Frannywanny

Happy Easter, my dear readers!!! Today, we will be heading to church to attend the Easter Sunday Mass and later on will also be having lunch with the entire family. Next to Christmas, this is probably the next big religious holiday where families get together and spend time with each other. For those with kids, they're most likely headed to any of the major hotels and shopping malls to take part of the fun Easter activities lined up. I know for a fact that my niece Julia will surely enjoy this day as she just loves joining Easter Egg Hunts! She's barely 5 years old and yet she has become an expert in searching for those eggs and always ends up with lots of yummy candies which were inserted inside.  Speaking of candies, let me share with you one ambition that I have. A few years ago, I really wanted to be a lolliologist . Not that I wanted for it to be my main profession, but I'm really interested to learn how to mold and create rock candies. Well, it's not too l...

In observance of the Holy Week, I will resume publishing my entries by Easter Sunday (March 31, 2013). Meanwhile to all my local readers, do spend this 4-day weekend to reflect and to communicate with Him. ✞ However, should you suddenly feel hungry in between your Visita Iglesia today or after your Good Friday mass tomorrow, here are some of the establishments and malls that will stay open this Holy Week. Hats off to the men and women behind it who's making this sacrifice to work on a holiday just to be able to serve both you and me.You guys rock! \m/ SHOPPING MALL HOURS 1) Ayala Mall March 28 (Maundy Thursday) – Mall Closed March 29 (Good Friday) – Mall Closed March 30 (Black Saturday) – Regular hour March 31 (Easter Sunday) – Regular hours 2) Robinsons Malls Maundy Thursday:  Robinsons Luisita, Tagaytay, Pangasinan and Palawan: Regular Mall Hours Good Friday: Robinsons Luisita and Tagaytay: Regular Mall Hours Black Saturday & Easter Sunday: Regular Mall Hours f...

*SPONSORED POST* It’s true when they say that being a mother goes on for a lifetime. I’m 30 and having been married for 3 years, this doesn’t spare me from receiving my mom’s endless reminders on a regular basis. We used to live under the same roof and even Paul would also be part “beneficiary” of her daily reminders to eat healthy, avoid fast food and to exercise. Readers of this blog must have noticed that I would always describe my Mommy as a very healthy eater. Well, she really is. I got to hand it to her as she can stare straight at a bag of chips while saying NO. No hesitations, no double takes. She makes sure that we have fruit and veggies for both lunch and dinner and for Christmas, she even gave me a free pass to her gym in hopes that I would finally start a more active regimen. It’s no wonder that she maintains a very sexy 23-inch waistline and still finds the need to exercise for health reasons. How I wish, I got that specific gene type from her. Going back to exercisin...

It's Monday and I hope this simple entry will chase all our Manic Monday blues away. :) Last week, a white bag was delivered to our home. I've been working from home for the past days and I've come to accept the fact that it is not as fun and easy as it sounds. Sure, I don't have to wake up extra early to get dressed, prepare my breakfast and to walk 500++ meters to our bus stop + 3 blocks to get to my office building but I still get very preoccupied with the never-ending work load that comes my way. Don't get me wrong, every day I thank my lucky stars for allowing me to land into this new career that I really love. Finally, the line between work and play is starting to get narrower and narrower each day. Going back to the mysterious white bag, while it simply has a red sticker in front, the name alone was enough to elicit a couple of whoops and cheers from the members of our household. Who wouldn't cheer after all when the label says : Kirby's Chicharo...

Manila has seriously turned into a foodie mecca. Gone are the days wherein people are contented with the limited choices of restaurants and they would visit the same ones week in and out. Today, food trends are flying in and around the city, a good number of foodies would roam the streets in search for the latest find and one would go beyond the 7,107 islands of the country in order to satisfy his/her tummy with the yummiest thing out there. We're a rice eating country but lately people are starting to buy more bread and to bring a sandwich to work is the next in thing. Why is that? If you ask me, I'm pointing to these two bottles as the main culprits -- meet Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter and Lotus Biscoff Spread . Trader Joe's Speculooos Crunchy Cookie Butter (Left) + Lotus Biscoff Spread (Right) It all happened so fast, one day Peanut Butter and Jelly ruled the land and the next day it was these two spreads fighting for the limelight on the sandwich ...

