Laptop Locks at CBTL: They're so Useful!

When I first found out that The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf had laptop locks, I thought that it was just about time. I knew that there are some Starbucks branches that also offer locks for laptops. But they were only limited and you'd have to be lucky to have one. You have to approach the guard and ask to borrow a laptop lock so you can leave your laptop on your table and not have it stolen by anyone.

I'm sure you've seen this around

So when I found out that CBTL had a number of these in every branch, I thought that it was very fortunate. Especially since I'm a huge fan of CBTL. (Reasons why I love CBTL here), I thought that it was really thoughtful of them to have this for their prized customers.

I love to work in cafes. However, I have a poor stomach when it comes to drinking strong coffee or tea. I think it has to do with dairy or just the tea leaves but I really have to rush to the restroom after a few minutes of sitting on my table. Since it's so hard to find an empty table near a power socket, I find it such a waste if I leave my table without finishing work or even my order. I find this so true, especially if I just got to my table with my order.

Well, now that CBTL has laptop locks, I'm so happy that I can just leave my laptop on my desk and go to the restroom. Since I'm usually alone in cafes, this is a huge bonus. Anyone who can relate to me will know that this is a really huge help!

Yep, that's alongside my Smart Bro plug it

So when I was in a CBTL branch a few months ago, I was very excited to try using the laptop lock on my own laptop. I asked the barista if I could borrow one and she asked me for an ID. She then handed me a silver cable with a lock attached to it. It was my first time to use it so I was confused how to attach it to my laptop. I had no idea what to do with it so I swallowed my pride and asked the help of the barista.

Step 1: Look for the hole on your laptop where there is a T shaped connection

In my case, it was on the right side of my Compaq Presario laptop.

Step 2: Wrap the cable around your table's neck

You don't need to tie a know on the cable as it is already provided.

Step 3: Attach the other end of the cable on your laptop

Once you've attached it on your laptop, twist the key until you can remove the lock easily.

Step 4: You can leave your laptop and do your business :)

I hope you guys will be able to figure it out compared to me :)

A Fascination with the Color Red and Sony Vaio E-Series

If you've stepped into a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branch recently, you might have noticed two unattended laptops sitting on a table. You may have wondered whoever owns these laptops are careless and are not worried about leaving their valuables behind. But then you stop and look at the sign on the table-- yes, these laptops are available to the public. Anyone can use these laptops so they can try out the power of these Sony VAIO E-Series laptops. 

Sony Vaio Corner

Well last night, I finally got the chance to try one. At CBTL- A Venue branch, there were two laptops available--a hot pink and a black laptop. Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that my gadgets have ALWAYS been black. But ever since I had my iPod Touch with a pink-turned-red jelly case, I've become attracted to red gadgets: my red Blackberry (which I sold just last week) and my iPhone; again with a pink-turned-red case. Oh yes, and who could ever forget my infamous RED-143 Honda that my dad has been letting me use?!

My red Blackberry now in the possession of its new owner--Gracielle

My red gadgets

My friend, Red, standing against my car (last year). Photo by Martin Villasor
Strangely, I just realized I don't have a picture against my car!

Even though the Sony VAIO E-series VPCEA45FG was hot pink, I could not help but get attracted to it. Believe it or not, red is not my favorite color; neither was hot pink. I do like pink but I prefer the baby pink colors. But still, there was really something about the color that truly attracted me--it drew me straight to this laptop. 

Sony Vaio E Series

The moment my hands laid on the keyboard, I knew I was in for! I couldn’t help but admire the easy track pad and the fact that it did not let my hand slip. Plus, I loved how each character had a few centimeters of space between one another! It reminded me of a pink MacBook! I really liked the keyboard and felt so relaxed when I used it. I think it would be a good laptop for my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome because it provided just enough space for my wrists to rest.

Sleepy yet beaming at my new discovery!

I would totally get the laptop if I had the money. I am in need of a new laptop and I can already tell my current laptop (Compaq-Presario) is no longer happy with me as its owner. Of course, I have abused its keyboard with the numerous articles I make on a daily basis. It’s only understandable why my laptop is giving me a hard time when I’m typing—it would suddenly jump to the bottom of the screen. WEIRD.

