tamp that

moved

2009-05-16T23:20:00.001-05:00

chuggable.wordpress.com

peace-out blogspot

Monday night ramblings

2009-02-04T16:28:00.002-05:00

I don't know if having the SERBC in your backyard helps much because we are definitely pushing the limits on practicing and getting our stuff together. If anything, it'll be great to sleep in my own bed at night and know where the nearest whole foods and target is. I think I am spending way too much time(and money) in these two places as I prepare for competition. I'm convinced Target has some mind control stuff going on in that place. I swear I can't walk out of there without spending at least $20, even if I'm just going in for sponges.

I digress.

I finally have a signature drink. Crystal's has been finalized. Josh has his together, too. I think this has been the hardest part for me this year, and I still have yet to tackle the time aspect of creating it within my given 15 minutes. Patience, grasshopper.

In other news, lately I've been working with Brick Store Pub's new spot Leon's Full Service. For those of you unfamiliar with BSP, it's a local beer institution, known for their massive Belgian beer selection, great staff, and awesome pub food. The owners are opening up a new restaurant, Leon's, just around the corner from BSP. It's going to have a bigger emphasis on food, but no worries, their beverage selection is on point. It's rare here in Atlanta to see restaurants putting as much effort as Leon's is into their coffee program. They have a 2-group Linea, a Super Jolly grinder, and a cirqua water filter system! The boys over at Counter Culture have hooked up Leon's well.

On top of that, the owners have pulled me in to do some extra training with the staff before their opening this week. They have a knack for highering passionate folks, so it was rather refreshing being in a room with 10 people that all wanted to know how to pull a great shot of espresso. Oh, and did I mention it's only espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, and french press? No skim, no decaf. It is what it is.

I love being able to walk into a cafe, restaurant, or any business really that is passionate about what they do. I don't doubt anyone's commitment to their business, especially if they've taken the time to open it in the first place, however, it's quite noticable where people's hearts lie when it comes to the food industry. When you walk into Leon's or BSP, you'll notice it, too. It's in the quality of food, the honest staff, the clean environment... and it's great to know that the people behind it all are good people, too. At the least, it's an encouraging remark on why I stay in Atlanta. There are good people here doing good things. Making good food. Good drinks. Thank you.

yes.

2009-01-31T22:29:00.001-05:00

yes., originally uploaded by d.glasky.

this started off as a joke.... LATimes article posted on twitter leading to bored night at Octane.
It's Ben's design, and I simply facilitated the t'shirt making. A fantastic collaboration, once again.

I think Ben looks great in pink.

Powerful Beefscapes

2009-01-21T20:46:00.001-05:00

Beach “Powerful Beefscapes” Advertising and Recipe, originally uploaded by Beef It's What's For Dinner.

wow.
saw one of these in this month's Gourmet.
Slightly convincing me to embrace meat in my diet again.

some things last a long time

2008-12-04T19:08:00.004-05:00

fall is transitioning into winter and so far it's been a difficult phasing of one image into another. thanksgiving week took away both my grandfather and my dear friend and coffee companion crystal bryant. i've been hating the world; coping with loss is difficult and I'm sorry if i've been particularly cranky or distant lately. not your fault.

we went to texas for thanksgiving to visit my parents' new home. we'd just been in DC for my grandfather's ceremonies, and so i suppose it was helpful to burrow in my mother's overstuffed couches. there's isn't much better than eating expensive cheeses and looking at photos of my family in our earlier, nerdier, california days.

me on the left, sara on the right. that picture was taken here.

anyway.

sleep creeps is going well. we played at the earl last weekend and i managed to lose a bunch of my own equipment. it's like when you're on your cell phone when you get home from work and you set your keys down in the middle of the conversation. total time warp, no clue where i set that stuff down.

five year anniversary at octane next week. holy crap! I've just about been there for half of its existence. my roommate alyssa has been there for almost all of it. kind of insane. party on friday night if you guys are around. if not, im sure ben will be twittering about it for those of you needing updates.

all in good fun.

(don't worry mom, i didn't steal that picture from your house. i've been holding onto it for forever!)

Miss you already

2008-11-20T19:13:00.002-05:00

IMG_8694, originally uploaded by d.glasky.

Rest in peace, Granddaddy.
Now you can play golf forever.

Alfred John Henderson
July 27th, 1925 - November 20, 2008

friendship!

2008-10-22T17:35:00.002-05:00

sleep creeps, originally uploaded by leuwam.

my largest distraction from coffee only gets better. we played for our friends, and life was good.

it's Aficial (groan)

2008-10-20T08:40:00.003-05:00

Our undying devotion to Aficionado this past week has paid off, and we now know this espresso inside and out. We began serving it on the bar yesterday, and it's the first change in blends I've seen since I started working here two years ago (save for our month long SO Rwanda in April). We pulled in a third grinder all last week to test out the Aficionado, and its a sad moment to see the dude leave. However, if fate's stars stay the way they have been, a third grinder will return. I kind of want to put a lazy suzan in the corner to rotate the grinders on. My only fear is that it would turn into one of those playground things where the kids who don't make it to the center end up flying off the edges into Splinterville bark city.

Anyway it's freaking cold. It's 48 degrees right now. Sure, it's early. But I had to go hunting for a coat. And an extra blanket last night. Poor Bruce has even willingly subjected himself to being an indoor cat again. Maybe this explains part of my allergies...

But with cold weather comes shivering tired eyes with coffee demands. Gimmie gimmie gimmie and I say ok ok ok it's yours. Take it!

Tomorrow my band is playing their first show. In case you live in Atlanta and feel like being accosted by a pop grunge band for an hour than just swing over to the highland inn ballroom around 9pm. it's free.

okbye.

(do any of you guys listen to Ride? There's this song of theirs called the Colour of the Sky and at the end it plays a little music box melody. I used to have a music box that had the same song... so weird.)

for real?!?

2008-10-13T14:51:00.000-05:00

exactly a year ago

2008-09-25T14:29:00.002-05:00

captains legs, originally uploaded by d.glasky.

Let's continue

2008-09-20T10:17:00.002-05:00

Two days after that last post, I received a package in the mail at work. My mother bought me The Flavor Bible (Thanks mom!). I've been leafing through it almost religiously searching for "the answer" or at least some inspiration (it really is a great title, the puns could just go on but I'll stop here). And, of course, my new flavor obsession does not appear in this book.

Muscadines and/or scoppernongs.

These little southern morsels don't need a dictionary to inform me of their flavor. It's GRAPE. And not just like, red and green grapes, but the artificial flavor of grape you get out of Welsh's jelly or the purple popsicle. Yum.

They taste great with cheese, and the overabundant imagery of californian tourist packets of grapes and wine and cheese comes to mind. How appropriate that I, a Californian transplant, find the "southern grape" to be so delicious.

I'm coming up with ideas for muscadines. Cheese, perhaps Gorgonzola. Honey. Stephen told me to come up with something easy and delicious and then make it look complicated. Okay.

But really, Monday is a chance to experiment for everyone. It's a chance for the judges to practice with the new rules, and maybe a chance for me to break out a beverage that has been instrumental to creating a coffee community in Atlanta. It really requires nothing more than popping the top of a bottle, but out of any of the drinks I've come up with it, I find it inspires me the most. It certainly doesn't meet any type of Oos and Aahs with culinary types, and its flavor matchings are a little obvious, when you think about it. But the creation of this beverage has been for the regulars, the lovers of octane, and it meets my coffee obsession with an overwhelming "Hey y'all," an homage to my new southern roots, fertilized with coffee.

As for the SERBC I think I'll stick to the muscadines or other food experiments, but for Monday I might just put on that southern twang.

how to propose to your barista girlfriend

2008-09-15T11:10:00.002-05:00

An idea Ben and I joked about and then tossed to our good friend Kurt, tamper maker extraordinaire.

train train traaain.

2008-09-13T19:32:00.004-05:00

SO it begins. And the mania slowly sets in. This time around I am not trying to graduate from college, travel to Japan, or move into a new house. Thank god.

I set out early this morning to start collecting ingredients for what I had planned would be my signature beverage. I was looking for pistachio, rhubarb, and fresh ginger. Not huge plans, but some place to start. The drive to Your Dekalb Farmers Market is a longer stretch from the new house, so I can only make it every once in a while.. Not to mention gas prices went up a dollar yesterday with all this Ike jazz.

YDFM is a mecca of fresh produce and hard to find spices. Unfortunately, it's a madhouse on Saturdays. I went it armed with a scarf (it's freezing in there) and a basket and made my way through the crowds. This place attracts everyone, so the lanes get crowded as restaurant chefs pack their buggies with their weekend's menu and I scramble between the children who get lost underneath the fruit tables.

Amidst the cacophony I find my way to the kale. Rhubarb looks like kale, so I figured it'd be over in that general vicinity. Hmmm... wrong. I wander through the cabbages and then to the fresh herbs and the pre packs of baby spinach. Nada. When Aly and I were discussing the possibilities of rhubarb, she brought up memories of Iowa and rhubarb pies.. how everything had rhubarb in it since even a small crop would yield enough of the stuff to feed an army. She remembered it being fall, and yet the farmers market is out.

I consult a text that greatly helped me in composing my signature beverage last spring : Culinary Artistry by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.

I happened upon it my accident in the book store, but its use has proved its validity. It breaks up foods into seasons, gives you great flavor pairings for a variety of foods and spices, and even goes into the process of developing a menu. And the book says rhubarb is a spring veggie. Thankfully, flipping to the "fall" page puts me back on track and I wondered why I hadn't just bought the book already. So I did. $30 well spent. The book is really meant for those starting up a restaurant or developing a menu, but isn't that what we are doing in competition? Thoughtfully searching for ingredients (great coffees to serve as espresso), how to highlight their features (as in searching for the best complimentary milk for a capp), and finding great flavors to pair with it (sig drink!). This book is excellent, and too great a gem to keep to myself.

Enkutatash

2008-09-11T12:47:00.004-05:00

Well, to start, Happy New Year. It is the first day of the New Year in Ethiopia.

My love affair with the country has only become more intense since I started working in coffee, but I can also attribute the love to two other facets, food and music. Have you heard of the Ethiopiques collection? Several compilations put out with years and years and years of fantastic music. Today I have had on #21 - Ethiopia Song, Tseguy-Maryam Guebrou. An amazing female pianist... seemingly fit for the overcast day.

Anyway,

Crystal is finally certified, and she's rocking out awesome beverages on the bar. Now that she's making drinks, I can spend some time practicing for the southeast (will it ever happen!?) and work on small edits around the shop. No rest for the wicked; it feels great to be doing research again. Everything from processing and trade to water quality.

Though, at times, I feel stifled. As if the internet isn't offering enough, and so I delve back into dusty shelves of Georgia State (where they wont even let alumni check out books). Once when speaking to a regular customer about keeping up with music, he said it was perhaps a trend that when you get older and can no longer find the time to search out all of the latest new bands, you find yourself diving back into roots (he was referring to the Everly Brothers). The analogy works here. and though I am nowhere near the definition of "old," I have found a subject I used to loathe -History- more appealing every day. How can I understand current trade and export regulations in Ethiopia or Kenya if I know not of its political history? Coffee is a commodity to us, but to the farmers in Guatemala who were given land during the Arevalo administration in the 50's, it was a blessing to their family.

Context is everything.

an ongoing affair

2008-08-31T08:23:00.003-05:00

David and I used to joke about how as I grew into the coffee industry that all of my relatives would find some way to give me cheezy coffee knick-knacks for birthdays and holidays. And at that time we made some kind of unspoken agreement that he would refrain from buying me coffee mugs with cat heads or motivational phrases on them.

So when David gave me a Chemex this year for my birthday, you can undoubtedly say I was stoked. It was conveniently on the same day that Octane received its first shipment of the Thunguri Microlot from Nyeri, Kenya. I have a special place in my heart for Kenyan coffees... but this was something worth writing home about. The best way i could describe it was a plum covered in maple syrup with a little bit of salt sprinkled on top. I bought a 12oz bag of it and it was gone a day later. I couldn't help but just keep making it for everyone (not to mention I'm slightly obsessed with experimenting with my new brew device).

On top of all of this Kenyan excitement, David Lamont brought us by some coffees from the CC cupping on Friday-- all coffees from Aida Batlle's Finca Mauritania. I'd never had a "Pasa" coffee before, and was stunned at it's real raisin rum flavor. I love being surprised at what coffee can be... Thank you.

Excitement overflows as the new coffees come in...

Love is Love

2008-08-26T06:17:00.003-05:00

Until yesterday, Hurricane Faye hadn't really held up to much of a storm for us in Atlanta. At best, she offered a few beautiful overcast and mild windy days. People anticipated rain, but none came, and so when another cloudy day rolled over yesterday, I thought for sure it'd be a fine day to visit Love is Love farm in Douglasville, GA.

Instead, my adventure companion Emma and I found ourselves traveling down Fulton Industrial for twenty minutes in the heaviest sheets of rain we've seen in months. It dripped through the leaky roof of my car and was so loud that conversation was strained. But we persevered and managed to spot our turn, or what we though was our turn... only to be wandering down one of two roads with the same name, eventually leading to an hour long journey which really shouldn't have been more than 30 minutes. Anxiety aside, we eventually made it to the farm, but only to realize it was only open for fresh food shoppin' on Mondays from 4-7PM.

At this point you might imagine us turning around, finding a quicker route home for a rainy afternoon of snuggles and Law and Order marathons. But no, we were determined. After a couple of phone calls we were on the farm with Joe Reynolds, the twenty-something city boy gone organic farmer, and his parade of dogs ranging from old gray haired sweethearts to a tiny feisty chihuahua. He (with the dogs following along) gave us a grand tour of the 8 acre far. Love is Love actually belongs to an older couple, Skip and Cookie, but in large it is up to Joe and his lady Judith to do the planning. Their plants vary from the "instantly gratifying" beans to Amish seed spitting watermelons to a new plot in the works for strawberries later this year.

When asking Joe how he'd gotten into all of this, seeing as how he had mentioned working at the Brickstore in Decatur (a well loved Belgian beer restaurant) just a few years ago, he brought up coffee. Joe mentioned of his time at Java Monkey-- an Equal Exchange account, also on the Decatur square. He spoke with the folks at EE, and managed to make a few contacts with some folks in Honduras and Nicaragua. He traveled and visited these farms, inspired by their hard work, [I'm missing a few steps but Joe and Judith] eventually came to find his place on Love is Love.

