Frannywanny

With all these K-Drama watching, I'm starting to think that I am turning Korean. From my growig love for korean food, desserts and drinks, I guess it shows as well in this blog as I realized that I sure have written a lot about Korean restaurants and cafes even as far back as two years ago.  Well, I guess it just can't be helped since Korean food and drinks are just soooo good! Take for example their ice cream called Melona . It's a simple ice popsicle but made so creamy and really refreshing. Unlike other ice popsies that's really icy and a bit hard to bite into, this has an ice cream consistency which is why my kids love love it! Our family's favorite is the strawberry followed by the classic melon. They now have more flavors to choose from -- melon, strawberry, taro, pistachio, mango and banana. The #AngTwins can't resist having Melona and can easily spot the bright colorful packaging from afar.  As the temperature continues to rise, the same goes for the nee...

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

Back before I had my twins..even way before I got pregnant, I got to admit that I would scroll over photos of friends sharing their milk and would wonder to myself what the fuss is all about over one's ability to produce milk. It was on my 3rd day post partum when everything just made perfect sense and that was when I finally entered the world of breastfeeding. I got to admit that all throughout my pregnancy, I never really prepared myself for breastfeeding. Paul and I kept an open mind that in case I won't be able to breastfeed my twins, then we are willing to give them formula. I didn't even bothered to join any lactation classes and I barely educated myself about it. In fact, I still remembered that day when I had to ask the NICU nurse to help me express my colostrum as that's one thing that I was determined to give my twins. Luckily, the NICU nurse was super helpful and encouraging. As I tried to express my first amount of liquid gold she told me that I was doing ...

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

Summer is finally here and it's really really really HOT! The weather app says it's about 34 degrees celsius outside but honestly, it feels like it's up to 40! A simple walk around the corner would easily let sweat beads form on your forehead. What more climbing up 3 storeys and walking for 2 blocks under the scorching sun. I swear, I looked like I ran a marathon with the way my cheeks  would turn so red and I'd be perspiring like crazy. All I want is to dip myself into a cold pool...oh, and to have some refreshing coconut ice cream too!  Let me tell you about the time we visited Co+Nut+Ink in Sentosa. Located at the Beach Station, we took the tram that took us all the way to Siloso Beach. Along the way, we spotted a simple white stall with a long queue in front of it. This immediately caught our attention and piqued my curiosity on what the stall is all about. Moving closer, we found out that they're selling Coconut Ice Cream! Oh em gee! 

Recently, I received an email from a dear reader whom I'll call V  and here's what she wrote: Dear Franny,  My nephew who just moved to Singapore said he heard of a taiyaki served as an ice cream cone somewhere in Singapore. Wonder if you could find it and show how it looks like? Here's my reply: Dearest V,  Your wish is my command! Thanks to your email, I now found a new ice cream place to visit every time I'm in the Bugis district. This blog post is for you !  Love,  Franny ♥  Paul and I met up with a couple of friends from high school over lunch yesterday and luckily the restaurant was just a few blocks away from Bugis . I told Paul about V's email and he was very supportive and was game to search for this interesting taiyaki-meets-ice-cream-cone concept that V has mentioned in her email. A quick research brought us to the basement of Bugis Junction where we found Tai-Parfait . Tadahhhh! First things first, what is a Taiyaki ? This is...

I always believe that a restaurant doesn't need to have a long list of menu items in order to be successful. In fact, most of my favorite restaurants, for instance, would just specialize on 3-4 amazing dishes and this would still get people to queue up for hours. Pretty similar on how a person should be -- no one wants a jack of all trades but who's sadly a master of none. Rather, we'd go for one who may have just focused on one to two skills or talent but can truly be considered an expert on those. Let me tell you about my newest discovery here in the Lion City -- Sunday Folks . It all began when I had dinner with fellow bloggers Nicole and Charlene  who were talking about their latest coffee shop and dessert places finds. Then they started raving about Sunday Folks which initially sounds like a regular cafe to me. It was when I started to ask about it that I was told that it was actually an ice cream place but it's no ordinary ice cream shop too. They proceede...

I scream for ICE CREAM ! Well you would too especially when they start giving away Free Ice Cream Cones for the entire day ! Ben & Jerry's is one of my favorite ice cream brands. I love the fun flavors available and the names that goes with it. For instance, have you ever tried Maple Treehugger, Clusterfluff or the Scotchy Scotch Scotch? These names will definitely get you to laugh as you wonder what makes up these creations. We love having pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream at home with the Strawberry Cheesecake as our top favorite. During the weekends, Paul and I would also drop by the Ben & Jerry's store in Vivo City for our ice cream fix.

