Frannywanny : a food and travel blog

Let's go to GUAM! : Heinz-United Airlines Blogging Contest

2012-02-11T15:10:00.000+08:00

"Hada Adai, fellow bloggers!" -- This is the way people say HELLO in Guam.

If I were you, I'd read up on Guam and learn a phrase or two as you and a friend might just be on your way to the beautiful island of Guam for an all-expense paid trip brought to you by Heinz Tomato Ketchup!

Before I share the great news with you on how to join this exciting contest, let me share some Guam 101 first.

Guam is actually part of the US Territory thus a VISA is required prior to entry. Unlike California or New York, Guam is just a 3-hour flight away from Manila! Even closer than Singapore or Korea that takes us 4 hours to get there. The weather is fairly similar to the Philippines so no need to lug around your boots and coat for this trip.

As for the food, Filipinos won't have a hard time adjusting as the food in Guam is really similar to ours. This is brought by the early Filipino immigrants who transferred to Guam as early as the Spanish colonization. Thus, don't be surprise to see something that may look like a Pancit Sotanghon or an Adobo or perhaps our delicious Lechon during a feast in Guam.

Being part of the US Territory expect also to see the usual US retail and food shops like K-Mart, Duty Free stores, Cold Stone and Taco Bell to name a few.

Writing this, I'm personally excited to see Guam and I'm making sure to be able to tick this off my travel wish list hopefully soon.

Ketchup smiley at Johnny Rockets

Here's how YOU can win a trip to Guam courtesy of my favorite ketchup, Heinz Tomato ketchup:

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Sunday Brunch at the Marriott Hotel

2012-02-10T19:16:00.002+08:00

Don't you just loveeeeee breakfast?

I really do but I sometimes find it so hard to pull myself out of bed especially during the weekends. Can you relate with me?

This is the reason why I totally salute the person who invented the word "brunch". It's perfect! Not too early like breakfast yet no need to wait till 12 for it to officially be considered lunch.

Take for example what happened last Sunday. Paul and I had to bring my sister to the airport at 10AM for her to make it to her noon flight. Feeling our tummies grumbling loudly, we headed to Marriott Hotel's Cafe at Newport City to avail of their Sunday Brunch where we, together with other bloggers, were invited as it was their opening day. We were one of the first who arrived and boy I was so excited!

The buffet spread was pretty impressive! We were greeted with an abundant display of fresh oysters with sauces and toppings to suit your taste. Across it was the cheese display where I helped myself to a few slices together with a lot of smoked salmon with capers and creamy sauce.

A new discovery, the Cured Tandoori Rubbed Salmon. It tasted very much like the Smoked Salmon only with a slight smoky taste. Yummy! I had two servings of this and I can't help but crave for more as I'm writing this.

Paul, on the other hand, can be pretty predictable when dining at buffets. Of course, he just have to fill his plate with Chilled Tiger Prawns and a bowl full of Cocktail Sauce. This is his routine as he loves this very much. Thus, this is also his gauge of determining whether a hotel buffet is good or not. Since he had two plates of Tiger Prawns that date, it surely looks like Marriott Cafe passed with flying technicolors!

Moving inward, I headed next to the salad bar where I helped myself to the freshest greens like iceberg lettuce, arugula and watercress. I love their creamy salad dressings and topped my salad with lots of bacon bits, croutons and cheese. Yes, I know...not very healthy but really really yummy!

Check out my first plate!!

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Longganisa Sorpresa at Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig

2012-02-07T23:25:00.001+08:00

I love the simple things!

A box of sweet treats... My doggie Scottie excitedly greeting me by the door...Impromptu lunch outs with Paul and friends and a lot more! I'd say I'm pretty easy to please and more often than not it always involves food! Paul, for one, knows this very well already... the way to my heart is definitely through my STOMACH! ♥

A couple of weeks ago, we had an impromptu lunch date with some members of The Food Club at Longganisa Sorpresa. I'm lucky that the restaurant is just a stone's throw away from my office making it very accessible for me. I've mentioned a number of times how much I love Brgy. Kapitolyo as it's rapidly growing to be a foodie haven. There's Mad Mark's, Lia's Cakes in Season, my favorite Milky and Sunny, the ever-dependable Uncle Moe's and our latest office craze..Rub Ribs!

We got there just in time before the lunch crowd arrived allowing us to secure a good parking spot. The menu was quite extensive however we zeroed in on their special set meals (Long-Si-Log) which is only worth P99 each! One set is inclusive of your choice of longganisa (Filipino pork sausage), garlic rice, egg and iced tea! What a great deal!

Longganisa is one meat product that is widely available, I'd say, all over the country! From Baguio in the north down to General Santos in Mindanao, each province has their own version of longganisa and the taste varies from sweet to spicy, from garlicky to smoked. As such, Longganisa Sorpresa offers a wide array for choices with a very helpful menu categorizing each longganisa allowing you to easily choose one that would perfectly suit your taste.

I love sweet tasting longganisa so I went with the Cabanatuan (Sweet version) longganisa meal. My platter came with two plump sausages which was very tender and as promised, sweet. The garlic rice was pretty good however I like my rice a bit more sticky and more garlicky. The egg was well-prepared too however I'll remember to request for them to serve it scrambled next time.

Paul, on the other hand, loves smokey and salty longganisas. Therefore, he went for the Vigan Long-Si-Log platter. He was also very satisfied with his order however he commented that the longganisa were a bit small in size.

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Healthy Start with Starbucks Coffee's Salad Selection

2012-02-06T13:59:00.000+08:00

I'm starting the week right!

After having a really tummy-filling hotpot dinner last Saturday and a gastronomic buffet lunch yesterday, I'm giving my tummy a break by having something light and healthy today.

Just a quick trip to my favorite Starbucks Coffee store and I get to choose from four of their new salad offerings namely: Southern Chicken Salad, Mediterranean Tuna Salad, Cold Chicken Soba Salad and the Moroccan Chicken Couscous Salad.

I was actually able to try all four salads a week ago when my friends over at Starbucks Coffee sent me a few samples to try.

During lunch one weekday, I started with the Southern Chicken Salad which gives a twist to the regular Chicken Salad. Served with crunchy wheat bagel crostinis, this one has all-natural chicken chopped and mixed with diced celery, onions, hard boiled eggs and pickle relish. It reminds me of what my Mommy would usually make at home only its served with assorted greens and sprinkled with lots of cheese. I enjoyed this very much and liked the fact that the amount of crostinis was pretty generous.

Next was the Mediterranean Tuna Salad. Quite similar to the Southern Chicken Salad as it also comes with whole wheat bagel crostinis. I love tuna and I really enjoyed this salad as it's mixed with olives, onions, artichokes and red bell peppers. I'm happy to note also that the tuna doesn't have a fishy taste or smell.

We also had the Cold Chicken Soba which was my least favorite but ok nonetheless. I love the sesame soy sauce and the delicious shiitake mushrooms and chicken strips. It's a different take from the usual cold soba that we'd normally have in Japanese restaurants. This one has the addition of the veggies and a few pieces of meat making it a complete meal on its own.

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Terrazas de Barako at Hacienda San Benito, Lipa

2012-02-03T17:56:00.001+08:00

"Wellness is a state of mind..." - Chef Teresa Loob, Terazzas de Barako

Once in a while, don't you just wish you're outside of the city. Away from the stress, the hustle and bustle and the endless worrying? This is one reason why I love taking weekend trips as it allows me to relax and recharge myself for another busy week ahead. I also love taking in the cool fresh air and enjoying the beautiful sceneries that nature has to offer.

I'm lucky that I just got my quick break recently. It was upon an invitation to visit Terrazas de Barako in Lipa, Batangas that I found myself on the road with Paul and fellow blogger Richard and his lovely family. Initially, I thought the ride would take more than 4 hours which was why I packed my bag with a fully-charge iPod Touch, a book, a huge bottle of water and some crackers. I was ready for the long drive battle!

I was surprised though that it only took us a little more than an hour and a half to reach Lipa coming from Makati. Thanks to the very helpful Star Toll! In no time, we entered the highly secured gates of Hacienda San Benito and our van made its way in until we reached a beautiful structure surrounded by a Koi Pond and even has a grape vineyard beside it.

"Welcome to Terrazas de Barako.", said a pretty lady who offered a simple garland to each one of us.

The restaurant was not air-conditioned but there's really no need to install one as its design allowed Lipa's cool wind to come in through the shutter-like roof and its huge screen doors.

We met British Chef Teresa Lobb who used to be the personal chef of different personalities and royalties in the United Kingdom (hello Prince William!). It was truly an honor that she's preparing our lunch for that day. Chef was very busy when we arrived that's why our organizer decided to take us on a quick tour around the farm.

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...and our WINNER is...[Why are you more than a 10 this 2012? Win P5k CASH! ]

2012-02-02T18:28:00.000+08:00

Finally, the judges have spoken!

After going through more than 32 valid entries and choosing my top 3 entries, the judges from our dear sponsor, Unionbank have finally chosen THE ONE!

CONGRATULATIONS TO.....Joy S. Cabaltera!

She's the lucky reader who will be receiving Php. 5,000 CASH from Unionbank! :)

Thank you everyone for joining my very first contest for 2012!

Watch out for another exciting one coming very soon!

Joy, please expect an email from me within the day.

Mamma Mia! : A must-see musical in Manila!

2012-02-01T23:48:00.000+08:00

I grew up in a very musically-inclined family. Aside from our shared love for food, cooking and eating, my relatives are also music lovers and its either one can sing, can play an instrument, or can at least appreciate good music.

A proof of this was during our wedding reception where not only one, not two but FIVE family members performed and there were actually still more who wanted to do a song number or two. It can truly be a concert when you put my entire family together.

Given that, my sister and I grew up watching musicals and listening to music that my parents would play on their cassette player. Imagine, the first movie that I watched was Sound of Music and I think I watched this over and over again until our Betamax tape gave up on me. My parents are fans of The Carpenters, Beegees, The Platters and ABBA so it's no surprise that my sister and I are very familiar with their songs... some we even memorize by heart.

This is one reason why I was so excited when Mommy told us that she got tickets for us to watch Mamma Mia as it opened here in Manila last January 24, 2012! We've seen the movie and were told that the play is a lot better than that. Since I liked the movie already, my expectation was at an all-time high for the musical! This was even heightened with friends telling me how nice it was and I'd definitely end up having a week-long LSS (last song syndrome) after watching the show.

We got to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) two hours in advance to get a good parking spot and to have time for dinner.

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Aria Cucina Italiana in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

2012-01-31T16:43:00.001+08:00

I can still remember my first Boracay trip. It was the summer of '07 the same year Frannywanny.com was born. Paul and I went with my big big group from work. Finally after many failed attempts, I excitedly sat through our 50-minute flight to Kalibo where we had to take an hour and a half car drive to Caticlan and endure another 10 minute boat ride to the sunny island of Boracay.

"This should be worth the wait." I thought to myself.

From the moment we got to our resort at Station 1, I held my breath at the beautiful crystal clear water and white powdery sand. This truly was paradise. Definitely worth the wait, dear readers. :)

As soon as we dropped off our bags and changed into our beach clothes, off we went in search for a good place to have our very first lunch. Following the lead of my colleagues who have been to Boracay more than I could count with my fingers, we headed to D'Mall. They told us this was the central, go-to place for all Boracay visitors and we took that information in mind. In front of D'Mall is a pretty Italian restaurant with wooden interiors called Aria and boy, was it jam-packed! We tried to wait for a couple of minutes but with our tummies growling loudly, we had to move to another less-crowded restaurant.

Still, the thought of those freshly oven-baked pizza and al dente pasta wouldn't leave my mind. Paul teased me that I'm in the beach and I'm still thinking of food. Why of course! What else would I think of? :)

Finally, after much prodding, Paul made reservations for us to have dinner at Aria and the server was kind enough to arrange a romantic place for us by the beach. Oh.. how I enjoyed my Salmon Carpaccio, Quattro Formaggi Pizza and Pasta while listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. I love the sight, the smell, the sound and definitely the taste of my food! Since then, Aria remains to be one of my Boracay favorites and go-to place as well.

Just imagine how happy I was upon learning that Aria Cucina Italiana is finally coming to Manila! So excited I was that I headed to Bonifacio High Street Central on their first day of operation! This is located at the new wing adjacent to the Bonifacio High Street that we all know and love. It's also where Jamba Juice is located.

Frannywanny with Paul, Pan and fellow blogger Az

So there I was with Paul and my sister last Saturday night. I'm glad that we went early as the placed quickly filled up just the same way it always does in Boracay. Pretty amazing given that it was their first day. Since they're on Soft Opening, we were told that some menu items were still not available. Shucks! Pan was actually looking forward to having some Gnocchi or Ravioli that evening.

Let me share with you what we ordered that evening:
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J. Co Donuts and Coffee is coming to Manila!

2012-01-29T01:19:00.001+08:00

Let's start the countdown!!!

Indonesia's very own donut and coffee brand is finally opening its doors in Manila! I've been hearing about J. Co. Donuts and Coffee ever since our trip to Singapore and Malaysia almost two years ago and was once again intrigued by it after my sister's trip to Singapore where she was able to try their coffee and liked it very much!

Admittedly, I do not have a sweet tooth and has one of the lowest sugar tolerance in the family but I was really excited when 3 huge yellow boxes were delivered to my office one afternoon a month ago. I opened each one of them and the smell of freshly baked donuts instantly made my tummy rumble. Since I was still swamped with work, I shared one box with my colleagues who all liked the ultra moist and fluffy-soft donuts. The boys gave their thumbs up while the girls immediately asked where J. Co. is located. I grinned and told them the good news... J. Co. will soon open their first branch at The Strip in SM Megamall.

Let me share with you some of J. Co.'s famous donut flavors and the ones that I love the most!

Al Capone
This was the first donut that I tried as this soft and fluffy donut covered with almond slivers and white chocolate looked really enticing!! I love the crunchy almonds and the fact that the white chocolate was not too sweet!

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Green Maris Hot Pot in Greenhills, San Juan

2012-01-25T23:45:00.000+08:00

16 years.

That's how long most of us have known each other. It all began on the 1st day of class in 1996 (yes kids..no loud gasp please..Auntie Franny is not THAT old) when we all went back to school after summer break. It was our first year in high school then. It's part of the system that we all get reshuffled right after 7th grade. I guess the reason behind this is to give us more chance to get to know one another more. Much to our dismay then, this system worked out pretty well as we graduated High School knowing almost everyone in our batch of 240++ students.

High School really was FUN. It was the time where we were still so carefree, all filled with hope and optimism and we didn't have much to worry about day in and out. I enjoyed playing matchmakers to friends during our Prom and Ball seasons and everyday I look forward to just three things: Recess, Lunch and Dismissal (ok, fine, maybe I also love Cooking Class and Club days too). It was during these years that I've built the greatest friendship with three of my bestest friends and a handful of really good loyal friends. I will never forget the jokes shared and the silly antics done that repeatedly got us in trouble. For the sake of my dear classmates, I shall keep them all a secret. :)

After heading to our respective universities, what made our class extra special is that we never really lost touch with one another. One grand reunion led to another and for almost 6 years now, we have been celebrating Christmases, New Years, Weddings and a lot more other occasions together. This is 4-Fidelity batch 2000 and boy, I love them to bits!

meet my high school friends

Since a lot were not available during the Holidays, we agreed to meet up to celebrate Chinese New Year. Of course, we just have to stay loyal to our roots by having our dinner at Green Maris Hot Pot in Greenhills. Over Twitter and Facebook we communicated and spread the message to the rest of the class. I'm really happy that there were 15 of us that evening. That's almost half of the class already!

