Fresh Fruits on my Yoh-Gurt

I love yogurt! Way before the popularity of the frozen yogurts a.k.a. fro-yos and those with fruit toppings came about, my family has been a big fan of Nestle's fruit yogurts and BTIC for as long as I can remember.

Imagine our joy when the sudden craze over this healthier dessert option came into the local scene. So far, I've tried the best Frozen Yogurt found in the Salcedo Market as well as the creamy Strawberry yogurt of Lulu Belle. After a brief chat with my colleague Becky last Friday, who is also a yogurt fan herself. She suggested that I should check out Yoh-Gurt Froz. What's different about this yogurt is the ice cream-like texture that makes it really smooth and creamy.

I've been thinking about it the entire day after our chat and so after a delicious birthday dinner with Paul's family, I sweetly convinced Paul to drive by the Yoh-Gurt Froz store along Tomas Morato. At half past 9, the store was filled with 3 families enjoying their dessert! While waiting, I scanned the menu board and I was a bit at a lost as to what and how to choose my yogurt. Surveying the tables, I saw bowls of colorful yogurts. I actually just wanted a plain white yogurt and a selection of fresh fruits. Again, I looked back at the menu board and tried to figure out how to order.

Thankfully, a friend server assisted me. I just told her what I wanted and specified that I want fresh and not frozen fruits. Just like magic, she produced my own cup of plain white yogurt with sliced fresh strawberries, kiwis and mangoes! Yay!

The plain white yogurt comes in two sizes: small (P80) and regular (P110). The fresh fruits on the other hand belongs to the Top-It category on the menu board. Price ranges from P5 - P10.

Finally, I have my beautiful cup of yogurt on my hand while Paul and I got a little table at the corner of the store. I must agree with Becky that it does have a different texture versus other yogurt brands. This one is a tad sweeter and creamier giving it the ice cream feel. I love eating my yogurt with either a piece of strawberry, kiwi or mango or a combination of all. I love the fact that the fruits are very fresh.

While Mr Fro-Yo man in Salcedo and pink Lulu Belle might be a bit difficult to frequent on a weekly basis, I'm glad that I found a good yogurt place that's just a short drive from home.

I can't wait to go back and have another cup of my yummy plain yogurt with fresh fruits. Ü

Yoh-Gurt Froz is located at Thompson Square along Tomas Morato corner Roces Ave. They also have brances in Robinsons Ermita, Hobbes and Landes in Bonifacio High Street and Mall of Asia.

DINOS come ALIVE in PASAY!!!

Remember the time when Jurassic Park was the biggest blockbuster film in Hollywood? When Steven Spielberg became a household name? That was also when Dinosaurs began to rule our world of imagination.

Fast forward 15 years after, dinosaurs will soon walk back to land and set foot in the Philippines...well for a month and a half that is via the Dinos Alive World Tour.

Imagine walking through a theme park surrounded with 30 life size robotic dinosaurs complete with a 30 foot T-Rex! Aside from this jaw-dropping display, adults and kids will have a great time as everyone can enjoy in fossil hunting, rock climbing and participating in games and a lot more!

This is a perfect family destination this Christmas season! See you there! RAWR!

The ‘Dinos Alive World Tour - Manila will be set up next to the SM Mall of Asia from 28th November to 11th January, 10am-10pm on weekends and 12pm-10pm on weekdays.

Tickets are available for purchase from TicketWorld by calling 891-9999 or online at www.ticketworld.com.ph. Ticket prices for adults are Php 600, kids below a meter are Php 450 and the family package costs Php 1,750 (2 adults+2 kids+1 free ticket).

*photos by Dinos Alive World Tour

It's beginning to look at like Christmas in Delifrance

Little by little, we feel the air gets colder, the day seems shorter and retail shops begin to offer their respective Christmas promotions. No matter how bad business has turned to be, one thing is for sure, Christmas is still the season where gift giving is the norm and so begins the popularity of Christmas dinners, reunions and family get-togethers. For friends and colleagues, there's the annual Kris Kringle where we pick a name from a fishbowl and we send weekly gifts in line with the theme to our "baby".

Delifrance has joined in this season's tradition by launching their My Secret Santa website, the first and biggest Kris Kringle celebration Metro Manila residents will be participating in.

