OREO Get Dunked Mall Tour

Last Sunday, Paul and I spent the afternoon playing to our heart's content. After enjoying the online games over at shareoreo.com, we were able to interact with fellow OREO lovers at the activity center of SM Megamall.

To enter, all you need is to purchase three OREO sampler packs worth P5 EACH! After which, you'll be given a coupon with four activity boxes where you and your family can enjoy.

This event reminded me of our school fair where you go from booth to booth to try the different challenges and as a reward you get to bring home more OREO sampler packs! What a great deal!

Our first challenge was the Sticky Darts where we were given three Velcro balls and we have to fit all 3 OREO cookies posted on the wall. It's so easy and everyone gets to bring home an OREO cookie for every successful hit.

Little kids may also avail of the Face Painting where they get to have cute OREO designs painted on their faces. This is a great way to declare your love for OREO!

Next challenge was the Word Game where we were given a word search sheet and we have to find all the words listed. Every complete sheet gives you 3 sampler packs! All words are related to OREO so be ready to find words such as "delicious", "chocolate", "strawberry" and a lot more!

Lastly, why not wear an OREO suit, jump up and down and dunk yourself into the Velcro Milk Wall and have your picture taken for remembrance? Watch little kids in their cute pink suit as they laugh their hearts out as they stick themselves on the inflatable wall.

Catch the next OREO Get Dunk Mall Tour in these venues:
Trinoma (September 12)
Market! Market! (September 26)
Festival Mall (October 3)

First Love

Happy Birthday to the man who first showed me what LOVE is.... my Papa.


I love you very much!!!

Will always be Papa's little girl,
Fran

Playing the OREO Game!

Here's something you and your kids can do at home to liven up your day. Try the OREO online game which you can access at www.shareoreo.com.

Here are the two games that you can play:

Twist, Lick and Dunk!

The challenge is to drag the corresponding blocks to the correct empty box labeled with a "?"

This is a perfect hand and eye coordination game where you have to make sure you can easily navigate your mouse around the screen.

OREO bonding puzzle

Given various items found on the screen, you have to be able to click on the corresponding pieces following the conversation between the mom and her child. The goal is to get both mom and child on the table to enjoy their pack of OREO as they Twist, Lick and Dunk!

This game may be a bit tricky but as soon as you get the pattern, it is very fun and interesting to play. This is actually my favorite game in the site!

Check out these fun online OREO games over at www.shareoreo.com!

How sensitive is my nose?

My family would tease me that I have an extra sensitive nose. Since I was born on the Year of the Dog, they somehow would connect this to my zodiac sign. For instance, I can easily sense when a garbage truck is coming even when it's still at the other end of the street. Good thing also, my extra sensitive nose has helped me determine the different types of coffee when I was having my certification as a Coffee Master.

This extra sensitivity has worked to both my advantage and sadly to my disadvantage at times. I can't stand foul smells and going in a not-so-clean bathroom is torture for me as the moment the nasty smell hits my nose, it immediately makes me feel like throwing up.

Yesterday, I received a lovely basket sent to my office by Downy. I am very much familiar with the brand simply because we use this at home. Oh how I love the soft touch of our clothes combined with the light, floral scent. The basket was tightly wrapped in plastic but as I took a peek I can't see any bottle or sachet of Downy instead there were three pretty pink scented candles and two towels with label.

Hmmm... I wonder what Downy was up to.

It was until I opened the wrapper and read the note inserted when I found out that I was in for a challenge. How sensitive is your nose?, it says. This got me so excited as the first challenge is to guess which of the two towels was washed with the new Passion by Downy and the other one sprinkled with perfume.

I carefully opened the towels and attached the labels on to the towels to make sure I won't mix them up. Then, with one towel at a time I sniffed once, twice and a lot more times.

My guess: I believe that Towel 1 was washed with Passion by Downy and the other was just sprinkled with perfume. Not only was the scent lighter and more pleasant, the towel was softer too.

