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JBC08-09 qualifier of East Japan

Posted by Masa Onishi on August 24, 2008 at 4:05am

East regional qualifier of Japan Barista Chanpionship was founded.I & my friend Baristas competed.

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Semi final & final round will be founded in SCAJ show October 15(Wed.) -17(Fri.), 2008

we are going to party tonight . . .

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 24, 2008 at 12:55am

Most of August was a disaster; talking about the weather – out of the first 20 days we had maybe three or four days of sun, otherwise it was overcast with rain most days. Now the weather has turned pleasant; sun, a few clouds and warm. Today looks like another perfect day.What’s on board for today; cleaning the studio, hanging up some watercolour works in the studio and in the front entrance; working on the Thursday File and the Thursday File Social Network TFSN doing an update on What’s Up (Europe).Beverly said she would give me a haircut today; I look like a mad man with my hair in a frivolity. Even little Anthony is not sure of his grand-pa.I also want to sit outside and read a little well we still have this wonderful weather and before the guest start to come sometime late this afternoon for the going away party for our very close friends, who will be moving, after Nathan’s wedding on the 30th, to the NWT

Note: The Northwest Territories is located in northern Canada, it borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south. It has an area of 1,140,835 square kilometres (440,479 sq mi) and a population of 41,464 as of the 2006 census, an increase of 11.0% from 2001. Its capital has been Yellowknife since 1967.

Intelligentsia; The Impenetrable Fortress

Posted by Chris DeMarse on August 23, 2008 at 3:40pm

I love visiting other coffee shops. It is generally both a great experience in both learning and indulging the senses, and I've always especially appreciated my visits to Intelli. I remember my first visit just two years ago when I was at coffee fest Chicago for the weekend. I was new to the upper echelons of coffee when I walked in to Intelli Millenium Park, and I was greeted by both a friend barista by the name of Goodrich (whom I met up with in competitions just a year later) and my first glance at Clover 1s. It was a magical experience for me as I was exposed to the capabilities of a coffee shop to create an almost surreal atmosphere and to do so while serving great coffee. For this reason, I gladly revisited that place within the next year, which is quite a drive for me from Eastern Indiana.Fast forward to this weekend. Much time had passed since my last visit to Intelli. I had planned in vain multiple coffee-only trips with numerous friends who share my love for coffee, but this weekend my wife and I had decided to celebrate our third anniversary with a trip into the windy city; BINGO. We parked down on Ohio and made our way to Michigan Ave. to appease my wife's need for Crate and Barrel and H&M, all the while my hunger for coffee rising like the sweltering humidity in the midday sun. I knew and could feel how close we actually were to CoE coffee and a nice double black cat in a winged demi. As we made our way back to the car it was all I could think of. We proceeded to quickly click the power on with our Garmin Nuvi only to proceed on I what I would characterize as misguided tour of frustration through the crowded and nervous streets of downtown Chicago until, after 30 minutes of mounting tension, my wife exclaimed, "This is stupid. I'm not doing this anymore today." My heart sunk. We muscled our way out of traffic to our good friend Rachel's place to hang out a bit before retiring to our hotel.As we were sitting in Rachel's den talking about the irony of being only three minutes away from coffee bliss I was further overwhelmed by the fact that I was also only two houses down from the Zell residence, where Rachel serves as nanny to Scarlett, Doug and Emily's daughter. Rachel just had a cup and sat around with Doug and Kyle Glanville the other day. Just not fair. Rachel mentioned that the Broadway store was further outside the downtown area toward Lincoln Park, which meant less traffic and easier parking; or so we thought. We held out until the end of our next day, but after hours in Ikea and REI (we needed raincoats for our trip to Panama in October) I had little patience for anything but a perfect visit to Intelligentsia. Proceeding to Lincoln Park, we were surrounded by slow moving traffic and found our drive to take about an hour longer than it ever should from I90 to Broadway. This would have been forgettable and reasonable if we would have been able to find parking ANYWHERE in a half mile radius. I'm sure you're sitting there and laughing by now at both my misfortune and my ignorance of the madness of the city, but I'm from Smalltown USA and don't deal with this kind of traffic. We debated even having my wife circle the block for only a few minutes while I snagged a double or a capp to go (erggghhh), but to no avail. We left in total disappointment and the only thing that we tasted today was bitter defeat. I will go to sleep dreaming of one day taking a train in from the edge of town and walking a half mile, much like a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, in search of the ever elusive Intelligentsia.