Wondering how to join in the fun? It's simple, just log on the My Secret Santa website, click on Be Someone's Secret Santa, enter the required field and tadah! an email will be sent to your desired recipients within seconds. Recipients will receive a coupon which they can print out and present to any participating Delifrance store to bring home either a pack of Almond Star Cookies or Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti.

Hurry, visit the website and be someone Secret Santa today!

Participating Delifrance branches: AIM Conference Center, Glorietta, Insular Life Bldg, RCBC Plaza, SM Makati, Ayala Tower 1, Valero Makati, Zeta Building Legazpi Village Makati, Robinsons Place Manila, U.N. Avenue, Festival Supermall, Alabang Town Center, SM Mall of Asia, The Podium, C5 Libis, St. Luke's, Greenhills Theater Mall, Roosevelt Greenhills, Philippine Heart Center, Shell SLEX Southbound, Shell SLEX Northbound, Shell NLEX, NAIA - Domestic, NAIA 2 - International, NAIA - Old Domestic, NAIA 3, and International School Manila.

Give in to Giving this Christmas (Part 2)

Previous entry: Give in to Giving this Christmas (Part 1)

Before we rush out to begin yet another coffee overdose session, let us get to know the twelve organizations that you can support this Yuletide Season:

1) Kagabay - stands for Kababaihan Gabay sa Bayan is an organization that helps women improve on their livelihood skills and in the process empowers them as well.

2) Caritas Manila - this is the leading social arm of the Archdiocese of Manila and is geared toward total human development for the urban poor.

3) PAWS

4) Bahay Tuluyan - is an NGO established to help street children who are seen in the red light district of Malate.

5) Haribon - is dedicated to the conservation of the Philippine biodiversity

6) Cartwheel Foundation

7) Kythe

8) Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) - is a group who helps patients with Autism and empowers them to become self-reliant, productive and socially accepted members of the community.

9) Philippine Cerebral Palsy - assists and aids cerebral palsy patients in the country.

10) Philippine Band of Mercy - provides help to Filipinos disfigued at birth with the opportunity to avail of medical help and support for reconstruction, rehabilitation and medical consultation.

11) Resources for the Blind - has set up a center that ensures that all blind students have access to all the same information that the sighted students have in order for a successful integration into a regular school someday.

and last but never the least...

12) The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) - has been relentlessly instilling a culture of corporate citizenship in its member-companies. It continues to deliver long-term business interests side by side improving the lives of the Filipinos.

So what are you waiting for?

Tis is definitely the season of loads of coffee drinking. From the elegant-looking planners of the Green Siren to CBTL's notebooks for a very good cause, it looks like all of Manila (and the entire Philippines) will be wide awake this Christmas Season.

Ho Ho Ho!!!

*photos by Paul Ang

Give in to Giving this Christmas (Part 1)

Last Wednesday, I took a break from my regular visit to the Green Siren to attend an event organized by its friendly neighbor otherwise known as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL).

Paul and I made it to their store at the Bonifacio Highstreet on time but we were surprised to see the store already buzzing with people. Most of the tables were already filled up and as we inch our way in saying hello to fellow bloggers, I began to wonder what was going on.

We took a closer look around and realized that on each table sat a couple of representatives from various NGOs and organizations in the metro. There's Paul's favorite organization named PAWS, which is a group that fights against animal cruelty and alleviate these animals from pain, fear and suffering from maltreatment. Then there's the Cartwheel Foundation which stands firm on its advocacy to bring education to the country's indigenous communities. They focus on Early Development Education which involves kids from 2-7 years of age. I also saw a couple of representatives from Kythe who reaches out to kids with cancer and who makes sure that the children continues to make the most of their young lives.

These are just three of the more popular organizations that Paul and I have easily identified and have a little bit of knowledge about. As we helped ourselves to a couple of sandwiches and pastries prepared by CBTL, we moved around the store and began chatting with more organization heads from groups such as the Philippine Cerebral Palsy Inc and Kagabay. Personally, I was so moved and inspired during my chat with these two organizations because I can't believe that people would actually leaves their corporate jobs to be able to create a bigger mark on the community by further reaching out to help a cause. Our discussion were interrupted when we were told that the program is about the start.