Hmm… maybe soon. I hope so. But maybe for now, I can just use the laptop over at CBTL- A Venue branch for free (if I’m tired of my boring laptop)! :) 

Get a Free CBTL Ice Blended Drink on Sunday!

CBTL lovers, guess what? Our favorite coffee shop is introducing a new drink on Sunday, May 29, 2011. Visit any CBTL branch (except DLSU Cybernook, University Mall- Taft Avenue, and Ayala Avenue Convergys) so you can get a complimentary 12 oz. Espresso & Cream Ice Blended drink! Just go to any Coffee Bean branch (except for the ones mentioned above) between 10am-12nn this Sunday so you can get your complimentary drink! I love it when Coffee Bean has an open house. They always inform their loyal customers about it! :)

For CBTL branches, click HERE.

See you there!

EatsTrixie!'s 5 Things to do to Battle Pinoy Summer Heat

You know the heat is so intolerable these days when you just stepped out of the shower and you're already sweating. Yes, summer. It's that hot. Since some of us can't have the luxury to escape to the beach, we've got to make do with the intense heat we're experiencing. Here are some of the things I suggest to battle the hot summer season:

1. Wear comfortable clothing
Unless you're going to a formal event, leave out the pumps and formal wear. Go for shorts and light colored tank tops where you can feel comfortable in.

Check out Sueno de Espadrilles-- they're the perfect summer shoes at only P650!

2. Go to your favorite coffee shop

In my case, it's Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf because I get to use their free Wi-Fi and plug my laptop. Also, I like Starbucks'-- especially if I'm in Rockwell area because it's so comfortable to work there. I usually order the Mocha Ice Blended from CBTL and Java Chip from Starbucks.

CBTL or Starbucks?

3. Watch a movie

Oh yes. A movie always works. You get to entertain yourself for the next couple of hours, depending on the film that your watching. Plus, you get free air conditioning!


4. Eat ice cream


You can get cheap thrills such as McDonald's Sundae or indulge in uber expensive ice cream by Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry's! Depending on your budget, ice cream always does the trick.

McDonald's or Haagen-Dazs?

I recently got to discover a new Korean ice cream called Ched'or when a Korean friend bought one for me. I used to eat Samanco before but now that I got to taste this new ice cream, this became my new choice.

Ched'or Berrymix

A few days ago, I went to the Korean grocery located below Makati Palace Hotel in P. Burgos St. and looked for Ched'or. I wasn't able to find the Berrymix flavor and was shocked that it came in another variety--Espresso. I decided to try it out and boy! I loved it more! This ice cream cost P56. 

Ched'or Espresso Flavor

5. Stay indoors


Well, if you don't have any money and it's too hot to even move, just stay indoors and take a bath. :)

Blog Giveaway Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of my first CBTL blog giveaway. Here are the winners, drawn through the use of Random.org:

3 Winners of Free CBTL Coffee (worth P150 each):

1. Adrian Cajayon
2. Angelyn Perante
3. Mike Maravillo

And to the lucky person who won P200 GC for the bonus question: "What are the URLs I used and changed from throughout the year 2010?" The lucky winner is: Jose Lorenzo Manongsong.

The answers to the bonus question:

1. Rise of the Pantyhose

2. Chronicles of a Gypsy

3. TheGypsyWrites

4. Ms. Single and the City

Kudos to Mike Maravillo who was able to answer all four! :) That proves... you're a stalker! hehehe joke lang :) thanks for being keeping up with my blog! :) 

Expect an email within today or tomorrow on details on how you can claim your prizes. :)

Blog Giveaway Update!

Two days to go and 22 people have been qualified to join my first ever Blog Giveaway for CBTL Coffee :) I got the GCs today and I'm so excited to give them away! I'll post the winner as soon as possible on Sunday! ^,^

Good Luck everyone!

