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2011 Canadian Coffee & Tea Show in Vancouver

Raul — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:33:40 +0000

I’m addicted to coffee. And tea. And I blog about both of them quite a lot. So it’s always fun to find out more about local events that promote both delicious drinks. The Canadian Coffee & Tea Show 2011 in Vancouver is taking place this weekend and there is a gazillion fun events that are taking place. This is an action-packed weekend, that’s for sure. And if you are a tea or coffee lover, you will want to participate in the series of events. In this post I’m only focusing on the Tea Sommelier Events.

TEA SOMMELIER EVENTS

Do you think you can be a Tea Sommelier? Blind Tasting Panel
Monday, October 3rd 1pm – 2pm
No Charge

The general public, industry and wine sommeliers are invited to challenge the tasting portion of the Tea Sommelier exam. We put 20 students of tea, tea drinkers, tea lovers and wine sommeliers at a table and challenge them to a tea cupping. Much like a blind wine tasting, panelists must try to name the type of tea, style of tea, country and place of origin from a selection of unmarked teas lined up in front of them.

Tea 101
October 1st and 2nd – 11 am to 3 pm

The first of eight culinary college courses that takes you to professional tea sommelier status is being offered right at the Coffee and Tea show this year. The four week course has been deconstructed into an intensive two days. Led by Toronto’s Shabnam Weber, Tea expert and Tea Association of Canada’s Board Director, the course on its own is an excellent Introduction to Tea and may be used as a credit towards your Tea Sommelier designation at applicable colleges offering the program. (Vancouver, Calgary. Edmonton, Toronto) – Course cost is $399
Details and registration

Tea Sommelier Exam – Challenge
Saturday, October 1st 1pm – 3pm
Vancouver Community College – Room numbers #401, #401 #330
Cost of Exam Waived – Participants must meet criteria (must have been in the tea industry for 2 years)

Tea experts are invited to sit the Tea Sommelier exam at the Coffee and Tea show. For those who have extensive knowledge of tea, flavours and origins and have studied courses, this is a rare opportunity to test their knowledge and if passing, leave with the certified Tea Sommelier designation. Register by contacting Riley Richman, Tea Association of Canada: 416.510.8647 ext #2 or rileyr@tea.ca

More information on the Canadian Coffee & Tea Show website. More information about this wonderful showcase:

The Canadian Coffee & Tea Show is designed to meet the needs of independent coffee & tea retailers, restaurateurs, foodservice operators, chain operators, and buyers. The Show offers an extensive educational program geared for new entrepreneurs, independents and chain operators alike. It also features the country’s largest industry trade show, showcasing products and services from North America and around the world, the Canadian Barista Championship and the second annual Canadian Cup Taster Championship.

LOCATION
VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE – EAST EXHIBIT HALL B
999 Canada Place
Vancouver, B.C. V6C 3C1

National Coffee Day 2011

Raul — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:06:55 +0000

photo credit: >littleyiye<

While I feel incredibly guilty about the fact that the water footprint of coffee is 140 litres of water, I do love my coffee in the morning. I actually refuse to be held accountable for anything I say before I have had my first caffeine intake. It’s the one thing that really launches my morning. And I love having coffee with my friends (just ask my friend Lisa and our love of Take 5 Cafe near my office at The Network Hub). The online buzz is indicating that today is International Coffee Day (or National Coffee Day) which actually does have a Wikipedia entry. I do hope that people will take some time to reflect on the fact that coffee does have a high water footprint and at least drink ethical, fair trade coffee.

Happy National Coffee Day!

The Nabob Coffee Company 115th Anniversary in Vancouver

Raul — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:00:33 +0000

When my Mom and I went to Costco this year to buy coffee, we got Nabob. I have always loved their coffee. Imagine my surprise when I got invited to the celebration of the 115th Anniversary of Nabob Coffee Company in Vancouver. I did NOT realize it was a Vancouver icon!

The first Nabob coffee is created by carefully selecting the world’s highest quality Arabica beans to create a unique blend. Nabob’s coffee history begins with a new product called Tradition. Nabob sources more than 60 percent of its coffee beans from Rainforest AllianceCertified™ farms. These farms have met standards for holistic farm management, which benefit the environment, workers and communities.

Congratulations to Nabob on their 115th Anniversary! I’ll continue to drink their coffee even more so now that I know they are a Vancouver tradition in business!

The rebranding of Take 5 Cafe

Raul — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:15:37 +0000

I have been a fan of Take 5 Cafe for a long, long time. My good friend Lisa Thomas-Tench and I often used to meet there before teaching our Economics and Marketing college-level courses and discuss our teaching strategy. Good times.

I recently found out that Take 5 Cafe had rebranded and expanded, which actually makes me really happy. Take 5 Cafe is one of those local companies that I love and have really provided me with that “safe haven” when I’ve needed to hide and just write (I did just that recently at their Coal Harbour location right after I landed back from Salt Spring Island, having just covered Chefs Across The Water).

