The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's CBTL single serve beverage system

I usually start my day with a cup of coffee, which I brew, or get at at the nearest coffee shop. Nearing the end of the day though, I interchange my coffee intake with some tea selection. Admittedly, I am a Starbucks fan. :) But, more importantly, I am a coffee lover.

Recently, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf presents "the future of coffee and tea," as they say, through a personalized, single-serve, coffee and tea beverage system called the CBTL. CBTL is The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Caffitaly's combination of flavor and taste with Italian design and espresso making expertise. Ooohh!


Red Kaldi
"The CBTL was created as a response to how The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf understands and anticipates the needs of its customers. The growth of the specialty coffee industry in the last few years has been overwhelming, but consumption trends and customer desires have also shifted," expains Walden Chu, president of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Philippines. "Customers want the same cafe experience beyond the time they spend in our stores, and we want to make sure that we give it to them while staying true to everything that The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf stands for," he adds.


Silver Kaldi
CBTL delivers only the world's top 1% of specialty grade arabica coffee and tea through a complete beverage system. People will get to enjoy espresso, americano, cappuccino, flavored lattes, brewed coffee and tea, tea lattes as well as the hot vanilla and chocolate options that they have come to know and love from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

"The same flavor, taste and consistency that you expect from any hot drink you purchase from our stores is what you get from CBTL. One perfect cup, with just a single push of a button," says Walden.


Blue Kaldi
Current selection offers four brewed coffee and four espresso varients, as well as four of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's top selling tea blends, with the promise of more to come. (Brewed: French, Viennese, House, House Decaf; Espresso: Italian, Premium, Continental, Premium Decaf; Tea: Chai, English Breakfast, Tropical Passion, Moroccan Mint)

The capsules, readily available across all branches, are all vacuum-sealed to maintain freshness and full flavor; and once inserted to the machine, dispenses a steaming drink in less than 30-seconds.


The Kaldi - A more vibrant incarnation of the classic style, the Kaldi stands out with its dynamic colors and designs that bears its own distinct personality. The Kaldi comes in four different colors - Red, Blue, Silver and Gold, each has its own personality and appeal.

Crazy Katsu along Maginhawa

While driving down Maginhawa Street in Teachers Village, Quezon City with my family last week to satisfy our craving for Moon Leaf Milk Tea, we saw this brightly lit restaurant, Crazy Katsu, which, judging by its name, is a Japanese restaurant. We wanted to try it, but we already ate dinner that time.



I got the chance to try it some days ago, after work, with my colleague/friend Ly. We were hungry and craving, and decided to try Crazy Katsu, for the first time. Parking might be a problem, if Maginhawa is jam-packed with diners, but I am sure you will be able to find a parking spot. Patience is a virtue. :)



We were really hungry by the time we got to Quezon City, so we went straight to ordering. I got the Chicken Katsu, while Ly ordered the Tonkatsu. We also ordered the Gyoza. All orders of the "Katsu" came with a bowl of rice. The Chicken Katsu is fried boneless chicken strips, really spicy because of the chopped chili on top of it, marinated with a sour-spicy sauce over a bed of chopped cabbage. The food was good, nothing extraordinary, but for the price, it is something worth trying.



Ly got the Tonkatsu, which she says is okay. Nothing special, but I guess it satisfied her hunger. Fried pork strips, over a bed of chopped cabbage. It came with rice. Tonkatsu sauce and Japanese mayo were also served, which the customer gets to put them on top of the food, as much as he/she wants.



Crazy Katsu is located at #81 Unit I Maginhawa St., Teacher’s Village U.P., 1101 Diliman, Philippines. You can contact them at +632-435-0030. I would suggest that after you eat at Crazy Katsu, you go a few blocks down to Moon Leaf Tea Shop to try out their milk tea selection, which you would definitely go back for. ;)



All Photos are taken using an HTC Chacha, and the Camera360 application. Sorry for the quality of the shots.

Flapjack's Better and Bests are Back!

Due to insistent public demand, Flapjacks launches its "Back...Better...Best!" where it brings back all the much loved and missed signature Flapjacks dishes like the Original Hash Brown Burger (my favorite!!!). They brought back four dishes to the menu, including Mango Exotica (a salad dish), Chicken Stuffed Parmigiana (pasta), and Lemon-Pepper Pan Seared White Fish. I brought with me my friends to FlapJacks for lunch yesterday to try these yummy dishes. :)

Mango Exotica. Delight in the freshness of crisp romaine lettuce, sweet hints of California raisins; grilled chicken smothered with the zesty, tangy taste of mango vinaigrette and almond slivers for that extra crunch. This is definitely worth trying. I like how the dish blended well and tasted really fresh and light.



Go the extra nostalgic mile as you opt for Chicken Stuffed Parmigiana and once again savor the tender cheese-stuffed breaded chicken breast on top of a bed of linguine pasta and marinara sauce. Another must try. Everything was delicious.



