Sweet Invitation: a post about a cup

Soft clouds bloomed on either side like flower petals bursting into life. Slowly and steadily. Shades of pink colored the east and the west, blushing prettily.

In the middle, glowing in white and in a star-crested crown, is a siren, flanked by her two fish tails. Long, wavy locks framed a face that is smiling in a serene manner.

In the serenity is an invitation to join her into the surrounding green ocean. This mermaid's smile stirs in travelers a longing to stop and sip liquid bliss.

Breakfast at #CoffeeProject with Fellow Moms

The first time I went out with fellow K1 moms this school year, we trooped to the Coffee Project. It's a newly opened garden-inspired café in Quezon City.

We were greeted with flowers. 

You may wonder. "What does coffee have to do with flowers?" 

Well, I read that people use coffee grounds to fertilize their soil for plants and flowers.

We took the table right at the top of this staircase.

You would think that we have walked into a flower store when surveying this area.

We were there at past eight in the morning and we were almost the only ones around.

There were lots of knick-knacks on the nooks & crannies. I wondered whether the staff would be able to dust all of them.

The interestingly busy hallway/seating area going to the washroom. Too bad I didn't have enough time to pore through the decorated text and the words on the post-its. 

Each of us ordered the Continental Breakfast. We thought that this choice offers more value for money, although it's still pricey at Php250. It didn't even have coffee.

I was excited about the waffles, though. I love waffles! The syrup, jam and butter looked too little.

We were a bit disappointed with the service, considering there were not many customers. 

The coffee and water took a while to arrive. The server even asked us if we want the food and coffee to be served at the same time.

Therefore, I ordered a cup of Vietnamese Latte that came with a delicious cookie. The coffee was on the sweet side, yet, that's how I like mine.

I bought home a large cookie with sticky marshmallow and a (leaking) cookie cup + milk. It's my first time to try a cookie cup. Yum!

Does Coffee Project interest you?

Don't Let Your Teeth Rot! Expert Dental Health Tips

If you’re like most people, you really don’t enjoy going to the dentist. You might even put it off a whole lot longer than your Brooklyn NY dentist would recommend. Over time, not caring for your teeth can cause some real damage though.

While going to the dentist is something that you absolutely must do, there are other ways to care for your teeth – things that you can do on your own. Follow our guide to help ensure proper dental health for your whole life.

Avoid Soda

Soda is one of those beverages that a lot of us drink, but the fact is, we really don’t need it to survive. We just like the way it tastes and it’s one of the most convenient purchases these days.

The problem is that soda that contains sugar can rip right through the enamel in your teeth. Drinking too much can lead to serious tooth decay over time. Diet soda isn’t much better though, as the sweeteners and high carbonation level can damage teeth as well.

Believe it or not, you’re actually better off sticking with coffee or tea instead of drinking soda on a regular basis. They aren’t ideal for your teeth, but they don’t wreak the same amount of havoc that a regular or diet soda can.

Best of all though is still water. It’s also the healthiest for your body.

source

Rinse After Coffee

Even if you are able to give up soda because you just don’t drink that much of it, or through sheer force of will, you may find that it’s nearly impossible to give up coffee. For most people, coffee is the first thing they think about in the morning, and getting the day started without it is downright miserable.

Instead of trying to quit coffee for good, try this one simple tip from the dentists. When you’re done with your morning coffee, go ahead and rinse with some clean water – even right from the tap. Spit it out when you’re done.

Why does this work? Well, it doesn’t entirely remove acids from the coffee from your mouth, but it does help to get rid of some. Those acids on your teeth are what create stains, and those are what you’re trying to prevent.

Get a cup of water with each cup of coffee from now on and your teeth will thank you.

My Starbucks Card

On our way home from a trip to Laguna, my family and I stopped over at Starbucks to get Rix and me some coffee. The kind cashier/barista offered me the Starbucks card and I chose this dainty design.

Upon registration, I was rewarded with a free grande beverage of my choice. A green tea frap was what I decided on days after I registered my card. The offer was valid for 60 days. 