I love Hotpot dinners and this is because of the delicious sauce that we get to create from the following ingredients: soy sauce, chopped garlic, spring onions, satay sauce, peanut sauce and chili. My signature sauce includes everything except the chili with lots of garlic and spring onions. No hotpot meal is complete without this as I love to dip my meat into the sauce before taking a bite.

While others may seemed intimidated by the tedious process of eating a shabu-shabu/hotpot dinner, in reality, it's pretty easy. All you have to do is to keep these easy steps in mind:

First, you have to choose your broth. In Green Maris, I highly recommend that you get the 2 broth bowl where you get a Clear Soup and the Satay Broth. Satay is slightly saltier but definitely not spicy at all. This one is my personal favorite.

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Wishing upon a Globe : Letting my Superwish come true!

2012-01-24T00:45:00.001+08:00

*SPONSORED POST*

A few days ago, I shared with you our Superwish for the New Year. This includes our great big plan to enrich our knowledge in cooking and to take it to a higher level by finally enrolling ourselves in professional classes this year.

We're both extremely psyched for this! Oh, how we would talk non-stop on what we would like to learn and the dinners that we both will be able to host afterwards. No more relying on take outs, no more seeking the help of our talented Manang, my Mommy or Kongkong (while we still look up to them nonetheless)... soon we'll be able to create delicious meals on our own!

Working for the country's top-selling food magazine is truly a blessing. Of course, I have my growing collection of magazines and cookbooks to inspire and to help us get started. We're no strangers to the kitchen, after all. Once in a while we'll try a recipe or two which luckily would always turn out pretty successful. Still, we know there's still a lot of things we should learn and that we will make sure to achieve this year.

We're also very lucky at in today's day and age, information is within our reach. With just a few swipes to the left and to the right, a few clicks here and there, we get to access data within minutes...or seconds maybe. This, my friends, is the power of the INTERNET.

Just imagine us being able to access a recipe of that amazing Lamb Briyani that we both enjoyed in Singapore at the comforts of our kitchen. With the help of the iPad or an iPhone, we can browse the Internet right away and I can log on to my favorite cooking site or to browse the digital version of my favorite food magazine to try a new recipe for dinner.

A few years back, we are still limited to having our PCs or if you're lucky, your bulky laptop in accessing the Internet. Today, we have the smartest Smart Phones, the beautiful creations of Apple (iPhone, iPad, etc) and of course every professional's buddy -- the Blackberry that allows you to log on to the Internet in just one click.

Partner this with a reliable Telco supplier like Globe Telecom, you get to customized your own plans that allows you to avail for an unlimited data plan that won't leave you penniless at the end of the month. This is truly a great deal as it's not fun to pay a great sum just to gain Internet access.. believe me, I learned this the hard, painful way.

Introducing the Globe My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo, this is the country's first-ever range of fully-customized data plans for all postpaid subscribers. Imagine having unlimited Internet access whenever, wherever! Initially I thought this would be really expensive but to my surprise, we can actually have Unlimited Data Access for as low as Php 999!!

Here's how it goes:

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Welcoming the Water Dragon at Jasmine, New World Hotel

2012-01-22T21:55:00.000+08:00

Tonight, we bid the hopping Rabbit good bye and welcome the fiery Water Dragon at the struck of twelve midnight.

While last year was a pretty happy and prosperous one for us, we are filled with more optimism and good wishes for the coming New Year!! :) For our family, we have scheduled our annual Chinese New Year celebration tomorrow as it is also my dear Mommy's birthday! My sister, Paul and I have been busy completing our lunch menu and we are just soooo excited for it! Truly a double lucky day for my Mom, don't you think?

To make it extra lucky, our menu has 8 different variants : Cha Misua, Crunchy Calamares, Stuffed Chicken (Pat Po Kwe), Sauteed Prawns, Lengua with Mushroom, Spicy Eggplant Hot Pot, Dumplings (Jiao Zi) and my Kongkong's signature Pata Tim! My mouth waters just at the thought of our lunch menu! It will be a mix of dishes prepared here at home, some to be prepared by Paul's talented Manang and others store-bought. :) It will be truly a busy morning for all of us tomorrow!

For those who would rather dine out with the family. I recommend that you visit New World Hotel's Jasmine Restaurant where they will be preparing a traditional Chinese New Year dish called "Pun Choy". This is actually a must-have in all New Year's Eve dinner in China and Hong Kong. There's no rule on what should be included provided that all variants add up to 18 and it will be place in one big basin or tray. I was also told that even fast foods in Hong Kong like Maxim's and Cafe de Coral have this available too.

Manila's food bloggers greeting you a Happy Chinese New Year!!

(left to right: Roch, Yedy, Frannywanny, Jane, Glenn and Richard)

Welcoming the New Year with Tropicana Twister

2012-01-21T11:13:00.000+08:00

*SPONSORED POST*

How did you celebrate the New Year?

Watching the news, I can’t help but get teary-eyed as CNN featured the live New Year’s countdown at Times Square in New York City. From the looks of the crowd, it seems to be a very cold winter night yet this didn’t stop thousands of Americans to go out to the street to be part of this festive celebration. As soon as the clock struck twelve, everyone began hugging, cheering, some couples started kissing and kids began jumping and dancing all around. What a happy sight!

This scene is not far from what we had here in Manila 16 hours earlier than what happened in New York. In various part of the country, big parties were held, beautiful fireworks lit up the sky and in my in-law’s cozy home, we greeted one another and sat around the table to enjoy on our New Year’s Media Noche.

As we enjoyed our bowls of misua soup, sticky rice cakes and fruits, we opened two bottles of Tropicana Twister in two different flavors – Apple Lemon and Red Fusion. I’m not a fan of alcoholic drinks so this is a perfect alternative for people like me and for kids who are still up to partake in the midnight feast.

Tropicana created these two special flavors especially for the season. Made with real fruits, the Apple Lemon is a light citrus-y blend of apple, white grape, peach, pear and lemon. It actually reminds me of drinking a Mountain Dew minus the fizz. I enjoyed this with a slice of sweet ham with pineapple glaze on white bread.

As for the Red Fusion, it’s a combination of apple, pomegranate, red grape and a lot more! Paul liked this one more as according to him it tasted like the strawberry gelatin that he used to have as a kid. Furthermore, I normally would dilute my fruit juice with water to lessen the sweetness level but this time I drank it straight from the small bottle! It’s a good thing we chilled the bottles hours before midnight making it even more refreshing in every sip.

Oh how I wish Tropicana will have this year-round. After all, there should always be a reason to celebrate 365 days in a year and both the Tropicana Twister Red Fusion and Apple Lemon would make a good accompaniment to every party dish!

The Chinese New Year is just around the corner and I look forward to another family gathering happening soon. I'm definitely stocking up on more bottles of these two yummy flavors for everyone to enjoy!

Hurry! Grab a bottle of the Tropicana Twister in your nearest supermarket before it runs out. It’s available in 355ml and 1L bottles.

Food for Thought: My Superwish for the New Year!

2012-01-20T17:19:00.003+08:00

*SPONSORED POST*

Over and over again, Paul and I have been claiming that 2012 will be OUR year. This will be the year that hopefully we’ll be able to achieve financial growth and stability and at our young age, we aim to finally have the luxury to have our own car, to plan for our future home and to prepare for our little bundle of joy. I know it’s not enough to just blog about it thus we have been taking baby steps…small but well-thought out plans to reach our goals.

I’m lucky though that Paul is a very frugal man. He’s a simple guy who would rather save his money than to throw it all away over clothes, gadgets or toys (for the Big Boys). In fact, his being frugal allowed him to pay for our entire wedding expenses and he made sure to give me my dream team of suppliers and as a whole, made his bride’s dream come true. This is something quite unusual for typical Chinese families where the parents of the groom would normally be the ones who would foot the bill but being responsible and mature, Paul insisted to take full control of it. I truly am a lucky girl!

In line with working towards our plan to be able to afford all of those things mentioned above, I also realized that it’s important for the both of us to learn something new this year. After all, we shouldn’t stop learning and by being married, this shouldn’t be a reason for us not to enrich our talents or perhaps to hone a new skill. For years, Paul and I have been planning to take up a culinary course. With our love for food, it has always been our plan to someday have our own food business. Sure, I’ve had a bit of culinary background back when I was kid but I don’t think that would suffice. Paul is a natural in the kitchen but we both recognize the fact that there is a need to really learn it the professional way.

I’m letting you in on our game plan…our 2012 SuperPlan.

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All-Day Breakfast at Agahan in Makati

2012-01-19T00:47:00.000+08:00

Don't you just love breakfast food?

This is one thing that would motivate me to wake up early be it at home or when on a trip. I always look forward to my favorite breakfast staples : garlic rice, egg (preferably scrambled and creamy), my choice of meats -- hotdogs, tocino, boneless bangus and a glass of cold fruit juice!

I'll never forget spending a week at the Swissotel Stamford Hotel in Singapore for our Honeymoon and enjoying their wide breakfast buffet spread every single day! It was pure bliss! I also loved that bowl of Abalone Congee with a stick of Yeow Tiao and Rice Noodle Roll in Hong Kong. Back home, one of the best breakfasts that I've had recently was with The Food Club when we spent the weekend in Punta Fuego and we were able to have lots of Mrs. Tales from the Tummy's homemade beef tapa! (Yes, my dear friend Irene is truly a kitchen star! She bakes the best Queso de Bola Cheesecake in town and makes the yummiest bacon and beef tapa too! I'm so lucky to be able to taste her cooking once in a while!!)

This is also the reason why I just love dining at restaurants offering All-Day Breakfast meals. Thus, I was really happy when I received an invitation to visit a two-month old restaurant called Agahan one Sunday morning. I've been hearing about this restaurant and their famous Chicken Nuggets from my colleague ML who can't stop raving about it. All the more making me really excited to give it a try myself.

So there we were one Sunday morning with fellow blogger Richard and his lovely family. As we entered the restaurant, I really liked the colorful interiors from the couch to the walls down to the menu.

In fact, ML told me that the colors were inspired by Real Living Magazine, really good taste Adee, really good taste. ;)

Our brunch began with our choice of fruit juices. I went for the Guava Juice (Php. 50) while Paul went for the Orange Juice (Php. 50). I personally loved the Guava Juice, sure it may not be freshly blended but it wasn't very sweet and was, in fact, quite refreshing perfect for that hot Sunday morning.

Paul, on the other hand, was expecting to get a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice but was a bit disappointed that what he got tasted just like something poured from a bottle. Oh well...

We each had our choice of breakfast plates and decided to order additional meat choices at the side. I initially went for the Tinapa Silog (Php. 110) which is served with salted egg and tomato. My favorite! However, upon seeing that the fish wasn't deboned yet, I just gave Paul a terrified look and he sweetly offered to swap his plate of Tocino Silog (Php. 120) with me. I just ♥ my husband. He knows me soooo well.

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[CONTEST ALERT] Why are you more than a 10 this 2012? Win P5k CASH!

2012-01-16T11:48:00.002+08:00

This 2012 marks my 7th year of being part of the corporate world. It all began last July 1, 2005 – exactly 15 days after my college graduation where I entered my very first office in Libis. I was a very new, and pretty young Marketing Services Officer for an international hardware brand (yes, I’m talking power tools, paints and woodworks) then. I can still remember how tiny my salary was back then that I would still rely on my parents to pay for my basic necessities. Thank God for giving me extremely generous parents. :)

With my low salary, I could hardly budget nor save for the rainy days. It really felt like me getting my school allowance only it comes twice a month not weekly. When I moved on to my second job, it was then that I was able to enjoy more luxury and at the same time learned how to budget my money wisely. Believe it or not, it was only then that I had my very first bank account. It was then that I learned the value of money and the importance of it.

Now that I’m married, all the more I have to be wise when it comes to organizing and budgeting our finances. We now have bills to consider, payables to account for and unexpected expenses that just pops out from nowhere. Believe me, it’s a crazy, complicated process.

That's a Jaguar, baby!

Paul and I are extremely excited for 2012 as we feel that this will be a big year for us. There’s that plan to finally purchase our own car, to scout around for our future home and there’s that big project that almost everyone has been anticipating for. Dear readers, please cross your fingers for us… let luck be on our side!

While we have our target car in mind, we are now searching a good bank partner whom we can work with for our auto loan. Then I came across Unionbank’s Easy Loan. Incidentally, they are having a big promo wherein from November 11 to January 22, 2012, they will be offering rewards to all home and auto loan clients. In addition to this, partner auto companies will also extend additional services and rewards for every purchase made. What a deal!

As the saying goes, money makes the world go around and they surely do not grow on trees. To help one lucky reader have a great start to his/her 2012, Unionbank and I will be giving away a Php. 5,000 cash prize to anyone who can best answer this question:

Why are you more than a 10 in 2012?

The competition will definitely be steep as we’ll be awarding this to only ONE person. Please make sure to read the mechanics carefully.

How to Participate:
1) All participants must have a Twitter account.
2) Follow @myeasyloans on Twitter.
3) Tweet your answer and tag @myeasyloans and @frannywanny. End your statement with #UB111111.
4) Leave your Twitter answer URL in my comment box together with your Twitter name, Full name and Email address.
5) Contest will run from January 16 to 22, 2011. That’s exactly one week!
6) The name of the winner will be notified via email and will be announced in this blog.

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F Restaurant at the Best Western Premier F1 Hotel : Chinese New Year Special

2012-01-15T16:20:00.001+08:00

In a week's time, we will be bidding the Year of the Rabbit good bye and will gladly welcome the arrival of the Water Dragon. Coincidentally, this year's Chinese New Year is also the day of my dear Mommy's birthday!! Thus, my sister and I have been planning on where to host her birthday lunch with our extended family for days now.

Since January 23 was also declared a holiday, we know we are running out of time as we expect that a lot of people will surely be out celebrating the Chinese New Year making almost all Chinese restaurants in town to be fully booked.

I've been doing a number of research and luckily have been invited by some to have a preview of their Chinese New Year offering. Allow me to share them all with you in the coming days. Let me start with the Chinese New Year menu of F Restaurant of the Best Western Premier F1 Hotel. This is the first hotel to open at the Bonifacio Global City and is located right in front of Starbucks Coffee and is just within walking distance from Mercato Centrale.

Located at a very booming area, expect Bonifacio Global City to be filled with more hotels as the number of offices are starting to double by the months as well. This hotel has a mix of residential units and hotel rooms with a well-equipt business center, Wi-Fi installed all around, 3 swimming pools, a spa, a 24-hour Fitness Center and an all-day restaurant called F.

The F Restaurant offers diners the choice to order from their ala carte menu or to partake in their buffet spread. I took a peek at the buffet area and couldn't help but drool over the fresh looking seafoods, the meaty jamon serrano and the wide variety of breads and cheese.

For our special lunch that day, we were given a sneak peek of their Chinese New Year buffet that will be available starting tomorrow, January 16 until the end of the month. This is a mix of all well-loved Chinese dishes from various provinces in China.

Our meal began with a variety of appetizers such as the Jelly Fish, Beef Kimchi, Cucumber with Garlic and Chili Sesame and Cold Pork Knuckles. I'm a big fan of Chinese appetizers and this is normally what I always look forward to in lauriats. I love the cold and crunchy jelly fish which had a slight hint of spiciness yet still pretty tolerable. The Cold Pork Knuckles was also very good as the thinly-sliced pork was well seasoned with vinegar. Lastly, the Cucumber with Garlic and Chili Sesame was a surprise as I was just expecting a bland tasting cucumber but what I had was a garlicky crunchy cucumber that has instantly perked up my taste buds making me want more. Sadly, I had to skip the Beef Kimchi but I heard from my tablemates that it was very very good.

