Tuesday, June 14, 2022

4 Items to Personalize Your Office Cubicle

For today's post, we would be looking at items that you can use to spice up your office desk. This has been a topic on my mind for quite some time now, considering that we spend at least 8 - 9 hours at the workplace or maybe even more, depending on the nature of job and industry.

First thing's first.

The most important thing is ventilation. Without proper ventilation, the entire floor space will smell like a musty house. If you're part of the lucky few who has access to your own working room, it is recommended to leave your window open first thing in the morning when you arrive at the office for a wide array of reasons. 

Number one, the weather won't feel like you're on fire and number two, remnants of the cool, fresh air dawn still remain.

Scented Gel / Diffuser
Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash

I understand that windows are a luxury when the cubicles are located on an open floor space, but that doesn't mean that it is the end of the world. You could either use a scented gel of an accepted fragrance (I won't recommend lemon because not everyone might fancy the citrus smell) or diffuser with concentrated essential oil.

Snacks
Chinese Candy

Your office pantry might already have this, but you should also have your own snacks to quench your hunger before or after lunch. Quenching thirst is a given, but not many office workers are aware that you can keep light snacks at your cubicle for those rare days of sudden hunger, especially when hunger is dependent on our individual digestive systems and physiques. Apart from staying awake without the need for coffee, I'd highly recommend earphones (if allowed) because it permits you to tackle those long days in concentration or an extra kick to complete that arduous task. (This is something that I personally do when I am rushing on paperwork).

Utensils

Last, but not least, you should include an item that totally screams you to personalize your cubicle and makes you feel at ease while working. It can range from anything like your own mug all the way to a tiny houseplant (that is heat-resistant and doesn't need much watering) as long as it doesn't pose any inconvenience or take up unnecessary space.


Photo by Cotton On Australia 

The truth is that how you intend to decorate your cubicle entirely depends on the space constraint and your style. You could opt for a basic cubicle where only the stationeries and workload can be found, include a calendar, or even pin motivational notes on the divider of your cubicle - there's no hard and fast rule about it.

Saturday, June 11, 2022

The Orange Couch Cafe, SS 15, Subang Jaya

That rainy Wednesday afternoon led me in the direction of a path less traveled and into the lane where cafes and bubble teas are part of the mushrooming list of outlets.

Orange Couch Cafe's unique decoration

And that was how I found myself at the Orange Couch Cafe to sample yet another round of their desserts, which shall be introduced later in this review. The moment you enter the cafe, you'll be greeted by hints of Australian-inspired flair with shades of light gray adorning the walls and acting as a silhouette to the minimal decorative pieces. It radiates the cafe's warmth in welcoming you with a homey aura while you sit back and spend moments with your food companion or just chilling out with a cuppa.

The seating area

To your left stands a refrigerated display of enticing cakes for your selection before you place your order with the cashier. Slightly further to your left is the windowsill, which takes advantage of as much natural light as possible to spill into the floorspace while eliminating the excessive use of artificial lights. To your right and ahead of you are the selection of sides, but taking center stage in plain view is the cafe's namesake - an orange couch that is so popular that it warrants advance reservation to avoid disappointments.

Now, let's see the desserts to be recommended.

Orange Couch Cafe's menu

Orange Couch Signature Coffee (RM 16.00)

At first glance, this drink looks like a mug of extraordinary goodness with its balance of colors. You have the mellow, bitter coffee with the orange pulp hiding at the bottom with a slice of caramelized orange resting at the top. Its taste packs as much punch as its visual impact; there is an explosion of flavors including the acidity, bitterness, and sweetness on the palate that leaves an aftershock of tanginess.

It is recommended to stir it before drinking so that the flavors can blend together unless you want to have a cloying surprise.

(No-Bake) Avocado Cheesecake (RM 15.00)

For someone who isn't in love with avocado but swears by her love for cream cheese, this was an absolute winner for me. The cake itself has a creamy texture with slight traces of avocado that is balanced by the cheese in each spoonful, but it doesn't feel mushy either.

While explaining more about the cake, the cafe owner added that it's the cafe's bestseller and a hit favorite among customers, who would return for subsequent visits to satisfy their cravings for this dish.

Chocolate Roulade with Matcha and Mango Cubes (RM 15.50)

I knew I wanted to give this dessert a try the moment I saw the item in the refrigerated display because of its visual appearance - chocolate on the outside but green on the inside with specks of yellow cubes. There is a play of flavors in this roulade as the baker has successfully married the contrast of the ever-so-bitter matcha with the faint traces of sweet chocolate and the sour-sweet mango cubes, making it one of the cafe's bestsellers.

The first bite would introduce you to the chocolate before guiding your palate to accept the matcha through the second bite and surprising you with the faint mango at the end. Due to this combination, the roulade in itself is not overly sacchariferous.

Flat White (RM 12.00)

A part of me would always associate this drink to my undergraduate days in Australia.

This particular flat white is on the strong side, but not overly bitter to the point of being overwhelming. It's just perfect for coffee lovers who are in need of that caffeine kick.

Rachel Berries (RM 23.00)

This is one of their six waffles under the Sweet Waffles Series, all christened with the names of the main characters of "Friends". It consists of the regular-sized waffle with a drizzle of melted chocolate, crumble nuts, a mini pretzel and a scoop of berry ice-cream on top of a side serving of mixed berries.

Matcha Lemonade (RM 15.00)

This drink is one of the four varieties offered under the non coffee series, so don't worry about not being able to visit this cafe if you're not a coffee drinker. For the lemonade, it was actually ordered as a replacement since I wanted to try another drink other than coffee.

Don't let the color confuse you; this is a tangy drink in the sense that there is a faint touch of acidity with a sprinkle of matcha powder and balanced out by a spoonful of saccharine. Such a combination has resulted in the harmonious kick of punch from the lemonade and bitterness from the matcha without either flavor being the dominant one.

A quick chat with the owner revealed that he spent time in Melbourne before deciding to pursue his dream to dabble in the F&B industry, hence the presence of this cafe.

The location of the shop is as follows:-

The Orange Couch Cafe
11, Jalan SS15/4C,
47650 Subang Jaya,
Selangor

Instagram: @the_orangecouch

It might be a tad bit arduous to locate this cafe, so the nearest landmark is diagonally opposite Nasi Kandar Pelita SS15, Subang Jaya. It is situated a row behind SS 15 Courtyard/First Subang.
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