Funny and lively host RJ Ledesma, welcomed everyone and explained why there were twelve organizations present that evening. This year, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is launching their newest holiday campaign entitled The 12 Cups with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Give in to Giving Promo and they are encouraging everyone to join.

The mechanics is simple: A customer gets a ticker card with 12 boxes corresponding to a drink assignment specifically: 3 Ice Blended beverages, 3 Espresso-based drinks, 3 Tea Lattes ad 3 Double Chocolate Drink.

Once the card has been completed, the customer gets a chance to choose which organization they would like to support and as CBTL's token of gratitude, the customer will receive a Limited Edition notebook and a certificate recognizing the customer's contribution to the organization.

How's that for a perfect holiday charity project? I was definitely impressed by two things: First, the fact that they will give the customers the chance to choose which organization to support and Second, the beautiful notebooks bearing the artworks of 12 different local artists.

During my brief chat with Mr. del Rosario, I can't help but express how impressed I was with the project. I firmly believe that choosing an advocacy to support is a very personal thing. By giving the customers 12 different organizations to choose from, it makes their contribution more meaningful and is done whole-heartedly.

*photos by: Paul Ang

Next: the 12 organizations that you can support this Christmas

Stock up on great beauty finds this Season!

Random Thoughts from a Bag Person : My Bratpack story

I've been using a bag for as long as I can remember.

From the time I was a baby, my parents would lug around a cutie baby bag that would contain my bottles, milk powder, pacifier and a couple more essential items. As a young child, I would drag my trusty, highly durable stroller as I go in and out of school. In high school, there was my red canvass Jansport bag that I would oh-so-casually sling over my left shoulder in what I thought made me look very cool. In that bag, I had my Nokia 5110 cellphone, a jumbo stainless bullet tumbler, my Lisa Frank binder and the cutest neon pens found in National Bookstore. Oh, how I love my school supplies back then.

Going through college and work, I have never left home without a bag. The sizes of my bags would range from the smallest leather purses to big tote bags. I would also make sure that the color of my bag won't only compliment but would perfectly match my outfit.

Then comes BratPack

At times, I would have to buy a bag that would be perfect for travelling and while going through the stores in the mall, I chance upon this small bag store at the Ground Floor of Robinsons Galleria that has a giant Jansport Bag displayed by the entrance. The name of the store is Bratpack. At first, I thought they only specialize in outdoor bags but going through their product displays, I found not only the ever-reliable Jansport but learned about other bag brands such as Timbuk2, Hedgren and a lot more. My sister also bought her slim belt bag here which proved to be very handy and useful as we combed through rows after rows of retail stalls in the Chatuchak Market of Bangkok.

Last week, Paul and I were invited to an event from Bratpack. This is to formally launch their flagship store at Greenbelt 5 which is very spacious and carries more active lifestyle brands such as Sanuk, DC, Sector9, Life is Good and many more. We were both drawn towards the cute Jansport designs and the comfy looking Sanuk beach shoes.

What made the event very interesting was the Riddle Game. The mechanics were simple. The host will say a riddle that pertains to an item. The contestant will have to guess the riddle and choose which among the 10 bags on display could the item be hidden. Ten winners will have the chance to take home their very own limited edition bag.

It took me a while to convince Paul to play for us but my budding photographer-boyfriend insisted that he prefers to just sit and take photos instead. Thus, I had no choice but to give in to my competitive spirit. Finally, I successfully was able to answer three riddles and became the first winner who'll bring home a Bratpack bag. Yipeee!!

Take a look at my brand new Timbuk2 bag...

frannywanny and BratPack's Marketing Officer, Brian Kong
It's amazing to see how BratPack as grown from that small corner store in Robinsons Galleria into their very spacious, hip-looking flagship store in Greenbelt 5. This is definitely a bag person's playground and I am so excited to visit it again to prepare for my next adventure. Ü

Bratpack has branches at Greenbelt 5, Robinsons Place Manila, Robinsons Galleria, SM CDO, SM Davao, SM The Block, SM Pampanga, SM Southmall and Ayala Cebu. You may contact them at bratpack@primergrp.com or visit their website at http://packsforbrats.multiply.com.

