Frannywanny : a food and travel blog

Choco Love : Villa Del Conte

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:34:00 +0000

Look what landed on my office desk one busy day.

A box of Chocolates! H-A-P-P-I-N-E-S-S!!!

It seems like someone knows that I need a little picker upper as I've been feeling a bit gloomy these days.

I love pretty boxes and what more, a pretty box filled with chocolates. It was so hard to choose which one to try first. Each colored foil is equivalent to a specific type of chocolate be it a Praline ball in Milk Chocolate with Caramel Cream (Gold foil) or Praline Sticks in Dark Chocolate with Orange Cream Filling (Orange Stick). I personally love the Praline Balls in Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut Cream Filling and Cereals (Shiny Orange foil) and the Praline Ball in Dark Chocolate with Coffee Cream Filling (Black foil).

Price starts at Php. 480 for the sampler box and they have bigger boxes in 250g and 500g too.

Visit Villa del Conte at the 3rd Floor, Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Edsa corner Shaw Blvd in Mandaluyong City. Call them at 893-2575 or 621-6101.

Sariwon Korean Barbecue at the Bonifacio Highstreet Central

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:28:00 +0000

"Sariwon has become synonymous with serving legendary Bulgogi since its beginnings in 1938. The restaurant was established by grandmother Mrs. Bun-Im Koo from the town of Sariwon in North Korea..."

Paul and I truly enjoyed our trip to Seoul, South Korea as we were able to enjoy having Korean barbecue and other delicious Korean dishes for 6 full days. We loved it so much that Paul wants to go back to Seoul soon. I couldn't agree with him more. How can we not fall in love with Korea? The cool weather, the pretty fashionable dresses, the reasonably-priced items and the endless choices of food. Six days truly wasn't enough and we can't wait to go back to explore Korea some more.

It then made sense that we took the family out for an intimate Korean lunch to celebrate my sister's birthday a few weeks ago. Located at the rapidly bustling Bonifacio Highstreet Central, we found Sariwon Korean Barbecue. The restaurant has a very modern feel which reminds me of the posh Korean restaurant called Arirang that my family used to frequent back in the 90s. It's owned by our high school friends Donna and Diana who are expert restauranteurs.

We were seated at a 4-seater booth with a built-in grill-top. Our meal began with some banchan (appetizer) which is very typical when dining at a Korean restaurant. The number of appetizers varies though. So far, my favorite is Jang Ga Nae's banchan offerings that changes every day. At Sariwon, we had some kimchi, cold beansprouts, mashed squash, spicy radish and salty anchovies. We all loved the kimchi. So much that we kept on requesting for more refills of this.

What's Korean food without grilled barbecue? Following our appetizers, we had two types of grilled beef. First the Galbi (Php. 545/280g) which came in a plate with two huge strips of marinated USDA Choice beef short ribs. All grilled meat are cooked using the ceramic charcoal griller, cut and served by our very efficient server.

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Starbucks Coffee's Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccin

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:39:00 +0000

After weeks of consecutive weekend getaways, Paul and I found some downtime this weekend where we were able to wake up later than usual, have longer meals with the family and go out to watch a movie. Given our busy weekend schedules, believe it or not, going out on movie dates doesn't happen that often anymore. *sigh* Which is the reason why I totally get ecstatic whenever we get to really go out on a date...just the two of us spending more quality time together.

Yesterday, we headed to the Powerplant Mall to watch a movie. I totally love my husband for giving up watching Dark Shadows over the very girly romantic comedy movie What to Expect When You're Expecting as he knows that I've been wanting to watch this movie since I learned about it months ago (..and after hearing me say, "this movie got an all-star cast in it!" probably a dozen times). Yay! Thank you Paul for spoiling me. ♥

It was indeed a fun movie with a couple of my favorite Hollywood stars like Jennifer Lopez, Anna Kendrick and Glee's Mr. Schuester -- Matthew Morrison.

We love to munch on snacks while in the movie house and since I am totally off-limits towards popcorn (no matter how buttery good they are..), we headed to Starbucks Coffee to get some drinks instead. Paul, a chocoholic tried their newest Frappuccino Blended Beverage -- the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino (Php. 165 tall). He loves anything with chocolate which is why he has been ordering Starbucks' Signature Hot Chocolate for years! Since it was so hot outside, he wanted an icy cold drink to cool him down. Thus, the Frappuccino was the best choice this time of the year.

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Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast: Things you can Do!

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Sat, 19 May 2012 18:02:00 +0000

Here are 5 FUN things you can do during your weekend getaway at Pico de Loro Cove, Hamilo Coast!

First: Head over to the Beach Club to enjoy the sun, sand and water! We got there late in the afternoon to enjoy the cool wind while waiting for the sun to set. During weekends, expect to see a lot of families relaxing by the beach and around the pool area too.

I also checked out the Sun Coral Cafe which had a Mediterranean buffet that evening. Since Mom wasn't a big fan of burritos and tacos, we skipped this and headed to the Country Club instead.

As we enjoyed the sunset, my family and I had some drinks and snack while bonding. I ordered the homemade Prociutto and Arugula Pizza which has a very thin-crust and they were very generous with the arugula. However, I find the pizza to be a bit on the bland side so I added a few drops of hot sauce to perked up the taste.

While dad had his beer and mommy her Buko juice, Pan and I had our Mojitos! I loved this! It was very refreshing and definitely a great drink to enjoy at the beach. I highly recommend this.

