Frannywanny

I love going to coffee shops and cafes! The strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the buttery sweet scent of pancakes and just that over-all laid back feel. What makes it even more fun is when you walk into a coffee shop that screams "take a photo of me" in every nook and cranny! In today's social media speak, I'd say... it's totally Instagram-worthy ! Recently, I've been going crazy over this new foodie app that allows me to buy credits and to bid for a certain dish for as low as $1! I've been so hooked with it for days that one of the things that I bought was a $2.60 voucher for a glass of Iced Coffee from  Doi Chaang Coffee  in Clementi. I'll tell you more about this app in my succeeding entries but for now let's focus on the coffee shop, shall we?

It's Wednesday and that just means we're halfway through the week! Seriously, seeing how your work week goes is pretty much the same as whether you see a glass of water half-empty or half-full. I'd rather take the more positive side and focus on the fact that weekend is near! While we both love our careers, there are just days when you find the need to chill. Not that you have no work to do but rather, work has become so crazy that you just need that 5...10...minute breather to say  "stop the world, I'm going on a break!"  Paul and I had that kind of moment a few weeks ago and it was just perfect timing that we got an invite to check out Club Meatballs  in China Square Central. Now, how cool is that?! We got there quite early. Too eager to eat and drink already, I guess. Our meal began with a glass of martini each. We went on a Tuesday and they were having a Martini Night promotion where you can enjoy a glass of martini for just S$10! We had the Coff...

Now back to one of my Manila food adventures! As Paul had to fly back to Singapore earlier for work, I stayed behind a few more days to spend more time with family. So, on my FIL a.k.a. Daddy's actual birthday, we went out for a nice family dinner to celebrate his special day. Luckily, we also managed to do a grander birthday party a few days in advance just so the entire family's complete. The initial plan was to try a new restaurant in the Kapitolyo area but it started to drizzle and with most restaurants fully booked, we decided to just head to the mall. Mommy then suggested we dine at Tuan Tuan Chinese Brasserie . I've been there once and I loved it. Well, guess what?! It has been one of my in-law's favorite places to dine in too!  Remember, when in doubt...go Chinese! It was quite late already so everyone was feeling hungry. That said, we surely ordered a LOT! One thing that I love about my MIL is the fact that she loves to eat and try new things as much as I...

Gimme FIVE ! To celebrate five years of (okay, I'm saying it now...so Paul, read this --->) marital bliss, we made reservations for a nice dinner date at Marriott Cafe . Trust me, planning for this day took two-weeks worth of research, several shortlists created and a couple of discussions here and there. We seriously went from "what if we go for steak dinner at _____" to "let's try French or Italian instead" and so on. Since we both wanted so many things and we found it really difficult to make one final choice, we agreed to try the famous Marriott Cafe Dinner Buffet which specializes in seafood, steak and a wide-variety of cuisines too. Of course, hubby immediately agreed as he also got a 1-for-1 deal at Marriott Cafe from his Entertainer App  too! I married a smart guy, huh? We got to Marriott Hotel just right on time for our 8pm reservation and were quickly ushered to our table. First things first, I did a quick scan of the buffet line. Would...

We all know that Metro Manila is literally bursting with so many restaurants, cafes, eateries and foodie spots found all over the 16 cities and 1 municipality of the region. I've lived there for 20+ years of my life and I can say that I still have a lifetime to go if I seriously want to try at least half of all the restaurants available. Despite the big number, when it comes to dining out with my family to celebrate a special occasion, we would always have just a handful of choices to choose from. Don't look at me. I'm not the only  picky eater in the family! Obviously, my picky taste must have originated from somewhere , right? ;) As the person who frequents the very few places that he loves to dine in, my Dad has quite a growing list of requirements whenever we go out to celebrate someone's birthday or a family milestone. Clean ambiance? Check! Delicious, high quality food? Check! Serves steak or beef? Check check check! So far, Mario's Restaurant has passed...

