Coffee Bean Incident

I’m a coffee turned tea lover. Back when I was addicted with starbucks, injecting myself a daily dose of hot mocha/mocha frap to satisfy my starbucks stricken caffeine craving or the plain strong bitterness of Figaro brewed coffee to dilate my viens, I had to wane myself from it last year as a mug of starbucks cost utterly insane in dubai. I had to settle to Micky Dees Dhs5 brewed coffee or around PhP70 in our currency. Then, one time I got a sip of Moroccan tea and instantly fell in love with it and eventually my buds learnt to appreciate every tea there is. Besides, dubai is more of a tea country than coffee as most people prefers tea over coffee and served in offices more often than not.

So when I came back, I stumbled upon Coffee Bean in Ortigas park which is near Union Bank Plaza and occasionally, I’d treat myself with a Moroccan Tea. So I figured, with a great smoker-friendly ambiance and the authentic taste of its Moroccan tea and the refreshing Swedish Berry tea, I turned my back from starbucks altogether and agreed with myself that Coffee Bean would be my new favorite coffee shop while still patronizing Mc Donald’s Brewed coffee on common days. The difference I noticed though was that the barista were quite unfriendly and bland but heck, with its great teas I kept coming back in Coffee Bean Ortigas Park (the only shop I’ve been to) – until last Friday, that is.

I noticed at 9pm, they were understaffed, only two barista in the counter but usually starbucks also does often employs 2 during night shift. And for no reason, whatsoever, this staff and by the way, they’re alien to name tags, so I didn’t get this girl’s name – started slamming the cabinet and prepared my tea with a heavy hand. To my surprise, she took a teabag from the jar and just deliberately threw it on top of the side counter without placing it on a saucer or anything that is sanitized, placed it on a cup and poured hot water in it as if it was coming from the faucet of hell. So I stared at her with an elaborate grimace thinking that I didn’t ignite anything that would make her act the way she did when I was paying at the counter or maybe she noticed my frowns and I have every reason to, as it takes very long for them to take orders and payments, the works even when they see that the queue is piling up and I’ve already experienced this several times. Compare it to starbucks and people there have so much energy and drive where the alternate barista would take orders before your turn and prepares the drink even when you haven’t made payment to the cashier yet.

I didn’t say anything and took the tea to savor my last taste of it. I don’t intend to come back, unless the urgency is really there to drip my bud with that Moroccan tea, and I’m looking for a replacement so let me know if you know any alternative, or when I have my complaint coursed to the customer service to report the incident. Perhaps, she just had the one-of-those-days mood. And I do understand that since I am often attacked by such mood even without any reason – JUST-ONE-OF-THOSE-FREAKIN-DAYS! But the thing is, my work is not associated with customer service and that’s the primary reason why I chose to be a banker (not in the frontline) but in the shadows of the head office because I don’t want to deal with customers – NO sir, I just can’t! I’m no people pleaser that’s why I’m better off in the backstage than doing the front act. So for this unhappy employee of coffee bean who was serving last February 9 at around 9:30 pm ortigas park outlet, better put your acts together, my friend, or find another job. You might as well be better off as dishwasher or something that does backdoor operations! To the coffee bean and tea leaf phils inc management, it’s not that you have the monopoly of the industry – remember that customer satisfaction goes beyond product satisfaction. So, starbucks – I’m back! Baristas in the podium (used to go daily there as it is right in front of my former office – and would often greet me by name and readily puts a warm smile which quite affects my mood during my one-of-those-days visits) are the best.

300 The movie.

I just watched the last full show of 300 the movie at the podium. What can I say, Great stunts, reverberating sound effects, awesome animation and editing, cinematic at its best! ASTIG! The film inspired me to want to become a Spartan… While watching the trailer, I got excited as there are a handful of much awaited movies for the coming months. Transformers – wow, reliving my cartoon days in the 80’s –while watching the clip, I had my childhood coming back and it’s reincarnating transformers in the present time. Ocean’s 13 is also something to look forward to while I’m still thinking if I would watch shrek something in the big screen or watch it in the DVD instead – wasn’t really into shrek thing but the trailer looks interesting- same thing with simpsons the movie in 2D.

Filipino movie goers are finally becoming more intelligent and civilized. Back when I had a taste of THX in glorietta when I first came here in manila and that was what 2000, I have refused to watch in shoemart unless of course if I’m in Davao as it has the only nice theatre there is in that part of the city. But during those THX days in glorietta, you’d still occasionally hear mobiles beeping or people blatantly talking to the whole movie goers and often witness people shhhsng or cussing other people because of their behavior where such behavior is common only in SM cinemas or the same quality type of movie houses. And there comes powerplant and greenbelt and all those nice theatres and people are finally acting the way they should be. I noticed earlier in podium, there was no unnecessary distraction except for one person who came in the middle of the movie and one old man who can’t hold his bladder any longer. Perhaps it was because people were fixated in the movie as it was jaw-dropping, but I’d like to think that people have finally learnt to respect other movie goers. Oh by the way, I should stop thinking lowly of SM as it already houses the only IMAX in the Philippines in MOA although that I have to try yet – perhaps when angels and demons will be shown (are they making the movie already?) or another spiderman or x-men or superman or what have you, give it to us HOLLYWOOD!

Ok till my next blog… still have a book to finish reading for this weekend.