Gratefully Uncertain

Yesterday, I visited the Padre Pio Chapel at Libis, Quezon City. The pandemic may have prevented me from hearing mass and visiting the churches that I frequent, but that does not mean that my faith has diminished. In fact, the prevalence of uncertainty has enabled me to cling to my faith and believe more in an unseen God.

I prayed, purchased dinner from Cucina di Francesco (their Italian sausage pizza and carbonara are both to die for!), and reflected on the number of ways that the pandemic has humbled me. I am still grateful to be able to do the things I enjoy. I am thankful for my family, friends, and loved ones. I am happy to still be thriving. And while there is fear at times, I know that I will be able to make it through this.

I hope that you will also find the faith that can save you during these difficult times. Take care, everyone!

Freelancing Pizza

Yesterday, I met up with some fellow freelancers for lunch. We discussed the joys and pains of freelance life over pizza, and I realized that I’m not alone. Here are some insights that I have gathered from our conversation:

• Freelancing does not mean having a lot of free time. We even work doubly hard and spend more time just to earn enough.

• Freelance work is about choice: the power to choose when and where to work, and the ability to choose which projects to work on.

• Freelance work gives us more freedom to pursue our passions, such as volunteerism for me and graduate studies for them.

• Freelance work is about interesting but also hard work. It is important that one establishes self-discipline before embarking on any freelance project.

I hope that there will be more conversations on freelancing and support groups on the topic. If by any chance a freelancer is reading this and needs help on anything related to being a free agent, feel free to message me! I would be more than willing to connect.

A Nitro 7 Christmas

I was recently invited by Nitro 7 to try their coffee and Christmas drinks at their Megamall cafe. As a coffee lover with GERD, I was curious because their coffee is low in acid but rich in flavor. I was up for the challenge!

According to Nitro 7’s founder Richard Torres, the brand was borne out of a mutual love for coffee between the owners. The were challenged to “think of something new”, and they stumbled upon nitro, which was was invented 2012 in the US. Nitro is a method of preparing coffee, using nitrogen. In this case, air nitrogen is utilized. Pressurized air makes the taste of the coffee better and more flavorful. Beer brewers actually invented the nitro way of brewing, and the process is similar to draft beer.

Nitrogen will make your coffee a little thicker in the mouth. It subdues the bitterness of the coffee. Hence, the sweeter notes of the coffee emerges. 

Nitro coffee is best enjoyed black, but Nitro 7 offers ice blended drinks to cater to the sweet palate of Filipinos.

The brand emerged in 2016, and it is 100% Filipino owned and operated. Their selling point is affordability. Their completion sells nitro coffee for Php180, while Nitro 7 offers their signature Black Nitro for only Php120. The relatable price point does not compromise the quality of their coffee, though. Richard says that they pour two days of process or two days of love in every Nitro 7 coffee.

They also introduced their 16 oz. Christmas drinks just in time for then holidays! The Chocolate Berry Snow has no coffee and will surely appeal to chocoholics. My personal favorite is the Magical Cherry Mocha, as the rich coffee taste personally appeals to me. Their Orange Joy Milk Tea is also delicious, with its refreshing flavor.

Their drinks are best enjoyed with their pizza, which is freshly baked onsite. I have tried their pepperoni and Italian sausage pizzas, and they were both superb! 

They also have delicious hot-pressed sandwiches. I have tried their tuna, corned beef, ham and cheese, and my personal favorite, three cheese! They definitely go well with their coffees.

Lastly, I have tried their Nitro black, and I have not experienced hyperacidity with any of their drinks! It was also the best cold brew I’ve ever had in my life.
With Nitro 7, it is possible to enjoy a better tasting cup within reach!

Nitro 7 currently has 7 branches, 8 of which are franchisees. They are open for franchise.
They also do onsite catering at events, where they bring their coffee cart and pizza oven.

They are also available on Grab Food, Food Panda, and Zomato.

Instagram: @nitro7.coffee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nitro7.coffee/
#Nitro7coffee

Pizza with Family

Yesterday was the feast of St. Blaise. There was a blessing of throats as he was known to heal a boy with a fishbone stuck in his throat. I had mine blessed after Sunday mass. 

Then, my family and I had pizza and chicken for lunch. 

My favorite from Shakey’s is the manager’s choice pizza! Hoping to have this again with my family in the future. 

Father’s Day Food Coma

Yesterday, I celebrated Father’s Day with my family at Amici Technohub. Since my parents value their privacy, I do not involve them with my blog. So let me just share with you some photos I took from our food coma lunch. 

Technohub is home to ducks! They live along the stream which surrounds the property. 

It was fun to chase them around while waiting for our orders. 

We had pizza margherita...

 ...and I had creamy truffle rigatoni. The pizza is our go-to order there, while the pasta was a new dish. It was delicious! I will definitely order it again. 

I finished my lunch with cookies and cream gelato. 

Father’s day 2018 was a laid-back celebration for my family. Here’s hoping that next year, we will be blessed to have another celebration that’s worth blogging about. 

Spam and Pizza

Yesterday, I attended to some personal matters which required me to suit up on a Friday! It was fun to adult and explore possibilities for my future. 

I went to mass at Megamall Chapel for some thanksgiving and quiet time.  

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they bless religious articles after mass. Any amount to be donated to Caritas Manila will do. I had my new necklace blessed. 

I rewarded myself with a flat white...

 ...and a yummy caramelized spam rice bowl at Sunnies Cafe. 

I spent some time at the mall and I had pizza for dinner. 

It was a learning experience for me to discover opportunities, blessings, and delicious food! Here’s to more possibilities ahead.