Frannywanny

Summer is finally here and it's really really really HOT! The weather app says it's about 34 degrees celsius outside but honestly, it feels like it's up to 40! A simple walk around the corner would easily let sweat beads form on your forehead. What more climbing up 3 storeys and walking for 2 blocks under the scorching sun. I swear, I looked like I ran a marathon with the way my cheeks  would turn so red and I'd be perspiring like crazy. All I want is to dip myself into a cold pool...oh, and to have some refreshing coconut ice cream too!  Let me tell you about the time we visited Co+Nut+Ink in Sentosa. Located at the Beach Station, we took the tram that took us all the way to Siloso Beach. Along the way, we spotted a simple white stall with a long queue in front of it. This immediately caught our attention and piqued my curiosity on what the stall is all about. Moving closer, we found out that they're selling Coconut Ice Cream! Oh em gee! 

When my SIL told me that we will be having our family lunch at COCA which is a Thai restaurant at SM Aura, images of Pad Thai, Thai Iced Tea, Takoh and Catfish Salad starts coming into my mind. I was really excited as I'm a fan of Thai cuisine. We got there just in time for our reservation and I was surprised that the restaurant was empty on a holiday. How odd... Where did all the people go? Well, SM Aura was fairly new when we went so maybe the foot traffic is still quite low. Scanning the menu, both my SIL and I were quite confused as it doesn't have any of our Thai favorites. Asking the server, we found out that COCA is apparently a Thai-Chinese restaurant and there seems to be more Chinese dishes than Thai. No problem then, we were hungry and were pretty much agreeable to anything edible. Thankfully our server was very helpful as he gave us a couple of recommendations. First on the list was the Suki Steamboat Platter which was COCA's signature dish -- Each tabl...

It's no secret that my family and I are such big fans of Chef Cecille Chang's Thai Bistro in Robinson Magnolia. I think there was even a time that every single Sunday lunch was spent there as well as our birthdays and even our despedida party last year. It's funny though that we would order almost the same dishes during every visit and still leave the restaurant constantly raving about it as if we just tasted it for the first time. Thus, when Paul and I were to have lunch at Chef Cecille's newest restaurant called Silk Road , we immediately said YES! Stepping inside Silk Road , we immediately knew that this caters to a higher market. I love the pretty, well-lit and very modern interiors which I honestly prefer over the rather dark ambiance of Thai Bistro. Of course, we didn't just settle for a dish or two. What we had was a spread good for about 8 people to enjoy but we were able to finish most of it anyway. Ooops! Lunch began with a bowl of Tom Yum Kung (...

For a few hours last night, it felt like Paul and I rode on a magical jet that transported us to Thailand for dinner and back to Singapore right after. In reality, we just had another visit back to Shangri-la Hotel Singapore to join a couple of online writers and bloggers for their media preview of the upcoming Spicy Thai Festival happening at The Line from May 17 (Friday) to 26 (Sunday) , 2013 . If you remember, a month ago, Paul and I were lucky enough to be given the chance to have a fun weekend staycation at the Shangri-la Hotel Singapore . During this time, we were also able to have a hearty Sunday brunch at The Line , the hotel's interactive international buffet restaurant. This time we're back to experience the new dishes that resident Thai Chef Ratree has in store for all The Line dinner customers from Friday onwards.   Let me share with you the dishes that we were able to try during our 6 course dinner last night:  Our dinner began with a ver...

Last week crawled by sooooo slowly that I was really ecstatic when Friday finally came! All the more, I was also so excited to have dinner that day. Why? Well, first was because I couldn't wait to see my college best friend L and I was hoping her baby bump would finally show. The next reason was because we agreed to have dinner at Basil , a new Thai restaurant along White Plains and after reading several blogs raving about it , I couldn't wait to try it out myself. Traffic has horrible that we got there an hour after our agreed meeting time. Good thing, we still managed to get a table despite not being able to reserve ahead of time. The restaurant was packed and parking was very limited but thankfully it went smoothly for us. I'm happy that both L and T were just as excited as we were to try Basil out. I just love how my friends share the same love and passion for food. Basil's ambiance is different from any ordinary Thai restaurant out there. I love how ther...

To celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary , Paul and I had a dinner date at the Marriott Cafe . I guess it must have been fate and perfect timing that the Marriott Cafe is currently having their Flavors of Asia promotions wherein a couple of Asian favorites will be featured every dinner for the entire month of July . As such, it was a perfect chance for us to relive our fun two-weeks honeymoon spent in Singapore and Malaysia , two years ago. We did nothing but to eat, eat and eat. Luckily, our honeymoon coincided with Singapore's annual Food Festival allowing us to sample and enjoy never-tried-before local fares at affordable prices. Marriott Cafe has prepared a really good spread! I began with some Vietnamese rice rolls that were carefully handmade by the happy looking Chef Phan Tien Hoa of Renaissance Riverside Saigon. Normally, I would have my rice rolls with hoisin sauce or peanut sauce but I was pleasantly surprised by this pesto-tasting green peanut sauce that was...

Last week was definitely the busiest week for us publishers. It was the time for our annual strategic planning presentation and it is when we were required to present our ideas for 2012. Before this, we spent nights in the office working on our presentation, days thinking of ideas and hours before the presentation praying that everything will turn out okay. Thus, a celebration was truly in order. As much as I wanted to scream and do cartwheels for surviving the presentation, I felt a tiny ache in my heart as it was also the day when I will finally say goodbye to that one person who has stood by me for the past 3 years, he was the one who taught me everything that I needed to know in order to do a better job ...he was my boss and last Friday was his last day.  We decided to throw him a simple farewell lunch at Nav , a newly-opened Thai restaurant near our office. Passing by the restaurant, I noticed that the place was quite small thus I was surprised that when I called to make a...

A year ago, Paul and I tried My Thai Kitchen when it opened a branch along Wilson street. My experience was ok but simply not memorable at all. I guess we chose the wrong dishes or the taste was just not at par with our expectations, needless to say, we never went back since then. However, I do believe in second chances. A year after, with raves given by my sister and friends, we decided to give My Thai Kitchen another try. This time we were careful, taking into consideration recommendations given by the server, we were hopeful that our second visit would be a charm. One thing I like about My Thai Kitchen is its attractive menu. With well-photographed dishes, it can easily convince diners to order more. We began with Fried Spring Rolls (Php. 155) for starters. I love the glass noodles and minced meat added inside and the sauce perfectly complemented the crunchy rolls. This can be enjoyed as a starter or together with a cup of Thai Jasmine Rice. Just like our first visit,...

It has been two years since our last visit to the Land of Smiles a.k.a. Bangkok and one thing that why we miss it so much is because of their delicious food. Every meal was an adventure as we try their local favorites such as the Pad Thai, Green Curry, Pomelo Salad and of course the Thai Iced Tea. I think we must have had Pad Thai in almost every single meal during our three days, two nights stay. After work, one week day, Paul and I found ourselves at My Thai , the newest Thai restaurant along Wilson street in San Juan . It's part of the same group as Pho Hoa and Jack's Loft wherein you may also cross-order from these two other restaurants. Inside, the interiors was predominantly red with tiny black drawers lining up the wall. We chose to sit at the couch which was way more comfy than being in the yellow wooden chairs. Our My Thai picks I was craving for Thai Pork Bagoong Rice (Php. 230) which is what I first ordered even without opening the menu. No visit to a...

December 27, 2009 (Makati City, Philippines) -- Seriously taking our plan, which is to relax the entire weekend , seriously; we woke up just in time for brunch today. After hearing raves from colleagues and friends who frequently visit Dusit Thani Manila on a Sunday, we were so excited to try out their Sunday Family Crossover Buffet ourselves. Following the brief instructions of the front desk officer, we visited the four participating restaurants to choose and reserve our table. After visiting Basix , Umu , Benjarong and Tosca , we both agreed to stay at the latter simply because of its cozy ambiance complete with a pianist happily playing Christmas tunes. Contrary to other buffets and restaurants in town, here you have to pay first. After leading you to your table, the server will hand you the bill. The charge per head is very reasonable. Pay only P1450 net for adults, P725 for children between 6-12 years old while tiny tots below 5 years old can dine for FREE! After settl...