While enjoying our Trio of Appetizers, out came another favorite -- Tea Boiled Peanuts. Trust the Chinese chef to give more life to a simple batch of peanuts by boiling this in tea broth making it really delicious and quite addicting too.

We had two types of soup that day -- Seafood Spinach and the Crab and Corn Soup.

The Seafood Spinach was really good, not very salty and I love biting into the tiny bits of shrimps too.

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Lorenzo's Way in Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center

2012-01-13T00:15:00.000+08:00

When I predicted that 2012 will be a busy year, I wasn't expecting for it to be THIS busy. I've been buzzing around like a busy bee ever since I returned back to work on the 2nd day of the year. Meetings conducted one after the other, reports growing by the number and a lot more! Don't get me wrong, I entered the year with an optimistic heart and I'm just so happy doing what I'm doing right now. In other words -- I. Love. My. Job.

Still, after a hectic work week, what makes my heart flutter is the thought that the weekend is here! This is the only time when I can stay in bed longer, catch up on my favorite TV shows and go out and eat, eat, eat to my hearts content!

Aside from Chinese and Japanese cuisines, I love Filipino food. How can I ever say no to that mouthwatering Lechon or that heart-stopping, oil-dripping Garlic Pork Adobo that goes perfectly well with steamed white rice? Oh the thought of it always puts a smile on my face.

There are a lot of Filipino restaurants around yet there are only a few that I really love. One of those is Lorenzo's Way. Hats off to the LJC Group for creating a number of really good Filipino restaurants from Cafe Adriatico to Fely J's, from the Capampangan Abe to Lorenzo's Way.

Last Christmas, Paul and I joined my Mom, Aunt and sister as we went to Greenbelt 5 with my Grandparents and we decided to have dinner at Lorenzo's Way. After all, my Kongkong just loves Filipino food as much as I do! :) In fact, while walking around choosing for a restaurant, what made my Kongkong and I immediately chose Lorenzo's Way was when we saw llaneras of paella outside waiting to be picked up. We are both big fans of paella thus this became a big plus for making our reservation at Lorenzo's Way immediately.

Dinner began with a small plate of Gambas (Php. 320) which instantly became everyone's favorite. They serve it a basket of warm bread and butter which was pretty good too. If only they gave us more slices of bread good enough for everyone on the table. Imagine, there were 6 of us and we only got 4 tiny slices of bread. When I asked for more, it took them a good 15 minutes and 4 follow-ups to give another 4 tiny slices of bread. Oh well...

Mommy, sensing that an order of Paella is not enough for us decided to get the Paella Valenciana and my favorite, the Paella Negra.

Everyone loved the Paella Valenciana (Php. 595) which had a generous serving of chicken, mussels and veggies. My sister commented that they also have a good amount of socarrat (tutong) which, like me and Kongkong, she loves very much. I wasn't able to try this though as I was busy focusing on the other paella.

Ever since I tried the Paella Negra (Php. 425) back when I was still a little girl, this instantly became my paella of choice. Despite aunts and uncles teasing me about my scary looking dark teeth and lips, I still enjoy the flavorful rice cooked in squid ink and sprinkled with lemon juice. So simple yet so satisfyingly delicious. I actually prefer to have a little bit of garlic aoili sauce also squeezed on top of my plate of paella. Sadly, no garlic aoili here at Lorenzo's Way but I was still pleased just the same. Needless to say, I had quite a lot more serving than what everyone else had for the Paella Negra.

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Pino Resto Bar + Pipino Vegetarian in Quezon City

2012-01-11T20:22:00.000+08:00

A few months ago, Paul and I met up with long time friends Sophie, Jean and Karl for our much-awaited dinner. This plan has been pushed back so many times that we were all so excited that the day has finally come that we will be able to catch up and see each other again. The venue was set at Quezon City and going through my Restaurant List, I suggested that we try Pino Resto Bar which shares the same building with its healthier vegan version, Pipino Vegetarian Restaurant.

I was able to try Pipino's Mac and Cheese during the Yummy Eats event last May. In fact, it was the only thing I ate after running around the venue, making sure everything goes as planned all day. I wasn't really planning to eat had it not been for Paul who pulled me to stop and firmly told me to eat after 10 attempts or so. When I had my first bite of Pipino's Mac and Cheese, I was hooked! It was delicious, no signs of it being a purely vegan dish and it was very addicting in fact. Too addicting that I've been thinking about it for ~~days~~ ~~weeks~~ months after my event.

Finally, we found ourselves at the entrance of Pino Resto Bar. Luckily, we made reservations as the place was already full at 7PM! Since Pipino is just located at the 2nd floor of Pino, we were allowed to order from both restaurants. Yay!

Our meal started with a bowl of Taro Chips (Php. 60) which was really yummy! I loved the crisp, lightly salted veggie chips paired with their homemade soy sauce. In fact, there's no need for the dip as the chips was delightful as it was.

We also had the Crispy Shrimps with Salted Egg (Php. 225) which are deep-fried baby shrimps coated salted egg and served with their homemade vinegar. I'm not really fond of eating the entire shrimps with the shell intact. I always get this phobia that the sharp edges might hurt my gums. Just had three tiny pieces of this.

Of course, how can I ever forget ordering Pipino's Mac n' Cheeze (Php. 165). I have been raving about it as my friends and I were browsing through that menu that I also have to state a disclaimer that I could have just been extremely hungry that time thus affecting my taste buds and judgement. Still my friends were game enough to order this for me to try it again. I'm happy to share that the Mac n' Cheeze was really delicious! Hungry or not so hungry, this is definitely a must-try! No beef or meat can be found instead all you get is a bowl of really creamy and cheesy elbow macaroni which makes a great meal on its own.

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Christmas Date at Seryna in Little Tokyo, Makati

2012-01-06T22:57:00.000+08:00

One thing that Paul and I love about Christmas and about being married is that ever since we tied the knot, we finally can celebrate the holiday season together! You see, for the past 7 years when we were dating, Christmas for Paul means driving to his hometown in Pampanga to celebrate the holidays with his extended family. Whereas for me, I spend Christmas Eve with my mom's side and Christmas Day at home with my immediate family of 4.

Not wanting to join the holiday rush and to just waste precious time in traffic, we decided to postpone our annual Holi-date to the day after Christmas where almost everyone is back at work and the roads are free of cars and the malls not that filled with frantic shoppers.

So there we were at 11AM right in front of Seryna Japanese Restaurant, our Holi-date venue for the year. What we failed to take note was that the restaurant opens at 11:30 which means we have to wait for half an hour more before we can finally have lunch. Drat! I'm starving!

It's a good think Seryna is located in the Little Tokyo complex where Izakaya Kikufuji, Choto Stop and other Japanese eateries are also located thus allowing us to stroll around while waiting for 11:30 to come. Oh how I wish we can visit this at night to be able to try Hana's Okonomiyaki again and to finally dine at Urameshiya. Will try my luck again this year!

Finally, the door opened at 11:30 and we were the second batch of customers to enter after a big family who occupied the neighboring table. We were handed the lunch menu which is very similar to that of Izakaya Kikufuji's. This is the reason why I LOVE Japanese restaurants and their amazing lunch bento boxes! This is the perfect solution for hungry girls like me who are just to stingy to spend so much but still wants authentic Japanese food..lots of it.

Finally after a long round of eenie-meenie-miney-moes, I went for the Tempura Gozen Lunch Set (Php. 350) while Paul got the Makunouchi Bento Box (Php. 540).

It was actually a toss between the Tonkatsu Gozen or the Tempura as I was craving for both that day. Finally, I went for the Tempura after asking the server to help me choose. :) My set meal came with a small serving of appetizer, a generous portion of cabbage salad, a bowl of miso soup, my mix tempura and rice and 5 pieces of grapes. It's a complete set yet I wish I had some sashimi too after seeing Paul's bento box! I guess he noticed me staring extra long and hard at his salmon sashimi that he gave me a few pieces to try. Yay! :)

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Cheese Steak Shop lands in Makati City

2012-01-02T23:31:00.000+08:00

I've tried a number of Philly Cheese Steaks in the past but I never really got around to learning about its history. It was until that fateful evening when Paul and I got an invite to have dinner at the Cheese Steak Shop in Makati where we were told of the Philly Cheese Steak story and how it finally found its way here in Manila, Philippines.

Given the name, this sandwich originated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by a couple who began serving thinly sliced steaks and cheese in a long sandwich bun. Very similar to a hotdog sandwich, the craze about this meaty sandwich spread like wildfire and soon Philly Cheese Steaks are not only available in Philadelphia but in other states all around the USA as well.

Take Cheese Steak Shop for instance. It originated in San Francisco 29 years ago (yes, same age as me!) and makes use of authentic ingredients such as their Amoroso rolls and Tastykakes which are shipped all the way from Philadelphia.

Here in Manila, we have owner Mai Uy to thank for bringing Cheese Steak Shop to our shores. In fact, it took her 22 years worth of dedication and pure love for Cheese Steak sandwiches that she didn't stop in convincing the big bosses of this US brand to allow her to franchise and take Cheese Steak Shop to Asia.

We were able to try a lot of things that evening however majority of which had beef in it thus I wasn't able to try them all. I didn't mind though as I enjoyed all the non-beef menu items that I was able to have a bite of that evening.

First off was the Italian Salad (Php. 635). At first glance at the menu, you might gasp at the sight of the price of this salad but note that this contains a generous amount of Italian cold cuts, veggies and cheese. I really enjoyed having this to start my meal.

Most of the Cheese Steak sandwiches comes in three different sizes -- 7", 10" and 15". The 7" is good for one but if you want to try more variants it may be shared by two as well. The 15" is really long that it may be shared by 3-4 pax! When ordering at the Cheese Steak Shop, you'd get to choose whether you want to have beef or chicken in your sandwich. After which, you choose your toppings. They have an extensive list of toppings to choose from! My favorite includes the Barbeque, Spinach and Garlic.

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Hello 2012!!!

2012-01-01T19:22:00.000+08:00

As soon as the clock strucked 12 last night, I stood up and instinctively jumped three times. My sister-in-law laughed as she reminded me of the sad truth... I won't get any taller by doing that anymore. :P Still, I love the juggling sound of the coins that Paul told me to put in my polka dot pink shorts. If I can't get any taller, then I hope to be rich!

It was my first time to celebrate New Year's Eve at my in-laws and I enjoyed heading down to the dining table where the entire table was filled with all sorts of round fruits, cakes, roasted chesnuts and bowls of misua soup for each one of us. A few minutes after that, my cousin-in-law came by to wish us a Happy New Year! Too bad my other sister-in-law couldn't join us or it would have been fun to have the kids running around screaming "Happy New Year" too!

My phone rang and it was my mom and sister wishing us a Happy New Year as they just had our traditional wine drinking at home. For a while there, I felt a bit emotional after realizing that it was my first time to miss our yearly tradition which also includes hanging out at my parents' room to watch the beautiful fireworks in the neighborhood. I then reminded myself that we're going home the next day to continue the celebration with my side, this time.

This year was made more meaningful as Paul and I were able to equally spend our New Year with both families. I'm also so happy that his family gets to bond with mine once in a while. This is exactly how I want my year to be. Filled with love, care and support going all around.

So, from my two families to yours, we wish you all a....

Happy Happy New Year!!!

11 in 2011!!! -- A Frannywanny's Year-ender Special

2011-12-31T11:13:00.000+08:00

I woke up at exactly 8:45AM this morning and initially I wanted to sleep some more...only I realized that it's December 31, the last day of the year and I am definitely not wasting precious time in bed when I can jump start my action-packed day with this blog entry. My annual year-ender special where in the past I've listed off my 8 blessings in 2008, 5 amazing moments in 2009 and Top 10 Food Spots in 2010!

This year, I won't deviate from the usual practice as I present to you my 11 Memorable Moments in 2011!!! (p.s. in no particular order)

1) Hello USA!

It was like a dream come true. To be honest, I'd never thought I'd travel to the US...this soon and best of all, Paul was with me! :) Memorable food stops includes the mouthwatering ribs of Lucille's, the to-die-for bucket of seafood from Boiling Crab and the incredibly delicious Red Velvet Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory.

We had a great time reuniting with friends and family all throughout our two weeks stay! Oh boy, I can't wait to go back and to visit more states too -- hello Vegas and New York!

2) Fun Taiwan

A month after coming home from our US trip, Paul and I headed to Taiwan this time for an all-out food adventure! Our 4 days trip was a perfect mix of visiting historical sites, going up the 2nd tallest tower in the world and filling our tummies with the best food finds Taiwan can offer!

At a Glance: Taipei, Taiwan

3) Frannywanny and Twitter = ♥

Tweet! I finally got around to starting my own Twitter page where I get to update you on what I'm currently doing at the moment, my thoughts, my whereabouts (hehe kidding!) Seriously, follow me on Twitter as I'll be launching a BIG contest over there pretty SOON!

Clue: Involves an amazing Ca$h prize!! *kaching kaching!*

4) Private Dinner with Pepita's Lechon

This just got to be one of the most memorable dinners I've had this year. Sure I love lechon but to have four different lechons in one night...this got me day and night dreaming about it for WEEKS! I will always love Pepita's French and German Lechon not to mention her delicious Pinoy Pate and Balut Surprise. Definitely a must try! Oh, and don't forget to bring your Lipitor. :)

Lechon Degustacion Dinner at Pepita's Kitchen

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Yakitori Kitchen at the Burgos Circle

2011-12-29T12:07:00.001+08:00

I love Japanese food! It's my ultimate comfort cuisine and luckily, there seems to be a surge of Japanese restaurants opening here and there.

A week ago, The Food Club was invited to try Yakitori Kitchen, owned and managed by the same group as Ramen Bar. Upon receiving the invite, Paul and I immediately sent our confirmation. We were so excited that we were actually the first to arrive that evening.

While waiting for the group to be complete, we were served with a bowl of Chicken Broth Soup which I find very refreshing. It actually reminds me of the yummy Emperor's Soup of Sugi. I loved it so much that I had two bowls of this for dinner that evening.

I was able to meet the man behind Yakitori Kitchen and he explained that Yaki means Grill/Grilling while Tori means Chicken in Japanese. This was after I asked him how come they have mostly chicken parts listed in the menu. I didn't mind at all as I love chicken! For those who are not big fans of chicken though, don't fret as they also have other skewered items available too.

Yakitori items are always served in barbecue sticks. One order comes with two sticks already and while you may think that it looks pretty light, I could hardly move after feeling so full at the end of our meal.

Let me share with you the 14 different types of Yakitori that we were able to sample that evening:

Asubei (Php. 140) - Asparagus wrapped in Bacon
Though I'm not a big fan of bacon, I enjoyed a stick of this as it went perfectly well with the crunchy asparagus. I'm happy that the bacon had more lean meat too.

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Irene's Queso de Bola Cheesecake

2011-12-27T19:25:00.002+08:00

I am currently preparing again for my year-ender post which involves going through every single entry written this 2011 and building my list from there. Yes..all 248 of them and still counting. It's fun to reminisce about all those wonderful gastronomic memories spent most with our dear friends (hello, The Food Club!) and family. What I noticed though was that I've been talking a whole lot about my friend Irene's delicious Queso de Bola Cheesecake and never really got around to creating a blog post just for it. My apologies for tempting you guys all these months! :o

It all began when I first tried Irene's Queso de Bola Cheesecake during our Cheesepedida for fellow Food Club member Chris when he left shortly for Canada. Everyone brought cheese-loaded dishes for our cheese-loving friend. I remember nursing a bad cough then but that didn't stop me from having a slice (or was it two) of Irene's cheesecake. It was delicious! I love the chunky feel brought by the grated cheese which made a good contrast to the over-all silky smooth consistency.

