Results tagged “coffee”

Via B.K.: "Never thought I'd say this out of blue bottle loyalty, but the 4 Barrel cappuccino @ Ironside is rocking my world. Velvety, rich, and voluptuous."

Although this week's weather might not agree, summer--at last!--is coming to an end. Soon we'll be busting out our fall line from the back of the closet, putting extra blankets on the bed, and paying PG&E more money. More importantly, Starbucks will roll out their annual treat of legend and lore, the Pumpkin Spice Latte. (Blue Bottle's got nothing on Starbucks until they introduce a sickly sweet treat like this.) But at almost $4 a pop, who can afford Starbucks version of black tar? Not us.

Sightglass Coffee's opening day was yesterday. Owners Jared and Justin are "super nice," according to Yelp. And their brew? Is billed as "artisan." And, from what we hear, pretty damn fantastic.

As we struggled to survive an interminable meeting this afternoon, we turned in desperation to the pale coffee available in the corner of the room. The "coffee" itself had no effect, but the strange design on the paper cup woke us up.

Congratulations goes out to Chris Baca of Ritual Coffee Roasters after he "dazzled" judges at the Specialty Coffee Association of America's Western Regional Barista Competition this past Sunday. The barista outperformed, outwitted, and outlasted 33 of the top baristas in California. Awesome. The judges, it seems, were wooed by Baca's signature drink, "a three-tiered liquid cherry-lime cheesecake concoction." According to Baca, "I came up with the concept at about 2 a.m. while sleeping on my friend's couch in San Francisco..[t]he idea just floated into my mind and I worked out the details of the drink at our Ritual training facility."

Although Peet's Coffee kiosks will open up at lucky BART stations later this year, it seems that you won't be able to drink your morning drug while riding to work. Pft. A heavy fine for being caught drinking or eating on Bart, according to the Oakland Tribune, can cost you $250 and up to 48 hours of community service. (BART Police Patrol Bureau Cmdr. Travis Gibson tells the Tribune that "[r]iders can eat and drink inside 'free areas' outside the fare gates ... [b]ut, once inside the 'paid area,' which includes the platform, sipping and chewing are strictly forbidden." Jesus.) Strange, since BART has been giving away free coffee certificates over the past few months.

Around 150 protesters were arrested during yesterday's anti-war protest -- "a lesson on how to do it right," raves C.W. Nevius! -- during a rally that was, for the most part, a peaceful affair. Although a few hooligans hurled glass Christmas ornaments loaded with paint at San Francisco police, which seems a bit unnecessary considering how tolerant the police force here acts compared to larger cities such as Los Angeles, people were rather friendly compared to protests in the past. Scrumptious birthday cake, emblazoned with the message "Unhappy 5th Birthday Stop the War Now," oranges, and coffee were handed out to hungry passers-by.

Visitors to all the standalone Starbucks across the country yesterday evening couldn't get their buzz on. Why? Because of the temporary national shutdown. Starbucks workers, like these on busy Masonic (where there will be a rally to make that avenue safer at 11:00AM this morning by the way), learned how to do things the Starbuckian way last night.

Although we're only occasional smokers (read: when we're drunk or feeling awkward at a party), we sympathize with the need to have a cigarette. And while the smoking ban at bars and everywhere else has kept everyone relatively secondhand smoke free, the constant browbeating smokers receive from non-smokers is enough to make the anarchists in us want to light up in front of all the naysayers.

For as much as everyone pretends to be indie coffee house-loving, Starbucks-hating, people of god -- we're not. Especially when we're lazy. If we're in the financial district and want our half-caff, venti macchiato with a double shot of sugar-free vanilla and only want to walk two steps from our door to get it, so be it. We're going to Starbucks. But NOT, however, on February 26th between the hours of 5:30 to 8:30 PM. All Starbucks across the US will be closed during these hours (local time) to "[Demonstrate] Unprecedented Level of Commitment to Partner (Employee) Coffee Education and Training." At least, that's according to the Starbucks press release.

Tomorrow is BART Rider Appreciation / Thank You Day, and you, dear BART riders, will reap the benefits. The people at TransFair USA will give away 50,000 coupons for a shot of fair trade espresso from Tully's Coffee. Perfect for getting a move on in the morning and getting things moving, you know, down there.

Now that donuts have made a return to Bay Area coffee houses--minus its exhausting Homer Simpsonesque, white-trash irony--you can find the preferable pastries at places like Ritual Coffee Roasters (vegan! and actually good!), Seattle's Best at Border's Books & Music (double-glazed), and even Starbucks (plasticky). With the return of the donut comes the return of the brewed coffee. At least, according to today's New York Times, which profiles the Blue Bottle Cafe, scheduled to open today this week, and their bizarre Jules Verne-ish coffee contraption. The first-prize-at-the-science-fair-like machine is poised to make coffee's tarnished reputation shine again.

