Fun Night! Fun Night!

Oh man, last night Matthew Lee and I had a night out on the town.

I ripped over to Matts on my bike, and then found out that instead of cupping a couple coffees and chewin' the fat, we were gonna go check out this indoor go cart track up at Downsview park.

The shit was AMAZING!!
I was so nervous at first because I haven't ever really driven a car, and I dont really know anything about taking turns or not getting in accidents.
So yah, I had a couple accidents with other cars during my first race, but in the second one I was drifting corners, making crazy skids and squeels, just givin' er.
I even have my own membership card and balaclava now!

Then we checked out The Rail skatepark nextdoor, it was pretty cool.
Everything is way smaller than it looks in footage, like piddly almost.
There was nobody there either, which sucks for the owner, but doieeeee, its summer, you don't open an indoor skatepark in the spring or summer.

And then we checked out the paintball shit, and that place was gnarly.
The floors in there are coated in what feels like hydrolic fluid. It was all gummy and slidey.

Then we hit up California Sandwich in Woodbridge.
Thats one hell of a veal sandwich for 7$
And La Paloma a few shops up has some pretty killer gelati.
I had the tirimisu, and Matt had some Pistachio Siciliana, it was unreal how good it was.

So big ups to Matt, it was a good time, and I got some IMV again, as well as a Kenya I'm really feelin.
Intelligentsia coffee is worth every fucking cent, buy it if you see it!

disqualified pride

Im not even gonna make a full post about the latte art competition either.

It sucked, thats all.

catnip

AHAHA I just found a piece of my weed in Garrisons fur!!!
Imagine the look on my face when I thought it was knotted fur, and it was actually some weed!

I wish weed would grow off of Garrisons side.

13,00 stokens.

getting closer

Ok, so finally I have some updated practice photos from last week.

As you'll see, its getting a little more tech, but still lacks that final polishing it needs to be a "perfect" rosetta.

You'll notice on most, there is a scarrish line near the end of the draw through.

I think I'm making too thin and dribbly a stream, and I just need to make a clean even line through it, one smooth clean draw through.

No shakey shakey.

Especially not this Saturday.

Anyways, it's improving, so thats the best thing.

Multiple 12oz rosetta pours.....

And these are some photos of what I consider my best 2oz macchiato pour ever.

I'm really happy I got a photo of it.

As well as a couple of nice shots I pulled in practice.

the things that make a house a home

This is a board that Albert made

Annie and I bought this at Value Village for a dollar

This is the new bed I bought for Annie


This is a calendar of cats in historic regal clothing

This was a thing I made for Annie one valentines day

Niall made this and gave it to us because he's so kind

Annie and I bought these at Value Village, Owls are so interesting

Thats a board Bobby Puleo painted, and a picture of a very alert siamese cat Dennis and Claire gave us


Thats a bunch of Annies weird stuff


Thats some birds that hang on the wall over our bed, our curtains match the birds

A board Todd Bratrud painted

We just got that owl at Value Village last week, and then I gave those wooden carvings to Annie for Xmas cuz we can't have a real bulldog

But we can have a real bullcat

Namaste.

Ok, so LOST last night?
I know everybody reading this watched it, its a prerequisite for our friendship.
Kind of kidding.

I am so depressed by how it ended.
Its totally a finale episode tactic to make us so depressed, that we will have to see what happens next season, and continue to be fans.

My theories are that the funeral was for Sawyer.
When asked if he was friend of family, Jack responded "neither"
Gotta be Sawyer, right?

I also just realized the possibility that the flashes of the future occuring during the entire episode where not what we would so easily assume them to be, rather that they could very well be Desmonds flashes?
We were all so stunned that it was a flashforward, as though we had never seen one before, but for the last 6 episodes or so, we have been bombarded with Desmonds "flashes" forward.
Just a thought.

It was rad to have a whole bunch of us buds all together for the final episode.
I'm glad we were all there!
Thanks dudes.

So today Annie and I went for a bikeride downtown to have some frozen yogurt, and go check out Livestock in their newly opened Toronto spot.
I'm really glad to see Livestock here in Toronto now.
The store is really nice looking, it's bright and clean.
I dont like when stores are really dark and emotional, it just makes it suck for shopping in.
I feel like a phoney celebrity in places like that, like Im just so cool, I need the lights dim, and all the pretty things spotlighted for me.
What a fucking insult.

Then we biked back home, and stopped in at Terroni for a quick pizza and a glass of Pino Negre.
I think I spent all day hippie speedballin in all forms.
I'm officially a master.
And I'm even listening to Tom Petty.
How HS is that!

