Frannywanny

I woke up at exactly 8:45AM this morning and initially I wanted to sleep some more...only I realized that it's December 31 , the last day of the year and I am definitely not wasting precious time in bed when I can jump start my action-packed day with this blog entry. My annual year-ender special where in the past I've listed off my 8 blessings in 2008 , 5 amazing moments in 2009 and Top 10 Food Spots in 2010 ! This year, I won't deviate from the usual practice as I present to you my 11 Memorable Moments in 2011 !!! (p.s. in no particular order) 1) Hello USA! It was like a dream come true. To be honest, I'd never thought I'd travel to the US...this soon and best of all, Paul was with me! :) Memorable food stops includes the mouthwatering ribs of Lucille's , the to-die-for bucket of seafood from Boiling Crab and the incredibly delicious Red Velvet Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory . We had a great time reuniting with friends and family all throughout o...

I love Japanese food! It's my ultimate comfort cuisine and luckily, there seems to be a surge of Japanese restaurants opening here and there . A week ago, The Food Club was invited to try Yakitori Kitchen , owned and managed by the same group as Ramen Bar . Upon receiving the invite, Paul and I immediately sent our confirmation. We were so excited that we were actually the first to arrive that evening. While waiting for the group to be complete, we were served with a bowl of Chicken Broth Soup which I find very refreshing. It actually reminds me of the yummy Emperor's Soup of Sugi. I loved it so much that I had two bowls of this for dinner that evening. I was able to meet the man behind Yakitori Kitchen and he explained that Yaki means Grill/Grilling while Tori means Chicken in Japanese. This was after I asked him how come they have mostly chicken parts listed in the menu. I didn't mind at all as I love chicken! For those who are not big fans of chicken th...

My US trip last February was really memorable. For one thing, it was my first long-haul flight and I was so proud that I've survived! You see, I easily get airsick that a short flight to Hong Kong or Singapore would normally make me want to throw up. My Dad found a great solution by giving a pair of ear plugs as the high cabin pressure makes me dizzy. Still, I wasn't so sure if my ear plugs will work wonders all throughout our 12hr+ flight....well, it did and I had a great time enjoying the food and walking around the plane from time to time. Another thing that made my trip memorable was that it started as a business trip and ended as a fun 1.5 week long personal trip for Paul and yours truly. We were able to reunite with our California-based relatives and to bond with them given the short vacation time we have. Nothing beats spending quality time and catching up with family. Lastly, it was also the first time that I've experienced what 9 degrees Celsius feels like. I...

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!! :) May you all have a deliciously-filled Holiday spent with your dearest loved ones! :) Cheers, Frannywanny and Paul

It was during one of our panic Christmas shopping trips one weekend, that Paul and I decided to rest and to head to the Glorietta food court to grab a snack. You see, unlike probably most ladies my age, I no longer enjoy shopping... that much . I'm sure my shopping buddy and college best friend Len couldn't believe her eyes when she reads this as we used to declare that we are part of the "shopping" varsity team back then. Those were the days where most of our long breaks were spent at the mall and we always end up lugging back a couple of shopping bags as we head back to school for our next class. Yes, there was really a time that I, Frannywanny, used to be a shopaholic . Perhaps I grew older and realized that I can no longer keep up with the crazy frantic atmosphere where I get squished and elbowed at as I join the sea of shoppers especially during the weekends or worst, the Holiday rush. The mere thought of it really sends shivers down my spine. This is also one...

During one of my seminars at work, I was asked this question: If you were to be stranded in an island, what would be the three things that you'd bring? Without thinking, I jotted these three items down in my paper: Laptop - Camera - Broadband Stick Yes, I truly am a blogger at heart and no matter where I'll be, I want to be able to document every minute of it. It was only when I was given more time to think that my practical self kicked in and took over making me change my answers to: Lighter - Water - Food . In reality though, I can't live without my camera. Imagine not being able to capture all those memorable moments or that mouthwatering dish that you want to keep as a remembrance forever? I'm lucky that I'm married to such a talented photographer who's works you see in most of my blog entries. Paul also knows his way around a camera thus I normally just rely on him to configure my camera to the right settings making it easy for me to just point and sho...

Welcome to Brgy. Kapitolyo in Pasig – the newest foodie haven in town. Believe me, a trip down East Capitol Drive is like a gastronomical journey around the world. Start from the corner of Pioneer you’ll see Nav and Uncle Moe’s which will give you really delicious Thai and Mediterranean dishes respectively. Drive further down and you’ll hit Kainan Au Gusto and Café Juanita located just around the corner for our local Pinoy fare. As you continue with your drive, you’ll see The Three Sisters' restaurant, the place to get really yummy Pork BBQ and Pancit Bihon and my latest fave – Milky and Sunny , an all-day breakfast nook. Go on another block and you’ll see another line of restaurants like Poco Deli for some cheese and sausages while Lia’s Cakes in Season makes a great dessert stop. Care for some burgers? Charlie’s Grill and Grind is located right across and is right beside Bacolod’s Café Bob’s Manila version – Cab Café . There’s still a couple of restaurant left for m...