If only results of this Kaisar study came out on Friday. Then we may have seen more interesting placards at Walk for Life on Saturday. "Coffee Kills," "Vegan, Caffeine-Free, and Pro-Life," for example.

Come volunteer to give away free espresso to support fair trade

First off, our heart goes out to all of you who took the Ferry this morning. Do you need dry some toast or Ginger Ale? Because: barf.

The sexy cats over at ValleyWag have the fresh MySpace office shots that you want. Or not.

Ah, today should be a citywide holiday, it really really should.

Why, what a delightful holiday refreshment table shot. Found in our Flickr page, and taken at some festive party this weekend, it has all of the staples of an imminent San Francisco gathering: hummus (thank you for remembering the olive oil drizzle!); simple crudité orbiting a coffee mug used to hold, ugh, dip (a most vile word for such a critical item); wine; chives used to accent; whimsically out-of-season platter holding the baked goods; those fattening tortilla wrap things; and most importantly, mother's little helper. What would the holidays be without it?

By Frances Reade

Mission hipster haven, Ritual Roasters, is hosting a stellar art event organized by curator/painter/illustrator extraordinaire, Sacha Eckes. The show runs through December 2nd and features artists Timothy Buckwalter, Bill Dunlap, Sacha Eckes, Nancy Mizuno Elliott, Christopher Jernberg, Alexis Mackenzie, Paul Madonna (whom we interviewed in May), Mike Monteiro, Fred Rinne, Brion Nudah Rosch & Ifton Schlinger and Micke Tong.

Prints + good tunes = the Pipettes

It really is all about the other side of Market Street now.

Aspiring painters of urban village scenes would do well to get themselves to Bernal Heights at once. From the armada of sandwich boards and the pony-tailed guy enjoying a pensive cup of coffee at Progressive Grounds, to the verdant street trees and the pair of rowdy sidewalk philosophers holding court near the eastern end of the block, it’s quite the bustling display along Cortland Ave. Private lives seem a low priority here, as even the back yards of local bars, cafés, and restaurants are open for business. Sidewalk rest stops are a big calling card on Cortland between Andover and Bennington, the heart of Bernal Heights’ vibrant commercial district. There are benches in front of restaurants (Valentina Ristorante), benches in front of salons (Bernal Heights Nail Care), benches in front of markets (The Good Life Grocery), benches in front of saloons (Wild Side West). The result: A remarkable feeling of community, evinced by how it appears as if everyone might actually know everyone else’s name. It’s like a West Coast version of Andy Griffith’s Mayberry...only on Cortland, there’s no Barney Fife. Auditions may or may not be held regularly at Skip’s Tavern and Wild Side West for the role of Otis the Harmless Town Drunk.

Not to be outdone by San Francisco's own zip code fibbing person of the people, Green Party follower and Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board member Chris Kavanagh, according to today's Matier and Ross, "was hauled out of an Oakland coffee shop [Cole's Coffee Shop] in handcuffs today" and thrown in the clink on fraud charges for lying about his Berkeley residence.

Last year's Park(ing) Day at Ritual Coffee Roasters on Valencia Street.

-- Madcat Women's International Film Festival -- Frame by Frame: Experimental film festival's night focusing on animation, claymation, and digital shorts all directed by women. Starts at 8:30 p.m. at El Rio, 3158 Mission; $7-$20.

-- Bridge? Closed. (They're gone! Quick, put away the bongs, and bust out the vodka, straws, and mirrors!) [Examiner]

Since our trimethyldioxypurist is on the road for Labor Day, we're stepping in on the caffeine beat to pass along some sad news: Peet's Coffee founder Alfred Peet died earlier this week (Wednesday) in Oregon.

Last week's winner, the Bay Guardian. We should totally put needle disposal boxes in Golden Gate Park. Also, C.W. Nevius says that Newsom called him and yelled at him for 45 minutes after he wrote his first article on the issue. We'd put that call on mute. Gentrification is destroying Polk Street. City contractors still use sweatshop labor. Annalee Newitz has mice. Sonic Reducer's still at the Guardian. Cover article: Local bands to watch. You've got your whisky swillers, your barefoot folksters, your hip-hoppers, and some fey whimsy. And read Marke B's column and show him not everyone's away for Burning Man!

Step right up! Step right up! The Gavin Newsom San Francisco carnival is coming to town! SEE .... the horrors that abound in the San Francisco Housing Authority! GAWK..... at the desperate lives of people trying to get by in the sub-standard apartment units provided by the city! GASP..... at the pitiful amounts of money residents try to live on! And then.... open your wallets! Won't you help.... for the children?