Just a quick post because I’m a spazz and totally forgot I pretty much already recapped Fitness (I blame lack of carbs :p). So I’ll recap Figure Finals quickly, then move on to what I’ve been up to since.

Saturday

I spent the morning watching Bikini finals, which two girls from STS were competing in.

Figure Finals were short & sweet. They had us all walk out, called out top 5, then top 5 re-posed and then they announced the winner. Seriously, it was that fast and they hardly gave you time in each hold before they called to turn. So as you saw yesterday, I was not called out, and I only found out later that I was 6th.. by 2pts!

After Figure Finals I was granted a “healthy cheat,” and I went with a Turkey Sandwich on Sourdough with Avocado, Swiss and Tomato.. it was fantastic. I also order Onion soup, but only ended up taking a few sips, I was stuffed!

Carb-tastic Yumminess!

Sunday

I had some time to relax and catch up on my Reader Sunday morning before my noon flight. But look what I found at the airport on the way home

Even though it took everything in my power to get there, once at the gym I got in a great Back & Shoulders workout, please 30 minutes Cardio. It felt so awesome! I hadn’t worked out since Tuesday, which was the longest I’d gone without working out since April!

No Case of the Mondays

I was up early to be at the gym by 6:15am for a leg workout with my trainer. Then it was home where I whipped up a fantastic breakfast. Mixed this one up a bit by adding a 1/4 cup of oats,  a couple tablespoons of Sugar-Free Cookie Dough Syrup and a ton of Cinnamon to get an awesome moist Snickerdoodle Protein Pancake. Delish!

Cinnamon <3

Next I was off to school for one class, then work for a few hours, then Spin! It’s funny, I’m still sporting a lovely orangey tan, so every so often I catch myself in the mirror and do a double take.

I don’t have school or work Wednesday, so tomorrow’s my Friday, woot woot! That leaves me with all sortsa time to prep for this weekend. My parents are coming in Thursday, which I am super excited about, so they’ll be here for my competition Saturday, then we’re doing a belated Thanksgiving on Sunday!

As you can imagine I’ve been planning this meal for ages, it helps that my parents are amazing cooks. Post on that coming up  because I’d love your feedback and ideas too! Ok, gotta finish up a little reading for tomorrow. Have a wonderful Tuesday lovelies!

I can’t believe Monday is already over and I only have to work one more day this week, woo hoo! Sorry for those of you who have to work more than that though. I’ve been there.

Breakfast this morning was oat bran (cooked with water) with peanut butter and a sliced banana. Simple and delicious.

It was also quite filling! My mom took me to Starbucks this morning (becoming a Monday tradition!) and all I could bring myself to drink was a black coffee. But I really enjoyed it, which got me thinking…that is how I prefer it

Mid-morning I snacked on some carrots + hummus, always a good thing.

Good snack, bad picture.

Then for lunch, I tried another soup from Dr. McDougall’s!

I was pretty impressed at how much soup this was, my bowl almost wasn’t big enough!

This was my favorite one so far! Look at all the veggies:

I would definitely get this one again! Lots of veggies with barley and lentils mixed in. Pretty filling too.

I snacked on a grapefruit after Exercise Science class which was very interesting today, all about overtraining.

I normally don’t eat this much fruit in a day but my mom gave me this a while back and I wanted to eat it before it went bad. It was delicious!

I also had a second snack later in the afternoon which was like a homemade trail mix with mixed nuts and raisins. I think next time I’ll add a few chocolate chips too (sorry no pic).

After work, I hit the gym for a quick upper body training session. It was one of those days when I only had 30 minutes to work out and I could’ve easily just blown it off but instead I made due with what time I had!

• Warm up: 5 minutes walking on the treadmill
• Chest presses: 20# dumbbells, 1×12, 1×8, 1×8
• Military shoulder presses: 15# dumbbells, 1×10, 1×8, 1×8
• Bicep curls: 15# dumbbells, 1×12, 1×10, 1×12
• Tricep extensions: 20# dumbbell (1), 1×12, 1×8, 1×8

For dinner,  I had a repeat of last night’s black bean burger only this time I had a potato and salad with it (sorry no pic again, I was lazy today).

After I ate, my friend Candy came over for a walk. We did 3.3 miles, which I know for a fact thanks to Map My Run, a really great website for mapping distances.

How do you determine distances? Do you use a website, a Garmin, pedometer, etc?

I was feeling pretty hungry tonight so I snacked on two slices of Ezekiel 7 grain bread with peanut butter and chocolate chips. I’m good now!