The challenge is not yet over. Moving on to Challenge #2, I have to guess what other perfume notes are present in Passion by Downy aside from Jasmine, Ylang-ylang and soft musk.

Is it: Cinnamon? Rose? or Lavender?

It took me a while to determine this and I even had to take a good night sleep before I finally made my guess. After a dozen sniffing done, my guess is that it also has a hint of ROSE.

I hope my two guesses are correct because this will give me a change to win a One year's supply of Downy Passion and Attraction! This is definitely something I need as I am learning to do my own laundry. :) Lucky stars, please be at my side! :)

Lunch Time : Cuerva's Mango Torte

I enjoy lunch breaks spent with my colleagues. Aside from the hour-long chatter and laughter, nothing beats enjoying delicious desserts like this:

Mango Torte by Cuerva Bakeshop

I've been a fan of Dulcelin's Mango Torte and I love it that a distribution point is just minutes away from my home. It's literally just a phone call away. However, I've been hearing about another Mango Torte that can easily rival Dulcelin's because it's pretty good too!

I was fortunate to be able to enjoy a slice of this much-talked-about Mango Torte the other day and here's what I think...

I love it that the mango balls stays soft even after putting this in the freezer overnight. It is very sweet and cold making each bite very pleasant. The meringue crust is very thin and crisp. I love the nutty texture that makes a great contrast to the soft, juicy mango balls.

While I have yet to try more of this and perhaps have another round of Dulcelin's to say which one is the better Mango Torte, for now I am glad to have tried this after hearing a dozen raves from friends and readers telling me to give Cuerva's Mango Torte a try.

The next time I find myself in Makati, I know exactly where to get myself a delicious cake to enjoy.

Cuerva Bakeshop is located at 26 Hidalgo Street, San Lorenzo Village, Makati City. Call them at 817-0200 / 817-6286.

Ladies who lunch at L' Incontro

It's like something right out of a scene in Sex and the City. Fashion-forward ladies catching up on their lives over delicious gourmet dishes and a glass of bubbly wine. That was exactly what my sister and I did one weekday lunch a couple of weeks before my BIG day.

Upon receiving an invite to an intimate lunch to try the new dishes of L'Incontro Ristorante Italiano, I immediately invited my sister to join me as I know she has been a fan of this restaurant back when it was still with the first owner. She has been raving about the food, the ambiance and the wonderful service prodding Paul to bring me there on a date sometime. That's how much my sister loves me.

Unfortunately, time did not allow our L'Incontro date to push thru up until we found out that it is now under a new management headed by Tina Pamintuan, a big fan of L'Incontro and a well-traveled food lover who will definitely breath fresh air into this classic Italian restaurant.

Our lunch was held in a private room that was brightly lit by the sunlight. We arrived a bit late that day that we missed out on the delicious finger food that were passed around but we lucky enough to get the last two Dolce Gnocchi Gorgonzola placed in a pretty soup spoon. I love gnocchi and I was really trying hard to resist taking the whole thing in one go. Instead I took one small bite and savored the delicious potato pasta with gooey gorgonzola cheese inside.

Immediately after, we were served with our Caprese Salad which was a refreshing mix of huge tomato slices with Goat Cheese drizzled with Balsamic Vinaigrette and a few basil leaves. This came with a slim glass of prosecco which is means sparking wine in Italian. What a light and easy way to start our meal.

In Italy, a full course meal has two courses -- Primo and Secondo. Not only that it comes with a platter of cheese and fruits before you can sink your teeth into the sweet dessert for that day.

If there's one dish that really left a lasting memory on my taste buds that day, it was definitely the Crespella with Tarturo Sauce paired with some Kendell Jackson Chardonnay. I loved it so much that I actually left a teaser here about it. How can I say no to soft, fluffy crepe with mushroom and truffle oil? It was so good I couldn't believe I am so lucky to be given the chance to indulge. The wine was also perfect, light and crisp I love how it just smoothly glided down my throat. I loved it so much that my sister and I even considered buying a bottle for our family to enjoy. Maybe, we should have huh?

