresh salad station and the sushi bar. After this was the long line of main dishes featuring Indonesian specialties as this was the promo for the month. After reaching the end of the buffet line, I went straight to the sushi bar -- my favorite place to start. My mouth waters at the sight of the Philadephia Roll and the numerous platters of maki roll and sushi. While busy...

What luck! I received an email saying that I am one of the chosen bloggers who can try out the newest service of Mang Inasal ! You see, they have just recently made Mang Inasal more accessible and convenient for its loyal patrons by having a one-number delivery system where you can enjoy your favorite Mang Inasal meals right at the comfort of your home! I've always been a fan of this brand after I've read it's success story in the November 2009 issue of Entrepreneur Philippines . It talks about a young man named Edgar "Injap" Sia who began his chicken business in the Visayas region, and who now has more than 300 branches nationwide and still growing. Just to show how successful Mang Inasal is, local diners see this growing chicken chain as the closest competitor to the happy bee and the friendly clown in yellow and red suit . With Mang Inasal's very affordable chicken meals and unlimited rice, they are now enjoying a growing customer based from th...

I guess it must be part of McDonald's marketing strategy and it's actually working!!! Every year, they release their delicious Twister Fries (Php. 58) for just a limited time and the whole country goes crazy about it! This has been a long time childhood favorite and the day they re-launch this never fails to put me in a very good mood. The Twister Fries came a bit late this year versus last year when it was re-launched late June. Today was the first launch and I made it a point to pass by McDonald's on my way home to buy myself some Twister Fries. I find it very crunchy and I enjoyed munching into the thin curly strips that goes perfectly well with my favorite Fillet O' Fish sandwich. Welcome back Twister Fries!!!

My family can be pretty picky when it comes to enjoying Filipino food. Back when we were kids, the only two restaurants that have successfully garnered the seal of approval of my food-loving grandpa and mom were Harana of the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel and Kamayan . However, as soon as a restaurant gets our two thumbs-up, they can be assured of long-lasting loyalty from the entire family. This was the case with the two previously mentioned restaurants-- Harana was our regular Sunday dinner venue where we all grew fond of its delicious Laing, Sinigang soup and Garlic Rice. Our Sundays would begin with an afternoon tea session at the lobby of EDSA Shangri-la where the adults would catch up with one another while the kids were taught how to enjoy tea sandwiches and an assortment of mini pastries and scones. My sister and I loved the sugar cubes that would be served together with our tea. After which, we will be allowed to roam around the hotel and play by the pool side. Come dinner time, t...

As we love to travel around Asia, Paul and I have grown to appreciate the different cuisines that each Asian country offers. From the flavorful dishes of China to the cold fresh sushi of Japan and lastly to the herb-infused meals found in any Southeast Asian country, we enjoy trying and tasting each local cuisine as we believe that it is the best way to understand and educate ourselves about the country's culture. Here at home, we find comfort in a bowl of Tinolang Manok or a plate of Kare-kare with Bagoong. Nothing makes our day brighter by enjoying a meal consisting of any of our Filipino favorites plus a cup of fragrant white rice. Aside from the Philippines, Singapore is one country that's very close to our hearts . This was one reason why we both agreed to fly off to Singapore for our honeymoon and to spend a week exploring the different sights and meeting up with old friends. We loved the peaceful and orderly system of this small country. Nothing also beats the exp...

After reading reviews made by fellow Club members namely Jane , Rowena and Richard , who all had nothing but raves about Flaming Wings , Paul and I knew that we have to schedule a visit to try it SOON. A couple of weeks after the Club went, we scheduled to have a casual dinner date in this popular buffalo wings spot located right at the heart of Katipunan Avenue. We arrived a little past 7 on a Saturday night and the place was jam-packed! Luckily, we found our little table for two and immediately scanned the menu. We zeroed in on the buffalo wings and decided to get the 5 pcs. basket (Php. 235). After learning from my fellow bloggers that 5 pieces buffalo wings means 10 cuts, we requested the server to split this into two different sauces -- Smokey BBQ and Mild n' Sweet . Paul's a huge fan of barbecue flavored dishes and this was his first choice upon reading the menu. He paired this with Ranch dip which I think was a perfect choice. We ate this with gusto and enjoye...