Frannywanny

I love going to coffee shops and cafes! The strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the buttery sweet scent of pancakes and just that over-all laid back feel. What makes it even more fun is when you walk into a coffee shop that screams "take a photo of me" in every nook and cranny! In today's social media speak, I'd say... it's totally Instagram-worthy ! Recently, I've been going crazy over this new foodie app that allows me to buy credits and to bid for a certain dish for as low as $1! I've been so hooked with it for days that one of the things that I bought was a $2.60 voucher for a glass of Iced Coffee from  Doi Chaang Coffee  in Clementi. I'll tell you more about this app in my succeeding entries but for now let's focus on the coffee shop, shall we?

It's Wednesday and that just means we're halfway through the week! Seriously, seeing how your work week goes is pretty much the same as whether you see a glass of water half-empty or half-full. I'd rather take the more positive side and focus on the fact that weekend is near! While we both love our careers, there are just days when you find the need to chill. Not that you have no work to do but rather, work has become so crazy that you just need that 5...10...minute breather to say  "stop the world, I'm going on a break!"  Paul and I had that kind of moment a few weeks ago and it was just perfect timing that we got an invite to check out Club Meatballs  in China Square Central. Now, how cool is that?! We got there quite early. Too eager to eat and drink already, I guess. Our meal began with a glass of martini each. We went on a Tuesday and they were having a Martini Night promotion where you can enjoy a glass of martini for just S$10! We had the Coff...

Now back to one of my Manila food adventures! As Paul had to fly back to Singapore earlier for work, I stayed behind a few more days to spend more time with family. So, on my FIL a.k.a. Daddy's actual birthday, we went out for a nice family dinner to celebrate his special day. Luckily, we also managed to do a grander birthday party a few days in advance just so the entire family's complete. The initial plan was to try a new restaurant in the Kapitolyo area but it started to drizzle and with most restaurants fully booked, we decided to just head to the mall. Mommy then suggested we dine at Tuan Tuan Chinese Brasserie . I've been there once and I loved it. Well, guess what?! It has been one of my in-law's favorite places to dine in too!  Remember, when in doubt...go Chinese! It was quite late already so everyone was feeling hungry. That said, we surely ordered a LOT! One thing that I love about my MIL is the fact that she loves to eat and try new things as much as I...

Gimme FIVE ! To celebrate five years of (okay, I'm saying it now...so Paul, read this --->) marital bliss, we made reservations for a nice dinner date at Marriott Cafe . Trust me, planning for this day took two-weeks worth of research, several shortlists created and a couple of discussions here and there. We seriously went from "what if we go for steak dinner at _____" to "let's try French or Italian instead" and so on. Since we both wanted so many things and we found it really difficult to make one final choice, we agreed to try the famous Marriott Cafe Dinner Buffet which specializes in seafood, steak and a wide-variety of cuisines too. Of course, hubby immediately agreed as he also got a 1-for-1 deal at Marriott Cafe from his Entertainer App  too! I married a smart guy, huh? We got to Marriott Hotel just right on time for our 8pm reservation and were quickly ushered to our table. First things first, I did a quick scan of the buffet line. Would...

We all know that Metro Manila is literally bursting with so many restaurants, cafes, eateries and foodie spots found all over the 16 cities and 1 municipality of the region. I've lived there for 20+ years of my life and I can say that I still have a lifetime to go if I seriously want to try at least half of all the restaurants available. Despite the big number, when it comes to dining out with my family to celebrate a special occasion, we would always have just a handful of choices to choose from. Don't look at me. I'm not the only  picky eater in the family! Obviously, my picky taste must have originated from somewhere , right? ;) As the person who frequents the very few places that he loves to dine in, my Dad has quite a growing list of requirements whenever we go out to celebrate someone's birthday or a family milestone. Clean ambiance? Check! Delicious, high quality food? Check! Serves steak or beef? Check check check! So far, Mario's Restaurant has passed...

Mommy and Pan came to visit me and Paul a month ago and I tell you, those were the best and most fun days that I've had here in the Lion City. I really love it when family comes to visit. As much as I also love being back home in Manila, it's nice to be able to share bits and pieces of my life here with the people I love the most. Of course, that includes taking them to some of my favorite restaurants, my favorite shopping malls and more. So, first on the agenda was to take them bargain shopping at Bugis . As we were shopping at Bugis+, we chanced upon Genki Sushi . This is a casual sushi restaurant with a really cute concept. We've known sushi restaurants to have the traditional conveyor belt where you can just pull out plates after plates of sushi. What makes Genki Sushi unique is that each other is prepared minutes after you place the order. Given that, you're assured of having fresh sushi all the time.

One thing that I love about Singapore is the fact that it's a growing melting pot of cultures and races. During my 2 years ++ stay here, I've learned a lot more about the Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Thai and of course, the Singaporean culture. Working in a multi-national company has also allowed me to interact with my colleagues from all over the world! In exchange, I would happily share stories and information about our very own Pinoy culture and practices too. It's the Ramadan season where our Muslim friends would fast from sunrise to sunset. One thing that I really admired their sacrifice for as I can't imagine skipping a meal, much more not eating or drinking the entire day. After a full day of fasting, then comes the iftar which starts by breaking the fast by having sweet dates followed by prayers and a hearty and delicious meal. Every year, the district of Geylang Serai comes alive during this season. At 4pm every day up until the day before Hari Raya, food...