Many of us in the coffee industry speak (almost religiously at times) about the desire to go to coffee origin. Myself included, we find it to hold some key to a whole understanding of the seed to cup process. As for now, I really don't have any plans made to go to coffee origin anytime soon, mostly for time and monetary reasons. But until that becomes a more likely possibility, it's comforting to know there is an organic farm just thirty minutes outside the city that can offer a similar experience. Grounding and peaceful, its indirect reminder of the "where it came from" story is a message sent strong.

If you're in the Atlanta area on a Wednesday from 4-7PM, I encourage you to make the short trip to check out the farm. If that isn't a possibility, they take their food up to the Local Farm Stand (Thurs, Fri, and Sat) in front of Star Provisions just down the street from Octane. They don't have a website, but Judith does have a Love is Love facebook page! Find them, love them :)

Podcasted

2008-07-12T17:43:00.003-05:00

Back in March I participated in an event called Pecha Kucha where I presented 20 slides in less than 7 minutes on my trip to Japan. Although you cannot see the photos, Alfredo (the conductor of the Atlanta chapter of this event) has hosted the audio portion of my presentation on iTunes as a podcast.

It's always weird to hear your own voice. I have yet to watch my entire USBC performance for this reason... well, and because anxious nerves turn in my stomach as I say to myself "You forgot to do ___!"

Listing to the podcast reminds me of winter and Japan. Memories are flooding.
Please enjoy.

pressin party

2008-07-03T13:25:00.002-05:00

Aeropress at Octane?!

Yes!

On a Sunday afternoon at the bar amidst drink making and a sunday afternoon rush. It couldn't have been better. Ross (a beloved regular who brought the aeropress) brewed some of Counter Culture's Cafe San Ramon of Nicaragua and then a bit of Espresso Toscano to contrast. The "crema" that emerged on the surface intrigued me, but disappeared before I could get my mouth on it.

Another brewing method seen and tasted. Several more to go.

teh internets

2008-06-30T22:46:00.002-05:00

I used to close Octane three or four nights a week, back when this blog first started. I'd usually come home around 1 or 2 in the morning, depending on how fast we got things cleaned up, and I'd settle in front of the computer screen with a bowl of cereal and lurk on blogs, facebook, and other random and mindless imagery. Tonight, I revisit those nights.

First I start with flickr. Kozy and Dan share their artistic explorations across the world. Deep sea diving and bunny fishes. I get to peek into faraway friends worlds.

Then I'm side swiped into seeing if true will update his blog. Nope.

And then I'll watch some stuff on small moving screens.

and then other sorts of hand games.

And then I end up watching this:

Unsolved mysteries, seriously being the creepiest show to watch as a kid but most entertaining as an adult, has an episode based in my home town??! Featuring the "Pizza Bandits"?! And on top of that, the person who uploaded this video added in an audio clip of someone rapping "Romper Room" which is a show my uncle worked on and had me shop up on as a tiny child.

The evening's internet rampages have ended. Good night.

left a mark on my face.

2008-06-22T16:35:00.004-05:00

california left me with a sort of refreshed feeling like when you get out of an ice cold shower in summer. shockingly invigorating and grounding.

family I hadn't seen in years gathered to celebrate a graduation, and we welcomed him to the rest of his life.

He will soon be working at a winery in napa... mmmm, napa.

Car rides through the valley of california lead us from sac to the bay then on to I-5 to get to patterson and then gilroy for a final reunion of cousins and their mom (my aunt).

this is what the middle of nowhere looks like.

View Larger Map

I love these boys, Joe and Thomas. The closest in age in the whole slew of family, and the best to be around. We ate at Chevy's and had giant margaritas in the hot sun and felt good to be with family.

Train took me to Mission where I began a twennie-four hour adventure in the so-called "sucka free." Gracious guides Baca and Drew showed me the ropes, fed me antelope and the best tacos ever, and gave me enough reason to want to move back.

From there it was on to los angeles for a few days of relaxing. a sweet tour of the colleges and claremont, the huge city itself, and then a day at the beach left me never wanting to leave california. the garment districts and other areas of downtown I found totally fascinating in their historic grandeur and lack of glamor. We made our way to the bradury, a totally amazingly beautiful building, and the spot for some scenes of blade runner.

got to see a little bit of that devin and that willbur of intelli, sipped on a bit of that Anjilinaka spro, and continued on our way. beaches. guacamole. top model recaps and hgtv loafing.
freshly freckled and worn out from the heat, I came home.

my cat, bruce, greeted me with a present upon my return.
he made his first outdoor catch. a dove. it lay half alive, twitching in the bloodstained and feather strewn hallway. my dear friend erik disposed of the bird outside, where bruce immediately ran to toy with it for a few more hours.

r.i.p. bird.

2008-06-11T15:20:00.003-05:00

Off to the west with a fist full of coffee, homeward bound for the next few days.

I don't think I've been back to my city of birth for a year and a half now, and I'm long over-due. As much as I'd love to crawl the Bay for cups and shots, most of my time will be spent with family. With my parents making a move to Dallas, and the rest of my family scattered around the states, it really makes these few times I get to see the blood-folk that much more special. Cheesy, yes, but honest.

I was born in Oakland, California, but spent a good amount of time running the streets and playgrounds in Vallejo, long before Marine World became Six Flags but well after the Zodiac killer drew blood on the playground Sara and I used to haunt. The scent of eucalyptus throws me back to that place, and I'm dying to smell it again. I'll be up in Bay regions for a bit and then it's down to los angeles for a few days with plans to make the rounds. USBC champ turf. Motorcycle coffee. Gettin sunny.

on a side note, I am loving the valle del santuario on icccccce.

2008-06-05T13:08:00.004-05:00

The landscapes are rapidly changing without notice, and it's on the few drives I make through the city each week that these changes scream at me as if I should have been paying more attention. A sense of stability and a never-ending summer youth have sprung in my life since I've moved to Cabbagetown. The constant construction on Dekalb Ave and elsewhere in the city are easily forgotten until I make my weekly trips to the allergist's office in Buckhead.

This morning on my drive back from the traffic congested northern parts of the city, I passed a few older haunts of an area I used to dwell. Large "mixed use" complexes, which only now look like massive communist architectural style cement erections, rise high amidst the single story tall small strips of restaurants and shops that change faces every few years. Two of three in one section have closed their doors, and on one's marquee it reads, "I love to say hello but I hate to say goodbye."

A dear friend is beginning a hike on the Appalachian trail this Sunday. He will walk to New York where he will make a new home. I currently live in his old room; Aly and I have filled the void in this house, but Este will be missed.

O tat

2008-06-02T12:47:00.002-05:00

Someone just asked me (while I was working) why I didn't have any tattoos and that he thought it was a right of passage to work here (at octane).

And then, as I was handing him back his change, he took one of our octane "O flame" stickers and put it up to my arm and said, "This should be your first tattoo."

cans on the western hemi

2008-05-16T19:47:00.003-05:00

my first bite of corporate world came in the color red. today I sat in on one of Coca-Cola's monthly internal lecture series in which they showcase someone they work with. Today it was Dr. Andreas Illy. It's easy to find ins to Coca-Cola living in Atlanta. Many of their folk wander unassumingly into our shop every day, and certain conversations lead me into this particular lecture hall at Coca-Cola HQ today.

I sat their as possibly the only non-coca-cola employee and listened in on illy and coke's (together, they create ILKO) plans to infiltrate japanese and american markets with canned coffee (info from coke here). ive seen my fair share of canned coffee while living in fukuoka, and it's undeniably a huge market to attack in the states. Illy's chilled coffee, "cappuccino", and "latte machiatto" are things to look for in the near future. they even tried to talk my ear about getting some in a cooler at octane. right.

What I found most striking was Dr. Illy's persistence on brand taste consistency. Doing eveything in their measure to eliminate the barista to create the same cup every time. He feels that there are "just too many variables" for the barista to calculate to create a good cup. So, he create these super automatic machines that are even, in his opinion, still flawed.

Within this desire for consistency, he claims that they have just one blend. "Everyone has so many blends and, i dont know, it just unnecessary." They have one blend, nine origins, that they create "direct relationships" with and pay "premiums" for these coffees. He says they work with these farms one on one to ensure quality, and if quality is not produced then they will not buy it. Does this mean they just don't buy the coffee and leave them high and dry? I'm a little confused on this bit.
regardless, it's like a can of coke. you open it up and it tastes the same every time. no canned kenyans or yirgs. just illy every time.

so yeah, it was a little weird. weirdest part seeing a photo of someone that looks just like you when they pull up the slide with "target consumer" written in giant red print. here i am, sitting within the highest crops of coca cola in a tower in downtown atlanta, when just an hour earlier i was cupping coffees at the counter culture training center and talking about ways of making new coffee brewing methods openly and transparently. it just felt so... contrived and slightly evil.

drink up, kids.

mustaches for may!

2008-05-14T06:53:00.003-05:00

hey all you bearded or possibly bearded folk!

donate your face this month to help your favorite coffee-related non-profit! Get your friends to sponsor your beard growing skills for the month ($5 a pop), and then shave it into a styled mustache for the last week.

Rock a stache for a better and less douchier cause.

love potion number nine

2008-05-06T00:39:00.002-05:00

and, like how one might feel after having planned a wedding or waited for a college admissions notice, i have completed a weekend at scaa/usbc in minneapolis. just a quick thanks to all of the amazing people i met this year who offered such incredible feedback and support throughout the entire thing. also a huge congrats to everyone who competed. this was a remarkable group of people to work with and learn from, and I was honored to share a room with them for a few days.

photos and memories to follow.

2008-05-01T11:42:00.002-05:00

I think I have bitten off more than I can chew.

My body aches from moving 75% of my house yesterday, and today I will fly to Minneapolis to partake in a weekend of coffee-loving goodness. The sequence of leaving an extremely pleasant week at Volta to driving five hours home to moving all day to repacking for the competition and then leaving on a plane will sum as a week to remember in the span of my younger years.

Small things remain on my checklist, but their size is easy to swallow: Grinder brush, plastic baggies, heat resistant spatula. A spoon.

It's time to get on the plane and realize everything I've practiced for the past 6 weeks. See you suckers in the twinssss.

not really going anywhere with this one.

2008-04-28T17:10:00.003-05:00

Today I tasted the smell of burning leaves in a southern winter, where that aroma slips into your car through the cracks between the window and the doorframe while you're driving to your parent's house for thanksgiving dinner.
-intelligentsia's lapsang souchong

Getting to know the lay of the land, the weather, and the people. So quick to be out of university and so quick to forget these conversations that spring up about fundamental differences between freud and maslow, and the evil that is student loans. The college town is low in height, lower than athens, but spread out on a functional grid with Volta gracing somewhere near the center of town. Hello, college town.

I am going home tomorrow, a day too early, really. But it's necessary if I am to move to 180 with any efficiency... not to mention it would be nice to be well rested for SCAA. I am a little overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a million faces with a million names I've only familiarized myself with over the past year. I would place Coffee Fest 2007 in Atlanta as my first experience with the coffee community, so it's almost an anniversary for me to celebrate. A year in the making and so much farther to go.

Rambles today.

Did you know that expresso is a valid alternate for espresso? blasphemy.

the crashing of the wave, or when a question is answered in a sonnet

2008-04-27T17:50:00.004-05:00

I could have never anticipated how much I would enjoy a prairie life. The Volta family lives with a pharoh hound and three cows on a stretch of land that reaches ten acres out right near a state wildlife preservation area. This morning before heading into the shop, True took me to what was quite possibly one of the most naturally awesome and frightening places I've ever been. Around one of the naturally occurring sink holes in Gainesville, FL, alligators roam in the wild, roaring within a stone's throw, and other wild life fly around amongst the grasses as far as the eye can see. Truly spectacular and humbling.

Driving just three miles into the city, we find ourselves on the corner of West University and SouthWest 1st in downtown. Bars and other trendy night spots surround the shop, but not in a towering sort of way. Volta's name graces the insides of the windows on "Now Open" signs, and at night you can see the beautiful steel lettering of the shop's name on the pegboard inside. It stands strong on its own, and everyone who enters can't help but remark on the beautiful interior. Despite following the progress along at True's blog, actually entering the shop is a refreshing experience in bar design... but getting BEHIND the bar is an enlightening experience, proving that it is possible to design a bar for five people working simultaneously and efficiently.

I don't want this to end up sounding like a review of the shop, but I seriously have to mention the outstanding selection of chocolates. It reminds me much of Japan where coffee shops and other retail and food spots often offer great gift items, for yourself or others. The chocolates are perfect for this. I have to bring some home for myself and friends.. too good to go without. Vosges, Askinosie, l'Artigiano... chocolate with sea salts, chocolate with orange rinds, single-origin chocolate, chocolate with bacon. Yes, it's delicious. It's all delicious.

It's good food I've been eating, great sleep I've been getting, and incredible hospitality of my hosts and the general population of this little town. Let's say I'll really enjoy the next couple of days here.

2008-04-22T15:09:00.003-05:00

At this point it's list writing and list re-writing and check-boxes and strike-throughs. It's making sure you have two of everything. It's speaking the same words over and over with honesty and compassion every time. It's two weeks until competition and we're all going a little crazy.

One of the final tasks upon me is naming the espresso. At the moment "Mère framboise" seems appealing, but the use of a french name is only personal and not exactly pertinent to the competition at hand. "Mother Raspberry" seems a little too much like a nursery rhyme, but the dedication of the coffee to my mother and the leading taste of raspberry seem necessary to address in the title. Maybe "Femme Framboise?" I'm taking suggestions, comments, hints, and clues.

what's left behind

Tonight is the last night in this house. Tomorrow I spend the evening in Athens to see BRMC with some dear friends, and then it is off to Gainesville for a week with the Voltans. Good bye, for now, 2080.

muscle memory (aka twin peeks)

2008-04-20T07:35:00.003-05:00

After a bit of blog and life apathy, I have found myself re-energized by the beautiful American interstate system and the stops along the way.