Mission Accomplished [Starbucks Planner 2009 #1]

Barely two weeks ago, I began my coffee drinking spree with a short non-fat Toffee Nut Latte. Today, I dropped by one of my favorite Starbucks store to proudly hand over my complete sticker cards in order to redeem a stylish, black 2009 planner.

I have been trained well by the Green Siren. Therefore, in the spirit of Christmas, I am passing on the cheer by giving my 1st planner to my sister.

And to everyone out there who's curious to see what this famous planner looks like, here are some snapshots for you to enjoy Ü

lovely black box
i love this year's theme: begin.grow.flow.
presenting Starbucks Coffee's 2009 planner
attention to detail: i love the cute antique-looking logo charm
my favorite entry page which incidentally falls on my birth month Ü
I can't wait to finally get my very own Starbucks 2009 Planner in RED!

Colorful South Africa

This year has been a very interesting gastronomic year for me!

I am blessed to be able to allow my palate to go all around the world. From my very Korean lunch, I went to Bangkok, Thailand and loved their Pad Thai and quickly jetted off to Greece and shouted OPA! with glee.

Finally, I came back to Asia and indulged in something very familiar, my taste buds flew off again to another food destination and this time it's somewhere I have very little knowledge of.

I was told that they are known for their wine and cheese selection. To be honest, the only two things I know about this country are of two icons: Nelson Mandela and Charlize Theron. Thus, how can I say no to an invite to acquaint myself with what South Africa is all about and most importantly, what are the dishes that they are most proud of.

Hosted by Chef Susina Jooste in Restaurant 9501 in ABS-CBN, my colleagues and I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Sure, I did a little bit of research by familiarizing myself with common African food terms such as Biltong (salty, spicy dried meat), Snoek (a type of fish) and Boerewors (homemade barbecued sausages) just to make sure that I won't eat anything beyond the usual types of meat.

While waiting for the event to begin, we were served with a glass of bubbly champagne. I took a small sip and I enjoyed the lightness of my first drink. It's actually a perfect meal starter.

Finally, we were led to the buffet table. Surveying the line up, I particularly grew interested on the first table which displays an array of cheese. If only my friend K were able to join us, she would probably consider this heaven. There were about 6 different types of cheeses which we enjoyed trying together with a handful of crostinis.

Moving on with our South African lunch, we can't help but take tiny servings of each dish. Everything looks so appetizing and very interesting at the same time. Needless to say, my colleague Isa and I laughed as we guiltily carried our heavy, filled to the brim plates back to the table.

Let me know you some of the dishes that were served to us...

Snoek Sambal
Appetizer of African fish mixed with onions, pepper and vinegar

Solsaties
Very much similar to a Chicken Kebab. Yummy!

Baked Butternut
Oh this is my favorite dish! I love how creamy the pumpkins were and it was so tasteful too!

Boerewors
This is the African's version of Barbecued Sausages. Though I find this a bit hard and challenging to munch on. Guess it's not my type of sausage :-/

Everything was really good and filling that I had to let go of my initial plan to grab a cup of coffee after. All I just requested for was a cup of African tea which I felt was a perfect way to end my meal.

After everyone was happily fed, Chef Susina Jooste gave a very short presentation of her hometown. I hope someday I can visit South Africa and enjoy being so close to nature where I can gaze at the sky and watch millions of stars twinkling by while enjoying a cold glass of wine and some crispy Biltong.

Here's a good news! You can still enjoy some of Chef Susina's South African dishes at Restaurant 9501 until tomorrow, November 14! Note that the restaurant is exclusive only to ABS-CBN employees but may accomodate outsider upon reservation.

Contact Restaurant 9501 at (02) 415-2272, (02) 411-1564.

Spying Over Burn After Reading [Nuffnang contest entry]

Work has been crazy and very hectic lately... Boy, I can't wait for the work week to finally end!

Checking my mails earlier, I came across one that seems to be very interesting. It wrote:

Hello Nuffnangers!

Here’s a little something for you: Brad Pitt plus George Clooney equals…?

My answer? A Girl's Dream Come True!

Thinking also that this might be a promotional email for another Ocean's movie. I was partly wrong. True, it's a promotional email for a movie but (surprise! surprise!) not for what I thought it could be.

