A Morning Well Spent

Morning routines, for many, are more than just routines. My morning starts with my alarm clock going off. Per my usual custom, I snooze it. Four snoozes later, in some sort of zombie like daze, I get up and head over to my coffee bar, grab my espresso machine or brewer of choice and start making my beverage. More importantly than that, my morning routine doesn't just end with me making a cup of coffee and enjoying it like some '90's Folger's commercial. Coffee's great and I enjoy it more than your typical person would, however if my morning routine ended there I would be doing myself a disservice.

With my coffee in hand I then proceed to open up my Bible and study it. Now I don't want to paint this saintly picture of myself reading my Bible with a shiny halo hovering around my head. It's not like that. Imagine for a second: a gaunt man; a weary traveler, exhausted and weathered from the heat of the day. He stands with eyes shutting and head nodding off in and out of conciousness. Catching himself in misteps, he finds himself at a small house, dimly lit by a warm crackling fire. Wondering if this is real, he hobbles toward the door and knock as it swings opens, though it were inviting him in. He sits at a table, hovering over a warm meal somehow already prepared for him; a meal that once eaten would supply nourishment and vitality but if refused would mean starvation and ultimately death. That is who I am. I read my Bible out of necessity. The words out of that book are more than just stories, it's vitality. It has promises of a better life, both here in this world and afterward. It has the ability to change a ruthless murderer into an absolute lover of persons. It's a book whose writers, when faced with torturous death for their belief in it and were given an out for just admitting it was not true, could not deny the truth that was written in it's pages. I could go on at length about the effects it's had on me personally and many others, however I know that unless the cynic actually digs deep into this book they would not believe in it's potential.

Where am I going with this on my coffee blog? I'm wrapping it up now (by the way, remember that this blog is about LIFE and coffee. This is the life portion).

Here's what I'm getting at: set your priorities (I say this as a challenge to myself as well). Enjoy the things of life, but don't make them your everything. I love coffee but if that's where my morning time and efforts ended I'd be missing out on what life is truly meant for (and this goes for any hobby or interest, no matter what time of day). Put your stake in something that will last long beyond the coffee buzz or whatever your thing is. Invest your time in relationships. If you don't know where to start here's a quick hierarchal scale for you to try out:

1. First and foremost work on that relationship with the God who made you and who loves you, despite all your shortcomings. Spend the morning cultivating that relationship, as I see this as the most precious and deepest relationship you'll ever have. 
2. Then invest that time with your loved ones. Be it your spouse, your kids, your family and friends, invest that time together with them rather than just on yourself. 
3. Last but not least is to spend your time on others you don't know. Now this is hard for me to write, because I'm selfish and guilty of not doing this. However, having a heart for the sick, the poor, and the destitute is what we should be about. Help others around you. Look for opportunities to love on the unlovables.

Alright, I'm done with this rant. I've spoken my mind. Enjoy you're coffee; make it good. Make your day count with the ones you love and, most importantly, with the One who loves you beyond your understanding. Any questions? Throw 'em in the comments bellow below (thanks for the typo correction, Cor haha).

3rd Times a Charm: Handsome Coffee Roasters

It was only 1:30pm, and the wife was still at her baby shower until 3pm. Caffe Luxxe was great, but we had to do it. We had no choice but to go to another coffee shop.

Handsome Coffee Roasters:
This was not my first time at Handsome and, once again in total honesty, I had mixed feelings about this place from previous visits. Each time I had come I was "greeted" by less than friendly individuals, however I wanted my buddy to experience the snobbery as well, just for kicks. Thankfully, today was a  completely different experience.

Ambiance:

After crossing over the 6th Street bridge, into LA's Skid Row and past the abandoned warehouses, you'll find yourself in the middle of nowhere. Once you think you're lost, look to your right on Mateo and there you'll find Handsome Coffee Roaster. This shop is in the middle of nowhere. The only reason for you to be in this area is for coffee from Handsome. Once you get over the exterior ambiance (or lack thereof) you walk into a very well furnished used-to-be-abondoned-warehouse-turned-coffee-shop. It's actually quite nice inside. Very modern, very clean. There is ample seating to the right, seats at the bar towards the wall, and seats up at the counter as well. Their large roaster is showcased in the back behind the glass, in all its glory. It's a pretty darn good looking shop inside.

