Counting My Blessings

I feel for the hundreds of lives affected by yesterday's Boston Marathon bombing. Whether it's a sick coordinated prank or an act of terrorism, it leaves a stigma to the whole world that America (the whole world even) is as vulnerable as any other country. Safety is always uncertain.

There's something about "Bean Town" that makes it close to my heart! It's the first US State on my wish list immediately upon getting (after 3 denials) my US Visa; I'm a BIG Celtics fan since birth (thanks to my brother Fred), and my ultimate dream is to be able to send Kiddo to a University in Boston either for college or post graduate studies.

Our honeymoon destination

Rewind to January 2013 as we were planning our annual summer getaway. All roads point to the US (Boston in particular) as the annual Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) was to be held there. Oh and as an added bonus, two days after the SCAA, the Boston Marathon was to be staged - COOL! And as an icing to the cake, there will be a Celtics-Pacers NBA game scheduled in TD Garden a day after the marathon - PERFECT!

For some strange twist of fate, in February I learned that my In-Laws were headed to Europe - Spain and France to be exact, same time as the SCAA Show. I couldn't trace back as to why or how I decided to join them at the 11th hour, but someway-somehow it felt "proper" to be with them in another continent. In a nutshell I opted for the less obvious choice...

Fast forward to today, I am thankful as I write this post in the comfy confines of my abode. Friends who attended the SCAA and stayed a few days after to hobnob or take-in "Bean Town's" beauty were either stranded or severely inconvenienced due to the senseless bombing; and the Celtics-Pacers NBA game was cancelled for security reasons - SAD!

With full confidence I am cheering for Boston's resiliency, to immediately rebound from this bump. The good always wins. See you soon "Bean Town!"

Calpis Sodas By Gavino's

This picture stamped a HUGE smile on my face! What a perfect send-off present as I embark on the land of paellas and bull fighting.

My fave donut shop GAVINO'S did it once again, this time scoring a beverage touch-down with the launching of their Calpis Sodas - A refreshing fruity-yogurt-based drink with just the right amount of fizz. Choose among the four meticulously tested flavors: Strawberry, Honey Dew, Green Apple, and Bubblegum. Three... (make that FOUR) CHEERS to health drinks! Undoubtedly an apt way of beating the summer heat.

Mother Of All Milk Teas

If a picture paints a thousand superlatives then consider the one above as such! SERENITEA (yup, all caps and extra "sinkers" for this beloved brand) is the undisputed god of all milk teas, as evident to their claim to fame:

"Every tea is freshly brewed by our (their) tea espresso machine to ensure the finest taste and richest aroma." 

The end masterpiece ensures freshness and full flavor - cup, after cup, after cup, with no bitter aftertaste as a result of tannin release, a common NO-NO of competitors who soak their teas for hours in large vat, dispenser or container.

My all time faves, MINTY CHOCO
and STRAWBERRY TOFFEE

After a properly extracted tea espresso shot, signature flavors and sinkers (optional) are incorporated to give it that OOMPH it is well-known for. Consumers and competitors alike are aware that the undisputed "Milk Tea god" does not scrimp on quality. What matters for SERENITEA is a highly satisfied consumer who will keep patronizing the brand and the yummy drinks they churn out.  Many happy returns!

24 branches and counTEAng, both locally and abroad! Need I say more???

Cupping Session At Boyd's

Cupping Sessions are definitely more fun when executed with good company! For over a decade I've always longed for that call from Master Roaster, "Bean Hunter", Cupping Extraordinaire Robert Francisco to come over for a SIP, SLURP and SPIT of his latest find both locally and abroad. Mind you this is non-profit and is purely for the love of the bean we all worship!

A cute roaster churning out a good batch always
makes my day!

Feast your eyes as the "magic" happens in less than 20 minutes, depending on the bean grade, and the overall result you wish to achieve whether it be light, medium or dark roast. Once the beans are roasted to its desired specificatioins it is up to Robert's seasoned sensory evaluation methods to give full justice to the end product.

Oh, and as a guideline, here is the proper way of coffee tasting (cupping) as advised by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). Happy slurping... Swallowing optional!

1) Visualize the coffee you are about to sample. Observe its overall appearance, color and texture.

2) Smell the coffee. Best done closing your eyes to devote full concentration on the brew you are about to partake.

3) Taste/SLURP away. Suck as loudly as possible to make sure that the coffee is aerated and distributed across your entire palate. Take note of flavor hints during the initial, mid and pre-spitting/swallowing. This is where you decide if it is good or bad, and which sample suits your palate.

Till our next tasting session! Thank You Robert for always sharing your knowledge on coffee and everything related to it from farm to cup. Just proves time and again, you've BEAN THERE, BEAN THAT!