Remember my search for the best Ribs in town ? It's funny that I first found my favorite rib places in Angeles, Pampanga and as far as California, USA but none yet close to home. My search for the best rack of ribs never stopped though as I am determined to find THE ONE. That perfect ribs place that will allow me to go back to over and over again. Wonder when will my luck strike? Ever since Paul and I tied the knot a year and five months ago, we have been planning to have dinner with our every talented wedding coordinators and host . Since we all live extremely hectic lives, this has been pushed back a million times until last Wednesday when we finally found time and met up for dinner. Jerome , our host, is also a foodie. This is also one reason why we instantly clicked as he's a great fan of the magazine that I work for and our pre-wedding meetings would also end up with us talking about food, food and more food. He was the one who suggested that we try Rub Ribs ...

What's your favorite dessert? For Paul it would definitely be a bar of chocolate. For my Dad it would have to be a bowl of his favorite Ice Cream while for Mommy it would be a refreshing platter of fruits. I, on the other hand, prefers to have baked goodies and cakes for dessert. Examples would be a ramekin of Creme Brulee, a slice of that perfect Red Velvet Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory or (once again) my friend Irene's to-die-for Queso de Bola Cheesecake! Having an amazing dessert is like getting a great massage. It brings you so much happiness and bliss that makes you go oohhhhh and ahhhhh while taking in bites after bites of that delicious piece of cake. It's a great way to indulge and to treat yourself especially after a stressful day at work. However, I tend to be a very picky cake eater as I have very low tolerance for overly sweet products thus I tend to stick to the fruity or slightly salty ones. I always have to scrape off the icing on any cake as my s...

With the holidays just around the corner, we are now starting to feel the cold air especially during the evening. Given the chilly weather, the thought of slurping a bowl of piping hot noodles just makes perfect sense. Thus, an invite to try a newly opened Japanese noodle bar called Moshi Koshi that's located so close to work and home was immediately accepted. We were actually the third and fourth guests to arrive after fellow bloggers Dyanie and Chyng. This allowed us to familiarize ourselves with the cool features of the restaurant such as the noodle room where there's actually a stoplight installed at the top showing if a noodle is currently being created or not. Reminds me so much of the much-anticipated red light of Krispy Kreme. The rest of the group arrived shortly after which signaled the start of our Moshi Koshi feast! As explained to us, Koshi is that " sweet state of a noodle that is tender and chewy, firm but not hard, with resistance to the bite "....

One rainy Sunday, Paul and I joined Richard, Irene and our favorite playmate Lauren for dinner. We decided to try Po Suk Jung , a Korean restaurant located in Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig . I've been noticing this restaurant that actually looks like a huge garage from outside ever since I started working in Mandaluyong three years ago. We got there quite early for dinner and were surprised that the parking lot was almost full. Good thing, even without a reservation, we were able to get a good table near the huge TV set that kept Lauren pre-occupied all throughout dinner time. Just with any Korean meal, ours started with a lot of appetizers ( banchan ). Unlike those served at other Korean restaurants where there's a mix of spicy and non-spicy fare; here, they have more spicy appetizers which for me was pretty manageable since I like eating kimchi a lot. My favorite though were the fish cakes. I also love the complimentary egg custard that's very similar to our Chinese home-co...

I never thought I'd get THIS busy. Don't get me wrong, I am truly thankful for all the blessings showered upon us and let it shower even more! We've been spending our weekends doing the rounds with our dear peanut distributors and Paul, especially, has been busy taking orders and allocating stocks for our customers. Our entrepreneurial dreams are slowly becoming a reality and we're truly grateful for that. ♥ As we've been spending most of our waking hours on our business , we really haven't had the time to head to the mall to do our Christmas shopping..and Christmas is just two weeks away!! Once in a while, I'd inject a short shopping trip in between work and dinner but more often than not, I'd go home empty handed as it's really hard to choose and decide under great time constrains and set shopping budget. Can you relate with this? It's a good thing though that my Christmas list is not totally empty. A month ago, I purchased a couple ...

Last Friday, I suddenly had this weird craving for... Putong Ube . Oh how I daydreamed about those tiny, pillow-y, rice cakes cooked with our native ube (yam). Of course, no other store can make it better than Michelle's . I used to visit their store along Gilmore street or Papa would buy a box home for us to enjoy. I searched online to look for a store closest to my office and I was surprised that their main branch was actually just a stone's throw away from where I work!! Thus, on my way home, I asked Paul if we can make a brief stop at Libertad street for me to buy a box of Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube to satisfy my craving. Luckily, he said yes! YAY! The store wasn't hard to find, if you're familiar with California Square Garden and Galileo Enoteca then you'll be able to locate Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube in no time.It's located at the corner of Kanlaon and Domingo M Guevara (formerly known as Libertad) streets. Arriving at the store ...