Its so hippie speedball that Annie and I got a harmonica today.
So expect lots of annoying amateur harmonica solos at every bbq this summer.

Alright, Im gonna head down to the shop again for some practice.
Got the camera back, so new pics tonight I think.

jeepers creepers

Good ol' Rob Pontiac, with a Grand Prix of a 360 flip down that double set at The Rail(aka worst name ever).

Rob, your hair is starting to make you look very Nordic.

You should attach your trucks to a flying V, and wear a tusked helmet.

vino

If anybody is interested, and has a passion for wine, a customer of mine mentioned he was looking to hire a server, at an upscale wine bar where he happens to work.
Need money? Lots of it?
Upscale and Wine are 2 great things to include in your search criterea.

I may actually take the job myself, if it's only a couple shifts a week.
I can't say I have extensive wine knowledge, however, I know about flavour profiles, which could easily be paralleled with coffee.
Im a quick learner, I like wine, and I can serve customers like a champ.

It could just be way more than I am capable of though.
On top of working fulltime as it is, I would have to learn soooo much about wine, work late, and travel to the other end of the city.

We shall see.

Toronto Bullshit Society

Skated yesterday with Rob and Will of the Alcatraz camp, over at the newly reopened Dundas and Bathurst park.

It's an OK park.
OK, in fact that the only good thing about it is the smooth ground, which upon re-evaluation, I don't like as much as porous cement.
The smooth shit is just TOO smooth, feels unstable.

Saw some dudes I haven't seen in a while.
Saw some dudes I intentionally haven't seen in a while.
I don't think skate parks are the best place for me to go skate.
There are always people there who I don't wanna see, and just being around them makes me feel sick.
Even more so when they live in my neighborhood.

In other bummer news, Adrift skateshop officially kicked off the best guy on their team.
The week after he came home from an adventure in Asia.
Too bad for Che.

I wonder if they're gonna replace him with Lupe Fiasco?
Or maybe with another wall of limited edition t's?

The status of skateboarding in Toronto is pretty weak.
There isn't one good skateshop that can keep on top of their shit.
I went out a couple weeks ago totry and buy a board, and I couldnt even spend the $100 bucks in my wallet.
Everybody is out of stock, or only carries kiddy shit, or is closed mondays, or sells BMX bikes.

Whatevs.

Yah, so then Rob, Will, and I toured over to Chippy's for some fries.
Smoked some dirt in the park, had a bulldog come over for a toke, it was pretty awesome.
I'm all about Trinity Bellwoods these days.
Its such a mellow park.
Really clean, nice people, you could chill all day, no hassles. Its a rad park.

I wrote some funny things on the fry container, and put in on top of the garbage in the can, so somebody else could see it, and get a laugh.

Go to Chippy's and eat fries.
The guy working the deep fryer yesterday was the best person I have seen in a while.
He was living a metalhead fantasy.
I noticed him instantly. Goat Horn meshback, long hair, gigantic boils on his skin and face, clothes spotted with grease, awesome set of teeth, rocking out to speed metal.
He's wanted to work a fry machine since before Beavis and Butthead made it even cooler.
I know it.

Kitty Don't!!!

I dont wanna brag or nuthin, but I poured some pretty bitchin stuff today, latte art was very focused today, many rosettas, gotta practice getting perfect symmetry, and dark contrast against sharp clean velvety milk!!!!

Sugary Foods!!!! Salty Foods!!!

Too bad Annie has the camera!!
How am I gonna brag!!!
I need my boast!!
Boast or Bust!

Oh yah, and thanks to Chelsea for the potluck dinner.
I met the female version of me tonight at the dinner, and it was totally crazy.
And her boyfriend, whom I've never met, or seen in the shop, came in today to get a coffee, and I recognized him at the dinner!!! Universe is working in strange ways maaaaannnnnnnn!!!!
She works at a coffee shop, and does some baking.
She rides a road bike, me too.
She was wearing a plaid shirt, same here.
If my hair was long, it would have been similar to the hair she had. Not AS curly though.

She works at Jet Fuel over on Parliament.
I went there once with Chris.
I didn't really like it in there, but I didn't really dislike it either.
It was a balance of discomfort, and being fine.
Coffee was alright.
I'd like to try coffee from everybody at every shop to decide where I can go consistently.
Even though I know it's Mercury.
The hunt is fun.

uh oh BBQ!

Pics from a BBQ at Nick and Michee's new house!

Virgil, you homo.

coming back from the grocery store....