Preparing for USBC has seemed frustrating and fruitless at times, and a motivation to continue seemed miles away. Thankfully I was urged to join Ben and M'lissa on a road trip to Durham, NC to visit Counter Culture HQ for certification and competition practice. I rode shot-gun in the Jag with a box of RitzBitz and a satchel of Cliff Bars, rehearsing my competition routine over and over--it's theraputic effect was unexpected and whole heartedly embraced. Along with the zen of a car ride, I had visits with good people in Greenville, SC on the way there and back to give me renewed energy. I doubt their awareness of such is absent, but that makes it all the more genuine, right?

I never thought I would be so invigorated by the same trees that cause my face to turn into bricks of sinus pressure. Counter Culture's HQ is nestled into the quiet streets of Durham and I found myself more in love with the place than I had ever imagined I could. The true sense of community seemed to infect me with the coffee bug that first bit me a year ago.

We all passed the certification and celebrated with burgers and beers. We had to leave 24 hours later for Atlanta commitments, but couldn't come home without a stop to the blog-house to visit a beautiful blog-family for pizza and floats. It was hard to leave, and I'd like to think that had BenZ hadn't needed to return to work, we would have stayed through the night and left our obligations behind for more home-pulled shots and rambles of ex-patriotism and literature.

The week ahead holds packing and practicing. I am moving to a new home simultaneous with traveling to Florida for the first week of Volta's life, followed by a weekend in Minneapolis. Consider me enlightened, and look forward to the words to follow.

lil buddy

2008-03-25T21:51:00.001-05:00

he loves me not, originally uploaded by d.glasky.

This is Miss M. We are new pals, and she loves the cat. We hang out a couple of days a week and do girl stuff. You know, like play with small animal toys, jump around on gym mats, run around the house hiding from monsters, and drink hot cocoa or coffee. Yeah, she's awesome.

Atlanta's worth - a work in progress

2008-03-24T08:44:00.002-05:00

I find myself ofter saying "When I leave Atlanta I'll miss ______ the most." Perhaps it's worth concentrating on loving these things while I'm here. This will be an ongoing list, but perhaps visitors or unexperienced Atlantans will find this worth their time.

First up,

(Your) Dekalb Farmers Market.

despite the explicitly stated "No photography" signs, I have managed to find a dozen or so on flickr from others...

The house I've been living in this past year has been the closest I've ever lived to DFM, and it's proven to be a blessing and a curse. Never have I spent so much money on food in my life, yet if I had to choose a place to do it, this would be it. Their hot bar includes foods from all over, from fried chicken to "Indian spiced chickpeas." The labels for the international foods have been dumbed down for the Atlanta public, which usually creates the feeling of mystery food, but rarely have I been disappointed, especially when a pound of food rings up as $3.99.

David often remarks how my hair tends to soak up the "DFM smell"... it's unmistakable. And oftentimes you'll find the bakery products to soak up the same smells, but it's a little endearing, right? Alas, it keeps me coming back for the single orders of Celray and their vegetable samosas.

the wind left us with memories

2008-03-17T15:32:00.003-05:00

The weekend's events held mixed emotions. Atlanta was simultaneously presented with the best and worst of things, which each have a habit of revealing what's really underneath.

It started fine with beautiful weather and the arrival of Counter Culture's guests James and Annette for a weekend of talks, drinks, and food. Their presence attracted coffee people from across the lands, including the Rue's du Volta from way down south. We all gathered for an evening of debauchery and throwdowns when Atlanta was struck by natural disaster and suddenly the city fell apart. Octane survived, our house survived, my friends and family are fine, too, but we certainly felt the grip of death as the sun rose to reveal our misfortunes.

above: my roommate's car

above: a local landmark, both before the damage and after

of course, while this was going down (pun intended), so was this:

Both events seem to pull us together in different ways. The James Hoffmann event gave a chance for coffee people to gather and converse, yet it was impossible to ignore the presence of the storm across the days after (including now). It takes almost twice as long to get to work now that my main route has been quickly snipped in the middle as I used to drive just by the CNN center... Even driving from Dave's, which is just behind CNN and the Dome and significantly closer to Octane, leaves me driving strange routes and double-backing when the roads I found open in the morning are closed by nightfall.

You can even see the holes in the Westin panes from Octane. Erie, to say the least.

a productive day

2008-03-10T18:50:00.001-05:00

2008-03-09T20:41:00.002-05:00

The time change struck me by surprise. Of course there was a rushed feeling when I realized I had to be at work in fifteen minutes, but it was more that I couldn't figure out where the time had gone since we had turned our clocks this past fall. Didn't we just do this? I remember the analogy I gave to David to describe the feeling of coming back to Atlanta from Japan: it feels like within the book that tells my life story, a section of pages have been ripped out. As if we skip from page 162 to 194 without a question. My sense of continuity has been disrupted for the sake of a new experience. This brings me anxiety as I feel that this possibly means I learned nothing from my trip, that maybe I did not find the answers I was looking for, or that somehow it was not special enough.

But those are statements that are not true. I believe that the feeling of a disrupted continuity simply shows the ease of habits to take reign on one's life. It took two weeks to sleep soundly at normal hours again. My cat does not freak out every time I leave the house now. The espresso machine at work is no longer awkward in my hands as it was when I first returned. And like that, my trip to japan left my present state of mind, and I became an Atlantan again.

Tonight I was able to re-live the moments of Fukuoka through an event we host at Octane called Pecha Kucha Night. A forum for intellectuals, designers, travelers, etc... you present twenty slides with twenty seconds to speak on each slide. I suppose its a way for Atlantans to feel like something is happening in this city, although most presentations seems to take place somewhere else in the world. Tonight we heard about the Atlanta belt-line project, the Buckhead branch library's architecture, a social commentary on the vastness of YouTube's content, and my own "travelogue" of my time spent in Japan. It almost seemed to allow myself to have a sense of closure.. as if I had finally publicly validated my time abroad. Yes, I was here and I did these things and I learned something.

Next month's Pecha Kucha Night will feature Octane, as we will be presenting on the Bikes to Rwanda Benefit we will be holding on April 12th. Aly, my roommate and coworker extraordinare, has been working days and nights on this project. Spoke card art show, bike race, Rwandan coffee cupping, Pecha Kucha show... April is Rwanda month at Octane and I am stoked! I think we are even getting some special Rwandan micro-lots and a Humure roasted for espresso. Hell yes! This would be a first for Octane... S.O. 'spro at Octane. A miracle, indeed. Much to look forward to, my friends.

someone else's piano

2008-02-29T17:27:00.002-05:00

There was a time in my life, not that long ago, when I worked for someone that owned a grand piano. We worked out of his home. It was a large condo with the equipment we needed to produce a still formulating idea of a kids' educational show. His daughter was also my responsibility, and we would often times take walks in the park or play with the pool balls on the pool table when working came to a standstill or the day was just that nice. Sometimes the dad and daughter would not be around, and I'd be in that house by myself. And this is when I would play.

I was embarrassed to play at any other time, mainly due to the mastery of the owner of the instrument. How do you paint in front of Rothko? How do you sing in front of Fitzgerald? So instead I poked around in the cracks of silence I would find in that home in those days. The way the sound filled the air was startling at first... the power of such a large organic instrument intimidated me, but it was this intimidation that lured me closer.

My time there ended before I could know the piano well. I hope one day to meet it again, when the time is right and I dont have to wait for the cracks of time to open up in secret.

2008-02-25T21:56:00.004-05:00

I've been back a week now. I can't help but count the days that pass, if not to just simply remind me that I was across the world those days ago. It's surprisingly easy to forget. If there is anything that is a reminder, its the lull and down-feeling I have adopted upon return. It has been an uphill battle regaining a sense of time and structure. My work schedule is sporadic, and Georgia allergies have my up late into the night... I can't help but feel helpless, as if the "what next?" question begs at every turn and all I can do is shrug. A sense of impermanence, transition, and limbo permeate my thoughts.

I cant concentrate on anything, so I find myself wasting time in the pages of the Internets. I have found larger clumps of my time spent leafing through old threads on coffeed.com, or browsing through blogs of baristas I've never met but maybe someday will, reading about japanese cooking on justhungry.com, and repeating Jose Gonzalez videos on youtube on an open browser page as I have yet to bring myself to purchase his records.

By the way, my cat watches TV and eats Japanese candy and sometimes plays the keys:

I dont know where I'm going with this. I guess I just felt a little obligated to not drop off the face of the Internet.

I'm working on new aprons. Inquire if you so desire.

on stateside

2008-02-19T15:59:00.002-05:00

It's my fourth day back and I'm still sleeping during the day, waking up at 3am just in time to watch bad infomercials and reruns of Reno911. Disoriented, to say the least.

Last night we had a cupping of the coffees I brought back from Honey Coffee last week. Unfortunately the 12 hour flight and week between roasting and cupping may have done a number on the beans because most of the coffees lost what I knew of them from the shop. Coffees once powerfully bright and balanced lacked anything interesting to speak of. It was all so roasty. It's so strange how these coffees once tasted so light and now just fall heavy on my mouth.

The week between leaving the Izaki family and coming home to the states was spent in Tokyo with my boyfriend, David. He flew out to visit, and we met at Narita Airport. The reunion was special, but it was of course a little weird speaking fluent English for the first time in a month. I met a few foreigners on my way in Fukuoka, but they were always short conversations. Now I was back with my best friend and chatting had to be caught up. We did things like visiting the Imperial Palace and eating ramen... and we trecked an hour outside of the city to hunt for Ozu Yasujiro's grave. It was tucked into a temple full of national treasures off the train stop Kita-Kamikura. Its breathtaking beauty keeps me from inaccurately describing it with words, and even pictures fail to do it justice. Alas, you can view photos from here, and the rest of the trip here.

And here is the last photo taken at Honey... see you soon, miss you all so much.

on moving on

2008-02-08T10:32:00.001-05:00

Tears were shed today as I realized how close I am to leaving this place. Tomorrow is my last full day here. Today was quiet yet emotional. Hide and Izaki were out of the shop today, so the general volume was pretty low. Around 3 or so we received a call to let us know that the results for the JBC Finalists were in. This would tell who made the top 10th tier of the 160 candidates of the JBC. As we read down the list, we saw Manu Coffee (one of Honey's customer shops), and as we read her name (Yasukawa) and cheered her name outloud (Yasukawa-san), she walked into the shop. It was surreal, and we all cried. And then I cried harder because I remember how special this moment will be for years to come, and how I didn't want to let it go. Later in the evening, Yoshi-san would ask me if I was crying because Yuko and Yasukawa were crying, or if it was because I was sad of my upcoming departure. It was mixed, but mostly the later. Unfortunately, the remainder of the list did not include Hide's name. We did not talk about this, nor has anyone mentioned it since.

This evening we had a sayonara party at another izakaya. This one is famous for its cuisine and ability to attract foodies and rockstars from around the world. It was spectacular. Pictures from around the world lined the wall, and it felt authentic. As if theyd been there. And Im sure they had. An Izaki family friend, Tod, had recommended the place and even joined us for dinner. I loved the way he makes the Izaki family laugh. Its effortless. We were all in tears from laughing so hard, and I felt at home. This feels like home.

Before coming to Japan, it seemed like I wasnt really coming here. That maybe Id been lying to myself or that I was just going to California to see my family. But the flight was almost 3 times as long as the flight to san fran, and this time the people I was staying with were not familiar. Now the tables have turned, and returning to Octane seems unreal. Lying in my bed with Bruce at 2080 seems like a dream from long ago, even though its only been a month since Dave and I were lounging around with the cat, playing Wii until the hours became too small, or watching Tokyo-ga until the menu screen woke us up in the middle of the night.

Thankfully I feel like my time is done here. I feel accomplished, as if my time was properly spent, and that I have nourished whatever it was that sprang up two years ago when I was here last.

on moving on, I'm looking forword to visiting Momoko in Tokyo along with the rest of the Zoka cats. I want to see Ozu's grave in a snow-filled cemetery. I want to eat ramen with dave on a cold winter evening on the brim of the sumida river. This iwll come next week. And we will move on after that with only memories to bring back.

Have I mentioned that the Izaki family just falls asleep wherever they happen to be?

milk and cookies

2008-02-07T07:22:00.000-05:00

They seem like an obvious combination, but when the topic came up at the end of dinner, Hidenori's and Yuko's faces went blank.

"You really dip cookies into milk???"

Uh... yes. How else would you eat them? I told them that most popular was the chocolate chip varietal, but that others like myself enjoyed the Oreo, or even the Kiddo if you swing the vegan way. At this, Hidenori immediately called his brother who was on his way home and asked him to pick up a pack of cookies.

Yasuhide returned with two rolls of chocolate chip cookies that measured less than an inch in diameter. I said they'd suffice, but that I'll make them some real american cohoclate chip cookies before I leave.

Hidenori started dropping them into his glass of milk and grabbed a spoon. He thought this was genius, as if he was the first to ever reinvent the american ideal of milk and cookies, but I soon reminded him of american cereal. Cocoa puffs seemed to ring the familiar bell, which then justified milk and cookies as an appropriate breakfast meal. Yum.

dosing-uppu

2008-02-06T19:53:00.000-05:00

Dear generic help column in your local paper,

The beautiful thing coffee gives us is its ever changing attitude and form. This beauty can sometimes be a curse, as I have occasionally felt with the single origin spro at Honey, but it allows us to constantly revise our methods and look for new ways to approach old and new problems.

I bring this up because last night Hidenori was working on his routine and asked me "Ani, why you dosing-uppu? Why?" I though the answer was simple... "Some espressos taste better when you use a higher gram amount in the basket, and some espressos taste good when you use a lower gram amount. I dont always dose-up. It's case-by-case. You decide how you want the espresso to taste." But for some reason I kept hearing in the continuing conversation between Izaki and Hidenori, "Muzakashi neeee..." (It's difficult, isn't it...)

I was getting frustrated. What's difficult? Please, let's talk. Let's work it out. We might have some differences but that's always the best part about this, right? Instead of trying to hash it out, Izaki follows up with what feel slike another element of Japanese coffee folklore. Long ago there was a barista in Australia that felt the "space" between the espresso and the shower screen on the group head would cause unrest within the basket during extraction. By eliminating this "space" through dosing up, the mesh and packed espresso touch and then keep the espresso in place during extraction. Times have changed, as they usually do, and my definition of "dosing up" now means adding more espresso to the basket than initially dosed, simply to have a higher gram content (and what that further implies). Where is the Coffeepedia when we need it?

