Frannywanny

It's summer and with the temperature hitting close to 35 degrees Celsius, the need to hit the beach to cool down really sounds like a great idea every single day. Couple this with a glass of ice-cold mango shake and a good book -- this is exactly how I love spending summer here in the Philippines. Thus, the invite to have a relaxing weekend getaway with my family at Pico de Loro came just at the right time. As everyone's back from their respective trips, we post-celebrated my sister's birthday at this beautiful cove south of Metro Manila. It has been a while since my family has been out on a trip. How I miss those times when we would frequent Tagaytay whenever a 3-day weekend comes around. Papa just loves the cool weather as he would leisurely sit by our favorite hotel's balcony while reading his daily newspaper and sipping his cup of coffee. I'm glad we're all back on the road for another fun family trip! Pico de Loro is part of Hamilo Coast which is l...

Sometimes I just dream of the sea...and the feel of the powdery sand underneath my feet. At times I just want to go far far away from the crazy hustle and bustle of the city, turning my phones off as I just want time for myself and myself alone. These moments I thank Him for blessing my country, the Philippines , with an abundance of beautiful scenic spots that doesn't have to cost us an arm and a leg to get close to. Moments like this I'm thankful that I had the luxury of time to take a weekend off and to fly to the paradise island called Boracay where I spent two wonderful days swimming, bonding with Paul and pampering myself to the fullest...all in one memorable weekend. As soon as our private boat c/o Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel reached Cagban Port, I felt my heart skipped a beat as I was totally psyched to finally have a short vacation amidst our busy Christmas schedule. We were quickly whisked off towards Station 2 where our resort for the weekend is located. I...

I can't believe it has been 3 longs years since I last set foot on these powdery white sand... Boracay '07 I feel so fortunate to be able to join the launch of Astoria's newest property in my favorite summer island -- Boracay . Set to open this April, Astoria Boracay is a 3,000 square-meter property that's located right along the shoreline of Station 1 and is just one hop away from the party central Station 2 . I can still remember the time when we would have to take a long long walk from our resort located at the far end of Station 1 just to have breakfast at D'Mall which is located at Station 2. In fact, we didn't even bothered to explore Station 3 because we just got so tired of walking. There are more than 39 lovely rooms but what I'm so excited to see are their dramatic honeymoon suites. There's also a complete line of amenities to suit each visitor's needs, there's a lap pool, a kiddie pool, a coffee shop and more. While chatting with As...