Frannywanny

 "Mommy, Daddy can we go (to the) hotel?" Since the start of the year, this has been the favorite statement of the twins and they would really make it a point to bring it up every so often. Well, what can I say? They love going on staycations and staying at hotels just as much as Paul and I do. As they say, the apple does not fall far from the tree .  One of the reasons why they have also been asking was because they had such a fun time during our recent hotel stay last December at Quest Hotel  in Tagaytay . This was after a day trip to cousin M's farm in Batangas and since we didn't want to tire ourselves out with the long drive, we decided to stay the night in Tagaytay which is a halfway mark from Batangas to Manila (well..kind of). It was during the holiday rush so we couldn't go around that much as it seems like everyone decided to head to Tagaytay as well and the main roads were so packed with cars so we decided to stay and enjoy the hotel to the fullest. Th...

This is to continue our 3-day vacation in Tagaytay City . After spending our first night at the very posh yet homey Discovery Country Suites , Paul and I headed to another accommodation spot called Crosswinds Resorts Suites . I've been seeing the huge signages of Crosswinds' development for more than 5 years already. What I know is that it's located very close to Tagaytay Highlands and while it doesn't overlook the famous Taal Volcano , the size of this property is breathtaking and impressive enough. What I didn't know was that you can actually stay the night or two (or even the entire week) even if you are not a member. They now have two hotel buildings that allow visitors to stay in. We checked into our Studio Bedroom (Php. 6,000) and were pretty impressed with the comfy looking interiors. I loved how clean it smelled and the view was simply amazing. We were told that they have imported thousands of pine trees in order to achieve the Swiss feel . Well, s...

It was indeed a Sweet November for me and Paul last month. Despite being extra busy and stressful all month-long, we both looked forward to every single weekend as we had a staycation or a mini vacation planned one week after the other. Our Sweet November began with an overnight stay at the Marriott Hotel back-to-back with a delicious steak dinner at Cru . The next weekend followed with a fun pasta making class for me at Global Academy and another overnight stay in Alabang. After my quick trip to Cebu for work, Paul and I ended the month with a 3 day break in one of our favorite out of town destinations -- Tagaytay City . Others may find Tagaytay City boring but not me. I grew up going to Tagaytay so often and yet every vacation leaves me rejuvenated, happy and relaxed after. It helps that Tagaytay is so close to Manila that I don't get bored on the road going there and coming back home. That's a big plus as I really do not like long road trips. There are a lot of res...

For someone who loves to eat like me, I find enjoyment in trying different cuisines from all over the world. However, there are just days that I want to keep it simple and would go for my comfort dishes. These are the dishes that I grew up with, the kind that would give me that warm, fuzzy feeling inside..the kind that reminds me of HOME. I've mentioned before that growing up, our family dishes predominantly evolve around the Chinese cuisine but if you ask me what are my favorite comfort dishes, I would tell you it's a plate of garlicky, oily pork and chicken adobo that our talented cook would prepare and I would always have this with a cup of rice..or even more. I love how well the meat soaks up the flavor brought by the spices included in this dish. If there's one dish that would quickly remind me of home, it would definitely be this. Given that we have 7,107 islands in the Philippines , expect that we have just as much variety in terms of food and flavor too. I'l...

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 ...