For our second course, we had the Seabass Al Sale which is melt-in-your-mouth seabass covered in rock salt and served with two choices of sauces. One thing I love with seafood is you can instantly tell if the fish is fresh with just one taste. It should be tender but not mushy, it should not in any way smell or taste like soil. L'Incotro really did as promised as they served high quality ingredients and this can be seen in this dish that is pretty simple, free of any marinades or fillings as it totally shows off the freshness of the fish.

The Seabass came with another special dish -- the Beef Tagliata con Rucola. I can just imagine having lunch with Paul at L'Incontro. I would rave over the fish while the beef tagliata I'm sure he'll love. This is a manly man's choice as you'll get a generous slice of the tender beef together with some Rosemary Potatoes to go with it.

As a side dish, we had the Arugula Salad with Onion Gratin that was actually a surprise for me. I am not fond of onions due to my hyper-acidic stomach but this one I enjoyed as the onions were very sweet and the arugula was fresh and flavorful making a perfect accompaniment for our two main courses.

While enjoying lunch, we joined the live table discussion which was really a great way to mingle with new friends. I love the ambiance of L'Incontro and I look forward to having lunch with both my sister and mom here. With its laid back feel, you can just enjoy your food and wine for hours as its very knowledgeable and hospitable servers will attend to your needs.

Unfortunately, we had to head back to the office skipping the last two courses namely the cheese platter and dessert. While we felt back for skipping the sweet stuff, we both reminded ourselves that we will definitely be back and we'll make sure we'll make it till dessert this time.

*Special thanks to Ms. Tina Pamintuan for hosting this wonderful lunch! :)

L'Incontro is located at 207 Nicanor Garcia (formerly Reposo street), Makati City. Make a reservation by calling 899-0638 / 899-0642.

Top 10 Siopao in Manila

Two weekends ago, Paul and I went siopao-crazy as we tasted more than 10 steaming-hot siopaos in two days! From our neighborhood favorites to those recommended by friends and fellow bloggers, we drove around the metro trying one siopao after the other.

He loves the asado kind while I still prefer the ones with huge juicy pork meatballs inside. We each have our own way of enjoying the siopao but in the end we both agree on who has the BEST siopao in town.

Once again, this is based on our taste thus our choices may differ from yours. Nonetheless, I'm proud to present to you my ...

Top 10 Siopao in Manila

Happy munching! :)

photo by: Paul Ang

Happy Day for Miss Universe 2010

After the gloomy skies and heartache over yesterday's tragic incident, we wake up this morning with a happier news.

A new Miss Universe has been proclaimed and this is no other than Ms. Mexico, Jimena Rosete!!!

Our very own Venus Raj did well to as she'll be coming home with the 4th runner up title besting more than 80 other contestants!

Congratulations!!! :)

Lighting a Candle : August 23, 2010

Lighting a candle for Peace

Today was a very sad day not only for the Philippines but for everyone in the world as a 10 hour hostage-taking happened at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila where a tourist bus filled with Hong Kong visitors heading towards the Manila Ocean Park was hijacked by an ex-policeman by the name Rolando Mendoza.

The hostage drama had a very bloody end as the SWAT team has successfully killed the hostage-taker however found seven other passengers dead.

Read CNN news here

This is currently the talk of the town as Filipinos grieve for the victims of this brutal incident. We are one with the families of these Hong Kong passengers.

As a result, the Hong Kong government has just issued a travel ban to the Philippines warning its locals to avoid all travel to our country for the moment.

I hope and pray that our government can tighten our security and make the Philippines a safer place to live in.

Shopping Challenge at Saizen

It was a lazy Sunday for us when we decided to visit the new Saizen store in Trinoma. Upon entering the mall, it took us a while to locate the store as we later found out that Saizen may be found inside True Value. So better to ask around where True Value is to be able to find it right away.

Saizen is one of the retail brands under the Robinsons Retail Group that is part of the Daiso Industries in Japan. It boasts of handy home items all worth P85! What a great deal!

