Frannywanny

Oh I just love discovering secret dining places! This is the reason why I immediately grabbed the chance to try Atelier 317 when an offer worth Php. 995 was posted at Deal Grocer . What initially was planned to be a romantic dinner date for two was happily turned into a fun dinner out with my two favorite eating companions Paul and Richard . We had to make a reservation days in advance as the place has only three table thus it has a very limited seating capacity. I've been hearing about Atelier 317 from friends and fellow food lovers, this restaurant is owned by Chef Stephanie Zubiri and is located at a private home in Makati. Thankfully, both Paul and Richard have amazing sense of direction so I didn't have to worry on how to get to our 'secret' destination. We entered Palm Village which is very near Rockwell Center. The streets are quite narrow but following the direction given by the guard, we immediately located Atelier 317 . It's a two or three storey hom

It's FINALLY the weekend! It has been extremely busy at work for the past weeks and this will probably go on for the entire month of August too! As I brace myself with the intense thinking and preparation that we have to go through for our annual planning, part of me is also excited to present new ideas that I would like to implement for the year ahead! Despite how busy my weekdays can be, I keep my weekend sacred. Take today for example, Paul and I have a busy day ahead and to make sure we have the energy, we had a hearty brunch at Seattle's Best Coffee at the Greenhills Town Center , a new commercial complex located along Gilmore street in Ortigas. Every time we visit this place, we get to see more and more restaurants popping up. My goal is to check each and every restaurant out! I've tried Sumo Sam , the Pastry Princess and Ha Yuan to name a few. It was also upon an invitation to try the new drinks at Seattle's Best Coffee that brought us here. We started

Introducing Project Surprise. I admit, I was the accomplice. The goal was to bring happiness through the form of a surprise visit. The target? My fellow food blogger friends. I must admit I'm not good at planning surprises. More often than not, my excitement will reveal what I have been cooking up in my mind. Thus, it took me a while to invite The Food Club out for what looked like a simple dinner at Stella . After all, we, members of The Food Club do not say no to the chance of trying a new restaurant out. Paul and I got to Stella ahead of the others. After a quick hi-hello with the "mastermind", we entered the restaurant with innocent looks on our faces as we waited for the others to arrive. Stella is one of the many new restaurants that opened at the booming new wing of Bonifacio Highstreet . It's right beside its sister restaurant bar called Rocket Room , Stella has a cozy vibe quite similar to another sister restaurant -- Chelsea Market and Cafe . W

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

As Paul and I followed the week-long news coverage on the wake and funeral ceremony of the late King of Comedy, Dolphy , it has been mentioned a number of times by friends and loved ones that Dolphy loves going to Hizon’s or he would gift someone with a box of Hizon’s ensaymada. At some point, this led to Paul telling me that he has never dined at Hizon’s or more specifically at the coffee shop adjacent to it called Za’s Cafe . I was shocked! Between the two of us, he grew up in Manila and I just can’t believe he has never been there. Whereas for yours truly who was born and raised in Quezon City , I has been frequenting this classic restaurant since I was a toddler. I guess that just goes to show that I would really go the distance for good food. Anyway, I really love sharing a piece of my childhood with my husband. Be it trying a glass of halo-halo that I grew up enjoying or something like this – taking him to Za’s Cafe one rainy Sunday afternoon. I am pretty proud of mysel

Years ago, I never thought that I'd be able to travel to the United States of America ...this soon. Sure, it has been part of our list, even planned to go there for our Honeymoon but after agreeing that we will discover Asia first; we never thought I'll see the amazing West anytime in the next few years after tying the knot. Well, I guess Lady Luck must have been on our side all these time as I got an invite from a business counterpart to meet them in California late 2010 (that was just around 5 months of being married!) . The agreed schedule was on February 2011 and we got even luckier that both Paul and I were given US travel visas right away. It truly was a fun-filled two weeks spent with our relatives and friends based in California, USA. I really enjoyed bonding with my Ahia Jeff whom I haven't seen for a long time. The same goes for Paul who was able to spend some quality time with his aunt and cousin Jun too. It truly was time well-spent as we tried a couple of a

This week, a nasty virus has struck our family. It hit me first..and it did hit it really hard making me unable to report to work for a day and leaving me coughing and sneezing for the entire week. My voice became unrecognizable and I always have to bring a pack of tissue and a bottle of water wherever I go. I really hate getting sick. :( Sadly, the virus may have left my body but this time it transferred to Paul and to my sister Pan. Poor thing, they're both down -- also missed work for a day and are still under medication leaving them groggy and sleepy most of the time. Needless to say, we avoided eating out most days of this week. Loading up on vitamin C and all things nutritious to keep our immune system up. Being sick doesn't mean though that I have lost my love for food. In fact, I spent most of my waking hours in the kitchen. True, my sense of smell may have temporarily became unreliable and so goes my sense of taste too. However it was just great timing that the ni