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Summer Getaway at Pico de Loro, Hamilo Coast

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:22:00 +0000

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 located at Nasugbu, Batangas -- a good 3-hour drive away or 114km from Manila. There are actually two ways to get to Hamilo Coast. First is to take the route that we did -- we drove all the way to Tagaytay passing through Caleruega and passing through Tali Beach, Punta Fuego and finally hitting the entrance of Hamilo Coast/Pico de Loro. It's not hard finding the way as there are a lot of signages leading the way. There are a couple of ups, downs and slight zigzags so be sure to bring a good engine-powered automobile to make driving a breeze.

Another way is via ferry boat from the SM Mall of Asia which will take you to Pico de Loro in 90 minutes. This is definitely shorter (70km) but given that I might get seasick, we opted to take the longer route while having stopovers every now and then.

We headed to Pico Sands Hotel where we will be staying that evening. Since we're a group of 5, we opted to get two rooms. Paul and I got the Superior Room while my parents and Pan got the Premier Room. To make it easier for us to communicate, the front desk officer kindly gave us adjacent rooms! There are 5 room types in the hotel including a Standard room, a Corner Deluxe room and a Penthouse Suite.

I believe that walk-ins are not allowed at Pico Sands Hotel, one has either to be a member or be a guest of a member with proper endorsements. As you check-in, you will be given a folio card where all your expenses (food, activities, etc) will be charged. This was very convenient as I requested for 5 folio cards for us and it made it easy for any one of us to avail of the amenities or to order food anytime. All balances were settled upon check-out.

As we entered our rooms, the first thing that I noticed was that both rooms were very spacious. I was teasing my sister that she can actually stay with me and Paul as I pointed at the empty floor space beside our bed. All rooms have a flat screen TV, a study table, a bathroom with a pretty rain shower head. I think this must be the trend nowadays as most of the hotels that I've stayed in has this type of shower head. My only complain was the non-existence of a bidet. Come on, hotel developers, this should be considered a hygiene necessity!

Here's the Premiere room where my parents and sister stayed in. The room has two queen size bed so my lucky sister got this huge bed all to herself! The amenities are all the same as well as the toiletries that were provided to us.

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Dimsum Unlimited at Xin Tian Di, Crown Plaza Manila

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:11:00 +0000

When I first met Paul 9 years ago, all I remembered was that he's the guy in a blue shirt and who was wearing a gray cap. He barely spoke a word the entire evening and just sat quietly beside his friend N who invited him to our group's dinner that day. I was busy catching up with my girl friends and was obviously oblivious to the fact that there, at one corner of the room, the same quiet guy was staring at me...or so he claims he was. *blush*

Fast forward months after that, we began exchanging messages online and via SMS. Later on, as we found out that we live so close to each other, we began meeting up for afternoon merienda or after dinner coffee chats once in a while. One of the first things that I liked about Paul was the fact that he makes a great eating partner. Having met guys who have a million and one conditions when it comes to food (read: no veggies, no spicy food, no exotic dishes, etc etc etc), I was elated to find out that Paul was really game to try anything and everything. During one of our afternoon meet-ups, I found out that he loves eating dimsum as much as I do! Needless to say, the way to our hearts was through our stomachs and with that we clicked and fell deeply in love! ♥

Enough with the cheeziness already and better yet, let me tell you about our recent lunch date at Xin Tian Di in Crowne Plaza Manila. A few months ago, Paul and I spotted a great deal over at Deal Grocer where one can avail of the Dimsum Unlimited coupon at Xin Tian Di for almost half the price! The coupon was priced at Php. 780 while the regular rate was about Php. 1, 200. Since we're both dimsum fans, it didn't took too long for us to hit that "buy this coupon" button on the website.

Sadly, our weekends have been jam-packed for months that we finally found time on the last weekend before our coupon expires. Not wanting to let good food go to waste, we took time out one Sunday lunch for our much-awaited dimsum date.

Knowing how this restaurant can get busy with customers on a Sunday, I took extra measures by calling a day before to reserve a table. As we arrived, we were ushered to our corner and were handed sheets (yes plural) of menu checklist. The game plan is to put a check beside the name of all the dimsum items that you'd like to order and hand over the sheet to the server. Unlike the regular dimsum offering, you order the items by piece or two pieces at most. We were feeling hungry already thus we were glad that a waitstaff pushing a stainless steel dimsum cart came over to our table.

Paul and I love checking out the contents of all those bamboo steam baskets and pointing out the ones that we both want to try. Of course, we just had to have our regular favorites such as the:

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns
Paul enjoyed this and commented that they were very generous with the filling.

Steamed Beancurd Skin Roll with Vegetables
A disappointment, we love beancurd skin rolls but not this one :-/

Steamed Pork Ribs with XO Sauce
This we love!! We had 3 orders of this! :) Yum yum yum
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Countdown : Yummy Eats 2012

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:18:00 +0000

Last year, Yummy Magazine launched Yummy Eats -- a fun eating and cooking fair that took place at the NBC Tent. More than a thousand readers and food-lovers flocked to the Bonifacio Global City to sample more than 30 food finds which were all specially chosen by the editors of our favorite food magazine -- Yummy Magazine! It was indeed a fun event despite me, running around the place all day checking up on concessionaires, making sure everything goes as planned. Indeed, I went home with a big smile on a face. The buzz about the event continued ~~days~~ ~~weeks~~ months after Yummy Eats with fellow bloggers and media friends talking about it. The clamor for a second Yummy Eats was loud enough to be heard and so...

..... we're back! On May 26, 2012 at the Rockwell Tent -- we are excited to reunite, once again, with our growing Yummy Magazine community. Expect to see more than 50 concessionaires who will entice you with their mouth-watering creations. Meet some of the country's renowned chefs as they conduct cooking demos and sample their products too. It will be a full day event of eating, learning and enjoying each others company.

