CC: Zoka Coffee Roaster and Tea Company

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Subject: Zoka Coffee Roaster and Tea Company

Location visited: Seattle, WA
(University Zoka location)

Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating: 6+ [see key]


As a rule, every college campus should always have a good coffehouse close by. Sure almost all campuses have coffeehouses near, but it is a rare sight to walk off the University property and in a few short steps, find yourself in a coffee establishment that knows how to pull espresso and serve quality coffee (it's even rarer to find such good coffee on the campus, but that's another rant).

Yet this dilemma does not exist at the University of Washington where Zoka Coffee Roaster and Tea Company has a location right near campus beneath what seemed to be student housing (fortunate souls). The cafe itself is bohemoth, stretching longer than a tour bus and as wide as six team of oxen. The exterior holds basic but inside, the cafe has a nice wood and white theme complete with fireplace in the back, not to mention enough seats to sit the population of Oz (most of the seats were full when I stopped in).

Zoka of course roasts their own coffee, having a famed reputation as one of Seattle's finest. The brew I ingested this particular visit was their Costa Rican, a nice light coffee with hints of bran, cocoa and molasses. The espresso came out wonderfully (due to skilled hands I'm sure), with a pair of short velvety shots that relayed a nice zest and notes of chocolate cake and a touch of honey. The tea is free leaf of their own.

As I sat and finished my espresso, I really felt envious for the many students working so diligently. Not only did they have a mammoth, stylish place to do work and meet with people, but more importantly they can get a real decent cup of coffee without a small road trip. How I wish I had such fortunes when I was a school boy.

Whether you're at the University Zoka location or one of the others, make sure to give Zoka a stop if you're in town.

CC: The Black Cow Coffee Company

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Subject: The Black Cow Coffee Company

Location visited: Croton-on-Hudson, NY

Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating: 4+ [see key]

While I hardly visit the Hudson river and its many beautiful landscapes, I really do enjoy traversing the breathless vistas. It really makes you understand the lament that many Hudson River Schoolers had about the development that really overtook the area (I'm sure it was a billion times more gorgeous pre-development).

But after a nice dose of nature, my tongue began cramping for a spot of coffee. Fortunately, I had a spot nearby slotted for a visit called the Black Cow Coffee Company. The BCCC sits in a strip mall with not too much outside save their big sign and a one way parking lot. Within, the shop has a very agrarian look with all kinds of rustic furniture and other interesting rural pieces.

The Black Cow roasts its own coffee, with a bunch of different single origins and blends. I had their Mud blend via drip, which manifested a bright cup with samples of tobacco and apple; a good cup but a little bland as well. The espresso was presented as a short/medium pull with flavors of dark chocolate in front and hints of pineapple following, but there was also a noticeable amount of bitter char on the end. The tea is Republic of Tea.

Having quenched my appetite for a decent coffee, I made my way off to the cliffs overlooking the Hudson river (pictures of course). If you happen to be in the area either admiring the sights or just passing through, give the Black Cow a visit.

Colgate Wisps

Since I'm not a big fan of mints or gum, and carrying the ol' toothbrush around doesn't work either, I really get excited when other options present themselves.

Recently, I had an opportunity to try out the Colgate Wisps (disposable little toothbrushes with the toothpaste infused) and while they were nothing compared to real brushing, it did help cleanse my mouth of its many microbial trespassers.

Thus if you're not all that into sugary solutions, the Wisp might be your answer.

CC: 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters

Location visited: Vancouver, BC

Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating: 6+ [see key]

In my travels, Vancouver has thus far been my favorite Canadian city. The beautiful mountains shadowing the large metropolis really brings the best of the city to the prisitine wonder of the wild. From also what I understand, the weather also rarely gets too unbearable (it was relatively beautiful when I visited) and the culture has all sorts of facets to it.

But for me, the best part of Vancouver was the coffee (shocker!). As Seattle's Canadian neighbor, the city has in many ways distinguished itself quite noticeably in the coffee and espresso scene. Of the many places I wished to visit, the one at the top of my list was 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters' showcase cafe on W 4th Avenue. I had the fortune of imbibing their coffee in a couple other locations, all of which proved lovely, so to visit the mother ship gave me something to really look forward to.

Walking down the street on a lovely early spring day, I first beheld the cafe after I had nearly stumbled over it (the shops were close and much of the neighboring signage was quite loud). Stepping past their nice metal outside seating and retractable awning, I walked into their beautifully decorated shop with its vaulted ceilings plus their trademark blue and brown color scheme. I also want to note that this was probably the first cafe that I've seen more than a few employees working at the same time (I remember it numbering over 6!).

Getting straight to the coffee, I ordered 49th's Costa Rica via their Clover. The brew turned out wonderful, with an even-balanced, bright cup with hints of currants. The espresso also came out blissfully well, with a nice balance of sweetness and even a touch of saltiness, overshadowed with a wave of chocolate. The tea is free leaf of their own.

Given my lofty impressions of 49th Parallel Coffee and of Vancouver, I definitely left with an utter satisfaction of a good experience. If you're ever in town, definitely pop by 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters.

