The cost of coffee It had been over 20 years, at least a coffee wave or two, since I regularly bought whole bean coffee at coffee houses. I was spoiled by Starbucks at the start of my coffee drinking life. Yes, Starbucks was once a coffee company. They sold great varietals such as Ethiopian... Continue Reading →
Calling out coffee drinks "Tall cocoa!" It was my shift. My morning at the controls of the elevated four group La Marzocco espresso machine. It was an espresso bar as theatre stage, a relic from the days before Starbucks customized and cranked out location after location. It took two steps up from behind the bar... Continue Reading →
Howard Shultz and I were partners once. The Starbucks Coffee Company in my historical fiction novel Tripio was, in real life, far and away the best workplace I have experience, before or since. There have been a lot more workplaces since I hung up my apron than I care to admit. My point is, it... Continue Reading →
Take the time We live in a world where brevity is prized. Hacks, links, flash fiction. I could think of more but I just don't have the time. Ha. Ha. If you can say it quickly enough it doesn't even have to make sense, like a tweet. Seriously though, if the prize or reward doesn't... Continue Reading →
New Year's Day this new year This year I celebrated New Year's Day on the day after Thanksgiving on the shores of the Ohio River. That is what I have been doing for the last several years now. If you are a little confused, I will be happy to explain. It not about the calendar.... Continue Reading →
Don't waste your time writing trash Don't waste your time writing that trash you write. Hey, I should know. I've written more than my share. It took four seconds to find an example from on old file. See below: Mid-step brooding was halted for an instant though as Altonstreet realized that Philpatrick would have... Continue Reading →
Books for the Starbucks fan on your list A while back I read How Starbucks Saved my Life by Michael Gates Gill. In the interest of full disclosure, I read it out of curiosity, as opposed to organic intellectual interest. In other words, I read it to see how that memoir compared to my historical... Continue Reading →
Have an espresso today. Today is National Espresso Day. I have a doppio everyday. If you don't know what a doppio is, then its fair to say you won't know what an espresso is. If you read the link above then you will get a good idea of what the drink is. The... Continue Reading →
If these ten authors were my customers at my coffee house I can imagine having coffee without writing. I cannot imagine writing without coffee in me or at least nearby. In the evenings, I often sit with a mug nearby with no intention of drinking it. It helps me write just to have it nearby.... Continue Reading →
I'm at the supermarket standing still and slack jawed in aisle 8. I'm staring at the shopping list that I have on a small clipboard clutched in my right hand. I started comprising this very list on Thursday night in preparation for the ritual Saturday morning shopping trip. Thursday evening while in front of the TV,... Continue Reading →
