Frannywanny

As much as I love lazy weekends, I also get the thrill whenever I get to do something new and be productive too. Can't really make up my mind, couldn't I? Guess, there are just days wherein I'd rather laze around the house and some days I enjoy going out, meeting new people and learning something new. Balance is always good. Well, last Saturday, I was back at the Canon Pixma Workshop to learn a new set of paper crafts! Together with a couple of bloggers and Canon fans, we created our very own 2014 calendar, a cute Bookworm Bookmark and for some, a 3D animal figurine. I was only able to do the first two and I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. Hooray! I was also able to play around with the new Canon Mini Legria (S$429) which is the newest camcorder in the market. It's just about the size of a mobile phone or a car camera but as they say, do not judge a camera by it's tiny size. This little one comes with Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Wi-Fi capabiliti...

It all began with one Facebook shout out... ... and just like that, support and help came pouring in. When Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit the Visayas region a couple of weeks ago, I did mention that watching the heartbreaking videos somehow made me feel a bit helpless knowing that I'm thousands of miles away from home. There were initially various ways to send our monetary support but I know that doing this once is not enough. Thus when I was tagged by my friend Suzy to support this special Adobo Night  organized by Chef Karla Mendoza of Pizzeria Mozza , I didn't think twice and sent in my RSVP. Of course, I just had to spread the word and after sharing the same message to my good friends here in Singapore, they sent in their RSVPs too! So there we were at 10PM on a Thursday night. Normally, I'd definitely be home by then probably in bed busy blogging till I fall asleep. Well, last Thursday was no ordinary night as more than 30 of us were present at the special...

People often ask Paul and I how we're doing in the Lion City . The truth is... we're having a BALL! While others might find Singapore a bit too boring given the size of the place thus the lack of quick weekend getaway options or "happening" places around, I always say that Singapore perfectly suits our personality and lifestyle. Readers probably can see by now that Paul and I are pretty much the laid back kind of couple. We're really happy just spending our weekend at home, hanging out by the pool, meeting up with friends, going to the mall or watching a movie. Of course, there's got to be a lot of eating happening in between. Anyway, so when I heard that there's this nice gourmet market called PasarBella that recently opened a few months back, I've quickly included that in my list of places to visit. After so many failed attempts, we finally were able to visit PasarBella right during Pan's weekend stay. Hooray! Getting there can be quite a ch...

Christmas is just around the corner . While I got to admit that this is really one of my favorite seasons as I look forward to going home to spend the holidays with my family, I can't deny the fact that there's a bit of sadness in my heart as I continue to think of the victim of Typhoon Yolanda who continues to remain homeless up until this day. I just hope that their conditions will improve in the coming days and as a nation, we will be able to help them rebuild the city that they've lost and their lives that has been greatly disrupted. When it comes to Christmas, we also talk about sharing the joy and celebrating traditions. In order to bring a little cheer to everyone, here I am continuing another tradition as I present this year's Starbucks Planner giveaway!!! This year is extra special because I'm not reviewing not one but TWO cool planners which are available in the two markets very close to my heart -- Manila and Singapore . My two homes. Let me sta...

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...

Times like this, I really wish I was just having a bad dream..a really really bad dream. This is because, in dreams, you eventually wake up and realized that nothing has changed. Sadly, when Super Typhoon Haiyan (a.k.a. Yolanda) hit my dear country, the Philippines , last Friday it surely wasn't a dream nor was it even a terrible nightmare. It's an awful reality leaving thousands (and I'm talking around 10,000+) dead and a lot more missing. Families were torn apart, children separated from their parents, parents looking for their children, pets, homes, even public structures and farm lands were not spared. I honestly didn't know much about the gravity of this disaster up until I watched our local news the following day. As scenes unfold before my eyes, I felt my heart crushing into tiny pieces. Tears started to flow as I watch the survivors crying in anguish as they continue to search for their loved ones. It has been 5 days since Haiyan left the country yet the pain...

After our delicious family dinner at Green Pastures a couple of weeks ago, my parents and sister decided to take their balikbayan daughter (yours truly) and son-in-law (Paul) on a quick tour around the new wing of Shangri-la Mall. The last time we were here was during our visit last March where it was newly opened and there were just about 10 stores present then. At present, the mall is alive with shoppers and diners alike. We started from the top-most floor and lately worked our way down. As we reached the Ground Floor, we chanced upon a store that's filled with identical looking jars. Peering inside, we saw labels that says "Oils", "Vinegars", "Liqueurs & Spirits" and more. With our curiosity reaching its peak, we all went in to really see what the store is all about. Welcome to Vom Fass , says the friendly staff. First we were given samples of their homemade Blueberry Wine (Php. 400) which was very light and fruity. Papa and Paul had two ...