CC: Swork Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Swork Coffee

Location visited: LA, CA

Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating: 4+ [see key]

Tourism purely for gastronomic reasons has become more and more popular. Sure people have always gone to places "for the food" but now the food has even eclipsed traditional tourist spots. Why bother with the Eiffel Tower when you can do a Parisian culinary crawl?

While I am not at the level of gastro-tourism to cut out my inedible touristy stops, I do like to make sure to see local spots that garner much praise. In my trip to LA, I made quite a few (including a stop at the famous Pink's Hot Dogs and an authentic buritto joint, El Tepeyac Cafe) but my last one to a cash-only Italian eatery in the area of Eagle Rock didn't work out so well and hence, I was left scrambling for a good meal off the cuff.

I drove all over Eagle Rock and didn't see anything appealing (I know I overlooked something good) and so I decided to just put my dinner on hold and for the time being, just grab some coffee at local coffeehouse, Swork Coffee.

Located on a corner in what seemed to be close to the center of town, Swork Coffee has a very intriguing look to it, with it's question mark logo and what looked like a Scandanavian influence in decor. The outside has a nice mix of outside seating with big red umbrellas, while the inside is a nice mix of foxy furniture and even a kid-friendly room.

Swork roasts their own coffee, some with pretty interesting names. I had the Clubhouse, their house blend, which tasted nutty, earthy and bright though also a little stale. The espresso was pulled to a medium volume and had a nice graham crackery taste and tinges of cocoa, yet also had a little bit of a dark bite on the end. The tea is loose leaf.

The stop at Swork ended up decent but it would have been a stop better suited for post-dinner. Looking back, I wish I had just tried a local place as I just ended up settling for a Cheesecake Factory appetizer much later that evening that proved filling, but nothing tremendous.

Anywho, if you're in Eagle Rock looking for a decent coffee, give Swork Coffee a stop.

CC: Laughing Ladies Cafe

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Subject: Laughing Ladies Cafe

Location visited: Seattle, WA

Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating: 4+ [see key]

It proves very hard finding something when the name changes and you miss the transition. My most recent encounter with this issue happened in the northern part of Seattle when I was looking for a place called Hotwire Coffee, but fortunately I had a flash of intuition, stopped anyway and found that this past Hotwire location had now become Laughing Ladies Cafe.

The cafe sits on a big cement patio with some outside seating and a very large access ramp. The interior is a colorful cafe with all kinds of furniture, nice high ceilings and computers for patrons to use. The coffee comes from nearby 7 Coffee Roasters; I had the Guatemalan, a smooth coffee with traces of pear and fig (i.e. a decent coffee). The espresso proved mostly agreeable, as it was pulled to a medium volume and had flavors of bittersweet cocoa and sadly, a bit of a burnt tinge on the end. The tea is Teahouse Kuan Yin and Mighty Leaf.

While I had originally expected a different place, I felt that Laughing Ladies did a pretty good job living up to what I had indirectly expected. If you're north of downtown, give the place a try.

Mugged: PT's Coffee [Ethiopia Sidamo]

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What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject: PT's Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Ethiopia Sidamo
Rating: 5+ [see key]




What a better way to start off the day then with a gloriously rich coffee? Let's forget the caffeine aspect; if your coffee doesn't make your eyes roll into the back of your head in ecstasy, then you have either been woefully misled or you're stuck somewhere unable to get a decent cup (my deepest sorrows are with those of you in the latter category).

But for the rest of you able to get your hands on coffee via delivery, my recommendation currently would be PT's Coffee's Ethiopia Sidamo. I just had the luxury of sampling this coffee via french press, vacuum press and drip; each one holding a flavor greatly abundant. Ground, the coffee is rich of all kinds of aromas but the most distinct was the overwhelming flares of blueberry. The vacuum press confirmed the aromas as it hit like a blueberry sledge hammer, complimenting with a nice acidity and a luscious merlot taste on the back. The french press produced similar accents of berries, with hints of a nice brightness and overall smooth taste. The drip had a bit more of a subdued tastes with some cocoa flavors popping out as well as a stronger presence of the merlot.

While I doubt many of you who are reading this frequently ingest bad coffee, if it does happen to be you who sucks the bad black water, I would at the very least recommend treating your tongue one time to such a good coffee as PT's Ethiopia Sidamo.

Mugged: PT's Coffee [Kenya Ndaro-Ini]

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What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject: PT's Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Kenya AA Ndaro-Ini
Rating: 5+ [see key]




Over the years, I have ingested many a single origin coffee and thus far, I've had great coffee from most major coffee-producing countries. But no area of the world has continually amazed me as the east Africa region.

PT's Coffee recently threw me their Kenya AA Ndaro-Ini to try out and having high expectations as it got a 92 from Coffee Review, I looked forward to trying it out. After grinding, I wafted strong scents of berry and other fruit. I proceeded to sample it via french press, vacuum press and drip. The french press produced a gloriously bright cup, full of raspberry and tangerine, a nice acidity and finished with a natural sugar cane. The vacuum press held a light cup with a little more of an earthy depth and a strong sweetness on the end. The drip, though also similar, produced less complexity but still a strong presence of tart fruit and a sweet finish. All together, my expectations were strongly embraced.

If you're looking for a great direct trade coffee from Kenya, give PT's Coffee's Kenya AA Ndaro-Ini a slurp.