It's no secret how much Paul and I loves...as in LOVESSS Deal Grocer . It's the only deal site that we make sure to visit on a weekly basis. Online shopping is no joke after all. I don't shop that much and I really am extra cautious especially when I'm using my credit card to pay. The last thing I want is to fall victim to credit card frauds. That's why we stay loyal only to websites that we trust. A few weeks ago, as we were browsing through the DG site , we noticed that whenever we click on any of their food or home products, we get directed to a whole new website. Initially we thought it was a mistake but as we looked closely at the new page, it says : The Official Retail Partner of Deal Grocer .  The website is called Taste Central and it goes beyond offering price offs for restaurants or travel deals, it gives you a whole new shopping experience as you can buy home, food and fashion items with just a few clicks! It's perfect for people like me who...

Ice cream is such a happy food. Back when we were kids, our parents would always use ice cream as an incentive for getting a good grade in school. A tub of ice cream has always been a staple too during birthday parties and happy family occasions. This is probably why eating a simple cone or cup of ice cream brings back such happy memories for me. Summer is really here as the temperature has been steadily rising the past few days in Manila and every afternoon is starting to be more and more an ordeal. It doesn't help being surrounded by trees too as the air alone is very warm. Well, we can't do much about the weather but we can definitely beat the heat by eating some...ICE CREAM! One Sunday afternoon, I invited my family out to try Swensen's . This is a US-based ice cream parlor that has branches around Asia such as Thailand and Singapore. We're so happy that Swensen's finally made it to our shores! In fact, it has actually been here since 2010 if I'm not m...

I love Japanese food! Next to Chinese, it's one cuisine that I don't think I'll ever get tired of eating. I guess as lot of you will agree with me especially when we're talking about the freshest cuts of sashimi, beef yakiniku and sukiyaki that melts-in-your-mouth and the most heart-tugging bowl of ramen too. Japanese do take their food seriously and this is one reason why they have created a fifth sense called umami where all delicious flavors come together as one. Someday, I wish to visit Japan and to have a week-long gastronomical adventure where I can stuff myself silly with all the sushi and unagi (eel) that my tummy can handle. Thus, when I received an invitation to try the newly opened Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant at the New Glorietta mall, I immediately replied with a big and happy YES! YES! YES! Just a side note, on our way to the restaurant, Paul and I were amazed at how pretty the new Glorietta mall was. I know we've just been away for a mont...

"What's new here?" That was the first thing I asked my sister when she picked us up from the airport a few days ago. Pan exactly knew what was the new  that I was referring to and she filled me in on the newly opened restaurants that have been creating buzz around town. As she spoke, I was busy listing down the restaurants as I can't afford to miss out on a great restaurant to try given my very short visit. One of the newest restaurant was just located just a stone's throw away from home. It's called Guevarra's and Chef Rolando Laudico is the man behind it. I really admire Chef Laudico and I'll never forget the night when I dined at Bistro Filipino a few years ago. Unlike Bistro Filipino though, this one has no a la carte menu and it's a complete buffet service restaurant. I wasted no time and immediately invited my friends D and S out for our much-awaited catch up dinner at Guevarra's . It's a good thing that D was able to make ...

