Coffee for the Skin
I depend on my morning cup of coffee. I’d rather have brewed coffee, of course, but when on trips, sometimes, I have had to settle for the instant kind. It does not matter, as long as I have my morning dose of caffeine – taken orally in the form of a hot cup of coffee.
I was pleasantly surprised and amused when I read about skin care companies experimenting with coffee-based products, though. Does coffee have skin care properties? Though I have not really seen or tried these products, it seems that in the US and other world markets, coffee-based skin products were released last year.
The idea is that caffeine perks you up – thus my dependence on that morning cup. Skin care companies think that if applied topically, their coffee-based products could perk you up as well and make your skin look and feel better. I don’t know about this, but it could work.
Then again, if you are thinking of using coffee-based skin products to perk you up, I doubt that it will be as effective and as enjoyable as simply brewing a pot of coffee and drinking a cup or two. For one, though the products may contain caffeine, I doubt that there is enough there to give you a jolt. Another thing is that these products are applied topically. That means that if the caffeine is to enter your blood stream, it has to go through the skin – that takes a while and the amount is probably small. The bright side is that you will smell like coffee all day long!
In any case, these products should be worth a try, don’t you think?
Unique Gifts for Coffee Lovers
There’s nothing like getting a gift that you would really love, is there? I know I recently posted something about gifts for coffee lovers but I thought that you can never have too many gift ideas – it is Christmas after all! Here is a list that I ran across the other day. I think you’ll all love it.
Barista Action Figure
This is perfect for people who love action figures – combine their two passions together and you will surely have a hit in your hands! You can get this action figure here.
Java Logs
Do you have coffee lover friends who are environmentally conscious as well? Here’s the perfect gift for them – logs for the fireplace that are made out of coffee grounds (mostly made up of grounds, I should say). Check them out here.
Just Coffee Art
For friends who appreciate art – paintings, in particular – will love you for giving them paintings made out of coffee. Don’t believe it? Visit their web site here.
A Coffee Tree
Alright, not everyone may have a green thumb, but for those who do, a coffee plant will be a unique gift. You can ask around your local garden supply store or look online.
Coffee Jewelry
Beads are always in – yet have you heard of coffee beads? Well they are simply coffee beans turned accessories. This web site sells cool and fashionable stuff.
I don’t know about you but I sure would love to receive any - or all - of these gifts for Christmas!
The Starbucks Christmas Planner
I don’t know if this promo is being offered in other parts of the world but in the Philippines, Starbucks is currently giving away a Christmas planner – and a nice one, too. The idea is for customers to fill out a special card with stickers – 24 in all. Once the card is full, you can exchange it for the Christmas planner.
So how many cups of coffee do you need to buy to get all 24 stickers? Twelve regular flavors and 12 Christmas blends (of course the latter costs more). On first thought, one might think that this is just a scheme to get more money due to increased sales. This might very well be true. You should see the long lines in all Starbucks branches! Yet if you look at it deeper, you’d realise that more than just a sales ploy, Starbucks is actually giving money to charity from the sales during this period.
They have partnered up with UNICEF and with every planner that you get, a certain amount will be donated to Spark of Hope, a charity that helps out the less privileged children in the Philippines. Not bad, huh?
This activity has actually become a tradition for Starbucks Philippines and its countless customers. It has been going on for several years and though the planner changes every year (or maybe because of that fact), more and more people are getting into it.
So if you are in the area or you know someone from the Philippines, ask them to buy more cups of coffee to get that planner for you.
Alternative Uses for Coffee
Did you know that coffee is not only for drinking but can also be used for a variety of other purposes as well? I am sure that some of you already have an inkling of what I am talking about but humor me and hear what I have to say.
The other day I was at one of my regular hang outs – the smoking lounge in our building. Unfortunately, our office building is a non-smoking one and employees can only smoke in the indoor café on the 11th floor. They serve coffee – which is not so good, to be honest – and some snacks and light meals. What I normally do there, though, is simply sit down and have a smoke.
Anyway, I noticed that their ash trays were filled with a thick layer of damp grainy substance. To my surprise, it was used coffee grains! I asked them about it and they said it makes for a good way to put the cigarettes out and keep the smell down to a minimum. I was not really convinced but I thought it was a neat idea.
I also read about using used coffee grains as a deodorizer. I don’t remember exactly where I read it but the author said to dry the used grains and then place them in small sachets or envelopes. You can then put these in drawers and cabinets and they can add a different character with regards to smell. I tried it and was it wonderful!
Do you have your own alternative ideas?
Coffee Christmas Gifts
Just a few weeks more and Christmas will be upon us all – aren’t you just excited? I know I am a slacker when it comes to getting Christmas gifts for everyone. I don’t even have a real list. I always say that the list in my head is good enough. So as late as now, I am still on the lookout for great gifts that I can give to friends and family.
I got this idea of giving gifts related to coffee to my family members and friends who just can’t live with out their caffeine and I was pleasantly surprised at the number of things I found on the Internet. Actually, some of the gift ideas were so good that I just wanted them for myself as well! (Talk about the spirit of Christmas, huh?)