It has been a year since my last visit to Thailand . How I miss the delicious Pad Thai , shopping at Central World Plaza and of course, getting the best deals at the Chatuchak Market . Yesterday, feeling a bit hungry and with a few more hours to go before dinner time, I drove to Madison Square Pioneer which is just half a block away from my office. It's funny that I'm starting to hear raves here and there about certain establishments in this complex from people who actually lives or works farther than I do from this place. My first visit led me to a nice looking Thai restaurant called Lime Leaf . I scanned their menu and ordered a plate of Shrimp Pad Thai (Php. 150) and a glass of Thai Iced Tea . Service was fast and I got to hand it to my server for taking the extra step in ensuring that my dining experience remains insect-free by placing a candle on my table. As my pad thai was served in front of me, I immediately smelled the yummy aroma of shrimp, shrimp paste and chili....

To conclude my Bangkok's Best series , I would like to share with you a couple of pasalubong (traveler's presents) suggestions that were all a hit with my family and friends. Bangkok is known for its fresh fruits like lanzones, rambutan, mangosteen and dragonfruit. It is also known for its preserved fruit candies like spicy tamarind, sweetened cherries and a lot more. Well, I'm letting you all in a secret. Discovered within the long stretch of Bangkok's Chinatown are displays of yummy munchies packed in big red plastic bags. Sadly, we forgot the exact name of the store but it won' be difficult to look for it as the store is filled up with different varieties of dried pork jerkies, squid flakes and three of our new-found favorite snacks. First is the Pop Chicken/Pork . This crunchy snack has a perfect sweet-salty blend that makes it very addicting. We were offered a free taste and we instantly bought close to a dozen bags to bring home. A bag would cost you around 1...

When travelling, we always believe that it is important to immerse ourselves into the culture of the country that we're visiting. This way, our minds will be enrich not only on the best retail products available but as well as on the history, traditions and culture of another country other than our own. Despite the short time available for us to go around Bangkok, we made it a point to partake in a couple of tours that will help us understand the rich culture than serves as a very strong foundation for a country like Thailand. We took the advice of friends and scheduled a night to watch Siam Niramit . A cultural show that is truly breath-taking and definitely world-class. Arriving at the area a little past 530PM, we were given our stubs for the Thai-Western buffet dinner and our tickets to the show. With the show starting at 8PM, we took the time to go around a mini Thai village showcasing the different culinary treats and art works all over Thailand. It also has a mini replica of ...

Months before our Bangkok trip, a friend who knew that we're planning to go gave me a couple of tips and one of those include "Do not miss shopping at Chatuchak." This began to ignite our interest on the place and after asking more questions, we found out that Chatuchak is a giant outdoor market that only operates during the weekend and is every bargain shopper's dream come true. Also, the market is arranged in what they call an organized-chaos which means, it's highly impossible for one to go back the same route and find the store where you saw the _ insert name of item _ worth 100baht vs. the one you just found at 120baht. In other words, the best shopping strategy here is to buy the item as long as the price is fairly reasonable enough already for you. Thus, we have mapped out our plan early on, we woke up at 6AM to take the BTS down to the Mo Chit station before 8AM. This is to be able to go around Chatuchak before it gets bloodily crowded. From the station, ...

Welcome to the largest shopping mall in Southeast Asia . Located along the Rachadamri Road in Bangkok, Thailand, Central World Plaza houses more than 500 food and retail establishments such as Starbucks Coffee, Muji, Pepper Lunch, Swensens, MNG, Zara and a lot more! This is definitely a shopping haven for all fashionistas out there. As each store occupies a big space giving more room for a wide array of choices and attractive displays as well. The mall is divided into three main areas: the Zen department store , the Isetann department store and the Central World main area . While the Zen department store has a more varied product line-up from the US and countries all over Asia, the Isetann department store focuses more on items made in Japan catering majorly to the Japanese community. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful experience shopping on both department stores especially when availing their price-off promotions. Foodies will also have a blast here at Central World Plaza. Here you...