Have you marked your calendars already? I highly recommend that you should! Believe me, this is one event you shouldn't miss!

Save the date! May 26, 2012 (Saturday) @ the Rockwell Tent, Powerplant Mall in Makati from 10AM to 9PM.

Bizu celebrates Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Sat, 12 May 2012 02:14:00 +0000

"I'll always be your Mommy even if you're married and you'll someday be a Mommy yourself..."

That's my Mommy's constant line whenever she would nag me about certain things and I would tell her not to worry because I'm a grown woman. Up until this day, Mommy never fails to call me at exactly 7PM to ask for my whereabouts. I never really got off my curfew as Mommy would start looking for us (yes, Paul included) and wouldn't sleep until she knows we're on our way home. She would always ensure that our helper would prepare breakfast for us and that I have lunch to bring to work. Initially, I thought my Mom must be the most protective Mom in the world...that was until I saw how my Amah (grandmother) was when Mommy went to Japan for a vacation. Amah would call me every single day asking if I was able to talk to Mommy online. On days where her favorite radio announcer would announce that it's a rainy day in Japan, she would call and ask if Mommy was able to bring an umbrella. That's my Amah who's 70 being equally just as protective to my 50-something Mommy. Indeed, a mother's love starts from the moment you are in her womb and this goes on for a lifetime.

Yesterday, Mommy got her early Mother's Day gift from Bizu -- our favorite go-to places for yummy foccacia bread, Croque Monsieur sandwich and French macarons. Two years ago, Bizu was very thoughtful as they sent Papa a box of Chocolate Cigars for Father's Day and this year, it was Mommy's turn to receive a special gift from them.

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Village Tavern at Bonifacio High Street Central, Taguig

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:16:00 +0000

After a month of flying in and out of the country, finally, Paul and I were able to double date again with our friends L and T before they leave for their much-awaited honeymoon ♥. We usually would meet up somewhere in Ortigas or most recently at Eton Centris where their Chatime store is located. However, with the growing number of restaurants opening at the Bonifacio Global City, most particularly in the newly built complex called Bonifacio High Street Central, L and I decided to visit one of the many restaurants there. Bonifacio High Street Central is also where Jamba Juice and Aria are located.

Coincidentally, I was invited by the Bistro Group to have dinner there with me and my friends as they just opened a new restaurant called the Village Tavern which was a franchise from North Carolina, USA. I checked with L how she feels about trying this new restaurant out with me and just as I've guessed it, she and T were game! Yay!

The place was filled with groups when we arrived. I was actually surprised that they've only been in operation for two weeks and even with very minimal promotional efforts done, people have been flocking in to try the restaurant themselves. The restaurant has a dark, wine cellar-like ambiance. Since the restaurant is new, some American operations crew were still there to train and assist the Manila team.

Our dinner began with some drinks. My really nice (and wholesome) companions all got shakes and Iced Tea while I was in the mood for some Mojito! Yes, I rarely drink but the evening, I felt the need to unwind and I figured that a cool glass of Tavern Mojito (Php. 150) was just the right choice.

Given my extremely low tolerance for alcohol (read: I get bright red like a lobster with just a few shots), I'm happy to report that the Tavern Mojito is perfect for people like me. The alcohol content is quite low and the lime juice was really the one that you can taste all throughout. However, I got to admit, I love drinking Mojitos because it's quite refreshing but this one somehow lacks that cooling factor. Instead, I was fanning myself like crazy after consuming half a glass. Whoo! I wonder why...

We began with a huge platter of Grilled Chicken Spinach and Mixed Greens Salad (Php. 595). My friend L who doesn't eat veggies tried the grilled chicken strips on top while the three of us shared this dish. I liked how light it was and any salad with boiled eggs makes it extra yummy. It's interesting also to note that they served a piece of muffin together with this salad too. This makes a good lunch option for those who wants to fill up their veggie quota for the day.

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Around Beijing, China : Wangfujing and The Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:18:00 +0000

My recent trip to Beijing, China was business-related so I wasn't really expecting to be able to visit much of the touristy sites or have as much free time to roam around and to have food trips on my own. It was pretty good actually as it was my first time to travel alone thus I don't feel very comfortable go around such a HUGE province on my own. I happily tagged along with the group wherever our host takes us. That set-up worked perfectly fine for me. At least, the next time I get to go back with Paul, I'll have a better idea on where to go!

Out of the four days that we were there, our gracious host took the afternoon off on our 3rd day to take us to the Palace Museum, otherwise known as the Forbidden City. This is located right at the center of Beijing and as we were told, everything surrounds the Forbidden City.

We entered through the North Gate where the ticket counter was located. Believe me, the Forbidden City is HUGE! It actually reminds me of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Korea. It has a main palace at the entrance followed by slightly smaller ones behind and offices lining the sides. It's a good thing, I went prepared with my trusty rubber sneakers as we did a lot of walking that afternoon.

It's amazing how China has well-preserved this World Heritage Site. Despite the warm weather, the place was pack with tour groups peeking into every single palace and offices in the area.

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And the Winners Are.....A Mother's Day treat from Mcdonald's

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Hooray for Today! :)

I rarely get to watch TV but during one of those rare moments, I was able to catch the new McDonald's TVC with a catchy tune and a fun, rather nostalgic story of a guy who drove through McDonald's for breakfast and along his way he saw things that reminds him (and us) of our childhood. There was a unicorn, a teddy bear, a castle built with Lego and a lot more. The message is simple. A good breakfast is essential to give you a great start to your day!

This is the reason why I am so excited to spread the love this Mother's Day as 5 lucky Mothers will get a special treat courtesy of McDonald's!