When it comes to celebrating the holidays, of course, we're talking about having a mouthwatering spread of savory and sweet dishes. This is probably the reason why people would say that we, Filipinos, do take Christmas seriously as this is the season of endless merry-making and non-stop eating. Case in point, on the day that Paul and I landed in Manila, we were greeted with this black insulated bag sitting prettily inside our freezer. While the look was really simple and doesn't evoke much excitement at a glance, seeing the name printed on the bag was enough to make my heart leap and do a million cartwheels.  Of course, who can ever say no to ice cream? Much more... Japanese Ice Cream! When it comes to food, I love anything Japanese. From sticky glutinous mochis to flavoured Kit Kats, from the spongey Tokyo Banana to the creamy Hokkaido Ice Cream. I love how the Japanese gives so much attention to detail. From the quality of the ingredients used, to the flavor and f...

In the many years that I've been food blogging, I've had the privilege to try hundreds of restaurants which also means being able to enjoy thousands of different dishes ranging from starters down to desserts. From formal, fine-dining restaurants to the quick service fast food types, I would find a hidden gem every now and then. That's what makes eating so enjoyable and yes, fulfilling. During one of our Saturdates , Paul and I stumbled upon an ice cream kiosk at the basement of Takashimaya Department Store . It was after having almost a dozen sticks of deep-fried shrimp patties and grilled chicken that we found ourselves craving for something sweet. Choosing which one to try was easy, I just went for the dessert kiosk with the longest line. As everyone would really patiently line up for good food here in Singapore, I am then assured that whatever I'm lining up for will be worth the wait and leg exercise. That evening, a long line was forming in front of Azabu Sabo...

Do you believe in giving second chances?  Well before you answer that, let me tell you a little story. *puts on her lola glasses and sits on the rocking chair* *ahem ahem* Once upon a time, there was this girl whom we shall call FW. She went out with her best buds one evening for some delicious sushi and wagyu beef. Over their favorite Japanese choices, girly chit-chats and stories were exchanged back and forth. Dinner came to an end and not wanting to call it a night, FW suggested that they go get some ice cream. Feeling all grown up, the three girls decided to have some gelato instead. Off they went to Cafe Publico which was just a few steps away from their original place. It was raining hard that evening and they found a certain calmness inside the store. The rustic Italian garden interiors felt old yet comforting. The chess table in one corner looked really interesting. The place boasts of serving good gelato and so the girls made their choice. FW went for a sco...

After having dinner one Saturday night, Paul, our friend O and I decided to have some ice cream before heading home. I don't know what it is with having ice cream but I guess, with the forever warm temperature we have here in Singapore , enjoying a cone, bowl or even an entire tub of ice cream always seems to be a good idea. The same is true in Manila only I'd always go for a tall glass of halo-halo (with a scoop of ice cream) whenever I get the chance to. So, there we were walking along Orchard Road when we were greeted by a long queue in front of Cold Stone Creamery outside Orchard Central . I personally do not like queuing up and having to wait forever till I can finally eat. However, the boys were pretty keen on having their ice cream that evening and assured me that the wait won't be long. Okay, I give in! What makes Cold Stone Creamery different from the other ice cream parlor is that they mix in various dry ingredients into your choice of ice cream. I really l...

Ice cream has been around for decades..maybe even centuries. Growing up, this has been every kid's favorite dessert even before cakes and puddings came into our vocabulary. When Magnum was launched in Manila last year, I joined the millions of Filipinos who hoarded (yes, hoarded is the right word) packs of these yummy ice cream covered in premium chocolate coating in the grocery for my family to enjoy. Then, I was happy with the 3 basic flavors -- Classic, Almond and Chocolate Truffle. When I came to Singapore, I literally went wild upon knowing there there were more Magnum flavors and varieties! From the original size, they also have a mini version which I love very much. They also have more flavors too. Mint, Gold, Double Caramel, Limoncello, Irish Cream, Hazelnut Bonbon, Pistacchio and the list goes on and on. Every trip to the grocery is made more exciting knowing that I'll be taking a new box of ice cream back home with me. Recently, Magnum has launched two new flavo...