People always have this misconception that girls spend more money in shopping that guys do. I definitely beg to differ. Shopping to girls is like a good diet, yes we do shop more frequently but for most women, we spend less in terms of peso/dollar value than our better half does. Just like eating, we eat more frequently but we take in smaller quantities each time. Paul and I are not major shopaholics as we only hit the malls here in Manila whenever we need  to. It's a different case in Singapore though as we spend more time at the mall to eat, do our grocery shopping and to familiarize ourselves with our new location. Going back to shopping, Paul rarely buys anything but when he does, it's something that he has thought long and hard about it. We all know that he is truly passionate and is talented in photography and that alone is a big investment already. While other guys his age would probably spend money on watches, shoes or toy cars, he has his eyes set on his camera a...

We're back in Manila for a really quick visit and I was so thrilled to see a couple of surprises waiting for me at home. Here's a quick note of thanks to the kind folks who sent these yummy treats to me! Jollibee Tuna Pie It's lent and I practice abstinence. This means that I stay away from eating meat every Friday. I got to admit though that I've cheated once twice when we were in Singapore. It couldn't help it, the mouthwatering plate of Boneless Hainanese Chicken Rice was calling out my name. Kidding aside, I really tried but was faced with two circumstances that I just had to have that piece of juicy pork/chicken/beef sitting in front of me. Anyway, I hope I'll be able to stick to my sacrifice now that I'm back home at the moment. I was so happy to receive this pail filled with Jollibee Tuna Pie . Aside from the Jolly Hotdog and Burger Steak, this is one of my Jollibee favorites. I'm so happy there's a Jollibee branch in Singapore that...

Back then, our birthday celebrations would normally be held at American bar and grills like Chili's or Friday's. Those were the days where we would get drunk over bottomless iced tea and fill our tummies with unlimited tortilla chips, chicken fingers and pasta. We're indeed getting older are starting to have a more *ahem* refined and mature taste. Best Friends since 1996! (We miss Cami!) This year, my best friends have been celebrating their birthdays quite differently. It began with Estee's  birthday dinner at Beso Cucina Vinoteka where we traded in our usual bottomless iced teas with a carafe of Sangria. After Estee, it was Trina who turned a year older. We celebrated her birthday at Galileo Enoteca Deli located at the Eastwood Citywalk . I've been to Galileo Enoteca Deli 's branch in Mandaluyong a few years back. I remembered enjoying their cheese and cold cuts platter very much. Thus, I was very excited when Tre told me that we're having dinner...

Paul and I are fans of deal sites. I guess, it's quite obvious given the amount of restaurants that I've reviewed already after purchasing a discount coupon from Deal Grocer , my favorite deal site. We love it because we see it as a win-win solution. We both love to try new restaurants and when we get an offer that will allow us to dine for just a fraction of the regular price, we both agree that it's worth a shot. In case the food turns out to be bad, then at least we won't feel so bad for wasting our hard-earned money over it. If it turns out to be really good, then we go home feeling like champions. As such, it has been a habit for us to check Deal Grocer on a weekly basis. A few months ago, we spotted an offer that will finally allow us to try the much talked about steak of The Fireplace in Hyatt Hotel & Casino Manila . We've tried all of the other food establishments in the hotel except for this one. I guess, we were just waiting for the right time...

Paul and I love sandwiches. Back when we were dating, there was actually a period then when we would go to Subway every so often and share a footlong sandwich. Our staple variant was the one with shredded kani sticks with mayonnaise. We loved it so much that we were both so sad that they decided to remove it from the menu permanently. I guess our regular patronage wasn't enough to keep it up on the menu board for a long period of time. Aside from Subway, we also love bun sandwiches -- beefy burger for him, crunchy and deep-fried fish sandwich for me. However, when it comes to Cheesesteak sandwiches , there's only one place in Manila that has won our hearts and loyalty. That's the Cheese Steak Shop along Amorsolo street in Makati . More than a year ago, we first visited The Cheese Steak Shop back in their first location along Arnaiz road . The move wasn't too drastic as they literally moved just a few block away. This store had more parking spaces but it can still b...