Mommy and Pan came to visit me and Paul a month ago and I tell you, those were the best and most fun days that I've had here in the Lion City. I really love it when family comes to visit. As much as I also love being back home in Manila, it's nice to be able to share bits and pieces of my life here with the people I love the most. Of course, that includes taking them to some of my favorite restaurants, my favorite shopping malls and more. So, first on the agenda was to take them bargain shopping at Bugis . As we were shopping at Bugis+, we chanced upon Genki Sushi . This is a casual sushi restaurant with a really cute concept. We've known sushi restaurants to have the traditional conveyor belt where you can just pull out plates after plates of sushi. What makes Genki Sushi unique is that each other is prepared minutes after you place the order. Given that, you're assured of having fresh sushi all the time.

One thing that I love about Singapore is the fact that it's a growing melting pot of cultures and races. During my 2 years ++ stay here, I've learned a lot more about the Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Thai and of course, the Singaporean culture. Working in a multi-national company has also allowed me to interact with my colleagues from all over the world! In exchange, I would happily share stories and information about our very own Pinoy culture and practices too. It's the Ramadan season where our Muslim friends would fast from sunrise to sunset. One thing that I really admired their sacrifice for as I can't imagine skipping a meal, much more not eating or drinking the entire day. After a full day of fasting, then comes the iftar which starts by breaking the fast by having sweet dates followed by prayers and a hearty and delicious meal. Every year, the district of Geylang Serai comes alive during this season. At 4pm every day up until the day before Hari Raya, food...

"How do you do it?" A friend of mine asked me this question a month ago when I told her that Paul and I will be celebrating our 5th year today. Time flies when you're having fun but I'll have to tell you with all honestly that it wasn't always a free and easy ride as how they would portray it in movies. Marriage, I realized, entails hard work. Well, I guess, as with anything in life, you have to work hard for what you want and I'm glad that both Paul and I want a long-lasting marriage so everyday, we work really hard for it.  Throughout this journey, there have been some tears, a million kisses and a thousand hugs. " Love is patient, love is kind ." That was what was etched onto our candle holder which I hastily bought the day before our wedding. Not really thinking much about what it meant but more because it has a pretty design. Today, that saying embodies our relationship.  Mommy would say that you'll get to learn more things abo...

On the last day of my ninja-mode visit to Manila, I was able to find a bit of free time in between running last-minute errands. The first person I thought of calling was obviously my best friend L. Of course, I started by apologizing for the very sudden invite but L quickly told me to stop being silly for apologizing and we agreed to meet up for some catching up over afternoon tea. It's funny how a lot of things have changed over the past two years that I somehow feel like a tourist in my very own country. Gone are the days when I can quickly rattle off all the latest or must-tries food places all over Metro Manila. Today, I would rely on my family or my friends to recommends places for us to try. I'm glad though that they all have very good taste in food so that means we get to have endless yummy meals whenever we're back home. L and I agreed to meet at The Bunny Baker . I saw this days before our meet-up when Mommy and I were on our way to Quezon City. The pink cutesy...

Singapore's 50th Birthday is coming next month and celebrations to mark this milestone are already being organized left and right. In the culinary front, we have the Singapore Restaurant Month which started on the 1st of July and will run until the 10th of August 2015. Celebrating SG50 is all about being proud of being a Singaporean, of living and residing  in Singapore and it's also about giving focus on what Singapore is all about. Truth to be told, I thought that every single thing that we can find here in the Lion City are imported goods. Even our water, as I was told, comes from our neighbouring country Malaysia. Thus, it was easy for me to conclude that given the small land area of the country, probably it is possible that there are no local produce. Well, I was wrong. This year's Restaurant Month puts the limelight on the three main produce that you can find in Singapore -- fish, eggs and vegetables. Yup, we were surprised to know that there are actually lo...