Got Milk in Your Latte?

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Recently received a few emails about Got Milk's new campaign utilizing the recipes of industry baristas for lattes and other coffee-related drinks. The motivation, though obvious, makes a lot of sense and makes drinking your milk even more fun!

If you can't look at the above link (due to Flash restrictions), check out the simple HTML version.

CC: Cafe Corsa

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What's does "CC" mean?


Subject: Cafe Corsa
Location visited: LA, CA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]



Romping around LA proved not as troublesome as I thought. Sure there was traffic at times and sure parking wasn't easy, but compared to other cities, it was quite refreshing.

One beautiful example of travel made easy was a stop made at an LA coffeehouse called Cafe Corsa. Located in a section of the city with mostly metered parking, the cafe sits in a brick shopping center with short-term parking.

The venue itself possesses a cozy look, with a few nice seating areas in the front and along the side. The coffee comes from two roasters: Intelligentsia and Oregon Coast Roasters. I had the Sumatra from Oregon Coast Roasters on their Clover, which ended up a little darker than I like, with a real strong oily presence, but still had some mild brightness and a light cherry tang. The espresso was fair, with a strong bitter sweetness on the front and an unattractive charcoal bite on the back. I did not note the tea.

While the experience didn't prove as great as the convenience, I think that had I gone with the Intelligentsia options, I might have had better fortunes (Oregon Coast Coffee seems to be a roaster of dark coffees).

If you're in the neighborhood needing a quick stop for decent coffee, give Cafe Corsa a stop.

Mugged: PT's Coffee [Finca La Felicidad - Guatemalan Antigua]

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What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject: PT's Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Finca La Felicidad - Guatemalan Antigua
Rating: 5+ [see key]


Recently, a number of coffee roasters have made great strides in creating direct trade with coffee farmers (i.e. cut out the middle man), a move that develops long-term relationships with the farm and ends up benefiting both parties with a greater product and fair pricing across the board (quite often the farm benefits many times more then Fair Trade certified farms).

PT's Coffee would be an example of one such roaster working hard at it. When they recently sent me a bag of Finca La Felicidad - Guatemalan Antigua to try out, I was thrilled to find the coffee comes from such a Direct Trade relationship.

As mentioned on PT's website, the coffee beans did produce a lovely potent buttery aroma. I sampled the coffee via french press, vacuum press and drip. The french press produced a deep chocolate taste, medium smooth body and followed with flecks of spice and molasses. The vacuum press had similar flavors, with the spiciness a little more pronounced and a bit more of an earthy flavor that came out. The drip had a much smoother body and little more subdued expression of the flavors (especially the cocoa).

On the whole, this coffee rocked my socks off. If you're looking for a great South American coffee, try Finca La Felicidad for sure.

CC: Redcat (their lounge)

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Subject: Redcat's lounge
Location visited: LA, CA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]



Going to the theater has a very rushed and uncomfortable feeling to it, probably because I'm always late, I usually have to look swanky and the seats usually are made for a much shorter fella than I.

But when I last walked Los Angeles, I got word of a theater sounding somewhat the opposite. The Redcat in downtown LA had a reputation not only for good shows, but for their lounge renowned for serving up good coffee.

Needless to say I made my way over to investigate. After finding parking far away (which is absurdly priced to boot!), I walked into Redcat's beautiful spacious lobby and found the lounge about 200 ft from the entrance in an outcove on the left. The space is a beautiful wood-paneled space with a nice mix of natural light, art and seating.

The coffee they serve is from Espresso Vivace out of Seattle, a welcome addition to the coffee variety of LA. Unfortunately, my drinks hardly did justice to the bean's reputation. The espresso possessed hints of nougat and condensed milk but was also pulled really long and lacked the pizazz of a Espresso Vivace shot. The drip coffee was horrible; a stale brew with strong hints of exterior oil with but only hints of mild sweetness. The tea is Tazo and they also serve alcohol.

While I didn't see a show at the Redcat, the interior (lounge included) did make the theater seem a like a nice place to take in a show, with its chill atmosphere and open feel. But nonetheless, it's a shame to have such excellent coffee and not use it to its full potential (maybe I was there on an off day...).

So if you're in LA and looking for a show, try out Redcat and maybe try the coffee.

CC: Jones Coffee Roasters

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Subject: Jones Coffee Roasters
Location visited: Pasadena, CA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


Multi-tasking shines as a quality valued a little too much. Sure you might be able to type a letter while painting a self portrait and clapping cymbals between your knees in half time, but can you do it well? Few of us can.

Yet my recent trip to Jones Coffee Roasters revealed what seemed quite a feat of simultaneous operations. Located in lovely Pasadena (quite the gorgeous town), my wife and I stopped in toward the end of the night on our way back to our hotel. We walked up to the open garage door of the cafe, nestled in a pretty nondescript office building/strip mall, and found the cafe a little slow but still serving drinks on their island of a counter in the front of what apparently also doubles as their storage and roasting facility.

The great feat of multi-tasking manifested itself in that the barista not only worked the counter, but he also managed to monitor a batch of coffee on their large drum roaster in the back of the warehouse. Some may see this as an easy ball to keep suspended in the juggle, but from personal experience, it takes a lot of effort to keep a conscious watch on something so volatile in detail.