just working away in my studio

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 23, 2008 at 8:33am

Wow another nice hot sunny day. Beverly and Liz took of to a Baby shower this afternoon, then they plan to shop for tomorrows party and the wedding next week. It looks like it’s going to be a very busy week leading up to Nathan’s wedding on Saturday.I’ve been working today mostly on the Thursday File but also cleaning up my computer doing a ton of filling. My screen looks a little better. I keep jumping around – a little of this a little of that – moving slowly but am I getting anything done? I think so.It looks like we are having pizza tonight and stake for the party tomorrow.Just finished my art section this week on Lismer and his delightful painting ‘The Guides Home, Algonquin’ painted in 1914 which I’ll feature in next weeks Thursday File.I also added three videos you will love:The Beatles doing Revolution Armstrong singing ‘What a Wonderful WorldAnd Jim Carrey doing the Beatles’ ‘I am the Walrus’ which is a ‘Must See’.

holding the line

Posted by byron on August 22, 2008 at 11:05am

i´m currently in the dominican repubilc for the coffee harvest. i knew i might arrive earlier than the ripe coffee, so it is a good thing i have other things to do.coffee tends to produce a lot one year and a little the next. this is a big year. antonio, claire and i picked all the ripe cherries. it only took an few hours becasue there were only few and all of them had ´la broca´or bean borer. we boiled the cherries for a couple minutes (to kill the la broca) and then depulped them. that coffee will probably be roasted over fire wood and drunk here in los frios.today i purchased a few tiny house lots of land in town so that i can have a space to build some drying tunnels and an earthbag construction house. when i leave the house will be used by the eco-tourism mountain guides to store gear, have meetings and host tourists. if claire decides to move here, she will also use it as a house and a center for a public health trainings.claire is intersted in development work and has decieded to travel with me for the next 5 weeks. i really enjoy teaching or guiding people through this country. half the time i´m translating spaish for her the other have i´m translating culture. claire loves los frios and the farm. she has a great attitude and doesnt´mind the rough conditions. i have two more friends coming down in the next weeks. first is gray reilly, who wants to work in sustainable agriculture then max an old friend of mine since child hood.if you heard about the storms they weren´t that bad. just lots of rain.this trip has been great so far. it seems it will be a test of balance. most of my education has taught me one thing (go organic, make money, business isn´t charity) and yet everything else seems to be currrently against these theories. agro-chemicals save a ton of money and time, do they do that much damage? with current labor costs, even our bumper crop of black beans didn´t cover its own costs. should i keep investing myself into this? if these harvests (coffee included) can´t cover its own costs is this charity?i have no answers, just more questions.

very busy morning

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 21, 2008 at 9:42pm

Yesterday was wonderful, sunny all day, this lead to our first red tomato, which we all took a slice of. The taste was out of this world. If this keeps up we are going to have a ton of tomatoes.I have a very full morning of work from 6am until 3pm I only have two half hour breaks the rest of the time is non stop action you might say. It’s hard in one sense; you must stay focused and watch the time like a hawk; time does go by fast though and before you realize it. The work day is over.If the sun is out today I’ll spend sometime between 3 and 5 to sit outside and read. Well that is my hope.Got to go – make my coffee and grab a large glass of water for the fist round.

you serve bad espresso.....an you should be ashamed.....igot razors in my car if you want

Posted by kirk knipmeyer on August 21, 2008 at 5:17pm

to all you halfway descent shops and cafes out there...YOU FUCKING SUCKi'm fucking tired of going into places and getting a dirty little demitasse filled with hot black water with a little red foam on the sides......at least it was hot...theres a knob near the hopper collar that makes your grind finer or more course.kill yourself ,so somebody else can try to make me happy

Hello there!!!