Blog Giveaway: Three Winners of Free CBTL Coffee + 1 Bonus Winner

Hey everyone!

Seeing that now I just changed my blog's name to Avec L'Amour, Trixie, I noticed that my most popular post was about the 2011 Giving Journal. In lieu of this, I'm here to give away 3 Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf drinks. If you're also a fan of their coffee, tea and delicious food, I thought it would be great to give away 3 of their drinks. In addition, it's my Christmas present to all those who actually read my blog. ^,^

Criteria:
1. Just go to my blog Avec L'Amour, Trixie.
2. Follow my blog either by Networked Blogs or Google Follow
3. Leave me a comment in this blog post with your:
     a. Full Name
     b. City you live in
     c. Blog/Website (Optional)
     d. Email Address
4. Share the URL of this blog post in your Facebook with the quote: "Trixie gives love through free CBTL coffee!"
5. That's it!

I will draw a raffle for the 3 lucky winners of free CBTL coffee on December 5, 2010; 12 o'clock noon.
Raffle will be drawn using Random.org. The first three names on the list will be the winners of the following:

1. Original Ice Blended drink
2. Tea Latte
3. Holiday Drinks

As a bonus: I will be giving away a free drink or food from Coffee Bean worth P200 for anyone who can answer this question:

"What are the URLs I used and changed from throughout the year 2010?"

It doesn't have to be in exact order. The winner for this bonus raffle will be drawn through Random.org. Only those who answered at least 3 out of 4 correctly will get to qualify in this bonus raffle.

Clue:

1. Rise of the ___________
2. _________ of a Gypsy
3. The ___________ Writes
4. ____. _________ and the City

Thanks for the continuous support everyone! And Good Luck!!! ^,^

* Additional Guidelines:

Only those residing in Metro Manila or are in Metro Manila between December 6-12, 2010 are qualified to join this contest.

Winners get to redeem their prize from me in a branch accessible to me (sorry guys, I'm still studying if there is a way I could talk to CBTL about this): Greenbelt, Residences, Convergys Ayala, Megamall, SM MoA. If it's really impossible to meet halfway, I'll coordinate with you regarding a date, time and CBTL branch we could meet.

Redemption period between Dec. 6-12, 2010 only. I have a scheduled flight for Dec. 14 and won't be back until the end of the month so I'm really looking forward to giving away the free drinks.

My card will be used to get the free sticker for the 2011 Giving Journal as well as the Swirl Card points. Sorry, that's the reason I'm giving away free drinks ^,^

As of Dec. 3, 2010 10:59 am, the qualified people are:


1. Smarla Angtuaco
2. Dash Estefani
3. Mike Maravillo
4. Mary Jomelle Briones
5. Vivian Aguilar
6. Jose Lorenzo Manongsong
7. Angelyn Perante
8. Rhosher Lynn Tan
9. Jeric Renz Roncal
10. Lourdes Jane Mahipus
11. Agnes Espino
12. Ellen Joy B. Santos
13. Sheila Marie Marcos
14. Melanie Magno
15. Marvin Jay Sulit
16. Mary Rose Magno
17. Raymond Ordonez
18. Katherine Castro
19. Marco Limlengco
20. Starrie Sun
21. Luningning Arabiran
22. Adrian Cajayon


ENTRIES FOR THE BONUS:
*if you win in both draws, you will be given the higher prize and your slot for the free CBTL coffee will be replaced. :)


1. Mike Maravillo
2. Vivian Aguilar
3. Jose Lorenzo Manongsong
4. Ellen Joy B. Santos
5. Melanie Magno
6. Marvin Jay Sulit
7. Mary Rose Magno
8. Katherine Castro
9. Marco Limlengco
10. Starrie Sun
11. Adrian Cajayon 

* GCs are with me already! :)

War of the 2011 Journals: The 2011 Giving Journal

With the Christmas season coming in near, it can only mean one thing: time to hunt for the perfect 2011 journal! I remember my journal for 2009 was the Belle-De-Jour journal which I never got to use!

I never used this!

My journal for this year was the Navi 2010. I did use this journal but not on a daily basis because it was too heavy to carry along with my laptop.