Hope you had a good Monday friends

XD es que no puedo dejar de recordar las declaraciones de la sexy Megan, alegando que TODAS las mujeres piensan que es una zorra solo porque es bonita y por el cuerpo de tentacion que tiene, pues para que vean que ella es una actriz seria y dama de sociedad, salieron a la luz las fotos que realizo para el New York Times Magazine, abriendo las piernas como es su costumbre y dejando ver un poco de su vajay yay!! claro Megan, despues de esto NADIE creera que eres una puta… bitch please!

click en las pics para agrandar

]]> http://queenvanna.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/celebrating-christmas-early/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:17:43 +0000 queenvanna http://queenvanna.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/celebrating-christmas-early/

today was filled with all kinds of excitement.

red shoes

peppermint mocha

christmas portraits and

santa!  babycakes bowed out at the last minute, but we have to go back to the mall at least 2x more before christmas, so there’s still time.  or like babycakes said “maybe next year, when i’m 4.”

Hey friends! So I’ve finally got some news on the work front. I’m just gonna tell you right now because I’m a blabber mouth who sucks at telling secrets, and I’ve already been tweeting about it all day

So first off, I got hired at Starbucks! Yayyyy! I’m going to be working as a full-time supervisor for the next few months, and start training this week. I’m happy there will be no void in my paychecks, and the Starbies job should actually pay just as much as the reporter gig

I’m not going to just be working at Starbucks though. You all know I realized a long time ago that I do not want to be a daily reporter, and I don’t want to be a PR person unless I find the perfect company. These are the only things my skills and background would allow me to do.

But why just do what my background allows? Especially if it would just make me miserable? (again) So I’ve decided to instead follow my heart, my gut and my passions. I’m throwing all sense and rationality to the wind and working toward a personal training specialist certification with CanFit Pro (Canada’s national standard).

I know, right? Me? A personal trainer? Why not!? Exercise and fitness isn’t just a phase or a hobby, it’s my life. What draws me to jobs like reporting and Starbucks are the people. I love meeting fabulous people, and even more I want to help the ones that are looking for it. My mom told me this wonderful thing along the lines of “the day you discover your passions is when you’ll never work another day in your life.”

Of course, I expect to work And I expect it to be hard at times. I don’t also plan on plugging away with people at the gym all day. I plan to continue my education with a future certification as a Nutrition & Wellness Consultant. Perhaps I’ll even want to be a class instructor – who knows! Basically, I see this as the first step in many steps to come. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m taking a step forward, and not just another step back.

I also plan to keep the journalism thing up. My new experience and titles will allow me to delve further into health and wellness writing. I’m lucky to have made a lot of contacts in journalism school, and I have a long list of Canadian publications I hope to freelance for.

I’m so excited!!!

And before we move on, I have something else I have to get off my chest – I’m back on the VitaMuffins.

I toasted my favourite deep chocolate flavour last night and put some marshmallow fluff on top. ohmysweetlord. It got crunchy on the outside, but soft and melty on the inside, then the fluff was all frosting-like on the top. Every single bite was worth every penny spent

Breakfast this morning was not very photogenic, which usually equals deliciousness.

Two Nature’s Path flax waffles smothered in 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 tbsp almond butter, 2 tbsp faux-syrup (mixed with a hand blender). And sprinkled with cinnamon of course. SO good! Freezer waffles are only filling when you throw protein + fat into the mix.

Then it was off to BodyStep, ie the funnest class ever (sorry spin, you hurt too much to be fun ). Step class is definitely not one of those workouts you can just phone in. You definitely get out of it what you put in, more so than some of the other classes. I think that’s why I always come out feeling so satisfied and accomplished

Afterward, I came home and drank some chocolate Amazing Meal blended with almond milk, half a banana, yogurt and ice.

 
I was a sweaty mess. But I had to look decent for my job interview this afternoon. Enter lots of showering, hair straightening, caking on make-up, ironing clothes (ugh) and digging out accessories and voila!

Hi!! I’m actually modelling my new necklace and earrings. For years I wore nothing but giant flashy earrings, but I’ve been on a chunky necklace kick lately. And I’m a sucker for girly flowers

And apparently the gussying up worked!

Oh, and there was a lunch, carefully eaten as not to spill anything on myself.

Smoked salmon on a bagel with laughing cow cheese, capers and spinach and an orange on the side. This salmon is local bbq flavoured stuff. SO good!! We Maritimers know how to do our smoked salmon

After all my running around, I came home and tried out my other KIND bar. This time in Walnut & Date.

