Well, I have gotten back, and am now settling my thoughts, trying to capture them on paper so I don't forget all the things I wanted to remember. So, this will help to solidify those thoughts. This is how I remember it.
Friday, I arrived in DC, met up with Michael Feemster, a great barista who works with us at Dilworth Coffee. He got there early, so met me at a Metro stop. We proceeded to our hotel which was in Bethesda. I know, it ain't close, it's where Orbitz put me. We got to the Convention Center, and immediately hit the floor to see what was going on. Alot of cool stuff. I had my first coffee from a Clover, and over the course of the weekend, I must have had 10 cups of coffee off various Clovers, and to answer a question lots of people are asking, "Yes. There is a huge difference." The coffees were more clean, brighter, more in focus I felt. There were about 7 or 8 on the floor, and they were featuring some good coffees. My favorites? Intelligentsia's Tres Santos El Portal. I love the dark chocolate notes, with a nice spice background. A very close second was Counter Culture's famous Idido Misty Valley Yirg. I love this coffee for it's complex simplicity. I got a real sweet cup with honey and dark plum. Very delicious! Also, Cafe Pronto had a great Yirg Koke.
I was very honored to have a chance to take the Free Pour Latte Art Workshop with Ellie Matuszak and Chris Deferio. We broke up into groups of three, and I went under Chris' fine tutelage. Before I knew it, I was pouring some great rosetta and hearts, and in awe of the skills that Ellie and Chris have been mastering over many years. Not only are they great latte artists, but they are excellent communicators, and it was just really cool to be able to take the class and learn from two of the best. Well worth it. I have been working on latte art for years, and never gotten to anywhere close. Friday, it clicked. I even tried it this morning, and still remembered it. Sweet.
One thing led to another, and before I knew it, it was time to head over to Arlington for the Barista Exchange get-up at Murky. I made my way that direction, got to Murky around 7. Before long, the place got packed, and there was a great mixture of people. It was great to meet a bunch of the people whose names and avatars grace this site everyday. It was also cool to see people like Jay Caragay and M'lissa Muckerman chatting with Matt Milletto, people from three completely different areas of the country, and how close these people really are. It really is a cool community to be a part of. Murky was a cool place, too. I love their Synesso and it's simplicity. Even the Murky baristas are all cool. Several competed in the Mid-Atlantic Regional, and one (Anne Boatner), even came in second. It just goes to show Nick Cho's commitment to dishing out the best espresso drinks everyday.
Saturday was full of show floor stuff, and more Clover coffees. I spent much of the day watching all the competitors. A few stood out. I love the fun run Jay Caragay did. I loved his "Breakfast in Bed" signature drink, and it was alot of fun to see him compete. Anne Boatner from Murky had a lot of fun in her run, and despite it being her first time competing, showed great poise. It was a real honor to see Lem Butler from Counter Culture-Durham go through his run. We had had a great conversation earlier, and he agreed to help me prepare for competing this year, so I was interested to see him do his thang. He was cool as a cucumber the whole run, and finished a whole minute and a half before time, smooth the whole way. Not once did I see him rushed. It was very cool. I can't wait to work with him in the future. After staying for the regional qualifier and latte art compeition, it was time to leave for the day. There was a Counter Culture party I had planned to go to, but Michael and I ended up joining Kerry and Melissa (Our Bradford, Canadian friends) and Chris Deferio for a nice brisk walk 20 blocks to eat Chinese. We had a great time, and despite the fact I hated I missed all the cool stuff going on down at Counter Culture, I'll catch it next time. Met some cool Counter Culture people I didn't know before. Daryn Berlin, Brian Ludviksen and Phil Proteau.
Sunday was wrapping things up, and saying chows. I met alot of really nice people in our community, and again, it reminded me that the barista/coffee community is very small, and very close. It's a great family, and a special thing to be a part of it. And despite being in coffee for 10 years, I am just getting more involved, which is sad. All these years I have been missing out on some really cool stuff. I got some great advice this week from Heather Perry, Chris Deferio, Ellie Matuszak, Matt Milletto, heck, too many people to really list or count, but the point is that there is a whole community of people that really want to see you progress and get better at your craft. They want to see you succeed and to excel. This community can be what you make of it. More or less, it's up to you.
We all have a place. What's yours? Can you see how what you do fits into a much bigger picture? And are you willing to buy me a Clover? That's the real question.
P.S. I am including a picture of my first real latte art. I can't take credit for it, because I couldn't have done it without the help of my man Chris Deferio, who helped me to get it to click.