Looking to the coffee, I had the Gamble House Blend which proved to have a smooth and bright character, with touches of honey and a tea-like body. The espresso (which the barista did actually forget initially) displayed well in a pair of short shots that carried a nice lime tang and sweet hints of cocoa but sadly ended with a little bit of harsh char on the end. The tea is a free leaf of their own.

All together, Jones Coffee Company seemed to illustrate multi-tasking as something doable but by no means an easy task. Either way, it gave good closure to that particular warm evening with the decent coffee (espresso appeared that it could improve) and the intriguing juggling act. If you happen to be around the area, drop on by for some decent cup o joe and just maybe, a show.

Carrying your coffee with a finger...

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As I'm always looking to make my life a bit easier amid my rushed existence, I found this product interesting. It's a coffee sleeve with string grips that allow you to carry your coffee like a bag. Granted the concept is nothing groundbreaking, but then again, most handy innovations are but something tweaked a step further.

If you happen to have used or experienced this, I'm curious as to its true potential.

CC: Blue Spoon

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Subject: Blue Spoon Coffee Co.
Location visited: Manhattan, NY
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


I've always been curious what kind of coffee Wall Street traders would drink as they get ready for their crazy days. Fortunately for at least the NYC Financial District, there are a few coffee places relatively close by to grab a quality cup of joe.

One that seems outfitted for the working Manhattan-ite on the go is a place called the Blue Spoon Coffee Company, a small coffeehouse located right on Chambers Street open only during the traditional M-F work week. I had made a few attempts to stop by over the years but since I rarely went up to New York City during the week, stopping in proved difficult.

Finally, I had an excuse one day to stop by early during the rush hour commute of a Monday (which might I add, navigating the subway with that much chaos is no fun) and hence, I wandered over to their shop. The venue sits in a cute cafe with a metal exterior with decent windows and a quaint inside with a good deal of spacious seating for the space.

The coffee comes from Intelligentsia, and from what I understand Blue Spoon stands as one of the first in NYC to peddle the Chicago coffee. I had the Blue Spoon Blend, a coffee that purveyed a fiery spice on the front that ended subtly in rice pudding. The espresso, pulled short and by practiced hands, had sweet notes of strawberries and cream as well strong hints of cocoa. I didn't spot the tea.

As I had been waiting to go to Blue Spoon for a while, I was glad that it delivered on my hopes of it being worth the trip. If you happen to be south in Manhattan during the work week, make a detour to the Blue Spoon Coffee Co.

CC: Urth Caffe

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Subject: Urth Caffe
Location visited: Santa Monica,CA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]


There exist but a few optimal ways of how I love to sip my coffee and by far, my favorite would be sitting on a covered outside patio in the midst of a warm sunny day. But in the world of coffeehouses, rarely do such spaces exist and when they do, such wonders are quickly filled by local and traveler alike.

Such seems to be the case of the Santa Monica location of Urth Cafe. The cafe sits in a hopping part of town and resides within one of the more unique buildings I've seen. Not only is the architecture kind of funky, but a good portion extends into a wall-less porch that takes in the California sun wonderfully. All together, the place really pleases the eyes and the amount of people packed into the place really spoke to its popularity.

As far as their coffee and tea, Urth serves only organic and roasts their own coffee. I had the coffee on tap, the Milano, which turned out to have a decent body but also a whole lot of bitterness common to an over-roasted coffee. The espresso didn't work out too well either, as it had decent acidity but also strong flavors of exterior oils. The teas are free leaf.

While sitting down in the lovely cafe would have made my Urth experience a little better (waiting for a table was not an option), I had to go and with only a mediocre coffee experience. Hopefully the day proved just an off experience behind the counter.

Therefore, if you're in Santa Monica and looking for fair coffee in a really nice cafe, stop by Urth Cafe.

CC: Ridgewood Coffee Company

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Subject: Ridgewood Coffee Company
Location visited: Ridgewood, NJ
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


The land of NJ that lies to the northeast is a land fairly different than the rest of the state. The number of roads and highways obviously is much greater and the proximity to New York City makes the place a congested nightmare during the waking hours of most days.

With such a large amount of traffic, you would think there at least a few good coffee places, especially with New York City's ever-improving coffee scene. But alas, few good places have sprung up in northeast NJ.

Yet every now and then, a prospect pops up, the most recent being a place called the Ridgewood Coffee Company in the lovely town of Ridgewood. Rumor had it the place was doing great things with great coffee, so the first time I needed to go through the area via automobile, I made sure to make a stop.

I arrived in Ridgewood one brisk weekday morning, finding the coffeehouse sitting pretty on a corner along a main stretch of town. The outside had a collection of plastic porch chairs (some had blown away) and the building itself had but one large window. Inside, the seating forks on either side of the coffee counter in what was a fairly dark room with most of the light coming in from the window.

The coffee comes from three coffee greats: Ecco, Novo and Intelligentsia. With such an arsenal, the fact that Ridgewood can show them off on a Clover makes good sense. I had the Novo's Colombian via Clover which came out lovely with the sweet taste of pear and dough; an overall mellow and wonderful coffee. The espresso, which was pulled so-so (the barista was definitely half asleep), expressed a tart lime-ish tang in front followed by notes of cane sugar and (sadly) a strong amount of char on the back end. The tea is Stash and Tazo.