I had high hopes for this bar after Kath raved about it on her blog recently. Plus, dates are one of my favourite foods and I love them in just about anything. But, I wasn’t a huge fan! Maybe my expectations were just too high. I loved the walnuts, their texture reminded me a lot of sugar cookies. But I couldn’t really taste the dates. Honey is the third ingredient, and it was definitely the overpowering flavour in this bar.

Supper was (what else) chicken salad pita made with my leftover roast chicken from yesterday.

YUM!! You can see my running hat in the background. Meh. I’m a slob.

Finally, you may be wondering what “To the stars on the wings of a pig” means. Technically, it’s “Ad astra per alia porci.” It was the motto and personal stamp of John Steinbeck and appeared on the insert of all his books. It was a jab at an old teacher who once told him he’d only be a successful writer when “pigs flew.” I studied Latin and have a soft spot for Latin phrases. I’ve adopted it as my personal motto, to remind me that anything is possible

P.S. I’ve updated my About page so feel free to go check it out!

Till next time!

Una foto scattata quasi di nascosto per non dar nell’occhio… già i newyorkesi non capirebbero il gesto… un piccolo gesto, uno scatto fotografico per regalare ad alcuni amici un profumo fatto di ricordi…

Ricordi di un qualcosa, di una città che anche loro amano, per tutto: lo shopping, il cibo, la gente, i suoni (anche ora sono qui con la finestra aperta e gustarmi le sirene, mi fanno impazzire nel senso buono del termine) le luci, le attese, le feste, i marciapiedi alti… qui sanno ingigantire tutto ma sanno far festa. Ecco un’altra cosa che da noi abbiamo perso, aspetto ancora un parlamentare che getti il suo tempo per fare una bella interpellanza e dirci dov’è finito il natale in italia…

Sono in una zona di New York, che ammetto, conoscevo di sfuggita, una parte di città nascosta ai più, a quei turisti o quelle persone che si fermano all’89esima (se mai sono andati al museo di storia naturale…). Mi piace… è una NY strana, sembra una continua location di film, dalla mia finestra mi sembra di vedere un film ambientato nella londra di Dickens…

E tutto questo partendo da un Gingerbread Latte e una fetta di ice lemon cake…

Vali, Marco, Laura… so che capite… so che MI capite.

Red cups are back!  I know, I know, they’ve been back for ages, but I had my first gingerbread latte of the season today so am feeling suitably festive.  It’s like Christmas in a cup!  And this year Starbucks even have these dinky little Christmas tree decorations (or ‘holiday ornaments’, in Starbucks speak) which I am completely in love with.  Aren’t they adorable?

Another of today’s festive finds is this gorgeous Christmas card from Oxfam.  Isn’t it stunning?

I’ve also been loving this exciting array of advent calendars in the free Tesco magazine (yes, the same magazine from which I got that soup recipe; I do love a free magazine!).  Aren’t they fun?

I’m not sure why I’m asking so many questions today.  Perhaps I’m trying to coax you into the festive spirit with me!

I fans della serie tv True Blood saranno già in cerca dell’ultima creazione della HBO, la rete televisiva che produce e trasmette il telefilm negli USA. Di cosa stiamo parlando? Della nuova bevanda, creata ad immagine e somiglianza del Tru Blood bevuto dai vampiri della serie. Si, perchè la saga parla dei vampiri che, grazie all’invenzione del sangue sintetico, possono vivere allo scoperto e mescolarsi agli umani, senza far loro del male. Chiaramente il packaging del Tru Blood prodotto dalla HBO è uguale a quello delle famose bottigliette del film, ma nella realtà non è sangue sintetico, ma una semplice bevanda a base di succo d’arancia. La domanda è: diventerà un successo e verrà importata anche in Italia? Non si sa mai che diventi un accessorio di stile, come è successo con i bicchieri di Starbucks. Per ora potete trovarla sul sito web.

Vi ricordo che stasera è in onda la terza puntata della seconda serie di True Blood, su Fox. Da non perdere.

With the economy still in a rut, more businesses are looking for ways to differentiate themselves by “doing good” this holiday season.

Starbucks is promoting the Starbucks Love Project, contributing $1 to the Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa for every $15 spent in its stores.  In addition, customers who spend $15 will receive a free Love CD, featuring music by U2, Dave Mathews Band, John Legend and Playing For Change.

Banana Republic is also getting in on the action with its own “do-good” efforts, called One + All.  The New York Times reported on it in a recent article, Shopping for Clothing, Donating Time:

“Beginning with events on Nov. 13 and 14 at five of its New York City stores, including the SoHo location, the retailer will introduce a new charitable concept by trying to play matchmaker between its customers and dozens of organizations where they might like to volunteer.”