Flapjacks is also proud to again offer its Original Hash Brown Burger, a huge pan-seared all-beef patty topped with hash brown and veggies in a hot bun and served with fries. Now this is the star among the four come-backs. I personally like this best among the rest. I can eat this anytime of the day :)



If it’s the fish you miss, don’t fret because the Lemon-Pepper Pan Seared White Fish is back to tickle your taste buds again. Give in to the mouth-watering taste of mildly-seasoned fried white fish and served with herbed rice and chef’s veggies. It was okay. I think the fish was too oily. It would be better if it was just steamed, topped with nice sweet and sour, or somewhat sweet/salty sauce...now that would be awesome!



Of course, the other stars of the menu are available any time of the day, from sun up to sundown. You can enjoy their breakfast staples like fluffy pancakes in different yummy flavors, appetizers, meat and seafood entrees, sandwiches and desserts. So, what are you waiting for? :)

Hisense Mini HB200M Mono Headset

Another cool headset that deserves a second look, is the Hisense Mini HB200M Mono Headset, which is a cool, fashionable and useful tool for on the go people who need or want to connect with their mobile phones hands-free.

The Hisense HB200M is a small-sized and lightweight (only 7.5 grams) Bluetooth headset that combines functionality with style, which is very easy to use. It comes with a magnetic clip that enables you to wear the headset as a necklace, when you are not using it, and keep it reachable all day long, around your neck.



What's nice about this headset is that it has a multi-point connection, which enables you to connect to 2 Bluetooth devices, at the same time you can connect it to two (2) mobile phones. You can also connect it to your mobile phone and to your computer to use it with your IM software for making VoIP calls.

Inside the box, it comes with a mini-headset, a magnetic clip, a necklace, three (3) ear bud sizes, an in-ear bud, a flexible ear hook, a USB charging cable, and a USB AC charger. All these for a suggested retail price of Php 1,450.00.

Specifications:

150 hours of standby time
5.5 hours of talk time
7.5 grams only
Bluetooth 2.1 - compatible with other Bluetooth devices with Bluetooth V 1.1 or higher
Up to 2 paired devices
Connect 2 mobile phones at the same time
Radio Frequency of 2404MHz-2481MHz
Rechargeable Li-polymer 55mAh battery
Approximately 3.5 hours of charging time
Available in silver, champagne, red, green and white

Available at the following stores:

5th Ave., ADI, Anson's - Home.Connect, Astrovision, Beeper City, Beyond The Box, Bionic HD, Bluelite, BSD, Cell Power Sales, Celvitek, Comcentre, Datamax, Digital Hub, Digital Hub - CDO, Digital Walker, E-Central - Cebu City, EYO, First Choice, Cellphone - Tagum City, Gadgets in Style, Games and Gadgets, Globotel, Graphic-All-In - CDO, iCenter - Davao City, iBook - Clark, iStudio, Itelecom, Jerry Solutions, Mobile Care, Mobile Experts, Mobile Territory, New Venice, Owtel, Oxvor, Power Mac Center, Power Telecom, Power Hub - Davao City, Round Circle, R.O.X., Sir, Lance, Senco Link, Star Circle, Switch, Techno Kid, Techno Mobile Hub, Technoholics, TechTel, The A. Shop, The Inbox Store - Pampanga, Topnet, Unitech, Urban Athletics, Xsite Mobile

Hed Kandi's Disco Heaven Pure Kandi Black Headset

I noticed a lot of people are into headphones nowadays, with my own set of friends, purchasing different kinds of headsets which suit their needs, style and comfort. While others prefer cordless ones, which probably run on Bluetooth technology, others would still prefer wired ones, due to style or to suit their fashion.



One of the leading headsets in the market right now are those by Hed Kandi, one of the world's "most fabulous music and lifestyle brand." From a record label, to a chain of bars, a fashion brand, and a radio show and an international clubbing sensation, Hed Kandi "defines the sound and vision of the international party scene."

Their headphones are not only uniquely fashion-focused but they also have the look and feel of a designer product at a competitive high street price, designed to suit the fashion forward, glamorous and trendy consumer. The range features a wide selection of products from the Kandies in-earphones which look good enough to eat and are sold in unique sweetie packaging to the over-ear, superlight and hair-friendly Disco Heaven Pure Kandi, available in four eye catching colors.