Thank you so much for joining my quick weekend contest! Without further ado, here are the winners whom I will be contacting soon to arrange for that special breakfast treat for their Moms on Mother's Day this Sunday!

CONGRATULATIONS TO....

Rosemarie Samson

Stonibert Lim

Maria Anna Katrina A. Paz

Dianne Vernadeen Sia-Lucenara

Melody Tan

Advance Happy Mother's Day to all Mommies out there!! ♥

In The Music Scene : NKOTBSB in Manila!!!

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Look who's coming to Manila!!!

Two years ago, I heard about the news of this amazing musical collaboration called NKOTBSB (New Kids on the Block / Backstreet Boys). Two of the greatest boy bands of all time together in one concert. I mentioned in my previous entry that yes, this is definitely one contest that I will never miss. I love the Backstreet Boys and yes I am a HUGE fan! ♥

I squealed like a little girl when I saw their huge billboard announcing their upcoming concert in California last year. Oh how I prayed to the high heavens that they'll come to Asia..more specifically, the Philippines SOON....

... and they will!!! On June 3, 2012 -- 2 days AFTER my 30th birthday! What a perfect birthday gift this would make, don't you think? *wink wink*

Sadly, I might have to miss this :( My boy band concert buddy Pan is flying out for another business trip on that day and I highly doubt Paul would be game enough to endure at least two hours of fan girls screaming all around him. Even my best buddy T will be out of the country on this day and fellow BSB fan Didi is expecting her 2nd baby, I doubt she's allowed to go to concerts where pushing, shoving, dancing and jumping is involved!

Section	Type	Price
SVIP(1st 3 ROWS)	Reserved Seats	Php 13,200
VIP	Reserved Seats	Php 8,980
LOWERBOX VIP	Reserved Seats	Php 8,450
LOWER BOX	Reserved Seats	Php 7,920
UPPER BOX	Reserved Seats	Php 3,700
GENL ADMISSION	Free Seating	Php 1,060

Checking the rates, I gasp as I saw the prices. It's quite steep. Way too much for what I was expecting the ticket to cost. Well, on second thought, to see Nick, AJ, Brian and Howie again.. I might just re-consider...

Well, for now I might just have to pass. Till next time Backstreet Boys! Even if I cried when I first saw you on stage...even if Nick, you're still such a cutie with your two hands on your armpits in that photo above (hehe). There will definitely be a next time!

Love,
BSB Fan Girl Frannywanny

[CONTEST ALERT] A Mother's Day treat from Mcdonald's

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:38:00 +0000

In my family, there are certain dates that we give just as much regard and importance to like a regular holiday. In fact, we celebrate and look forward to it more than most legal holidays. This includes our birthdays and two special days wherein we treat our parents like royalty -- Mother's Day and Father's Day.

Mother's Day is a week away and despite our very hectic work schedule, my sister and I are busy planning on what we will do for our dear Mommy on her special day. It's one day where Mommy is required to sit back, relax and leave everything up to us. Our sweet Papa would always prepare a greeting card for Mommy where both my sister and I would include our short messages in. Either for lunch or dinner, we would go out not only with Mommy but with my Amah (grandmother) as well. After all their hard work and intense labor, one day is truly not enough for us to show our utmost gratitude and undying love for them.

Still planning on where and what to do on Mother's Day? Why not jump-start the day with a surprise breakfast treat for her? Our favorite go-to place is our favorite childhood place (and that of millions of kids out there too) -- McDonald's! A quick call to their delivery hotline allows us to enjoys more precious hours in bed as we wait for our favorite McDonald's breakfast treat to be delivered right at our doorstep.

For us, breakfast should always be a feast. I remember waking up early when I was younger as we would drive out for a hearty breakfast meal -- be it some dimsum and congee or a plate of Daing na Bangus complete with salted eggs, tomatoes and garlic rice! Dad would always read the papers as he drinks his cup of coffee while my sister and I would always have our own glass of Orange Juice.

For our birthdays, breakfast is made even more special! Mommy would wake up extra early to cook some Birthday Misua. Mind you, the preparation for this dish is really tedious as it consists of a lot of ingredients and she would always complain how hard it is to evenly mix the noodles and meat together. Despite all the hassle that Mommy has to go through for this, not a single birthday has passed without her cooking a potful of Birthday Misua for us to enjoy. You can truly feel her love in every bite.

Here I am spreading the love again! In line with Mother's Day, I would like to give five (5) lucky readers the chance to surprise their Moms on her special day with a McDonald's breakfast treat!

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Sushi Express at the Oriental Plaza in Beijing

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:10:00 +0000

My trip to Beijing was really short.

Too short that all days were filled up with office visits, a grand launch party and a quick stop to the Forbidden City. Given that it was my first time in Beijing, China; I tried my best to soak in everything that I saw, heard and tasted all throughout my four-day trip. As I was packing my luggage on my last evening, I realized that I haven't shopped for anything! *panic!* Not even my mandatory Starbucks city mug that I always make sure to buy for my growing collection.

Thus, on my last day, I invited my Japanese counterparts for a quick morning shopping trip at Wangfujing. This is one place that I took note of after asking my friends K and J for shopping and eating tips in Beijing. I totally can let go of not seeing the Great Wall or the Olympic Stadium for this trip but I'm not leaving Beijing without a short shopping spree at Wangfujing! No way, José!