Hidenori and I are on the same page when we use the term "dosing-up," but what am I missing here?

-Frustrated in Fukuoka

2008-02-05T20:36:00.000-05:00

Fukuoka's cafes are abundant yet lacking. The only ones using specialty coffee are those who buy from Honey Coffee, so going out for "new" tastes creates some challenges. Yesterday's holiday gave me an opportunity to try two cafes: Manu II and Dalahast. Manu creates their own blends while Dalahast buys commercial coffee, yet sometimes the owner will come to Honey to buy coffee for himself.

The second Manu cafe is much like the first with old wooden furniture and bar. Smoking is allowed in the tiny space, which, despite my loathing for smokey clothes, actually made it seem like the "genuine coffee house feel" that exists deep within my imagination. I met the younger sister of one of the competing Manu baristas from Tokyo. Sister baristas! Score! (Did I mention my little sister got a job at Starbucks?) Manu II is a Honey customer, but they make their own blends for espresso. The baristas seem pretty smart and often come by Honey for coffee talk and cuppings. I had an espresso and a french press of the same coffee blend. The blend is a work in progress, but I was impressed with what they'd accomplished so far.

We went to Dalahast next. Izaki said the coffee isnt' very good, but they have very nice furniture. He was right! I must say it was pretty weird being in a Scandanavian themed cafe in Japan. They have a little boutique in the front of the cafe with an assortment of antique and modern goods from that part of the world.. including the beloved cafesolo! We had an espresso and an iced ginger peach tea. Unfortunately it's freakin cold here, so the iced tea may have been better in the summertime..

Yasuhide and I are watching a soccer game on tv right now... Thailand and Japan. Japan is about to win it. Its at a stadium near Tokyo and the snow is HEAVY. I'm a little wary of my travels out there next week. Its going to be cold, and unlike my entire trip thus far, I will not be constantly in artificial environments. Hello, sweaters I forgot to bring. Even the cats out here wear sweaters. I'm not kidding. I feel left out of the sweater club.

In other news, I was interviewed today on a radio station called LOVE FM for their segment called "Around the world." The interviewer was an american from San Fran that had come by the shop earlier in my stay here. He asked me about my past in college radio, how my homestay was going, and what I was doing at Honey. The interview will air sometime in March. Jake, the DJ, said he could send me a copy of it as Japanese radio-streaming is illegal. Pretty cool being on that side of the microphone. When I mentioned I missed being on the air, he said they needed an american female host. wow. how awesome would that be? Except that id be dropping everything ive worked for the past two years. Maybe in another life.

signing off.

from beginning to end

2008-02-03T20:30:00.001-05:00

We left by bullent train for Osaka around 7pm. It was just Yuko and I as Izaki and Hide left two days earlier to get settled in and practice. the three hour trip was smooth and effortless. I was reminded how much more i love riding the bullet train than flying, and my mind was put at ease when remembering i am taking a 7 hour trip to tokyo in just a week.

It was freezing cold when we got there. A little rainy and windy kept us moving fast to the hotel. The place was huge and dec'd out as a wedding location. I had a hotel room to myself for the one night there. It seemed luxurious at first, but quickly became lonely as I realized none of the six television channels were in English. A long bath made the night go by better. The place was built on a hot spring, so the bath water was natural spring water. Amazing.

The next day was strangely like the previous one where no coffee was provided nor could we find any decent places close by. This venue was even stranger than the tokyo one.. it was at the Osaka school of culinary arts, which seems appropriate, but the room was WAY to small. There were only 20 small stools available to sit on, and the rest of the folks had to cram in the tiny hallway outside and watch through the windows. Even worse was the layout of the competitors. The room was a long rectangle, and instead of placing the competitor stations at the head, the two were spread out lengthwaise. This created a neckpain experience as you could only watch half of the competitors depending on what side you were sitting at. Further humor came in the completely saran wrapped floor. Awesome. And no, these stools were not comfortable.

Performances varied as much as they did in Tokyo. I got to see the champion from two years ago perform, and he made it look so easy. His tables were clean and minimal.. only a couple of towels where they needed to be. no crazy place settings. A pro, no doubt. The crowds all squeezed in the room for this one.

Hide's performance was noteworthy. He was quick and agile, well polished, and passionate to say the least. Later on I asked Izaki what blend they finally used for competition and he says he didnt know! It was a mistake blend from practice, but he says it tasted delicious so they went ahead and used it. What a champ. I wouldnt have such balls, but the judges say he did well. We will find out next week if he made it to finals. I wish I could be here for it..

I met plenty of talented baristas and other coffee professionals from all over the country, many of whom will be at this year's USBC/SCAA. I'm a little nervous to say the least about seeing them on home turf. Izaki has talked me up so much, I only hope I can live up to his words.

Unfortunately, these are some of the last photos from my trip. That night my camera decided to take its last blow. Internal electrical problems seem to be whats up. Heading out to camera repair spot tomorrow.
My last photo to share is from dinner that night. It is black seasame ice cream. Oishi....

2008-01-31T07:38:00.000-05:00

I've been loosing the roast battles lately. As expected, its a little difficult to explain the chemical processes of roasting to someone in a foreign language, as Izaki is doing for me. Instead, I watch his methods, apply them when I roast, and then cup the coffee to check the results. I am always smelling the beans with them... trying to perfect my detection of the moisture-totally-out-of-bean point. I've come up with my own terminology for much of the roasting process, but I'm eager to start looking through internet resources for more technical information on the process.

Alas, today there was no roast battle. Izaki and Hide left for Osaka early this morning for the second round of JBC Prelims. Surprise surprise, Izaki bought me a shinkansen ticket so that I can go see Hide's competition! I leave tomorrow evening and come back the following night. I went to Osaka two years ago and had my fair share of takoyaki and okonomoyaki... this time will just be for Hide. After the competition, though, it will be a quick last week before I leave.

Tonight, Yuka and two of her friends from work took me out to dinner for some of the best gyoza I've ever had. It was pretty beautiful inside with an open kitchen that was impeccibly clean. Starters included a salad similar to what Yuko makes in my bento every day (sauteed greens with salt and black seasame) and the best tofu I've ever had. It was soft like frozen yogurt but not as cold. Normally such smooth texture would make me turn my head, but this was incredible. The gyoza itself came out sizzling on an iron pan without four rows of 8 little gyoza, all hand made there at the restaurant.

oish.

More posting when I return from Osaka! Ganbare, Hidenori!

cloverfied

2008-01-29T20:37:00.000-05:00

As if perfectly in line with James Hoffman's blog post earlier this year, Honey Coffee has turned to strickly using the Clover for all coffee (instead of the french press). I think Izaki-san was inspired after I showed him this NYTimes article that was sent out on the Octane employee forum (thanks Josh). It gives a nice roundup of Clover's place in the coffee world right now. Unfortunately, Izaki is only using it as a machine, not an experimental device. Every coffee is at the same temp/brew time/brew amount. I've politely asked if hes thought of experimenting, and he says "a little." Maybe I'll do some experimenting on my own while the family is in Osaka this weekend (that is, if I am not joining them).

shameless

2008-01-28T08:48:00.000-05:00

I've passed the halfway point for my time spent in the Izaki-home and it still feels a bit surreal. im in japan, but now it just feels like the next town over, not the other side of the world. i guess this feeling of settling in is the strangest part.

dave will be joining me soon in Tokyo. please check out his blog and buy one of those shirts you've always wanted but could never get. He's worked hard on the blog and the shirts, mainly just to get him to Tokyo. So at least check it out. okthanks yourethebest.

To the Nines.

2008-01-27T09:32:00.001-05:00

To the Nines., originally uploaded by d.glasky.

Yesterday at Honey, a beautiful woman walked in dressed in full kimono gear. Her name is Yumiko. She is in her mid 60's but could easily pass for 45. I told her of my love for traditional Japanese textiles, and it just so happens that she has spent much time studying said subject, along with the art of wearing kimono. She asked me, if I had the time, if Id like to learn how to wear kimono, and of course I accepted.

Tonight Yumiko came over with all of the essentials, including this 1970's era kimono. Worth almost a grand, it fit me like a glove. I can now say I feel a little more Japanese. Click on the photo to see more at Flickr.

Roast battle! (i cant taste anything)

2008-01-25T08:16:00.000-05:00

One of the other staff, Yoshi, and myself began our experiences with roasting at the same time. He is spending his days off in the library reading about coffee and has come to find roasting as particularly interesting. So, together we roast samples of the same coffee in the same amount, one after the other. We call this Roast Battle. Each day is a different coffee, and after cupping with the boss, we declare a winner.

Battle, begin!

Today's battle was roasting Ethiopia Sidamo, a coffee I am very familiar with from Counter Culture, but I was curious as to how this selection would taste in comparison.

My coffee was roasted a little lightly, and Yoshi's was pretty much right on. Izaki was out of the shop today, so he will not be cupping until tomorrow to have the final say as to who wins this battle. I predict Yoshi, although I feel like something was missing in the cup, as if the coffee had more than the berry notes to offer. During roasting the beans' aroma was powerfully beautiful. Every day I am amazed at how much coffee can offer in aroma, and for me the aroma is more powerful than taste.

I have probably been feeling this way because I am having difficulty linking my senses of smell and taste. Taste by tongue is really just the five basic types, and coffees at honey all have strong characteristics of sweet and acidic. I thought I was still missing something, like why dont I taste pistachio or strawberry like Yuko tastes in this coffee? But I guess its because I am not combining my smell and taste sensory systems... If you think you have more information or ideas about this, please comment. I'm curious.

lil fatty.

2008-01-24T08:17:00.000-05:00

before I graduated from GSU, I was beginning to get back into my routine at the university's gym. I was getting back into shape after my stress lull leading up to competition. Once I graduated, it was no more free gym. I wasn't too stressed about it. I considered myself a pretty healthy eater for a vegeterian, and three months (including Japan time) away from the gym shouldn't be a problem. But there was something in this seemingly balanced equation that I forgot to account for.

Japanese sweets. Everyday. And I can't say no.

It's something different every day. Usually omiyage from a customer or close friend of the shop's, or something Yuko saw at the bakery on her way to the shop.. it's all delicious, and they're all full of sugar.

FUTORU is the word for "fat."　It comes up in conversation often as we all comment on our own (over)eating habits. Maybe it's the good cooking, or we could just feel over stuffed considering none of us are active during the day because we work for 9 or 10 hours, and then eat a large meal very late in the evening.

So it was strange, yet seemingly in context, for my host family to hear me refer to my boyfriend as "Dave" for the first time tonight (instead of "David"). If "Dave" is pronounced w/ a Japanese accent, it sounds like "DEBU" which means "fatty" in Japanese. Not fatty like "This steak is fatty," but more like "You're turning into a little fatty."

Mistranslation also occured when a young Japanese man walked into the shop tonight asking me if I knew a "Ben" from LaGrange, GA. OK, thats weird in itself. Yes, I know this Ben. Motorcycle kid that loves an Octane cappuccino. Awesome. The world is small yet again. What Izaki had problems with was explaining to his wife who Ben was. In Japanese, "BEN" is something like "pooping."

Both translations are quite unfortunate considering their regularity in American culture. Something I found quite interesting though was the brand name "Little Debby." Notorious for their fattening little cake snacks, the brand's name itself can easily warn you of your life ahead if you indulge too much. Perhaps I will remember Little Fatty next time I pass the bakery window. Just because you are far away from America does not mean youre immune to its faults. Damn.

2008-01-22T07:36:00.000-05:00

The past twenty-four hours have been genuinely Japanese.

My one day-off a week began yesterday as we pulled the blinds down at the shop. The entire crew set off for a night at the local Izakaya. I had spoken often of wanting to go, and the Izaki family made the trip particularly special. The food was interesting, ranging from rare meats to fried balls of mashed potatoes. I ate what I could, and smiled politely at what I couldn't. The main course was nabemono, in which we plopped in tofu, chicken, and an array of tasty veggies.

The atmosphere was particularly exciting as there was only enough room for two large parties, ours and another, and four seats at the small "bar." Our Honey group is always lively, usually with Hidenori's presence. Whoever said the Japanese are reserved are liars. Conversation ranged from the story of how I met Dave to the proper uses of the word "fuck" and what a "happy trail" is. English was used most of the night to keep me included (thank you), but usually in experimentation of obviously broken english, thus keeping us in constant giggles and question marks. The night ended with a surprise dimming of the lights and a macha crepe with a candle atop, matched with a precious bouquet of pink roses. Another "Welcome, we love you" present from the crew. So sweet.

Today was spent winding through the countryside and rolling mountains of Kyushu with a girl named Yuka and her english speaking friend. We traveled a few hours outside of Fukuoka to make a special and much needed journey to a traditional japanese onsen. It was part of a larger beautiful ryokan, and I was stunned with its architecture. Of course, I forgot my camera. We were the only ones there, and heavenly might be the only way to describe it. Water rolled over the stones surrounding the edges of the large bath, and steam filled the room. The water was hot enough to make me doubt my existence, but quickly I found my body completely relaxed.

Just through the windows we could see the forest-covered volcanic mountains, laced with steam. It was cold, but we decided to go outside for the nicer view and enjoy the bath of the rotenburo. Again, heaven. These baths are lined with stones, set in the ground, and somehow created the perfect setting for me to become friends with these two people. Bathing like this is special to me, and I felt fortunate to meet others that felt the same.

On the way back we stopped at a roadside traditional japanese restaurant to eat handmade soba. for dessert, omochi and real wasabi root cooked in soy sauce. So delicious, filled me up to make me sleep the whole ride home. zzzz.. When we returned to the apartments, no one was home. Yuka and I decided to go shopping as I expressed an interest in Japanese textiles and she knew "just the place." It was a little kitchy, but the socks collection was pretty amazing. A sweet old man owned the place and tried out his english on me.