The Coffee:
As you approach the often busy counter, you'll notice the menu. It's short and sweet (unlike my blog posts). It's espresso, espresso with milk, and coffee. That's it (well, you might be able to swing an iced coffee or iced latte, but that's a bit off the menu). I warn you before hand that this is indeed a coffee shop. Not a tea shop. Not a hot chocolate shop. Strictly coffee, and that's okay as long as you know before hand, unlike my beautiful wife who assumed they would have something for the non coffee drinker like herself. That was a different visit with a different experience. Needless to say, their coffee is great. I've had their espresso with milk before (by the way, that's just a simple way of saying macchiato, cappuccino, and latte) and was happy with it. Today I had their Rwanda drip coffee, which was very nice.

But let's back up real quick.

The coffee snob may grimace at the thought of speciality coffee being served in a drip percolator. In fact, this was my rationale for sticking to their espresso menu in past visits. I couldn't figure out why the heck artissan coffee was served in such a non-artissan brew method. So today I asked why they do what they do for their drip coffee as opposed to manual brewed coffee? The answer given to me by the barista was pretty simple; it tastes good. A more detailed answer followed as he explained how meticulous they are with their Fetco Luxus, as it's on a 20 minute timer and that once the buzzer goes off, they start brewing a new batch of coffee to consistently serve fresh coffee. Also, he explained the shower head inside the brewer pulses, which allows the coffee time to bloom (see step 5 in this post if you don't know what that means). Just for good measure, Handsome even measures the TDS (total dissolved solids) in their brewed coffees to ensure each brew is up to their preferred standards (in brief, TDS can give you an indicator how "strong" your coffee is). These guys even have a refractometer on hand to measure TDS and everything, which is pretty rad. In the end, the coffee they served from their drip machine was good. I can't complain. My Rwanda was bright and floral while my buddy's Columbia was complex and flavorful. Handsome has their bases covered when it comes to their brewed coffee.

The Verdict:
Handsome Coffee Roasters is becoming one of LA's best known spots for specialty coffee. Their simplicity in coffee offerings show that they really want to identify themselves as a coffee shop; not a cafe that sells chai tea and vanilla lattes. If you check out their feedback on Yelp you'll see they tend to take flack from those who want them to be an internet cafe a la Starbucks and they never will be like that. Their fair warning is often times exemplified in their location. They aren't easily accessible. They aren't in an area where people can come and just casually stroll by and assume this is just another coffee shop. You have to seek this place out and know that this place sells good coffee. Once you get there, you have only a few options of types of brewed coffee with only whole milk as your option for your espresso based drinks. Some may see this as being snobbish by not catering to other people's likes, but nobody every complains that In N Out doesn't serve hot dogs or that their menu only consists of 3 items either. That's just what they do, and I respect them for that. Keep it simple.

Now as as I mentioned right in the beginning I have not always had such a fond perspective on this shop. In fact the first two times that I stopped by this shop were less than pleasant. For some reason, I don't know if it was just because they were busy or something, I felt that the Yelp reviews were accurate as they described some of the staff as being rude and impersonal. I definitely agreed. In fact, as I mentioned in the beginning, I wanted to take my buddy here to show him how rude coffee snobs can be.

But

I'm so thankful that this time was a new day and a new experience. I had a great discussion with various staff members about nerdy coffee science, asked them about themselves and their involvement in the coffee world, asked where they were from, and talked coffee with them. It was great and each of the baristas were personable. I kid you not, I don't think I've had a more interesting coffee dialogue with baristas at a shop as I have at Handsome.

I think that this experience reminded me of 2nd chances...and even 3rd chances. I think I've told people before that I feel more likely to give people seconds chances simply because I've been given 2nd chances (and 3rd, and 4th, and 5th...). I feel that I don't really have a right to hold issues against people because of the grace I've been given in various situations and times. Yes, we're still talking about coffee here so I'll bring it back by asking you to give the specialty coffee industry another chance if you've had a bad experience. Engage the barista. Talk to them and ask them how their day is going. They love coffee, so ask them about their coffee. Obviously keep in mind the lines and such, but I can almost guarantee you that they'd like to talk more coffee with you after the lines has died down. And I may not be in the right position to say this (shoot, it's my blog I'm doing it), but I do feel a bit compelled to advise you to give people in general a second try. I'm sure you've received second tries and third and maybe even fourth. I think sometimes we all need another try. Right? Okay, I'll stop now. Go drink some good coffee now.

