Mad about Fall Chapter 2 Take a moment - appreciate your coffee · 12.11.11 by colin newell
I was talking to a ham radio operator in New Jersey today… about the weather…
his weather.
And while I chatted I was brewing my first thermal carafe of organic Costa Rica coffee from Every Day Gourmet Coffee roasters – St. Lawrence Market, Toronto…
(And) That part of America has had rain, snow, floods, hurricanes and honest to goodness tornadoes…
and an earthquake.
Between sips of my Hario poured brew I noted that… Here it was gray. A normal shade of gray for Victoria this time of year. (With) A bit of wind. A bit of rain. And a steady temperature of around 10 degrees (Celcius) or 50 degrees on the (Far) scale.
My wife and I went downtown this afternoon to do a few chores. We walked outside in the rain – a rain that seemed to fall out of the sky and divert around us before striking a glistening sidewalk. Charming.
Looking around downtown Victoria (on the southern tip of Vancouver Island) one sees great coffee shops, eateries and attractions on every corner. Victoria, in fact, is a coffee lovers mecca where every form of brewed caffeinated enticements await the adventurous. I try not to take for granted that, per capita, we have more quality Joe joints per square mile than anywhere else in North America. Yea, Seattle and Portland are great – and so is San Francisco (and Vancouver) but that involves driving.
You do not need a car in Victoria to enjoy a broad variety of coffee consumption here.
You just need time, a fistful of dollars and a clear head – that will soon be buzzing with psycho activity after your first 2 or 3 beverages.
In Victoria you can get your java brewed; in a French press, in an Aeropress, in a vacuum brewer, in an air pot, in an espresso machine, with a Hario pour over… and in ways I am not even familiar with yet. Yup, just trying to keep up.
Victoria barista’s and their cafe owner associates are among the most informed, educated and passionate in the business – Our cafe experts in Victoria frequently go to the source or the place where the coffee is produced. They know the farmers. They care for the people that produce the raw materials. There is a direct and living connection between the coffee served in Victoria and the people that are caring for it.
You can taste it in the cup and feel it from the people that work the coffee here in the city.
On some level, it almost makes sense that Victoria has a land and real estate market that is virtually unattainable for virtually all of the folks that live here – because this place is so desirable.
And looking out into the wind and rain and subtle dampness… Well maybe, just maybe… this will be as bad as it gets.
A city with a mild rain and a great, great coffee scene – that keeps getting better and better…
I love it… and respect it for now…
Until I pack up in January and move from one paradise to another… on the Big Island of Hawaii (where we hang out for 1 month every year.)
More on that later!
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Victoria Spring 2011 Getting Funky with Rick May · 5.04.11 by colin newell
Local Bass player and session musician, Rick May featured on this DB Clifford snippet.
If you do not find yourself shaking something within seconds of this track starting, you had better spot yourself for a pulse!
Rick May, locally known for his involvement in The Superior Cafe is a past partner in “Java on Johnson”, The Old Town Cafe and La Boheme Restaurant in the eighties.
Rick has played bass guitar with Michael Jackson (on the hit song “Beat It”), members of DEVO, Mae Moore (touring this summer), Marc Almond (Soft Cell), Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix experience, Ricki Lee Jones, Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, etc etc.
Rick can often be found, when in town, sampling the great coffee at Habit Coffee & Culture on Yates Street in the Atrium (at Blanshard).
You can check out his thing on his website – RickMay.ca
The Hawaii Series, yes, we are experts Chapter 1 · 13.02.11 by colin newell
Andrea and I have just returned from a month in Hawaii. For the third year in a row.
So yes, we are experts now.
And it is high time I cooked up a series on the subject of visiting and getting the most out of your Big Island experience.
So – This will be a series of blogs on getting to, staying in and eating – drinking all that Hawaii has to offer.
For starters, let’s talk about what Hawaii is overall – and what it is not.
And keep in mind, this is NOT going to be a Fodor’s, Lonely Planet or Hawaii Revealed type guide – because that has been done – and they are books.
Book suggestion By the way – if you are planning on visiting the Big Island of Hawaii for the 1st time – or are returning after a hiatus, buy yourself a copy of Hawaii Revealed by Andrew Doughty – it is the one single book purchase that you must make. It is complete, concise and honest – 3 things I hope to be with this series of blog entries.
Hawaii overview: OK. Myths.
1.) For starters, Hawaii is not a tropical place (one of the bigger misconceptions) – Hawaii is sub-tropical. Yes, it is probably hotter than where you live right now, but if you are a North America resident and live in the Northeast or Midwest, your weather is probably hotter and more humid than most spots in Hawaii.
