Frannywanny

Last weekend, Paul and I did another ninja-like visit to Manila which lasted for only 4 days. The main objective was to spend as much time possible with family. I'd say, we were pretty successful as most of the meals were really dedicated to eating out with both my side and his. In addition to that, we went home to celebrate the birthday of one very important man in our lives -- my Papa . Despite how infrequent we get to fly home, we make it a point not to miss the birthdays of our parents. We sadly missed my FIL's birthday this year so we have to do better starting next year onwards. Anyway, to celebrate Papa's birthday, K of Sweet Grace Cakes & Pastries was so sweet to send over a box of her famous Pistachio Cake with Strawberries and Cream (Php. 800 / 6 inch and Php. 1500 / 8 inch) .  The cake arrived a day before his birthday so we had an early cake-cutting ceremony as we couldn't wait to try it. Even Papa was so happy when we opened his cake box to revea...

Summer is here! I can't believe it's already March which means we're almost done with the 1st quarter of 2013. Time is running on high speed, don't you think? Anyway, with the heat getting to be more intense outside, all the more I crave for cold desserts. Ice cream, yogurt and our ever-popular halo-halo. Just the thought of it is making me miss Manila more and more. *sigh* Aside from my dessert bar staples such as creme brulee and a scoop of ice cream, I am also a big fan of crepes. I tell you, I can have crepes at anytime of the day. The savory ones for breakfast, lunch or dinner and the sweet fruity ones in between. This is also why my family and I frequent our neighborhood creperie a whole lot ever since it opened its doors to the public. Let's just say, that's our way of giving our all out support in hopes that it'll be there to serve us forever and ever. During one of our not-so-frequent trips to the SM Mall of Asia , Paul, Joan (a.k.a. Mrs. Fo...

I just love the feeling of being happy while eating! Yes, that truly sounded very much like a glutton talking but eating makes me happy and what I love most is when I dine at a restaurant that just gives a very happy vibe all together. This was how I felt the moment Paul and I discovered Hapadog at the Sky Garden of SM City North EDSA . We rarely reach this part of town but whenever there's a need to drive all the way to the north, we have to ensure we make the most of it. I've been hearing about Hapadog from my friend Richard who has been inviting The Food Club to check it out together. Due to all our conflicting schedules, it has been months since Richard's initial invite and sadly this plan still hasn't pushed through. Luckily, Paul and I found Hapadog which was strategically located beside Gong Cha and is just a few steps away from Starbucks Coffee. As we entered the very tiny restaurant, the server immediately handed us the menu and the first thing that ...

It was our first Saturday night out after the wedding and boy, were we excited! Thanks to my dear friend N who invited us to an private auction party organized by Chocolate Fire , we headed to Salcedo Village eager to check out the lovely photos of the ever-famous Raymund Isaac and of course to indulge in the delicious chocolate creations that N has been telling me about. The place was packed! As we slide ourselves in, we found N who was waiting for us by the chocolate counter. My eyes widen at the sight of the different chocolate bars available. What caught our attention thought was the huge strawberries covered with chocolate that was being passed around. It was so delicious! Around the store, they have displayed the different chocolate-themed photos taking by Raymund Isaac of local celebrities and fashion models. All throughout the evening, we were given different chocolate treats, sandwiches and drinks while swaying to the music of the bands entertaining the crowd all nig...

This weekend was pretty productive! I never thought home shopping could be both fun and stressful! For the past two days, I have been at SM Megamall checking out linens, bed covers, mattresses and a lot more! All these in preparation for our future rooms that need to be furnished pretty soon. I realized that no amount of time spent going over the beautiful pages of Real Living is enough to prepare me for the great battle... to be in front of close to a hundred choices. SM surely wasn't kidding when they said they got it all for us ! After our last shopping session today, I took some time out to chill out at The Stick House -- my newest discovery located at the basement of SM Megamall Bldg A. They have around 7 possible flavors and more combination as you first choose your stick -- would you like to get a gelato or a sorbet. Then you choose your toppings: Coffee, Hazelnuts, Almonds, Pistachio? You may also opt to dip your gelato stick into their delicious chocolate syrup. ...

It has been 5 months since I shared with you what my tummy has been craving for lately ... It has been a very warm summer and nothing beats enjoying a huge tub of Red Mango yogurt complete with my favorite toppings: mangoes, strawberries and mochi! Thanks Jon for the cool treat! :)

Just recently, Paul and I went on a Chinese food fest all weekend with Le Ching and Eat Well . This time, we're saying irrashaimase and arigato gozaimasu as we're both craving for Japanese food! After getting all sentimental and dramatic after watching Valentine's Day , we walked out of the cinema thinking of where to eat. I spotted the bright yellow vendo machine and a couple of cute origami pieces that I suddenly blurted, "let's go to Sango !", to which Paul immediately agreed. While we have been to Sango a couple of times before, we both agree that it's about time to go back and to enjoy their famous Master Burger and perhaps a cup of their refreshing Strawberry Soda . Normally, I would get my favorite Yakiniku Rice Burger but I decided to try something else that evening. Obviously taking a long long time in front of the self-order machine, the friendly server called us over and offered to assist us with our orders. Paul got the Master Cheese Bu...

Just as we thought we've seen them all..now comes a new player in the Yogurt world . Coming all the way from California, USA; Tutti Frutti has finally arrived in Manila! Unlike its friendly competitors, Tutti Frutti will help you exercise your freedom to choose as you go through the entire self-service procedure with the help of their friendly staff. Here's a simple guide on how to enjoy your visit to Tutti Frutti : First, choose the size of your cup . If I'm not mistaken there are four different sizes. I like the huge tub at the far right, this is perfect for a group of four. Second, choose your yogurt flavor . After trying at least six different flavors ranging from chocolate to taro and even fruit strawberry, I ended up getting the Original Tart which is your basic yogurt flavor. Third, take a pick from the wide variety of toppings . I originally wanted to get blueberries and crushed graham but the blueberries looked different that I just ended up creating my own mix...

I've recently mentioned in my previous entry that I prefer cupcakes over a slice of cake to cover up the guilt but what I love about eating a slice of cake is the fact that I can fully appreciate the creativity of the baker in putting together a masterpiece that can only be seen through the layers of cake, cream, fruits, nuts or chocolate. In this entry, I will share with you two of my favorite cakes which are not hard to find, are pretty affordable and are truly a delight to have after a good meal. Ü Mariell Torte by Nothing Like Home-made... Small : Php. 485 / Big : Php. 695 I had my first encounter with this cake more than a month ago. When two of my closest colleagues got this for my birthday. They ordered the biggest size and believe me when I say it was BIG! It think the box can easily fit a wedding gown. Yes, it was THAT big! Everyone in the office were awed and excited to try a piece that I actually managed to share the cake with everyone and still have a small portion for...