Bringing Dark Roast to Life: Caffe Luxxe

My dad had just gotten back from the local video rental store with a copy of the last installment of the Indiana Jones series Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I had never seen it and the first 10 minutes had me at the edge of my seat. As soon as the action scenes kicked in, my mom came into the living room on that nice summer day telling me, my younger brother, and my dad that the guests would be coming any second and that we had to leave the house now. Apparently, there was a party going on and I wasn't invited. It was my aunt's baby shower and it confounded me why for this particular family gathering I wasn't allowed to be there. What the heck!? The only logical explanation my 6 year old brain could assume was that all the ladies were going to teach the mother-to-be how to shower...thus calling it a baby shower. Even to my 6 year old brain that didn't make sense, but what other explanation could there be to kicking out every male in the household?

I guess, subconsciously or something, ever since I was kicked out of that baby shower, I've made some kind of attempt to stick it back to the ladies by having more fun on my own than the ladies have at baby showers. And what better way to have an amazing time than to take a buddy of mine out coffee shop hopping! And this weekend while my wife was at her baby shower that's just what I did....

Caffe Luxxe:

I've heard nothing but good coming from this place, however I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that they typically roast and serve medium to dark roast coffees. My narrow minded coffee pallet identifies the term "dark roast" with "masking impurities in the coffee" as many bigger commercial coffee shops typically do. Even with those preconceived notions, I decided to see how good this place really was.

Ambiance:

Driving through Brentwood always makes me feel like my Honda Accord is just not good enough. That being said, I parked my dirty car on the street at the metered parking spot and walked up to what felt like a European styled café, furnished with several pieces of outdoor seating. Upon entry, my buddy and I were greeted by the 2 baristas behind the bar. Seating inside was available however minimal, but with the fantastic weather outside it seemed only fitting to find a seat on the patio. To sum it up, Caffe Luxxe felt traditional and sophisticated.

The Coffee:

As I mentioned before, I had my hesitations to this place due to their preference of medium and dark roast coffees, which differ from my usual light roast daily coffees. That being said, Luxxe is not technically an on-site roaster, but the company roasts their own beans at their facility nearby in the LA area and sends their beans off to their various locations. As I deliberated on my choice for coffee, I asked the barista his drink preference. The barista explained that while usually not enjoying cappuccinos Luxxe's cappuccino was his favorite. Naturally I went with his suggestion, feeling that if it's good enough for him then it's good enough for me too. Topped off with a couple of 'Lette macaroons, we received our cappuccinos and had our first sips. Smooth yet rich dark chocolates undertones were apparent paired with our creamy and well textured whole milk. This is how dark roasts are done, people. Very rich and dark without the burnt after taste. The crema was smokey and beautifully contrasted with the microfoam.

The Verdict:

Truth be told, I previously held an uninformed belief that if you roast dark, you're roasting wrong. Caffe Luxxe destroyed that mindset with their carefully roasted coffee offerings. Luxxe definitely sets the standard for what a darker roasted coffee should be like. Rich with a very subtle hint of smokiness to highlight the already flavorful coffee. In addition to having a great product, the staff were very courteous and knew their products. When I asked for his recommendations, the barista didn't dance around the topic telling me what other people like and gave me a straight answer. The other barista on duty was equally as nice, being cordial and genuine in her conversations with my buddy and I regarding coffee. Caffe Luxxe definitely won a spot on my favorite places in LA not only for an awesome cup of coffee, but for an overall great coffee experience. Thumbs up to Caffe Luxxe.

But the day was still young and the caffeine hadn't made me too jittery just yet. Adam and I had plans to keep this party going. What'd we do? Well you'll have to read the next post to find out (spoiler alert: it might have to do with coffee...).