Obviously, these are just two examples of what are sure to be dozens upon dozens of  “giving back” initiatives this holiday season.  My only question is “Why are these businesses limiting themselves and these kinds of initiatives to just this time of year?”

I can only imagine these kinds of initiatives, in one form or another, would help drive traffic all year long.  Surely, there must be a way to redesign their business models so that these kinds of programs are available year round.

If you see other examples out there, please let me know…

I consider this to be a subject that I am well aware of, being a Barnes & Noble Cafe customer. I come, sit at a table (preferably one next to an outlet), do my work, and people watch. Through my procrastination & people watching, I have come to learn a few things about the cafe customers. Most can fall into certain categories, to which I have made up.

Category 1: The Creepy Guy Next Door

Everyone knows this guy. The one that sits, with no book/computer, and stares…at everyone! They look normal, but nope, totally creepy. My advice, sit as far away as possible & out of the stare zone.

Category 2: The Creepy Guy Next Door, Part 2

Same as above, but this creepster has a book & pretends to read.

Category 3: The Retired Guy

This customer is the same as the creepy guy, just not creepy! He is generally a sweet looking older man who has nothing to do but come to Barnes & Noble and waste time. He will generally try and spark up a conversation. Topic of choice: past wars he fought in

Category 4: The High Schooler

They have no purpose but to annoy those around them with loud & pointless phone calls about high school drama “Seriously, she said WHAT?!!?”  They will also have a hot chocolate in hand to look cool and make people think they are drinking coffee.

Category 5: The Wedding Planner

Ohhh they are everywhere! Always meeting clients (the Bride) to discuss flowers, colors, how to tame unruly groomsmen, and to gossip about other couples.

Category 6: The Blind Date

These people are very easy to spot. One person arrives early & gets their coffee & a magazine and sits waiting nervously. Then when their blind date shows up (IF they show up), it leads to an awkward “hello, nice to meet you” introduction and the guy getting nervous, hitting the table & coffee goes everywhere.

Category 7: College Students

This is a category I am far too familiar with. They always look stressed, impatient & can be bitchy when bothered. And if you are sitting at a table next to an outlet WITHOUT a computer, you better move because the stink eye look can kill. Students can easily be picked out by the computer, venti coffee, and messed up hair/clothing.

Category 8: The Church Ladies

Really, does this need an explanation?

Category 9: Business Men

Always in a rush, always loud, and always dressed to the 9s. Ready to make a deal?

Category 10: Everyone else.

So how did I do? I know there are categories I left out, so please feel free to submit your Barnes & Noble stories. The same categories apply to Starbucks customers!

Enough procrastination for today…I’m off to move to a nearby table with an outlet now that Creepy Guy has moved!

“Bye Ely! had a great time here. Magrereport muna ako sa Starbucks.” We both laughed as I waved  goodbye.  That was 11:45 Pm when I left  and they we’re doing their “cash-count” at Café Noriter- Taft before finally calling it a night.

It was after a regular formal-attire Monday when i  decided to stay up late sa school. While trying to feel the new metal yet comfortable chairs na nasa hallways ng Mutien and Duerr Hall ng CSB, I went out to look for a place para mag-aral and saw myself entering the narrow gate beside Tapa King along Estrada St.

I had great time and coffee while talking with a  forward-looking Manager (who is at her twenties) slash Barista who  graduated 4 years ago at TUP (Technolohical University of the Philippines) with a COM-SCI degree and a major in Management regarding how she started and how she was handles Café Noriter.

“Hindi ako ang may-ari nito, I just applied here as a barista after taking up a technical course in coffee making sa Tesda. Fortunately the owner was looking for a manager and that is how I got here”, She replied as she offered me  a honey-ahsgahs bread (I cant remember kung ano yon pero it was delicious).

She first worked at PLDT as a Call-center agent and she was one blessed woman to handle an embarking coffee shop, handle the Marketing concerns and lead a team of 2 other colleagues from Tesda.

Ely, just like any starting up companies has to consider and should have a broad knowledge with the 3C’s that Josiah Go (a renowned marketing expert) laid. They are the Company, Competition and the top most priority: The Customers.

As we know, there are clusters of coffee shop now and competition is very tight. A great challenge for a manager like Ely is how to bring something new to the market.  How you can make your actual buyers spread the word through satisfaction and increase your potential buyers.

For 110 pesos or a mug of Café Mocha, here are some of my randomly asked questions that Ely generously answered:

Q: San nyo naisip yang mga customer designed cups gallery?

