My Very First Blog

Today, I would like to blog about my visit to this cafe called Seasons by Spatula located at Aurora Place, Bukit Jalil. Nice cafe to chillax.

 

Have you been here before? 

I like that mirror. 

Not crowded during the time I visited, fortunately. I never like crowded cafes and especially now when we need to social distance due to Covid-19, it's really quite risky to dine inside a crowded cafe!

There was a cute pet bunny running around in the cafe. Look! 

I had Latte with oat milk and Ava-Toast (avacado toast). Love the coffee and the toast! Yummy. 

It's a good cafe to chill or to do your work. Don't mind returning here again. 

By the way, this cafe is just about 5 minutes walk from the new Pavilion Bukit Jalil shopping mall. Very convenient place to go after your shopping. 

On my first day in Bangkok, I met up with a Thai friend for lunch. No, you are not going to see him here as I did not take any photo of him. Haha!

Anyway, as soon as I have checked in to my boutique serviced apartment and settled down a bit, I left the hotel to meet him somewhere in Silom. Outside, I saw these red vehicles lining the road. I wondered what they were as I have not seen them in Bangkok before.



As I walked towards the nearest BTS Skytrain station which is Surasak Station, I came across these bicycles.



It was my first time seeing bicycles for rent in Bangkok! I found out later it is known as the Pun Pun Bicycle Sharing Scheme. How nice if Malaysia has a similar system!

First, you need to register at the Pun Pun website (www.punpunbikeshare.com) and collect your smart card which you can then tap on this machine to key in some kind of verification code.



Then you choose the bicycle that you like and tap your card on the dock to unlock the bike.



It seems that if you fail to return the bike by the end of the day you will be fined a certain amount. Not sure how that works though. Maybe they could track you down using your address or something. Wonder if tourists are allowed to rent these bicycles?

I did not try it as using the MRT, BTS, tuk-tuk and boats are more than sufficient to get me around Bangkok easily without much hassle.

I met up with my Thai friend at a restaurant along Silom Road (not sure what's the name) to try khao moo daeng or red pork rice.



The dish is actually red barbecued pork with some sausages and egg with rice covered in a type of slightly sweet red sauce. It tasted good, but not to the extent that I must eat it again. LOL! But I don't mind having it again, of course.

This is the restaurant where we ate. Notice the Chinese characters?



After lunch, we walked over to Starbucks for some coffee. My brother had, before my trip, asked me to get the Starbucks card from Bangkok, as he wanted to collect Starbucks card from different countries.



However, I (or rather my brother) was in for a disappointment as the Starbucks card in Bangkok was nothing special. I did not even bother to get the card.

Anyway, I ordered coffee and my Thai friend ordered tea.



We chatted for some time, before we said good bye and went on our way. That was half a day gone. I spent the remaining part of the day window shopping at Siam Paragon. But let's talk about that in the next post, shall we? :)

To be honest, I am not a coffee drinker. I prefer hot chocolate or even Milo, but recently I am learning to drink more coffee.

But it's not the expensive Starbucks coffee I'm after. Neither is it the cheaper OldTown white coffee.

No, I am really trying to drink more brewed black coffee that has no added sugar or milk. Yes, just plain coffee beans + water. It's hard to drink because it's bitter but I think I am getting used to the bitter taste now.


Image courtesy of DietAdvices.com

You see, coffee is beneficial to health ONLY if you drink it without adding in the sugar, milk and cream. Once you added those stuffs, your cup of coffee is a passport to weight gain, higher diabetes risk, and other health problems.

But if you drink coffee the proper way, you may benefit from the following...

1. Lowers your risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Research shows that those who drink coffee have a 35% lower risk of suffering from Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus compared to those who don't. This could be due to the rich antioxidants in coffee that protects the cells from free radicals. Also, coffee contains magnesium and chromium, which improve the functions of insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar.

2. Improves brain function
The caffeine in coffee improves alertness and enhance brain functions. Those who habitually drink coffee are less likely to develop Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

3. Increases weight loss
Coffee is known to boost your body's metabolic rate which helps you to lose weight. Drinking a cup of coffee for breakfast will raise your metabolic rate and help you to burn your food intake throughout the day especially if combined with exercise.

4. Protects cardiovascular functions
Coffee contains powerful antioxidants that can slow down the oxidation of bad LDL cholesterol, and prevent the formation of blood clots in the arteries. People who drink coffee have lower risk of strokes and heart problems.

5. Promotes digestion and prevents constipation
The caffeine in coffee has the ability to excite the sympathetic nerve and promote peristalsis movement in the digestive system thereby preventing constipation and improves digestion.

6. Increases urination
Caffeine is a mild diuretic. It causes the kidneys to produce more urine which helps to flush out toxins from the body. This will also help to improve the condition of bloated stomach.

7. Works as an antidepressant
Since coffee can improve mental alertness and promote a more cheerful frame of mind, it is helpful to relieve the symptoms of depression. In a way, coffee also acts as a stress reliever.

8. Reduce the risk of certain cancers
Due to the high antioxidant content in coffee, regular drinkers have a lower risk of certain cancers, namely breast, colon, prostate and liver cancers.



CAUTION : Before you start heading to the nearest Starbucks or your local coffee shop, let me tell you that coffee is NOT all "good"! Drink only in moderation.

Here are the adverse health effects of drinking too much coffee...

1. Addictive
Caffeine is addictive. Anything that is addictive (like smoking) is never good. Quitting coffee can cause severe withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigues and depression.

2. Increases stress and anxiety
Too much caffeine can over-stimulate the central nervous system causing one to feel jittery and restless. It can also exhaust the adrenal glands, leading to less resistance to stress and more susceptible to diseases.

3. Worsens a heartburn
Since coffee can trigger the secretion of stomach acids which improve digestion, over stimulation can instead lead to indigestion and heartburn.

4. Risk of miscarriage
Pregnant ladies take note! Too much coffee can increase risk of miscarriage and even known to increase infertility.

5. Increases risk of osteoporosis
Excessive intake of coffee interferes with the absorption of nutrients and minerals by the bones, thus increasing the risk of osteoporosis.

6. Increases aging effects
Coffee is a diuretic and over consumption of coffee therefore leads to dehydration. Dehydration can dry out the skin, causing wrinkles and making you look older than you actually are!

7. Weight gain
Although coffee can increase your metabolic rate and burn more fat, it also stimulates the appetite and increases the craving for high calorie food. Too much coffee therefore will make you eat more and gain weight in the long run!


My cup of roasted almond cappuccino from Coffee Chemistry Cafe

TIPS : HOW TO DRINK COFFEE AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT!

Drink only black coffee without sugar and milk. And definitely without cream! A cup of black coffee contains only 5-7 calories. A teaspoon of sugar will add about 23 calories which is still quite OK if you really cannot take the bitterness.

But try drinking those lavish Starbucks coffee like their Caffe Mocha - it contains 360 calories! Or their Frappuccino Blended Coffee with whipped cream - that will set you back by a whopping 430 calories!