Burn After Reading

It's actually a comedy thriller about a man named Osbourne Cox who was ousted from his position as an analyst of the CIA. He returned to his Georgetown home and to his wife Katie who was actually having an illicit affair with Harry Pfarrer (Clooney) and is actually planning to leave Osbourne for Harry. (tsk tsk tsk..)

Meanwhile, in another part of the country, Fitness Center worker Linda Litske is consumed with her life plan to undergo extensive cosmetic surgeryv and she regularly confides with her colleague Chad Feldheimer (Pitt).

And the plot thickens...

When a computer disc containing Osbourne Cox' memoirs landed in the hands of colleagues Linda and Chat who are intent to reveal their discovery. They go through adventure after adventure as the information gets spread out in a cascading series of darkly hilarous encounters.

I'm so intrigued and excited to watch the movie! Luckily, Nuffnang is kind enough to treat 50 bloggers to the advance screening on November 18, 2008 (Tuesday), 7:30pm at Robinsons Movie World in Robinsons Galleria!

I hope I will be lucky again this time as I badly need a stress-busting break ASAP!

Wish me luck!

The Burn After Reading Movie Premiere is made possible by Nuffnang Philippines Inc. in cooperation with Viva Entertainment Inc and Robinsons Movie World

*source: http://www.burnafterreading.com--live.com/

White Chocolate Happiness

I had a bad day at work yesterday.

Thinking about it just makes me sad and at some point I feel as if nothing else can cheer me up.

What was supposed to be my favorite day of the week turned out to be a really long long day.

I'm so glad when my sister finally came to pick me up.

I narrated what happened and I guess she can really feel the hurt, sadness and disappointment in my voice.

Before I knew it, she made a left and parked the car in front of a very familiar looking establishment.

We're dropping by my favorite coffee shop to get some coffee and dessert. It's funny because we haven't had dinner yet.

I stepped inside my favorite coffee shop and 3 out of the 5 baristas on duty gave me a warm welcome. They asked how my day was with outmost sincerity and concern. At that moment, I forgot just how bad it was.

My sister, on the other hand, chose the dessert. Knowing how much I love sans rival and white chocolate, it was pretty easy for her to point out what we're getting.

White Chocolate Sans Rival (Php. 120)
Taking a slice, I immediately fell in love with the perfect combination of the thin meringue layers, a mixture of nuts and the white chocolate icing. I was in White Chocolate-y Happiness!

It just goes to show that a slice of cake is the perfect remedy to a bad day.

You may grab your slice of White Chocolate Sans Rival at any Starbucks Coffee outlet nationwide. I believe that this is available only during the Christmas season which is from November 4 - January 6, 2009! Hurry!

FlapJacks: The newest breakfast nook in Greenhills

"I can eat breakfast all day long!"

This is what I'd usually tell friends and family who would wonder why am I chowing down on Eggs Benedict for lunch or I would choose Pancakes and Sausages for dinner. I guess, I am a breakfast person. Not the kind who would wake up really early but more of the one who would definitely prefer a plate filled with pancakes or waffles instead of a juicy slab of steak.

Sadly, more often than not, I would get a blank-then-followed-by-an-amused look from the waiter whenever I would sweetly ask if I can still choose from their breakfast menu even if it's time for dinner. Oh, how I love American diners that serves breakfast meals the entire day!

Luckily, a new breakfast nook called FlapJacks has recently opened in Greenhills! Said to be a part of the Bistro Group of Companies, I was really intrigued and excited to try it out!

Of course, trying out a new restaurant is more fun with the company of great friends! Thus giving me, Paul and my friends: Sab, Didi, Jane and Chris a reason to meet up one Tuesday night to catch up on our lives (and believe me, a LOT can happen in a month's time!) and to really see for ourselves what FlapJacks is all about.

The verdict?

Perhaps we should first look at the two dishes that Paul and I ordered to share:

Flapjacks Ultimate Breakfast (Php.195)
An order of the Ultimate Breakfast allows you to make LOADS of choices! First, you choose whether you want to have it with garlic rice or with 2 pieces of pancakes. Next, you choose your meat accompaniment. Would you want it with a piece of sliced Ham? Perhaps you'd go for the three crunchy strips of bacon instead or like me, you would prefer getting 4 pieces of Country Sausages. Still confused, just go with what your heart desires and enjoy your very own breakfast combination!