2.) Hawaii is not blazing hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Yes, it is cooler in the winter time – but unless you think that 85 degrees (F) or 29 degrees © is uncomfortably hot in the summer, then yea… you might find it hot. Because Hawaii is not equatorial (18 to 26 degrees North of Equator), it is cooler than you think and there is only modest variation in the temperatures between seasons.
3.) There is no Island called Kona. Waikiki is not on the Island of Hawaii. Waikiki is on the Island of Oahu. The Big Island of Hawaii is actually bigger than all the others – hence the moniker The Big Island. Hawaii actually refers to the one big island. The Hawaiian Islands refers to all the Islands. Confused yet? Apparently a lot of people are.
Pleasant reality: Hawaii is a mere 5 hour flight from Vancouver or Seattle. That means, in the same amount of time it would take to fly to Toronto, Ottawa, or Chicago – you could be in the tropical paradise that is the Hawaiian Islands.
Anyway – Up shortly, boatloads and boatloads of Hawaii observations… stay tuned.
Jump to Hawaii – Chapter Two
Events of the year - new coffee shops 2010 · 31.12.10 by colin newell
2010 saw an infusion, a near cavalcade of new coffee places in Victoria – and a surprising exodus and hand-changing of a few others.
Expansions included HABIT coffee and culture which branched up to the Yates and Blanshard Atrium property. Sharing space with the B.C. Ferry Group, Zambri’s restaurant, PIG BBQ and Cook Culture Kitchen Supply and culinary school (Andrea and I are enrolled in a class in March with Don Genova.
Photo below – Habit Coffee Culture at the Atrium during an increasingly rare quiet moment.
Ryan and Kristie Taylor of Cafe Fantastico set their sights on a new Humbolt Valley location that promises food service and a liquor license.
Mark and Valerie Engels (and partners) are unveiling a new Bubby Roses Bakery in a new Cook Street Village building near the corner of Cook and Oscar; bigger space, more food and baked options, expanded coffee service – bubby better than ever!
Doug Crothall of Black Stilt has sold 2 locations to Mocha House – will be interesting to see which direction Mocha House takes these 2 thriving businesses.
Bill of Cairo Coffee is closing down an operation that has been in business in Victoria since 1922. His Deidrich roaster has been in the window on the 700 block of Fort Street since the 80’s and was on Douglas near the Bay in the seventies. At a youthful 75 years of age, Bill is moving to the next chapter in his life; spending more time with grand-kids, mountain climbing and sailing.
Derek and Gina Lucas of Buon Amici Coffee on Tyee quickly sold off their cosy operation on the West side to a new venture. Not too much buzz on the new owners. Rumor has a new Buon Amici operation rising from the ashes in the Uptown Center.
Credits for helping me move forward in my coffee learning curve include:
Geir, Pat, Carsen and Courtney Oglend for their inexhaustible support and sharing! Thanks for all the Hario Kit this year. Hario V60 reshaped my brewing experience completely.
Reg James and the boys of EspressoTec.com for their continuing support and access to the EspressoTec inventory. Thanks for the entire HARIO hand grinder product line samples!
Logan Gray and John Riopka at Discovery Coffee for keeping me on top of the scene when I could not do it alone.
Shane Devereaux and the gang at HABIT for a never ending stream of sharing, learning and support.
To Mark and Valerie Engels for their support and solidarity – and keeping us all supplied with great coffee and bakery from Bubby Roses Bakery!
All you need is now - Winterfest Chapter 3 · 23.12.10 by colin newell
Summer Food Fun and Drink Chapter 7 Kiva and Hug someone · 3.07.10 by colin newell
I have a friend named Bob Harris, from Los Angeles, who tonight is somewhere in Hungary… Budapest I think – being astounded by the unique nature of the language.
On his own. On a mission that any parent, friend or partner would be proud of.
Researching a book on the subject of KIVA – a microfinance thing that everyone should know about and participate in.
Because it works.
Simple concept.
You loan out small amounts of money to folks in developing nations that are starting up a business that need a helping hand.
Bob has made hundreds of loans – many of which that have already been paid back. It’s simple. And hey, it works. Check out his page
Anyway – yesterday Bob was in Bosnia – a war torn region that is on a comeback. And he anonymously met with folks that he has loaned money to. He is writing a book on the subject. From where I am sitting, Bob is a saint. Or not. Maybe just a normal guy on a mission. That you can participate in as well.
Check out Kiva.