Sadly, the whole coffee experience was soured by the two baristas working that day. Not only did they both give me their coldest shoulders when I first came in (they were still slowly setting up) but despite a completely empty shop, I had to initiate every inch of my order (including payment!). Even after I sat down 5 ft away from the counter, they were loudly grumbling about how they needed more money as well as other woes in their life. Normally, I give a slip in customer service the benefit of the doubt, but this topped the charts as the worst I've ever suffered. Hopefully I just experienced a negative anomaly (so it seems, as others seem to have had good experiences).

Thus in the end, I drove away from Ridgewood let down with the overall experience but pleased that a coffeehouse with potential of blooming has taken root in the northeast of NJ. While I'm not up in that neck of the woods a lot, I do hope to make another stop in soon, with hopefully better results.

If you're nearby, give Ridgewood Coffee Company a try; I pray your encounter plays out better then mine.

CC: Kean Coffee

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Subject: Kean Coffee
Location visited: Newport Beach,CA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


While I am all about using coffeehouses as a rendezvous for friends, waiting at a crowded one with little promise for a table can be a bit trying.

Twas my luck when meeting up with friends at Kean Coffee in Newport Beach. The traffic proved nil for my wife and I as per our course, but our friends had worse fortunes and they ended up sitting on the 405 for some time. So to kill some time while the wife and I waited, we decided to get our coffee and wait inside.

Kean Coffee sits in a small shopping center with a few outside tables along its long windows. Inside, Kean has a moderately-sized cafe with nice wood furniture and tribal chandeliers. The apparent popularity of the place showed with the impossibility of getting an inside table but fortunately, there were a few seats outside.

Kean roasts their own coffee on a drum roaster in the back corner of their store (they were putting a couple batches through while we were there). I sampled their Ethiopian Sidamo, and to my delight it produced a very floral and bright cup, with noticeable berries throughout. The espresso came out decent, with strong tones of citrus and caramel but a fair amount of char on the back end. I didn't note the tea at the time, but according to the website they have their own line of free leaf teas.

By the time my wife and I finished our drinks (she had a delicious mocha), our friends arrived and we made our way to lunch (which ended up a bit more of a drive up to Culver City). In the end, I liked my experience with Kean and thus, if you're in the area looking for decent coffee, give it a try.

CC: Caffe Luxxe

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Subject: Caffe Luxxe
Location visited: Santa Monica, CA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]



As a lad I recall thinking of Californian beaches as odd places, especially since I held the NJ beach towns of Ocean City and Wildwood as a standard. I remember pondering the concept of having multiple parking lots near a beach as crazy and that it sounded mildly unpleasant to lift weights on a beach (the sand would surely chafe).

But now that I'm older, the uniqueness of the CA coast (both natural and cultural differences) holds great allure, especially in a town like Santa Monica. Granted I've only visited once, but the meld of boutique-lined streets and serene beaches is a beautiful and rare combination in the US.

One venue that caught my attention was Caffe Luxxe, a coffeehouse that aims to provide a European cafe experience, including quality coffee. The establishment sits in a row of shops with a black awning and a wooden bench. Within the doors, the cafe is set up in a monochromatic yet very swanky manner.

They roast their own coffee, providing only one offering. The drip provided a smooth coffee with a touch of raisins and a noticeable peppery zest. The espresso, pulled short and with what seemed to be trepidation (I think the barista was having a rough day), delivered a sweet tang with a velvety finish and a nice acidity, with only a subtle bit of char on the end. The tea is free leaf.

While my success with coffeehouses in other ocean-front cities exists, I would say Caffe Luxxe stood out as yet another unique facet of California beaches (or the towns that own them at the very least). If you happen to be in town, swagger your way over to Caffe Luxxe.

CC: Kaffe 1668

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Subject: Kaffe 1668
Location visited: Manhattan, NY
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Not every day do I get an actual good lead or corroboration on a new-to-me coffeehouse from personal contacts. Most often people will throw me something I've been to or have heard often, but not always do new or forgotten tips pour forth.

But just this past week I was talking to a new acquaintance and he reminded me of a place I'd heard of but had escaped my radar, a place called Kaffe 1668. With my memory freshly jogged, I made my way over soon after.

Kaffe 1668 is located a block or two north of Ground Zero on Greenwich St in a nondescript building with floor-to-ceiling windows and a simple street sign outside. The inside blew me away with an almost complete contrast, as the interior was possibly the best decorated cafe I've ever seen, with beautiful furniture (even a beautiful banquet table) and just an overall well-construed ambiance that made me want to redecorate my apartment.

The coffee comes from Intelligentsia and Plowshares Coffee Roasters, as well as a guest espresso from random roasters (this time, it was from Ecco Caffe). I had the Bolivian (didn't ask who roasted it, though I'm pretty sure it was Intelligentsia) via a Clover machine. The coffee came out beautifully, displaying hints of flowering grass and an overall taste of pomegrante. I had the guest espresso, an Ethiopian single origin from Ecco, which by far was one of the best espressos I have had in a long time; the front of the shots were crowned with the flavors of vanilla ice cream, following with some orange and semi-sweet chocolate. The tea is free leaf and organic.