A: Inadopt lang namin yan  from the first Noriter-Dumaguete. As of now, ginawa na naming syang 5 pesos kasi yung iba binabasta lang and they even put obscene words. Di ko nga alam kung pano gagawin namin dito (pointed her finger to a sack filled with hand-designed cups). We are even thinking of a competition for this month of December.

Q: What makes you different from other coffee shops?

A: First is yung environment namin. We want the customers to feel na nasa bahay sila. Sa Korea kasi when you say coffee shop, it is a place where in you can relax and just have a cup of coffee.  And from the Korean word “Noriter” meaning playground, we modified our interior design as we did with our first branch here in the Philippines: Dumaguete. Integrate coffee shop with playground, you have Café Noriter.  Second is yung coffee namin na hindi nalalayo sa quality ng leading coffee shops. We are using world class coffee beans and most of them are imported from other countries.  And lastly is the way we treat our customers and employees, we have promos that would keep you inviting friends and getting free cups of coffee.

Q: How much would I need to start my Café Noriter?

A: Rough estimation ko, siguro 6 Million you can now start your business.

Q: How were your Sales so far?

A: So far, so good. Before bukas-sarado kami. But as of now, madaming customers kapag Tuesday to Fridays and considering na hindi pa kami nagaadvertise kasi we are still gearing up to cater mass customers. We even have customers who are from UP, ATENEO and from other schools. Going all the way here to taste our coffee just because of  ”word-of-mouth”.

Q: So you do have reservations? (Looking at the “Reserved” sign sa table)

A: Ahh… actually, nirecommend lang yan ng customer namin and then we came up with a strategy. As of now you can rent or reserve a playground (I dunno what they call those Korean-inspired cubicles) for 500 pesos plus 2000 pesos worth consumable Noriter products for the whole day. Mas okay na yon kasi minsan nauubusan sila ng place lalo na kung marami sila.

These are my personal recommendations for the business:

1. Advertising and promotions
   • Get their shop featured or reviewed at a  Campus Magazine
   • Flyers and Social networking Sites
   • Company Website
   • Sponsorship for school activities
2. Invest in a Point of Sales System (sales and inventory management system)
3. Invest with own cups (printed with LOGO)
4. Keep on unlocking marketing strategies.

Café Noriter remains on its prime years.

It has more years to prove that it could stand up till the end.

Let us go wait and see.

P.s

Thank you Ely for sharing! I would be back every last Saturday of the Month for the free taste just like what you said. )

And ulitin ko di ako Spy

Godbless!

This past Saturday, I came across a great article in the NY Times entitled “A Friends Tweet could be an Ad” by Brad Stone. The article details how Fortune 500 companies are paying tweeters (people who tweet) for advertising. Here’s a quick rundown on how it works…

A prominent Tweeter – sends a tweet out: Hey, last week I went to Starbucks, you need to try their New Via (followed by a link to Via). For more info read the whole story in the Times.

I wasn’t surprised to see this story, I’ve known for a while about marketing firms like Ad.ly that charges companies like NBC and Starbucks for promotional tweets. What really got me thinking about this over the weekend was that fact that this sort of destroys the whole concept of Earned Media – and social media.

When I say concept – I’m referring to the value system that social media represents. Most everyone knows that Twitter bots exist. They (RT) retweet information and market things for companies, but this type of marketing is different because a firm like Ad.ly is finding Advocates to deliver these promotional tweets. In the social media business we define an Advocate as a person that ‘believes in your business, your product or your service. For social media experts – Advocates are easy to find but tough to convert – David Armano does a nice job of defining things.

So why do you need a strategy for Advocates when you can just throw some money at them and change them into Advertisers?

Hmmm

Good question, and it was something I thought about a lot this weekend.

Does it makes sense for companies to buy Advocates within a social media ecosystem? My answer lies on the fence.

Right now – I say NO. I believe over a period of time these Advocates will be discovered by the audience that they are advertising to. People can smell bullshit.

I’m also extremely surprised that these Advocates even agree to do this. If you have built up a following of 2,000+ people on Twitter, why risk your reputation to tweet product, services or a brand? The questions that this type of advertising raises go deeper than just one blog post. I invite many of the top social media experts that I engage with to add their thoughts on this.

Another thought – are the companies that are buying this service doing this because they don’t have a sound social media strategy? Or – is this happening because social media channels like Twitter haven’t provided advertisers with a clear solution for advertising? Look at how the #hashtag and the embed new article were incorporated on Twitter – this was out of necessity for users – is this advertising just another evolution of Twitter?

There’s a lot to think about with this and I look for some feedback.

