• coffee shops

    Coffee Sanctuary

    January 3, 2011

    We arrived in Albany, NY last night just before the clock struck midnight. As I walked down the hallway towards my hotel room, I could hear the bed inviting me to much needed sleep. And, I slept well, even sleeping later than normal. This morning after a shower and a bit of quiet, I journeyed over to Professor Java’s Coffee Sanctuary located near our hotel. I’ve enjoyed my previous visits to this establishment for several reasons: the ambiance is comforting to me in style and feel, the exceptional service of the young people working there and because the coffee is good. My taste buds this morning were focused on a cafe mocha. While standing at the counter over the freshly baked scones, I weakened and succumbed to the temptation of a freshly baked pecan scone. Life is good.

    I located a small table near a window that offered wonderful light for me to write and read. I find it important to keep myself present to where I’m at, to visually see, hear and experience the world around me. Photography has helped me in that area of my life. I’ve always been able to be present  in nature when waiting for a sunrise or sunset but not necessarily within the hustle  and bustle of city life. Being a dreamer, I fly off to distant worlds rather than noticing all that is around me. As I stayed present this morning, I noticed the young man in the image above as he dreamed, or planned, or studied within his coffee sanctuary. I could hear the two women behind me sharing events of the Christmas holiday season within their coffee sanctuary. It’s easy to identify those regular patrons as they came in for their daily dose of caffeine and are warmly welcomed by their names. I could smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and tempting smell of the blueberry, cinnamon and pecan muffins. Life is good. And, ya gotta love the craftsmanship of the girls when they brought over my cafe mocha. A work of art! I really do like this coffee sanctuary. Hope everyone has a great week and finds a sanctuary.

    PS: My sister informed me that mom is going home today. Yeah! Recovery is moving right along. Thanks for your prayers!

    Read More
  • coffee shops,  Food,  lifestyles

    John Wayne

    September 29, 2010

    They call this drink a John Wayne. It is a shot of expresso, with a touch of vanilla syrup and marked with half-and-half or, preferably, cream. Since vanilla is not my favorite syrup in coffee, I tweaked it a bit and made it half vanilla and half almond. Seemed to do the trick. So, yes some days I start off with a shot. And, I see that today is Hump-Day, so by noon most of society will be half-way done with their work week. For me it’s the first day of my two day weekend. Maybe, I’ll make it a double and have two shots. 🙂 Have a great Wednesday!

    Read More
  • coffee shops

    A new “kid” on the block

    July 24, 2010
    Crazy Goat

    Yep, that’s the name of it, Crazy Goat Coffee. It’s a new coffee shop in Old Gahanna. I saw it a couple of weeks ago and finally made it down there to check it out. Here are my first impressions after one visit.

    I loved the ambiance as soon as I walked in. It offers pleasant colors, a fireplace for the winter season,  a couple of lounge chairs, and six tables comfortably seating from two to six people. There were six business people in dress suits standing at the register and the pastry case, half of them trying to make a decision on their drinks and “lowfat” pastry. I wondered if this decision would be the biggest decision they would make that day.

    There was one young lady at the register doing her best to answer questions, take orders and money while trying make their drinks. I realized it was going to take awhile. Since I patronize several franchise stores where speed is so prominent, it made me aware of how impatient I can be. I needed to tell myself to be patient and wait in line. It wasn’t too long before another barista came in to help carry the load. The young girl acknowledged me with a warm smile and let me know she would be with me in a minute. Her smile brought me a smile and an awareness I actually had more than a minute to spare. I’d wait. See what a smile does.

    I ordered a decaf mocha latte which I use as a measurement stick when going to a new place. The temperature was below my preference but I did like the flavor. I was also pleased to see my drink served in a paper cup rather than styrofoam. After a visit to their website I noticed part of their mission statement is to strive to be eco-friendly. They offer free Wi-Fi and are open from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm during the week with shorter hours on the weekends. Overall it was a pleasant experience so I need to make a couple more visits. I’ll keep you informed.

    Read More
  • coffee shops

    Assorted Coffee Cups

    July 2, 2010
    Coffee Cups

    My friend, Melissa, met me at a coffee shop called Espresso Yourself Music Cafe. It’s an old church converted to a coffee house. On one wall were these shelves, leaning most profoundly to the right, and loaded with an assortment of cups. Had to take a photo before they fell.

