Frannywanny

It's no big secret how much I love dim sum. I can definitely have it at any given time of the day. Case in point, I actually found myself craving for dim sum when I was pregnant with my twins. I remember how happy I would be whenever Papa would come home with a box of Bola-Bola (pork meatball) siopao and as one box would have three pieces, I could easily wolf down two mini siopaos in one sitting. Guess that's alright as I literally have two buns in my   oven  then. He he he! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Frances Ang (@frannywanny) on Jul 18, 2017 at 12:15am PDT Anyway, I wasn't even very picky with the brand of siopao then. For as long as the buns are soft and chewy, the filling was not too fatty and it still came warm and ready to eat, then I'm all for it. One time, my gokopo   (5th grand aunt)  heard that I was craving for fried siopao, she then sent over a dozen of freshly steamed...

I got to admit that among all the cake flavors, Black Forest is one of my least favorites. Why? In the past, the versions that I've tried just have this off-balanced flavor of the dark chocolate cake together with the bitter cherry filling plus that diabetic-inducing heavy cream frosting. For my younger self, it was just too... weird. Since then, I've stayed far far away from ordering Black Forest in whatever occasion it may be. This may be one of the most classic cake flavors in the display case but I'd often go with the fruity kinds or the good ol' Mocha Chiffon Cake if I want to play safe. So, when I recently received a beautiful box of Black Forest Mille Crepe  (Php. 2,000) from Paper Moon  for Valentines Day, I proceeded with a bit more caution. First things first, I tasted with an open mind. After all, my last recollection of having Black Forest was 20-something years ago. Things do can change and they can definitely change for the better. I took one small b...

"Dear xxx, You'll always have the biggest PIZZA my heart." "To my one and only, I PEPPERON-ly have eyes on you." "My love, you had me at PIZZA." Sounds cheesy? Well, you are allowed to be as cheesy as you want this Valentines Day (all the way up to this weekend) and surprise your special someone with a box of pizza too! That's what I did as Paul and I opted to stay home with our twins on this special day. 

Trivia: Did you know that Philippine passport holders can travel to Peru without the need of any visa provided you stay for only 183 days or roughly around 6 months. That's long enough for any average tourist and that means multiple visits to see the Machu Picchu and countless ceviches and more.  Anyway, I recently discovered how yummy Peruvian dishes are and since then, I've been on a hunt for the freshest ceviches and the tastiest, most tender lomo saltados available in town. For instance, a month ago, I got together with some of my favorite foodie friends as we checked out Ceviche . It's a cozy-looking gastropub located within a quiet residential area in Quezon City. I grew up in this neighborhood as Kongkong and Ama used to live here and back then, we would have to drive out to either Banawe or to Quezon Avenue in order to have a good restaurant meal. Today, you'd find interesting hole in a wall food spots in this area and it indeed is a good sign of the great,...

Call it timely that as 2019 rolled in, Netflex suddenly launched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo  and I swear, everyone I know -- even the major hoarders and my non-OC friends have been giving their closets major overhaul, giving out what doesn't "spark joy" and basically, cleaning up their homes. Being a big OC nut, I've been Konmari-ying my closet regularly all my life. Cleaning up is, after all, second nature to me. What I did differently though was to do a thorough clean of our room. It began when I noticed that my twins have been falling sick since their 1st birthday last October. I swear, we have been visiting their pedia pulmo every single month and we have been spending way more than we should on medicines. I also dread it whenever one or both of my twins fall sick as this spells sleepless nights and fussy days. I learned about Cleeneco by Mike Gamez from several fellow mommies like E and D. They couldn't stop raving at how clean Mike's team has tur...