The Hed Kandi Disco Heaven Pure Kandi is really a lightweight, which is its advantage, because you can bring it anywhere you go. It is also foldable and easily stored, so it is great for travel. The quality of sound of the earphones is not at all bad. You can definitely hear the sounds clearly and experience music just as if you are in an actual party. At an SRP of Php 1,990, it's actually a good buy! :)


PURE KANDI
TECH SPECS
• Driver diameter: 50mm
• Frequency response: 20-20,000Hz
• Impedence: 32 Ohms
• Sensitivity: 103 dB
• Max input power: 100 mW
• Cable length: 1.5m

Arouse your aural senses and book yourself a ticket to destination chic with these high-fashion headphones easily packed away with foldaway design for any jet setter's luggage. The fashionisto in you will love the unique ultra-thin, adjustable headband suitable for any hairstyle, whilst your ears will be thanking you for the ultra soft ear-pads with metal exterior.

Hed Kandi is available at these stores: Power Mac, Power Hub, iStudio, Astrovision, Technoholics, Bratpack, Mobile 1, Xsite, 8 Telecom, Abenson, Electroworld, Digital Hub, Digital Walker, and Beyond The Box.

Starbucks Crème Brûlée Macchiato comes back!

Arriving tomorrow, with the new breakfast treats from Starbucks, is the Crème Brûlée Macchiato, Starbucks' signature espresso based drink which will be available in hot, iced and blended beverage - this will surely be a treat for coffee lovers out there! :)

Crème Brûlée Macchiato - Experience uplifting warmth with this creamy mix of crème brûlèe flavored syrup and freshly steamed milk marked with bold Starbucks® espresso, topped with velvety foam and finished with a roasty, dark caramel drizzle on top.

Iced Crème Brûlée Macchiato - With the same delicious flavor of the Crème Brûlée Macchiato, the Iced Crème Brûlée Macchiato offers a refreshing alternative for someone looking for a cool and indulgent treat. Chilled milk mixed with crème brûlèe flavored syrup marked on the top with our intense Starbucks® espresso and a roasty, dark caramel drizzle hits the perfect note.

Crème Brûlée Frappuccino® blended beverage - The rich flavor of our crème brûlèe syrup blend together beautifully with Starbucks® Frappuccino® Roast coffee, whole milk, and ice, and is then topped with whipped cream and our dark caramel drizzle. It’s the perfect mid-day treat to indulge in the decadent flavors you deserve.

Starbucks' new breakfast items available starting September 13

More often than not, I start my day with a perfect cup of brewed coffee and something delicious to eat. Where else do I find myself having that perfect morning combination than at Starbucks. There are three Starbucks stores near my office, two along Roxas Boulevard (UN), and one at Robinsons Manila. I often visit the latter. But now, there's one more which opened recently.

Right now Starbucks Philippines opened a new heritage concept store at the J.P. Laurel Building along Roxas Boulevard, near the Diamond Hotel and the Ramon Magsaysay Building. It has a distinct 70's architectural look, which features and serves great tribute to former Philippine President Jose P. Laurel. It opens as early as 6:30am during weekdays and 7:30am during weekends, and closes at 1:30 am on Fridays and Saturdays and 12 am during the rest of the week.



Besides this exciting store opening, starting September 13, Starbucks will have these new yummy breakfast treats in their stores in Metro Manila and in stores nationwide. The first two will be (Available in all Starbucks locations except in Baguio, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, CDO, Davao, Iloilo and Naga), while the others will be available in all Starbucks stores nationwide :)

FRENCH TOAST - It is the perfect start to your busy day - 2 slices of moist and buttery bread served with Maple flavored syrup. French toast is one of the “happy foods” that brings a smile to everyone’s face. Best served warm.


SPINACH, FETA AND EGG WRAP - Hearty whole wheat pita bread filled with scrumptious spinach, egg, feta and tomatoes. A savory and satisfying way to start your day. Best served warm.



BANANA CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT TART - Irresistibly delicious, this buttery flaky pastry dough is filled with flavorful hazelnut spread, chocolate chips and real banana slices. A wonderful way to start the day or a mid afternoon boost with your favorite coffee. Best served warm.


ROASTED CHICKEN EGG CUP TOAST - A crispy whole wheat bread cup filled with flavorful cream egg custard and cubes of slowly roasted chicken fillet seasoned with Italian herbs. Delicious served hot or cold.



SPINACH, ARTICHOKE, MUSHROOM AND MOZZARELLA ON RYE BREAD - Our new vegetarian sandwich has everything you need for the day. A crusty warm artisan rye bread stuffed with a delicious blend of cheese, spinach, artichoke, mushrooms, garlic and onions. A vegetarian’s delight!


SPAM® CLASSIC, EGG AND CHEESE ON CORNMEAL BREAD - This sandwich is so hard to resist. Because when you combine a slice of Spam, creamy scrambled egg layered with melted American Cheddar cheese on artisan cornmeal bread, you get a simple but mouthwatering sandwich.



TURKEY & CHICKEN HAM, EGG WHITE AND EMMENTHAL ON WHOLE WHEAT CORNMEAL BREAD - If you want a flavorful sandwich but with less fat, this savory breakfast sandwich is for you. It is made with slices of turkey and chicken ham, Emmenthal cheese and egg white on a toasty warmed whole wheat cornmeal bread.


