Frannywanny

Experts often say that the secret to losing weight is to remember the 80/20 rule. Well, okay, there are several variations to this -- 90/10, 75/25 and it goes on and on. However, it all points to the same principle -- losing weight is a mix of 80% diet and 20% exercise . I learned this the hard way and I am still learning about this now. No amount of slaving on the treadmill will ever be enough without a healthy and balanced diet. That doesn't say though that you shouldn't exercise. Exercise improves your blood circulation, it burns off all the unwanted fat and it makes you feel young and happy. We're all for eternal youth and happiness so yes, do not forget to exercise.  Okay, now we talk about DIET . This is something that has been quite a challenge especially for food bloggers and lovers like me who believes that the secret to happiness is to eat like there's no tomorrow. Okay, that's an exaggeration but a quick browse through my social feed will tell you that

From the name itself -- Caviar Pie -- immediately brings forth the feeling of being part of the higher social class where women and men would gather (pre-pandemic, of course) to socialize over expensive wine and cocktails and enjoy hors d'oeuvres served in small containers or on top of the daintiest crackers or crostinis. If we go back in time, it's giving me images of being one of the ladies of the Bridgerton  families as they would be waiting in their sitting room and would lady-likely spread just the right amount of Caviar Pie on top a piece of crackers. Forgive me as I was obviously Netflix bingeing all year thus the multiple reference to some of Netflix' biggest shows. If you haven't watched Bridgerton, well then, I highly recommend for you to do so.  Okay, going back to Caviar Pie . This is probably one of my favorite snack to have. It's simple to make but what makes it special are the premium ingredients found inside. In fact, it's like the classier, ver

  " A party without cake is just a meeting." - Julia Child Well-said by one of my favorite cooking icons. *applause applause*  I do believe in this saying and for me, my birthday will never complete without cakeS. Yes, plural. I really love having a lot of cakes and while yearly, my family knows this already so we would have at least 2 cakes to enjoy. There are years wherein I'd get 3 or 4. However, this year was probably extra special despite being on lockdown (it was the first day of GCQ exactly on my birthday) as I got not 1, not 2, but 6 amazing cakes which we all enjoyed and shared with the rest of the family during my birthday! I was so touched with all the love and sweetness from my friends and family. One cake that stood out was this. It was from Hearts and Bells  who are very popular in the wedding scene as they specialize in creating wedding/tinghun/customized cakes. In fact, they have been my sister's go-to cake supplier as they made her wedding cake and th

I got to admit that if there's anything that I can't live without.. then it would have to be my air condition. I can't really have a restful sleep if I'm not in a cool, well-ventilated room and somehow the low humming sound of the air con easily lulls me to sleep. I remembered when I was much younger, my family took a trip to Tagaytay, which, as we all know, is known for having a cooler climate as compared to Metro Manila. It was around the -ber months so the temparature would really drop especially at night. Given that, my parents decided not to open the AC in our hotel room and instead "enjoy the cool breeze of the place." Oh my! I couldn't sleep well that night and I just had to ask my parents if we can open the aircon or I'd end up looking like a zombie the next day. It's amazing to see how technology and even our basic home appliances have evolved through time. Back then, aircon units tends to be really noisy and they would have this manual

Sunny Day Sweepin' the clouds away On my way to where the air is sweet Can you tell me how to get? How to get to Sesame Street This song has been our household background music every single weekday morning 30 plus years ago. With just the opening tune, my sister Pan and I would rush over in front of the TV and sit there quietly for the next 30 minutes. In fact, that's the only time we would watch TV and after the show is over, we'd continue with our pretend game of bahay-bahayan  or teacher teacher . Back in the day, we didn't had YouTube so that's pretty much the only screen time we get and we didn't mind at all. My favorite character has always been Cookie Monster followed by the duo Bert and Ernie . Unfortunately, I was never fond of feathered animals so Big Bird somehow terrifies me. For some reason, Elmo wasn't so popular then instead we had Oscar the Grouch who lives in a trash bin and Count Dracula who taught us how to count. One metal stra

First of all, this is not  a sponsored post but rather an appreciation post. A few weeks ago, I made a shoutout on my personal Facebook page asking my friends for their recommendation on where I should have my new glasses made. You see, I've been visiting the same optical shop from the time I first had my glasses when I was about 10 years old. Over time, we've been going back for grade adjustments, change of frames and so on. However, the past decade has been crazy busy for me! I got married, moved to another country, had my babies and well I barely had time to really change my frames. The least that I would do is to update my lenses since well, I won't be able to visually function properly with bad lenses, right? It was only lately that I took a close look at my frames and boy do they need some upgrade. Within minutes, messages came pouring in with recommendations and I'd say... 90% of the responses said the same thing. OWNDAYS . I am very familiar with this

"Dear xxx, You'll always have the biggest PIZZA my heart." "To my one and only, I PEPPERON-ly have eyes on you." "My love, you had me at PIZZA." Sounds cheesy? Well, you are allowed to be as cheesy as you want this Valentines Day (all the way up to this weekend) and surprise your special someone with a box of pizza too! That's what I did as Paul and I opted to stay home with our twins on this special day. 