A few months after that, Irene, knowing how much I ~~like~~ ~~adore~~ love her cheesecake offered to send me a slice to enjoy at home. Call it bad luck but I remember being sick again at the time. Still that didn't stop me from having her cheesecake for dessert that evening. Luckily, my cough didn't worsen thus no guilty feeling there.

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Pinkberry is finally here in Manila!

2011-12-26T20:17:00.000+08:00

My US trip last February was really memorable. For one thing, it was my first long-haul flight and I was so proud that I've survived! You see, I easily get airsick that a short flight to Hong Kong or Singapore would normally make me want to throw up. My Dad found a great solution by giving a pair of ear plugs as the high cabin pressure makes me dizzy. Still, I wasn't so sure if my ear plugs will work wonders all throughout our 12hr+ flight....well, it did and I had a great time enjoying the food and walking around the plane from time to time.

Another thing that made my trip memorable was that it started as a business trip and ended as a fun 1.5 week long personal trip for Paul and yours truly. We were able to reunite with our California-based relatives and to bond with them given the short vacation time we have. Nothing beats spending quality time and catching up with family.

Lastly, it was also the first time that I've experienced what 9 degrees Celsius feels like. It was so cold that despite my four-layer of clothing, I can feel the cold air down to my bones. "Never again", I always tell myself. I'm definitely shopping for more coats, gloves and bonnets to keep me warmer for my upcoming trip.

Still, despite the cold weather, our last stop during our last night in California was at a pretty Pinkberry store in this quiet neighborhood in Sta. Monica. It was a brisk walk from where we had dinner with my cousin Jeff. I was shivering like crazy that I sadly had to turn down the offer to try a cup of yogurt that evening. The server was really nice though to give me a sampler cup which I enjoyed very much.

Less than a month after our trip, I got word from former colleagues that Pinkberry is opening in Manila!! Hooray! Now, I don't have to feel so sad about not being able to try Pinkberry in the US as I can easily have as many cups as I want as soon as it opens here.

The wait is finally over!

Pinkberry finally opens its doors to all yogurt fans in Manila just this December! Of course, this was the only thing on my To-do list when Mom told me that we're heading to Greenbelt with my Grandparents on Christmas Day. We got there just in time for our afternoon snack and I invited everyone to have yogurt at Pinkberry!

I love the big glass facade and the pink-green color motif. It's located beside Chateau 1771 and Mr. Jones in Greenbelt 5. We were warmly greeted by the local servers as they gladly gave us samples of their different flavors. After all, there are 6 different yogurt flavors to choose from -- Original, Green Tea, Watermelon, Mango, Pomegranate and Chocolate.

I was able to try the Original, Watermelon, Mango and Chocolate. The watermelon tasted very much like the Original only it's sweeter. The Mango and Chocolate were also very good that it's perfect for those who doesn't want the flavor of yogurt at all. However, Paul and I went for the Original as we still love the creamy, tarty flavor for a frozen yogurt.

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Christmas 2011!

2011-12-25T01:15:00.000+08:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!! :)

May you all have a deliciously-filled Holiday spent with your dearest loved ones! :)

Cheers,
Frannywanny and Paul

Snack Time: Eat my GF!

2011-12-23T17:29:00.001+08:00

It was during one of our panic Christmas shopping trips one weekend, that Paul and I decided to rest and to head to the Glorietta food court to grab a snack. You see, unlike probably most ladies my age, I no longer enjoy shopping...that much. I'm sure my shopping buddy and college best friend Len couldn't believe her eyes when she reads this as we used to declare that we are part of the "shopping" varsity team back then. Those were the days where most of our long breaks were spent at the mall and we always end up lugging back a couple of shopping bags as we head back to school for our next class. Yes, there was really a time that I, Frannywanny, used to be a shopaholic.

Perhaps I grew older and realized that I can no longer keep up with the crazy frantic atmosphere where I get squished and elbowed at as I join the sea of shoppers especially during the weekends or worst, the Holiday rush. The mere thought of it really sends shivers down my spine. This is also one reason why I loveeeee online shopping where I can choose, research, decide and buy at any given time I want.

When at the mall, I prefer to keep my eyes on a look out for new food finds. Such was the case that day were I found -- Eat my GF!

Before anything else, GF stands for Garlic Fries. I've been hearing about this food stall from bazaar-loving friends and what has been stopping me from trying this out was that their first branch was in Alabang, so far away from home! I'm so happy that they have finally opened their second branch in Makati making it more accessible to me.

The sales clerk was amazing! He first made me try their Virgin Chips (Php. 80/150) which are thinly sliced potato chips, deep-fried and served with fresh garlic bits and lots of parmesan chips. I love garlic and I love cheese. Needless to say, this was a sure hit the moment I tried a piece and while waiting for my small box of Virgin Chips to be ready, I asked to try few pieces more.

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Tech Review: Samsung NX11 dSLR

2011-12-22T16:51:00.001+08:00

During one of my seminars at work, I was asked this question:

If you were to be stranded in an island, what would be the three things that you'd bring?

Without thinking, I jotted these three items down in my paper: Laptop - Camera - Broadband Stick

Yes, I truly am a blogger at heart and no matter where I'll be, I want to be able to document every minute of it. It was only when I was given more time to think that my practical self kicked in and took over making me change my answers to: Lighter - Water - Food.

In reality though, I can't live without my camera. Imagine not being able to capture all those memorable moments or that mouthwatering dish that you want to keep as a remembrance forever? I'm lucky that I'm married to such a talented photographer who's works you see in most of my blog entries. Paul also knows his way around a camera thus I normally just rely on him to configure my camera to the right settings making it easy for me to just point and shoot away.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege to tryout the new Samsung NX11 dSLR. I'm really no gadget geek so I won't bore you with all the technical specifications which you can easier browse through in their official website.

What I'll share with you all are the amazing things that I loved about this camera:

1) Light-weight

Unlike most dSLRs (or that particular one that Paul owns at the moment), this one is the lightest dSLR that I've ever carried in my life. Weighing a little more than 353g it actually is lighter than our smallest can of Allies Wonder Peanuts! I brought it with me during my recent Boracay trip and I just hanged it on my neck and off I went around the island. Even after a couple of minutes of walking, I didn't feel the weight of the camera. It was really light!

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Mad Mark’s : Man Sandwich + Frozen D in Pasig

2011-12-20T16:51:00.000+08:00

Welcome to Brgy. Kapitolyo in Pasig – the newest foodie haven in town.

Believe me, a trip down East Capitol Drive is like a gastronomical journey around the world. Start from the corner of Pioneer you’ll see Nav and Uncle Moe’s which will give you really delicious Thai and Mediterranean dishes respectively. Drive further down and you’ll hit Kainan Au Gusto and Café Juanita located just around the corner for our local Pinoy fare. As you continue with your drive, you’ll see The Three Sisters' restaurant, the place to get really yummy Pork BBQ and Pancit Bihon and my latest fave – Milky and Sunny, an all-day breakfast nook.

Go on another block and you’ll see another line of restaurants like Poco Deli for some cheese and sausages while Lia’s Cakes in Season makes a great dessert stop. Care for some burgers? Charlie’s Grill and Grind is located right across and is right beside Bacolod’s Café Bob’s Manila version – Cab Café. There’s still a couple of restaurant left for me to discover but as you can see, your choices are pretty much endless here.

A couple of weeks ago, I went out for lunch with some members of The Food Club to try Mad Mark’s, another food spot discovered by fellow blogger Richard and his wife Irene. This restaurant specializes in sandwiches, wings and homemade ice cream.

Paul and I ordered a Mariner Sandwich (Php. 220) to share. During our first visit, there were only two types of sandwich available – the Mariner and the Lumberjack. Since the Lumberjack consists of slices of Angus Beef, we opted to try the Mariner instead which has a huge piece of deep-fried fish fillet topped with their house mariner sauce. I love the tender cream dory and most especially the creamy, slightly spicy sauce. We had this with some Herb Parmesan Fries (Php. 50 additional) on the side which was equally delicious too!

To go with our sandwich, we also shared a basket of Wings N’ Fries (Php. 220) which are perfectly coated buffalo wings and Cajun fries. The spicy level was pretty manageable. While I initially requested for them to hold the sauce and to serve it separately, I ended up dipping my wings into the sauce before every bite. The fries was ok but between the two, I love the Herb Parmesan Fries more.

Our first visit was really good that I couldn’t help but rave about the yummy sandwich and wings days after. Of course, a good experience leads to a return and true enough, Paul and I went back to Mad Mark’s with two friends in tow a week after that.

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Give Rub on Christmas Day : Rub Ribs & BBQ in Quezon City

2011-12-16T13:37:00.003+08:00

Remember my search for the best Ribs in town? It's funny that I first found my favorite rib places in Angeles, Pampanga and as far as California, USA but none yet close to home. My search for the best rack of ribs never stopped though as I am determined to find THE ONE. That perfect ribs place that will allow me to go back to over and over again.

Wonder when will my luck strike?

Ever since Paul and I tied the knot a year and five months ago, we have been planning to have dinner with our every talented wedding coordinators and host. Since we all live extremely hectic lives, this has been pushed back a million times until last Wednesday when we finally found time and met up for dinner. Jerome, our host, is also a foodie. This is also one reason why we instantly clicked as he's a great fan of the magazine that I work for and our pre-wedding meetings would also end up with us talking about food, food and more food. He was the one who suggested that we try Rub Ribs & BBQ near Tomas Morato that evening.

I was so excited to dine at Rub after hearing raves from my fellow food bloggers. Paul and I were the first to arrive and were surprised at how tiny the restaurant was. At the ground floor was just one small table and the order counter. I love looking at the chalkboard menu which makes ordering so easy. On the second floor, there were only 4 tables that can probably seat 5-6 pax each. Luckily, we were still able to get a table for our group of 5.

While waiting for our companions to arrive, Paul and I ordered a basket of Nachos (Php. 170) to ease our growling tummies. As the basket was served, I was very happy with the crisp nacho chips and the delicious cheese sauce. Paul, on the other hand, had the bowl of salsa to himself. I was able to try the salsa and I liked it that that it wasn't spicy at all. It had the right level of sourness which Paul enjoyed very much. The cheese sauce was creamy and thick, one dip will surely make you crave for more. This is one of the best nachos that I've ever tasted and it's very reasonably-priced too.

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Lia's Cakes in Season : Home of the famous Avocado Cake

2011-12-15T12:09:00.001+08:00

What's your favorite dessert?

For Paul it would definitely be a bar of chocolate. For my Dad it would have to be a bowl of his favorite Ice Cream while for Mommy it would be a refreshing platter of fruits.

I, on the other hand, prefers to have baked goodies and cakes for dessert. Examples would be a ramekin of Creme Brulee, a slice of that perfect Red Velvet Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory or (once again) my friend Irene's to-die-for Queso de Bola Cheesecake! Having an amazing dessert is like getting a great massage. It brings you so much happiness and bliss that makes you go oohhhhh and ahhhhh while taking in bites after bites of that delicious piece of cake. It's a great way to indulge and to treat yourself especially after a stressful day at work.

However, I tend to be a very picky cake eater as I have very low tolerance for overly sweet products thus I tend to stick to the fruity or slightly salty ones. I always have to scrape off the icing on any cake as my stomach can't take any of those. Often times, I also have to stay away from those with extra creamy filling to. *sigh* The story of my life.

With that, only a few cakes have made it to the cut. Those that I can enjoy one entire slice of without hurting my poor tummy.

One afternoon, fellow food blogger Richard and I were invited to visit Lia's Cakes in Season in Kapitolyo. We went there after enjoying a very filling lunch at Mad Mark's located next door yet we tried very hard to save a little tiny space for dessert.

I've heard about Lia's Cakes in Season for almost three years already from colleagues who have brought slices of their delicious Avocado Cake to the office. Every time, I always make a mental note to pay them a visit but the only branch that I know of before was in Tomas Morato, not very near from my place. I'm so happy that their Kapitolyo branch is so close to my office making it very accessible should a craving for a slice of cake comes up.

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Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss in Shaw Boulevard

2011-12-14T00:20:00.001+08:00

With the holidays just around the corner, we are now starting to feel the cold air especially during the evening. Given the chilly weather, the thought of slurping a bowl of piping hot noodles just makes perfect sense.

Thus, an invite to try a newly opened Japanese noodle bar called Moshi Koshi that's located so close to work and home was immediately accepted. We were actually the third and fourth guests to arrive after fellow bloggers Dyanie and Chyng. This allowed us to familiarize ourselves with the cool features of the restaurant such as the noodle room where there's actually a stoplight installed at the top showing if a noodle is currently being created or not. Reminds me so much of the much-anticipated red light of Krispy Kreme.

The rest of the group arrived shortly after which signaled the start of our Moshi Koshi feast! As explained to us, Koshi is that "sweet state of a noodle that is tender and chewy, firm but not hard, with resistance to the bite". For the Italians, they'd call this Al Dente.

We agreed to share the orders amongst ourselves to be able to try as much food items possible. We began with a bowl of Shoyu Ramen (Php. 185) which was a bit too salty for my taste yet I find the noodles very delicious! Nothing beats freshly-made noodles compared to the store-bought ones. This bowl had a generous serving of veggies, bamboo shoots and fish cakes. I think I'll try the Miso version next time. :)

meet the Noodle Boss -- Chef Kenta Ishikawa

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Po Suk Jung -- Korean BBQ Restaurant in Pasig

2011-12-12T23:27:00.000+08:00

One rainy Sunday, Paul and I joined Richard, Irene and our favorite playmate Lauren for dinner. We decided to try Po Suk Jung, a Korean restaurant located in Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig. I've been noticing this restaurant that actually looks like a huge garage from outside ever since I started working in Mandaluyong three years ago.

We got there quite early for dinner and were surprised that the parking lot was almost full. Good thing, even without a reservation, we were able to get a good table near the huge TV set that kept Lauren pre-occupied all throughout dinner time.

Just with any Korean meal, ours started with a lot of appetizers (banchan). Unlike those served at other Korean restaurants where there's a mix of spicy and non-spicy fare; here, they have more spicy appetizers which for me was pretty manageable since I like eating kimchi a lot. My favorite though were the fish cakes. I also love the complimentary egg custard that's very similar to our Chinese home-cooked Tim Neng (Steamed Egg with Ground Pork) minus the minced pork.

Since both Irene and Richard were still very full from their delicious eat-all-you-can lunch, we decided to just order a few dishes to be shared by the four of us.

We had the Dweji Galbi (Php. 300) -- grilled Pork Spare Ribs marinated in their homemade sweet and chili sauce. Since we were seated inside, we're not allowed to cook on our table which was ok as I wasn't in the mood to smell like grilled meat at the end of our meal. The pork was tender yet I find the serving a bit too small given the price. I guess this is the problem when we're just so used to dining at a specific Korean restaurant that we tend to compare. To be fair though, I appreciated that we were all given sauces and dips that there was no reason for us to call our server to ask for more.

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Christmas Shopping at Deal Grocer

2011-12-11T22:20:00.000+08:00

I never thought I'd get THIS busy.

