Frannywanny

 Annyeong! It's been a while since my last blog post and boy this year is zooming by oh so fast!  So, how has everyone been?  As for me, I've been extra busy with work as I recently took on a new role that's equally exciting and challenging but really, I love theAsiaparent and I love my team and I am so excited to grow with everyone this year. On the domestic side, Yaya M has left us (again and for good this time) and we wish her luck in finding her one true love.  Meanwhile, my twins have started pre-school this year so Paul and I have also took on our new roles as Teacher Mommy and Teacher Daddy. I'm still sad that my twins will most likely not experience nursery life such as meeting new friends, being part of school programs, gaining independence and more. Pre-school life was so much fun for me and it breaks my heart knowing that by the time the pandemic is over, they might have to enter big school already. *sigh*  I'm glad that we enrolled them in Kindermusi...

Today marks the 12th day of being yaya-less. Well, Yaya M was scheduled to come back yesterday and we have agreed on that. Then suddenly, she could hardly be reached almost all day yesterday and just managed to call me late in the afternoon to tell me that she wasn't able to get a bus ticket because the ticketing office was already closed (well, duh..). I had to do multiple deep breaths to hold my peace and patience as my MIL even called to tell me to just take it easy and be patient with her. Don't get me wrong, I rarely get mad at any of our staff or helper but I really do value agreements and word of honor. I just don't get how some people can make promises which they'll eventually break later on. So. Not. Cool. Luckily, my twins are much bigger now and they can play on their own. They can also take simple instructions so we still can have a bit of breathing time here and there. Paul and I have also attempted to go to the mall without a single nanny and we have s...

Two weeks ago, I literally spent the entire weekend shopping at Baby Company's Grand Baby Fair . If there's one baby fair that all moms should be present in, then this would definitely be it. It happens twice a year but the biggest one happens every January. Most of you may know by now that I'm definitely not the shopping fanatic kind, so in order for me to brave the crowd just to score a number of great deals, that equates to a lot of energy and thus I ended up feeling super exhausted but very satisfied as most twin mom will definitely agree with me that with more kids.. every peso counts. Spot me and my little J! This year's fair was definitely much better in terms of logistics and variety as compared to the last. I was so happy with this thus making all the effort to go all the way to SM Megamall so worth it. We went both on the first and second day. The first day was spent shopping for all of our babies' necessities and the second day.. well I went there f...

I have to admit that I was pretty OC prior to having my babies. I love it when things are organized and clean and I would stop at nothing to achieve this every single day. All my life, I am aware of my OC-ness and Paul never failed to complain verbalize this whenever he can. Perhaps from a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most OC, I'd probably be a 9. That's pretty high, don't you think? However, what I wasn't ready for was how this OC-ness would reach its peak from the moment my twins were born. I guess, it comes with the fact that they were NICU babies. They were smaller and more fragile than other full term babies thus I made sure that not a single dust would fall on them as I just wanted to protect them in the best way I can. Don't worry, I didn't turn into some crazy OC Mommy but I was just extra extra cautious as I just wanted to ensure that I've covered all bases when it comes to making their environment as clean as possible at least for the first 6 m...

The first time I've had Pipa Duck was in Singapore when I was still handing the social media accounts of one of the biggest Chinese restaurant chains in the island . That was the best years of my career life there as not on were my clients one of the nicest that I've ever had but I get to have a good preview of their upcoming dishes before it gets launched to the public. What a job, right? The Pipa Duck as very memorable as it was my first time to come across it and we even had an inside joke about it within my team. (To YOU whom we were teasing about the Pipa Duck...know that I miss and love you! hihi) . source: https://bit.ly/2DWKRMx Anyway, the Pipa Duck is not another type of duck. It's exactly the same kind normally used for Roast or Fried Duck what made it different is how it was prepared. Split open in the middle and "butterflied" to flatten it out, the reason why it's called so is because it resembles that of a pipa 琵琶, a traditional Chine...

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...

My birthday is coming in a few more days so allow me to talk about one of my favorite food items... Chicken Wings . Who doesn't love chicken wings? Most especially when it's the kind that comes with not one, not two but 15 dips and dry rubs! I first encountered Wingzone back in Singapore where I would visit their Bugis+ branch simply to have their Mozzarella Sticks. This was one of my incentives whenever I go to the doctor at Raffles Hospital. Imagine my shock one day, when I found out that they ran out of mozzarella sticks...and later on the shop closed permanently. Guess they really were just finishing off their last batch of inventory before they closed shop. *sigh* Well, what was Singapore's loss became Manila's gain as Wingzone made its way to our shores! Tucked in at one corner of SM Mega Atrium, Wingzone occupies a very spacious store area that's perfect for big groups to dine in. The main star of their menu is quite obviously the chicken wings  (P...