I must remember to treat my Starbucks card as cash as I have loaded it so I could use it in the future and get rewards. What specific rewards? I haven't figured it out yet.

This month, my birth month, I will be treated to a slice of cake together with a purchase of drink. I'm looking forward to it!

Errands As Breaktime

Sometimes, running errands like going to the bank is a welcome break for stay-at-home-moms like me. I rarely get to go out without my breastfeeding baby so being able to for even just a couple of hours is a bit of a relief. Thank goodness for cafés like Angel's Town nearby. I brought my 5-year-old along and went for a dessert/early snack. She had a black forest cake and mango juice while I had a caramel concoction and "kesong puti" sticks. I picked up a magazine with @DaphneOP on the front cover. I miss hanging out in coffee shops from time to time.

Nuvia Coffee

I really don't ask much from my coffee. I am mostly satisfied with instant coffee. Imagining myself at the dining table, sipping coffee, eating a slice of chocolate cake and writing a poem is part of my daydream. So, when I became pregnant last 2010 and last year, I felt so deprived because I have to cut off coffee from my diet. At present, I am breastfeeding my third child, therefore I have to watch my caffeine intake although it's alright to have coffee if you know how much caffeine you're taking in and you have a full-term baby. I like to try other types of coffee preparations and other flavors. In short, I am quite adventurous with my coffee, just don't put hot sauce!

I was excited to try Nuvia Cafe when it arrived. I cannot help but compare it to the popular brand of instant coffee that we usually buy. Adjectives that came to my mind while I sip my cup of Nuvia Healthy Coffee with brown sugar, creamer and sometimes with chocolate-flavored powder are:

• aromatic
• strong
• rich
• flavorful

I can still savor the yummy flavor of coffee even though I mixed in chocolate powder. I like that it was not overpowered. I would definitely buy this in place of our existing instant coffee. I'll update you on where and how to purchase Nuvia coffee.

For more testimonials, please head to Nuvia Cafe's channel.

Edit: For purchases, go to their website www.nuviacafe.com. I forgot to tell you that I was sent a box for free to try.

Toasts and Buns from Kopi Roti

I have always wanted to try the food at Kopi Roti, but the chance never presented itself. After a late dinner at North Park, Banawe, my friend and I saw Kopi Roti across the street and decided to buy some goodies to take home. I had the Kaya Toast, Kopi Bun and Choco Bun. I wanted to try them for my midnight snack if I get hungry, but alas, sleep got the better of me. So I just had to eat them for breakfast the next day instead.

First, I tried the Kaya Toast, 4 sets of sandwiches with butter and Kaya spread in between. Kaya spread like a coconut jam. I liked it so much I forgot to take pictures. Too bad the spread was too thin that only the slightest flavor could be tasted. I think they put in more butter. Then, I had the Kopi Bun. It was bigger than I thought. I had to eat it in two to three sittings. The crusty top was fragrant and smelled of coffee. The insides were soft and I really liked the wet, buttery bottom.

Next up, for snack time, was the Choco Bun. All I could say was that I liked the Kopi Bun better.

When I have given birth, I'd like to try their coffee sometime. I think it'd be nice to have breakfast at the shop, although the place was a bit small.

Inside My Bag Of Beans

Actually, there were 3 slices of this Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I've been meaning to visit this place for I don't know how long and last weekend, my hubby Rix indulged me. There were already several cars parked outside near the road when we got there. I was a bit worried that there'll be no more tables left for us as I thought the coffee shop was small. Small was the bakeshop that we first entered, I was craning my neck to see if there was a hallway at the back leading to where the tables were located, and saw none. We went back out and saw stairs leading down, so followed it we did. The steps were uneven and plants were growing on both sides, reaching out to coffee and bread lovers arriving at their haven. We were greeted by an aviary with several tweeting lovebirds inside. We had to choose whether we'd like to be seated at tables with umbrellas, at long wooden tables with matching wooden benches, at chairs and tables under a thatched roof, at a low molded iron outdoor tables with chairs, at wooden chairs and tables on a raised area surrounded by flowering plants near another set of stairs or at Tiffany-like chairs with cushion seats and glass-topped tables.

