a sad coffee experience

the heat in davao is unbearable and one particularly hot afternoon, just the other day, as a matter of fact,  as i was leaving SM to claim my car from the 'in-house' carwash... he he, that was a very good example of a run on sentence, a really bad one. Lol, anyways, on with my story.

i espied the hot sun as i was about to leave SM and to delay my encounter with a blast of hot air, i decided to arm myself with a cold coffee.  i  dropped in on Karl's Koffee Korner and ordered a really cold and really strong frapp.  i was not familiar with the menu, so i asked help from the server.  he told me that their coffee frappe was the strongest, given that it is made purely of coffee, no chocolate or ice cream to tone it down.  i paid a hundred bucks for their coffee frappe and eagerly waited for my respite from the heat.

when the barista gave me my order i noticed that the color of the concoction seemed suspiciously pale, i took a sip and to my dismay, i tasted sweet and creamy with just a hint of coffee.  i told her that i asked for a really strong one and she answered me with 'but all our frappes are made from light coffee' [whatever that means].  i repeated that i ordered strong coffee. of course, she just repeated what she first said.

i asked why the other server said that it was a strong blend.  she countered me with, 'ah, among the 3 frappe flavors, that was the strongest, but it is made of light coffee.'  i was contemplating on just accepting my plight, i was too lazy to argue, when she [the barista] said, if i wanted it strong they can add espresso, but i have to pay an additional 60 pesos.  stupefied from the confusion, i agreed, paid the additional charge, and waited again.

after a few moments, my order was ready and looked slightly darker than what i was first served with.  thinking that i got what i paid for, a whopping P160.00 for a frappe, i accepted the coffee, stood up and left Karl's.  as i sipped it on my way to the car wash, i noticed that the thing was not as heavy as the original version they first gave me. my mouth then met a tepid, watery, and slightly bitter excuse of a coffee frapp.  and after a few sips, there was no more liquid left  the cup was still more than half full, of whipped cream that is.

let's just say that, the sun, and time, were on their side.  i had no intentions of marching back to Karl's and extending my 'fun' in the sun.  and i had to rush to the airport besides.  i muttered to myself why i didn't just accept the order as is.  cold, thick, creamy and sweet was definitely better than lukewarm, watery, and almost tasteless coffee.

lessons learned from the experience:

1. leave well enough alone
2. never go back to Karl's Koffee Korner

starting from the core

it's going to be my fifth session tomorrow.  and so far, i'm loving every minute of it.  i first got introduced to Pilates more than five years ago.  i was in cebu and one of my friends there asked me if i wanted to try a new fitness work-out she recently started.  one thing i couldn't forget about that session was the fact that it sapped out your energy, even if you hardly moved with your back flat on a mat 99% of the time.  it was one calorie-burning session indeed.  i never tried it again though, as i was in my active phase then, i preferred the usual weights and cardio exercises you usually get in gyms.

this time though, since i wanted something new and not so hard on the joints, i decided to try pilates again.  i checked out Coreworks Pilates, as recommended by my sister and some friends.  Conveniently located on my way to work, it was not difficult to decide on the place.

One big plus is the fact that your work-out sessions are done one-on-one with a certified instructor, i need all the pressure i can get.  my main goal is to lose weight but i soon learned that i could do that and so much more. I happily discovered that Pilates can do wonders for my posture and i'll dare hope a little bit more, i might even learn to move with more grace.  But the best thing about it is, it's one of the best exercises for scoliotics like me.

on the first meeting i was told that it was going to be a mental and physical exercise.  i soon learned what Marie, my instructor, meant as she started spewing out instructions for each and every movement you were supposed to make.  Focus is vital to execute a movement correctly.  Lose concentration for a moment and you suddenly have no idea what it is you are supposed to do.  in a way, it is a chance to forget about everything else.  forget about the work waiting for you in the office.  forget about what to prepare for dinner, forget about the errands you still have to do.  instead, you think about each flex and point you make, how you are supposed to keep your back flat while doing the leg movements, and making sure you are getting all the force and energy from your core [which simply means your abdomen].  if you manage to execute even just a few perfect moves, you are rewarded with a sore core the day after. =D

so if you are looking for that new thing that will drive you out of the gym rut, the ennui to get fit, try out the sessions at Coreworks Pilates.  They are one of only two centers in the Philippines who have authentic equipment and certified staff.  Yes the session rates are pricey but definitely worth every peso.

this picture from here.

Corework Pilates Rehab and Fitness Center

Patio Valencia Corporate Center, Jacinto-Mapa Sts.

Davao City, Philippines, 8000

Phone: 082-3008838

Open Mon - Sat: 8:00 am - 9:00 pm