    Read More
  • coffee shops,  lifestyles

    Espresso Beans

    June 30, 2010
    Coffee Beans and Espresso Shot

    A few years ago I worked as a barista in a coffee shop. I enjoyed the work, the young people I worked with and the customers. Those customers looked to us for the start of their day or the end of their day, it was a part of their daily ritual. I’m also one of those individuals who patronizes a coffee shop on a regular basis and it can become an expensive habit. So I purchased my own expresso machine about 4 years ago. So now I have a ritual in making the morning latte or cappuccino which includes tamping the ground beans, steaming the milk, pouring the shot and marking it with the foam. And, the best part of the ritual is curling up in the lounge chair or on the couch or your porch and sipping your own warm drink.

    Read More
  • landscape,  sunrises

    A Birthday Sunrise

    June 29, 2010
    Morning Sunrise

    I took this image this past Sunday morning on my way to coffee and marked my 60th birthday. Birthdays have not been a big thing for me over the past few years, however, this one had a different feel to me. I don’t feel 60 and in my mind I don’t think of myself as turning 60. A 60th birthday seems like something still in the future, a day yet to come. But it’s here. I admit to mornings when the body lets me know of tired muscles and joints. Burning the midnight oil is a thing of the past. And, I admit to rising from my bed slower and more deliberate than in the past. But, hopefully, I’ve attained more maturity, understanding, and experience that can be passed along to those who are receptive to me. For my birthday I celebrated coffee with a friend then bought myself a Dairy Queen Blizzard: Peanut Butter Oreo. 🙂 I also upgraded to Lightroom 3 which has to make me a better photographer. Anyway I played with Topaz Adjust in this image to bring out some of colors and loved me day.

    Read More
  • Candid Portraits,  coffee shops,  lifestyles

    Three Amigos

    June 26, 2010
    Three Amigos

    Okay, so I’m in this coffee shop near the airport in Charleston and I see these bar stools and I love their patten, and I love the color and I love the wood texture. So, my mind starts to work and envision how I want this image to come alive. I try a few frames with just the bar stools but it ain’t happening. I figure a coffee cup on the bar would help but it still ain’t happening. I change the color of the cup but again it ain’t happening. People around me are starting to worry, I can see it in their faces. They’re probably asking questions like, “What the heck is this strange guy trying to do?” or “What hospital did he escape from?” (And, let’s not tell them, okay.) I notice a mother and her daughter are just smiling at me, that feels real uncomfortable. The baristas in the coffee shop are wondering how they can get me to leave, I can see it in their eyes. Things are getting uncomfortable, so I sit back down at my table, put my camera on the table and sheepishly smile at everyone.

    And then it happened. A mother and father with three children come in to enjoy a cool drink on this hot day. The children climb up on the stools and now I have the image in front of me. It’s right there! I quietly ask the father permission to take a few shots. The silly man agrees.

    After taking the previous images I know what exposure I needed to use. Two frames was all I needed then some adjustments with Lightroom and Topaz Adjust to create this image. I like it. It was fun. I also liked the process of its creation. And, thankfully, no one called the cops or the hospital. Whew!

    Read More
  • coffee shops

    Latte and Scone

    June 11, 2010
    Latte and Scone

    A couple of days ago it rained throughout the night and continued into the early afternoon. So, who can blame us if we indulge in a favorite latte and a scone at a local coffee shop while it rains outside? I tried to write but words were not to be found. I tried to read but could not stay focused. So I sipped on the latte and nibbled on the scone.

    Read More
  • Cityscapes/Urban,  coffee shops

    Kind Coffee, LLC

    May 19, 2010

    Last week prior to my daughters wedding, I drove up to Estes Park about 4 hours earlier to revisit this small town. The wedding rehearsal would be at 4:00 PM so I grabbed a sandwich and wandered into a coffee a coffee shop called Kind Coffee. I stopped in because they had free WiFi with the purchase of a beverage, yes I know it’s selfish. I was greeted warmly by both baristas which always makes you feel welcomed. When I asked how long they had been around they informed me they have been around for several years, at one time located nearby in Ed’s Cantina. They have two locations in town, one on the east side and one on the west side. they buy their own organic beans form Costa Rica, Peru, Guatemala, Columbia, Sumatra, and Mexico with a roasting facility in Estes Park.

    I visited the east store where I found it to be quite large. It included a separate room where meetings could be held. Several lounge chairs and couches invited people to stay awhile, enjoying your brew and conversation. The two back doors open to the river walk that follows the Big Thompson River. I enjoyed my mocha which we added a small amount of cinnamon to the top. Will I go back? Yes.

    Read More