My 2010 journal

After reading Animetric's post about the 2011 Starbucks Planner, I decided to start collecting stickers for it. Unfortunately, I found Starbucks' coffee a little too expensive, especially since they do not have free Wi-Fi. Ever since I became a freelancer, I have always frequented The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I especially love their Southern Blend iced tea because I'm not really much of a coffee drinker.

Southern Blend Iced Tea

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's 2011 Journal

While I was waiting for Angel to get off work last Friday, it was only routine for us to meet at CBTL in Greenbelt 3. Lucky enough, I got to see their new 2011 Giving Journal which they released not too long ago.

I was really excited with this journal for many reasons:

1. It looks a bit like my old planner.
2. Unlike the Belle-Du-Jour planner, it does not correlate to just a specific gender.

3. I can actually collect the stickers!
4. An order of regular or large Southern Blend = 1 sticker!
5. It's centered around the concept of Giving Back.

When I was able to see the journal, I instantaneously gave up my Starbucks' sticker collection and gave it to Angel. I really like CBTL's journal because I don't have to waste money in coffee that I don't really drink just so I could get the journal. With them, the journal is really just their present to me for being a loyal customer! ^,^

I found the right journal for me! Have you?

Free CBTL Frozen Swirl

Hey everyone!

I received an email from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to try their Frozen Swirl tomorrow.
Unfortunately, I am currently in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya to attend my uncle's burial in a bit. We won't be going home until tomorrow so I decided to give away CBTL's coupon.

The coupon is for tomorrow only. For those who want to have yogurt on the house, please send me an email at cjmftorralba@gmail.com or comment here. I only have one coupon to give away so whoever notifies me first will get it. ^,^

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Open House Frozen Swirl

Being a big fan of yogurt that I am, I knew I wanted to try Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's new Frozen Swirl. But I never got to since I thought they were overpriced. (Original Yogurt at P105?!)

So when I came in today for my regular... umm.. schedule, I was surprised when the barista told me if I wanted to try their Frozen Swirl since they were having an open house until 12nn.

Instantly, I beamed up with surprise. I ordered the Banana Caramel.


It was so good! I could really taste the banana in the yogurt. ^,^

Now if only they weren't so overpriced.....

Going Home For A Break

stressed out

After a few months of non-stop writing/working, my body suddenly decided to give up. Ever since the incident happened last November, I have focused all of my energy on working. Even during Christmas Eve and New Year, I was working my butt off. It was the only way I could stop thinking about the crap I went through.

Well, anyway. That's until I experienced total body malfunction. Since December 24, I have been experiencing a weird bowel movement. It would go on and on for several days and even came to a point I couldn't eat anything 'cause I would run to the comfort room in the middle of the meal. I thought it was finally over last January 2. But it came back a few days later.

My friends are getting worried and they keep telling me to go to the Doctor. I'm just too lazy to go to the doctor instead of waiting when I could get some work done. And besides, whenever I think of going to the doctor, the symptoms stop. So it really leaves me confused. I have lost weight ever since December (I hope I have). But even if I'm not so sure of this, I can feel it.

One of my closest friends, Cristel, mentioned that I might be stressed out already. Working for me right now is an addiction. Whether if I'm home or if I go out, I always have my laptop with me and be in Coffee Bean so I can use unlimited WiFi. But for these past two days, I have not brought my trusted companion out. I have to take a break.

After several hours and days of deciding whether or not I should go home (to Bacolod), I finally agreed to go because my dad offered to buy me my plane ticket. While I will be doing a "little" work in my 4 days stay at home, I will also be going out a lot with my friends.

One of the scheduled trips I have with my friends is the USLS Sportsfest which we will be watching with Mimi, a Korean dinner, a mini-reunion with my College friends, and some hanging out with guy friends. I hope by the time I get back to Manila, I have already recovered and I can revert back to the old me who can write 50 articles a day without feeling sick.

Wish me luck guys... And Bacolod friends, see you tomorrow Jan. 18-22!