Don't get me wrong, I am truly thankful for all the blessings showered upon us and let it shower even more! We've been spending our weekends doing the rounds with our dear peanut distributors and Paul, especially, has been busy taking orders and allocating stocks for our customers. Our entrepreneurial dreams are slowly becoming a reality and we're truly grateful for that. ♥

As we've been spending most of our waking hours on our business, we really haven't had the time to head to the mall to do our Christmas shopping..and Christmas is just two weeks away!!

Once in a while, I'd inject a short shopping trip in between work and dinner but more often than not, I'd go home empty handed as it's really hard to choose and decide under great time constrains and set shopping budget. Can you relate with this?

It's a good thing though that my Christmas list is not totally empty. A month ago, I purchased a couple of coupons from my favorite group buying site -- Deal Grocer. One coupon allows me to get 4 Boxes of Sumptuous Boursin Cheese with Garlic Toast. I plan to give these out to our couple friends.

It's no secret that I love cheese and after trying a box of this delicious Boursin Cheese set from King and Maia's, I was even more excited to share this with my friends as I'm sure they'll love it too. It's also a big plus that it's encased in a pretty Tiffany-blue box that makes it look oh-so-premium! This is one reason why I love Deal Grocer, they partner with choice brands that makes really good Christmas gifts.

With two weeks left before Christmas Day, I'm starting to feel a slight wave of panic inside. I don't think I have the time to head out to the mall and if ever I get to do so, I am not that hopeful that I'd find something good right away.

I thought of browsing through the Deal Grocer site this evening and I was surprised that they have a wider array of choices compared to ordinary days. While they used to have categories such as "This Week Only" and "Getaways", this season they have also added in "Style", "Celebrations" and "Christmas". I spent a good hour going through each item and it didn't felt as stressful as it would probably have been had I've been walking around the mall today.

Ready for a secret?

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Friday Craving: Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube

2011-12-09T15:42:00.000+08:00

Last Friday, I suddenly had this weird craving for... Putong Ube. Oh how I daydreamed about those tiny, pillow-y, rice cakes cooked with our native ube (yam). Of course, no other store can make it better than Michelle's. I used to visit their store along Gilmore street or Papa would buy a box home for us to enjoy.

I searched online to look for a store closest to my office and I was surprised that their main branch was actually just a stone's throw away from where I work!! Thus, on my way home, I asked Paul if we can make a brief stop at Libertad street for me to buy a box of Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube to satisfy my craving. Luckily, he said yes! YAY!

The store wasn't hard to find, if you're familiar with California Square Garden and Galileo Enoteca then you'll be able to locate Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube in no time.It's located at the corner of Kanlaon and Domingo M Guevara (formerly known as Libertad) streets.

Arriving at the store 15 minutes before closing, I was lucky to be able to get the very last box of Putong Ube (Php. 130/box of 25). A girl who came a few minutes after me sadly left the store empty-handed. They actually have a lot of items available in the store but majority still loves their Putong Ube. After all, this wouldn't be part of the store's name if they're not extremely proud of it.

Aside from the Purple Yam (Ube) flavor, they also have rice cakes in Cheese, Pandan and Mascuvado (brown sugar).

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Don Vito Ristorante Italiano in Boracay

2011-12-08T17:39:00.000+08:00

What's a visit to Boracay without going on a food trip? In my opinion, Boracay is one of the best places in the Philippines where you are assured of really good food. As more and more tourists flock to Boracay on a yearly basis, the island has turned into a gastronomic destination where you won't only see seafood paluto stalls but a mix of International cuisines from Italian, Hawaiian, Mexican and a lot more! After all, nothing beats enjoying the cool breeze, listening to the waves splashing on the shore and enjoying plates after plates of delicious food.

Contrary to my past Boracay visits where I normally fill up the entire day with non-stop resto-hopping, this time I had all my meals at Don Vito Ristorante Italiano, the in-house restarant of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel, which gave me a very pleasant experience that I believe deserves an entire blog post on its own.

Let me share with you a short food journal of my recent Boracay trip:

Day 1 - Lunch

As soon as we got to the island of Boracay and proceeded to Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel to check-in, lunch was ready for us. We sat at the outside seating where we got a good view of the beach and the people passing by. Don't you just love people-watching on such a lazy, sunshine-y day? :)

Our meal began with the Papaya Shrimp Boat (Php. 350) which reminds me of our Chinese Shrimp Salad. The only difference is this one is not overly coated in cream making it a lighter alternative and the mix of papaya balls made this dish very refreshing. I love the plump juicy shrimps too!

Our appetizer was followed by two types of salads. The Caesar Salad (Php. 300) seems to be everyone's favorite as it had a generous serving of chicken strips and croutons on top of a bed of crisp lettuce with their homemade caesar dressing.

I, on the other hand, enjoyed the Chef Salad (Php. 275). A simple salad that consists of garden greens, swiss cheese, sweet ham, carrots, cucumbers, sliced boiled eggs and a saucer of Thousand Island at the side. It's a salad that can be easily made at home but why go through the hassle when you can enjoy it here at Don Vito?

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Mandarin Spa in Boracay Island

2011-12-06T23:21:00.002+08:00

During our weekend getaway in Boracay, part of our itinerary includes visiting the Mandarin Spa and availing of any of their signature treatments. After enjoying our lunch at the in-house restaurant of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel and spending more than an hour at the beach and later on taking a quick dip at the pool, Paul, Richard and I headed back to our rooms to shower and to get ready for an hour and a half of total relaxation.

We headed towards the entrance of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel where Mandarin Spa is located. We were greeted by the friendly receptionist who assisted us in choosing our treatment and the specific massage oil that will be used as well.

I chose the Chamomile Oil as it's said to give a very calming effect while Paul and Richard went for the Ylang-Ylang it had a very masculine scent, which I think is just perfect for them. :)

For my treatment, I got the Traditional Filipino Massage "Hilot" that promises to restore balance to my entire body as it will improve my circulation and will allow my energy to flow properly. Just exactly what I really needed at the moment.

Paul, on the other hand, wanted the Mandarin Aroma Hot Stone Therapy which makes use of volcanic basalt stones to release muscular tension, a treatment well-suited for him as well.

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Weekend Getaway at Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel

2011-12-05T22:49:00.003+08:00

Sometimes I just dream of the sea...and the feel of the powdery sand underneath my feet. At times I just want to go far far away from the crazy hustle and bustle of the city, turning my phones off as I just want time for myself and myself alone.

These moments I thank Him for blessing my country, the Philippines, with an abundance of beautiful scenic spots that doesn't have to cost us an arm and a leg to get close to. Moments like this I'm thankful that I had the luxury of time to take a weekend off and to fly to the paradise island called Boracay where I spent two wonderful days swimming, bonding with Paul and pampering myself to the fullest...all in one memorable weekend.

As soon as our private boat c/o Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel reached Cagban Port, I felt my heart skipped a beat as I was totally psyched to finally have a short vacation amidst our busy Christmas schedule. We were quickly whisked off towards Station 2 where our resort for the weekend is located. I've never stayed at this part of Boracay before as I always thought that only Station 1 has the best beachfront. Well...I was just about to be proven wrong.

We arrived at the lobby of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel and were offered a glass of refreshing Mango Juice and a cold towel to which I happily placed on top of my forehead to cool myself down. What a nice welcome!

After going through the quick check-in SOPs, we were handed our room keys and up we went to the third floor towards our Premier Deluxe Sea View room, our little sanctuary for the next 24 hours or so. Our room is quite big...actually the biggest that we've been from all our stays in Boracay. It is adjacent to another Premier Deluxe Sea View Room which is perfect for big families who can't all fit in one room but would still want to stay close to each other.

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Comfort meets Fashion with Yosi Samra Ballet Flats

2011-12-04T22:49:00.001+08:00

I've always been a flip-flop loving girl.

My weekend get-up consists of my comfy denim shorts, cotton shirt and my favorite pair of flipflops. I love heading to the mall or my favorite weekend market in this attire. Rarely do I get to wear heels during the weekend as I try to make my feet and lower back rest as wearing heels from Mondays to Fridays can really put a strain on them.

In fact, I also keep a pair of flip-flops in my office cabinet just in case my feet are loudly calling out for help. Most of the time though, as comfy as my flipflops can be, I know I always have to keep a proper look and flipflops is totally a no-no when trying to look professional in the office. How I wish there are really nice flats that goes well with my dressy top or skinny cut jeans.

Then came a tiny black bag that was delivered to my doorstep. In front reads the name Yosi Samra and after much research, I found out that it's the name of a very talented shoe designer who has created these cool ballet fold up flats.

I excitedly opened the bag and tried on this pair of Navy Blue Yosi Samra flats. Just like how the glass slippers perfectly fit Cinderella's dainty feet, these soft and lightweight ballet flats perfectly suited mine. In fact, the dark blue color made my feet all the more whiter! Snow White, is that you?

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Experience Ruined at Cafe by the Ruins, Baguio City

2011-12-03T22:46:00.004+08:00

It wasn't my first time to dine at Cafe by the Ruins. In fact I've been there every single time I visit Baguio and my experience gets better in every return. My first was with my family a few years ago when we went up to Baguio for a quick business trip. Dad wasn't so happy with his all veggies and no meat platter but Mom, Pan and I quickly fell in love with the organic-feel of the restaurant, I think that was also the first time I had red rice.

A year after that, I returned with Paul and my former boss D for a work-related trip. My boss introduced me to their Kamote bread and cheese spread which was so good that I even bought a loaf home for my family to enjoy. Every year, Cafe by the Ruins has always been part of our travel itinerary.

It's then pretty much a given that I've included Cafe by the Ruins again when we returned to Baguio this time with The Food Club. Aside from Paul and I, our friend Grace was also raving about the restaurant. This definitely made the rest excited and tremendously increased everyone's expectations about the restaurant. I was pretty confident that they'd like it as much as we all enjoyed our other food stops such as Hill Station and O' Mai Khan. After all, there must be a reason why we always make it a point to return to Cafe by the Ruins every single year.

Just like with all other restaurant, I made reservations for dinner and initially set this at 8PM. However, the server who answered my call requested if we can go earlier to get the long table. We rounded up the group and off we went to Cafe by the Ruins at 630PM foregoing our plans to rest for a while. We got there an hour before our reservation time as requested by the server. Lo and behold, no table was ready for us. To make things worst, he just told us that from the time that we put down the phone to the moment we walked into the restaurant which was approximately 10 minutes, another big group got there before we did and he decided to give them the table. We were dumbfounded. So why make a reservation in the first place?

I wanted to take the group to another restaurant but they were all so patient and nice to wait for the staff to find seats for us. We later ended up sitting on 3 different tables! What a mess!

To make things worst, I specifically requested to be seated at a non-smoking area as we have kids with us that evening. Since the server just had to squeeze us all in any available area possible, our first two tables were actually part of the smoking area. I reminded the waiter about our request and without thinking, he went straight to the customer to ask them to stop smoking at the same time pointing to me. No wonder they were giving me nasty looks all evening.

After getting our orders, luckily one long table cleared up and were were able to transfer right away. Just when we thought things would get better from that point on...it sadly didn't.

To make up for the reservation boo-boo, they gave us baskets of complimentary Kamote Bread and Cheese Spread. First thing I noticed was the burnt top layer which didn't exist during my past visits. Obviously, the breads served to us were not of top quality.

I've been trying to have as much salads as I could in this trip and since it was our last night, I ordered the La Top Organic Farm Salad (Php. 140) which is a huge platter filled with La Top cherry tomatoes, french beans, carrots, romaine lettuce, arugula and....a tiny wiggly WORM! It's a good thing that I thought of turning my leaves upside down and there I saw something that looked like a little black bean but when I poked it with my fork, it uncurled and turned into a worm. Disgusting! I immediately called the attention of our server and he quickly took my plate and utensils away. I was so disgusted, disappointed and for this rare occasion, I actually lost my appetite.

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Log Cabin Love: Forest House in Baguio

2011-12-02T01:05:00.000+08:00

You can't have it all...

At first look, we all fell in love with Forest House's interior. The cozy log cabin feel, the pretty bed and breakfast rooms and the big fireplace that will greet you as you enter the main dining hall. It was a perfect hang out spot in a cold place like Baguio City. This is the reason why it is also highly recommended that you make a reservation as the place easily gets filled up despite arriving early at the restaurant.

It was our second time to dine at Forest House and this time Paul and I know better. It was after waiting to get a table for more than thirty minutes during our first visit that we realized that it's best to give the restaurant a call as early as possible.

This time, sure we got a table but they can't fit us in the main dining hall anymore and we were placed at the annex which was far from where most servers were. Thus, we had a really hard time looking for a server, ordering our food and worst, waiting for our bill.

Despite the long wait, we all kept optimistic and prayed hard that the food will do justice and will make the wait and hassle all worth it.

So did it?

During my first visit, I remembered enjoying my food at Forest House. As usual, I shared my meal with Paul. It's a habit that we can't seem to let go of while traveling. Somehow, we always end up sharing our food but still ordering a whole lot to try. :P

Our meal began with a big bread bowl of Pumpkin Soup. It was rich, creamy with tiny bits of pumpkin chunks in between bites. It was good, not overly milky however the bread was very hard and tasted quite stale. Wish it was freshly baked as I would love to dip a few pieces in my soup.

Together with our soup, we get given Forest House's complimentary crackers which was really good. I love how this thin and crisp crackers can be so addicting! We even asked for extra plates of this as even the kids enjoyed munching on it.

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Hello December! My Christmas Party #1

2011-12-01T01:59:00.001+08:00

I can't believe it's finally December! It just seems like yesterday when Paul and I celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple and in 24 days we'll be celebrating it again for the 2nd time! Time surely flies extra fast when you're having fun and I am sure having a blast this 2011! Imagine being able to attend the weddings of two of my closest friends, spending more time not only with my family but with my in laws, taking out of town trips and a million food trips with friends and a whole lot more!

Mommy and I can't help but get emotional whenever we see our house well-lit with Christmas lights which were carefully installed by my Dad. Three years ago, we were still unsure if Papa can fully recover from his brain surgery as he was still undergoing motor and speech therapy and was 100% dependent on his personal nurse. Today, he can move around, talk, listen and eat on his own. Best of all, he would even walk all the way to Greenhills just to get his regular afternoon coffee and to buy a few groceries! Indeed, his life is starting to go back to normal. God is really amazing and I am forever thankful for the quick and miraculous recovery of Papa. ♥

Before December rolled in, my grade school best friend Angelie and her husband Dave threw an intimate Christmas lunch for their closest friends and that includes us! :) I normally do not write about intimate gatherings such as this but since my friend Ge prepared a delicious feast, I think it's just fair that I share her mouthwatering creations with all of you.

We arrived at exactly 12 noon and I saw Ge busy at the kitchen. There were already some Spinach Mushroom on Filo Pastry at the cooling rack which El and I grabbed a few pieces to munch on. Yum!

Look at our spread!!
Watching Ge at work is like watching a Martha Stewart Show. I was amazed with the pretty plating and the simple yet elegant table spread that we had for lunch.

Presenting Ge's Christmas lunch masterpieces:

Spinach Mushroom on Filo Pastry

This was my favorite! Lucky for me, this huge platter was parked in front of me allowing me to grab a few more pieces than I really should. Yes, my calorie counter was blinking red already! :P

Pasta ala Angie

Delicious pasta dish which was loaded with shiitake mushroom and cooked in light cream sauce. Even Paul gave this his two thumbs up which doesn't happen often given that he loves tomato-based pasta more than cream or olive oil.