Paul and I got two pieces of Pancakes with the Country Sausages. We were, at first, deciding whether to get the rice instead since it would seem to go well with the egg however we were also curious and excited to try their pancakes. After all, the name FlapJacks is synonymous to pancakes. Therefore, this must be their specialty.

FlopJacks

Slicing through the two pieces of pancakes was pretty easy but as we took our first bites, we felt as though something is missing. Shouldn't it be more fluffy? Perhaps it tastes a bit stale? We're still having a hard time describing what's wrong but sadly, FlapJacks' pancakes barely met our expectations. On the other hand, I enjoyed the country sausages but it would have been better if they have removed the outer plastic covering as this can easily choke a diner who might accidentally shallow a big piece.

Open Faced Tuna Melt Sandwich (Php. 196
FlapJacks doesn't only have breakfast meals but they also offer a couple of Lunch and Dinner Specials. We followed Jane and Chris' lead and ordered the Open Faced Tuna Melt Sandwich to share.

The sandwich was served with two slices of bread with a thick spread of tuna chunks and lastly, topped with a piece of cheese and sliced tomatoes. In fairness, I enjoyed eating this one more than the Ultimate Breakfast. However, I feel that the price is a bit steep considering it's your usual tuna sandwich that was just opened up and topped with some extras.

Surveying the table, I seem to like the look of Sab's Country Fried Steak (Php. 205) and Jane's Create your own Omelette (Php. 195). Maybe we should try those on our 2nd visit as I'm obviously determined to give FlapJacks another round.

Though the food was pretty ordinary, the company definitely made up for it. We definitely had a great time listening to Sab's funny stories, getting a bit creeped out with Chris' ghostly encounters and feel excited for Achi Didi's wedding preparations. Thank God for wonderful friends :)

FlapJacks is located at the Ground Floor of the Greenhills Theatre Mall. You may call them at 584-0638-39.

Tis the season to drink more coffee (falalalala-lalalala)

For the past two years, I've had the privilege to start getting all Christmas-y as early as June. This is normally when we begin planning for the upcoming activities to perfectly bring the Christmas cheer to all Starbucks Coffee customers all over the country.

Looking back, I realized how much I love the excitement that setting up an in-store performance brings. I can still remember the first time I saw my Giant Red Cup standing tall and proud at the entrance of Starbucks 6750. Lastly, this is only the time of the year when I would allow myself to indulge in the yummiest Christmas drinks and treats at least every other day! Oh how I miss doing all those things..

However, life dictates us to move on and so I did. This year, I'm back as a loyal customer who, just like the rest of the world, made sure that I drop by my favorite coffee shop on the day that they introduced their holiday drinks namely: Toffee Nut Latte, Praline Mocha and a newcomer by the name of Dark Cherry Mocha. I surveyed the pastry case and drooled at the sight of almost a dozen new food items (the White Chocolate Sans Rival and Spinach Pie looks yummy!).

It was early in the morning and I was surprise to see a line forming inside the store by the counter. Guess I'm not the only fan here. I didn't mind the wait though as I was busy looking at the new merchandises from the sparkling red tumbler to the cute reindeer stuffed toy which I think little Julia will love.

Finally it was my turn, I gave the barista a smile and said:

I'll get a short non-fat toffee nut latte please..

She repeated my order, told me the total amount and presented me with the card that marks the start of my caffeine overdose for at least a month.

Planner Addiction

Five years ago, I was studying for an exam in my favorite Starbucks Coffee branch in Ashcreek when a friendly barista named Jen approached me and told me to come back the following day. Instinctively, I asked why. Just like how a friend would share a secret, she told me in a very quiet voice that they will be launching a really nice planner with tons of surprises inside. I love surprises and so I took her advice and went back the following day.

After buying a tall Toffee Nut Frappuccino, I was presented with a red card with a stickers on it. Jen explained that I have to collect a certain amount of sticker and soon I'll have my planner. I was hesitant at first, thinking I will never be able to complete the card.

Let's just say, I was wrong and that was the start of my Starbucks Planner addiction. Every year for four years, I proudly carry with me the planner that holds my daily schedule and scribbles on random thoughts.