" What was I thinking?!" This was predominantly my thought as we got nearer and nearer to the day of The Music Run . Well, back in July, when Paul and I decided to sign up, the main objective was because we wanted to get into a healthy lifestyle for our twins. The plan was  to train for this run at least 3 months ahead thus making the 5K distance an easy peasy challenge for us. Well.. that  didn't happen. We barely prepared for this run and we were already telling friends that we might just walk all the way. Luckily, I still had the presence of mind to sign us up for the Fun Run  so that lessens the burden than signing up for the timed marathon. We also had considered not showing up or backing out. The race fee wasn't that expensive and for fear that we might just breakdown during the race.. we thought of letting it go. But... we're not the kind who backs out that easily. So..there we were on the afternoon of November 17 together with thousands of avid ru...

I can't believe I've never written about Market Cafe . Being a huge fan of what was then the Hyatt Hotel in Manila where Paul and I would frequent Lili and The Fireplace , I can't believe that I never got around to writing my experiences at their all-day buffet restaurant, Market Cafe . The hotel is now under a new management and is now known as AG New World Manila Bay Hotel . Despite the name change, the enticing and very welcoming look of Market Cafe stayed the same. One thing that I remember about dining here is that even their drinks are part of the buffet. This is just a minor add-on but it's really the little details that make the difference, right? The selection is not as wide as perhaps its hotel buffet counterparts but rest assured that it's well curated and the quality is top notch. Start your meal by visiting the Cheese and Cold Cuts station . I really like starting with small bite-sized portions of these appetizers every time I dine at a buffet. ...

I've never been a big shopper all my life. In fact, I like keeping the number of clothes on my closet and shoes on my rack at a very minimal number. Paul would often tease me that he actually has more clothes and shoes than I do. That's just me. I never liked shopping and I only do so if I need to. However, things have changed since I had my twins. I've lost count on the number of times I went to the mall and every single visit, I always end up with a bag or several bags of clothes, bottles, toys for them. In fact, I do enjoy shopping for my babies more so when I get to avail of a good deal. So, when SM Store launched their October Baby & Kids Fest , I dragged Paul all the way to SM Aura to do a little shopping. It was also perfect timing as we really do had to prepare for our upcoming family trip so I stocked up on diapers, travel essentials and even more eating utensils. We got a box of Pigeon Magmag set which I thought was a good find as L is starting to learn ...

"I'm so DONE with all my yaya dramas!" This is one line that I've been telling my family since Yaya D left us . I realized that no matter how nice or kind you are, you are never assured of their loyalty to you. I can't believe that my twins are barely a year old and we've gone through 3 nannies already. My friends actually told me that I have a pretty normal yaya count as some went as far as 10 nannies in the span of a year. Unbelievable. Indeed, good, loyal and honest helpers are hard to find. That said, I made a resolution to train my kids to be self-reliant as they get older. Doing small household chores until they graduate to doing bigger things. Personally, I grew up without a nanny and I think I turned out okay. In fact, I find it even better as our small family of 4 became really close with the absence of a nanny. My parents have been very hands-on since Day 1 and helping out in the house never felt like a chore but rather something that Pan and I i...

The Chinese cuisine is probably one of the most varied types in the world. We all know about the Cantonese-style dim sum or the fiery hot Szechuan-style dishes but there's also Beijing-style, Shanghai style and the one that's closest to my heart... Hokkien-Style . The reason is simple, my ancestors came from Amoy (Xiamen), China which is the province of the hokkiens. Thus, I can speak Hokkien (our dialect) and grew up eating Hokkien-Style dishes which were lovingly prepared by my mom or my kongkong. Hokkien-style of cooking makes use of a lot of vegetables and seafood. This is because Xiamen is located at the Southern portion of China where it has direct access not only to its neighboring provinces and countries but to water resource as well. Given that, I feel that each dish gives a very comforting taste and feel or maybe it simply because it's the kind that I would also link childhood or home memories with. Some of my favorites are my Kongkong's Kiam Peng, my mom...