Smoked Salmon with String Beans and Dill Sauce

A really great appetizer! I love anything with smoked salmon! Will try to do this at home. :)

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A Mongolian Treat: O' Mai Khan in Baguio City

2011-11-29T21:53:00.000+08:00

A week prior to our trip to Baguio, I offered to prepare our itinerary which, of course, consists of a number of restaurants that we have to try and a few touristy places specially included for all Baguio first-timers and long-time returning visitors in the group. Initially, I just listed down the restaurants in no particular order. The plan was to just choose from the list as we go along but my OC self just couldn't stop there. As the days get nearer, I ended up plotting down the restaurants into our travel itinerary to make sure we have a restaurant planned for every single meal.

I thought we had a good mix, from the newly opened Hill Station to old time favorites like Cafe by the Ruins and Forest House, I had every meal covered even for our afternoon merienda! What I didn't include and actually failed to give more attention to was this restaurant that has been famous for their Mongolian Buffet for years! It was only when friends started leaving comments over at my Facebook page urging me and the group to give O' Mai Khan a try. What convinced me was a message from fellow foodie Nowie who can't stop raving about the restaurant and the food. After reading his message, I was truly convinced!

So we decided to drop one restaurant from the list and headed directly to O' Mai Khan for lunch on our second day. Service at Hotel Elizabeth was amazing! To ensure that we can easily secure a table given that we're such a big group, the front desk officer offered to give the restaurant a call and made reservations for us!

We got there at exactly 12 and it has been raining non-stop that day. I silently prayed that they have really reserved a table for us since there seems to be a crowd growing already by the porch of the restaurant. O' Mai Khan used to be located near the Rizal Park and Cafe by the Ruins, they just recently moved to their current and way bigger location at the Upper Session Road where they can offer more parking slots and tables for their growing number of customers. This a waiting line is a common sight in the restaurant as told to me by the server.

I never thought the Baguio community would love Mongolian buffets so much but hey for only Php. 210 per head (adult) and to be able to enjoy bowls of piping hot veggies and meat to combat the chilly weather, I figured out that it made perfect sense!

As soon as we were led to our table and the kids were seated, the adults headed directly to the buffet table.

Look how excited Irene was as she piled her bowl high with Baguio's fresh greens!

Basically the process here is that they control your rice and meat portions (you can choose from pork, chicken or beef) and you can get as many veggies as you want!

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Hill Station in Upper Session Road, Baguio

2011-11-28T23:25:00.001+08:00

When we finally got to Baguio a little past 12 noon, the first thing we did was to look for a place to eat. Our three little passengers were starting to verbally express their hunger already so we all kept our eyes on the road in search of any of the restaurants included in our list.

Thankfully, we immediately saw Hill Station which is located very close to SM Baguio. I've been reading a number of good reviews about this new restaurant and was quite excited to try it. After securing a good parking spot, we all made our way towards the basement of Casa Vallejo, an old hotel that closed down last 1999 and was revived recently and was made into a small bed and breakfast place.

The ambiance was very pretty giving a traditional Filipino feel. At the entrance is the bar area with an old wooden (yet working) piano where I ended up playing a few songs later on.

We walked further in towards the main dining area and I love the heavy wooden chairs, the comfy looking couches and the big wide windows where we took turns taking photos of the view outside.

It was the kids' first time in Baguio and despite their hunger, they seemed to like the ambiance too.

Hill Station is owned by Mitos Benitez Yñiguez who's the daughter of the owners of Mario's Restaurant. It's no wonder why you'll noticed that the logo has the same clean, simple look and they prepare their Caesar Salad quite similar to one another. However, the similarities end there and Hill Station has its own identity and will surely give you a different experience all together.

After giving our orders, we were served with a basket of their complimentary bread and dip. For the dip, we were given two saucers each, one filled with olive oil and another with dukkah. Dukkah is an Egyptian side dish which is a mixture of herbs, nuts and spices. What you have to do is to get a small piece of bread, dip one side on to the olive oil saucer and dip that same side on to the dukkah. This way the dukkah sticks to the bread. I love how it gives a very Indian/Mediterranean taste which was very nutty and aromatic. Little Keirra enjoyed the bread so much she quickly nodded when I asked her if she wanted more.

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And the WINNERS are: Frannywanny's Annual Starbucks Giveaway

2011-11-27T23:38:00.000+08:00

I won a blog contest!! To be honest, I rarely join contests or promos but after seeing the announcement over at fellow blogger Patty's website that I could win a special photo shoot for Scottie and the entire family, I took some time out to follow the mechanics and to submit my contest entry while crossing my fingers that I will be chosen. It's Christmas after all and I would like to give my dear Scottie a fun photo shoot!

Lo and behold, I got an email from Pet Photographer Denise telling me that I won the contest! YAHOOOOO!!! Lucky lucky me!! :) Thank you Patty and Denise for making me day!

Now it's time to pay it forward...

After three whole weeks of running the contest with 148 valid entries I am so excited to finally announce the winners who will be receiving a couple of Starbucks items from me! :)

Without further ado... I present the Top 4 winners as chosen by Random.org!

Mark Spencer Tan will be receiving the limited edition Coffee on the Go Backpack!!

Amity Ong and Kristine Conception will get a Starbucks Christmas Tumbler EACH!

Lastly.... reader Joy Mesina-Bahia brings home the Starbucks 2012 Planner!!! :)

I will be notifying the winners via email within the day :)

CONGRATULATIONS winners!

Merry Christmas to all!!

Baguio Accomodations : Hotel Elizabeth

2011-11-24T19:37:00.000+08:00

When The Food Club went up to Baguio a couple of weeks ago, we stayed at Hotel Elizabeth which is located very near Mine's View Park. Since we were a big group, we were given four different rooms to fit all of us in.

The families of 4 each got an Executive Suite each while Paul and I had the Deluxe Room (Php. 4,256 published rate) which was just perfect for the two of us. In fact, I find the room to be quite specious as we get to have our own balcony and a medium-sized bathroom too. In lieu of an air-conditioning unit, they have a ceiling fan installed in every room too. The TV set have cable and the best part is, you get unlimited Wi-Fi access not only in the lobby but even at the comforts of your room.

Each room has a mini bar where we always get our daily complimentary stock of Bottled Water. On top of that, we were welcomed to help ourselves to coffee with a couple of packs available for us to consume for free.

Don't you just love the view from my room? :)

Paul and I have been visiting Baguio annually for the past 3 years and we've had our share of hotels with thin walls, creepy crawlers coming out from nowhere and worst..not functioning bathroom heater. Given the very cold weather of Baguio, to not have a heater while taking a bath can really be a painfully chilly ordeal. I'm glad we didn't experience any of those here at Hotel Elizabeth.

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H Cuisine in Quezon City -- Home of the most awesome Angus Beef Belly

2011-11-22T17:52:00.003+08:00

When I got an invite to visit H Cuisine by Chef Hannah Herrera, I suddenly remembered the time when I visited the Corinthian Hills Weekend Market 3 years ago where I first learned about H Cuisine and was able to try a couple of their dishes. Sadly, my memory is pretty terrible that I couldn't really remember exactly what dishes I was able to try but I figured that it must be good as I do not have any bad memories about it.

Together with Richard and Irene, Ro and Peter, Jane, Abet and Joan, Paul and I had an intimate dinner at H Cuisine hosted by none other but Chef Hannah herself. We were led up to the second floor where two round tables were prepared just for us. At one side is a buffet spread featuring several dishes that H Cuisine specializes in.

To start the evening, Chef Hannah conducted a simple cooking demo showing us how to cook her best-selling Angus Beef Belly and the many variations of it such as the Angus Fried Rice and the Angus Beef Panini. Sadly, all Paul and I could do was to enjoy the smell as we can't have beef at the moment *sniffle*.

Chef Hannah is really sweet to prepare a couple of non-beef dishes for Paul, Irene and myself. While I felt a bit sad that I wasn't able to try the very fragrant and obviously tender-looking beef, I was so happy with the Fish Trafalgar (Php. 228) which is normally served with penne pasta but that evening we had it with Red Rice! I love how fragrant this dish was which was brought about by the truffle cream sauce. The fish was very soft and it was definitely a delight to eat. I had two servings of this and continues to dream about it every single day. I will definitely go back to H Cuisine for this!

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Yabu: The House of Katsu

2011-11-21T17:32:00.000+08:00

My sister just got back from her business trip in Japan and she brought home a luggage full of yummy goodies! From delicious rice crackers to a bag of Takoyaki mix and a lot more! She really went wild shopping for food that it was only when she was unloading her pasalubongs that she realized that all her food purchases were enough to fill up our dining table! Nothing surprising though as this is a common sight whenever a family member comes home from a trip. It is no wonder why my sister and I get along so well.

While recounting her week-long stay in the land of Tempura and Sushi, she showed us photos of her having this amazing dinner where she had Tonkatsu and was enjoying the experience so much. I was actually surprised as my sister is not the type who would order Tonkatsu or even Katsudon here in Manila. She's a big fan of Unagi (eel) and Ebi Tempura (shrimp) and not much of the breaded pork cutlets that I, on the other hand, truly love. I guess having the authentic kind helps a lot.

Looking at her photos, I was immediately reminded of Yabu: The House of Katsu, a new restaurant at SM Megamall where I recently had dinner with Paul and a couple of our friends.

The place was jam-packed that we had to wait a while before we finally had our table. Luckily, despite the fact that we were a big group of 15, the wait wasn't that long. In about 15 minutes, it was finally our turn and were led towards the longest table in the house. The restaurant interiors gives a very modern Japanese feel. I like the wallpaper art where it shows a comic strip of a chef preparing..what else?!...Katsu!

On each table is a ceramic tray that contains all of the sauces and condiments that you'll possibly need for your meal. There's the sesame dressing and vinaigrette for the salad, the Tonkatsu sauce, the Japanese salt for the Edamame and a lot more. As my sister told me, in Japan, they work so efficiently that while dining at a restaurant there is no need for you to ask the waitstaff for an additional piece of napkin, some salt or pepper or even your utensils. Everything that they think you'll need will immediately be served to you. Amazing huh?

Browsing through the menu, I noticed that the prices were pretty reasonable where a 100g Pork Tenderloin Set is just Php. 295. Not so bad given that it will be served in a set.

Paul and I decided to get our own set meals but also agreed to share an appetizer. We chose the Wakame and the Potato Salad (Php. 175). I enjoyed the Wakame, which are shredded cold seaweed topped with ebiko (fish roe). The Potato Salad wasn't so bad either but since it's something you can easily make at home or purchase elsewhere, the Wakame made the whole appetizer duo extra special.

Paul chose the Hire (Pork Tenderloin) 100g set (Php. 295) which came with a bowl of piping hot Miso soup, Japanese rice, some sliced pickles, bottomless serving of finely chopped cabbage and a bowl of fruits. I find it worth the price as Japanese rice alone is expensive and the serving was pretty generous! Of course, the highlight of his meal was the Hire Tonkatsu and Paul enjoyed it very much. He commented that it was very tender despite not having any fat attached to it.

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Christmas Reading : Home-Made for the Holidays

2011-11-19T23:39:00.004+08:00

Here's one great gift idea for the holidays! My friends, Chefs Angelo Comsti and Aileen Anastacio, came up with this quick and easy cookbook called Home-Made for the Holidays that features 60 Christmas treats that you can enjoy in your own home or to be given out as gifts to your loved ones.

They have easy recipes on how to make caramel popcorns, gingerbread cookies and step-by-step guide on how to make potluck-perfect dishes like a caviar pie or even a White Chocolate Cheesecake!

I'm so proud of both Angelo and Aileen as they finally have their very own book! Both are contributors of Yummy Magazine while Angelo Comsti used to be Yummy's former food editor (and my very popular cooking demo chef) while Chef Aileen is the talented lady behind Goodies and Sweets.

Home-Made for the Holidays is available in all National Bookstore outlets for only Php. 895!! Buy your copy now! :)

Milky & Sunny : Kapitolyo's All Day Breakfast Nook

2011-11-18T23:54:00.002+08:00

It really takes a good restaurant for me to go back to two days in a row.... even a better one to make me interrupt my Baguio series to share my fun dining experience with you. In other words, this is just something that can't wait and I really have to let you guys know for you to try it out yourselves...ASAP! :)

I first heard about Milky & Sunny while reading my Twitter feeds. A couple of friends, whose taste in food I trust, have been talking about this pretty breakfast place that just opened in Kapitolyo, Pasig. Afterwards, I heard about it again from one of my colleagues who got really amazing taste when it comes to aesthetic design..she's a licensed interior designer, after all. This prompted me to research about this restaurant and I realized that it's just a stone's throw away from my office!

Finally, last night I set a dinner date with two of my former colleagues Kat and Bianx. I actually gave them a couple of choices and while we initially was planning to have dinner at a particular deli which was full and couldn't accomodate us anymore, I then suggested that we try Milky & Sunny! I guess it really was meant to be.

As we entered the restaurant, I can't help but admire the interiors. It's white-washed walls, the pretty blue border lining the scripted logo, the cute paintings on the wall which I later realized was a cartoon-version of Jose Rizal, the Madhatter and Manny Pacquiao, and a lot more! It was truly a feast for the eyes!

But we were not there to just ooh and ahh...we were there to stuff ourselves crazy and we surely didn't waste any time! Since there were quite a lot to try, we decided to just share all dishes to be able to try more. Now, that's what I call a strategy! ;)

First off, we had the Bacon and Spam Pasta (Php. 180) which was a creamy pasta dish using tube noodles and a generous serving of bacon and spam. I find it a bit too bland. I guess it would help if they cooked it with olive oil, garlic, parsley and crispy bacon and spam instead! Not bad but not really one of our favorite that evening.

Milky & Sunny is a place where you can have breakfast all day long! This is good news for me as I love breakfast and it definitely is my favorite meal of the day. This is also the reason why I chose the BIG Plate (Php. 250) where we can customize what goes in our platter.

First of all, you get to choose the meats : Spam, Sausage, Hotdog, Bacon and Corned Beef. My friends being super supportive of my no-beef sacrifice went for the Bacon, Spam and Sausage. We also have to choose between the Bagel, Toast or Rice. Of course, being true-blue Filipinos, we chose the Garlic Rice. Lastly, we can choose whether we want our eggs scrambled or done sunny-side up. Scrambled eggs got the unanimous vote. It was a series of choices made and we were all pleased with our Big Breakfast Plate.

Personally, I liked the spam however I find the bacon not that crispy and the sausage a bit too dry. The egg wasn't as fluffy as I'd want it to be (think Scrambled Egg done in hotel buffets). The hash brown was yummy though.

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Road Trip : Baguio 101

2011-11-17T18:05:00.001+08:00

The Food Club went on a trip again and this time we went up up north to Baguio! It was actually a first for our kiddie companions namely Lauren, Kei and Ken and I truly had a great time playing tour guide not only to our three little travelers but to the rest of the group too.

Baguio is approximately 240km away from Manila. Thankfully, the road heading to Baguio is now better as we pass through the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan and La Union before the slow ascend up the zigzag road of Marcos Highway. While my mom and sister would always complain about the long drive up, I actually enjoy it every time we get the chance to visit Baguio...I guess it's just me and my love for geography.

We left Manila around 6AM and after a quick breakfast stop in Pampanga, we arrived at Baguio a little past 12 noon making it just in time for lunch. I will be sharing more stories about our food adventures in my succeeding entries but for now I'll give you a low-down on the places and things that you should NOT miss while in Baguio.

Baguio is a very small place. Our friend Richard couldn't believe that once upon a time, Paul and I would actually walk all day long to the various spots in Baguio. Of course, we'd take a cab from time to time but we actually do enjoy walking up and down Session Road for example.