Roaming around the store, I am amazed that it carries a wide array of products from...

School and Office Accessories

Japanese Ingredients

Gloves, Scarves and Socks

Plastic Organizers

Bathroom Toiletries

and Toys for the little ones!

We spent a good hour and a half going through each item and finally made our choice as we pushed our cart towards the check out counter.

We had a total of 10 items ranging from handy travel calculators, Takoyaki sauce, stove-top griller, a new glass, and some camera accessories for Paul all for just P850!

Here's some great news! Up until the end of the month, Saizen is currently having their BIG SWITCH where P85 items will be sold for just P58! So, better head straight to any Saizen branch nearest you.

Happy shopping!! :)

Saizen is located at the Ground Floor of the TriNoMa Mall, Quezon City.

Omakase again and again

I remember days before the wedding, I found myself majorly craving for Omakase. Oh how my mouth waters at the thought of its creamy Uni Sashimi and crunchy Seafood Dumplings. Since our schedule has been hectic and we left the country shortly after our BIG day, it took me a while to be reunited with my favorite Japanese dishes.

When my good friend A invited me out to dinner to catch up and plan for her upcoming wedding, I suggested that we go to Omakase as nothing beats bonding with your friend over good food.

We were both hungry that evening that we ordered a feast!

I began with my favorite Uni Sashimi, which I requested that they served extra chilled as recommended by my sister -- a fellow Uni lover. Since A does not eat raw food, she allowed me to indulge and enjoy the plate the Uni all by myself. I love you A! :) As usual, Omakase's Uni is one of the best that I've tasted so far, it's so creamy and it does not have a slimey texture that can become pretty overwhelming at times.

A played it safe and got the California Maki. I love how packed each bite-sized maki is that makes us feel that this sushi choice is truly worth it. How I wish though that they can add more kani and make the cucumber slice smaller.

As mentioned earlier, we were both hungry thus not even a bowl of Donburi is enough to satiate our hunger. I took A's lead who got the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box that is complete with a bowl of Miso Soup, four extra pieces of California Maki, a good serving of Chicken Teriyaki, lots of garlic rice and some fried seafood on the side.

On top of this, your bento box experience ends with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. How's that for a sweet ending?

We were very full from our bento box that I was surprised we still had room from the Seafood Dumplings that I got for A to try. I'm glad that she liked it. Yay! Another Seafood Dumpling convert-in-the-making!

I guess this is the secret to a wonderful and long-lasting friendship with A (we have been friends since 5th grade!)... regular bonding and catching up over good food! How time flies! It's amazing to see that we are no longer 5th graders struggling over swimming class but rather two grown women who have luckily met the loves of our lives.

Omakase has four branches: Greenhills Carpark (beside Globe Telecom), Alabang, Libis and Tomas Morato.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Calling all Tempura Fans!

Wheenever I think of tempura, I remember my A-I (aunt) who simply adores this dish. No visit to a Japanese restaurant would be complete without this on the table and she would make sure that every single tempura would be consumed as she hates to see a good piece of deep fried shrimp go to waste.

I think she'll be very happy to hear this news... Saisaki will be having a ONE DAY Eat-all-you-can Tempura Buffet for only P330! That's a steal given that you can eat as much tempura as you want plus you get rice, soup and drinks to go with it.



Remember, it will only happen for one day so mark your calendars and see you there!! :)

Going under the sea at Aquaria KLCC

I love it that whenever I travel with Paul, we make it a point that our visit to that particular foreign country has a mix of trying out their local cuisine, visiting historical landmarks, shopping till our legs give up and lastly, being touristy by going to highly recommended tourist spots.

Our honeymoon trip to Kuala Lumpur was not any different from our past trips. For instance, we made sure we spent a good amount of time admiring the beauty of the Petronas Twin Towers, we treated our taste buds to their local cuisines and those that we have not seen for sometime, lastly, we planned a visit to the Aquaria at the KLCC (Kuala Lumpur Convention Center) to see hundreds of water creatures and more!