It's that time of the year again, I notice that the 2009 planner sports a different look. It's simple and handy, it also comes in three different colors! I like the red planner the most because it looks very classy and stylish at the same time.

Looks like it will, once again, be a caffeinated Christmas after all!

Hairspray comes to Manila!

This is a story about a young 16-year old girl named Tracy Turnblad who dreams of being part of The Corny Collins Show, the coolest dance program on TV. Luckily, she finally got her chance and became a teen celebrity overnight. Of course, just like every story, Tracy finds herself with a dilemma as she competes against the show's reigning princess for the title Miss Teenage Hairspray 1962. Will she eventually succeed?

Based on the movie that stars Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes, Atlantis Production is staging this fun, musical story right here in Manila!

Featuring the very talented, Madel Ching as Tracy Turnblad, she will be joined by renowned actor Michael de Mesa as Edna, Dulce as Motormouth Maybelle, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Velma Von Tussle, Nyoy Volante as Seaweed J. Stubbs and a lot more.

I am so excited to watch Madel as this will be her professional theater debut and I'm sure she'll definitely impress everyone with her talent!

Hairspray is directed by Bobby Garcia, choreography by Cecile Martinez, sets and costumes by Gino Gonzales, lighting design by Shoko Matsumoto and Musical Director Archie Castillo conducts FILharmoniKA. It runs from Nov. 14 to Dec. 7 at the Star Theatre, CCP Complex. Tickets are on sale now by calling Atlantis Productions at 892-7078, 840-1187 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.

Extra plugging for my friends who are selling tickets:
November 22, 2PM show : Anton Diaz
November 28, 8PM show : Ria Go
November 29, 8PM show : Anton Diaz
December 6, 2PM show : Lorna Lopez

Oh Lulu Belle!

"Hi Fran! You should try Lulu Belle here in Rockwell, it's so pink! You'll love it."

This was the message sent to me by a friend who knows just how much I love the color pink. I quickly replied back asking her what is Lulu Belle and where exactly it's located. Thanks to my friend and fellow bloggers Anton and Lori, I found out that Lulu Belle is the newest venture of the FIC group.

"It's FIC's newest dessert place that specializes in yogurt. It's located at the top floor where the billiard and bowling center used to be"

My jaw dropped as I read my friend's reply. What?! Has it been that long since I've been to the Powerplant Mall? I'm really intrigued and excited to check both the mall and Lulu Belle out.

This afternoon, Paul and I found ourselves strolling around the mall. We made our way from the ground floor up to the newest area that houses a number of stores for kids and (perhaps even for) the kids at heart.



I love the facade of each store with tall glass doors and signages displayed up high. Right in the middle is the new Kidz Station where we saw a lot of tiny tots happily running around. Finally, I saw Lulu Belle. True enough, the store has a very clean, pink and white ambiance with a cute logo of a happy looking flying cow in between the names "Lulu" and "Belle".

We entered the store and were warmly greeted by a team of servers donning pink and white checkered aprons. I guess it was pretty obvious that it was our first time, perhaps our confused looks on the menu easily gave ourselves away. Thankfully, one helpful server offered to give us a sample of each yogurt flavor to make it easily for us to choose. Trying the strawberry, natural and green tea, I liked the strawberry yogurt the best. It has just the right amount of sweetness against the naturally sour taste of the yogurt. The green tea was a bit too powerful that I was a bit overwhelmed with the sweet, sour and bitter taste all mixed into one tiny cup. Finally, I had my chosen flavor.

The next step was to choose whether I want it served in a cup or blended as a smoothie. I figured out that I might as well get it in its natural form on my first visit.


The third and final step was to choose a topping. I'd say, this was pretty challenging. With more than twelve toppings to choose from, I had a hard time choosing just one that I ended up with two of my favorites instead: almonds and frosties.

Finally, my cup of yogurt was served:

my strawberry yogurt in a cup with frosties and almonds.
Hooray!!
Ohh..I love the creaminess of the yogurt! I really enjoyed digging into my cup as Paul and I continued our window shopping around the mall. I guess I was loving it so much and once again, it showed that Paul couldn't resist but to take a couple of scoops from the cup for himself. (hehehe)

I love you pink Lulu Belle Ü

Lulu Belle is located at the 3rd floor of the Power Plant Mall (Playground Section).