1) Visit Mine's View Park

Every time we visit Baguio I promise myself never to include Mine's View Park again in my itinerary simply because I see and do exactly the same things over and over again. Still, I give in and continue to play tour guide to our new companions every single time. Mine's View Park is a really lively tourist spot for all Baguio visitors.

Here, you can have your picture taken with Douglas the St. Bernard or any of the fashionable-looking horses around.

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Celebrating 40 years of Mario's Restaurant

2011-11-16T22:53:00.001+08:00

Every single time I dine at Mario's Restaurant in Tomas Morato, I can't help but reminisce about my childhood years. The time when I would dine there with my parents and we would order their Grilled Tanigue with Dill Sauce for starters, have our own plates of Caesar Salad and this immediately will be followed by our respective choice of main dishes -- on most occasions I would switch back and forth between the Lamb Chops or the Chicken Parmigiana. Our meals will never be complete without looking at their dessert cart where my sister and I would always choose the gelatin with fruit cocktail inside. Oh how I always feel like a grown-up woman every time we dine at Mario's as I would carefully slice through my lamb chops or fork through my crisp salad.

Fast forward a little more than ten years after, I'm back at Mario's this time really as a grown married woman with my husband sitting beside me as we attended a special dinner hosted by Fil and Anton Benitez, the owners of Mario's Restaurant. It was during this dinner that we found out that their branch in Baguio was actually their pioneer store and it has been 40 years since they first opened their doors to the public. The Tomas Morato branch where we frequent, opened ten years after the Baguio branch making it 30 years in operation already.

As I browse through the menu, I realized that a lot of my favorites no longer exists such as the Tanigue with Dill Sauce and the Chicken Parmigiana to name a few. I felt a bit sad as no visit to Mario's would ever be the same without them. Still, I know there must be a really good reason for taking them out of the menu and this also means allowing myself to try new dishes and to find a new favorite this time around.

Dinner began with some Oyster Rockfeller (Php. 265) where I initially was hesitant to try. You see, I am allergic to oysters and mussels thus I am extra careful in having them in my meal. Paul, sensing my curiosity to try this dish, allowed me to just have one piece. I carefully plucked the oyster meat out of the shell and scooped up all of the cheese, herbs and garlic and took one sip of water for extra pre-cautionary measures before eating the whole thing. The meat was soft without any scaly textures, I love the perfectly baked cheese and the crunchy bite brought about by what I guess were breadcrumbs. It was good and definitely, that one piece was worth the risk.

We also had Gambas con Chorizo (Php. 345) which was really delicious. The shrimps were so juicy and plump and the addition of chorizo made the whole dish so flavorful. I even tried drizzling some leftover olive oil and garlic into my rice and enjoyed this experiment very much.

Up next was my ultimate Mario's favorite -- the Caesar Salad. Prepared the old fashioned way where they create the salad dressing in a giant wooden bowl and later on tossing the lettuce and anchovies in. It was creamy yet light, it tasted exactly just the way I remembered it to taste like years ago. Some things still remains the same and I'm glad the Caesar Salad continues to please our taste buds all these years.

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Fun Field Trip with the Ford Fiesta

2011-11-15T21:57:00.001+08:00

A couple of months ago, I had the privilege to borrow the Ford Fiesta for the weekend. This invite then led to an impromptu out of town food trip to Paul's hometown in Angeles, Pampanga.

Paul and I really had fun driving the Ford Fiesta as we would take turns taking this on a test drive around the city. It's small, compact yet very spacious that we were surprisingly able to fit quite a lot of Allies Wonder Peanuts!

Read more about my Ford Fiesta Food Trip over at their Official Facebook Page.

Click here to access the application.

See where I brought the Ford Fiesta and learn about the FOUR Fab reasons why I love it to bits!

Let's go on a ride!!! Zoooooooooooooooom!!!

A Special Potato Thanksgiving Dinner at Restaurant 9501

2011-11-14T23:16:00.014+08:00

Who doesn't love potatoes?

Well, I know I do! I know my sister Pan and best friend T can't live without potatoes too!

This is mainly the reason why I braved the traffic and the strong rain as Paul and I drove all the way to Restaurant 9501 to be part of a special Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by the US Potato Board. I was able to join their first Thanksgiving Dinner at M Cafe two years ago and till this day, I can't help by drool by the thought of those delicious Porcini & Truffle Gnocchi. It was simply delicious.

Restaurant 9501 is a private restaurant exclusive only to ABS-CBN employees and their registered guests. While I don't work for the network, I had the privilege to dine there a few years ago for a South African festival wherein I enjoyed my meal very much.

Putting together two amazing experiences both with the US Potato Board and Restaurant 9501, it's no wonder why I immediately sent my confirmation upon receiving their invite and was actually counting down the days till this very special Thanksgiving Dinner.

We got there a bit late yet were ready to catch up with the crowd. It was a 4-course meal consisting of specially created dishes by Chef Myrna Segismundo and all makes use of...what else!?...POTATO!

Our meal started with a plate of Potato Bread accompanied by Chef's very own Adobo Pate and Tomato Jam. The bread was quite heavy and is more stuffed than the usual wheat bread. I chose the adobo pate and enjoyed the light meaty flavor of the spread. Paul, found the Tomato Jam very interesting as he was expecting it to taste like a Tomato Chutney but instead there was a hint of sweetness just like his favorite jam at home.

We moved on to the appetizer which was a plate of Seared Scallops, Straight Cut Potatoes and topped with Apple Waldorf Salad and Basil Oil. The scallops were very tender and fresh. I loved how well seasoned it was yet I enjoyed swirling it over the basil oil to even add more flavor to it. The Waldorf salad was ok but we think it had a tad too much apple slices in it. I also can't find the straight cut potatoes too, I think the kitchen staff forgot to put some on my plate.

Our soup was a creamy masterpiece of Truffled Mashed Potato with Porcini Mushroom Froth. I love potatoes and I love truffles so this soup definitely earned lots of stars in my book. It has a heavier consistency due to the mashed potato mixed into the soup while every slurp is so flavorful as it's mixed with truffle oil. I love that it was presented in a small teacup too.

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Chubby's Rib Shack in Solaris One, Makati

2011-11-13T23:12:00.002+08:00

Ribs, ribs, ribs! All I can think of are ribs! :) Lip-smacking, fork-tender meat that falls of the bone without a struggle. That's my type of ribs. I found one of the best rib places in Angeles, Pampanga and another one in California, USA yet I continue my search here in Manila.

A few months ago, I purchased a Deal Grocer coupon with fellow Food Club members Richard, Jane and Abet to try Chubby's Rib Shack which is located right at the heart of Makati and is also the sister-restaurant of Buffalo Wings n Things. With Christmas just around the corner, I normally try to avoid heading to this part of town especially on a Friday night where everyone normally goes out for dinner and drinks after work.

However, just the thought of having a plate of ribs for dinner was enough to convince both Paul and I to brave the traffic and head to Makati to try Chubby's Rib Shack out. The deal was pretty sweet, all I had to pay for was P300 and I get to order anything worth P500 on the menu.

We got there pretty early allowing us to have a lot of time to review the menu. It's a back-to-back laminated menu where you get the Chubby's line-up on one side and Buffalo Wings n Things on the other.

What's dinner at Chubby's Rib Shack without trying the ribs, right? Thus, Paul and I got a plate of Baby Back Ribs that came complete with two sidings -- Coleslaw and Honky Tonk Rice (Php. 349) to share. We requested that it be grilled with Honey BBQ sauce and I was really pleased by our choice. The rice was quite dry and nothing extra ordinary to rave about, the coleslaw was good though a bit too creamy but delicious nonetheless. The highlight of this platter was definitely the ribs. Thank goodness for that as Chubby's really do deserve to be called a Rib Shack with its tender, juicy ribs. It was quite small that I don't really recommend for it to be shared but given the price, we should have known better. I didn't even have to use my hands to eat it as it cooperated very well with my fork and knife. The meat was very soft and I loved the sweet barbecue flavor brought about by the sauce.

To go with this, we were torn between the Pulled Pork or a 1lb. basket of Honey BBQ Wings (Php. 264). We went for the latter as I was also craving for really good chicken wings and I was sure that Buffalo Wings n Things will not disappoint. We got the Honey BBQ while Richard and Irene ordered the Garlic Parmesan.

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Fire up with KFC Zinger Double Down

2011-11-12T18:30:00.000+08:00

One Friday evening, I was having dinner with my family when the doorbell rang and our househelp called me saying that someone was looking for me. I walked to the gate and saw a fire fighter running towards my direction and he seemed like he came from the other street. He stopped to open his bag and carefully pulled out a white paper bag telling me to be careful because the content is really hot. I laughed as I was handed the new KFC Zinger Double Down, true the sandwich seems to be pretty warm so I handled it with extra care.

"Tawag nalang po kayo sa Fire Department pag sobrang init po ma'am" (Please call the fire department if it's too hot, Ma'am) was his last line before he left.

As he left, Paul and I quickly went to the dining table to try the sandwich out. At first, it tasted like the regular double down sandwich but wait till the spiciness starts kicking and yes, I was in the verge of calling the fire department as I can feel my taste buds on fire. It's double the spicy level given that it has two Zinger patties with cheese, bacon and mayonnaise sandwiched in between.

I could only take one-fourth of the sandwich and Paul happily consumed the rest.

For those who are up for the spicy challenge, head over to your nearest KFC branch and try the new Zinger Double Down for only P120.

Jamba Juice now opens in the Philippines!!!

2011-11-11T00:16:00.002+08:00

Today is a special day, it's November 11, 2011 and when written in numbers it's 11.11.11. This is also the day when California brand Jamba Juice will finally open its doors to the public. Admittedly, we're all crazy about double/triple numbers. In fact, for a time, Paul and I even considered getting married on the 10th of October, 2010 (10.10.10). It was only when we realized that all of our choice suppliers were booked already despite preparing more than a year in advance. Thus, we then decided to go with our second choice, the 11th of July otherwise known as 7-11. ;)

I feel privileged to be invited to the special VIP party held at the newly constructed Bonifacio High Street Central which is an extension of the current Bonifacio High Street where Aldo, Tempur, Brother's Burger, Nike, ROX and a lot more are located. I arrived with fellow blogger Richard and we were surprised to see a really big crowd quite uncommon in most of the blogger events that we've been to. It truly was a party with media partners, the Jamba Juice local and international family and business contacts all present to witness the opening of the first Jamba Juice store not only in the Philippines but in Southeast Asia.

The atmosphere was lively, the air filled with loud and happy music and everywhere you look people were just so excited for the grand unveiling. The program began with a special AVP made about Jamba Juice and a brief introduction of the board members behind this dynamic, delicious brand. Watching the officers up on stage and the managing director talking about Jamba Juice's commitment not only to produce the best drinks for its customers but they also pledge to support the Guimaras mango production, I somehow remembered how it used to be when we open stores for the Green Siren. You can totally feel the excitement in the air and the passion coming from the top executives down to the very talented baristas. I'll never forget those moments in my career that has made me feel so proud of where I was and what I was doing.

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Fruits in Bloom : Gourmet Arrangements

2011-11-09T23:45:00.001+08:00

It's common practice to shower your loved one with a huge bouquet of flowers or at least a dozen long-stemmed roses. Believe me, we've had our share of garden-like bouquets here at home given by Paul and my sister's special someone. What normally happens is that our talented househelp would carefully remove them from the plastic wrapper and transfer each piece of flower into my mom's pretty vase, she'd even water them regularly until they wilt and give a really nasty odor that even my dog Scottie wouldn't even dare go near to.

Sadly, I have zero talent when it comes to flower preservation so for the past 8 years, I wasn't able to keep a single bud or even a leaf from all those bouquets that Paul has gifted me with. *sigh*

If only I can eat the bouquet then none of it would go waste! ;o)

Then we came across Fruits in Bloom -- a company that specializes in fruity arrangements. No thorny roses, no wilting flowers instead they make use of the freshest, juiciest fruits and turn them into a work of art!

If only I've met them before Paul and I tied the knot, I can totally imagine myself walking down the aisle in a strawberry covered bouquet! Why not?! I can even pick a fewest pieces out to snack on between our wedding ceremony and reception dinner.

I love it when people really give a lot of attention to details. Not only do they carefully choose the fruits to be used per bouquet, they also give you the option to choose your color motif, your base (pot/vase/cup) and is very willing to working within your budget!

After the introductions, we were led up to a mini showroom where we saw a number of their pretty works. Irene and I were instantly attracted towards the juicy-looking pineapple. If only I can pluck it out from the arrangement and bite into it right away.

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Toccare Spa at Antel Spa Suites, Makati

2011-11-08T23:42:00.000+08:00

I'm backkkkkkkkkkkkk!!

How was your long weekend? Mine was FUN!!! This was because I spent the long weekend with The Food Club as we went up north to enjoy the cool and laid back atmosphere of Baguio. In true Food Club fashion, we had a three-day long food trip complete with a late-night pizza party, Ube and Strawberry jam shopping and a lot more!

This is basically the reason why every night I thank God for blessing Paul and I with friends who not only share our love for eating and traveling but who are truly amazing in their own way. ♥

While I never seem to get tired of Baguio, I always find myself exhausted after the long drive to and from. Waking up this morning was really a challenge. I could hardly pull my tired body up and more than anything I just want a really good massage.

This made me reminisce about the time when I visited Toccare Spa at the Antel Spa Suites in Makati. It was upon an invitation by fellow Food Club member Abet who arranged a relaxing evening for all 8 of us. After a delicious dinner, we all drove to Antel Spa Suites which is located right beside the A. Venue Mall. Parking was pretty easy, either you park outside or at the hotel beside it for a minimal flat rate.

Arriving at the spa, we were asked to choose a specific treatment per couple. Since Paul is not fond of full body massages or scrubs, we had the Fruity Mint Hand and Foot Treatment (Php 700) which was the least complicated of the four treatments available. The others were a choice between the Hilot, the Classic Massage or the Toccare Healing Gemstone Massage.

Before having our treatment, we were led towards the wet area were we can try the jacuzzi, the steam bath or the sauna. Of course, it is highly recommended that you take a quick bath prior to your massage too.

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Flavors of Spain 2011 : Cirkulo in Makati City

2011-11-04T02:49:00.001+08:00

After spending the entire afternoon trick or treating with my 3 year old Supergirl niece Julia and 1 year old Peter Pan nephew Jairus, I hurried home to get ready as Paul and I were to double date with.... my parents!

It's funny that all throughout our 8 years of dating, I realized that Paul and I never really had the chance to go out with just my parents. Normally, my sister would join us or sometimes we'd even have the entire clan dining out with us.

More than anything, I just want Paul to feel more at ease with my parents especially with Papa who, at times, thinks I'm still his 5-year-old daughter and is still in the process of realizing and accepting that I am a 29 year old grown woman who has been married for more than a year. I guess my story is nothing out of the ordinary as I'm sure most daughters, especially those who are really close to their dads, can totally relate with me. *nods slowly*

Since this is a rare occasion, I made sure my choice of restaurant is something different, extra special and one that will totally make my parents enjoy the meal. Call it perfect timing that I also got an invite from the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) and Fuego Hotels to try one of the six participating restaurant for their annual Flavors of Spain campaign.

I love Spanish cuisine so it wasn't difficult to make me say yes. The challenge was to choose which of the six restaurants to dine in. It was when I saw Cirkulo on the list that I remembered how much my colleague T loves dining there. As mentioned in my previous entry, T has an amazing taste in food and after confirming with the organizers that I'd like to make a reservation at Cirkulo for Saturday night, I ran over to T's cube to get her recommendations on what to order.