Entrance fee is only RM 45 (approximately P650) and you get full access to roam around the Aquaria, watch feeding shows and go inside the Oceanarium to see the fishes and sharks up close.

Aside from water animals, Aquaria also has an exhibit of rain forest creatures that is sure to delight the little ones. We had a wonderful time as we slowly went around each zone.

We were also there to watch a feeding show with the shark. Two divers went down with buckets filled with fish to feed the shark. Children screamed as the shark would come and go swimming around the divers who were busy luring him with his food.

This is definitely one place you have to visit especially with the little ones along. It's a nice way to educate them about marine life and how we should take care of our ocean.

Acquaria KLCC is located inside the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.

Petronas : Twin Towers of Steel (Photo Essay)

Man is truly a genius, creating beautiful works of art that makes this world a pretty place to live in.

All day these towers stand tall above the leafy greens as if to serve as a guide to the lost travelers making their way.

In the afternoon, it opens its doors to a thousand employees as they make their way home. Around it joggers enjoy the steady pace as they go round and round the landscaped path.

But what I love most is in the evening when the towers glistened in the dark sky as if covered by tiny diamonds all over.

The Petronas Towers is the 5th tallest building in the world following The Barj in Dubai and Taipei 101 in Taiwan. It is truly a majestic structure that makes Malaysia so proud of. This is definitely a must-see spot for every tourist visiting Kuala Lumpur.

To get there: It is a 5 minutes walk from the Raja Chulan monorail station where you have to get to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, follow the directions towards the park that will lead you straight to the Petronas and to Suria KLCC. 

Fiery Hot at Madame Kwan's

Upon landing at Kuala Lumpur and heading straight to our hotel to check in, Paul and I decided to grab an early lunch at the Pavillion Mall which was located right beside Novotel KL.

Following the map, we made our way down to the basement where there was a huge Food Republic and a row of interesting looking restaurants. One immediately caught my eye -- Madame Kwan's. I remember this being recommended by a reader here and I told Paul we have to try this.

I love the cozy green and white interiors and the service was great too. We were immediately led to our table and soon we were busy scanning the menu. Since first tasting the Nasi Lemak served at the Swissotel's breakfast buffet spread and I've been hooked ever since! I love the aroma of the coconut rice mixed with salty peanuts and anchovies! Since this is a Malaysian dish, of course it is a must to try Nasi Lemak right in Kuala Lumpur and this was one of the dish that we got here at Madame Kwan's. Knowing the the meat can be pretty spicy, I specifically requested our server to hold on to the chili for us.

Feeling a bit tired from our travel, we wanted something warm thus Paul chose the Laksa as we both love laksas served here in Manila. This is again another spicy dish which we requested that it be prepared mild.

Our dishes arrived shortly. I immediately dig into the Nasi Lemak (RM15.30) and realized that I should have proceeded with caution. In Malaysia, the locals really do have a higher tolerance for spicy dishes and thus what we thought was a mild Nasi Lemak was still to spicy for our taste. I think I must have drank 3 glasses of ice cold water in just a span of 2 minutes. I love the rice and the salty mix but the spicy meat I couldn't stand. I took a few more bites and gave up.

Next came the Laksa (RM13.50), after our Nasi Lemak, we were both bracing ourselves for the spicy level of the laksa. This time, it was Paul who took a sip and I watch as his face turned from calm to a panicked look as he immediately reached for his glass of water. He commented that the Laksa was delicious but I'd better think twice before digging in.

Madame Kwan's actually has a wide range of dishes to choose from. They have the local favorites which we got and some international items too. We agreed that the taste was good but it was just too spicy for us to enjoy. Paul, the brave soul, finished off our dinner because he just hate seeing good food go to waste. I guess next time we should stick to the non-spicy items in the menu.

Madame Kwan's has a number of branches around Kuala Lumpur. The one that we visited is located at the basement of the Pavillion Mall, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Spotted: Frannywanny in Blog-O-Rama!

Today was a happy Monday!