Start your day off by witnessing a man on a bicycle lapse into a severe epileptic seizure in front of your house, fall off the bike into your fence, start drooling blood, and convulsing.
I promise, it's very intense, and nothing else through the course of the day will phase you.

harsh, I guess?

Today was a good one, full of spontaneous action.

Went for lunch at the Golden Turtle, and despite claims that they serve up the best bowl of pho in the city, I will have to say that they don't.
Good, but not the best. They get points for broth clarity, but it doesn't cover the fact that there is a better contender for "Toronto's best".
Pho Asia 21 all the way.
It's close to home.
It's affordable.
It's fucking delicious.
102 Large.
100% of the time, its good every time.

Then Dennis and and I went to Ideal just up the street, to grab a coffee.
I don't even think I can give them a fair criticism.

* Edited for non-confrontationalism*

And to put this thing to rest, what the fuck is with being a hippie shop, in kensington, blabbing about organic/fair trade, and serving your to go coffees in Styrofoam!!!

It's harsh, I know, but it has to be said.
If nobody was honest, we'd all suck at what we do.

So after that, I was gonna bike up to Zucc's for the competition meeting, but I thought I'd call Matt and ask if it was Davenport or Dupont, and he was apparently a block away from me, so rather than bike my ass up there, Matt was ever so kind to lend a seat in his car to myself, as well as Miss Amber Roga, of various establishments in this fine city.
(Edward would have worded such a phrase less eloquently, I believe*)
Showed up in a France jersey, because of course I don't think with enough foresight to consider that an Italian business, in a Portuguese neighborhood may not be welcoming of the golden cock.
No troubles though.

Then we zipped downtown and caught newly opened http://www.justuscoffee.com/ on Queen at Portland, just in time for closing.
Aw well, another day.

So after all that, I witnessed a scenario at the Queen Bathurst streetcar stop, which involved a drunken man, his woman, and their giant dog, mouthing off at the shop owner of the smoke shop with the cigar Indian, who was wielding an extendabat, shouting wildly, with the legs of his pants torn to shreds, in what was apparently a scuffle turned dog attack, turned knife threat, turned cigar indian vandalism, turned police interference, turned arrest.
Intense.

Then I did some shit, and wrote this, and now its time to do the initial half of the namesake of this blog.


Jah Jah.

d'art

Went into the shop the other night to get some practice for the upcoming latte art showdown.
Im still struggling with getting perfect rosettas, but I suppose these things don't happen overnight.

I went in again tonight and put in a couple hours, got some more decent pics, nothing I was too excited about.
One really nice macchiato though.
I'll post em soon.

New shit

So Ben, Nick and Nick found this little gem, somewhere in the east end of the city.

Now somebody needs to do this.

Into this.

Yes, Rob Piontek now skates for the official Canadian adidas direct team.

Congrats Golden Boy.

Got Cahones for this spot?

serpentcat

AHAHAHA I just realized that Gary looks like a serpent when he is standing up!!
Look at photos 2 and 3 and tell me his long body and snakey eyes don't make you think he's a brown serpent.

hisssssssssss

Dancing Bear

If you've ever had the blessing of seeing this in person, you know what a rare and adorable treat it is.

A 25lb cat stands completely upright, while gorging his face into a can of chicken feast.
Avg. time : 15seconds - 60seconds.






Apologies for the no pants shots, these sorta thing are very spur of the moment, and must not be compromised by shame.

Busy

So much shit on my plate today.
Ok, well it's not all "shit".

Today is the 4th anniversary for Annie and I.

Im gonna go get a massage, or see a chiropractor I hope.

Annie and I are gonna go out for a nice dinner.

Gary just meowed at me.

Im gonna deposit a cheque.

Might go buy a gift for Annie, which is in turn a gift for myself(no nothing gross).

The shit that sucks is.

I have to pay a lot of money for the gift.

People tipped really shitty at work today, despite being an insanely busy day, aww poor babies angry cuz they have to WAIT for good coffee. Duh, whaddya thinks gonna happen when you walk into a 200sq foot store that has 25 people shoulder to shoulder?

Talked to the bank today, they told me the $760 I deposited to pay off my Mastercard balance of $758.13 accidentaly went to my chequing account, and that's why I now have a new bill with an accrued interest of $18.51. "sorry"

I cut my Mastercard into as many miniature pieces as possible in an aggressive fit of rage.

Im running low on weed.

Fuck, I dont even wanna go on, the cons will start to outweigh the pros, and I'll ride my bike off a bridge.

