Knots Coffee Roasters

Knots Coffee Roasters

I think I just found paradise on earth in the form of a coffee shop. To the unaware, I am a huge coffee drinker, a snob sometimes. And I scour places looking for that sweet, or bitter, spot between acidity and bitterness. Who am I kidding I mostly lean towards the bitter end.

So, while I was talking to my manager about work, and life in general, we happen to stumble upon this curious little coffee shop at a corner in front of the JR Yurakucho station. It had that Melbourne coffee place vibe to it, that just begged me to come and take a sip of their “bitterest” (most bitter). And it was good. Which is way better than what I could say about the hundreds of constellation-themed coffee shops that plagued my place of work. But what is most interesting is the fact that they have a 定期コーヒー concept.

To the uninitiated in the Japanese language, that means unlimited coffee for a specific period of time. In this case, a month. Imagine that! I can have OK coffee every single day at work, for the minimum price of 3000 Yen! And it’s not just the blacks that are included, the lattes, au laits and the espressos are all part of this service.

So, I drink 3 cups of coffee a day. EVEN if I calculate it using the lowest common denominator, which is a 100 yen per cup of coffee, that means I save half of what I usually would spend on coffee in a month.

Now, how grand is that?

Review: Apple’s AirPods

Review: Apple’s AirPods

When I bought my Jabra Bluetooth headset a few years ago I only had one usecase in mind, to be able to make and answer phone calls without having to take out my phone. It was an exciting time in my life when I first connected the phone to the headset, and made a call. It was everything that I expected, and everything the pamphlet said it would be. The call quality was great. I had no problems using it under normal conditions. In fact, it was quite good that it was enough to urge me to try using it to listen to my music. The result however was less than stellar.

From that moment on, I have longed for something similar. A bluetooth headphone that makes excellent calls, but at the same time is great for playing music. Also, it should be one that I can wear on a single ear, or both, depending on where I am.

Fast forward to the present, I now own a pair of Apple’s latest accessory, the AirPods, and I couldn’t be happier.

The case, AirPod-L and AirPod-R

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Silver Week 2016, Day 1, Take 2 

Silver Week 2016, Day 1, Take 2 

I left Tokyo on Friday 9/16, and arrived at NYC five minutes later.

It was a 13-hour flight but because it was a stress-free one, I am as energized as I was when I left Tokyo. What stresses me the most on long-haul flights is the fact that I might not be able to do #2 while on the plane. I am a picky pooper and if the bathroom conditions are abysmal, I’d prefer to keep it all in. But JAL toilets were immaculately clean, and even furnished with washlets. For those who do not know, washlets are what the Japanese call their technologically advanced/superior bidets. Which is why I tend to shy away from drinking coffee while in-air, but not this time. I was in a vehicle that passes my cleanliness standards and was on vacation. The only thing holding me back from loading up on caffeine was my self-control, and I packed that along with the geek neatly inside my suitcase. Ok, that was a lie. I kept the geek neatly tucked under my shirt.

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The Daily Commute: Canine Rhapsody

The Daily Commute: Canine Rhapsody

This morning, while I was riding my bike along the river of Tsurumi on my way to work, I saw a dog and its pet human. Maybe it was the other way around but I stand by my impression. The dog was biting and tagging on its leash. Then from out of nowhere, I started singing:

Will you let me go?
No, we will not let you go.
Let him go!
We will not let you go!

And just like that, the rest of my commute was filled with angst.

Happy Halloween!

Silver Week 2016: Day 1, Flight Day

Silver Week 2016: Day 1, Flight Day

I had nothing to say.

Which is why I have been keeping silent for the past months. Unlike some people I know who can summon their muse at the most mundane of topics, sadly I can not. But, I did go to NYC for my silver week holidays and with the help of Day One, the app I use to eternalize my thoughts, I finally have some content to  blog about.

9/16, Friday, also known as the point of no return.

I’ve never had any problems using the boarding gate lounges provided for by the airports here in Japan. It’s sufficient enough to attend to my immediate needs while I wait for boarding. The stores are great, food selection is abundant, the male toilets are clean, there are even charging stations spread through out the waiting area if ever you forgot to bring your own mobile charger. It was enough and I was happy.
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