Frannywanny

Lately, I've been feeling very tired. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's because I haven't been working out as often or I've been getting up early to prepare Paul's lunch. Whatever it is, I know I have to go back to the habit of working out more and sleeping earlier. So today is indeed TGIF for me! I can't wait for the weekend where I promise myself to sleep a little longer. (sorry hun, no work lunch for you tomorrow! heehee) Times like this, I wish I'm back in Manila where I can easily head to my favorite spa for a full body massage or to my suking nail salon for my monthly mani-pedi session. I realized that I sure did a lot of de-stressing and self-pampering when I was still based in the Philippines where admittedly, these types of services are so affordable! While there's a lot of salons and nail spas scattered around the Lion City, I just can't get myself to start the habit of prettifying myself on a bi-weekly cycle knowing that it costs twice...

Let's play a little game! Before that though, allow me to let you in on a little secret. This is one trivia about me that I'm pretty sure not a lot of people know about -- okay, here goes: I have a secret pasttime .  Wanna know what?  I love watching Pinoy entertainment talkshows and I continue to keep myself updated with "current events" via this website and this magazine . Just imagine how happy I was when our local cable provider here suddenly opened all channels which includes The Filipino Channel two weekends ago. Paul seriously had a hard time dragging me out of the house as I was glued to The Buzz all afternoon. The fun part about keeping myself update with local showbiz news is sometimes I would come across blind items which I love playing Sherlock Holmes too as I would piece out the clues to make my wise guess.  Given that, let me tell you about our experience at the Spa at Traders Hotel in Singapore and to make things exciting, I'll t...

I'm backkkkkkkkkkkkk!! How was your long weekend? Mine was FUN!!! This was because I spent the long weekend with The Food Club as we went up north to enjoy the cool and laid back atmosphere of Baguio . In true Food Club fashion, we had a three-day long food trip complete with a late-night pizza party, Ube and Strawberry jam shopping and a lot more! This is basically the reason why every night I thank God for blessing Paul and I with friends who not only share our love for eating and traveling but who are truly amazing in their own way. ♥ While I never seem to get tired of Baguio , I always find myself exhausted after the long drive to and from. Waking up this morning was really a challenge. I could hardly pull my tired body up and more than anything I just want a really good massage. This made me reminisce about the time when I visited Toccare Spa at the Antel Spa Suites in Makati. It was upon an invitation by fellow Food Club member Abet who arranged a relaxing eveni...

Wednesday last week was a very busy day for me. I woke up at exactly 4AM, my heart and mind racing ready to face the day's series of activities. It began with a trip down to Roxas Boulevard for my US Visa Interview then off I went to work as I literally struggled to stay awake and alert. Lunch was short but sweet with half of the Club at Pedeli Gourmet Kitchen followed by a brief seminar back at the office. I finally asked to be allowed to go home early as my head was literally throbbing and my eyes were getting heavy by the minute. Little by little, I knew sleep is catching up and my awake state is fast crashing. I still have dinner to attend that day and a two hour nap would truly help. On the way home, I decided to check out our neighborhood day spa to see if I can possibly get a short full body massage. That would surely put me on a relaxing state...one that I truly needed that day. Entering Neo Day Spa along Wilson street, I was warmly greeted by the receptionist who w...

"Do you really have to plot your schedule by the minute?" , a close friend asked me as she peek into my handy planner. Actually, I've been doing this for a long time now...such a long time that I can't recall when I began to do so. "But I have to" , was my only answer. A lot of things have been calling my attention lately and all of them have been pretty demanding too. Oh how I wish we have more than 24 hours in a day! One thing's for sure though, I can't wait for the time when my To-Do list is filled with check marks and that's when I can finally sit back, relax and reward myself. My guilty indulgence? An hour-long massage or a food spa treatment while bonding with my mom and sister. We are big fans of spa treatments and we have tried almost every single spa in the neighborhood. From small, cozy nail spas to the big, zen-like ones. Wanting to have that much-awaited spa treatment soon, I was so happy to learn about the newest innovation in the sp...

"I badly need a massage." This has been my most recent complain everytime Paul would ask how my day was at work. Thankfully, my boyfriend knows me well enough to immediately get my (billboard size) hint. Not that I do intense manual labor but it's more of my need to take time out and to relax -- physically and mentally. Finally, I got my wish. Taking my friend Jane's recommendation , we tried the newest spa in the neighborhood. The drive to Ahavia was a very short one. Located at the not-so-busy side of Wilson Street, we entered a private parking lot that leads to the garden entrance of the spa. The ambiance instantly reminds me of Thailand: the artistic decors and my personal favorite -- the outdoor chairs that is shaped like a cupped hand. Upon entering, we were greeted by Ms. Carol, a very very very friendly and accomodating woman, whose son owns the spa. Surveying the interiors, I can't help but notice that it looked like a typical home with the spa ...