Posted by Lacey on August 21, 2008 at 12:56pm

I'm Lacey. I would sincerely love to meet new people on here, but i honestly don't get online all that much. I don't have a computer, don't watch TV, no ipod, nothing but a track phone really. I am one odd individual, i guess.I do have a myspace page, which is the easiest way to contact me: www.myspace.com/raccooncityangelYay coffee!!

searching for partner

Posted by Jose on August 21, 2008 at 1:33am

Hi I would like to get in contact with someone that will like to set a microroaster in Palma de mallorca(Spain )barista@johnblendcafe.comCheers,Jose

#1 Shop in Boston!

Posted by Joe Smith on August 20, 2008 at 6:48am

Hey everyone, I have great news. The shop that I am currently the trainer at just got voted best coffeeshop in Boston by Boston Magazine. If anyone is in the Boston area anytime soon come by and check us out.Espresso Royale44 Gainsborough st.Boston, MAOnce again I have to thank Matt Milletto, Jared Moeckli, and Bruce Milleto. I learned so much from you guys at ABC and I can't thank you enough for it!peace, love, and coffeeJoe

Murder she wrote?

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 20, 2008 at 3:49am

My granddaughter Shannon stayed over last night which takes a lot of our time you could say we had our hands full.I’m a real sap for TV shows – one of them I loved to watch was ‘Murder She Wrote’, from 1984 to 1996, simple entertainment you might say but there was something I enjoyed. Angela Lansbury played a mystery writer who always found herself investigating murders that occurred around her. My son would call her “Lady Death – where ever she goes death always follows her.” I enjoyed the guess stars she had on.Anyways, Liz picked up the DVD set for the fifth season for me yesterday as a gift. Last night I watched one episode before falling asleep on the couch.I also had my IT guru, Joel in to work on my computer. Boy, is it working well now. He cleaned it up – did this – did that, and just like magic everything is working better.Joel is selling his house take a look at itGot to go – work calls.

Murder She Wrote?

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 20, 2008 at 3:01am

My granddaughter Shannon stayed over last night which takes a lot of our time you could say we had our hands full.I’m a real sap for TV shows – one of them I loved to watch was ‘Murder She Wrote’, from 1984 to 1996, simple entertainment you might say but there was something I enjoyed. Angela Lansbury played a mystery writer who always found herself investigating murders that occurred around her. My son would call her “Lady Death – where ever she goes death always follows her.” I enjoyed the guess stars she had on.Anyways, Liz picked up the DVD set for the fifth season for me yesterday as a gift. Last night I watched one episode before falling asleep on the couch.I also had my IT guru, Joel in to work on my computer. Boy, is it working well now. He cleaned it up – did this – did that, and just like magic everything is working better.Joel is selling his house take a look at itGot to go – work calls.

Murder She Wrote?

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 19, 2008 at 10:36pm

My granddaughter Shannon stayed over last night which takes a lot of our time you could say we had our hands full.I’m a real sap for TV shows – one of them I loved to watch was ‘Murder She Wrote’, from 1984 to 1996, simple entertainment you might say but there was something I enjoyed. Angela Lansbury played a mystery writer who always found herself investigating murders that occurred around her. My son would call her “Lady Death – where ever she goes death always follows her.” I enjoyed the guess stars she had on.Anyways, Liz picked up the DVD set for the fifth season for me yesterday as a gift. Last night I watched one episode before falling asleep on the couch.I also had my IT guru, Joel in to work on my computer. Boy, is it working well now. He cleaned it up – did this – did that, and just like magic everything is working better.Joel is selling his house take a look at itGot to go – work calls.

coffee and worms.