Here are a few that I think are great choices.
Nightmare Before Christmas Mug
What can I say? I am a sucker for coffee mugs. I told you that in a previous post. Well check out this one and tell who would not love to have one of them. It’s a bit steep for $12 but I think it’s worth it.
Christmas Ornaments
It might be a bit late for some people to put up a tree but coffee ornaments are cool and if your friends keep their tree up till New Year, then this would be a good idea. If all else fails, there is always next Christmas to use it.
Coffee Beans
Of course, this never fails. Grab a bag of really good coffee beans and give them to your coffeeholic friends!
The Coffee Plant
God certainly knew what he was doing when he created the coffee plant, didn’t he? This unassuming plant – tree for some – has brought so many people such pleasure. More than that, I am certain that it has spelled the difference between going insane and staying sane more than a million times around the globe.
So what is the coffee plant? I was talking to a friend the other day – yes he loves coffee – and it came up that he had never seen a coffee plant! I suddenly thought that maybe he is not alone. There might actually be people – especially those who live in urban areas – who have never seen one.
Here, feast your eyes on this wondrous plant that we all depend on.
There are different kinds of coffee plants although perhaps the two most known varieties are Arabica and Robusta. The difference? It is generally held that Robusta beans yield inferior tasting coffee and has higher caffeine content. As such, about 80 per cent of the world’s coffee plants are Arabica.
How old do you think a coffee plant has to be in order to yield usable beans? Around 3 to 4 years. Yes, it takes that long and even then, you have to wait till the beans turn from green to red. This could take several more months. Another piece of trivia about the coffee plant – it produces about 86 lbs (40 or so kilos) of oxygen a day. That makes the coffee plant a major oxygen contributor. Not only does it give pleasure, it also helps the environment!
Why People Prefer Coffee with Jelly Drinks?
Every item, drink or food that is presented in the world today will always have its impact on people. People always look for something new. Adding whipped cream, caramel syrup and even this new entry in the market, that of which have been termed coffee jelly, will always arouse the curiosity of people in any region.
Coffee jelly is something that is not different from the usual jelly bits that people would consume. The only difference is that of its color and appealing coffee flavor. There is no nutritional additives that would make coffee different from the usual beverage that a person would consume. It is more of a person finding some new ways of enhancing their drink wherever they may be.
One can say that such would be more of a psychological attribute towards drink or food consumption. But with regards to new food and beverage preferences, people will always find something different to make such things addictive to the average consumer.
Technorati Tags: coffee, coffee jelly, starbucks, coffe drink, dessert
Craving for Ice Blended Coffee Frappuccinos
Blame it on Starbucks, but the craze that blended iced coffee with whipped cream and chocolate drizzles on top has signaled the obvious efforts by other coffee companies to indulge in such same coffee drink preparation that has been aimed for all ages. While coffee was never known to be suitable for children, the option of having them decaffeinated allows them to enjoy the coffee drink as well with some twists in flavor and presentation.
While some would consider such drinks as fattening, it would depend on the product knowledge on what components of the usual blended coffee or familiarly known as “frappuccino”, made famous by Starbucks, has been a drink demanded by millions since its inception.
To date, it is an automatic identifying mark for people to relate such frappuccinos with Starbucks. They are usually available in coffee, mocha, caramel and Rhumba. The best way to see which the best is is to try them all out. But a word of caution, once a person enjoys his first order; don’t expect it to be the last!
Technorati Tags: starbucks, coffee, frappuccino, blends
Coffee Inside or Coffee Outside
The desire of people who look towards coffee as a means of making their day can either be appreciated from the coffee shops or from their homes. Of the two, the common sight is to see people preferring to sip their brewed hot drinks at the nearest coffee shop such as Starbucks or the Coffee Beanery. The reason for this may include lesser worries of having to clean up, ambiance and relaxation.
Some would even consider it as a form of status symbol since being able to afford to have coffee outdoors may not sit well with people who are careful or are on a budget. While immediate preparation from their homes can be done, there is a certain something that people see when they buy their drinks outdoors in coffee shops.
This has been the traditional practice which would bring together people for a light moment or business meetings where they can use ambiance and the tempting aroma of roasted beans for coffee to go with their agenda for doing so.
Technorati Tags: coffee, aroma, blends, brewed, coffee preparation
Coffee for Two on Valentine’s Day
Couples spending Valentines Day don’t have to look for anything that extravagant to spend the special day of the hearts. A simple coffee hangout with their favorite brews and mingling with some side order of deserts and pastries would be enough. The important thing is that lovebirds are together to savor the occasion of the hearts.
Besides, coffee shops are known to bring a sense of ambiance to most people who look for unwinding and comforting atmospheres today. Valentines is no different since it is an occasion that is not much ballyhooed compared to more significant occasions such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Regardless, Valentines is more about spending the quality time with someone special in your life and coffee or tea for two may be more than enough to cherish the moment. For all it’s worth, it would not be surprising to see most coffee shops filled with people enjoying Valentines Day celebration over a cup of coffee.