Old man: Where are you from?
Me: Atlanta. USA. You know?
Old man: ooooh! The Braves!! Go Braves!

really? I go halfway around the world and I can still hear someone say "go braves." Amazing. Yuka gave him a brief rundown of what I was interested, that I like to sew and I enjoy vintage goods. He pulled out a stack of vintage kimonos and together we sorted through them. Beautiful and in great shape. I found one with a pattern I liked, tried it on, and it fit like magic (at least thats what I thought). I smiled and said thankyou, not even thinking to ask what the price was knowing that kimono prices are in the thousands. But yuka asked, and youll never believe it, but it was about twenty bucks. I never thought I would ever own a kimono, none the less buy one on this trip, but things seemed to fall perfectly into place. The sweet old man even gave me a hankerchief with all of the yearly animals on it. Funny, considering just last night I learned what they all were and which one I am (the ox).

We returned home, and my evening ended with me asking Izaki of how he first came into coffee. It was difficult to get a clear answer as to what first intrigued him. The earliest I could reach was him reading many books on coffee and feeling that they were incorrect. I kept asking, but why were you reading books on coffee? What was your first inspiration to make you want to know more? I couldnt get an answer. He pointed me to a book on his bookshelf, and Ive been leafing through it since. Coffee, a Celebration of Diversity. It will probably take me the rest of my time here to get through it. The content is dense and thourough. I just wish it was easier to ask Izaki about his knowledge of coffee and get a good answer. Mmm language barriers.

Izaki and Hide disappeared from the house about two hours ago. Who knows where they went. They didnt say. Yuko sits on the floor watching a special on Ichiro the baseball player, and Yasuhide went to bed early (I think he may be getting sick). The holiday is over and it is back to work. At least the attitude is usually like this:

love always, your almost japanese friend, danielle.

two days in tokyo

2008-01-19T07:51:00.000-05:00

two days, 40 competitors, and I can say that was only a quarter of the show.

The first day left me feeling a little intimidated. All of the competitors were definitely practiced and rehearsed, but nothing really exciting. Definitely safe, as every competitor shook with tremors as they set their espressos in front of the judges and poured their caps. The way the room was set up allowed for two stations, seating for 70 or so, and behind the audience was the competitor's area (two long lunch tables, kind of). No stage, no stadium style seating, and no big screen. the only way to check out the surface of those spros and caps was to get a spot on the front row and hope that one of the judges would flash you a lucky one. Fortunately, one of the sensory judges was my coffee-sensee Izaki. My favorite performances in terms of equipment used and lack of overwhelming fear were two baristas from the same shop. Antique grinder and tampers, double rosettas, well-spoken with tons of smiles, with the proverbial icing on the cake being James Taylor as their chosen competition tunes.

Other memorable moments (of both days) include:

- the second competitor of day one preground his espresso during the 10 minute set up time, placed it in a little tupperware container, and then proceeded to pour espresso into portafilter basket, and then distribute and tamp. Too bad he DQ'd. I would have liked to know his reasoning. Oh, and did I mention he was dressed to donald trump nines, cuff links and all? And yes, his hair was gelled and slicked back.

- a young man using illy coffee decided he didnt like the first set of capp bases, and would re-extract while steaming milk. Well, not only was he pulling the shots while steaming milk, but he also managed to pour the first set of caps, steam a second pitcher of milk, and only then realize that the shots were still going. I timed it as at least a minute. They were definitely running close to clear by the time he turned around and hung his head low. I thought he might be crying as he stood there in front of the FB80, everyone sitting in silence... but instead he kept it together and turned around to appologize to the judges and call time.

- a very short middleaged man wearing a strikingly obvious wig (he was bald, perhaps a disease of some sort we assumed), nearly ned in color, and fluffy like an old lady's hair on a sunday morning before church. And it was of course he who gave an outstanding presentation while his chosen music of southern gospel rang loudly throughout the room. It look a lot for me to keep it together.

- another man who also DQ'd intentionally chose smooth jazz as his music. smooth jazz, by choice. Izaki san loves smooth jazz, too. I thought it was only my mom and dentist offices. I would say only a tenth of the competitors even chose to use music, thus creating a very tense atmosphere in the silence of cappuccino preparations..

There were a couple of really great performances, but it is only the judges that could say what tasted good. and thats really the point, afterall, right?

I also got the chance to meet last year's #2 JBC barista. So sweet. She works as head barista at Zoka in Tokyo now, working too much but doing a great job. I'll be visiting her when I return to Tokyo next month.

Other delights in Tokyo included the overnight stay in a traditional Japanese Ryokan. One of the last of its kind, family owned, and creepy as hell. I felt for sure that I was going to find a blank tape next to the TV or find a long haired girl walking down the hall. <> Aside from that, I think I shot some pretty good photos with the Holga. This one is not from the holga, just for your reference really:

the sign above the TV is probably 50 years old and reads "For your safety, never smoke in bed."

Also, it was freezing. Below, actually, with the wind. Yet for some reason I felt invigorated by it. Walking around the city, riding the trains, I felt like I was in a real city again. Suddenly the realization hit me: Fukuoka is just like Atlanta!! Woah! All there is to do is go shopping, which has really started to bore me as the only use of my free time. Even today in the shop we ha d acouple of fluently speaking English folks come in, and I chatted it up with them for a few minutes each. When I told them I was from Atlanta, their first reaction was "Ahh yes, I love the south. So nice. Fukuoka is really similar, dont you think? Nice and slow, and not crazy like Tokyo." Oops. I like crazy like Tokyo.

We had dinner at a place called Respkt, one of a group of cafes/restaurants called Cafe Company. It reminded me of Octane's concept with a heavier emphasis on food and a lighter (as in no espresso machine) emphasis on coffee. Their marketing, PR girl joined us for dinner, and the three japanese chatted it up as I sat their, in silence. Occassionally Izaki would try to catch me up on what theyre talking about, but it was difficult to be interested when you cant really contribute. I tried, but once again I was lost in translation.

Strangely enough, last night when I returned back home, Yuko (mom) asked me how I felt being away from the cafe. Apparently Yoshi said the shop was lonely without me, and I replied felt lonely without them. Yoshi and Nataka are pretty cool cats with a lot to contribute. I felt so much better going to work today. Conversation was fluid and we even got a few minutes to hang out outside to look at the dried up river. Like Atlanta, Fukuoka is in a drought, and all of the rivers stand like mosquito ponds in the middle of the stretch.

News at home in atlanta reads : snow, and Octane's entrance wall got a facelift. sounds like good times are going. keep it up kids, ill be back soon.

in case you forgot I was in Japan..

2008-01-16T08:42:00.001-05:00

in case you forgot I was in Japan.., originally uploaded by d.glasky.

from the temple...

no luck

2008-01-16T08:18:00.000-05:00

I had an "unlucky" day yesterday. My day off of shopping was unsuccessful, and a waitress at lunch spilled a bowl of soy sauce all over me. So we went to the most famous temple in Japan - Dazaifu Tenmangu. Thousands of people gather here on New Years day, but by now, most of the crowds are made of students as it houses the god of education. Students often come to pray before major exams. For me, it was a chance to see some striking old architecture as well as check out my fortune for the month. For a dollar you can get the little strip of pink paper with your monthly fortune on it. I'm not much of a believer in anything, but I found myself caught in the moment and excited to read my fortune. It reads: You have middle luck. Watch the ground, you may fall soon (uuuh yes. My knee was pretty messed up, and still pains me.). Your health is getting better (my cold I had when I left Atlanta is almost gone). And take your time on major life decisions. Now is not the time to act. Also, travel is good.

I felt strangely better afterwards.

Tomorrow I leave for a short trip to Tokyo with Hide-san. We are going to watch the Tokyo qualifying rounds for the JBC. Its a little different than USBC... Two sets of qualifying rounds, one in Tokyo, one in Osaka. Four days each, 20 COMPETITORS EACH DAY. Holy crap. 10 minute presentation, 4 espressos, 4 caps. 1 tech judge, 2 sensory, one head judge. After both Osaka and Tokyo rounds are finished, they choose the top 16 competitors (out of 160!) to go on to the semifinals of JBC in Tokyo. So we are going to watch and take notes. See what works, what doesnt. I'll report back when I return to Fukuoka on Friday night, no internet until then.

much love, miss you all. wish you were here. yatta yatta.

deep in thought

2008-01-14T06:29:00.000-05:00

so today was another day at Honey, marking a week into my journey. I feel like the week has held a wide variety of emotions, often sending me whirling through time like one on a roller coaster, or even some string of dreams in a benadryl induced sleep. I am still waiting for a sense of routine to set in, and I hope that at its arrival I will no longer feel like a stranger in someone else's dream.

My host family's candid manner helps. Talking about things like farts and porn oddly make me feel at home (I am in a home with two teenage boys, what do you expect?). Its really a relief after the structered politeness of Japanese business. Tonight Hide offered his experience of going to porn rental store a few weeks ago where he was turned down because his ID proved him a year too young. Hide simply shruggs his shoulders with a "I tried" look on his face, and the family laughed when I expected the parents to bow their head in shame. It was at this moment I felt accepted.

I am trying to recollect the two weeks we accepted a french boy into our home when I was 15 years old. I remember I was working at Brusters (an ice cream shop), and it was sometime around the 4th of July. The boy's name was Bartholemeu (Bart for short), but we all called him Frenchie instead. It was hot, as all Atlanta summers are, and Sara and I spent the majority of our high school days in the airconditioned basement online, chatting with our friends, trying to coordinate meeting up at the mall or the pool. Our lives were less than complex, and our free time was extraordinarily American. Unlike my Japanese host family, our sense of responsibility for him was minimal. His pale, white skin was of no importance to us when we suggested going to the pool or to Lake Lanier as something fun to do. He was so burned, even just sitting underneath the umbrella. His english was limited, as was his desire to communicate, so I never really got to know him.

At the end of Bart's stay, we all sighed a heavy breath of relief, and only seldomly heard from him again. I feel lucky that I am not like Bart in this situation. I am creating deep, lasting bonds with this family, an opportunity that is rare not only for a foreigner in Japan, but even for myself in my own city. With some solid advice from friends that have been here too, it is best to cherrish these awkward/trying/difficult times. I'm learning something right now, wether I am aware of it or not. So with that said, I am ready to continue. lezgo!

sooo good. oishi.

2008-01-12T08:02:00.001-05:00

by request, the shot from above. click for bettwe views on flickr...

sooo good. oishi., originally uploaded by d.glasky.

i had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

I'm big in Japan

2008-01-12T07:56:00.001-05:00

I'm big in Japan, originally uploaded by d.glasky.

split days

2008-01-12T07:16:00.000-05:00

I am living somewhere between a dream and reality. I am constantly struggling to find peace in my solitude while remaining humourous and lovable at all times. When I beging to simply look unhappy, I hear "are you ok?" and "are you bored?" and "are you homesick?" The only difference between saying yes or no is wether or not a tear comes to my eye, so I just say "No, I'm fine."

The first half of my day was like this. Pretty gloomy. I blame the weather. Its beginning to feel like winter again, and the sky was overcast with some rain. Business was slow, so I had no drinks to make, so again I felt useless. I noticed Izaki-san pull out the sample roaster, bringing a slight smile to my face. So I roasted my first coffee today. It was Panama Don Peppe. Roasted a little too light, and slightly missing its pre-noted chocolate and blackberry aromas and flavors. Alas, I at least am now familiar with the process. I understand where the smelling is important, where the listening is necessary, and where good eyes for color come to play.

The day was broken up with a very special and lucky visit to a nearby temple where a traditional wedding was taking place. It is very rare that Japanese take part in such tradition, so I was told I should feel very lucky! They let me take many many pictures, all to come to your eyes sooner or later... I felt a little awkward, perhaps it was because it was only highlighting my feeling as a foreign presence. Alas, after this, my mood was up a little, and I managed to pull out some strength for the rest of the day.

Dinner was probably the most amazing part of the trip thus far. I finally took part in eating the highly acclamined Hakata-style ramen. AND IT WAS AMAZING. Better than I could have ever imagined. I will go there again before I leave. At least twice.

Spirits are high with good food in my stomach, so I will retire now with a smile on my face. Goodnight, and see you tomorrow, friends.

one cappuccino, please

2008-01-11T05:57:00.000-05:00

To be a good roaster, you must be an excellent cupper.
Today, Izaki-san and I spent time reviewing SCAA cupping guides and score sheets, analyzing each score section and methods to determine said scores. As in true Japanese style, we break everything down to a science of precision and accuracy. Everything from posture to vocabulary is important, and I am always standing to be corrected. I, the humble american student, can only learn from my wise japanese coffee master. I heard this phrase all day: stand up straight! A straight posture with a solid spine is good for your breathing when tasting. The japanese way is the perfect way, EVERY TIME. NO slacking, my friends.

So I start to cup the japanese way, I walk the japanese way, and now I begin to talk the japanese way. Today I fooled a native Japanese couple into thinking I was Japanese. My accent is perfect when I say, 'Excuse me sir, here is you cappuccino, please enjoy.' Of course, it is probably because I am saying this over and over. So, from this you infer that I serve many cappuccinos at Honey, and you are right in this assumption.

Honey Coffee is not a cafe, but a 'bean shop.' People buy bulk beans for their home, and while they wait for their order, they enjoy a cappuccino. Five ounces, one one-ounce S.O. shot. Today, we were serving a SO espresso from Aceh. Yesterday, it was Ethiopia Hamu. Yum yum yum. I have never spent this much time with SO espsresso before, and I have to say I was really intimidated. Now, the possibilities seem endless. The Japanese say 'Oishi.' Delicious.

ahoy!

2008-01-10T05:59:00.000-05:00

I am alive, I think. At first it was unreal, especially after a truly disorienting 14-hour flight into Seoul, and then a 45 minute flight into Fukuoka. Izaki-san and his two sons were waiting for me at the airport when I arrived with a Honey Coffee sign embedded with my name. Too cute.

The Katsuhide family is incredible. Truly amazing. The hospitality I am receiving is five stars... I have my own bedroom, every meal is cooked for me, and they are all very helpful with teaching me Japanese as much as they are eager to learn English. I couldnt have asked for more. They are SO FUNNY, I am laughing all day long. They are all very full of love and have a great passion for coffee.