It was raining on our last day making it very hard to walk around and explore Wangfujing. Sad because this is a huge pedestrian area filled with shops, malls and eateries which I'm sure looks very beautiful on a sunny day. We entered the first mall that we saw and this was the Oriental Plaza. Luck must have been with us as this mall is Beijing's largest shopping mall and it houses thousands of retail brands! As my Japanese companions headed to the fashion section of the mall, I headed down to the basement where the food establishments were located. First stop was a cart selling all kinds of dried Chinese fruits and candies for my mommy who loves these very much. After buying a couple of bags, off I went to Bee Cheng Hiang for some delicious beef and pork jerkies to bring home as well. I love Bee Cheng Hiang as I can consume half a bag of sweet pork jerkies (ma-pa) in one sitting! Yum!

I'll tell you more about Wangfujing on my next entry as I would like to focus on my last lunch in Beijing for now. After roaming the basement level and checking out all the restaurants available here. I initially wanted to have lunch at Kung Fu, China's popular food chain that has Bruce Lee as their endorser/mascot. I've tried Kung Fu in Guangzhou and I was hoping I'd be able to try it again. Sadly, the line was so long and I only have 30 minutes left to eat before I have to meet up with my companions again. Beside Kung Fu is a sushi place with...a rotating sushi conveyor! My sister and I love rotating sushi restaurants that we always make it a point to dine in one wherever we are in the world. From Hong Kong to Bangkok, we love love love rotating sushi!

I found Sushi Express and their very enticing banner. RMB 6 (approximately Php. 40) per plate! That's a great sushi deal! I sat down and prepared by little wasabi saucer, filled up my cup with hot tea and scanned the conveyor belt. Let me share with you what I had for lunch that day:

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XiZhao Temple Hotel in Beijing, China

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:25:00 +0000

When I was planning for my upcoming business trip to Beijing, I was told that I will be staying at the Marriott City Wall Hotel. With that in mind, I planned my itinerary around the hotel knowing that there's a subway station nearby making it accessible for me to sneak in some quick shopping trips in between our official visits and meetings. I've been growing through the Marriott City Wall website a lot of times that I knew the look of the hotel by heart. Thus, when the luxurious black Mercedez Benz (a.k.a. my ride from the airport) made a left turn into a small road and stopped in front of an unfamiliar looking hotel, that got me really confused. I was already too confused with the non-stop Chinese conversations thrown my way as I tried to answer back with my very rusty broken Mandarin and now, I began to question myself if this was really the Marriott Hotel and not as what was I saw in their website.

My confusion immediately disappeared as my Chinese counterpart explained that they had to change our accommodation arrangements at the last minute and here we are at the XiZhao Temple Hotel (formerly known as the Beijing King-Talent Hotel).

It's a small complex that's just 4-storey high. We entered the very Chinese looking lobby and there were more Chinese counterparts waiting for me with a huge bouquet of white roses. Sweet!

I was told that there's a temple located adjacent to the hotel. That would have been great news for my FIL or Amah who are both devout Buddhist. In fact, I learned that the hotel used to be a historical temple and they renovated this to turn it into a hotel but maintaining the classical Chinese look.

From the lobby, I was ushered to the 4th floor where my room is located. Really, I wasn't expecting anything more than a spacious deluxe room with a king size bed or perhaps two queen beds that hotels normally offer. One for me to sleep on, another to dump all my clothes on. Perfect!

Definitely I was not expecting to see THIS. A huge room with a spacious living room, a flat screen LED TV and an electric mahjong table at the far end of the room. There's also a powder room and a pantry where I ended up placing all dirty plates in. Yes, even while abroad, I am very much still an OC.

As it turns out, I was given the Duplex Suite (approx. $216) and its a two-storey room! Yes, there's a small spiral staircase in one corner.

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Going "O, Wow!" with Oishi!

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 07:36:00 +0000

Look what greeted me the moment I stepped into our house the morning that I arrived from Beijing, China!

It was a six-foot tall box that simply has the phrase "O, Wow!" in front. Our helpers were so excited as they have been wondering for days what was inside. As you open the tiny square hole, this apparently is the magical access to close to a hundred of Oishi assorted snacks! From my favorite Kirei to Pillows; to what most 80s kids love munching on, the Prawn Crackers, to the new Baked Potato Fries and a lot more! Everyone in the house excitedly sorted out the bags of chips as Paul and I packed them into tiny plastics to share with my in laws (especially the two kids), my grandparents and of course to my ever reliable helpers, driver and our beloved Manang. This truly placed everyone in a happy mood as they all exclaimed "o(h), wow!" as they got their bags of Oishi goodies!

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Onboard China Southern Airlines (Manila - Beijing - Manila)

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:54:00 +0000

I'm finally back!

After recovering from such a tiring travel for a day, here I am back at the daily grind yet totally excited for the upcoming weekend. My trip to Beijing was short but nonetheless very interesting and inspiring. It was for work and what I love about being able to join work-related functions wherein I get to meet our fellow counterparts is the fact that I get to learn a lot from them. It always gives me that drive to do more for my brands..it keeps me inspired and motivated. That's always a good thing, right?

Well, as mentioned in my earlier post, this was the first time that I traveled on my own. I'm happy to report that I came back in one piece. Though, I sadly caught a bad case of cough and colds from the change in temperature and probably from those white cotton-like particles that were flying around Beijing all four days but I'll be okay hopefully in a few more days. Loading up on Vitamin C and H2O!!

One thing that I look forward to when traveling is the airplane food! Among my favorites include breakfast at Philippine Airlines, the meals from Delta Airlines and the Hong Kong-style noodles from Cathay Pacific. Thus, I was really excited to try the meals served by China Southern Airline and since I'll be flying to Guangzhou before heading to Beijing and to Xiamen before I come home to Manila, I realized that I'll be having a total of 4 meals all throughout the trip. Since I was alone, the ground stewardesses were so kind to give me nice seats. Mostly giving me the aisle seat by the exit row allowing me to have a bigger leg room and the ease to move around every so often.