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 ...

"Rice is Life"  and that's a fact. I believe that most Asians would agree with me that no meal will ever be complete without rice. Personally, fried rice is my weakness. As a kid, a meal immediately becomes extra special whenever Mommy would cook her signature fried rice. It's nothing fancy but it's a very garlicky rice with hotdog, ham, spring onions and egg. It has a distinct taste that I know only Mommy can make. In fact, I tried to recreate it several times when I was living in Singapore but I could never get close to the real thing. That's what makes it truly amazing. So, given my immense love for fried rice. I couldn't pass up the chance to check out Super Bowl of China 's Unlimited Yang Chow Fried Rice promotion. It ends on 30 March 2018 so please hurry over TODAY or the next few days. Paul and I took a quick Mommy and Daddy break from our twins for a nice dinner out. I haven't been to Super Bowl of China  for years but I do recall my ...

For many years, rumors have been going around town that the ever-famous Taiwanese Xiao Long Bao brand, Din Tai Fung will open a branch in the Philippines. I could still remember hearing this news back when we were still based in Manila. Well, those rumors continued to remain as..rumors for 5 years or so. No one really knew who would finally be able to bring Din Tai Fung to our food-loving shores. That was until that fateful day in December when the Moment Group made every xiao long bao-lovers dream come true. Din Tai Fung finally opened its flagship branch in SM Megamall Fashion Hall . Given that this place houses a lot of international brands such as Tim Ho Wan, St. Marc's Cafe, The Halal Guys and Ippodo to name a few, it then makes perfect sense for Din Tai Fung to join the fun mix. I was in Manila a week after it opened but hearing friends warning us about the long queues, we decided to give it some more time before we go and check it out as we really do not have the lux...

I was already based abroad when SM Megamall opened a new wing called the Fashion Hall. Despite it's name, this area quickly became a favorite of fellow foodies as in here you can find a number of international restaurant franchises and some cool local ones. Since I can't just hop on a plane and fly home on a whim, I would continue to grow my list of restaurants in hopes that I'll be able to visit them when I'm in Manila. So, last October, Paul and I decided to have a really belated birthday celebration with my in-laws. While planning for the said meal, I referred to my list and zeroed in on Alqueria  which is a Spanish restaurant conveniently located in SM Megamall. I miss having Spanish food as I haven't really fond a good one in the Lion City which would match up to my favorites here. As SM Megamall is forever crowded, it was a challenge to park most especially on a Sunday. That said, we got to the restaurant past lunch hour and everyone was feeling hungr...

During my quick and very sudden visit home last week, eating out was pretty much the last thing on my mind. For the first time in two + years, I pushed my restaurant list aside and gave 100% of my attention to my family. However, food still has its way of creeping back to get my attention. As we were running some errands at SM Megamall, we chanced upon Ooma Japanese Rice Bar which has been getting a lot of good raves from friends and from my very own sister too. As Pan and I were planning our trip to Megamall, she told me that she wants to have lunch at Ooma so that Paul and I can try it too. We agreed to meet at the entrance of Ooma Japanese Rice Bar at exactly 12 noon and guess what?! I was the first on the waiting list! The restaurant was quite spacious so just imagine that it was immediately filled even before lunch hour. The wait was short though and in no time, we quickly got a nice cozy table for 3. First on the list was the Scallop and Tuna Aburi Maki (Php. 295) w...

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...

To continue with my ninja-mode visit a couple of months ago where only a handle of friends knew that I was in town and they totally understood that I couldn't do meet-ups as all my time was solely dedicated to family. That's why I love them and that's why they're my truest and bestest friends. So, after my lunch date with Mommy dear at Oedo , the following day was spent with Pan. We had to do a couple of errands in the morning and since we were driving a coding car, we decided to just head to SM Megamall where we can stay for the time being. It's really amazing to see how the mall has quickly expanded within a year's time. Together with its expansion, there was also a boom in the number of restaurants that have opened and these are all on my list, waiting for me to try. One of those was Fireside . It was really silly of me to think that Fireside belonged to another restaurant group and it was only when I was reading the menu that I realized that it's ac...