I've been hearing nothing by raves about Cirkulo. In fact, just a few hours ago, I found out that the restaurant has made it to the 2011/2012 Miele Guide as on of the Top 5 restaurants in the country. Thus, I entered the restaurant with really high expectations and a hungry stomach ready for a feast. After all, Cirkulo is part of the Milky Way group that also operates Azuthai and Tsukiji. Let's see how Cirkulo will fare most especially for my dear parents.

So there we were at exactly 7 in the evening where Cirkulo's kind and helpful manager Girlie led us to our table for four. As soon as we gave her our orders, out came a small plate filled with four pieces of crostinis and topped with freshly made salsa and a piece of cheese. I love how sweet the salsa was and the cheese gave a really good salty contrast that made this tiny piece of starters very interesting. Wish I can ask for more however I know I have to save some space for our appetizers.

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[CONTEST ALERT] Frannywanny's Annual Starbucks Christmas Giveaway!

2011-11-02T16:14:00.002+08:00

A week ago, I shared the good news about the soon-to-be released Starbucks 2012 Planner! This got everyone so excited that in the span of a week, the entry spread like wildfire, being shared over Facebook, Twitter and a lot more. Everyday I get so excited seeing how I have help spread the Christmas joy to everyone. The entry became pretty popular that sadly, some of my photos (minus the watermark) were copied by a certain Tumblr user who at present had deleted not only her entry but her Tumblr account as well. *sigh* Thus fellow bloggers, beware of plagiarizers!

Well, I stayed pretty calm about it as I'm definitely not allowing her to burst my Christmas bubble. Let us just move on and learn from this, shall we? Starting from this entry, expect to see my watermark right smack in the middle of the photo. Let me know what you think. :)

Tomorrow, November 3, Starbucks Coffee Philippines will officially launch their much-awaited Christmas campaign. I've showed you the beautiful 2012 planner and now I'd like to share with you a couple of drinks and food items that you definitely have to watch out for as they're all very delicious! :)

If there's one thing I'm excited about when it comes to celebrating Christmas in Starbucks, it would definitely be their drinks. This is definitely the time when I would indulge in a cup of Toffee Nut Frappuccino while doing my Christmas shopping or while catching up with friends over the holiday. I love the buttery toffee flavor that reminds me of my Kongkong who shares the same love over anything caramel-y. I'm glad that the Toffee Nut continues to be a regular mainstay in their Christmas drink line-up together with the Peppermint Mocha.

A new addition this year is the Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha which got positive feedback from our group. I love the sweet cranberry drizzle that surprisingly complemented the strong espresso-based drink. Looks like I'll be having more of this in the coming weeks. Similar to the other two Christmas drinks, this is also available Frappuccino style.

As for the food, there will be 15 new items this Christmas but let me share with you my top 8 picks for this season:

Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Roll (Php. 50) - A perfect breakfast choice as it's served warm where the crust is crunchy but the inside stays very soft and chewy. It was so good that I would love to have this with cream cheese or perhaps with a bowl of my favorite soup. The sun-dried tomato and basil made the bread so flavorful that it reminds me of eating a Foccacia bread.

Glazed Ham with Apricot Spread on Multi-grain Bread (Php. 140) - What's Christmas without Ham? I love munching into this delicious sandwich filled with sweet ham, cheese and apricot spread. The bread was also very good as it has bits of sesame seeds and a lot more. Definitely a winner in my book!

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50 Feasts : Basic Food Photography Class

2011-10-31T16:03:00.000+08:00

A month ago, I received an email from Dwight Co of 50 Feasts, a new food photography school that's located just a few blocks away from home. He invited me to be part of their first ever Basic Food Photography class and after giving it much thought I emailed him back asking if I can give my slot to my husband, Paul, instead.

As you all know, what you see here in Frannywanny.com is a close team-up between me and my husband. I do the writing while he takes care of most of the mouthwatering photos found in this blog. As for the eating, we split that responsibility 50/50. :P

When Dwight said yes, I told Paul the good news and in return I got a big big big hug from him. Looks like someone was very excited about taking further food photography lessons. We had our mini countdown and along the way, Paul found out that fellow blogger Leslie will also be joining him in this class, all the more he got so excited that he at least know one person in the class already.

I think I have to stop talking and turn the spotlight over to my talented husband, Paul as he'll tell you more about his 50 Feasts food photography experience.

Before that though, check out one of his photos taken during the class. Amazing, huh? :)

- Fran

If there's one thing I'm totally passionate about, it would have to be photography. While I would rather be behind the lens, I'm lucky that my wife, Fran has always been my willing model wherever we go. Since we have been eating out a lot and with Fran wanting to document every single food served on our table, I would always try to experiment and make sure to get the best photos out of every dish. At times, lighting would fail me or I would get a difficult angle to work on thus, I end up with photos that I'm not exactly happy about.

A few years ago, I took a basic photography course with one of the country's renowned photographers. Under his wing, I learned how to make use of my dSLR and the basics of photography. He would always tell us to continue to practice as this is how we'll be able to improve our craft.

When Fran told me that she has enrolled me in 50 Feasts' Food Photography class, I was very excited. If there's one aspect in photography that I'd like to improve on, then this would definitely be it.

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AC Rumpa in Angeles, Pampanga

2011-10-30T16:06:00.001+08:00

The Food Club went on another out of town trip and this time we all headed to Paul's hometown in Angeles, Pampanga; where we stayed the night in Fontana Leisure Park. (Read Rowena's blog entry about it here)

We got there around 11 in the morning and The Club decided to go Duty Free shopping first. After which, lunch was next on the itinerary and being the ones who frequent Pampanga a lot, I asked the group if they're game to have ribs for lunch. After all, I had my favorite restaurant in mind.

I first encountered AC Rumpa a few years ago when Paul and I first watched the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark. As always, I went prepared ready with a list of restaurants to try after doing my research online and AC Rumpa got the most number of votes from our Hot Air Balloon group. AC Rumpa stands for Angeles City Retired US Military Personnel Association. I'm not really sure if the owner is an American or a Filipino but one thing I'm really sure of is that they serve one of the best ribs in town! I've been frequenting this restaurant for years now and would always bring friends knowing that I can trust that they will not be disappointed with the food or the service.

The restaurant is located in one of the side streets along Balibago road and the signage is very subtle that you really have to keep your eyes wide open to see it. No lighted signage, no huge banner -- all they have is a craved out name by the gate of the restaurant.

Luckily, I called to make a reservation as there were 13 of us that day. We got to the restaurant a little past 1pm so just imagine how hungry we all were.

First off, I told everyone that their ribs were to-die-for. So almost every family made sure to order a plate of ribs either to be consumed solo or for sharing. Paul and I used to share a plate of ribs but we decided to just have one each this time. :) It was also a good thing that their Barbecue Spareribs was the special for the day so we get this for only P180. That's P10 less the regular price. One order gives you a generous cut of ribs, veggies and your choice of rice, french fries or mashed potato. My usual order always comes with some hand-cut fries! Yum! I'm glad everyone was pleased at how tender and juicy the ribs were.

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Microtel Mall of Asia -- Home away from Home

2011-10-28T13:54:00.000+08:00

It has been a while since Paul and I had our much-longed-for R&R. Our last was during our 1st wedding anniversary where we stayed a night at Discovery Suites. We were, in fact, really looking forward to our trip to Bacolod which sadly got canceled due to a massive strike conducted by ex-PAL employees.

"Just one night." I always pray to HIM. We've both been so stressed out that I think a mini-break will really do wonders for us. HE heard my prayers so last Saturday I got an email from the Ariel 3D Deep Clean event organizers telling me that they actually booked a room for us at Microtel Mall of Asia. The thing is, this will be from Monday to Tuesday. We've never had a mini-vacation on a work night so this is really something new to us. Still, we tried to be spontaneous and openly accepted the invitation.

So there we were, right after work checking in at Microtel Mall of Asia. There were plenty of parking spots and the attendant were very helpful too. I entered the lobby and loved the bright, clean ambiance where hotel guests would sit on the couch to surf and use the WiFi internet for free.

Checking in was a breeze, all they did was to make me fill up a form, asked for a valid ID, did some verification check and in no time, I was given our room key and was warmly welcomed in Microtel. We headed up to the 7th floor where our room for the night was located.

the view from our room

Microtel is a popular chain of inns and mini hotels abroad, I remember checking their website out as I was planning our US trip. They are known to have a really reasonable room rates while giving you comfortable accommodations without the frills. What I didn't know was that the rooms in Microtel, or at least in this particular location, is HUGE! We entered our room and I was surprised to see two queen sized beds, a daybed overlooking the Manila Bay, a pretty spacious bathroom and a flat screen TV. If this is what you call "minus the frills" then I'd love to stay in Microtel every time I travel abroad.

Let me give you a short tour around our room and the hotel through this slideshow that I lovingly made for each one of you. :)

Slideroll.com

Starbucks Planner 2012 : Ready, Get Set, Collect!

2011-10-27T02:04:00.000+08:00

Once again, we have reached the -ber months where people start to make their Christmas list, families decorating their Christmas trees and for avid Starbucks Coffee fans like myself, we head to our favorite store to collect enough stickers to bring home our very own Starbucks Planner!

This is really the start of the countdown as on November 3, 2011; Starbucks Coffee will begin giving out stickers for every drink purchase for customers to collect to be able to redeem and get one of the five planners available. Yes, you read that right! From having three attractive designs last year, Starbucks Coffee Philippines now has FIVE for you to choose from!

Last night, I was lucky to be able to see the Starbucks 2012 Planner up close and to be able to lift through the pages, run my fingers through the wooden cover and go through each month by month as I read the opening pages. I know you're all dying to see what Starbucks Coffee has in store for all of us planner fans so read on and I'll tell you five great things that's making me love this planner more and more.

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Ariel 3D Deep Clean : Technology meets Fashion and Fabric Care

2011-10-26T14:10:00.001+08:00

Unknown to many, I am a neat freak. I spend most of my free time (and in between busy schedules) organizing, cleaning, sorting, color-coordinating and a lot more. This is also the case when it comes to my clothes. I hate having a lot of unused clothes stored in my closet just gathering dust. This is the reason why I regularly go through every single piece of clothing and I quickly discard the old, worn-out ones to give space for the new ones.

I love keeping my clothes tidy and clean. However, as we go out, especially when we travel and dine out, it's inevitable that we perspire and we leave stains and bacteria in our clothes. While eating, we sometimes accidentally have sauce dripping on our jeans and oil stains on our long sleeves. These are really hard to remove and not even the most powerful stain remover can sometimes do the trick.

Luckily, I was invited to the launch of one of the country's leading brand in fabric care Ariel as they launched a new product called the Ariel Stainlift with Deep Cleaning Technology.

From the moment we arrived at the venue, we were given our very own 3D glasses and almost all corner of the venue had the latest LG 3D TV set-up. The program was very brief and we were welcomed by no other than Ariel's newest endorser, Boy Abunda. He talked about his experience in Dubai where he shot the Ariel TVC and how he personally witness the power of the new Ariel variant that works on a 3-step process in removing stains, dirt and bacteria.

First: It polishes the clothing fibers.
Second: It reduces the negative charge to reduce repulsion enabling it to penetrate deeper
Third: It extracts the dirt and stains from the deep fiber layers to give a 3D deep clean!

Listening to the interviews, we learned that clothing consists of multiple layers of fibers and this is where the dirt and stains normally stays. Thus, it takes a deeper understanding and thorough research on how to remove them permanently. The Ariel Stainlift with Deep Cleaning Technology will go above, within and below the textile to ensure it gets clean through and through. This is no ordinary clean, this is what Ariel would like to call 3D Deep Clean.

To end the program, we were all treated to an amazing show right at the facade of the new Microtel Mall of Asia. It's the first in the country and the latest outdoor show innovation in the world. It's called 3D Mapping where walls and windows come alive.

Ariel partnered with Bench as they staged the very first 3D Fashion Show. I enjoyed the show very much as it really felt like watching a short fashion show only the models are as tall as the entire hotel. Definitely, larger than life!

Hope you enjoy the video and forgive me for some shaky bits, I wished I had a tripod as shooting a 4+ minute video is not a joke. :P

Cheap Eats : Hainanese Delights

2011-10-25T17:14:00.002+08:00

Here's a case when I chose not to blog on the my first restaurant visit...neither on my second but just decided to wait and go back for a third round before I finally give my full review.

I first heard about Hainanese Delights from my colleague ML who is a certified foodie and a budding food blogger. It was during one of our work-related events in Robinsons Galleria when she pointed out this fast food-like restaurant with a bright pink signage to me. I made a mental note to check it out but since I rarely get to visit the mall, it took me more than a month before I finally had the chance to try Hainanese Delights for the first time. My first visit was ok, nothing amazing as I was only able to try one dish and a can of Coke. Nothing more.

My second visit came shortly after when Hainanese Delights opened at Robinsons Pioneer, a mall that's just within walking distance from my office. ML and I were invited to a lunch meeting there and we were able to sample more dishes this time. Here, I found a few good ones which I found myself ordering again on my return.

This time, I will talk about my third visit in greater detail. It was a lazy Saturday and with nothing big planned for the day, Paul and I decided to go shopping in Robinsons Galleria. You see, we rarely get to go to the mall more so to shop. However, with most of my clothes looking really old and worn out, I realized that it's time to hit the shops once again.

After visiting our favorite retail brands, we started to feel a bit hungry and I invited Paul to have our afternoon snack at Hainanese Delights. We both were not able to have breakfast and lunch was very light that day so just imagine why we decided to have rice at 4 in the afternoon.

Here's what consists our hearty afternoon merienda at Hainanese Delights:

Hainanese Delights (Php. 120) -- The dish that takes after the name of the restaurant. I immediately figured that this must be their signature dish.

At first glance, the rice may look too little but don't fret as Hainanese Delights (the restaurant) offers unlimited refill of rice for all their rice meals. I think we had two servings that day. The rice, admittedly, doesn't taste like the usual Hainanese rice served in Singapore but it was pretty tasty and fluffy at the very least. The chicken was tender and I was always given the leg portion which I really like. On the table were containers filled with the usual Hainanese sauces : hot sauce, soy sauce and ginger oil. I think we emptied out our container of ginger oil as we poured this over our chicken and rice. It was that good!

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Tea Time at Cha Dao Tea Place

2011-10-24T00:42:00.000+08:00

A month ago, I received 4 Gift CerTEAficates to try Cha Dao Tea Place, a new milk tea shop near my office. This entitles me and three companions to an XL Drink with Free Sinkers each!

Since Paul and I basically had nothing planned yesterday afternoon and my sister and her boyfriend E happened to be at home too, we decided to go out for an impromptu double date over milk tea. So, off we went to Cha Dao Tea Place in Brgy. Kapitolyo in Pasig.

The store is quite small where probably only 10 customers can fit at a time. I like the nice touch of having bowls of dried tea leaves on the table. Wish that it was more aromatic for the scent to fill up the room.

The servers were extremely friendly, asking us if it was our first time in Cha Dao and after learning that it indeed was, she proceeded to pointing out their best-sellers in the menu. She was very helpful in suggesting and guiding us through our orders.

Paul, a non-milk tea drinker were interested to try the Yakult line and he was told that the Peach Mango is one of their top picks. He took their advice and ordered an XL cup of Peach Mango Yakult Blend with Light Sugar (Php. 75) as we were told that the drink itself is sweet already.

I wanted to try their milk tea and so I went for the Wintermelon Milk Tea with Coffee Jelly (Php. 75). Meanwhile, my sister tried the Assam Milk Tea (Php. 75) and E got the Cha Yen (Php. 75).

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