Summer Fun Food and Drink 2009 - Chapter 4 Vancouver coffee report · Tuesday June 30, 2009 by colin newell
One of the advantages of spending 4 or 5 days doing nothing other than visiting coffee shops (away from home town) is:
You get a really good sense of what is going on in other major centers and you get an unconditional view.
Photo at right – drink beer for those times that coffee lets you down… and trust me, it lets you down.
And what I mean by unconditional is…
I can sample the wares of the city and (other than 1, maybe 2 spots) I am an utter unknown – just another middle aged guy sipping coffee.
No one knows or cares that I write about coffee culture – so I am not going to get any special treatment… pretty much guaranteed.
And if I was to boil down the cafe experience (anywhere) and address a roomful of individuals interested in doing the same (citizen journalism on cafe culture), I could come up with 3 of the most common scenarios when anonymously visiting a specialty coffee shop:
Engaged – Visiting AGRO for the first time, I found an interesting, interested and enthusiastic staff – who, even during my first cup of coffee, were asking how I liked it, describing some of its lineage and then following up with some personal stories of staff coffee travels. That is what I would describe as a fully engaged cafe.
Disengaged – Ever get the feeling you are walking into someones private party when you visit some of the more popular destination cafes in North America? Yea, the coffee is great – but there is still a house party going on around you. Staff are talking amongst themselves about one aspect of cafe culture or another… but not really interested in the experience you are having… beyond taking your money and serving you their brew. I call this the Barista Jam Cafe
There are several places in Victoria like this – you know where they are from personal experience – but you do not name names – at least online.
Grab bags – This kind of cafe is hit and miss. It is noted for great coffee, but only when the owner manager is around. No manager or owner (around) and it is anybodies guess what happens here. The clear majority of coffee joints I visit in North America are like this – but that, in part, has a lot to do with the way I travel and review promising coffee places.
Ok. So three groups. I would appreciate feedback. What have you, the readers, noted?
Summer Fun Food and Drink 2009 - Chapter 5 Canada Day Charter rights to be suspended · Sunday June 28, 2009 by colin newell
Want to ride the bus on Canada Day? Plan on leaving your car at home to attend a garden party across town? Hope to bring a couple of bottles of your favorite Pinot Noir or a six-pack of your beloved barley, hops and malt?
Well, be prepared to give it up on Canada Day to B.C. Transit thuggery.
That’s right folks.
The eyes of Canada have been on the Victoria Police department for the last few years as they have suspended civil liberties with bag checks (on buses) and check points on the street corners of the city leading into the downtown core. And now in a cynical move on the part of the folks in blue – B.C. Transit is being employed as a branch of the police in the illegal search of citizens. Your right to ride the bus will be denied if you do not submit to a search. And this is an outrage!
And I beg you. Say no.
In a moment of supreme and mind boggling irony, we are having our Canadian Charter rights suspended on Canada Day – a day we celebrate the founding of our nation – a nation that was built upon fundamental freedoms.
Our grandma’s and granddad’s that gave their limbs and often their life so we could have ours… must be rolling in their graves.
And oddly we know in advance.
When I was 11 years old, I had a neighborhood thug put me in a head lock as he rummaged through my pocket for spare change. He found 11 cents. I was outraged but unharmed – and I promised myself back then, if I ever had advance knowledge of an indignity like this, I would be prepared with countermeasures.
Now I do. Words and knowledge.
If I am crossing town on Wednesday (Canada Day) with my bottle of Pinot, bound for a garden party and some authority figure attempts to pilfer my legally obtained spirits – well, they are going to be in for a surprise.
I know my rights.
So know yours. Please do not shrink and avoid our bus system – if only to avoid confrontation. Step forward and be a Canadian that your ancestors could be proud of.
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Summer Fun Food and Drink - 2009 - Chapter 3 - Coffee Podcast · Wednesday June 17, 2009 by colin newell
Coffeecrew.Com Podcast for June 2009 – a series we call Conversations
We interviewed Poul Mark of Transcend Coffee, Edmonton, Alberta – while he was visiting family and friends here in Victoria.
We met up with him at Habit Coffee & Culture – one of Victoria B.C.‘s finest coffee bars.
Have a listen!
or click here for the mp3 if you cannot see the above widget.
Summer fun food and drink 2009 - Chapter 2 coffee time · Wednesday June 17, 2009 by colin newell
If my colleagues and I were cats…
This is what our daily coffee break would look like.
Draw your own conclusions.
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