Towards the End of an Amazing Month of July

(L-R): Our Navigator friends from the US, Matthew Robert Rowe, Drew Lukes, and Trent Hannack, with my main man Glenn "Glen Dawg" Barria, each brought home a piece of Cafe Antonio Coffee. Thanks guys, we will see you on Facebook! (http://facebook.com/cafeantonioelbi). God bless you guys on your student ministry!

* After a few blog entries, July's finally coming to an end. It's already August on Saturday. July has always been a defining month for us. It's the time of year that Joyce and I turn a year older. And now we're 23, I wonder what would happen at this time of our lives? More challenges, definitely, of course that's always a given. But we pray that there would be more blessings ahead for us and the cafe that we love so much.

* Last week I realized that there's so much work to be done. Although the cafe performed very well last week in terms of sales (it's been the highest since May). And we thank God and our very loyal customers for that. We also thank our new customers for trying us out, we've been seeing a lot of new faces lately. I hope you guys would come back and bring your friends. Anyway, I'm still trying to work out some things to improve our products. We'll be telling you what those things are when we've done them already. We wouldn't want to disappoint you. Just pray that everything will work out well for us. As always (thankfully!), our bag of tricks is always full. Just be patient!

* The month gave me a lot of time to think. There was a time I was sad, feeling down and out, feeling empty and unproductive. There was also a time when I was just plain happy about what I'm doing. I really am happy to be your barista every Friday (showtime!) and Saturday. Talking to people making sure they get what they want, like the time when I talked to our customers, Terry and Duncan, about their affogato and stuff. The time when Ise taught me how to make the white chocolate iced americano. Ramhil and I drink 2 glasses of those almost everyday. There were also moments when everything felt like a hassle to me, sometimes I just don't want to think stuff over. And there were also moments when I had to get my old, crusty, Brent notebook and scribble things down to assure me that I have done something productive. It's just crazy. But I'm thankful.

* On August we will be releasing our new batch of shirts and mugs designed by Azzul Grapika. Check it out at the cafe or visit http://www.cafeantoniostore.multiply.com

* The month of August will also be featuring its FoM (Flavor of the Month): the ChocNut Frothiccino. It's a blended espresso beverage that tastes exactly like the classic Pinoy chocolate treat. It also has ChocNut chunks on top of the whipped cream. So watch our for it!

* That's it for now, please add us up at Facebook, Multiply, MySpace, Friendster, and Twitter. God bless us all!

We Got Older But We're Still Young!

Snippets of Last Week's Activities & Festivities

* Joyce just turned 23 last Saturday, which is amazing because we were just 21 years old (we were turning 22 that year) when we started the cafe at Elbi. Oh how time flies... Congrats and God bless Joyce!



* We would like to say thank you and goodbye to our new friends Lindsey Powell and Alissa Goodding -- the Cafe White Mocha Girls -- of the Navigators. They've been our loyal customers during their stay here in the Philippines. Almost everyday, they will arrive very early, several minutes before opening time, and then they'd have coffee at our shop at most two times a day! We would see them having Bible Study in the afternoon with UPLB students and spending time with the UPLB Navigators in the evening. The night before they left, we gave them a bag of Houseblend Coffee Beans, a PBJ poster, and a coffee mug. Says Alissa, " Your coffee is so far the best I ever tasted!" Well thanks guys! "Best" is such a big word, but wow, thanks for your opinion! We will miss you and we will always remember you and the support you have given the cafe. May God bless you and your student ministry with the Navs!




* We had a storm last week. The wind was very strong and it was raining hard. I woke up early one morning (Thursday, I think) and thought that we may have to close for the day if the rain would continue to pour that hard. It subsided and somehow, some sort of miracle just happened, the cafe was full the whole day. Hot coffee was served like water. It was great practice for latte art for Ramhil and I. Elbinizens, you guys are the bomb! Nakakaantok na nga, hassle pa lumabas, sarap matulog o mag Facebook, pero pumunta parin kayo sa Canton, adik! Galeng! We praise God for these blessings that we receive.



* Ise, our barista friend from Starbucks, taught me how to make an Iced White Chocolate Americano last Saturday. She told me a customer of theirs taught her how to do that. I thought that was very cool. So from now on I'll have an alternative to my daily dose of Double Americano. Thanks Ise!

* This has got nothing to do with the cafe but I would just like to share, hehe. Our graphic artist, Jeg, told me about a teriyaki recipe that involves breaded porkchop. I think that's just plain genius. I really appreciated my time talking about recipes and food with Jeg, can't wait to cook with him and try out his recipes.

* I just grew fond at the concept of people teaching me how to do things again, especially when it involves food and drinks. AND advertising. Thanks to Sherwin again for stimulating my mind again and challenging us to do more stuff for the cafe. Very healthy because being dull, stagnant, and complacent kills me.