Growing up in a tropical country, I've grown to seek comfort in a bowl of frozen treats. From gelato to yogurt, even to ice creams of all shapes and sizes -- scoops in a cone, a scoop in a bowl, served a la mode, ice cream with mix-ins, you name it, I've tried it! There must be hundreds of different combinations and ice cream creations in the local Philippine market. Thus, you can just imagine the excitement that rocked the entire nation when Selecta introduced their newest line of premium ice cream called Magnum . This kind of ice cream is not new. I grew up loving vanilla ice cream on a stick encased within a hard chocolate shell and for some, even sprinkled with nuts or local rice crispies we call pinipig. It was just about the same time last year when I had my first taste of Magnum's Almond Ice Cream and boy, I was hooked! For Php. 50 a stick, I got to admit it's way beyond my regular budget for ice cream but I didn't mind. I would buy 6-8 sticks every time I...

Ice cream is such a happy food. Back when we were kids, our parents would always use ice cream as an incentive for getting a good grade in school. A tub of ice cream has always been a staple too during birthday parties and happy family occasions. This is probably why eating a simple cone or cup of ice cream brings back such happy memories for me. Summer is really here as the temperature has been steadily rising the past few days in Manila and every afternoon is starting to be more and more an ordeal. It doesn't help being surrounded by trees too as the air alone is very warm. Well, we can't do much about the weather but we can definitely beat the heat by eating some...ICE CREAM! One Sunday afternoon, I invited my family out to try Swensen's . This is a US-based ice cream parlor that has branches around Asia such as Thailand and Singapore. We're so happy that Swensen's finally made it to our shores! In fact, it has actually been here since 2010 if I'm not m...

Lately, Paul and I have been busy . Busy meeting up with friends, busy attending despedida parties (more on this SOON) , busy visiting the mall to buy all necessary household items that we need for our new life that we will be starting in a month's time. For a couple who's not really into shopping, believe me, forcing ourselves to complete our shopping list can really be a test of our patience. Anyway, one incentive for going to the mall is the fact that we can eat out! Yay! During one of our recent shopping trip at the Podium Mall , we suddenly have a craving for ICE CREAM . Well, Paul thought about it first while I was initially thinking of just getting a cup of milk tea. We remembered that there's a Sebastian's kiosk at the 4th level of the mall and we quickly headed there to check the flavors out. We love Sebastian's for his unique yet very Pinoy flavors. Paul used to love Sebastian's Yakult flavored ice cream while I'm a fan of his Green Mango a...

*SPONSORED POST* I scream for ICE CREAM! :) A grew up thinking that eating ice cream is only suitable during the summer months. When the temperature is at its all time high and nothing sounds better than indulging in a cold cup of creamy goodness to beat the heat. It was until I learned that ice cream can also be taken in the cold winter nights to help your body release more heat to combat the..cold! It may take a while for this fact to make sense but I tried it when it was shivering cold in Seoul, Korea last April and true enough, it made my heart tremble less and my body somehow was able to produce more heat. This now gives all ice cream lovers out there the reason to enjoy their favourite cold scoop at any given time of the day, month or year! Over the weekend, Paul and I visited SM North EDSA to check out a cute sky blue ice cream cart called Picket Fence ! Being big ice cream fans, we got word that this is really good stuff thus we know we can’t pass up on the opportunity...

I took the leap last Monday! For someone who is deadly scared of blood, vaccines and pain in general, I bravely headed to the dentist and had my bothersome wisdom tooth pulled out. To be honest, I was still hoping the pain caused by the irregular alignment of my poking wisdom tooth would go away but after days for not being able to chew on yummy pizza as well having difficulty in munching on chips and a lot more, I knew I HAD to do something. Happily, I survived the procedure and walked out of the dentist clinic alive. I'm still undergoing a recovery stage now wherein all I can eat are soft and cold food items. For days, I have been eating mashed potato and ice cream every single meal. I love them very much but I think I have seriously went beyond my annual consumption quota for both already. Call it perfect timing that my friends over at Fruits in Ice Cream (FIC) sent over a bag filled with 3 pint containers of frozen delights. The labels says Vermont Classic Frozen Custar...

There are a number of brands that truly played a big part in our childhood life. First there's Jollibee , I'm sure every kid has had at least one birthday party celebrated with the happy-looking bee together with his friends Hetty, Popo, Mr Yum and Twirlie. There's the usual parlor games and Jollibee's signature food items such as the Jolly Spaghetti, Chicken Joy and Fries! I celebrated my 3rd birthday party at Jollibee Virra Mall back in the 80s and have almost hundred photos to remind me of it. Another brand that comes to mind when talking about our younger years is MILO . I can still remember their jingle: "Growing up with Olympic energy, growing up with Milo! Milo everyday!" Every summer, we look forward to taking up a new sport and what do we drink? Milo of course! I love drinking a cold can of Milo before my swimming class in the morning. My sister and I would have this every single day and believe it or not, we even lost a lot of weight! Milo tr...

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 m...