 Again with the Starbucks addiction! Everything they have seems to be something I really like to drink! However, their cups of amazingness can really dent the wallet.

Following the mint-craze of my last post, here is my version of a peppermint mocha. It blends three amazing flavours: coffee, chocolate and peppermint! (As almost everyone is already familiar with…) For the espresso, you can either brew your own or use instant espresso powder, both work well for this beverage. For my version, I like to add some peppermint syrup into the milk before heating it up, and then frothing some of the milk to give a creamy taste without using whipped cream. You can obviously add whipped cream to it if you like though. Enjoy!

Nikki’s Peppermint Mocha

Ingredients:

•  1-2 shots espresso (either freshly brewed, or instant espresso powder)
• 3 tsp cocoa powder
• 3 tsp warm water
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 tsp peppermint syrup (for the cocoa/espresso)
• 2 tsp peppermint syrup (for the milk)
• Garnish: red sugar sprinkles

Method:

• Prepare the espresso in 1 or 2 shot glasses and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder with the 3 tsp warm water and the other 2 tsp of peppermint syrup until blended well into a syrup consistency, and set aside.
• In a microwave-safe glass/mug, microwave the milk with 2 tsp of peppermint syrup for about 30 seconds. Stir the milk, and put back in the microwave for another 30 seconds. when finished, stir again to ensure an even temperature.
• Remove the milk from the microwave, and pour half of it into your coffee mug. then, using a milk frother, froth the remaining milk and set aside. (If you don’t have a milk frother, don’t worry. You can also make this recipe without frothing the milk!)
• Pour the espresso and the chocolate syrup into your mug. Then pour in the remaining frothed milk.
• Garnish with red sugar sprinkles, and enjoy!

My Peppermint Mocha with a melted red sugar heart

 

I just came across the following engagement report from wetpaint and Altimeter and thought the findings were very interesting and relevant. While many companies know they need to be doing something with social media, most aren’t as they usually tend to ask: what’s the benefit?

This report, answers that question and it’s an answer that companies are going to like to hear. Basically, the more you engage with social media the higher your profits and sales can be. Two examples – Starbucks and Dell who interact daily across multiple channels with an audience and have seen stable if not increases profits.

Check out the report here and let me know your thoughts on whether increases sales and profit is the key to pushing more companies into social media. Personally, I don’t think it should be, but you can’t deny the power.

A “third place” is a social space that is distinct from the two “usual” environments of home (i.e. “first place”) and work (i.e. “second place”). In both popular press accounts
and marketing/consumer research, third places are often characterized as readily accessible social venues frequented by regulars but open to all comers. Something like a community center, coffee house, cafe or “mom and pop” restaurant. Third places become community congregation points and, importantly, provide a centralized “sense of place” that facilitates creative interaction among people. This interaction can amount to “everyday” social engagement (i.e. water cooler chat, gossip, laughing with friends), but hopefully also includes civic discourse. The idea is to give folks an outlet to talk to one another, and address issues that are important to them as a community.

Compared to what I have experienced abroad in the tea shops and espresso houses of Asia and Europe, the United States has a relatively underdeveloped “third place infrastructure.” I have not examined the historical evidence, but I believe during the early development of the nation, citizens participated more in third place interaction.

Chalk it up to modernization and the rise of digital interaction, but the third place seems to have diminished in importance in American society. While I still see vestiges of third place interaction at Starbucks or even discussions among neighbors in the parking lot at Wal-Mart, these outlets are “impromptu” third places and do not constitute a consistent, welcoming space for regular engagement, which is an important criterion for being a third place. In the case of Starbucks, despite presenting a seemingly inviting space with soft couches and hip jazz music, their coffee shops are largely designed to maintain customer throughput, not congregation.

Perhaps the loss of the third place banter has something to do with the ongoing outbursts and general lack of civility during town hall meetings across America (which seems to have spilled over into congressional engagements). Dramatic changes (perceived or otherwise) in the way the nation is being governed is certainly an impetus for the passionate exchanges during these meetings. But could it be that the prior lack of ongoing face-to-face discourse and dialogue — impromptu town hall meetings on a small scale via third places — has contributed to the current powder keg?

I know this has nothing to do with baking, but I just have to let it out: Starbucks has become my crack rock. Okay, maybe it’s not as bad as a crack addiction (I’m not losing weight — quite the opposite — or stealing), but it still has all the markings of a classic addiction. Let’s look at some of the signs of a drug addiction:

• Feeling that you have to use the drug regularly — I crave a mocha everyday after work. I have been able to taper from daily to 2-4 times/week, but I have yet to go a whole week without one.