* We have a new housekeeper at the cafe! Well, she's not exactly new, she was supposed to be our first one but she's back after 3 housekeepers left. Welcome back Ate Mila! I hope you would stay longer than the others. Cleaning in the morning and working at night is just plain wrong, it doesn't get any "wronger-rer" than that. I mean, you don't get to sleep anymore, you rest in between packets of time. The concept of morning, noon, and nigttime no longer exists. You wake up on the same day 3 times, weird weird weird. Anyway, I'm glad that's over. Moving on!

* The week looks very promising, we just paid our rent and we're ready for another six rounds of cafe life. Some people just enjoy doing the things they do, even if the pay's not that good, or now matter how repetitive things get, sometimes things just have to get done. We have come to accept that and it's very comforting to think that we have a role, no matter how small or big it is, in the lives of many. I love being a barista, it's my life and it will continue to be my passion. With that, we assure you guys that every drink we serve is a reflection of what we stand for, what we believe in, and what we love to do! Yeah!

* Be a Follower! Follow us on Twitter and read my live tweets everyday from 4 pm to 1 am. http://www.twitter.com/cafeantonioelbi

Some News and Notes

* For those of you who have been following us on Twitter for the past few weeks, you know what's been happening. If you're not yet a follower just create an account, it's very easy; you can also follow us on your mobile phone. http://www.twitter.com/cafeantonioelbi.

* July's feels really weird. We had the multicab accident, the pathetic bday dinner with Manong and Arnel, the showtime Fridays (3 weeks in a row!), the a(h1n1), the NBA transactions, Neil Rebua quotes from Zadl, Twitter, Opera Mini, Mobile Facebook, the July rain, cooking lunch and dinner at home while listening to a radio station you don't know (like a mom does), etc. Yes, I don't get the picture, really. It's like being sticky and dry at the same time. Stress, routine, redundancy, unpredictability, hassle-bility. Life in a nutshell.

* The Facebook Quiz that I posted yesterday has already been answered by 20 people. Just claim your prize at the cafe this week. Your prize is the result of the quiz, so it's either a choco chip cookie, oatmeal raisin cookie, a Bibingkinitan (http://www.bibingkinitan.com), a cinnamon roll, or a Blue Crush. Your prize is no longer valid next week.

* There will be another Facebook Quiz next week. It involves something called 1000 pesos. So be prepared and start reading the blogs in any Cafe Antonio website, especially Blogger (http://cafeantonioelbi.blogspot.com).

* Our FoM for July doesn't have coffee in it. It's the first and only FoM that isn't espresso-based. The drink is really difficult to make and I'm really proud of it because it doesn't have any blueberry syrup or sauce (except for the blueberry preserves) in it as a base but it still tastes like blueberry. It's still available, order it today!

* Thanks to all our customers, we have lots of new ones last week. It seems like every new person that comes in adds us up on Facebook. We have friend requests everyday. Kudos to hardcore followers on Twitter too.

* Signage lights are okay. At last we have lights, it has been dark up there for the past few weeks. It's really swell to see that yellow glow once again from across the street.

* We have never really formally introduced and welcomed our new cook, Joyceann Damian. Like Joyce, she's been my batchmate since elementary at MSMSI. Actually she sat in front of me back in Grade 5. She's replaced Bessy Espina, our junior barista/cook, who has been concentrating on her studies since she'll be graduating this semester. Thanks for the good times Bessy and welcome to the crew Joyceann!

* Given that, I have taken barista duty on Fridays and Saturdays, showtime days. Neil and Ramhil have been alternating as cook and barista.

* Well that's about it, it's already 11 am, I still have to deliver my laundry at Orange. Got up early, I was supposed to sell the Kia Carnival this morning. But it was moved this afternoon, no worries.

* Okay, see you this week! God bless!

What a Birthday Week!

July 1 - Dinner with friends (Mon, Jenni, Joyceann, Chino, Fidel, Paolo G., and JD) at Faustina's soft opening. Great food, you should visit it! Thanks Caio!

Happy Bday Jabez 2009
July 2 - My 23rd birthday! (click the link to watch the video)


July 4 - Accident at Tayuman with Manong, Zadl, Joyceann, and Yell. Got home at noon, went to work at 3pm. Hardcore!


July 5 - Birthday dinner with family and Manong & Zadl at Faustina's. Thanks again!

====================================================================

CAFE STUFF

FoM for July - Blueberry Cheesecake Blended Cream (Php 140)

Answer our Facebook Quiz and get a chance to win a free pasta, frothiccino, and tuna melt! Visit http://www.facebook.com/cafeantonioelbi

http://apps.facebook.com/quizdoyouknowme/take_quiz.jsp?q=15043407&key=8EYW

Still Available - Bibingkinitan Freshly Baked Mini Bibingkas (Php 25 each/Php 150 per box)

"WE SATiSFi WITH NO WiFi" shirts are no longer available. Watch out for new shirts on August! (http://www.cafeantoniostore.multiply.com)