Terrible

I'm not a coffee snob, but I know the basics for making a good cup. I've been disappointed by baristas far too many times recently...

Yesterday, I went for dinner at a restaurant on campus. I asked for a coffee and was handed one in a see-through mug (so I could see how weak it was). It was fair trade, though, so I felt pretty good for buying it. When I noticed there was no cream/sugar station, I asked for milk in my coffee. The girl went to the espresso bar, pulled out a steaming pitcher of god knows what from some mystery shelf in the corner, and poured the liquid in. I could see the separation of the heavy milk and the light coffee and cringed, but accepted my fate and drank the stuff.

Today, at the Starbucks on campus (a licensed store), I ordered a personal Tall Nonfat No-Whip Mocha (I was in the mood for sugar, okay??). As I waited at the drink counter, I watched not one but two people from behind me get their drinks first. The barista seemed more interested in chatting with her coworkers than doing her job, and her inattentiveness led her to allow her espresso to die before putting it in the drinks. All I can say is that I'm glad I wasn't the one who ordered the Tall Latte. If that was my drink, I would have demanded that she re-make it. I don't pay high prices for improperly made drinks. Thankfully, mine turned out okay - maybe it was my incessant staring that made her want to make the thing properly?

It was also odd because the girl re-steamed milk. As someone who used to work at a licensed store, I know that you're supposed to be following Starbucks standards, and these folks weren't.

I don't know if I've mentioned this on here yet, but I'm finally working at a real Starbucks. The benefits pwn Safeway's tenfold. I'm very, very happy.

Dot lives!

Yesterday I got Dot (my new Hackintosh computer) up and running. Hooray! I'm still struggling with the NIC and widescreen display, but everything else appears to be working. Thank goodness for Kalyway.

I've come across problems burning off the CDs for Dance Manitoba. Nero's alphabetization of the files is different than iTunes (which I planned to print song lists off of). So a file with the name "### second run" comes BEFORE "###" (the first run). It's a small thing, but it's just made my life that much more complicated. I'd already burned at least 30 CDs before I realized this... What a waste.

I've also become interested in latte art, and my ventures into that side of the web have led me to realize that I know very little about coffee. I know more than the average person, but not enough to call myself a coffee snob. I don't particularly want to be called a coffee snob, but I want the knowledge of a coffee snob.

Here are a few sites that I'm going to read more in the future:
Abstract Gourmet
Coffee Snobs
Coffee Universe
Coffee Enthusiast
espressolab

There are so many more sites, so little time... ahhhhhhhhh...
Back to kext research =P

The news of life

Where to begin?

First, the dance news:
Went to the School of Contemporary Dancers today to audition for the Junior Professional Program. Discovered two things. 1: Not taking ballet for a year has taken its toll on me. 2: The JPP is a little too pricey for me at this time.

The coffee:
Had a cappucino (not decaf - I've been breaking the rules a bit lately) from the Fyxx on Albert. Those things are tiny! But I suppose that their size is more comparable to the traditional cappucino. It's Starbucks that tends to supersize things.
Also, bought a decaf coffee from Tim's. Guh-ross, watery. But it didn't make me ill like the regular stuff does, so hooray!

The tech:
Found a way to burn OGG files (the format all of my audio is in for Dance Manitoba) using Windows XP (my mom's computer). Very relieved - I was afraid that I'd have to re-export from all of my project files, or convert all the files to WAV or something. It's all thanks to my cousin Ken, who deserves to be mentioned in the blog for his assistance in all my computer issues lately (which have been many)
Got my new monitor from FutureShop. It's so pretty - I've got it hooked up to my laptop.

I think I've covered most of the relevant news. Life has slowed down a bit, but it's every bit as full of learning as during the school year. I love it!

Detoxing

I've been trying to kick caffeine for the last few days, and it's been rough. I was motivated to do it when I had a huge hangover - unable to keep coffee down, suffering from a headache anyway, I figured that there was no better time to do it. With all the money I'll save, maybe I'll be able to afford the computer parts I'm looking for.

My cousin, a computer wizard, directed me to the hackint0sh.org forums. I'll read them ASAP, but it "possible" is nigh impossible. It's as if my social inactivity for the past two weeks is being made up for with this week of craziness.

The light at the end of the tunnel is the M.I.A. concert I'm going to on Friday. While I'm pumped for that, I'm counting the dollars that I've been spending on concerts lately... and it's slightly depressing. I'm now going to Nine Inch Nails and Tom Petty (eclectic enough?) and am planning a couple of shows for the Jazz Festival and maybe even FolkFest. Maybe coffee isn't the only thing I'll have to give up.

Grossed Out Now

I just drank a Cappuccino Moolatte from DQ, and I want to hurl.

The drink itself isn't bad - it's kind of sweet and has a nice texture. But the girl at DQ put some shit sprinkles on top. They didn't look particularly appealing, but I thought, "What the heck? I'll try em," and ended up spitting out my drink and dumping the whole thing down the drain. They were piercingly bitter and disturbingly crunchy. Either DQ regularly serves people that crap or it's gone bad. The only alternative is that I was served grossness on purpose (which I hope to God isn't true - only now do I recognize the similarity between the sprinkles and rat droppings).

I labeled this as "coffee", but it really isn't. DQ uses a coffee syrup in their drinks, and when I asked if it actually contained caffeine, the employees gave me blank stares.

I've had time to try the coffee in the Exchange District - mainly from the Fyxx. I'm extremely happy that they don't have "Cafe au Lait" or "Coffee Misto" on their menu, and that they just charge the cost of a regular cup of coffee. Cheap and yummy!

But the lattes there disappoint. I always get espresso that has oxidized. One time I ordered an iced cap on the rocks. I watched the barista, waiting for her to pull the espresso. I don't know how she made the drink (she stood in front of her work area) but I do know that she wasn't making fresh espresso for me. The drink I had tasted rather burnt, but still not too bad.

I got coffee at the Pastry Castle once. It was strong and dark. Pretty cheap, too - $1.50 for a large. Not bad, but it was a little out of my way, and I always find myself waiting for service for a couple of minutes when I arrive there. They need a service bell, stat.

I'm going to wash the taste of that Moolatte out of my mouth...

Thanks, Starbucks!

I just posted, but I forgot to mention something that made my day a little awesomer today: I went to Starbucks to buy a tall coffee, and instead walked out with an Americano. They had run out of filters and therefore couldn't brew coffee, and I was lucky enough to come at the RIGHT TIME to get a more expensive, smooth-tasting coffee for the price of a regular coffee. Right on! No complaints here.

That particular Starbucks location is renowned for its customer service and acts of kindness. When a car was rear-ended across the street, someone from Starbucks ran to the scene of the accident to give free coffee to the stressed-out folks involved. I love the idea that a cup of coffee can bring people together and help ease a bad situation.