Walking away, I thanked my lucky stars that Kaffe 1668 made it back onto my map as the experience was one I shant forget. If you are anywhere near Manhattan, give it a hearty try.

ICC and Illy's Coffee Expert Class

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This past Monday and Tuesday, the International Culinary Center in NYC and Illy Caffe held the first class of Coffee Expert: From Plant to Cup, a class aiming to educate both "devoted coffee lovers and industry professionals" on the ways and correct techniques of serving superior coffee.

Looking at who was putting on the class, it seemed that the hosts possessed some strong credentials; the International Culinary Center holds a strong culinary reputation and Illy Coffee, though a large producer of what I would interpret as sub-par coffee (pre-ground and coffee pods), has a strong legacy of quality and a strong claim to the form of espresso as we know it today.

So when an invitation to attend landed in my inbox, I decided to clear my schedule and experience the class.

I arrived Monday morning to a small lecture hall in the ICC, complete with two large La Cimbali espresso machines (Illy customized) and a large host of people ranging from local cafe owners to coffee enthusiasts. The main instructor was Moreno Faina, a formal professor of Universita del Caffe', the backbone of the class. The other instructors were Giorgio Milos, a well-seasoned barista who has claimed many awards, and three ICC instructors: Chef Candy Argondizza, Karin Endy and Alexis Kahn.

The class went much the same both days; lecture and coffee tasting throughout the day and the last two hours of both days were focused on letting the participants try their hands at making quality espresso and cappuccinos. Lunch was also provided.

In the end, my impressions were as follows:

Positives:
- Illy really seems to know their stuff when it comes to history, technique, and processes. I would have to say I learned a few things about espresso machines, barista skills and agriculture.

- Giorgio demonstrated amazing barista wisdom and skills. I learned most from the basic tips and wisdom he offered as well as his outstanding performance.

- Lunch was amazing both days.

- The coffee tastings were a great introductory excercise for those not accustomed to looking for detailed characteristics in their coffee (I found it a welcome refresher).


Negatives:
- While the presenters really knew their stuff, they hailed the Illy espresso pods and pre-ground coffee as acceptable practices in a business. Yes I know that Illy is a business that needs to make money and of course they recommended fresh ground coffee and manual espresso machines as better, but recommending low quality products as acceptable is never acceptable.

- Illy is obsessed with blending and the importance of blending coffee for espresso became a point all too emphasized. Sure blending for espresso is a tried and true means of producing consistent espresso, but single origin espresso holds great potential (not to mention sway!).

- The coffee background was extensive yet also a little shallow in my opinion. Granted I've studied my coffee textbooks, but I feel that for an introductory course there were some things that could have been trimmed down and other things that could have been expounded.

- The session seemed too specific to Illy culture, as there was little American coffee wisdom in the session. What I mean by that is that the session focused on what Illy holds as acceptable and while Illy shares a good deal of overlap into the American coffee scene, there are some differences, which most of the session attendees will encounter. I feel that if they pulled in a non-Illy guru (preferably a true coffee expert with minimal corporate ties), the class would be much more well-rounded.

- To follow the last point, the Illy influence was overall too much. There were marketing gimmicks left and right, there were account representatives and a lot of the information was Illy specific. Subtle marketing would have gone down much smoother.


My final word would be that the session was an overall decent experience. I would recommend it for anyone just getting into coffee, a cafe owner/restauranter absolutely sure they want to use Illy as their coffee roaster or someone looking to emulate Italian coffee practices down to the smallest detail.

CC: Groundwork

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Groundwork
Location visited: Hollywood, CA
(1501 N. Cahuenga Boulevard)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


Walking around Hollywood was surprisingly calm, even the week before the Oscars. I guess being an east coaster, I kinda equate large metropolitan areas with raging torrents of focused people. Yet Hollywood showed me a lovely day of easy parking, serendipitous sidewalks and pleasant people.

To stretch my legs and enjoy a (hopefully) good cup of coffee, I stopped at a local Groundworks. The coffee establishment has numerous locations in the greater LA area and has a close to 20 year legacy, so when I got a recommendation to stop in I figured it a good opportunity.

The Hollywood location sits on the corner of N. Cahuenga and Sunset, a light brick building with lovely tan awnings and shiny outside seating. The inner cavity displayed a cafe of decent size with a good amount of seating, including a large viking-size banquet table complete with benches.

They roast their own coffee at Groundwork, and they seem to brew half of their offerings each day as there were 8 pump pots of coffee to choose from. I began pumping their Peru when it ran out after two pumps, but not wanting to just chuck it, I figured I'd give it a sample; it proved bright and very floral, with some hints of berry. Then I had their Brazil, a darker blend that held little distinction; just char and a moderate smooth texture. To note, they also had pour overs towards the back but they didn't seem to be used much. The espresso gave a good showing, as it was pulled short, had decent crema and had a lemony tang up front complimented with a good body and only a small bit of char on the end. The tea is free leaf.

After a good deal of leg stretching and coffee, I moseyed out onto the civil streets of Hollywood a refreshed man. My overall impression of Groundwork was of a decent cafe with a few minor areas to further streamline. If you're in town, treat yourself to some Groundwork.

