And...We're Back.

Whoa. By the looks of this, it has been quite some time since I last posted on this blog! For that I do apologize. However my excuse for my absence is encapsulated in one name: Liam. Liam is my son, who many of my Facebook and Instagram followers are more than familiar with due to my incessant posts of his antics. Now regarding my lack of posts: there is a direct correlation between the frequency of my blog posts and my overall hours of consecutive sleep (4 hours of consecutive sleep is very much different than 4 hours of sleep interrupted every 45 minutes by a screaming child. This is real, people). Let me show you how this works and how it will continue to work in a very simple equation:

Consecutive Hours of Sleep ∝ Frequency of Blog Posts.

So there you have it, folks. The more I sleep, the more I write. That being said, I better start writing while this little monster of a kid is still asleep.

Hours of this...

...is made up when I see 5 minutes of this. Kinda.

A Tour De Roast: Behind the Scenes at Caffe Luxxe

It's not everyday that you receive an email from a coffee shop owner who read your blog and invites you for a private tour of their roasting facility. Let me back up a little bit...

Back in April this year I went on one of my coffee shop visits at Caffe Luxxe in Brentwood, CA. Like I do with all my coffee outings, I wrote about it on this blog. It was about a couple days after I wrote my post that I received a message in my inbox from a gentleman named Gary Chau, Co-owner/Creative Director of Caffe Luxxe, explaining how he had enjoyed reading my review of their shop and my other posts as well (which, in and of itself, was exciting to hear). That being said, Gary was nice enough to extend an invitation to me and a couple of my friends to visit the headquarters/roasting facility of Caffe Luxxe. Honored and excited, I jumped at the opportunity to take Gary up on that offer, thus leading me to one of the most exciting coffee experiences I've ever had to date.

Driving to Gardena with my brother and meeting my good friend Terry at the roasting site, we all had been very excited to be able to meet the creative entrepreneurs behind the coffee that we had grown to appreciate so much. Terry had been a long time Luxxe fan (and the person who turned me on to checking out Caffe Luxxe to start) and my brother is a math and science brain who enjoys the math behind the coffee cup, probably more than he likes coffee itself. We walked into the doors of the facility and was greeted by the co-owner Gary.

We walked into their barista training area and were served amazingly creamy, dark chocolaty cappuccinos by Gary. My brother Joey was welcomed as he sat down by Caffe Luxxe's fluffy mascot, Sammy, who warmed his side as we sat down and just talked coffee. Gary introduced us to the other Co-Owner of Caffe Luxxe, Mark Waine, and together we sat and talked about life and some coffee (see how I did that...that's the name of my blog...never mind). I say that tongue in cheek, however it really was the nature of our conversation. Mark talked of his previous work at Microsoft and Gary's work in marketing for Bacardi and how their experiences during those times led them to where there are now at Luxxe. The conversations were so candid and free flowing that this hardly felt like a tour as it did a meet up between friends over coffee.

So now, I see this post going in two different ways. Either...

1) I tell you exactly the nature of our conversations, talking about their roaster, boring you with coffee nerd details and leaving you with a sense of, 'oh, that was nice,'
or
2) Tell you about Gary and Mark.

Let me tell you about Gary and Mark.

Gary explains the science mechanics behind the roaster.

The fact that I was invited for a private tour can give you an idea on the type of owners Gary and Mark are. They care. They care about their product, their customers, and their business as a whole. I can't look over (and I realize that I keep coming back to this point) the fact that these busy people were so personable and took time to make me and my friends coffee and just sit and talk with them at their roasting facility. Everything from coffee, business, life; all subjects were on the table and with such smooth candor. I've been to many shops, talked to many shop owners, and have met some very nice guys, however these guys definitely took the cake in 1-1 interactions with their customers. It was such a refreshing experience.

While being very nice owners, I realize that being nice can only get you so far, particularly in the business world. Particularly in food service business world. Particularly in the food service business world that is currently undergoing one of the worst economic times since the Great Depression. All of that being said, Mark and Gary of Caffe Luxxe know what works in this business. They've been doing speciality coffee here in Los Angeles before Intelligentsia opened in LA and have had to work from the ground up in educating the community (and even their own baristas when they opened) in what specialty coffee is all about. "We actually preferred people with no previous barista experience back then because they were more difficult to retrain," explained Gary. This segued into their explanation of their 6 month internship process that they have their employees go through before they even get behind the espresso machine. One thing after another, a common thread was evident in the explanation of their best practices....professionalism. One of the things I enjoyed most about this conversation with Mark and Gary was how professional they are in their business yet still be user friendly, so to speak. They have found that fine balance between customer satisfaction and maintaing their high standards for coffee without the pretentiousness that many shops have poisoned themselves with. They give quality coffee without any trendy strings attached.