This year, my friends and I are turning 31! I'm still in major denial that I'm no longer in my 20s and I'm getting inch by inch closer to the big 4-0! Oh nooooo?!?! Well, age is indeed just a number and what matters is you are still young at heart. Agree? Last January, we celebrated Estee's birthday by having an intimate dinner just us girls. We had it at the newly opened Beso Cucina Vinoteka at the Bonifacio Highstreet Central . Aside from ramen, more and more Spanish restaurants are opening left and right. I'm not complaining though as I loveeee good paella and a wide array of tapas. Estee's birthday celebration began with a carafe of Red Sangria to toast for a fun and fab year ahead for my dear friend. I'm no drinker but I liked the sweet and mild taste of the sangria. To go with our drink, we had a couple of tapas to get our meal started. Estee ordered the Gambas (Php. 380) and I have to say that this had to be the biggest gambas shrimp that I...

Who would have thought that you can actually find really good food at the 2nd floor of a business hotel that's located right at the heart of the Ortigas Central Business District (CBD)? That was one of our realizations after having such a yummy lunch at Mesclun in Linden Suites last January. Last January, Paul and I have been eating out non-stop with friends and family who were so sweet to spend some quality time with us. I actually wasn't planning to say yes to dining invitations anymore given the state of our social schedule. However, the girls behind Mesclun were just so sweet (and persistent hehe) that we just have to say YES to their email/Twitter/Facebook invite (beat that!) . Well, I honestly am glad I did.  We have been to Linden Suites before to attend a work-related event as well as to be surprised by our own friends and my sister as they threw us a joint bridal/stag party in one of their suite rooms a few years ago. What I love about Linden Suites is t...

Once in a while, a food blogger has to let go of her spoon, fork and chopsticks and to start getting domesticated outside the kitchen (and the dining room). A few months ago, the sweet lady behind Lady Satin sent me a box of white pillowcases for Paul and I to try. I honestly really didn't think much about it as I thought it was just one of those pillowcases found in any home store. It took us a while to use it as initially kept it in our storage box and waited for the right time to open it. Well, the right time came recently when we moved to our new home  and I figured that it would be nice to start using some of our new bedroom linens as well. On our first night here, I was surprised at how good it felt on my face. I grew up using cotton pillowcases and it was only when I began using these satin pillowcases that I realized how much better these are compared to the ones I've been using for the past 30 years of my life!

Summer is here! I can't believe it's already March which means we're almost done with the 1st quarter of 2013. Time is running on high speed, don't you think? Anyway, with the heat getting to be more intense outside, all the more I crave for cold desserts. Ice cream, yogurt and our ever-popular halo-halo. Just the thought of it is making me miss Manila more and more. *sigh* Aside from my dessert bar staples such as creme brulee and a scoop of ice cream, I am also a big fan of crepes. I tell you, I can have crepes at anytime of the day. The savory ones for breakfast, lunch or dinner and the sweet fruity ones in between. This is also why my family and I frequent our neighborhood creperie a whole lot ever since it opened its doors to the public. Let's just say, that's our way of giving our all out support in hopes that it'll be there to serve us forever and ever. During one of our not-so-frequent trips to the SM Mall of Asia , Paul, Joan (a.k.a. Mrs. Fo...

Hello my dear readers, I know I haven't been very regular in updating this blog. You see, Paul and I recently have temporary relocated to the Lion City and we have been extremely busy getting used to a whole new life here. Thankfully, we're doing very well and I, personally, have become used to and do appreciate the morning and afternoon long walks to and from the nearest bus station. I'm finally getting that much-needed exercise that I've been forever evading in Manila. Yes, I can hear my Mommy thanking the BIG GUY that I'm finally getting more physical activity. Haha! It's no secret that I miss Manila very much and while I may be in the land of Hainanese Chicken and Char Kuey Teows , I do miss food back home. Luckily though, I still have a month-long worth of Manila food stories to share with all of you. Once in a while, I'll inject some entries on my food discoveries here too. Meanwhile, let's stay in touch okay? One way is to like my Facebook...