Everyone, including myself and their other two staff members, work every day except when the shop is closed on Tuesdays. They roast every day in the shop, and it is definitely a team effort. The mother, Yuke, is actually the master roaster! Izaki has great respect for her, and that I find truly admirable. Everyone cups every roasted batch and feedback is appreciated. I am learning new things about new coffees, and ways to cup/taste them.　I am having a hard time recalling the estate names at the moment, but the Ethiopia Hamu (I think) and a Costa Rican coffee are proving to be my favorites. Izaki-san definitely leans towards clean coffees with chocolate and floral notes. No complaints here. Ethiopia Sidamo will be arriving in his shop next week. YUM! Hide (the oldest son who I am training for JBC) is very exicted about the Sidamo. Good call. This 17yr old is teaching me a thing or two about coffee. I am so impressed.

Yesterday, Hide, Izaki, and myself rode our bikes to the clothing district in Fukuoka to buy a nice apron for competition. Yes, there is a shop that ONLY has aprons. I cannot tell you how many ideas I had floating around in my mind... not to mention they are also a screen printing shop. No joke. Anyway, on our way back I hit a hidden curb and took a pretty nasty fall. I scraped up my knee pretty bad and tore a hole in my favorite jeans. I was bummed, but I got up and rode the bike home thinking I was ok. Today, it was a different story. My knee is extremely swollen and I can barely walk. I felt like it was a bad omen of some sort, but that seems to be the extent of my complaints. Everything else is pretty magical.

I am a little homesick, and I definitely wish some people could be here with me, but this seems like home a little more every day. Pictures coming soon, the sunrise is beautiful... zya, mata ne!

last days

2008-01-05T19:10:00.000-05:00

My last forty-eight hours in the states are spent with a stuffy nose and chapped lips, curled in bed or running errands. Dave and I try to soak up what we can of the quality time that's left for us. It's usually consumed of wandering around Target looking for deals on Cliff bars, or a jaunt to the mall where we soon become tired with "mall eyes" and our lungs full of recycled air.

I've also been on the hunt for something quintessentially American to give to my host family in what they call the art of "omiyage." So far all I have are a couple of Octane shirts for the kids, but I want to get something nice for the parents, too. Maybe something Coca-Cola? I suddenly feel like all of the "Atlanta Peach" stuff at the airport might be valuable. A Coca-Cola coffee mug, maybe? Wait, most of the canned coffee that the Katsuhide's are trying to compete with are owned by Coke. Great!

I cannot wait for my first cup at Honey. I cannot wait for the streets to be familiar. And I definitely cannot wait for quality television programming, like this:

FIVE MORE DAYS!

2008-01-02T23:34:00.000-05:00

holidaze

2007-12-24T12:24:00.000-05:00

Holiday festivities are in full force, so I blog today from GlaskyHQ in Alpharetta, GA. Not too far of a drive, but far enough away from the city to make you feel that you're on vacation (as long as you ignore the Best Buy, Chilis, every other chain imaginable, and the mall on your exit off the interstate). No other blood family exists in the southeast region for us, so it's usually a pleasant party of four. The Muckerman family lives just around the corner, so there may be a planned rendez vous at the movies tomorrow.

Before arriving in suburban north Georgia, the Octane holiday party had us all in good spirits at Tony & Diane's pad. Delicious food from my lovely ladies Alyssa and Larisa... cheeses, teriyaki tofu squares, olives and sliced prosciutto and salami (maybe?), and some killer two-bite fudge cakes. Aside from the eating and drinking, we all take part in a White Elephant gift exchange every year. Everyone brought great stuff this time, so stealing became a habit. I'd say the Clapper that Aly brought was definitely a highly coveted item (mostly by Tony), but T&D put together the most sought after gift around. Seeing how a majority of Octane employees are either smokers or enjoy fine tobacco, they put together a box of VERY nice smokes from the Chicago smoking lounge Marshal McGearty. I've read that M McGearty smokes are being pushed in a test market in Seattle, which would explain Diane's ability to get her paws on some (she's out there often visiting her sister in Portland). In the exchange, I ended up with Dirty Dancing on DVD, pair of cardboard box speakers from MUJI, and a gift certificate to the local indie music/book store.

The best gift, though, was a gift to Octane. M'lissa and Curt (a shop friend and fellow coffee enthusiast) presented to us an hat for the Linea- a PID. A Proportional, Integral, Derivative devise that will allow us to monitor the temperature inside the boiler so that we are never pulling shots below our optimal temperature. I went by the shop this morning on my way up here to get a look at the beaut in action. M said that even after just three shots in a row, she was already noting a drop in temperature. I'm looking forward to learning about Linnie's swings and how to keep ourselves as baristas more consistent.

Until the shop opens up again (as we are closed for the holidays), I'll be playing the Wii with the family, eating plenty of coffee cake, and snapping some photos with the Holga. Pictures to come soon.

Merry merry, everyone.

new mew

2007-12-21T20:44:00.000-05:00

I'm still on the group mailing list for 88 DJs, and so I'm still receiving lists of what's in rotation at the moment, who needs a shift covered, and managerial ramblings. Despite the extended connection, I've been spending more time tuned into Georgia Tech's student station, WREK. Wednesday nights they feature a couple of shows that seemlessly flow into one another, and this week it was an "electronic" segment followed drone. During this time I was introduced to a new favorite- AOKI takamasa. The record the DJ played from was 28, a record of AOKI Takamasa with Tujiko Noriko.

Yes, they're so Japanese.

To some it may seem passe, but I still have room in my heart for glitchy dream synthesizers and airy female vocals.

Also,
Youngblood Gallery&Boutique now carries Tamp That aprons :)

i just finished college

2007-12-13T18:16:00.001-05:00

you spend so much time finishing something that when you finally DO reach that goal, you have to step back and remember you're human again.

so, I'm human again.

Japan update: tickets have been purchased. I will leave for Fukuoka on January 7th, 2008. Hello, world.

how I feel now that it's over

2007-12-12T20:29:00.001-05:00

88 daze

2007-12-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

Today marks my last time going on air as a dj for the georgia state radio station WRAS Album 88. After 3 years of volunteering, it is time to say goodbye. I've been through 4 GMs: Amre, Matt, Cassie, and Bryce. With each year, the new GM comes along with a throng of new music directors, and subsequently different styles of music. Today, I will not play their music. I will have an extended set of four hours to play my favorites of favorites (within FCC boundaries). Please, if you can reach 88.5 on your FM dial, tune in and call (404 413 WRAS). drop a hello. It's NOON to 4PM. see you then. and au revoir.

2007-12-09T18:02:00.000-05:00

My days of studying for finals are coming to an end as I prepare to graduate from university. I find myself working more diligently and comprehending more thoroughly as these days wind down, perhaps as a cover-up in my mind of all the times I went into testing unprepared. This semester I have felt challenged, perhaps for the first time in my entire collegiate career, yet I still cannot attribute that to the difficulty of the courses. In reality, I was over flooded with ill time management. If college has taught me anything, it's that I need to keep a planner.

No regrets, of course. No plans to attend graduate school (for now). The days in my planner are blank. I think I'll finally be able to sit down and read that book I never got a chance to finish.

Black cat coffee

2007-12-01T13:25:00.001-05:00

サムイーBlack cat coffee, originally uploaded by soma-samui.

Definitely not Intelligentsia's Black Cat, but if it's canned coffee, you know I'm there. I'll try to bring some of this stuff back home.

SO MUCH CAFFEINE GOTTA GET OFF THIS TRAIN, MAN

2007-12-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

Right now it feels better to update my blog than to study Japanese.

With that, allow me to forward a telephone call I received at Octane this week.

Caller: Hi, um, could you tell me about the caffeine differences between green tea and coffee?

Danielle: Well, it would really depend on what type of coffee and teas you're looking at. A cup of our french press coffee, though, would have a little more caffeine than a cup of the Hojicha green we serve...

C: Ok so you're saying coffee has more caffeine than green tea?

D: Well, not really. It's situational. But if you were to come here right now, a cup of coffee would have more caffeine than the green tea.

C: Alright, 'cus like I'm totally addicted to caffeine, man. I've got, like, this caffeine addiction. You know, man? I totally need to slow this train down.

[At this point I am desperately looking around the shop for Jason or Aly (the two that were working with me that day) in an effort to make eye contact and signal a mouthed "HELP ME" in hopes that they could at least pick up the other phone and listen to this conversation. But to no avail, I was left alone.]

D: Ok.... you have other choices than caffeinated drinks... We do have decaf coffee here...

C: Right but what about the Jasmine tea? Does that have any caffeine?

D: Yes, some, but not as much as green tea.

C: So my best choice would be the Jasmine tea?

D: Sure, if you're trying to lower your caffeine intake.

C: So it has no caffeine?

D: Just trace amounts.

C: Oh, so now it's justTRACE amounts?!

D: Sir, that's just my wording.

C: YOUR wording?!?! Alright fine. [Hangs up phone]

For the next few hours of my shift, I had shifty eyes for every dude that came in and ordered tea. None of them fit the agitated profile in my mind. I feel like he may have been the one to create this:

I feel like he may have called me either just prior or after the God-sighting.

I once worked for someone that popped No-Doz pills throughout the day. He liked coffee, but like the idea of popping pills better.

TTHAT Aprons

2007-11-18T09:21:00.000-05:00

As much as we can all talk about the pure forms of coffee that we appreciate so much, and the shops and baristas that exemplify the purity of craft, we must also take the time to admit to ourselves that

we love shwag.

Owens coined it, and it's true. Baristas love shwag. We love coming back from trade shows and competitions with t-shirts, demitasses, and pins. I don't want to take this post to analyze why, although it seems like the "free" part would have a lot to do with it. Instead I'd like to hop on the boat of barista-stuff and begin to offer customized barista aprons.

As conscious, style-aware people, I don't feel it is necessary to dawn the black apron of formality every time I step behind the bar. And why not get rid of that single pocket that's for check books in restaurants? Instead I offer small pockets for your needs: pens, tip money, lighter/chapstick, cellphone... I'm not much of a seamstress, but I have a couple fingers in design and would like to start making these for others.

Take a look here. I'm making more everyday, so check back if you don't find one that suits you. $17 for the half-aprons, $22 for the full-size aprons. If you're in Atlanta the first weekend of December, stop by Octane for the Octane Artist Month Opening. All of the employees will be displaying art for the month of December, and the opening will be December 7th. I'll be there with TThat aprons and tshirts if your little heart so desires.

Insane 'tane...

2007-11-15T13:26:00.001-05:00

This morning, Octane exhibited some of its stranger course of events.

Jason, John and I opened the shop this morning. It had rained last night for the first time in what seems like a month, and the temperature had dropped some twenty degrees. Perfect recipe for busy day. People remember its cold outside and want to huddle over their laptops with a cap and pastry. Except this morning, amidst the busy busy, someone decided to huddle outside on the sidewalk, gripping their shoulder and asking us to call an ambulance. A regular of hours (J) says the man on the sidewalk was riding a bike on the sidewalk, and as J opened the shop door the man fell off of his bike.

Okay so we try to call the cops and they aren't responding, and instead we have every customer asking us if we've done something. It's now our responsibility?! Ok yes, we''ve taken it into our own hands, but this guy seems like he's full of crap and attempting to commit insurance fraud. Not to mention it isn't our duty to decide whether or not he's actually hurt. So we're trying. And then the guy that orders small "dark mochas" (wtf) is blaming us for not helpin the guy outside!! His tone and Jason's clash to the umph degree, both of em trying to be nice and helpful but neither coming off as such. AH! Meanwhile John and I attempt to continue things at a normal pace. Dark Mocha uses our phone to call an ambulance, brings shoulder dude inside, and leaves the situation in our hands.

Ambulance comes and checks out Mr. Shoulder's Broken, and the EMI man is so nice.. asks us to hold on to the guy's bike to make sure it doesn't get stolen. Awesome.

THEN we get a call from Erin (our new female friend in the kitchen) who has just been hit on her bike. Oh my god people please watch where you're driving.

So Jason hops in the kitchen to cover for E, I'm back up front working (I was just about to leave). Dave comes in (yay, awesome). Always a nice surprise. Cards worked out right there. And THEN Roberto stops by. Roberto is a friend of Octane's that has moved to NY and makes some pretty amazing music. He was literally just driving through Atlanta with a friend on the way to Miami, thought he'd stop by. So great. AND he knows people in Fukuoka that I can meet up with.

He says hello, everybody.

OKbye.

Team Lounge

2007-10-26T18:53:00.000-05:00

I'm sure many of you have seen the 2007 SERBC through various blogs in all of its glory and disfunction. Pictures and rants alike show it well. Unfortunately I didn't manage to catch what I considered one of the best parts of the whole weekend -- The Lounge. Ryan and Curtis's hotel room had a connected room that served as a hang-out for Counter Culture employees, teammates, and supporters. Here we met for breakfast, watched Family Guy, and detoxed from frazzled nerves. It's importance to me is subtle as it gave me a chance to bond with others in the coffee community that were not directly related to Octane.

I felt this same community during CoffeeFest Atlanta. That was possibly my first exposure to the coffee community in person, and it charged me with a desire to participate. Granted, CoffeeFest was designed as a trade show, but in the wings it facilitated dialogue and kinship. In this sense the SERBC, despite its obvious competitive nature, gave me a renewed excitement for the culture.

For my new and old coffee friends alike, thank you for the inspiration.

CHAMPS

2007-10-21T18:10:00.000-05:00

At the SERBC in Clearwater, FL...

3rd place - Myself, Octane Coffee, ATL
2nd place - Ben Helfen, Octane Coffee, ATL
1st place - Lem Butler, Counter Culture Coffee Roasters

More when I get home, many pictures to come.

certified = awareness

2007-10-13T15:28:00.000-05:00

It's official. I'm Octane certified.

Along with JT and Ben, I took the final portion of the Octane certification Thursday night. It was a mock competition, and although the OC (you like that, don't you) only requires two servings of each beverage category, Ben and I ran through it under standard SCAA rules and regulations. We all passed without any doubt, becoming the first Octane certified baristas. January 1st marks the deadline for certification, and from that point on drinks will only be made by certified baristas. Along with this privilege and set of standards, Bossman Tony will reward his certified baristas with a tamper of their choice and a membership to the Barista Guild of America. -Yes!-

The final part of certification also allowed me to get a secure idea on how my training for the SERBC has evolved. I feel significantly more confident in the skills I've picked up. As someone that has never competed before, I feel that I have a firm grasp on what is expected of me and how I will perform. Much thanks to Chris and M'lissa for this. And yes, as being a part of Team Counter Culture and Team Octane I have a tremendous amount of support from every angle.