Ever since I got back from my trip to Seoul, Korea ; I now share the same fascination and love for this beautiful country with my colleague ML. From the pretty cherry blossoms to the food...the FOOD! Every meal was truly a delight and every meal that we had from the corner street cart to the more upscale restaurant all left a wonderful memory for Paul and yours truly. I have yet to share with you my complete Korean adventure. I promise I'll have the out soon... Paul and I loved Korea so much that we are actually planning to go back again next year. Crossing my fingers on that! Meanwhile, I have to satisfy my sudden Korean food craving with what we have locally. Luckily, more and more Korean establishments and franchise have been coming to Manila making it easier for us to have some good Samgyeopsal or a yummy piece of Pajeon at any given time. ML and I headed to Kogi Bulgogi for a quick lunch one day. It was a good thing that we were at the Eastwood Mall for an event allo

Stepping inside Ma Maison in Greenbelt 2 , I can't help but recall a scene from one of my favorite movies -- Julie and Julia . I'm not sure why.. Could it be because of the kitchen set-up with copper pans and dainty-looking tea-cups? The restaurant gives off a very homey vibe that matches the line of European hostel keys that hangs by the cashier's area. Ma Maison , after all, means My House when translated from French. We truly felt welcomed with the delightful service as well as the yummy food. We actually were able to try a lot of dishes majority of which were pretty good that Paul and I found ourselves back at Ma Maison days after. For starters, we had the Escargots Baked with Garlic Butter (Php. 385). I have a confession..in my many years of eating..I've..never...ever...ever...had...escagots. However, there will always be a first time and that happened at Ma Maison. I had not one...not two but three delicious escagots swimming in garlic butter on to

After having lunch at an Italian restaurant within the Bonifacio Global City , Paul together with our regular food buddies Richard and Irene trooped to Serendra simply to give in to my request to try Chez Karine out. It has been a month since I've heard about this new bakery that recently opened at the Serendra Mall called Chez Karine . Not long after, fellow bloggers have been writing about it making me more and more excited to give it a try myself. It's located beside my go-to cupcake place Sonja's and from the outside I already liked the pretty decors, the clean and bright feel perfectly accented with small cute decors. Inside I was mesmerized with the beautiful pastries! This reminds me of the cute bakeries the Paul and I love visiting in countries like Hong Kong and Taiwan . First off, I ordered a box of French Macarons (Php. 50/piece). They have a take-away box perfect for 7 pieces which allowed me to order one flavor each as Chez Karine exactly has sev

After my Beijing trip last April, my body and mind have been begging to travel again..”even just a weekend getaway to recharge”, I can feel them saying. Finally, I found the opportunity to head up to Tagaytay for a back-to-back weekend getaway last month. For years now, Tagaytay continues to charm me with its laid-back vibe, the calming sensation of just looking at the Taal Volcano and the numerous food establishments that have been opening left and right. Needless to say, I love Tagaytay ! The first weekend was spent with my good pal T. It was an all-girls bonding that all we did was to eat, catch up with one another and to eat again. I must admit I really cannot be a backpack traveler as, first and foremost, I always end up packing the entire closet with me and I am pretty finicky when it comes to my travel accommodations.This is also the main reason why I don't mind shelling out extra more in order to have a good comfy bed, a clean bathroom and superb service from the

I guess it's no secret that I love to snack! With my growing list of must-try snacks...maybe I should start a blog dedicated to just that. Watchatink? :) Anyway, whenever Paul and I go to the mall, what we normally do really is to EAT! Sure, at times I get to buy a pair of shoes or a new outfit, sometimes we catch a movie but more often than not, we're most likely found at the food court area or along the row the restaurants checking every single one out. Take for example our recent trip to Robinsons Galleria . The initial plan was to pay some bills and to do the grocery. However, we both spotted Masatami , a kiosk outside the supermarket that offers shaved ice desserts. Not the Mais con Yelo type but rather one that looks like a giant snow cone. Paul seemed very interested as he lingered quite long enough checking the menu out. I suddenly remembered receiving a couple of coupons from the owners of Masatami and after checking my bag if I have it, I excitedly waved the two

To celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary , Paul and I had a dinner date at the Marriott Cafe . I guess it must have been fate and perfect timing that the Marriott Cafe is currently having their Flavors of Asia promotions wherein a couple of Asian favorites will be featured every dinner for the entire month of July . As such, it was a perfect chance for us to relive our fun two-weeks honeymoon spent in Singapore and Malaysia , two years ago. We did nothing but to eat, eat and eat. Luckily, our honeymoon coincided with Singapore's annual Food Festival allowing us to sample and enjoy never-tried-before local fares at affordable prices. Marriott Cafe has prepared a really good spread! I began with some Vietnamese rice rolls that were carefully handmade by the happy looking Chef Phan Tien Hoa of Renaissance Riverside Saigon. Normally, I would have my rice rolls with hoisin sauce or peanut sauce but I was pleasantly surprised by this pesto-tasting green peanut sauce that was