• Failing in your attempts to quit — Every week I say to myself “next week I’ll go cold turkey,” but then I come up with a rationalization to get one more.

• Spending money on the drug even though you can’t afford it — I guess I can afford it because I haven’t bounced checks or anything, but we could surely reduce our takeout budget if I would just quit the Starbucks smack.

• Doing things you wouldn’t normally do to obtain the drug — I’m not stealing to get coffee, but I will drive out of my way sometimes to find a Starbucks drive-thru, even if I don’t really have time for it.

• Feeling that you need the drug to deal with your problems — I seem to need something to transition from the intensity of my line cook job to the less intense pace of my afterschool mom duties. Transitioning after work isn’t really a problem to per se, but it’s something.

• Driving or doing other risky activities when under the influence of the drug — I drive while drinking mochas all the time.

• Focusing more time and energy on getting or using the drug — I don’t know if this one really applies; but I do seem to often be on the lookout for a Starbucks if I’m in new territory.

What’s really ironic about this is that I’m addicted to DECAF mochas; and, it’s the need for a decaffeinated drink that landed me at Starbucks in the first place. I’ve always had a hunch that there is some kind of addictive substance, more than just caffeine, in Starbucks coffee. The fact that I find myself in the throws of a decaf no whip mocha addiction proves my theory.

I gave up caffeine over a year ago; I used to drink a Diet Coke after work. But when caffeine was no longer on the menu, Starbucks was one of the only places that offered a good-tasting, caffeine-free substitute. At first it worked; it helped me get through the need for a Coke. Then I was able to limit Starbucks to just occasional visits. That was last school year. Something has happened this year, and as soon as I started back at work, I started going to Starbucks almost every day. This time, I don’t seem to be able to stop. Able is the wrong word; I think I mean to say willing. I know good and well what I need to do to kick the habit — go cold turkey, push through the cravings, drink herbal tea — I’ve done it before, so I am able. I just don’t seem to have the will to do it this year. My waistline sure needs me to; those mochas aren’t slimming! I think I smell a New Year’s Resolution coming on.

How about you? Anyone else out there grappling with a Starbucks habit?

My nephew Liam. Photo courtesy of Brian Potstra, Liam's daddy!

Welcome to the world, Liam!  

To say I’m a proud auntie is an understatement.  Allow me to brag a little bit because I am head over heels.

I am so in love with this little dude and am so thrilled with the new addition to the Potstra family.  We’ve been praying for him for a really long time, and here he is!  He’s the cutest baby ever, and even my coworkers, who aren’t as biassed as I am, say he’s such a baby-baby, and doesn’t resemble a wrinkled alien thing like some newborns do.  He’s got a perfectly round head, big round cheeks, soft blonde hair and smells incredible.  He likes to be cuddled and kissed and swaddled and doesn’t like to be naked.  

I can’t think about him without getting emotional; my heart feels like it’s going to burst with the love I have for this tiny, 7 pound 8 ounce boy.  To see my brother be such a hands-on daddy, speaking softly to him when he fusses, kissing his face, swaddling him up in blankets, holding him up to the hospital window and showing him the outside world is absolutely incredible, especially knowing what a miracle Liam truly is.  

It’s astounding to see this little peanut and hold him in my arms after nine months of praying for his health and safety.  It was almost nine months ago exactly that my brother and sister-in-law announced to our entire family at Starbucks, between my cousin’s wedding ceremony and reception, that they were going to have a baby in November.  The absolute joy I felt in that moment is indescribable, and I screamed and cried and hugged my sister-in-law tight.  The nine months that followed were full of antsy (get it? aunt-sy?) anticipation, as we watched her tummy grow and followed the baby’s progress.  My brother had an app on his iPhone that compared the size of a baby with a fruit or vegetable (ie. this month, the baby is the size of an apricot) and detailed the exact ways in which the baby was growing.  The fact that they didn’t want to know the baby’s gender and didn’t tell anyone the names they picked out only increased our curiosity and anticipation.  

This whole month, I was a nervous wreck.  The baby was due on the 9th and didn’t come until the 20th; 10 days late!  I was completely overcome with anxiety last week, praying my head off for a safe delivery and for everything to go smoothly at the hospital.  Around 2 p.m., I received the call from my brother that would change my life forever.  ”Congratulations,” he said as soon as I picked up, my heart pounding. “You have a nephew!”

I am beside myself with joy, finding myself drawn to Baby Gap and The Children’s Place and the baby sections of H&M and Old Navy, fawning over all the cute little boy clothes.  I’m going to spoil that kid crazy and show him just how loved he is.  