Covered seating area

We opted for the last one but then we settled for the long wooden table with benches due to people smoking at the next table. While we consumed the sandwich and fries, and sipped our iced coffees, we noticed that there was a path leading to a door that is ajar which perhaps opens to a covered seating area we thought that we should have taken. Oh, well!

Take a peek

The downside of this cafe in a garden is the presence of large mosquitos. I am glad I brought an insect repelling lotion for Elle. My little angel looked happy with the place, seeing the fountains and those birds.

Btw, this is her new hairstyle care of Mommy, her first haircut ever took place last month

A popular place for buying baked goodies, Rowena's, was packed with customers. We wished to buy more of their Ube (purple yam) tarts, but only a box was left. Their counter was set in the middle and shelves full of tarts and sweets lined the longest wall to the left. At the back was a coffee shop, serving coffee, cakes and of course, an assortment of their specialty - tarts, which were chilled.

Hello there my sweet tart!

Fat, but frail

Yesterday afternoon, I went to one of my friend's condo unit for the dress fitting for her upcoming wedding. I was to be one of her bridesmaids.

This was the view from the 15th floor. Philippines is getting quite crowded, isn't it?

I slipped into the dress, and was not really 'in' the dress when the couturier declared that the dress was too small. No one even helped me zip up! How did they know that I wouldn't fit? The bride-to-be chided me for growing myself fat since the measurement a couple of months ago. I would have pulled on her long locks if she wasn't my good friend. I just smiled and nodded while my self-esteem dropped a notch. I am badly in need of proper diet and exercise. And, my health is also suffering.
3 is the number of times I was rushed to the ER.
3 is also the number of nights I was coughing so hard I couldn't breathe.
300 is the value of my triglycerides when the maximum value should be 150.

After that, I went up to the 17th floor with my soon-to-wed friend and another close friend, who is also a bridesmaid-to-be. This is their residence at present. We watched TV, specifically The Witches of Waverly Place and Hannah Montana, while waiting for the invitations. They never came while I was there. We also hanged out at the balcony while sipping instant coffee.

A beautiful dusk sky made me forget for a moment that I was in the city.


But, alas!

Time with them was capped by their visit here at our home, because they wanted to see Elhaym and how she has grown.

Got coffee?

I thought I won't be able to have coffee anymore because of my palpitations due to Hyperthyroidism. Thank God, it is not because of this. I went to my Endocrine doctor and she said that my heart rate is normal. The ECG result I had when I was rushed to the ER was also normal. It must be my carrying of my baby, even if she's just a baby, she still has weight, resulting to bone and muscle pain-or so the doctor said. She then prescribed Moxen, a painkiller, the next time the same scenario happens. She said the pain was constricting my breathing, the more I gasp for air, the more constricting it becomes.

So now, I get to have coffee whenever I feel like it. I miss hanging out at cafes with my husband, with my friends. It's relaxing to talk about anything over coffee, be it cold or hot. I am not affected much by coffee. Once, I had all the coffee I could drink at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel with my relatives, and I still became sleepy on the way home. I just like the aroma of it, and the way it could be dressed up into Frappuccinos, dessert, etc.

Here's something shared through email:

A group of alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor. The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general...
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and soon returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal - some plain, some expensive, some quite exquisite. Quietly he told them to help themselves to some fresh coffee..
When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering... ''You may have noticed that all of the nicer looking cups were taken up first, leaving behind the plainer and cheaper ones. While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is actually the source of much of your stress-related problems."
He continued...''Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up what we drink. What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups... Then you began eyeing each other's cups....''
''Now consider this: Life is coffee. Jobs, money, and position in society are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the Life we live. Often, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has provided us... God brews the coffee, but he does not supply the cups. Enjoy your coffee!''
The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have... So please remember: Live simply. Love generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly. Leave the rest to God.
And remember - the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.

Note: The photo above was taken from an email forwarded, showing coffee made into art in a Canadian coffee shop. It looks so nice that one seems to dare not sip it for fear of ruining the design.