Sweet dreams are indeed made of these. It's the kind that comes in pretty copper tin cans and when you open it, nope! it's not your grandmother's sewing kit, but a mouthwatering chocolate inception-like cake. It's chocolate over chocolate over chocolate over more chocolate. Don't believe me? Read on...  I first heard about Le Sucre Lab's Chocolate Dream Cake (Php. 475) from @masarapba on Instagram . It's this funny, super duper witty yet completely anonymous Instagram account that gives you the lowdown on the yummiest and not so yummiest food in the metro. You get honest-to-goodness reviews that's written in a really funny tone. I haven't met the person behind this handle yet he/she/it (yes, the account once claimed that it's actually a plant) but I've tried some of the recommended items and I was really impressed with her taste. From Tender Juicy Chick n Cheese Hotdogs to which Paul can't understand why I suddenly came home fr...

There's a new kid in town and I'm pretty sure you'll like "him" very much. After all... who says no to Lechon ? Aside from the ever popular Adobo which is probably the dish that's synonymous to Filipino cooking, Lechon remains to be one that never fails to make every Filipino and non-Filipino's heart skip a beat. From the shiny, mouth-watering crunchy skin down to its fragrant and tender meat, I remember making several visits with my local colleagues and friends to this famous Cebu Lechon stall in Paya Lebar in Singapore whenever they'd ask me to take them to try a Filipino dish. In fact, there are several versions of lechon all over the country. Some would serve it with sarsa (sauce), others would stuff it with aromatic tanglad (lemongrass) , my talented friend D has her classy Lechon with Truffle Rice inside and well in Cebu, it's serve just as it is. The meat has a hint of salt and the skin slightly thick with a layer of fat underneath a...

A couple of weeks ago, I got a message from one of my readers (hello to you!)  asking me for recommendations on the best brunch buffets in town. I had to stop a while and recall in order to give her my best recommendations as I didn't want to let her down. Eventually, I answered: "Personally, I love Mireio at Raffles Hotel, very good selections."  To my reader, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. :) Anyway, let me tell you more about my Sunday Brunch experience and why I think it was one of the best there is in town. First of all, the venue. Who doesn't love the luxurious feel of the Raffles Hotel in Makati. It may have a more corporate vibe as opposed to its Singapore counterpart which gives off a more garden feel but well, it's located right at the heart of Makati's busy district so it perfectly suits the vibe there. From the moment I arrived at the entrance of the hotel up until we were ushered up to the 9th floor where we were led towards the resta...

When two of the country's well-respected chefs come together to serve you their best creations, then you know that this is one buffet that you can never pass up. Happening now up until Sunday, July 1, 2018, enjoy the best dishes made by Chefs Sau del Rosario and Miko Aspiras  at Diamond Hotel 's Corniche for both lunch and dinner. June, as we all know, is the month when we celebrate our Independence Day so it's just fitting to celebrate this with an impressive, mouth-watering spread of the best Filipino dishes in the country. You don't even have to take a plane to enjoy the freshest Oyster Ceviche from Aklan or Chef Sau's signature Crispy Pork Kare Kare Macadamia with Truffle Oil , Salted Eggyolk Prawn Rebosado  more so, the show-stopping Lechon Trio  with filling from Luzon (Buru), Visayas (Chili Mango) or Mindanao (Malagos Chevre and Cocoa). Paul and I were lucky to try this delicious spread last week, on the first day it opened to the public. I didn'...

It's been a while since my last trip to Hong Kong and even that was the quickest visit that I've ever had. I can't remember much about that trip as we basically were there for a client meeting so it was a blurry shuttle from the airport to our hotel to the client's office and a mad dash back to the hotel to catch out flight to Singapore. Prior to that, my last leisure trip to Hong Kong was back in 2011 if I'm not mistaken. I think it's time for a return soon. Read: At a Glance : Hong Kong   and Hong Kong Itinerary Must Haves When you say Hong Kong , images of delicious Cantonese food quickly comes to mind. The best dim sum creations and the most succulent and savory roast meats too. You can literally eat your way around Hong Kong and would still continue to want more. One thing that you shouldn't miss is Hong Kong's roast goose or duck. A very simple dish paired with a bowl of warm white rice. The best ones can actually be found on random alleys an...