Octane is support the team by branding us (Ben and I). With the help of Stefan of Armchair Media (a friend of all of ours) and King Screen, Tony secretly made Team Ben and Team Danielle tshirts and stickers. I laughed too hard when I saw these, and it's a hoot to see the entire staff wearing them right now. They're on sale at the shop which is heightening an awareness of the barista competition itself. Customers are inquiring about what a barista competition entails, and even just guessing what it could be:

"So they just call out drinks and you make as many as you can in 15 minutes?"

Explaining that the competition centers around quality and professionalism is possibly hinting to our customers that we don't just slop bevs into mugs and stencil a leaf or heart on the top. Suddenly the customer understands that we've trained for months for the competition and studied/practiced our tails off for the certification. Who knew we cared so much?

"Oh, so it's like the Iron Chef of coffee!"

Sure. If the analogy brings you that much closer to understanding, then bring it on.

2007-10-01T23:05:00.000-05:00

I have recently come to realize that "taste in theory" does not always equal "taste in reality." What may sound completely delicious and mouthwatering may only be a result of the menu or server's expertise in the art of sensory vocabulary, or simply my own imagination.

Lately I've been dreaming up concoctions in my mind that sound so appealing I even dream about how they taste... but when it comes to practice time and experimentation, things aren't holding up. I was taking it personally at first. Not like the ingredients I wanted to work with were intentionally out to sabotage my performance, but more like a humbling experience for my mouth and mind. Apparently the two of those haven't been in the best communication my whole life. I was eating nothing but chicken fingers and ceasar salads until 4 years ago (now a running joke in my family). Once I began expanding my food horizons, I also had to adopt a working vocabulary for my new tastes and other mouth sensations that food brings on. Suddenly there was more than sweet and salty or chewy and crunchy. Who knew?!

So here I am four years later trying to decide a flavor profile for an espresso and accompanying ingredients to concoct an experience hard to forget. I suppose it's the perfect task... combining my imaginative and methodical sides to achieve a common goal. Who knew coffee could offer such harmony.

2007-09-15T15:51:00.000-05:00

Dried eyes and a sore jaw (from nervously grinding my teeth) are the product of my afternoon burying a dear friend's brother. In the midst of the North Georgia Mountains, we gathered in the most perfect late summer weather to hear the rounds shot and the trumpet's song. The death of a soldier, the death of a friend. My personal political and religious opinions aside, it was all very touching, intense, and inspiring. The Patton family is one I wish to emulate in my years to come. Boundary-less, sincere, and a love that made me feel as a part of their family.

Always, always. We'll miss you Chris.

tee'd

2007-09-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

remember this?

it went from a joke, to knuckle tattoos, to blogs, and now.. tshirts! Images of the shirts to come soon. Our dear friends at King Screen made them. I know some of you may have seen M's already over in Nordic lands as she travels with her set during the Nordic Barista Cup. Make sure you harass her for one.

team!

2007-08-22T20:53:00.000-05:00

Until one particularly evil internet monopoly gets their act together, I am riding on one bar of neighbor WiFi (thank you m'lissa). So when you're waiting on a particular email from Counter Culture Coffee regarding the status of your email for Team CCC, and your cat Bruce finds a comfortable spot on your desk that makes that one bar disappear and not come back, the internet becomes a strangely precious resource.

Last night while toggling between options of Planet Earth or Frontline (a difficult choice, mind you), my mind wandered like a kid on Christmas Eve. Is it there yet? I should check, just in case. The internet is out. Wait, no, it's back. Bruce, don't move. Gmail. click.

And it was there. And I did it. I made it. I'm one-third Team Counter Culture.

I only quietly doubted my own passion or abilities to whether or not I was capable or dedicated enough. My real concern was if "they" were going to take me seriously. I appreciate their ability to see where I am coming from. Their understanding and my induction to the team lends me to an obscene amount of training time with mister owens, coffee and travel expenses, and the honorary aspects of teaming it up with Lem. Tomorrow I believe i will get to "meet" the other Team CCC member via teleportals.
Much to plan. My mind is a-spun with ideas. Soaring, really.

So now the true test begins: to finish my degree (a la mode) AND rule the SERBC.

purp

2007-08-16T14:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday M'lissa was describing that feeling you get when you want to ask a question in grade school but suddenly your face flushes roses and knots appear in the fabric of your stomach and your hand remains in your lap, your question unanswered. Some refer to this simply as butterflies, others define it as anxiety. It shows up with sweet memories and uncomfortable situations. You know this feeling.

There is a someone in my life that gives me this feeling. There is a place that, when I think of moving there, gives me this feeling. And then last night there was a sense of purpose that gave me this feeling.

Meeting the owners of Finca El Puente at the Counter Culture Training Center last night was amazing. Hearing their stories of how they came into coffee, growing what is commonly known as the "Purple Princess," and their genuine love for what they do was nothing short of inspiring. So humble, so charming. And as a woman running the entire farm, Marysabel Caballero must give that "somethin' special" to her coffee.

meet me in marcala, honduras next december.

this city

2007-08-09T12:46:00.000-05:00

cognitive dissonance - an unequal match of behaviors and attitudes in an individual

It is considered among many that cognitive dissonance is the root of anxiety. The lack of equilibrium one feels when they find themselves doing something that doesn't match their moral code or their general feelings towards that behavior can lead to disabling measures. So how do we deal with this? It happens to all of us, every day. We change our minds. It's easier to live in denial than face how you really feel about what you do.

"Well, I've lived in Atlanta this long without moving, so I must really enjoy it."

It's my last semester in school, and possibly my last six months in this city. I want to leave for Japan (and where ever else next) with the feeling that I did what I needed to do in this city.

lookit

2007-08-02T16:59:00.000-05:00

uhhh those pictures from my trip are up

zip tied

2007-07-28T10:04:00.000-05:00

Last night I slept in the 4th bed of this vacation. Thankfully I woke up this morning to remember this is my last full day away from home.

But an evening with murky kids last night was probably what I needed to regain some strength and return home. The black and white color schemed duo known as Katie and Zachary (and more popularly dubbed as zacharyzachary.com) stole me away from family doldrums yesterday afternoon. Zachary appeared in what i later realized was a new fresh "do"... complete with a ninth street temp tattoo on one side of his head and a double Z shaved in the other. I'm sure the pictures will appear soon enough. After eyebrow waxing and a few tears in a boy's eye, the monumental car tour began, where another christian thread running through our government became clear to me in seeing that they own two of everything every made.

jokes. something like zip ties causing greater issues than they solve.

katie and goodrow poured mouth latte art yesterday. more like hair, shirt, dress, body, floor latte art. then saw this when I woke up. I think it's where the phrase "hand crafted drinks" comes from.

lack of decent sleep and nutrition has driven me to unnecessary mood swings and a gaping hole where my character once resided. bring me home, please.

third wave at home - a letter from Columbia (Maryland)

2007-07-26T20:15:00.000-05:00

While in Portland, I purchased a 3cup Bodum press and a half pound of Stumptown's Panama Don Pachi for my aunt and uncle with whom I have been residing with here in Columbia Maryland. My uncle, Christopher, is a foodie of sorts and enjoys coffee in all ways. Knowing ahead of time that he owned a small Braun coffee grinder, I felt the press would be a nice addition to their collection. Well, it ended up being just a smaller addition to the 12cup they keep around the house as it is. But there's always a catch... and this time it was a simple one. They never use it. Thankfully that's changed this past week.

No offense to the golden cone, and maybe a little offense to the canned coffee, but it's great to see them heating the water, gently stirring the crust, and pressing the coffee right as the four minute timer goes off. Not to mention watching their palates light up as we make different pots of the samples I brought back from PDX. So far Chris has found a lot of Orange in the don pachi, but has a love for the Hine's from Nicaragua.

Two mornings ago they broke out their ancient espresso maker. I watched my fourteen year old cousin, John, pull a two-minute shot running clear at the last drop and filling up 3/4 of his coffee mug. I "steamed" his milk, but to no avail produced only a hot and watery creamlike substance. It was beautiful watching him drink every last drop of that beverage. Drinking coffee for the sake of coffee.

John began drinking coffee because he liked creamer. Just plain creamer with maybe a pinch of sugar. I think his mom told him to throw a few drops of coffee in there for flavor a year or two ago, and now he's addicted to the stuff. Even his sister Emily, the pickiest of all, enjoyed a mocha as she picked me up from the airport. We were at the mall yesterday and half way through our scavenging I stopped for a cup at the Nordstrom "espresso bar." She slugged a vanilla latte (extra syrup) with wide eyes.

I know I'm something of a huge influence on her, but I never knew coffee would be one of my nuances that stuck. Who know's if it's "cool" in her private catholic school to drink Starbucks, but she says she loves it. Something that is only now occurring to me about third wave coffee is its affect on the younger generations. When coffee and tea houses are a central location for underagers to hang out, shouldn't it be obvious that their palates too should start attending to this specialty coffee revolution?

Emily asked for a Starbucks giftcard for her birthday from one of her classmates. I'd like to see the day when she and kids like her are spending a dollar more to go to a third wave shop simply knowing that the heart in the top of their mocha means something more than it's shape.

three time zones later..

2007-07-23T16:18:00.000-05:00

at this point what's left behind is a pocket full of gum wrappers and a backpack stuffed with coffee samples... and who knows when I'll be there again.

My last day was eventful. Lunch with Margaret and Billy at Paradox Cafe where ketchup comes with a side of potatoes. Delicious. I was so impressed throughout my entire stay with Portland's mass amount of vegan/veggie options. Or maybe I've just become less and less impressed with Atlanta's lack thereof. And I wonder why we cook so much at home... no complaints.

After lunch was more shopping, including buying a french press and a half pound of don pachi for my aunt and uncle, and a cup of the gondo on the clover. mmm. despite the amount of caffeine I consumed on this trip, I managed to take "power naps" of two hours long every afternoon... after this one though I managed to round myself up for a trip downtown with M when she went to work. Jeremy and I met up for a drink at The Living Room to see Inconscientes (Unconsciousness). A beautiful space, but definitely more ritzy than I imagined... A jazz band was performing as we left.

A martini at Masu and an afterparty at the Doug Fir Lounge.. a busy night but a great way to end it all. Despite Doug Fir's douche-quality of a croud, I couldn't help but think I was at the Great Northern of Twin Peaks, but with a 50's era twist. Speaking of which, my plane flew over Twin Peaks on the way to Baltimore.

Columbia, MD is my home for the next week. And it feels like home. Sandwiches brought to us at the pool, TV after dinner, myspace.com blocked from parental controls.

the eve of a thirteenth bithday has never been so refreshing.
pictures to come in days.

portland (deux)

2007-07-19T19:12:00.000-05:00

hellos alls. I am reporting via telepathic wireless brain wavery (aka WiFi) at Crema in ye olde Portland. This is just one of the several shops I've been in and out of this past week, all supplying me with more caffeine than I can handle, which only sends me towards lunch spots, pastries, and the finery breweries this city has to offer.

and now, the recap:

- The Albina Press
This has been my local spot since I've been here. Only a few blocks from Margaret's and amazing baristas, I can't help but hit this place up at least once a day. It reminds me so much of Aurora (VaHi) - partly due to my own visiting frequency and partly because of the great staff. I've already created some solid relationships... Rita has been a dream to hang out with, and Josh an excellent barista.

- Coffeehouse NW
Downtown small spot offering great latte art and a barista overflowing with knowledge/information on his interpretation of his own palate...

- Stumptown @ Ace Hotel
Wow. Visited twice. The decor is amazing. An incredible space, seemingly posh due to its super cleanliness and dark wood... the baristas seemed out of place though. Hard to explain... In any case, the TWO machines to serve the two baristas so that they can both make drinks was impressive. Not to mention limited seating, allowing for a more traditional "drink it at the bar" experience.

- Stumpton - Division Street
The premiere shop of the Stumps, and a fine experience indeed. After a cup of the Ethiopia Misty Valley, Jim invited me to check out the new location for all of the roasting equipment. It used to all go down right there, but now they're coming back to the original spot right there in the space behind the shop on Division. Jim roasted some small batches and I looked on with awe. This is the same guy from the Annex who knew what Honey Coffee was (he'd been there!) and has even spoken and met with my soon to be teacher, Izake Katshuide. A small world, indeed.

- Crema - coffee house and bakery
"Single origin espresso" and delicious in-house pastries and other baked goods makes for a nice visit. The best part about the place though is the space. It's been here for a minute and it shows some age, but cloudy-blue and cream colored paint with the light birch wood gives a clean and open-air feel. The garage-style windows are a nice trouch, too.

M and I have been having an awesome time hanging out... tonight we're going for sushi at her restaurant and then seeing The Field and Strategy at a club (Haloscene, different but similar to MJQ). I'll probably see you all again on this hater-web-net when I get to DC on Sunday. Until then, keep in touch. I miss you all so much.

2007-07-16T15:00:00.000-05:00

I knew I shouldn't have waited until my 3rd day in Portland to write what I've been up to so far. I was worried that 8 days here would be too much, that I'd get bored with the city or not meet cool people and just stay in and watch movies all night long...

but no! it has quickly become just the opposite. It's a flood of information coming at me from all sides. The Katrina of Coffee Love has hit me and I'm swimming fast, keeping my head up, and waiting for the next wave. My plan for an eight-day coffee crawl has now become smattered with books stores (Powell's, so far I've just been to the small one in the SE, but good things indeed), movie houses, Japanese toy shops, local brews, house shows, and of course--amazing new friends.