While going through my long list of things to do, I was surprised to come across an email alert telling me that my interview with AJ has been published at the Manila Bulletin's Tech Section today. AJ is a columnist of the Manila Bulletin's popular section called Blog-o-Rama and I am privileged to be interviewed by her.

While it might be to late for ya'll to grab a copy of the paper today, I'd like to share with you excerpts from the said interview here:

Click here to read my full Blog-o-Rama feature!

Note: It was also the first time I was officially referred to as Frances Haw-Ang. *woot*

Q. If your blog were food, what would it be and why?
A. Definitely colorful platter of sushi! It always has serving of fresh stories, a colorful array of experiences and it is something people will keep craving for :)

Q. What was the best experience you've had as a blogger?
A. Definitely getting to know my readers -- I started blogging thinking I am just writing for myself. It sounds pretty self-serving really but after seeing comments from people I do not know personally brings a different warmth to my heart knowing that my writing has successfully went beyond the four corners of my home and into the lives of others as well. I enjoy meeting them, having readers coming up to me to say hello. It's amazing that they also know Paul (my husband) as I regularly mention him in my entries. I would tease him that I've made him an online celebrity! haha.

Once again, thank you AJ!!! *hugs*

Reunited with A&W

I remember my childhood filled with bubbly rootbeer float, meaty Coney Dog and a lot more. I can still recall numerous afternoons spent with the friendly looking bear in orange sweater and how fun those days there. Yes, that was my A&W childhood life.

A&W has been a part of every Filipino kid's life up until a couple of years ago when they finally bid adieu to the Philippine market. Oh how we missed A&W so much! We tried to make up for the lost with other rootbeer brands but we know that deep inside our hearts, nothing can come close to the A&W experience.

Just imagine our happiness when we chanced upon the friendly looking bear in orange sweater again right at the heart of Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur. Located right at the Bintang triangle, you won't miss this for sure. We had lunch already but upon seeing A&W we made space in our stomaches to accommodate a delicious early afternoon snack.

Entering the restaurant, we both knew what exactly to get... a mug of frothy A&W rootbeer! I love how smooth it tasted while keeping the sweet caramel-y taste that we loved so much! It was a perfect drink given that it was a very warm day.

To go with our rootbeer, we got a box of Sesame Chicken Bites which was really good and worth ordering over and over again. It was very tasty that I didn't mind that there was no sauce served with it.

It was a great afternoon quick bite and we're so glad to be reunited with A&W once again. This is definitely one thing that will make us visit Kuala Lumpur again!

Click here to see the list of branches of A&W in Malaysia.

Merry merry Marrybrown

I first saw Marrybrown at the exit of the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) of the Kuala Lumpur Airport. Initially, we expected it to be a local fast food offering Malaysian dishes. What we didn't know was Marrybrown could actually rival Col. Sanders's crispy delicious fried chicken.

Yep! Marrybrown is a Malaysian fast food specializing in fried chicken and a lot more. Of course, we were in Malaysia and so we had to try something different. I was so hooked to Nasi Lemak the entire time that I was in Singapore. Oh how I love the taste of rice cooked in rich coconut milk. It has been my morning guilty indulgence. No matter how much I've tried, I couldn't seem to stop. Mix this with salty anchovies and peanuts, I was in food heaven. :)

Scanning the board of Marrybrown, I noticed that they have Nasi Lemak (RM 8.90) as part of their line-up. Of course, they use fried chicken this time. I didn't mind and got this with additional chicken (RM 6.05) to share with Paul.

We both enjoyed our meal, I love the coconut rice with my crispy chicken thighs while Paul commented how juicy it was. It was very much comparable to our very own Jollibee Chicken Joy only they have managed to make it less oily thus less the guilt. The serving was big enough for us to share.

We quickly finished our meal and stood up to give other a chance to grab our table. I guess Malaysians love Marrybrown as the store was filled at any given time of the day.

Trivia: Marrybrown already have branches not only in Malaysia but in UAE, Dubai and India. I wonder when will they reach the Philippine shores? :)

Click here to visit Marrybrown's Official Website.