It's been four years since my last dinner at Blackbird yet it was one of the most memorable too. I remembered flying home to celebrate Papa's birthday and who would have thought that a year after that, my dear Ama (grandmother) would be leaving us . *sniffle* Needless to say, I'm glad that I was able to spend time and have several meals with her while she was still with us. Even then, Ama was already weak. Having difficulty in walking, I remember how we have to slow down our pace and take smaller steps so as not to tire her out despite how short the walk may be. One thing that I will remember the most about my Ama is how appreciative she has always been. She always have something nice to say about everyone and it's not surprise then why we all love her to bits...making her passing so hard on us too. I remember how she would always be so excited whenever we take her out for a meal saying that I always take her out to nice, delicious restaurants. Often times I would w...

It's been a year since we bid beautiful Singapura farewell . I got to say that I really do miss our life back in Singapore where everything is simply so efficient and definitely so so so safe. Back then, I've envisioned a life where Paul and I would be raising our baby in Singapore. Take note, baby. Singular. Guess, He has a different plan for us when He blessed us not only with one but two beautiful babies which also means me temporarily bidding the corporate world good bye and us, relocating back home to be closer to family. Aside from the over-all peace and security, I do miss the food and people in Singapore. Luckily though, one of my favorites has opened already two branches here in Manila! Hello Paradise Dynasty . Away from Mommy and Daddy duties  To celebrate the birthday of our Pareng A , we took a break from our Mommy and Daddy duties to have dinner with our foodie friends. ( side story: L wasn't very happy about this and ended up crying her heart out...

Oh boy, time flies so so so fast! Has it really been 7 long years since my visit to Taipei, Taiwan ? Still, memories of visiting their delicious night markets and indulging in the yummiest street food is still very clear in my memory. I particularly love the Oyster Cake (orh-tsien) as well as this Baked Stuffed Potato that got me so addicted for all 3 days that we were there. Our visit to Taipei was super short and I can't wait to go back! I'm sure my twins will love munching around town with us too. Someday.. someday. Since, my twins are still in the process of enjoying their first taste of solid food, Paul and I can relive our gastronomic Taiwan trip right here in Manila! Finally, I was able to visit Fat Fook Kitchen , which opened a new branch at SM Megamall. I've been wanting to try this out since they opened at SM North EDSA last year but the proximity and my delicate pregnancy just made it really challenging. So, imagine my excitement as I stepped into their SM ...

Summer in the Philippines means having to survive the warm weather. We're talking about having temperature in the high 30s with real feel in the 40s. In fact, I'm typing this with two electric fans blowing on my face with warm air coming out. This is the perfect season to cool down with a bowl of ice cream and by that, let me talk about one of my favorite local ice cream brands -- Merry Moo ! I've been a huge fan of Merry Moo  back when they started at Mercato Central . I would always go for their Sea Salt Caramel while manning my own stall then. Just recently, I discovered that they also sell lactation ice cream which were equally as yummy too! This summer, I tried two more flavors -- Scandalously Chocolate  and Avocado . Not together as they taste so different from one another but as a good after meal treat every day. The Scandalously Chocolate  is every chocoholic's dream. Made from 65% dark, single origin pure chocolate from Davao. It has a velvety smoot...

My twins recently turned 6 months. To be really honest, I think celebrating their monthly milestone is really more for me and Paul rather than for the kids at the moment. Perhaps, for them, they get to discover that they can do something new each day and most especially for this particular month, they finally got their first taste of solids. However, for us, their parents it's all feeling triumphant over surviving twin parenthood for 6 whole months (and still counting). It's all about still not having 8 hours of sleep since the twins were born, it's about double the number of diapers that were worn and thrown away, it's all about cheering and doing happy dances every time we witness a new milestone, it's all about gaining that extra arm muscle that we never thought existed as our twins are really gaining more weight. I can't help but look at their photos back when they were a day old up until the photos that I took of them today. They've grown so much and ...