The last thing I want to mention of what I appreciated about this experience was how much goes into the ambiance of their shops.They realize that coffee drinkers, especially in the LA areas where their shops are located, care about not just coffee, but the ambiance. As mentioned in my review of their shop, Caffe Luxxe definitely has that Italian caffe feel that makes Luxxe a desirable place to meet up with a friend, enjoy the weather, and unwind from the busyness of life. It was something that Gary was very passionate about, as he explained his fond memories of the European coffee shops he had visited in the past. "I really want this to be a place where you can meet up with a friend during the day and have a cup of artisanal coffee."

ALL of this can be summarized with this: I truly have much respect for both Gary and Mark. These guys are both coffee lovers and smart businessmen who know what it takes to not only survive in a not-so-good economy, but to thrive and still enjoy what they do. "I get to do this everyday," was what Mark said as he showed us their coffee roaster with a smile that read of contentment and satisfaction. Everything from customer relations to best business practices these gentlemen have down and are always striving to improve on.

All of this, and a parting gift of a bag of Testa Rosa. Thank you Mark and Gary.

Joey, Terry and I walked out the doors of the roasting site and looked at each other in this awkward silent giddiness, as if we had just walked out of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. "How do we explain this visit to our friends, they're not gonna understand how awesome this was!" It's true. Since this visit I've explained it to some of my friends who enjoy coffee but they really didn't understand what made this tour so interesting. It was even hard for me to put my finger on it. Looking back, what made this visit so memorable to all of us (again, repeat from what was said earlier) was how decent and pleasant Mark and Gary were.  It all really comes back to that.

I've already told you how much I enjoyed going to Caffe Luxxe in a previous post, but if you still haven't had the privilege of visiting this shop, you owe it to yourself to head on over. You won't be disappointed.

The Breast Milk Cappuccino: The Good and Bad Decisions of Early Fatherhood

As many of you may know (at least my close friends and family who read my blog) I am a day shy of being a week-old dad today. My boy, Liam, is one of the most handsome individuals I've ever met, and I'm not just saying that because he's my son. Liam is awesome and so is my wife/producer-of-this-boy Correne.

One of the first things that went through my mind as my wife and I discussed our desire to breastfeed our child was this: making a breast milk latte. Why? Why not was my bigger question. And now, I have tried it and have important news to relay to those wanting to try one: don't. It's disgusting and tastes like a million different things that you've never wanted to taste before. Let me explain the pros and cons.

1) Consistency is not there. In order to obtain the amount of breast milk needed for a cappuccino requires multiple pumps, which then makes for multiple possibilities of tastes in the breast milk. From what I've read on breast milk, it tastes like what momma has had to eat or drink before. If she had something sweet, the milk would take on that sweetness, and so on and so forth with different foods and drinks. Three different types of milks pumped at three different times means putting together milk that is destined to taste funky.

2) Milk fat is all over the place. Again, this has to do with consistency, as some milks were higher in fat content than others. While texturing the milk, it reminded me of texturing soy or almond milk (meaning watery and not fatty for a good cap).

3) It's breast milk. It's disgusting and should not have been done. Breast milk is for the baby and has all the nutrients that the baby needs. It is not for making espresso based drinks. Trust me. Please. 

I'd like to think that fatherhood as all about making good choices and learning from the bad. I'd like to think of this as one of my first bad choices. However, I've learned my lesson and now am passing this wisdom back to you. Do not try this (as if you were even thinking about it...I know some of you were thinking about it, cough, cough, Andrew Gomez).

Yes, this was documented on video; in all it's wondrous glory. Check it out here

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).

Best Compliment to a Good Cup of Coffee

Well not really. This is just what happens when you grab what you think is a breakfast bar, only to find out it's filled to the brim with prenatal goodness. By the way, it tasted like peanut butter flavored chalk. Men: stay away; I've taken one for the team to report this back to you. You're welcome.

today's bible reading:
1 Samuel 28 (I always wondered if Star Wars got the name for the Ewok home, Endor, from this passage...hmm)

This is my wife. And I love her.