Go Green Expo

I'm not sure how much coffee-related stuff there will be at each location, but the conference sounds like it would be a good opportunity to peruse the latest in sustainable/eco-friendly efforts.

Check it out here.

CC: La Mill Coffee

*Update for May 27, 2013*

Subject: La Mill Coffee
Location: Baltimore, MD
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Baltimore's inner harbor is a great destination that, for a long time, only seemed to be lacking a great coffee joint. Thankfully, the harbor is now home to the first east coast location to La Mill Coffee, a Los Angeles blockbuster receiving all too many accolades for great coffee and great service. Keeping with their illustrious reputation, LA Mill managed to find a home in the Four Seasons right in downtown.

Swinging by one lovely morning, I found the familiar La Mill sign not far from the hotel entrance. Walking in, I found a gorgeous open shared interior with the hotel tavern that was chock full of various seating, large windows and beautiful design. For my coffee, I ordered a pourover of a Guatemala and an espresso of their Bliss Espresso blend. The Guatemala pourover smacked of sugar cookie, sassafras, wheat, malt and nutmeg, proving sweet with a nice malty finish. The espresso, pulled short with a brown crema, tasted of herbs de Provence, cocoa, salt, milk, lemon rind, grapefruit and a little pepper.

As I had hoped and longed for, this expansion of a westerly gem retained all of its luster. If you're downtown or around the harbor, stop by the Four Seasons for a great cup of coffee at La Mill.

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*original post from February, 2009*
Subject: La Mill Coffee
Locations visited: Los Angeles, CA 
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

There is nothing like a nice warm respite in the warmer parts of the country in the dead of winter. But there is also nothing worse then getting there and finding it cold and rainy. Alas, my fate was somewhere between those two maxims in a recent trip to LA; warmish weather with spells of torrential rain. Fortunately I had some wonderful coffee prospects to keep my spirits soaring.

One particular gem I've had my eye on for some time was a ritzy establishment called La Mill Coffee. It had developed a reputation for taking the coffee experience to new heights, with table service, exquisitely-skilled baristas and higher end products.

Needless to say, I wasted no time in getting there. I arrived on a sunny morning, seeking parking on the crowded streets of Silver Lake. To my surprise, La Mill had it's own parking lot despite being on a crowded thoroughfare. Walking up to the front, the cafe stands out from the rest of the street with it's glaring red store front and beautiful windows. Inside the red continues into a well-decorated interior full of beautiful art, chandeliers and a large array of upscale dining areas.

The coffee is their own, consisting of four coffees that day. I decided to try their Nicaraguan, brewed on their Clover. I usually am not visually affected when I first sip coffee, but this one made my eyes roll into the back of my head and caused me to take a deep breath. This coffee tasted like a smooth light roast and had distinct flavors of toasted nut and chocolate. The espresso was pulled really short and demonstrated similar amazing-ness; smacks of honey, super velvety texture and light acidity. The teas were free leaf and La Mill also offers what looks like a decadent full menu.

On the whole, I left La Mill walking on air. I would say that this place needs to be a detour if you're visiting the area and a common hangout if you live nearby.

CC: Boulder Coffee Company

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Boulder Coffee Company
Location visited: Rochester, NY
(Alexander St location)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]


While I am tremendously aware that good interior design is hard to come by, I still find it a bit depressing to find so few good examples of it in coffeehouses. Sure, other things factor in (location, economy, etc) but with so many resources out there for the design-challenged (like IKEA and blogs like Apartment Therapy to start), it just seems so wrong to sit in a boring white wall cafe adorned with Walmart art and coffee puns.

But recently I stumbled upon a swanky coffee pad in Rochester called Boulder Coffee Company. The place sits in the downtown area of Rochester in a rather large brick building. The inside opens up into a beautiful facility with high ceilings, candle-lit tables,vintage furniture, a ceramic-tiled stage for performers and a beautiful collection of eclectic art. And judging by the website and nice stage, it seems that a lot of local talent go through their doors.

They roast their own coffee and seem to have a fair amount of offerings. I had the Boulder Blend, a fair coffee with hints of honey but with strong shades of char, not to mention a little stale; can't say I was thrilled with it. The espresso actually proved slightly unique in a good way; the shots were pulled long and the closest thing I can pin the taste to is like chocolate milk with a nice acidity and only a hint of char. Besides the coffee and tea (the tea I forgot to note), they also serve wine, beer and a full food menu.

While I can skim little from the actual intended coffee practices from the website, I feel that Boulder seems on the right path. I definitely would like to give Boulder another try the next time I'm in town. If you're nearby and looking for decent coffee and a beautiful place to sit, give one of Boulder's locations a try.

Specialty Coffee in Atlanta!

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Ever wanted to network with some of the best in the coffee and tea industry? If you're in the area of Atlanta (or you wish to be) on April 16 - 19, you definitely should stop by The Specialty Coffee Event SCAA 2009 (i.e. the SCAA's 21st Exposition)

Events will include the World Barista Competition (there's still some regional competitions going on if you'd like to get into some local amazing-ness) and some other amazing workshops.