VIGAN LONGANIZA, EGG, AND MOZZARELLA ON WHOLE WHEAT PANDESAL - A famous Filipino breakfast made into a gourmet sandwich. We combined garlicky, spicy, tangy and salty Vigan longaniza with tomato salsa and mozzarella cheese on a warm whole wheat Pandesal



Photos courtesy of Starbucks Philippines :)

Beyond The Box opens at Resorts World Manila

BEYOND THE BOX, a new Apple Premium Reseller, opened recently at the Newport Mall in Resorts World Manila, Pasay City. I was invited to its grand opening last August 26, together with other bloggers. The new store offers a complete range of Apple products, such as the Macbook Pro, iMac, Macbook Air, Mac mini, Mac Pro, iPad, iPod, iPhone, along with a wide range of accessories.

“We’re very excited to open a new Apple Premium Reseller store,” said Gerald C. Senolos, General Manager for Sales, Marketing and Services of Beyond the Box. “Customers can now visit one store to try and purchase the full range of Apple products and accessories.  We offer amazing personal service for home and business users that includes installation and training," he said.


At Beyond the Box, knowledgeable experts are available to help visitors learn about all the latest products from Apple. Offering service and advice from experts for both consumer and professional customers, Apple Premium Resellers also offer regular in-store demonstrations and training to help customers get the most out of their purchases.


During the grand opening, I spotted my cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Kingsu, and their friends, who kept me company during and after the event. Some of us also won items such as headsets, bags, etc. from the raffle that night. It was a great event, a great night -- an opening of an Apple store is always worth celebrating. :P



   3rd floor shop 6, Resorts World Manila, 
   Andrews Ave. Newport Mall, Pasay City 1309. 
   Tel. no.: 846-2390
   Email: www.beyondthebox.ph
   Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondthebox.ph
   Twitter: beyondtheboxRP

New Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez announced at Malacanang

This noon, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ramon Carandang officially announced before the Malacanang Press Corps (MPC) the appointment of Ramon "Mon" Reyes Jimenez, Jr. to the Department of Tourism, as its new Secretary, upon the resignation of Secretary Alberto Aldaba Lim which took effect August 31, 2011.

Secretary Carandang's statement, which gave a brief background on the new Secretary is found in the Official Gazette. Carandang formally introduced Secretary Jimenez to the public.

SECRETARY RAMON R. JIMENEZ, JR.

It is with great humility I accept the role of Tourism Secretary to President Benigno Aquino III. In accepting this role, I am keenly aware that I will succeed only if I begin by rallying the DOT staff, the team, tourism practitioners, government bureaucracy and the general public around one very simple idea.

TOURISM IS THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.

Ang turismo po ay negosyo ng taumbayan.

As such its ultimate goal is not merely to improve statistics on tourist arrivals. Its real goal is to generate fulfilling and profitable income and employment for our people. In an area of endeavor where Filipinos tend to excel, I have much to contribute in terms in bringing strategic discipline to the challenge of promoting and developing the Philippines as one of the world's most exciting destination brands.

I am thankful to Secretary Lim for the important gains achieved in terms of preparing the way for a truly progressive and aggressive Philippine tourism industry.

To President Aquino my thanks for the trust and confidence. I will do my best to make tourism a hallmark of his administration’s drive to bring our people to the road to richer and prouder future.

Thank you.

After his speech, he entertained a few questions. Here are some of the questions he answered from the MPC:

SANDRA AGUINALDO: The tourism industry is not just about advertising. What do you plan to bring in or contribute to the Department of Tourism?

SEC. JIMENEZ: You’re very right. Advertising in fact is not about slogans. Advertising is about strategic discipline. In fact, I am a marketing communications person when you think about it because that’s what we need. We need a real insight into the market place and a solution. I am engaged in solution finding and marketing communications for very many years. So you’re very right to ask that question. It’s not just that. In fact, job number 1, is to galvanize the DOT staff into an honest to goodness selling unit. Kasi yun naman ang trabaho namin eh. Mga tindero kami, actually.

ROSE MIRANDA: Kelan kayo nainform ng Presidente? Ano ang marching orders niya sa inyo?

SEC. JIMENEZ: Sufficed to say, it was fairly recent. He really thought about it long and hard. My marching orders as I mentioned earlier are really very simple. Tourism is the people’s business. We have no business in engaging in this industry if it’s not going to benefit our people. So we’ve got to built an entire industry that’s focused on generating income and employement.

ROSE MIRANDA: May mga dating programs ba si Secretary Lim na itutuloy ninyo?

SEC. JIMENEZ: My fervent wish is that I will be able to keep what I will find. Momentum is very important at this marketing game. So the answer is yes, yes, as much as I can keep.