Service was good as the plane a pretty small. Just about the same size as our local Cebu Pacific with most planes having just six seats in a row. It was only during the Guanzhou-Beijing leg wherein I rode the 747 and we had the 3-4-3 seat layout. Sadly, there was not much in-flight entertainment that's why I just made use of my iPod to keep me entertained all throughout the flight.

Let me share with you what I had during my flights with China Southern Airlines:

Our first meal (lunch) during the Manila - Guangzhou leg

Chicken with colored rice topped with Chinese Petchay

sidings: bread with unsalted butter, chicken veggie salad, trio of fruits

The chicken meat was tender while the rice was pretty *blah*. I tried a piece of bread which was too hard perhaps because it was already cold and the butter really didn't helped perk up the flavor as it was unsalted. I liked the Chicken Veggie Salad though which I added into my rice to make it more delicious.

Our second meal (dinner) during the Guangzhou - Beijing leg

Braised Beef with Radish with White Rice

sidings: round bread, spicy pickled radish, veggie with meatloaf salad and sliced dragon fruit and pineapple

The beef pieces were so few! It had more radish and just about 4 pieces of beef. I loved the Veggie Meatloaf Salad, fruits and their hot tea too! It surely helped ease my nausea during this leg.

I arrived at Beijing a little past 8PM and immediately found my 3 happy counterparts who warmly welcomed me to China. After going through the thorough security check and changing some of my dollars ($) to yuan (Y), we headed out to the carpark where my ride was waiting for me. I got to say, our host really took care of us by making sure our schedules were filled up and we were shuttled from one place to another.
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Bitten by the Travel Bug and The BIG Summer Outlet Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Off I go again!

For the next four days, I'll take another break as I go incommunicado to a not-so-far-away-land for a short business trip. Here, I look forward to enjoying the majestic structures that has been standing for centuries, to indulge in the richest and yummiest food and to somehow reconnect with my roots. Yes, I'm flying off to Beijing, China and believe it or not, it will actually be my first trip abroad that I'll be on my own. No Paul, no family, no friends or colleagues to be with me.

I'll surely miss Paul as he would automatically hold my hand as the plane takes off and lands on the ground. How he would take care of packing our bags and carry all of them while leaving the lightest baggage for me to pull around. How I wish he'll be there to experience Beijing with me. Without him, all the more I'll strive harder (and save more) for us to be able to visit China soon. ♥

Click here to learn how to apply for a Chinese Visa.

Don't you just love to travel? I always treasure the learnings that I get in every trip that I take. The things you see for yourself, the experience you'll only get as you immerse yourself in a new culture, the food that never fails to blow me away. My first ever trip was when I was 7 and despite getting airsick then, that never stop me from feeling all giddy and excited whenever talks about traveling comes up.

Another thing that I love about traveling is the fact that I get to have a good reason to shop. I must admit my shopaholic self has retired years ago but deep within me, the spirit is still there. I know it. The way my heart leaps whenever I get to score a good deal or how my eyes would expertly scan the shelf for a promising piece. I'd say, once a shopaholic...always a shopaholic.

The BIG Summer Outlet Sale is HERE! Save the date -- April 27-29,2012 (Friday-Sunday) from 10AM to 9PM at the SMX Convention Center, Hall 1.

I love sales. Who doesn't? The fact that you get to purchase really good items for a fraction of the regular price, isn't that enough to make you feel triumphant after spending hours of haggling or going through stalls after stalls of shoes, bags or clothes? One bazaar that I always make sure to check out is the BIG Summer Outlet Sale organized by fellow blogger and friend Jean. This particular sale would push Paul and I to wake up extra early on a weekend to be one of the early birds who hopefully will score great deals and cool items. Last time, I brought home a cute purple USB speaker that I use for my work presentations. Paul loved his new pair of shoes and some shirts that he got for more than half the price. We were so happy that we even signed up for a BPI credit card to ensure that we get free entrance all the time.

Once again, entrance is FREE for ALL BPI cardholders (with a valid ID). In addition to this, BPI cardholders get special discounts in select stalls too! For those who do not have a BPI card, entrance fee is only Php. 50. Check out the kind of discounts that BPI cardholders can enjoy during the sale!

See you next weekend at the BIG Summer Outlet Sale! :)

venue map

Lovin' Myeongdong in Seoul, Korea

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:21:00 +0000

In every country, there is a particular district that I have grown fond of. There's Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong and Raffles City in Singapore. As a result, I would tend to book hotels within these areas as I find myself most comfortable and at ease when staying in these places. Both districts are considered highly commercial areas as they are filled with lots of shops and restaurants making it so convenient for Paul and I to eat, shop and walk around at any given time of the day.

After all, being in a foreign land, it's important to still feel safe to be able to fully enjoy and maximize the trip. As we got to our hotel in Korea, I immediately fell in love with Myeongdong. I love the fact that the entire place is filled with retail shops, food establishments and a lot more. There are a number of malls present such as the Lotte Young Plaza, Migliore and the huge high-end department store called Shinsegae.

Just around our hotel, there are a lot of beauty shops which were perfect for all the girls in our group. The ladies hoarded on make up, BB creams and face masks while little Lauren enjoyed buying bottles of nail polishes. What makes these beauty shops really attractive is that sales ladies would wave free gifts to entice you to enter their shop. The fun doesn't stop there as they would willingly offer discounts and more gifts when you purchase items from them.

I visited Nature Republic after hearing raves about it from my colleague ML. After buying two bottles of BB creams (which were on a buy-one-take-one promo, by the way) and a pot of blush, I got more facial masks and a special discount too! The prices here are really reasonable making you think twice about purchasing these items here in Manila knowing exactly how much they just cost in Seoul.