Product Review: FortePromo's Cafe Set

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Company: FortePromo.com
Product: Coffee House Cafe Set
Rating: 3+ (translates to "good")


Coffee and tea are only good if they can be enjoyed correctly. What good is coffee if you cannot brew it, espresso if you have not the proper machine or grinder, or tea... well, if you have not a cup full of close-to-boiling water (let's face it; it doesn't take much to enjoy tea).

Consequently, quite often we beverage geeks really pay a lot of attention to equipment. So when FortePromo.com sent me their cafe set to try out, I was interested to test out the quality.

Though I've personally not had much experience with FortePromo.com, it seems the company has a great deal of background in personalizing products for promotional purposes (which is also easily deduced in that you need to buy 24 sets for the low price of $25) and also produces what seems to be pretty decent products.

The cafe set arrived in a nice black box. The set includes a 1 cup french press (around 18 oz) and two small mugs fashioned in likeness to the french press (i.e. glass in a wire frame). As I've noted in my explorations, the lid and plunger really define the set and thus, I noted that the lid is a basic two-layer plastic (there's a separable white plastic dome under the lid) and the plunger is a plastic and mesh composite.

After a couple runs, I felt that I really got the full experience of the set. To start with the less complex, I found the cups to be quaint and of decent quality. The only detraction was that the coffee residue (the fine grinds that always sneak in) looks a whole lot worse in a clear cup.

The french press proved overall decent. The glass pot seems to hold up under the wear-and-tear of use, the frame proved durable, and the plunger did a good job of holding back the grinds. My only dislikes were that the plunger's only rest position was in full plunge (i.e. the plunger was not wide enough to stop at various degrees of altitude), which made keeping the lid on between the initial mixing and 4 minutes later a bit difficult.

In the end, I found the set to be decent (especially for the price!) with but a few drawbacks. I would get this set for someone who's just getting into coffee, someone looking for a press for travel, someone who has a good coffee marketing idea, or someone who has dire need for a lot of reserves.

If you're in the market for a regiment of french presses, give FortePromo.com a try.

CC: Darling's Cafe & Famous Cheesecakes

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Darling's Cafe & Famous Cheesecakes
Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
(20th St location)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]


Enigmatic as it is, I love cheescake but don't care for cream cheese. It could be that I prefer a spread of peanut butter on my bagel to a smear of cream cheese, and guacamole or salsa instead of a high-calorie taco dip (sorry mom). But for an odd reason, when the combination of ingredients that produce a good slice of cheesecake is laid at my fingers, I'm all over it.

And what else would go well with a good slice of cheesecake besides a good cup of coffee? I surrender that I can think of little else. Especially when it's good, local cheesecake.

Apparently the folks at Darling's Cafe & Famous Cheesecakes agree, as to my surprise amidst my first visit I found they had a full coffee menu. Sadly, they serve La Colombe, a moderate-to-fair Philadelphia roaster. The coffee followed suit as it was smoothly bland and had a bit of an off-taste (not to mention a wee bit stale, but that's on the barista). The espresso fared a little better, as it had hints of cocoa and lemon, but overall the shot was quite charred. The cheesecake most fortuitously twas delicious; I felt morose that I hadn't a better coffee to ingest it with.

Walking out of the cute little cafe, I made a note to stop by Darling's the next time I'm in need of a cheesecake. But unless things change with the coffee operation, I'll probably be pairing it with coffee of better pedigree.

If you're nearby Philly, give Darling's Cheesecakes a try.

CC: La.Va Cafe

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What's does "CC" mean?


Subject: La.Va Cafe
Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]



Though I greatly enjoy long urban hikes, it's rare when good company, good surroundings and good weather cooperate. Sure you plan for the best, but sometimes you just get stuck with a bitter cold day, four morose companions, and a list of horrible tips coming to fruition as a day spent wandering amidst closed stores.

And then once in a while everything works out just right, such as this past month when I was walking with friends in Philadelphia. We had a small outing planned: lunch at the Reading Terminal, coffee and then a stop at the Mutter Museum. The forecast showed cold temperatures and snow, but that only characterized half the day, as about 2 PM we encountered beautiful skies, a warm breeze and a beautiful neighborhood along the Schuylkill River.

Thankfully, the nice experience lasted throughout the rest of the day, even into the early evening when we were ready to head home. On our walk out, I spotted a sharp-looking corner coffeehouse with large windows called La.Va Cafe and deduced that given our fortune thus far, it could be a nice spot to stretch our legs and grab a quick cup of coffee.

The interior stretches out into a vaulted space with warm decor and classy furniture. The coffee comes from La Colombe and upon sipping their drip, sadly my usual fears were realized as I noted the same tastes of a typical (disappointing) La Colombe cup; bland with hints of char. The espresso sipped a little better, as the barista had decent skills and pulled cherry-toned shots though it still possessed a good deal of char on the end. I didn't note the tea, but aside from the coffee they have a very full menu (which I unfortunately didn't get to try).

While La.Va ended my day in a fair manner, the coffee experience could've been better, especially given what seems to be strengths in other areas. Thus, if you're in the neighborhood, give La.Va Cafe a try for a meal and/or some moderate coffee.

Caffeinated Shirts

Got an email from laughing hyena on his line of coffee-related t-shirts. While there seems to be a little more emphasis on the effects of coffee (caffeine!), I really do like a few of these (such as the black one pictured above).

If you're looking for new threads, give it a look.