One free coffee to whoever gets this one first.

Whodis?

Support group round 1

First ever Toronto Barista support group went down at SweatBet t'other night.
I think maybe some dudes didnt "get the memo", cuz out of the supposed bunch of us there were supposed to be, only Liz, Amber, Nicky Brown, Matt Lee, and mineself showed up.
All good though, we got good and drunk, talked mad shit, had some silly bike mishaps, and got some great coffee, care of Matt and Intelligenstia.
That IMV is fucking incredible!~!
Good thing Nick and I didn't lose it on the bike ride home. Just on my kitchen floor, in the Gary fur jungle.

Jesus though, I've never had so much great coffee, as I have over the past week/s.
With Matt coming through on the Intelly, Annie bringing me some of Novo's great Panama from her Vancouver trip, and Nicky bringing back some Novo Yirgecheffe from Grumpy(NYC), which by the way is the champion of blueberry.
Such great coffee.
And it doesnt even have rocks or finishing nails in it!!!
Much lighter than anything else available in this dark obsessed city, cough cough*

Im gonna miss it when its all gone.

Im also gonna miss Niall and Lukas!
Those dudes (www.shedoesntloveyouanymore.com) had their final Toronto show last night, and of course all were in attendance.
When you're as awesome at being a rad dude, as you are at your artwork, you can guarantee a good turnout.
Good luck bros, NYC and Van await.

OK, off to work now.
New photos soon.

The psycho I banned

Way to ruin my shift, jerk

Day Off, Coffee Scoff.

So its my day off, lovely Thursday.
Sleep in til' 11:30.

I decided in the shower that I would go deposit my paycheque, and while I was at the bank, I would finally go check out the new Balzacs cafe in Liberty Village.

Last week Young Chow and I went on a late night psychebike mission to the 24hour Dominion to get some premium icecream and snacks.
On the way back I stopped and took a look into the closed Balzacs cafe, and was actually impressed by how it looked inside. I promised myself I would go for a coffee the next day off.
Pretty fuckin sweet floors I gotta say.

Im gonna go back and get some photos, and get a coffee when there is a good barista working, although, from the quality of what I got today, and the Mahlkoning autogrinder, I suspect that such a barista may not exist at this shop, but who knows?

Anyways, yah, so my cappuccino today was not so great, I think the girl behind the machine just started working there, and hasn't yet finished training. By a "double" for my capp, I didn't mean 2 double baskets.
I got like 4 ounces of blonde espresso, and from at least 12 ounces of fresh Harmony organic homo milk, about 2 ounces of spooned out bubbly foam standing tall above the cup like an abstract sculpture.
Thats a whole lotta excellent milk, to be just wasting for a spoonful of bad foam.
Poor cows.

Seriously though, why would any place that roasts its own, has multiple locations, is conscious of aesthetic, and uses (very expensive) organic milk, have 1 person working the bar, who clearly has not been trained on how to properly, and effciently make coffee.
No diss to the girl, she's only doing as much as she knows.
I get the feeling a lot of coffee shops are started up not out of a love for coffee, but a lust for money, and a belief that the equipment will just work itself, without hiring a consultant to train their staff, and explain why it is they should be doing what they are doing.

All I hear is birdies "cheap cheap cheap"

Aww, who am I to whine about not being able to get a good coffee wherever I go.
I don't think I would consult anyways, it's kind of like selling your soul, selling all the knowledge you've worked so hard to obtain and experience, to some swine that just wants a piece of the pie, without having to get his/her hands dirty behind a machine.
Those places go out of business anyways, and then they blame you for poor consultation.
You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink.

Ok, thats all today.

Garrisummmmm

The other day a customer piped up about how much she loved the song playing in the store at that very moment.

It was that "do you realize.....that you have the most...beautiful face in the world.." song.

For some reason I can't quite remember what the band is called, but they must not be very good if I cant remember their name.

The guy has kind of a sissy voice.

Anyways, I piped back with how I also like the song, but its because I like to sing it to my cat, to which she almost spat out her coffee in laughter.

Now whenever she comes in, she is sort of laughing at me, and I think its because she still finds it funny.

Enough lady.

Not funny anymore.

Not even really funny to begin with.

Its just true.

I sing it cuz its true.

Garrison does have the most beautiful face in the world.

He's such a handsome cat, I think he should do films.

El Posto Numero Uno

The Life of Samuel James, in blog form will now be available on this page.

Stay tuned for hits and misses, stories and glory, coffee and lefthanded cigarettes, cats, food, shortboarding and so on.

Welcome.