How time flies when you're having fun! Two years ago, in about 14 hours from now, I walked down the aisle towards Paul and together we made a vow in front of God, our families and our dearest friends that we will stick by one another 'for better, for worse..in sickness and in health..till death do us part'. It seems like someone has pressed the fast forward button that right after our BIG day where our life officially began as husband and wife, we are now celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary TODAY ! Paul , thank you for always being so supportive. For being my number one fan and for being my toughest critic too. Everyday I thank God for bringing us together. You and me, we will ride this fun roller coaster called LIFE. Through all the ups and downs, the twists and turns, no matter what happens we'll always be on the same coach, holding hands and experiencing it all together. I will  ♥ you forever!

Whenever hungry strikes especially during mid-day its so easy to just grab a bag of chips that's within reach. I got to admit I love munching on chips, rings and puffs. Like a little girl, I tend to be very greedy with my bag as I hug it tightly as to give a silent message that screams: "this is ALL MINE!" Paul knows better not to mess with my stash of snacks. That's how much I take my snack seriously. Thus, when I was sent a bag of Angry Puffs sampler cups in four assorted flavors, I happily brought this with me when we went to Tagaytay for a fun weekend getaway with The Food Club. What makes Angry Puffs different from all the puffs out there is that its air-baked not fried. This then gives me more reason to enjoy them in greater quantities. Freshness is their top priority thus they ensure that the puffs that you're enjoying has just been freshly puffed on the spot thereby removing the need for preservatives.

I'm saying Chow Fun's because we're an "us". There's a history and histories don't happen overnight. In Mesopotamia or Ancient Troy or somewhere back there, there were cities built on top of other cities, but I don't want to build another city. I like this city....I mean I guess what I'm trying to say is - I'm saying Chow Fun's because I love you. - Katie (Michelle Pfeiffer), The Story of Us I'm so happy that another new restaurant has recently opened in our neighborhood! Really, I'm never leaving this part of town as it's really becoming a foodie mecca! Love love love ♥ Everyday on my way to and from work, I saw how this restaurant has turned from a vacant space into a pretty modern establishment. I love the bright colored assorted chairs, the cute hanging lamps and the fact that it gives a very modern Chinese vibe. No red table clothes, no Chinese music playing in the background, the menu is simple yet every items sounds m

♫ These are a few of my favorite things...♫ Don't you just love afternoon snacks? This is probably the reason why most diets would require one to eat more frequent but small meals. Nibbling on crackers or munching on a fresh fruit is normally what people on a diet would have. However, there are far more interesting and definitely more mouthwatering snack options out there. In China, they have dimsum which when directly translated means "touch the heart". Bite-sized pieces that the Chinese would enjoy with their afternoon cup of tea. In Europe, they have their Afternoon Teas which normally comes with scones and tiny tea sandwiches. Of course, we Filipinos have our own line-up of snacks and it ranges from the very savory pancit (noodles) to sticky kakanins (rice cakes), from all sorts of sweetened skewered fruits to my personal favorite, fishballs and kikiam sold in the street. Yum! Lately, I have two new favorite snacks that I normally would have at least once a wee

Today, I, together with the YES! Magazine team launched the 100 Most Beautiful Stars 2012 book! It was my first big event for YES! Magazine and I'm so happy that it was a BIG success! Of course, just like Yummy Eats 2012 , I had my dream team who worked so hard to make everything happen. It surely was a celebrity-filled day and I, myself, got star-strucked as I saw them all. Thus, here I am resting before heading to bed as I can now feel the exhaustion pouring in after all the excitement and adrenaline rush that happened today. The book will be out in a couple of days so please do grab a copy! :) I promise it'll be a fun read. During work days, I live a very busy life. Juggling in between meetings, preparing reports and presentations, it really takes a great amount of good time management to make everything work. This is also the reason why I love going out for lunch once in a while as it works as a good breather where I can refresh my mind and treat myself to a good me

Hello July! I can't believe we are officially halfway through 2012 and in 5 months, we will be welcoming 2013 in! Time is flying extra fast! I hope you all had a great time in June as much as I did! It was my birthday month after all and I spent the month celebrating and catching up with my dear family and closest friends. The wait is finally over. I'm ready to announce the lucky winners of my back-to-back blog contests : Frannywanny's Birthday Giveaway x Starbucks Summer Treats . First of: the lucky winner who will be receiving a special gift bag filled with all things JAPANESE ELAINE CHUA!!! Elaine , kindly expect an email confirmation from me as I would need to get your details to send you your prize! Just in case you're curious, here are the answers to my trivia questions: 1. Trivia Question #1 : What country is called The Land of the Rising Sun? Answer: Japan 2. Trivia Question # 2: Drum Tao is coming to Manila on July 12 to 22, 2012 and wil