Posted by Jess on August 19, 2008 at 9:47am

I am not entirely sure I should even start posting on this blog..I am sure eventually I'd be able to say that posting on here, was like opening a can of worms. However, I have two other blog spots, and well, I guess I could probably afford to voice some of my concerns about my own profession and question whether or not I am still as much in love with coffee as I used to be, or is it finally time for me to move on and try to find a job in the roasting industry.I would certainly love to find a balance between both to be honest.There's always too much drama in a coffee house. Granted there will always be some sort of drama in the work place, but at the same time it just seems childish and it sucks having to be in on it, because certain people don't like you. blahblahblah.Fuck that noise.I am ready to go into a different field of coffee, I've been a Barista now for many years, and I am ready for something new and challenging. I have always had a goal to eventually roast, but I've loved the aspects of either being in production or processing orders via a data entry position instead.I guess that's my entire purpose as to why I joined this website, to network and find a way into something I've always wanted to get into.I also guess I am ready to grow up and do something more serious with myself. Have better, stable hours, so I can start focusing on the rest of my life..Certainly I can't do that being a Barista, and I don't want to be a 35 year old Barista, either. At some point, I'll be too old to do what I am doing, without seriously hurting myself.Anyway, it's a day off for me, highly enjoyable and without coffee. I find that I drink way too much while I am at work so I use my days off to cleanse myself of coffee goodness.I finally mastered the art of making hearts in my drinks. One "goal" down, next it's tackling the Rosetta leaf.

going for a coffee this morning

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 18, 2008 at 11:22pm

This morning I’m having a battle of patience with these three flies. I hate them and they are driving me up the wall. I have my flyswatter (maybe I need to get one of those fly gun or flygun, a derivative of the fly swatter, uses a spring-loaded plastic projectile to "swat" flies. Mounted on the projectile is a perforated circular disk which, according to advertising copy, "really does work" and "won't splat the fly".) with me at all times but they seem to be working together – impossible you say, I don’t know.Very busy day today. It’s early and I’m not sure what the weather will be – she is still desiding.First I must finish off one more call, then I’ll drop my wife off at her first job; as for me I’m going to sit down at a locale café; read, write, and relax.The afternoon will be very busy right up until ten tonight.Interesting Read:Coffee companies get the java jitters as sector slumps.

Third Wave Coffee, a Conversion :: Part 1

Posted by Wilson Hines on August 18, 2008 at 12:43pm

I just posted to my WordPress Blog an article entitled "Third Wave Coffee, a Conversion :: Part 1"It will have two parts. Please visit and please comment, good or bad. On crack or off! LOL

World Barista Championship/USBC - Downloads Now Available

Posted by Matt Milletto on August 18, 2008 at 5:30am

Nick sent a link to the brand new downloads for the WBC rules, regulations, and other related documents that also are applicable for all national competitions. All metric measurements, etc. will be changed per country, and there should also be a "Guide to the 2009 USBC Rules" coming out soon. http://www.worldbaristachampionship.com/downloads.htm Will be interesting to start looking thru the new documents. - Matt

blue skies all day long . . .

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 18, 2008 at 1:11am

Just finish my first rounds today and I’m going to make breakfast for myself. Beverly headed out over a half hour ago; she popped her head into the studio and waved goodbye as she was eating a peach. Liz is still in Sussex where she has been for the weekend.Well, we did not get out on Sunday as I had planed but instead I made a really great salad for Beverly when she got home. The rest of the day was spent doing yard work.Tomorrow I plan to get over to Chapters for a coffee and maybe visit some friends in the morning.In Moncton today we are having our first 'blue sky' for August. The forecast today is 26°C with sun. I think at lunch I’ll sit outside and read.Last year I did my first survey on the 'Thursday File' with only five questions and received a 23% return. Not bad. It gave me an insight into the Thursday File readership. I’m trying to think up 5 questions for this one. I’m making it an annual event for the Thursday File readers. Any suggestions are warmly invitedI’m giving away four of my limited edition watercolour prints in August and it is easy to enter: take a look and please if you read my blog let me know what you think of the contest. The print and the entréeOh and I just updated my photos on my garden page. Take a look.