Paul and I got to try the new  Vikings  at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall a couple of months ago to celebrate the birthdays of Ahia J, Achi M and our cutie nephew and godson, Jairus. We started planning for this dinner months in advance as you know, early notification is necessary for the *ahem* OFW members of the family as our schedule is always crazy hectic and given that, we somehow managed to still arrive half an hour late and almost everyone were on their 3rd 4th 5th plates already! Even my favorite (she's my one and only) niece, Julia was busy enjoying her plate of marshmallows and chocolate too! Let us go on a quick tour around Vikings : Start your meal with some of these bite-sized appetizers Salad corner with a selection of hard cheeses

"France, the lady owner of Monterey told me that Tuan Tuan is really good. Let's go eat there tomorrow night!" That's what Mommy told me when she called me one evening last week when Paul and I were still in Manila. That my food loving Mommy for you! So there we were at 6PM on our last night in Manila in our effort to get to the restaurant early to avoid the long queue. We were able to get a table right away which made it all easy breezy.  The menu was quite simple, it specializes in noodle soup in Halibut stock and a few more Chinese side dishes too. That and some baked rice that I've been wanting to try since friends started posting photos of these on Instagram. The ambiance reminds me of a traditional but extra classy  cha chaan teng in Hong Kong with white tiled walls, a semi open kitchen and restaurant diners talking all at the same time. They even have the famous Black & White Evaporated Milk commonly used in Hong Kong for their nai cha (...

For friends and readers who are still wondering if they should visit Manila, Philippines. Allow me to give you just one reason why you should : our FOOD. This is even putting aside the wide-array of local dishes that your palates will go crazy over... imagine the lechon (roasted pig), pancit palabok (glass noodles in orange achuete sauce with seafood), the kakanins in all shapes and flavors (rice cakes) and more! Never have I thought that I can get all patriotic until I'd get into a conversation with my foreign colleagues about our local Filipino food. Oh boy, I can definitely go on and on for hours! Lately, more and more restaurants and food concepts have been opening its doors all over the country. Take the newly opened SM Mega Fashion Hall for example. My list of restaurants to try in Manila could barely keep up with one restaurant opening after the other. It would probably take me a couple more visits to be able to try them all. I'm so blessed though that frie...

This week, both my Facebook and Instagram news feeds are filled with photos of friends in Manila showing off their piping hot bowls of ramen or worst, a close up food porn shot of the ramen itself. I thought to myself, Manila must be experiencing a really rainy or cold weather that everyone were just suddenly in the mood to have something warm for their tummies. Then the news broke out that famous Japanese ramen brand, Ippudo has opened its doors in Manila. Ahh.. no wonder! All these ramen photos and talks got me craving for a good bowl of ramen too! Luckily, we also have Ippudo here in Singapore and it's located right at the middle of Orchard Road and in 3 other oulets making it so accessible whenever that major craving for ramen hits. However, this particular visit to Ippudo dates back to the time when my family came to visit me. I just love it whenever family comes to visit as it gives us the best reason to eat out more and to try a couple of new restaurants that has been s...

Even if we try to avoid it, Paul and I always end up with really jam-packed schedules whenever we fly home to Manila. *sigh* I guess it's just so hard to packed everything that we want to do which includes shopping, running our errands and meeting people within 3 or 4 or 5 days. Take for example that one day that Paul and I went to SM Megamall with my sister Pan. In between shopping for our Diner en Blanc outfits, we found the need to just sit down, bond and have a nice cup of coffee. I was so happy to be able to finally check out the newest wing called the SM Mega Fashion Hall . While there are still a couple of shops about to open soon (eg: St Marc's Cafe, H&M, etc), the wing is already 80% complete! This was where we also found Lucca Bakery at the top most floor near the Ice Skating Rink and the IMAX theatre. I first read about Lucca Bakery from my friend Leslie's blog . She was raving about the Hazelnut Snail and the Banana Walnut Sticky Bun. However, I wasn...

One of the most common question that I would get from people who knows that I'm a food blogger is: " What's your favorite restaurant? " I tell you, this always leaves me quiet for a while as I ponder hard on how to best answer this simple yet also difficult question. Let me explain why, it's no secret that I love to eat out most especially whenever I'm back home in Manila or when I'm traveling. It just so happen that Paul and I are trying to live a more domesticated life here in the Lion City that our eating out frequency has been lessened drastically from what used to be an every other day routine in Manila down to a weekend habit. So, if you do the math, we eat out 2-4 times a week assuming we have both lunch and dinner outside. That would be at a minimum 8 restaurants a month and 416 in a year! This doesn't include the occasional lunch out that I have with friends and colleagues. Normally, we don't repeat restaurants except if these are really...