When it comes to food, there are numerous choices available in busy Myeongdong. Restaurants offering international and local fares are there. Same goes for a number of food stalls selling all sorts of street snacks. Normally, I wouldn't even dare buy street food for fear of catching a nasty stomach flu or the worst case of diarrhea on a trip. However, in Seoul, the sanitation seems to be notches better thus we tried a couple of snacks and were really happy with it.
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Hotel Skypark 1 in Myeongdong, Korea

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:47:00 +0000

After arriving at Korea and making our way via the Airport Limousine Bus, we arrived at our hotel -- Hotel Skypark 1 -- located right at the heart of busy shopper's haven, Myeongdong.

Since we got to the hotel a little past 10AM, we were told that our rooms were still not ready and we sadly had to go back at 2PM to check in. Not really a big problem for us as our hotel was strategically located beside retail outlets like Uniqlo, Mango, Gap, Skin Food and several food establishments like Lotteria (more on this later), Smoothie King and a lot more.

Not quite satisfied with our airport meal, we decided to head out to search for a place to have coffee and some snacks. Koreans must really love coffee as you'll see a lot of pretty coffee shops everywhere! The more popular ones being Cafe Pascucci, Starbucks Coffee, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Caffe Bene.We chose Cafe Pascucci which is located a few blocks away from our hotel.

Paul and I shared this cup of Strawberry Juice which was so refreshing! We partnered this with a box of fresh Korean strawberries (W5,000) which everyone in the group enjoyed very much.

Going back to the hotel, we finally checked into our Standard Double room which I got from Agoda.com for only $119.29 (approximately Php. 5,358.298/night). Quite on the pricey side but we really wanted a hotel that's accessible to the subway and is located in a shopping district thus the choice to get Hotel Skypark 1 was the unanimous decision. The room was small. That's the only description I can really give for it as compared to past hotels that Paul and I have stayed in, this has a narrow walkway and there's hardly any space for us to put our luggage on.

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Seoul, Korea 101

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Annyeong haseyo!

I'm back from my week-long break in chilly Seoul, Korea! With the temperature ranging from 5-12 degrees celsius, I spent most of my stay wrapped in my comfy fluffy jacket, gloves and thermal wear to keep me warm. My friends Richard and Irene were right..thermal eventually becomes your best friend as the temperature drops and as the icy cold wind hits your face. Armed with my daily dose of vitamin C and a new pair of comfy rubber shoes, I joined The Food Club as we visited the various sites around Seoul and ate to our hearts content!

Oh I just love Korean barbeque, Bibimbap and Kimbap! I had them almost every single day! The highlight of our stay was that we were able to catch the full bloom of the cherry blossom trees. So pretty and breath-taking indeed.

Before I go on and on about our trip, I'd like to open this Korea travel series with some basis Korea 101! The Food Club was able to grab a good deal with Cebu Pacific when it had its seat sale back in September last year. Our ticket amount to a little over Php 5,000 each with luggage allowance and our chosen seats too. Not bad as a normal airfare to Korea can cost you more than Php. 10,000. Note though that flights from Manila to Incheon via Cebu Pacific is normally during the midnight or at ungodly hours of the morning so be ready for a red eye flight. This worked for us as we wanted to fully maximize our trip. Luckily, I was still able to nap for a few hours during the flight.

Prior to our trip, we prepared our Korean Visa and made sure to pack in some thermal wears, thick warm jackets and the right footwear. I've been monitoring the weather weeks prior to our flight to keep everyone informed. I got to admit, my boots failed me on the second day of the trip thus giving me a perfect reason to buy a new pair of rubber shoes. *yay!*

As we arrived at the beautiful Incheon International Airport, the first thing we did was to exchange our dollars ($) into won (W). I always like changing my money at the airport as I find the rates to be fair and safe. After which, we headed to search for a place to eat. Sadly, food at the airport wasn't so satisfying. Well, good enough to fill our tummies given that most of us had little to zero sleep.

There are various ways on how to get to the city from the airport. You can take the subway which has a stop right at the airport, there are taxis which can cost you quite a fortune or like us, we took the Airport Limousine Bus for only W10,000 per head (W8,000 for kids). Not bad as we get to sit comfortably for an hour and if you lucky, the bus will stop right in front of your hotel.

For us, we stopped at the hotel nearest to Skypark Myeongdong 1, our home away from home for the next 6 days. The walk was short so we all didn't mind.
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Applying for a Korean Visa in the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:08:00 +0000

This is it!

All our bags are packed and in less than 10 hours, we are ready to go! Frannywanny is taking a week-long break in Korea! I'm so excited to enjoy the cold weather wrapped in my winter outfits and to see lots of cherry blossoms too! Our itinerary is set and together with some members of The Food Club, we are taking Korea by storm through our tummies! We're ready to eat, eat and to eat some more!

While we were lucky to be able to grab a good seat sale deal thanks to Cebu Pacific, we all know that preparing for our trip doesn't end there. Entry to Korea requires a travel visa and luckily, the process was pretty simple. Actually the simplest that I've had compared to preparing for my US or China visas.