"I'm glad you have this outlet now! Now you can tell other people about your coffee stuff, and not just me."- My Wife (not a coffee lover)

I love this woman and her honesty. Honesty is one of those things that seems to be less and less prevalent these days. I am glad that, when others may just try to be nice with their answers, I know I can always get a straight answer out of this beautifully pregnant woman.

"The wounds of a friend are better than the kisses of an enemy"
Proverbs 27:6

Glad I get both wounds and kisses from this lady.

Do you have a friend or spouse that has a hobby you can care less about, yet still support? Careful when answering that questions,  please (unless you're okay with sleeping in the garage this week...it's been cold out lately).

"You know what, you should just start a blog about all the coffee shops you've been to and just...I dunno, talk about them"

-Jessie Quintana

So that's what I plan on doing.

I guess after I was told this by a good friend of mine today at church, I realized that, 'Yeah! I should totally sit in front of a computer and type out my coffee nonsense for the heck of it.' Just for good measure I also ran it by my wife and she gave me the thumbs up for it too, which is typically how I make many of my decisions. Some people have a Magic 8 Ball; I have my wife.

Some people watch sports as a hobby. I make latte art.

I enjoy a good cup of coffee. I really do. Probably more than your average coffee drinker does. Definitely more than your Folger's coffee drinker does. I think it was about a year and half ago that I started really enjoying coffee. I'm not going to sit here and make you think I'm some kind of coffee expert that's been drinking coffee since before it was cool. I haven't. You want to know why I started drinking coffee? It started with this song. Some guy talking to a girl about getting some coffee together late at night.  I remember telling my wife, "I really wish I liked coffee, so we could be cool and go hang out at coffee shops after dinner and stuff."

Long story short, I started drinking coffee, which was much to my wife's grief (I'll explain later, or maybe after I start blogging enough, you'll wish I hadn't had the stuff and just stopped blogging). And I didn't drink just coffee. I started drinking Portola coffee (I'll do a post about this place in future posts, as well as many others). It was the first coffee experience I had. The place was brand new and had just opened about a week prior. We walked into this totally hipster looking place after dinner and ordered from some menu that had all these descriptions of coffee like "berry mouthfeel, honeysuckle finish" and "fruity, blood orange, snozzberry." I was like, "Dude, fruit flavored coffee sounds awesome! This is gonna be rad!" I was handed my hand crafted cup and as I reached for the sugar by the coffee lids the barista asked me, before I tainted it with additives,  to try the coffee black. So I did. I did it and gave one of my weird halfway smiles; one of those I-just-gotta-make-it-look-like-I-really-like-this-stuff kind of face to the barista. I told her, "Oh yeah! This tastes fantastic!"when in reality, I was as ready as ever to head over to the counter and drown that sucker with sugar.

However, that first coffee experience somehow led to a second. Which led to a third, and then a fourth, and so on and so forth (which, in fact, is also how most drug addictions start; just thought I'd throw in that fun fact). Now it's probably just annoying to my friends, as I describe some coffees as having 'such fruity notes and creamy mouth feels and blah blah blah blah blah,' and Instagram my latest latte artwork that I'm trying to improve on. Regardless, over the past year and a half I've grown to develop quite the affection toward the brewed beverage and, as mentioned before, intend on talking about it here in this safe place. It's safe because this blog has the word "coffee" in it. It makes it okay. And the fact that I could very easily disable any comments on this blog if I received any negative feedback, which would, in turn, make this blog an unsafe place for me to rant (I joke... I do not intend on doing that).

Speaking of intentions, I'd like to forewarn you that I did not just want to make this a blog about coffee. The reason being is that I, personally, would be bored if I just talked about coffee. I feel that most people who are interested in something aren't just interested in one single thing. We are unique people who are multi-faceted. I'm not just a coffee drinker, I'm a husband. I'm a brother. I'm a friend, a son, and a soon to be father. I'm a musician, I'm a hard worker and most importantly to me, I'm a child of the Living God. I sound like I'm typing out some kind of resume, but all that is to say that we're so much more than just one type of person and I'd be a liar if I told you my life revolves around just coffee. It doesn't. However I  do hope to have discussions with anyone who reads this blog regarding the variety of topics I blog about. I will say a lot of them will be about coffee, while others may be about my cat, or whatever. I called this blog "Life & Some Coffee" because I intend on talking about just that; life. And also about coffee.