I'm a huge fan of mille crepes. There's really something about that dainty looking cake that's made out of thin layers (and by layers I mean a LOT of it) of crepes sandwiched in between a delicate cream filling and usually topped with fruits. I would remember how Paul and I would always end our weekend dates at Singapore's Lady M which has been our go-to cake place when we need some sugar rush. Which reminds me, I have yet to talk about that in this blog. *sigh* Now, can you guys imagine my bloglag? We're talking years delay here! Anyway, since we got back, we've been searching for a good cake place similar to our beloved Lady M . Then, we discovered Paper Moon . It's funny how things have a way of making itself known to you if it's meant to be. Like I've mentioned, Paul and I love mille crepes but this is one thing that we never really told anyone in the family. It was pure coincidence that my MIL gave us a huge box of Mango Mille Crepe for our

If there's one thing my one year old twins are starting to show great interest in, it's unboxing with Mommy whenever there's a new package that gets sent out way. The sight of a mysterious-looking box most especially one wrapped in a big bow never fails to make them clap with happiness and quickly crawl/baby walk towards me. Sometimes, I would patiently wait for them to wake up from their nap in order for us to unbox the package together. Oh how I wish they'll never get tired doing this with me even as they grow up. That said, I shall start a new series in this blog where I will be featuring the different boxes/packages that my twins and I have unboxed and their genuine reaction towards it coupled with my  personal thoughts about the product too. Thus, I present you my first entry under "Unboxing with the #AngTwins" . Tadaahhhh!

It's been a while since my last trip to Hong Kong and even that was the quickest visit that I've ever had. I can't remember much about that trip as we basically were there for a client meeting so it was a blurry shuttle from the airport to our hotel to the client's office and a mad dash back to the hotel to catch out flight to Singapore. Prior to that, my last leisure trip to Hong Kong was back in 2011 if I'm not mistaken. I think it's time for a return soon. Read: At a Glance : Hong Kong   and Hong Kong Itinerary Must Haves When you say Hong Kong , images of delicious Cantonese food quickly comes to mind. The best dim sum creations and the most succulent and savory roast meats too. You can literally eat your way around Hong Kong and would still continue to want more. One thing that you shouldn't miss is Hong Kong's roast goose or duck. A very simple dish paired with a bowl of warm white rice. The best ones can actually be found on random alleys an

It's been four years since my last dinner at Blackbird yet it was one of the most memorable too. I remembered flying home to celebrate Papa's birthday and who would have thought that a year after that, my dear Ama (grandmother) would be leaving us . *sniffle* Needless to say, I'm glad that I was able to spend time and have several meals with her while she was still with us. Even then, Ama was already weak. Having difficulty in walking, I remember how we have to slow down our pace and take smaller steps so as not to tire her out despite how short the walk may be. One thing that I will remember the most about my Ama is how appreciative she has always been. She always have something nice to say about everyone and it's not surprise then why we all love her to bits...making her passing so hard on us too. I remember how she would always be so excited whenever we take her out for a meal saying that I always take her out to nice, delicious restaurants. Often times I would w

It's been a year since we bid beautiful Singapura farewell . I got to say that I really do miss our life back in Singapore where everything is simply so efficient and definitely so so so safe. Back then, I've envisioned a life where Paul and I would be raising our baby in Singapore. Take note, baby. Singular. Guess, He has a different plan for us when He blessed us not only with one but two beautiful babies which also means me temporarily bidding the corporate world good bye and us, relocating back home to be closer to family. Aside from the over-all peace and security, I do miss the food and people in Singapore. Luckily though, one of my favorites has opened already two branches here in Manila! Hello Paradise Dynasty . Away from Mommy and Daddy duties  To celebrate the birthday of our Pareng A , we took a break from our Mommy and Daddy duties to have dinner with our foodie friends. ( side story: L wasn't very happy about this and ended up crying her heart out

"Fed is Best" This is one thing that I constantly remind myself ever since the twins were born. Let's admit it, from the moment you deliver your baby, the hospital will constant encourage you to breastfeed. Okay, so breastfeeding sure has a lot of benefits both to the mother and to the baby. I personally felt so glad that I was able to express my colostrum as soon as my twins were born. Somehow, it gave me this sense of validation that I am doing a good job as their Mommy. Fast forward to today, my twins have been latching on to me and I've been pumping for 7 whole months. I never thought I'd come this far. Breastfeeding sure has its benefits and it has its downside too. One is my mobility as a mom. My twins are so used to having me around that L, for instance, would scream her head off at night if she doesn't sleep latched on to me. That said, I haven't had a decent night out since they were born. One time, Paul and I went out to attend a friend'

Summer in the Philippines means having to survive the warm weather. We're talking about having temperature in the high 30s with real feel in the 40s. In fact, I'm typing this with two electric fans blowing on my face with warm air coming out. This is the perfect season to cool down with a bowl of ice cream and by that, let me talk about one of my favorite local ice cream brands -- Merry Moo ! I've been a huge fan of Merry Moo  back when they started at Mercato Central . I would always go for their Sea Salt Caramel while manning my own stall then. Just recently, I discovered that they also sell lactation ice cream which were equally as yummy too! This summer, I tried two more flavors -- Scandalously Chocolate  and Avocado . Not together as they taste so different from one another but as a good after meal treat every day. The Scandalously Chocolate  is every chocoholic's dream. Made from 65% dark, single origin pure chocolate from Davao. It has a velvety smooth g