Which is so, so, so, so much!

Happy Monday morning, everyone. Well… as happy as a Monday morning can be, anyways. I could go for a gallon of anything Starbucks-related right now and a nice chicken biscuit! Unfortunately for me, I re-located a few years ago to a town with no Starbucks! Or any decent coffee shop for that matter. I know, the horror, right? So instead, I anxiously await Wednesday, where the town I’ll be in for Thanksgiving actually has not one, not two, but THREE Starbucks. All within the same half-mile stretch of each other! That might not seem like a bunch of Starbucks for the big-city dwellers who visit this blog, but for someone like me, it’s absolute Heaven.

Now, enough of my rambling on Starbucks, and coffee, and other wonderful things that I can’t have today.  Like I said in my last post, I make lists. Tons of them. Well, here’s your first taste of one of them.  Some of these I have started to read but then had to put down due to school and me having very little time to read past what I’m assigned a lot of the time until here recently.  So they’re on here for me to finish them, now.

My offical To-Read list.  In no particular order:

1. “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair

2. “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

3. “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte

4. “Perfume” by Patrick Suskind

5. “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger

6. “The Secret Life of Salvador Dali” by Salvador Dali

7. “Sebastian’s Arrows: Letters and Mementos of Salvador Dali and Federico Garcia Lorca” by Christopher Maurer, Federico Garcia Lorca, Salvador Dali

8. “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde

9. “The Haunting of Toby Jugg” by Dennis Wheatley

10. “Bel-Ami” by Guy de Maupassant

11. “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy

12. “Divine Comedy”  by Dante Alighieri

So… there’s my twelve books to read. I own some of these works already, and the rest I’ll be getting for Christmas. Yes, many of these are considered classics in their own right, but I like a challenge. I am particularly excited to read “Divine Comedy” by Dante.  I am intrigued about the subjects it explores.

One last thing before I go. The Monday Wake-Up song for this week is none other than “Cold Sweat (Parts 1&2)” by James Brown. I’m sorry to say that Youtube doesn’t have the full song. Check Playlist.com — it’s about 7 minutes long.

If you have any recommendations for next week’s Monday Wake-Up song, write me a comment or send me an email at JetCityGirl91@gmail.com

Well, until next time…

–JetCityGirl–

Wow, just wow! That movie moved me! Argh, and I could have seen that concert in Tokyo… Michael Jackson was still very good at dancing and directing the whole concert.

Innan gick vi på en jättemysig restaurang i Roppongi Hills med utsikt över Tokyo Tower och Tokyos skyline.

Med en Starbucksmugg intog vi bion som hade en enorm skärm och bra ljud. This Is it visade Michael Jacksons sista dagar och förberedelser inför konserten. Han dog bara åtta dagar innan den första dress-rehearsalen i London… Han var smal, det syntes tydligt, men han var så pigg! Visste exakt hur han ville ha ljuset och ljudet.
Seriöst, efter varje låt han sjöng i filmen var jag på väg att klappa händerna! Varje! Så äkta kändes det! Plus att jag fick min längsta wow-rysning hittills när scenen med flickebarnet i skogen som brann upp…

Och herregud vad duktiga hans dansare var! Nu vill jag dansa som de grymt duktiga killarna; det såg ju så lätt ut.

Efter filmen var slut så klappade alla japaner händerna och visste ni att ALLA japaner sitter igenom HELA sluttexten på biofilmer!? Ljuset tänds inte, ingen pratar. ALLA läser för att visa respekt till skaparna. Det såg jätteroligt ut!

I have a co-worker who is an absolute Bitch with a capital-B.  I shall refer to her by her given name, Ms Bitch.  Tonight, she did nothing but follow me around the store and check EVERYTHING I did.  She was looking for a reason to tell me I suck.  Plus, for some reason, she felt she did not need to say a single word to me except when she wanted me to clean up HER mess.

She was also a complete bitch to a regular customer tonight.  The customer had ordered a Peppermint Hot Chocolate.  Ms Bitch forgot to add peppermint to the drink and when the customer requested it, she said “No, there’s no peppermint.  So?”  I could not believe her!!!  You do not ever EVER say “So?” to a customer who is clearly right.  I mean, the peppermint was WRITTEN ON THE CUP.

I needed a moment to semi-rant about her.  She was so rude to every customer and to me tonight.  And she usually is.  Luckily, I found out two weeks ago she might not be working there past December because she can’t afford college.  Thank you JESUS HALLELUJAH if she doesn’t come back.

- Beckie