Seattle's Pike Place Market

Our Seattle revelry is not yet over. This time, feast your eyes (imagination included) as we share with you our PIKE PLACE MARKET experience. Yes, the same place where the FIRST ever STARBUCKS is located.

Cheeeeezy pose!

Overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront, it commenced operation in August 17, 1907. To date, PIKE PLACE MARKET  is the oldest fully operational farmers' market in the United States offering fresh produce, seafood, meat, bread, spices, unique foodie find, and handicrafts among others.

Fresh Pasta!!!

And true to its claim as a full-blown tourist attraction, people globally (estimated to be over 10 million annually) come in droves to experience the market's vast offerings, and witness the world-famous crew of fishmongers throwing fish and horsing around with visitors.

Below are some more snap shots of this food lovers' haven. One day is not enough for first timers AND hungry tourists like us - Happy Viewing!

Cherries Galore!

Elephant Garlic, anyone???

Every Day is V-DAY!

CRAB Mentality and beyond...

Artsy Postcards

All the more reason to plan another trip to Seattle. Lets??!

The Band of Four - Strikes Again!

Epic Coffee Roastery

"The next EPIC thing to rock Kapitolyo, Pasig City since POCO DELI!" 

Cool Caption don't you agree? This is a fact and not just a self-proclaimed tag-line, as proven by the dynamic duo of business (and husband and wife) partners Joy and Sonny De Leon, who transformed Poco Deli into a by-word for fine quality food. Take two for this Power Couple as they dip their gastronomic hands this time in the realm of Coffee and everything caffeine with the opening of EPIC COFFEE ROASTERY.

A top-of-the-line ASTORIA 2-group Espresso Machine, home made pastries, signature dishes and espresso-based drinks powered no less by STASERO Flavored Syrups go hand-in-hand with the apt interiors they themselves conceptualized, designed and executed. All these effortlessly equate to Sweet S-U-C-C-E-S-S!

What a great Christmas treat it was for me to be hand-picked to train their enthusiastic staff and crew in conceptualizing their "drinks menu." Though I'm always up for the challenge, part of me was nervous given the excellent reputation of this couple in the food business. The bar is definitely high, thus MUST NOT DISAPPOINT was my frame of mind entering the "arena."

After several hours of trials and sampling we finally came up with THREE "to-die-for" drinks: Matcha Green Tea Frappe, Sea-Salt Caramel Mocha Over Ice, AND their very own EPIC Frappe.

Don't take my word for it, head on down to EPIC Cafe and witness the golden taste buds of Joy and Sonny at its best!

* Epic Cafe is in the same row as POCO Deli, you can't miss it!

Caffeinated Xmas Gift Box

LOVELY!!! Most certainly an instant pick-me-upper (and post caffeine rush once consumed) when you open this Christmas package.

Though not really up our alley, it is next to impossible to turn down a favor from our avid supporter and Boss Ms. Sydney Go, STUDIO SnR's dynamic Director for Marketing, who asked us to come up with a Gift Box for her to give away to preferred clients and close industry allies. Something different, most definitely fresh, best off something to cherish (and not recycled) once possessed. Presto Pronto, BOYD's Coffee 200grams Espresso Italiano paired with 2 x 50ml STASERO Flavored Syrups.

Now to find out who's been naughty or nice in Sydney's list... Happy Holidays from STUDIO SnR  and FAR SKYES ENTERPRISE!

2012 Review

As I welcome 2013's arrival in a few blinks it's time once again to reflect on the what 2012 has meant to me. For some reason the year went by swiftly, probably a good sign since we know how things seem to "fly by" when one's busy, enjoying, or both.

Factory tour in Seattle, Washington.
Kiddo finally understands what his Daddy does for a living

A record-breaking Business Year for my company FAR SKYES ENTERPRISE, and I'm certain it will escalate further. The brands I globally source and represent have finally gained the much-needed attention they deserve, and I am truly grateful to those who believe!

A great year as far as health is concerned, special shout out to my Dad who victoriously overcame his bout with pneumonia. In a nutshell, viewing life as half-full I am glad to be able to spend another Christmas with him and my loved ones... Cheers to Life!

A fruitful year of traveling, being able to visit new States in the US: Washington (Seattle), Oregon (Portland), and Texas (Houston & San Antonio); and locally, touching base with Boracay anew.

My best friend who's in his late 40's became a Dad for the first time, and he's tremendously enjoying fatherhood so much so that he's contemplating on retiring to devote all his time, energy and psyche to his little bundle of joy. I'm glad he finally understands what I've been doing for the past 8 years. As my Dad always says, "Money is not an end in itself, a rainbow is ALWAYS better than a pot of gold."

Happy New Year!!! From my family to yours...