Sparrows Part 1

So like usual I put things off. But finally I visited the Sparrows Coffee Tea and Newstand again. My buddy Chris was the Barista this time.

My wife wanted tea (which is my second love next to coffee) and the Sparrows has a formidable selection of tea. You can buy tea loose in bulk for your French press at home. "In the mood tea" is what my wife chose. Chris states that this particular tea has proven aphrodisiacs as he smirks my way… we'll see. The tea holder is interesting, it lets gravity push the water through the tea and down into the cup.

I order my usual mocha, this a first though, I have never pesonally known the barista. As Chris prepares it he tells me they just got a new batch of Ghirardelli's chocolate syrup in so it should have a richer taste. Chris is newer barista, but not that new. He takes his time pouring the foam on carefully. The taste was very well balanced with the chocolate and the expresso, the steamed milk came on a bit stronger than I am used to, but not in a bad way. I asked Chris about the milk taste and he tells me is non-homoginized so it has a bit sweeter flavor than regular milk because it has it's enzymes intact, making it more digestable.
Well thats round 1 for now stay tuned for further updates from the Sparrow's…

Handpresso and Presto! Expresso!

I know summer is over but Christmas is coming… or whatever holiday you may celebrate. I know we can just ask for the same old gift cards or coffee beans imported through fair-trade, remembering the warmth of the season. This is good and all—but lets say you really want to wow your coffee lover. Try this… Handpresso! Its a portable, hand pressurized expresso maker. All you need is hot water in a thermos, a small packet of ground expresso, Handpresso and boom high quality exprosso anywhere. Handpresso's pump presses the pressurized hot water through the packet and out a spout into your camping expresso cups (oh yeah you may want to gift those as well). Its a new product so I haven't found too many reviews on it. Regardless it is a cool idea and its French so at least they know their coffee product.

Can this coffeemaker save Starbucks?

An interesting article from Wired Magazine's website I came across:I will be keeping on eye out for this Clover machine if I do find myself at starbucks. Should any find one please post about it thanks. Regardless click on the photo and let me know what you think.

The Sparrow Coffee Series…

I have unique opportunity to get the inside scoop on a coffee shop, The Sparrows. My co-worker Chris is becoming a Barista there and the owners have some new techniques they picked up at a Barista conference. Now I am not gonna get any secrets but give you a story series of a great local coffee house striving to become even better. With photos interviews and video to come it should be interesting. They are #4 on the Top 10 list. Will they move up? Stay tuned…

Guilt Free…

Well it has been a while people, but I've gotten a second to post. And post I will. The Historical marker today is the economic crises going on right on now and the presidential race. So yeah a lot of lies and half truths going on. Good time to point the finger and talk about guilt. I am guilty for not updating this blog (among others), the federal reserve and congress are guilty of stealing our wealth, hey we are all culpable (but that's another story). Regardless I give you the newest lie of the guilt free mocha:

Yes this is their claim, but here is their nutritional info on the sinless drink:

Café Mocha (Sugar Free)

Nutrition Facts
Café Mocha (Sugar Free) Nonfat	20 oz.
Calories	338
Total Fat (g)	0
Saturated Fat (g)	0
Trans Fat (g)	0
Cholesterol (mg)	8
Sodium (mg)	341
Carbohydrates (g)	58
Fiber (g)	2
Sugar (g)	26
Protein (g)	21

That's right, like our national debt, there is 338 bloated calories hidden in this nonfat, sugerless, whipcreamless mocha… Personally I'd opt for the full fledged mocha at 558 calories. I mean you can drop a meal in place of a caffeinated drink… right?

Well back to the economy…

The days of ordering a 13 shot venti soy hazelnut vanilla cinnamon white mocha with extra white mocha and caramel with total cost of $13.76 (with tax, there's that Fed again, kd.) are gone.


No more proving how ridiculous corporate coffee shops are. People as a whole are frequenting there local coffee bars less, because of our economy. The credit crunch is really difficult on the small coffee shop that has been running on fumes with the banks calling loans. With a venti (20oz) mocha going for around $4 at most shops, to go 3 times a week you would need $624.00 a year. I usually keep it to once week: $208, that's nearly an 8GB ipod touch ($229)!

There is a different value we forget about though. That is the value of good conversation over a cup of coffee with our friends, neighbors, countrymen/women. Still, next time I buy a mocha or any other specialty drink I will savor it more with a twinge of guilt of those going without because of the economy. And what a terrible economy it is. Nothing that can't be figured out over a good cup of Joe. God bless America!

Old friends say goodbye

"Four Friends Coffeehouse, one of the city's oldest, plans to shut its doors next week and the owner blames a dispute with the landlord."

This in the July 01, 2008 Grand Rapids Press. And it has closed 2 weeks ago. This was one of my first and best experiences in a coffee house. Though I must say it was always a bit pricey, they had some of the best coffee in town. But Four Friends more than just a coffee shop, it was an anchor to the social scene, a place where people "got it", a haven for designers, and a mecca to the first days of mocha in GR. It was a wise sage in the sea of wanna-be expresso-bars.

I wish I could write something more eloquent with this epitaph, this dirge. I wish I was a better writer so I could do this place more justice—to show the weight of it's absence. Just know that it was much like the coffee house where you and your friends find refuge from the busyness of this world and relax over a gift of warm crafted coffee that fuels the best conversations of your life.

And if you get to downtown Grand Rapids, MI and you find yourself in Rosa Park's Circle, look across Monroe Center at the door 136 and remember. This song goes out to those Four Friends who started it and to those who will look back to fond memories of being there.

Goodbye old friends you will be missed.

Starbucks and the 21st century

I am turning 30. And I feel like everything is changing around me. I remember my first car (it was a truck). I remember my first kiss. I remember having my first Mocha was in at a Cafe in Grand Rapids Community College (better than the first kiss). But I do not remember walking into my first Starbucks.

That is NOT to say that I do not respect Starbucks as a company. I do. Yes send the hate-mail now. I do like Starbucks because despite what might be said of them they are a creative well designed entity. An entity that has pushed REAL cafés into parts of America that might never know a place where kids can gather with their friends and share quality time together. Yes I said it, I think Starbucks has changed the way America does community. At a coffee shop.

So where is Starbucks now? Closing 600 stores and I hear people cheering. Why?

I think it is the fact there are SO many Starbucks out there, its growth was too aggresive, even for itself. But 600 stores closing?

Some point at the reason being the economy and I would have to half-heartedly agree. Hopefully there is a real authentic self assessment going on internally. A getting back to what is important—making great coffee. At least I hope.

You may wonder how I rate Starbucks. I do believe much of it tastes the same but there are times, yes, there are times when the Barista makes something special. I hope for those times again.

This time I will remember…