Shopping Confessions of a Coffee Addict

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I LOVE coffee. How much? Let me count the ways:  I have 4 stove-top espresso makers of varying sizes, 3 French presses, 1 3-cup Chemex coffeemaker,  1 Vietnamese phin and 2 Kalita drippers. Whew!

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Needless to say, I am a coffee enthusiast.   So over the weekend, I went mock-shopping over at Shopback.ph for something that  can  make my coffee-drinking ritual even better.

COFFEE GRINDER

The first thing that attracted me was this classic hand-operated coffee grinder.

ADoseofSimple_NorPro_CoffeeGrinderI have a high-powered Lumina grinder at home but it is as noisy as hell. So for those days when I need to grind my beans quietly  (especially in the early mornings),  this classic NorPro manual coffee grinder is perfect.

PERMANENT FILTER

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Next on my list was this Medelco permanent filter. Made from high-quality surgical grade stainless steel, it is a great alternative to paper filters and comes with a 5 year manufacturer warranty.

STERLINGPRO STAINLESS STEEL COFFEE PRESS

 

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I have been coveting this French press for a while now but it’s not available here in the Philippines. Not until now. Yay!  The double wall stainless steel guarantees that the coffee will stay hot longer. The Double Screens System also prevents  coffee grounds from getting into your cuppa.  And when you purchase online, you will receive 2 free stainless steel screens. Wow, what a steel! (See what I did there? 😉 )

The great thing about Shopback is that it pays you to shop.  Seriously. You instantly get a rebate when you buy something. The rate varies depending on the store.  For Galleon where I did my virtual shopping, the cash back is 4%.  Not bad! (Note that shipping fees are not included in the price.)

Shopping is simple, too. When you go to the website,  you’ll see a list of merchant stores. Simply choose the store you want to shop in, make a purchase and voila!  Cashback will be awarded to your ShopBack account which you can cash out via your bank account or PayPal.

So now, I’m left to make a decision. I love all three products but to be honest, I’m leaning towards the coffee press. Hmmm…I think it’s a decision that should be mulled over a cup of latte.

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Food for Thought:

We want to do a lot of stuff; we’re not in great shape. We didn’t get a good night’s sleep. We’re a little depressed. Coffee solves all these problems in one delightful little cup.

Jerry Seinfeld

I like cappuccino, actually. But even a bad cup of coffee is better than no coffee at all.

David Lynch

Unwrapping Moleskine

Moleskine System

Hubby who knows how much I love Moleskine gifted me with my Weekly Notebook Diary/Planner for 2016. Hurray! I’ve been using Moleskine for so long but unwrapping one always makes me feel so… giddy. The sensation of opening a new notebook for the first time is priceless. I wanted to share with you my unwrapping ritual so I made a little video here. Enjoy!

 

Food for Thought:

The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.

-Melody Beattie

Up next:  My Moleskine System

RELATED READINGS:

My Moleskine Planner Hack

Moleskine Hack and Free Printables

 

Free 2016 Printable Calendar from A Dose of Simple

2015 has been quite a year for me. “Eventful” doesn’t even begin to describe it. But I’m not complaining. After all, I feel that I have accomplished so much in a span of 12 months.  I’m still wondering how I got out of 2015 still in one piece, though!  All I’m certain of is that the year has been quite a challenge. Some of the highlights of the year were:

  1. Being part of the lead team that covered the Papal Visit in Manila last January.
  2. Producing the film Ignacio de Loyola in Spain.  I won’t go into the details. Suffice it to say that it was a tremendous feat.  Read about it here.
Team Ignacio PinayTraveller
Team Ignacio in front of the Basilica de San Ignacio de Loiola

3. Living in Spain for almost two months (and a week in Paris, too!) I even celebrated my birthday in an obscure little bar somewhere in Loyola with this bunch:

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See more Parisian vignettes by clicking on the image.

4. Filming additional scenes of Ignacio de Loyola in Manila;  and

5. Finally finishing my thesis for my graduate studies. With all the things going on in my work life, it took a great amount  of determination (or a miracle?)  to be able to finish my research. And I’m finally graduating next year! Wohoo!

But the icing on the cake came before the year ended  when A Dose of Simple was nominated and became one of 6 finalists in the Best Lifestyle and Hobbies blog category at the recently concluded Philippine Blogging Awards.
Lifestyle and Hobbies

A much more popular blog won the coveted award, though. But I am nonetheless grateful. It was the first time this little blog has been nominated for anything. And being a finalist in a national competition is an accomplishment in itself.  So as a ‘Thank You’ to all of you who have supported and stayed with me the whole time (despite my being such a delinquent blogger),  I’m giving you a little gift:

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I hope you like it!   Print it out on a regular bond paper, clip it on a clipboard, and hang it on your wall. 🙂 Or resize it and attach to your planner.

You can download your  2016 CALENDAR HERE.

As we welcome 2016, I wish you all a productive and creative year ahead!

Food for Thought:

Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing. Believe in yourself. And believe that there is a loving Source – a Sower of Dreams – just waiting to be asked to help you make your dreams come true.

-Sarah Ban Breathnach

 

 

 

This Week on Instagram: Leathercraft, Relearning Old Skills, and a Pleasant Surprise

The past week has left me so stressed out, what with having to deal with my research (for my masters) and Kofi’s chronic dermatitis.

Good thing I had a bit of free time to spend on relearning how to cut and stitch leather— skills I have put aside for the past 12 years. The whole process relaxes me.

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I’ve turned my brother’s room into a studio recently (don’t worry, he’s moved out and has been living independently for a couple of years now).

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I have bought new tools and materials because I am seriously considering producing notebooks and small leather goods on a regular basis. I really do hope I will not lose the fire, so to speak.

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Repaired my old eyeglasses case

 

 

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Hopefully, my coin purses and power cord organizers will be available in my online shop soon!

 

Meanwhile, I received wonderful news in my inbox recently. Some weeks ago, a reader has nominated A Dose of Simple in the Philippine Blogging Awards or the Bloggys. Last Thursday, I found out that this blog is actually a finalist in the Lifestyle/Hobby Category! Can you imagine?!

 

Gala-Night-Final

I am actually competing with some really great blogs. (See the list here.) It would be fantastic if I win but (and I’m not being a hypocrite here) being a finalist is already a huge accomplishment. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the Gala Night because I’ve gone home to my Little Cottage by the Sea.

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I do hope everyone will have a great time on the 21st. As for me, I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Wish me luck!

Food for Thought:

When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.

-John Ruskin

 

Leather Notebook Project

Remember  the leather scraps I bought from Marikina a while back? Well, I’m happy to report that I was finally able to make a notebook from one big scrap.

The project was really meant to save the unused paper from this old notebook.

I just removed the cover and used it as the pattern for the new leather cover.

For closure, I used a lighter colored leather string and voila!

I’m so happy with how my little project turned out.  All I need now are proper tools and more leather scraps. Oh, and I need more time, too!

Food for Thought:

A part of my kind of design and inspiration ethos is that I carry around a leather notebook and I sketch in it, doodle in it, write notes in it, and I put pictures in it.

-John Varvatos

contemporary men’s wear designer

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