To continue with my ninja-mode visit a couple of months ago where only a handle of friends knew that I was in town and they totally understood that I couldn't do meet-ups as all my time was solely dedicated to family. That's why I love them and that's why they're my truest and bestest friends. So, after my lunch date with Mommy dear at Oedo , the following day was spent with Pan. We had to do a couple of errands in the morning and since we were driving a coding car, we decided to just head to SM Megamall where we can stay for the time being. It's really amazing to see how the mall has quickly expanded within a year's time. Together with its expansion, there was also a boom in the number of restaurants that have opened and these are all on my list, waiting for me to try. One of those was Fireside . It was really silly of me to think that Fireside belonged to another restaurant group and it was only when I was reading the menu that I realized that it's ac...

I'm sensing a  new food trend coming to Singapore. Actually, maybe it has already arrived and it's happening right this very moment. Being a tropical country, cooling down with a cup of (you name it) gelato, yogurt or ice cream just makes perfect sense. It's the kind of food item that you can have anytime of the day. In fact, I wouldn't just classify it as a dessert as you can have your cold treat as an afternoon snack or as a nice evening night cap before heading to bed. Last Friday, Paul and I met up for a nice impromptu dinner date as we've been so busy with work these past few weeks so instead of normally heading home, cooking dinner and doing our chores, we decided to just eat out and relax. After our meal in Clementi, we walked towards the newly opened 321 Clementi Mall which, I promise you, is hard to miss. It's a tall building and you can easily spot it especially when you're taking the MRT coming from the east.

I love it whenever we have team lunches! Of course, it allows us to bond with our colleagues at a different environment outside the office and we always end up having good, yummy food too. The recent team lunch that we had was a bit bittersweet though. It was to say goodbye to two of our colleagues N and J. The initial plan was to have burgers at Potato Head Folks  but since they do not take reservations and the place was so packed, we had to look for an alternative. Luckily, Keong Saik Road is such a foodie heaven that there's a lot of food choices left and right. We simply crossed the road and found The Study . Skimming through the menu, we initially thought it was a British restaurant but apparently, it's not. Oops! :P We made a good choice though as I later found out that The Study is not your ordinary bistro. It's the brainchild of Michelin chef Jason Atherton and is part of the same group that owns the famous restaurants Esquina and Pollen here in Singapore. A...

We're halfway through the year! Time flies extremely fast, noh? Cheese & Sausage Party with the NKids! At the start of the year, I promised myself to cook more. I began with the dishes that I'm most comfortable with -- eggs, pasta, salads and sandwiches. Later on, I became more experimental by making my own pizza , creating real meals that contains meat , seafood or veggies and on certain occasions, I even tried to make some simple desserts too. To date, I can proudly say that my cooking know-how has improved greatly as I was able to gain more confidence in trying new dishes and the ones that I miss from home. One thing that I love about cooking and planning our meals is being able to try different ingredients such as sauces, spices and dips. These play a big role in helping us achieve a certain taste profile for whatever we're cooking. Let me share with you this brand that I've regularly been using throughout the months that I've been experimenting i...

I've always wanted to go to Paris . In my mind, I've envisioned it to be very laid back yet stylish. Where beautiful people would hang out at the outdoor cafes dressed in the latest fashion styles and they would leisurely enjoy their cup of coffee and some pastry. Of course, there's Angelina . One of two food places that has been on my list for years. I've heard about Angelina's famous Hot Chocolate and had a taste of a replica years back. The replica was pretty good so I had extremely high expectations for the real thing. Visiting Paris might come in the next few years but luckily, Angelina came to me earlier than expected. Angelina opened its first Southeast Asian store here in Singapore just a month ago at very posh Capitol Galleria (beside Capitol Piazza). Its opening has been much awaited by all local food-lovers including yours truly and my hubby Paul. So, last Sunday, we met up with our friend D for Afternoon Tea. D got to the restaurant earlier than ...