So, for Mommies like me who's up at the wee hours of the morning while feeding a sleepy and hungry baby...what do you do? Stare at your baby's face? Stare into space? Surf the internet? I've done all of that and even once attempted to blog but I was just so scared to squish my baby which will surely wake her up in the process. Believe me, a startled baby who suddenly wakes up because of sudden movements is not a happy baby and you wouldn't want a wailing, unhappy baby at 3 in the morning. Thankfully there's my phone and Instagram. I normally would scroll through my feed to see what my friends are up to. For some reason, I always stop at my friend Spanky's post who shares mouthwatering "food porn" shots (and random sexy girls photos too for the interest of all the men out there hehe). Spanky has been my dessert guru as of late. Since I gave birth and officially joined the no-sleep club, I love seeing Spanky's photos of cakes, cookies and wha

"Twin A out at 6:36AM" "Twin B out at 6:37AM" Despite how groggy I was so early in the morning of 25 October 2017, these two statements were heard loud and clear by everyone in the operating room and these marked the start of a new chapter of my life. I'm finally and officially a Mommy. For months leading up to my delivery, I would try to imagine how that moment would actually be. I honestly thought I'd cry. Well, I didn't. In fact I didn't say a word as I was barely conscious but I caught Paul's eye right at the moment we first heard J's cry followed by L's and all I saw was love... pure, unconditional love and happiness. Our first month as parents was unfortunately not an easy walk in the park. It began with our babies having to be admitted in the NICU for two weeks as they were born underweight. I was on my one-month ge lai where I wasn't supposed to go out and I have to keep myself warm but I seriously pushed all these prac

Next to Chinese and Japanese cuisines, my family also has a growing fondness for Korean food. For instance, we all love adding kimchi to our barbecued meats, the wide array of banchan never fails to excite us and pajeon, bibimbap and galbi jim will always be part of our order line-up. So, when I heard that a new Korean restaurant named Sibyullee recently opened at the relatively new Ayala Malls The 30th in Pasig, I took the opportunity to invite my parents out for lunch one day. It was all our first time to check out the mall and I got to say that I love the very relaxed, neighborhood vibe that it gives. The selection of restaurants and retail shops were quite impressive too not to mention that they even have a Rustans Supermarket available at the Ground Floor and a row of cinema at the top floor to complete the mix.

I'll never forget having one of the best meals in Manila right before relocating to Singapore some four years ago. It was at Mesclun Cafe at Linden Suites where I fell deeply in love with Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara's Ulang Thermidor and Sisig Spaghetti . In fact, I've been a fan of Chef Katrina's cooking from her Cuillere days followed by her amazing sandwiches at Chuck's Deli . Everything that comes out from her kitchen never fails to leave me in such a dreamy, happy state. So, when I got an invite to visit Aruga Cafe by Mesclun at the Rockwell Center, I made sure not to miss it! This time, Chef Katrina and her team leads the full operation of the hotel's in-house F&B establishment and she has prepared a varied menu for breakfast and for lunch and dinner too. Dining here should definitely be part of the to-do list of all hotel guests. It would definitely be a waste to not dine here and enjoy Chef Katrina's mouthwatering dishes. Our lunch be

Isn't it amazing how taste can evoke a myriad of emotions? Just like in the movie Ratatouille where one single bite can bring back a lot of memories for a particular person. No matter how far back that memory may have been, there are just moments when one familiar taste can take us back to a certain point in our lives where we have tasted the same thing and together comes a good story to be told. For instance, Paul and I remember growing up enjoying a particular refrigerator pound cake which we would have as an afternoon snack. While we didn't grew up together, it's funny how we have a lot of similar childhood memories most especially when it comes to food. Somehow, it's like we have been living parallel lives from the very beginning. So, when we got this beautiful box from Kumori Philippines , we were so excited to give it a try! One thing that I love about anything Japanese is how they make everything soooo pretty! Look at the box down to the actual product, it

One thing that we love about staying at Seda Nuvali is it's proximity to a wide variety of food and retail establishments. You can literally walk over to Solenad or if walking is not your thing, it's literally a quick 2-3 minute drive. However, if you'd like to just stay in the hotel and enjoy a full R&R weekend, then you surely won't go hungry as they got Misto at the ground floor. Misto is Seda's in-house F&B outlet and it's actually not unique only to Seda Nuvali. You can see Misto across several Seda hotels all over the country. To try Misto  out, we decided to have breakfast, lunch and dinner there during our staycation weekend. Right after checking-in and resting at our room, Paul and I headed down to Misto  for lunch. They're having an on-going Bento Box promotion . It's actually a dinner promotion but we were so lucky to be given the chance to try it out at lunch. Before we got to our main dish though, Paul also got to try the