What's a visit to Boracay without going on a food trip? In my opinion, Boracay is one of the best places in the Philippines where you are assured of really good food. As more and more tourists flock to Boracay on a yearly basis, the island has turned into a gastronomic destination where you won't only see seafood paluto stalls but a mix of International cuisines from Italian, Hawaiian , Mexican and a lot more! After all, nothing beats enjoying the cool breeze, listening to the waves splashing on the shore and enjoying plates after plates of delicious food. Contrary to my past Boracay visits where I normally fill up the entire day with non-stop resto-hopping, this time I had all my meals at Don Vito Ristorante Italiano , the in-house restarant of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel , which gave me a very pleasant experience that I believe deserves an entire blog post on its own. Let me share with you a short food journal of my recent Boracay trip: Day 1 - Lunch As soon...

During our weekend getaway in Boracay , part of our itinerary includes visiting the Mandarin Spa and availing of any of their signature treatments. After enjoying our lunch at the in-house restaurant of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel and spending more than an hour at the beach and later on taking a quick dip at the pool, Paul, Richard and I headed back to our rooms to shower and to get ready for an hour and a half of total relaxation. We headed towards the entrance of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel where Mandarin Spa is located. We were greeted by the friendly receptionist who assisted us in choosing our treatment and the specific massage oil that will be used as well. I chose the Chamomile Oil as it's said to give a very calming effect while Paul and Richard went for the Ylang-Ylang it had a very masculine scent, which I think is just perfect for them. :) For my treatment, I got the Traditional Filipino Massage "Hilot" that promises to restore balance to my...

Sometimes I just dream of the sea...and the feel of the powdery sand underneath my feet. At times I just want to go far far away from the crazy hustle and bustle of the city, turning my phones off as I just want time for myself and myself alone. These moments I thank Him for blessing my country, the Philippines , with an abundance of beautiful scenic spots that doesn't have to cost us an arm and a leg to get close to. Moments like this I'm thankful that I had the luxury of time to take a weekend off and to fly to the paradise island called Boracay where I spent two wonderful days swimming, bonding with Paul and pampering myself to the fullest...all in one memorable weekend. As soon as our private boat c/o Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel reached Cagban Port, I felt my heart skipped a beat as I was totally psyched to finally have a short vacation amidst our busy Christmas schedule. We were quickly whisked off towards Station 2 where our resort for the weekend is located. I...

I've always been a flip-flop loving girl. My weekend get-up consists of my comfy denim shorts, cotton shirt and my favorite pair of flipflops. I love heading to the mall or my favorite weekend market in this attire. Rarely do I get to wear heels during the weekend as I try to make my feet and lower back rest as wearing heels from Mondays to Fridays can really put a strain on them. In fact, I also keep a pair of flip-flops in my office cabinet just in case my feet are loudly calling out for help. Most of the time though, as comfy as my flipflops can be, I know I always have to keep a proper look and flipflops is totally a no-no when trying to look professional in the office. How I wish there are really nice flats that goes well with my dressy top or skinny cut jeans. Then came a tiny black bag that was delivered to my doorstep. In front reads the name Yosi Samra and after much research, I found out that it's the name of a very talented shoe designer who has created the...

It wasn't my first time to dine at Cafe by the Ruins . In fact I've been there every single time I visit Baguio and my experience gets better in every return. My first was with my family a few years ago when we went up to Baguio for a quick business trip. Dad wasn't so happy with his all veggies and no meat platter but Mom, Pan and I quickly fell in love with the organic-feel of the restaurant, I think that was also the first time I had red rice. A year after that, I returned with Paul and my former boss D for a work-related trip. My boss introduced me to their Kamote bread and cheese spread which was so good that I even bought a loaf home for my family to enjoy. Every year, Cafe by the Ruins has always been part of our travel itinerary. It's then pretty much a given that I've included Cafe by the Ruins again when we returned to Baguio this time with The Food Club . Aside from Paul and I, our friend Grace was also raving about the restaurant. This definit...

You can't have it all... At first look, we all fell in love with Forest House 's interior. The cozy log cabin feel, the pretty bed and breakfast rooms and the big fireplace that will greet you as you enter the main dining hall. It was a perfect hang out spot in a cold place like Baguio City . This is the reason why it is also highly recommended that you make a reservation as the place easily gets filled up despite arriving early at the restaurant. It was our second time to dine at Forest House and this time Paul and I know better. It was after waiting to get a table for more than thirty minutes during our first visit that we realized that it's best to give the restaurant a call as early as possible. This time, sure we got a table but they can't fit us in the main dining hall anymore and we were placed at the annex which was far from where most servers were. Thus, we had a really hard time looking for a server, ordering our food and worst, waiting for our bill. ...

I can't believe it's finally December ! It just seems like yesterday when Paul and I celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple and in 24 days we'll be celebrating it again for the 2nd time! Time surely flies extra fast when you're having fun and I am sure having a blast this 2011! Imagine being able to attend the weddings of two of my closest friends, spending more time not only with my family but with my in laws, taking out of town trips and a million food trips with friends and a whole lot more! Mommy and I can't help but get emotional whenever we see our house well-lit with Christmas lights which were carefully installed by my Dad. Three years ago, we were still unsure if Papa can fully recover from his brain surgery as he was still undergoing motor and speech therapy and was 100% dependent on his personal nurse. Today, he can move around, talk, listen and eat on his own. Best of all, he would even walk all the way to Greenhills just to get his regular...