Saturday, September 12, 2009

Caffeine Fiends...and in LOVE with Nespresso machines!


Ramadan is officially making mornings beyond hard for Duma and I!!! We have the best coffee shop (thanks to the staff of Carribou Coffee @ Bareeq Al Shatti) downstairs from our current location and we can't even drink it in the mornings due to Ramadan...boo!!! It just stares at me, calling me every morning when I wander downstairs for a random walk (since I'm not working right now, anything I can do to amuse myself and get away from MTV Arabia is a good thing!).

So, the cafes/coffee shops/eateries around town are closed until dusk everyday...which means we are getting our coffee fix around 8 or 9pm every night - which is exactly why I couldn't sleep until 3am this morning!!! So in the desperate search for a good coffee first thing in the AM during Ramadan, this girl did some investigation...

Duma and I had a Nespresso Essenza machine back gome in Oz and it was delightful to say the least...smooth and creamy coffees to our hearts content, quick and delicious at the touch of a button. But alas, we decided not to bring the 'other' love of our life to Oman, given the weight restrictions for luggage from Perth - Ireland - Oman.

In doing so, I think we lost a piece of ourselves, because it was a part of our foolproof daily routine, even in Ireland as we encouraged R&D to get one too...ahhhh the art of persuasion!
Segway - why don't businesses here provide a GOOD coffee machine at work instead of instant coffee??? Not everyone is a fan of tea or Turkish coffee w/ cardamon!

Back on topic - after looking in all the stores here and realising that noone sells the machines, I reviewed the Nespresso website and rang the 1 contact they have for the Sultanate of Oman...I was beyond disappointed when their GSM provider stated "this user is out of the area" - then the 1 contact for UAE was 'unable to reach on this number'.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME? I NEED CAFFEINE PRONTO!

So, in typical fashion (I love to give feedback) I emailed Nespresso Australia and told them that we were faithful consumers and dying over here without coffee. Thank God (or Allah), but they got back to me with contact details for a business here in Oman and low and behold, they sell what we need!!! :-)
They aren't cheap, but they are SEXY machines and will look great in our new apartment...so we are happy little Vegemites at the moment and should have our new machine but the Eid holidays.

I reckon I could work for Nespresso here and make "one million dollars" true Mini-me style, as I love the products THAT much!!! lol.

** On another note, I just want to give kudos to Rahoul and the staff @ Carribou Coffee in the Bareeq Al Shatti complex. They are nothing short of amazing...remembering our names four 4 whole months after we last visited Muscat and always greet us with a steaming cup of amazing coffee, some of the most genuine and heartfelt smiles you have ever seen, calling us 'Maam' or 'Sir' and such a wonderful work ethic!

You guys truly make our day, EVERY time we visit, and it is definitely a memorable experience.
So much so, that when we were last in London we bypassed Costa Coffee & Starbucks due to the reputation of Carribou in Qurum :-)

I may have only gone to Starbucks just to buy Lisa a packet of her beloved Morning Blend coffee...that is all!!!


6 comments:

  1. When i first read you were unable to partake in the liquid gold i was so devastated...nearly in tears...but alas you didnt give up and I am so happy for you and Larry. As a coffee lover (some may say addict) I understand the need to follow your daily ritual.

    In regards to your new found love for Carribou coffee - may fav coffee store in Chi town was a Carribou...ahhh the memories we make when living overseas:-)

    I look fwd to drinking your home style coffee and of course your fav local coffee place next year!
    Lisa xo

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  2. YES Lis...I know you understand my pain!!! :-)
    Carribou is the greatest, they are the sweetest people and they know us by name and drink, classic!
    Can't wait for you to visit xo

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  3. Can u tell me where u found the Nespresso machine in Muscat as also a big coffee lover and love Nespresso.

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  4. Hi Delirious. Can u tell me where u managed to find Nespresso machine in Muscat as I'm a coffee lover myself and love Nespresso.

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  5. @ Anonymous - there is a Nespresso distributor in Muttrah, the contact I can recommend is Wanda and her GSM is 96440827. She is the key account manager for Oman. Tell her I recommended you :-)

    If you don't want to buy a machine, Cream & Fudge in Bareeq Al Shatti (Qurum) have a corporate machine and sell Nespresso coffee to customers...

    All the best with your Nespresso journey, they are truly remarkable machines and coffee aren't they? :-)

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  6. There is also a Cream & Fudge in MQ that has a Nespresso machine for their coffees too, yum!

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