Here's a run down on what I've had to taste so far:
- Espresso from Fresh Pot on Hawthorne.
The shop itself is connected to the small Powell's book store. A single row of two top table runs parrallel to the bar, stuffed with laptop bound internetophiles. Reminded me of the back wall at octane for a second. Somehow the Barista picked up that I was of his kind, and a quick chat led to a fantastic shot of espresso (Stumptown's Hairbender, of course). Sweet and mild, a great start to my journey.
- Espresso from Stumptown on Belmonte
Talk about impressive! The shop itself is a stunning work of architecture and design. Light grain wood with antique brushed silver accents, but not the cheesy ikea feel you can get from that combo. Think more along the lines of post WWII. Gorgeous. Oh, and the eight (I think it was eight, could be wrong) group machine is nothing but brilliant. Baristas- humble yet knowledgeable. Lead me to the annex next door for a chat with their Megan
- A cup from Stumptown Annex on Belmonte
Megan gave me a round up of the coffees available that day, about fifteen total. Since the opportunity was available, I had a cup of Colombia La Esperanz (COE #1) from the Clover. Delish. The decor in this facility, too, was phenomenal. Pictures to come, you drooling visual nuts.

And then there was this morning's cupping at the Stumptown Annex. Azia and Jim set up the cupping, and Stumptown's Director of Coffee, Aleco, along with one of their roasters, Bosco, joined in on the morning's event. I can't help but to exclaim at the viceral feeling of tasting coffees unlike anything you've experienced before, especially now that my palate is finally developing. I was particularly impressed with the Panama Don Pachi. If my memory serves me well, Aleco says it is the same varietal as the Panama Esmerelda. Beautifully floral with such a pleasant brightness, I was blown away. It stood out remarkably against the other coffees on the atble. Looks like I know what I'm picking up to bring home...

I'm off to switch headquarters. I've been in the south east for a few days, but the rest of my trip will HQ in the north, right close to Albina. The more friends I make, the less free time I have, and the richer the trip is turning out to be. Every corner in this city grows another treasure.

2007-07-08T12:22:00.000-05:00

The Octane party of the summer goes down tomorrow, and all rest quietly before the festivities. Alyssa is passed out at the moment, I imagine still tired from her flight home yesterday morning from San Francisco and getting the house ready for the shin-dig. She arrived back with a bag full of magical goodness, most of which hailing from Ritual Roasters and Little Otsu. Yes!! It looks like we're going to have a small cupping (w/ neighbors m'lissa-tat and chris-tat) tomorrow afternoon of three of the coffees she brought back from Ritual. We even sipped on some of the Columbia La Virgina yesterday, which was thoroughly enjoyed I might add.

I haven't been home to the Bay since Thanksgiving of last year. I'd only been working at Octane for two months and still learning what it meant to be "third-wave." Tony pointed me towards Ritual for a visit sometime within my family festivities. If it wasn't already tempting enough to move back after my meeting at UC Berkeley, visiting Ritual gave me more to look forward to. Maybe it was the smell of the eucalyptus at night combined with the smell of a fresh cup, but my childhood home screamed for me to come back.

I returned to Atlanta depressed and moody after that trip. What did I have to look forward to? I felt Atlanta could never be home, but maybe that was because I was scared it was becoming so. I left the west coast in '97, and now we were on the brink of '07... ten years gone by, I am no longer simply that California girl I had prided myself on for so long.

"..from the Bay to the A..."

one third of a better person

2007-07-03T14:11:00.000-05:00

M'lissa was intimidating and intense, I was sweaty and shaky, it was all of the suspenseful attributes of any Barista certification. But I emerged victorious and kicked certification's ass! Well, at least the first third.

The Coffee Boss hovered over me with her clipboard as I set the grind from random to perfect in three pulls, consistently dosed between eighteen and nineteen grams of espresso (with 1.2 grams of waste to spare!), and displayed my (still growing) abilities to throw down a heart in a macchiato, and a rosetta in a cappuccino and a latte. Next up: written exam (please, no scantrons), and a mock competition.

I can only hope I have started the trend at Octane to get certification under way. I want at least half of the staff to have the first part of BC finished before I return from my travels. It's great to see everyone getting excited about coffee, especially after our first Octane cupping yesterday evening. Granted, it was a "dress rehearsal," but M'lissa did a fantastic job at hosting her first cupping. Next Monday starts public cuppings at the shop, 7PM sharp. We're not only sipping on some delicious Counter Culture coffees, but other foods, drinks, and smelly and tasty items to work on that palate and sensory vocabulary we all have deep within our souls.

atlanta. so hot right now. atlanta.

2007-06-29T13:20:00.000-05:00

Today I sent out my official notice to my co-workers at Ripple that I am leaving them for coffee. It's bittersweet, but I'm tired of keeping my fingers in so many different ponds. I think that's the phrase...

So now I'm shifting to mornings and mids here at El Octane and working on the other accessories I bring to the table. Looks like M'Lissa has cuppings starting next week here at our shop, and I'm also planning to begin my Barista Certification! I'd like to at least have the first part finished before I make my way to Portland (July 14th).

I'm slightly intimidated /slash/ uber-excited about this trip to Portland. Not only am I seeing old friends from days gone by, but getting to spend time with equally enthused coffeers I think will be that extra shot of motivation I need to get me through this never ending summer heat.

ira-ira-desu >> David LaMont gave me this word to describe this anxious, agrivated feeling the heat brings

In other news, Octane Summer Bash 2007 is at mine and Alyssa's house next weekend for all Octettes and friends. Brews, barbeque, and debauchery for all who are willing to endure the heat. With M'lissa and Chris all moved in next door, I'm sure there will be plenty of places to cool off (YES! They are finally moved in. Sweet neighborhood coffee lovin' in Lake Claire/Kirkwood). So fly in for the weekend and party with Octane once again.

bar 25

2007-06-19T13:12:00.000-05:00

Somewhere between now and last October my circadian rhythms took a swing to "the other side" known as "MORNING PERSON." No longer am I spending my time at the Local or MJQ until last call or waking when I hear the neighborhood kids getting off of the bus after a torturous day at high school. Now friends, trust me, I will rock it 'til the break of day, but I don't want to be that person behind the bar waiting on myself at that god-awful hour.

In short, I don't want to work at a bar.

I can only hope to solve this problem soon

Happy Birthday Alyssa!

squinny eye

2007-06-11T21:44:00.000-05:00

Bruce's cornea is scratched. He's a mean lookin' handicapped kitty. Could probably use an eye patch.

And also, some photos from ATL Kicks : an Octane Sneaker Auction for Coffee Kids.

over and under

2007-06-11T16:26:00.000-05:00

Please send me home to Tokyo. I know the weather is just the same, and the rainy season is probably worse than this smoke ridden humidity, but all I really want for Christmas is some effective public transportation.

BEFORE I came down with a lovely case of food poisoning, I attended my first cupping at the Counter Culture training center. M'Lissa says it was probably the biggest one they've had yet. A few people looking into opening up their own shop, a couple of vets, and a certain photography someone from a magazine du cuisine. We cupped the El Salvador Santa Ana Finca Mauritania, Kenya Single Lot, and a surprisingly nice decaf--21st of September. The Kenya won me over, as well as most of the crew. Despite the common agreement of a tomato flavor, I kept getting these astonishing aromas and flavors of Ethiopian-style steamed cabbage. Delish.

Since CoffeeFest, ordering at the shop has been a little out of sorts. The fear stemming from running out of the Espresso Toscano has been sedated by pulling shots with the El Salvador. It definitely does not work as a ristretto, but has some great tangy/sweet flavors that arise when pulled longer and combined with milk. The one thing I must say I didn't particularly enjoy in this modified espresso was the thinness of the drink. Yes... looking forward to the return of the Toscano.

Before my next shift on Thursday I'll be re-vamping the Octane mailing list. In case you cant get enough ATL Gossip from this blog or M'Lissa's, feel free to shoot me an e-mail (dglasky@gmail.com) and I'll put you on the list. It'll give you reasons to come to Atlanta and hang out with us Octettes, as if you didn't have enough motivation already.

recap

2007-06-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

After this weekend I quickly became accustomed to running into my new coffee acquaintances--I was convinced I saw Peter Giuliano and Katie Carguilo running around downtown this afternoon before my radio shift. But alas, it was only the mirage of seeing like-minded coffee hausies.

I understand that a good number of kids in this city work their coffee shops on the weekends, too, but COME ON! I must say I was super bummed to see the lack of participation from Atlanta baristas this weekend. Hmph.. more reason to travel.

With that said, the coffee events of the weekend were nothing short of awesome for this city. The party at the 'Tane was pretty stellar; definitely a good way to kick off the weekend. Futher good times held at the convention itself. Counter Culture held cuppings throughout the weekend at their booth for newbies and vets alike. Someone mentioned all you had to do was hand them a spoon and they were in... I loved seeing everyone slightly bent at the knees, curiously sniffing and slurping.

I've been concocting a plan to hold cuppings at Octane, but the odd problem we thought we were running into was not having any real "down time" where the shop was closed and could hold these cuppings. What might actually be best for our coffee virgins of Atlanta is to hold them while the shop is open to lure in some regulars.... hmm......

Saturday night's debauchery came in the form of a Counter Culture party at the new training center. Again, more amazing people and great conversation. Of course, I managed to inconveniently dip out right before the latte art throwdown. Next time, inspector..

Sunday night hanging out at the shop was just as great as the rest of the weekend. Made more plans to travel.. so here's what it's looking like: Portland from July 14-22, and DC from July 22-29. Coffee crawlin's abound...

P.S. photos from the weekend: here.

Honey news

2007-06-03T17:23:00.000-05:00

Much to say about coffee fest, but thought I'd share the news.. Izaki has officially asked me to join him at his shop in Fukuoka. Here are a couple of the pictures he sent of his little shop:

The machine is a la Ciambali Dosatron... but what I'm actually excited about might be the giant roaster in front of the store.

!!!!

pizzamilk coffee

2007-06-02T09:37:00.000-05:00

There's this coffee we're keeping around work these days that, even before grinding, emits the smell of milk and pizza from the lunchroom of my daycare circa age 4. It was the Sumatra Lake Tawar Lintong... I was filling up bean bags of it for the next day's frenchies when the flashback came on.

Lynchtasm

2007-05-31T18:22:00.000-05:00

I've been spending more time exploring the goodness that is canned coffee of Japan, only to find that there are TWO JAPANESE DAVID LYNCH/TWIN PEAKS commercials for Georgia canned coffee (coca-cola brand for all you know-nothin's). Observe:




DAMN that's good coffee!

little fish in a giant mug of coffee.

2007-05-24T11:14:00.000-05:00

Or, as Pete said in Twin Peaks, "There was a fish... in... the percolator!"

More emails are rolling in from Mr. Izaki from Honey Coffee. I'm quickly realizing the differences in the coffee industry between Japan and the States. Coffee Boss M'Lissa and my other CCC partners in crime are my main sources of info on the subject right now, but even after flipping through some notable blogs, I realize I have a ways to go. Not only am I going to be willingly cramming info about stateside coffee shops, but now I am going to actually take part in Japanese coffee industry. This is a huge deal to wrap my mind around-- an opportunity that I've found myself obsessing over since I left Japan last year. Despite the grandiosity of my goals, I've been second-guessing myself in my decision to leave what is most comfortable in exchange for a completely new and invigorating experience.

For once I have a sense of belonging and family. I know this city and I love the people I'm surrounded by. Dave set my mind at peace last night in a more than inspiring way, reminding me of why he's in Atlanta in the first place. The parallels in our lives are uncanny, and I can't help but look at what he left behind in NY in exchange for this. It's time to move on.

Back to Japan v. US in the world of coffee, or KO-HE as I should be referring to it. Canned coffee has been ruling the Japanese market for a good time now. It's available at the store and in vending machines, already warm. But it's no french press or even Starbucks drip. This shit is like Quick Trip french vanilla super hazelnut blend. Disgusting, but I drank it regularly. I'll even occasionally buy it at the Asian markets here in Atlanta just to bring back some sweet after-bath-house memories. Just came across this; quite possibly the combination of everything ruling my life right now:

Anyway, Chris from Counter Culture is giving me some more training today before my shift at Octane. I will own the bar tonight.

octet love

2007-05-21T12:51:00.000-05:00

Still feeling a little ill from last night's post-meeting debauchery, but nevertheless it was pure success. Not only is everyone at the 'Tane now in-the-know, but I feel like everyone is uber-excited and revamped to be a part of this. There was this weird bonding that happened when Cat and Bobb got out their cameras and started shooting. It was a huge family photo that went ape shit as Spencer's wasted 110 pound ass basked in the rays of the camera lens... photos will come soon, I imagine.

We even got both Tony and Diane to take a Whiskey/Pickle.

Oh and it was just especially great to go out with the crew afterwards to El Myr. Lots of Boris on the jukebox and whiskey shots. Kind of one of the most amazing combos ever.

EDIT: Bobb's photos

It is happening for the first time

2007-05-20T17:31:00.000-05:00

The best part about our house is the trains that pass by regularly throughout the day. Both the commuter rail (MARTA) and the cargo rail lines are in front of our home, allowing for a seemingly urban environment despite the "Leaving Atlanta" sign just a few yards up the road. Sometimes I lay on the couch watching the trains run through the window frames as if I am watching an extended take in an Ozu film. The trains in his films are only a facet of what lures me to them, but most of all they beg me to go back to Japan.

Since my visit in March of 2006, I have only fantasized on a daily basis as to how I could possibly return to Japan--and not just to visit, but to reside there. I toyed with the idea of graduate school, but my Japanese is not yet strong enough. Then there was JET or NOVA. Every other undergraduate student in their senior year entertains teaching in Japan, but I wanted something more than just teaching for 6 months or a year. Something either more permanent or at least allowed the possibility of an extended stay.

So the question remained: how do I take something I am passionate for and find a career in Japan that will allow me to stay there and excel in my skill? Well, David Lamonte of Counter Culture Coffee gave me the answer I was looking for. Through conversation behind the bar at Octane, David offered his help in making this happen by emailing a friend of his who owns a specialty shop in Fukuoka City on Kyushu island. Mr. Izaki, who owns Honey Coffee, has offered to teach me both how to speak Japanese AND roast coffee!!! The idea is nothing short of a dream, and I can only hope this one comes true (okay, that's about as cheesy as I can get). There isn't much more to say on this except I need to wait and see if Mr. Izaki is for real about this exchange. If that's the case, I finish school in December and will get on a plane the first day I can.

Hell yes.