Follow these simple step to apply for a Korean tourist visa for all Philippine passport holders:
1) Download the visa application form and fill all spaces up. Refer to the second page of the file for a step-by-step guide on how to fill the form up properly.
2) Attached your photo on the form with a glue. Please don't tape or staple your photo as the embassy won't accept this.
3) Gather the following documents:
- Passport (with at least 6 months validity and enough pages to them to stick the visa on)
- Photocopy of the front page of your passport
- Photocopy of all visas from any of the OECD countries. See list here. (Note: this also includes expired OECD visas less than 5 years)

- For employees: prepare your employment certificate (original), personal bank certificate (original), latest ITR (photocopy)

- For entrepreneurs: prepare your personal bank certificate (original), business registration from the SEC or registration from the DTI and Mayor’s Permit (photocopy), and ITR (photocopy)

- Other documents you might also want to have on hand:
- marriage certificate : especially when your passport still has your maiden name
- business permit (photocopy)

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Sunrise Buckets at The Grove by Rockwell in C5

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:55:00 +0000

There are just some things that I don't think I'll ever get tired of eating...ever-- nachos, cheese, pasta, sushi and buffalo wings. These are my comfort food of choice that I just love to indulge on after a crazy day at work. While there are a lot of restaurants that specializes in buffalo wings, only a few has really made the cut and in my book, this includes Sunrise Buckets.

I've previously mentioned how I first learned about and was able to try Sunrise Buckets up until the time wherein they finally opened their first store in Madison Square which prompted Paul and I to pay them a visit a few months after. Fast forward to 2012, we were invited to their second branch at Rockwell's newest development in Pasig called The Grove. It's located right across Tiendesitas and is along C5.

hmm.. a bucket for my sister?

Together with friends Richard and Irene, we got to The Grove ready to chow down buckets after buckets of Buffalo Wings! Since there were four of us, we agreed to order a bucket each and share this amongst ourselves. That way we get to try four flavors at a time. Our first batch of wings comprises of: Sunrise Original, Bourbon, Honey Mustard and Smokin' BBQ.
All flavors were delicious as I happily munched on the tender meat and cleaned the bones out till they were sparkling clean. However, I personally enjoyed the Sunrise Original and the Smokin' BBQ the most. The Bourbon had a sweet flavor which was pretty okay but it was the two flavors mentioned earlier that have left a lasting memory for me.

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Maundy Thursday : Lunch at the Chens

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:02:00 +0000

It's Lent and the Philippines is now having a 5-day long break allowing us to reflect, repent and to remember what He has done for us. For me, I'm spending this 5 days to do all those and to relax, tp catch up with friends and to prepare for my upcoming trip as well.

Today, I had lunch with a couple of good friends from high school. Since my good friends Angie and Dave are expecting their little bundle joy soon and Ge was advised by the doctor to just stay indoors; thus, we decided to have a simple potluck lunch at their lovely home instead of eating outside. I observe Lent as I stay away from meat until Easter. Luckily, all the dishes that we had today were meat-free allowing me to enjoy every single one!

Let me share with you what me and my friends brought to lunch today:
Even if she said she won't be cooking anything; Ge, who can double as Martha Stewart, couldn't help but prepare this yummy Spinach Dip with Crostinis.
She also had a plate of Asparagus with Creamy Dip too!
We also have a bowl of fresh greens with Sesame Dressing which was prepared by Ange's yaya

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Applying for a Chinese Visa in Manila, Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (fran =)) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:40:00 +0000

Traveling to China soon?

Let me share with you this step-by-step guide on how to apply for a Chinese Visa for all Philippine passport holders. When I first learned that I will be flying to China for work in a few weeks, I felt my heart do cartwheels and a few somersaults here and there but after that I went straight to business. Since I will be flying out to the land of bulgogi and bibimbaps before my China trip, I knew that I can't afford to dilly-dally and waste precious time in applying for my visa or else I face the consequence of not having my passport in time for the trip or worst, not having a Chinese Visa at all.

Did a little research, I was happy to find some websites that were really helpful as I prepared for the documents needed for my visa. The good thing is, I've had a Chinese visa before therefore cutting down on at least half of the documents needed to be submitted to the embassy. Nonetheless, let me share the full list here with you.

First step: Download the Visa Application Form here.
Read the instructions carefully and fill all boxes up. For those that are not applicable to you, fill the box in with n/a. I made sure to use a black pen and wrote in block all caps letters as indicated in the form.

Second step: Attached your passport photo (white background) on the box provided.

Third step: Collect the necessary documents

For Travel/Tourism Visa (L Visa type) --
- Applicant's passport with blank pages and at least 6 months validity left before expiration.
- Your accomplished Visa Application form
- A copy of the round-trip plane ticket
- Hotel reservation / invitation letter with a copy of the inviter's valid Chinese residence visa and passport information page of inviter's or Chinese national identity card.
- The emergency contact information page (last page) in the applicant's passport should be filled out and photocopied. This is really important! I've seen a lot of applicants who were requested to go back or were turned away as they do not have this available.
- Photocopy of the first page of your passport
- Previously used China visa in old or new passport (Only visa stickers will be accepted. Those with stamped visas must submit additional documents for first time China visa applicants. Please refer to the list below.)

For first time applicants to China (Philippine passport holders, 18 years old and above), they are required to provide the following:
a) original NBI clearance valid for travel abroad
b) original bank certificate with receipt or original passbook, updated within the month that you are applying
- If a company will sponsor the trip, provide the company's bank certificate, sponsorship letter from the company and the company's business registration. - If an individual will sponsor the trip, provide his bank certificate, sponsorship and invitation letter, copy of sponsor's valid residence visa and passport information page or Chinese national ID.
c) If you're employed, provide the following: an employment certificate, company ID, SSS ID and contributions, TIN ID and latest ITR
d) For students, also submit your valid school ID
e) For businessmen, provide business registration of company, TIN ID and latest ITR
f) Personal appearance is required for those who are 16-21 years old.

For those who are applying for a Business/Employment/Student or other types of visas, please visit this site.

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