Mysterious Mountain

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 17, 2008 at 4:17am

Working on the Thursday File for next week; listening to Alan Hovhaness’ Symphony number two . It was completed in 1955 and he named it ‘Mysterious Mountain’ – I love it.Did you know his last symphony Symphony was No. 67 - 'Hymn to the Mountains', Op. 429 for orchestra - he finished it in 1992.Beverly is out working; filling in for someone on vacation. She should be back for lunch. And since we did not go out for our breakfast, I’m hopeful we will have time for lunch but at a different location than we had plans for this morning. It looks like it could turn out to be a nice sunny day todayYesterday was fun, we went out shopping after Beverly got back picked up some food and decided to spend the evening relaxing. We picked up to movies. The first one was ‘Flawless’ -- "Flawless" is a crime - drama set in 1960 London, where a soon to retire janitor (Michael Caine) convinces a glass-ceiling constrained American executive (Demi Moore) to help him steal a handful of diamonds from their employer, the London Diamond Corporation. "Flawless," written for the screen by Edward Anderson, is loosely based on an actual jewelry heist. It moved along slowly at first; some of the plot didn’t quite fit together but it all came together in the end. We both loved the movie. I think Michael Caine was great. The second movie (sadly to say) I picked out ‘Jumper’ -- A genetic anomaly allows a young man to teleport himself anywhere. He discovers this gift has existed for centuries and finds himself in a war that has been raging for thousands of years between "Jumpers" and those who have sworn to kill them. With Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson and Samuel L. Jackson as the bad dud.This was to some extent a let down. There were some interesting parts put at times when they were teleporting from one place to another it left one bewildered, the first time was great but then they overdid it. I liked Jackson and his white top.

the fog outside is so thick that even the birds are undercover

Posted by Steve MacDowall on August 16, 2008 at 12:40am

I woke up early this morning to the sound of birds out side my window having an argument; is that possible.The fog outside is so thick even the birds are undercover. Will the sun come out to play today; I ask?I had set the alarm for around six but had forgotten. I was so relaxed but fully away thinking about the thinks I wanted to get done today. When the alarm did go off it caught me by surprise – it took me a moment to cancel the sound but it was too late to go back to that state of relaxation; Up I got – ground the coffee and made a decaffeinated, in a new (they call it four cups but it fills one mug) French Press that I picked up fro Beverly yesterday.I also made my regular strong and rich blend for myself in my old and first French Press. Mmmmm it tastes so good first thing in the morning.Liz took off for Sussex this morning with Erin so Beverly and I have the house to ourselves. It’s like going back in time – alone in the house just the two of us. I must say it is quite.I plan to get my Thursday File worked up if not finished today when Beverly is out this morning. I also am going to try to fill up the ‘What’s Up in Europe’ post with a touch of news from each country this weekend; I started last night and did eight countries. See map of Europe.I’m also just about finished my magazine ‘Monocle,’ issue: July/August 2008. There is so much in it to read where as my last issue of Dwell was not so good – too much fluff. I’m also working my way through Mignon Fogarty’s new Book. I love it.Beverly and I decided to work and get as much done around the house today because the next two week are going to be so busy with a baby shower; a going away party for a very dear couple we know (party is to be at our house – Erin is hosting it; Liz’s buddy) and a bunch of other little events that will culminate with my son’s wedding on the thirtieth. – We are going to take tomorrow morning and go out early for a nice breakfast – I have four locations in mind: Cora’s (which can be great but not consistent in service or quality) ; Jean’s Restaurant on Mountain Road (just your run of the mill; nothing really interesting but it’s nearby and has your basic country cooking); L'Auberge Restaurant-Delta Beausejour a top end buffet on Sundays or McGinnis landing (also has awesome buffet.)Now I must stat cleaning up this studio and hang a few of my watercolours up around the studio and along the back entrance.

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