Author: admin

stopping by my favorite

I was passing through New York early this morning on my way north, so of course I stopped by La Casa.

While Anna was making my macchiato I noticed some donuts on the counter that looked pretty good, but I wasn’t sure of the filling so I asked if they were chocolate or jelly. She said some were Nutella, some were creme. I said no thanks, I prefer jelly. Anna shot me a look, let me know in no uncertain terms that they were Italian, not American, and told me I should try them. All done politely but in a manner that made things quite clear I had no choice.

That creme was delicious, and my son (who was asleep in the car at the time) enjoyed the Nutella.

Anna knows what she’s talking about.

survival instincts

I’m at an industry conference in the convention center of a large hotel/resort in central Florida. Long days of programming that I’m enjoying, but no access to coffee other than an on-site outlet of the evil empire and urns of questionable industrial drip coffee. Not ideal for an espresso addicted coffee snob.

Here’s how I’m making it through:

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pardon me while I keep beating the drum


Hana Kaneshige (L) and Jenna Gotthelf of Counter Culture. photo by Sprudge

Continuing my one-man campaign for better awareness, appreciation and treatment of baristas…..

Please read this article from Sprudge, about the efforts of two Counter Culture educators to get data on a living wage for baristas.

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…..and they’re always glad you came

Cheers photo montage from GQ Magazine

One of the many benefits of frequenting independent cafes and smaller chains over the behemoths is that the warmth and sense of community you can find in those places is far better than the erzatz comfort and faux fellowship engendered by the layout of your local Starbucks.

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guest post: Heidi’s Coffee Journey

My friend and high school classmate Heidi is one of the most interesting people I know. Former professional athlete, brilliant academic, successful entrepreneur, and someone who makes a real difference in her community. She’s also opinionated and not shy about it, which makes her a perfect candidate for a guest post. I’m happy to give over this space for Heidi to share her story of how she came to love coffee, and how she’s still exploring new coffee boundaries.

When I began to think about what to write in my guest coffee blog post, I realized that the thing I love most about coffee is that I most associate it with rare, reflective “me time.”  When I wake, it is the first thing on my mind – the smell, the taste, the quiet time to start my day.

My name is Heidi, and I am a coffee lover. I drink it black and I drink it strong. That can go bad fast when you end up with a cup of gas station gunk.

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Salt & Pepper Diner Essential Song of the Day for 4/29

Kate Pierson just celebrated her 70th birthday. It’s hard to pick just one song that best showcases her amazing voice, between her work with B-52s (the layering of her voice with Cindy Wilson’s here, yowza!) and guesting with acts like REM. But let’s show some love for one of the finest vocalists of our time by enjoying her collaboration with Iggy Pop 21x in a row.