Founded by long-time restaurateurs and brothers Dean and Steve Punzo, Take Five Café is also expanding, having opened a café kiosk at Richmond Centre in January and opening a ninth location at the Brewery District re-development in New Westminster this fall.Take Five Café offers fresh Italian-inspired food and coffee. With the first downtown Granville Street location opening in 2003, Take Five Café is expanding to nine locations this year in Metro Vancouver. The European-style coffee houses evolved from the Punzo family’s original business, the fine dining Caffé dé Medici restaurant on Robson Street, a recipient of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America as well as several Wine Spectator Awards. Dean and Steve started working at Caffé de Medici in the early 1980s and took over the business in 1995 when their father retired. Executive Chef at Take Five Café is Aron Zipursky, who was also chef at Caffé dé Medici for the Punzo family

I was also recently sent a basket of goodies from their menu (nom nom nom) that included a bag of Mediterranean coffee, and the following items:

Morning Glory Muffin: low fat muffin with carrots, apples, coconuts and raisins
Cheese Scone: Basic scone recipe with cheddar cheese, chives, onion flakes and fresh red peppers
Italians Only: foccacia bread, sun dried tomato mayonnaise, mixed greens, capicolla, ham, salami, red peppers and Asiago cheese
Chicken Fajita Wrap: salsa wrap, garlic mayonnaise, chicken, mango chutney, sour cream, green onion, cheddar, and romaine lettuce
Chorizo Farfalle: farfalle pasta with Italian sausage, mushroom,, spinach and parmesan cheese tossed in a tomato basil sauce
Pesto Penne with Chicken: Roasted chicken breast, penne pasta and parmesan cheese tossed in a fresh pesto sauce

I’m glad that Take 5 Cafe rebranded with the vibrant red and white contrasting. It’s a really good cafe (if only they opened after 6pm and on weekends!) and you can tell that the staff really absorbs the philosophy of “take 5″. As in, “take 5 minutes of your day and just enjoy your coffee“. I do that frequently. I take the Canada Line to Waterfront, exit through Granville and just sit down and have a coffee and a muffin combo ($3.50). And then I take 5 for myself.

Disclosure: I was sent a bag of goodies and a gift card to sample the Take 5 offerings, some of which I hadn’t sampled before in my visits. This gift basket in no way does influence my views, as I have liked Take 5 (and written about them already) and always pay on my dime whenever I visit. As always, I retain full editorial control of anything I publish on my site.

Caffe Cittadella (Crossroads)

Raul — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:58:45 +0000

I call the area near Broadway and Cambie “Crossroads”. Maybe it’s the improper name. But it’s not the Olympic Village. So technically, it’s a little bit of “no-man’s-land”. Yet it houses some really cool shops, restaurants AND the best hidden gem in regards to coffee shops this side of Take 5 Cafe. Yes, I’m talking about Caffe Cittadella espresso-bar & bistro.

I loved this little coffee shop ever since I walked past it with my friend Erica Hargreave (and once I was there I realized, it’s really not THAT small of a coffee shop). While I didn’t get to try all the extensive menu, I managed to get an iced mocha coffee that tasted like pure glory on a hot afternoon.

I sat with one of my very best friends, AF (who has been my friend through thick and thin, and whom I met WAY before I was ever online), to enjoy a lovely coffee and relax at Caffe Cittadella.

The patio is extremely spacious and is very receptive to all sorts of people. I saw young families with their kids, elderly people, young people, folks from all walks of life. I really love Caffe Cittadella and I will have to bring more friends by and perhaps have lunch here.

The fact that the owner is extremely friendly, the staff is super prompt, the coffee is fantastic AND the decoration is sublime (you should know that Cittadella Caffe is housed in the Shaw House, which received a certificate as designated heritage from the City of Vancouver). I’m totally fascinated and charmed by this wonderful coffee shop.

My good friend AF paid for her and my coffee on her own dime.

Le Marché St. George (Riley Park)

Raul — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:00:46 +0000

I have an obsession with little corner stores, and particularly those that are embedded within the actual neighbourhood. You may have read about my trip to the Cardero Grocery, Cardero Bottega, the Charles Store at Carolina and 12th Avenue corner store and other little stores within the actual neighbourhood. I am fascinated with the economic geography of Mom-and-Pop stores within a neighbourhood.

Le Marché St. George is more closely aligned with that house on 18th Avenue and Columbia Street where there was a little community market. And that’s what drew me to it. Le Marché St. George doesn’t promote itself very much anywhere online, and yet it does enjoy a high reputation.

We are a neighbourhood grocery store and cafe. We specialize in artisan products that are local and selected treasures from around the world

I took my Mom there for a coffee and a chocolate pastry. Admittedly the price of the chocolate croissant was pretty steep compared to other places, but the staff were really nice. The coffee was very tasty and the ambiance resembled a Montmartre Café circa the mid-1990s. Le Marché St. George is located at 4393 St. George at the corner of 28th, and it’s open Mon to Fri 8-6, Saturday 9-6, Sunday 9-5.

Disclosure: I paid for both my Mom and my own coffee and croissant. I wasn’t paid to write this post, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this blog entry is just to share my experience getting to know a lovely neighbourhood joint. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

Moja Coffee Summer Open House (June 18th)

Raul — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:45:38 +0000

My friends Ianiv and Arieanna Schweber love Moja Coffee, a super cute coffee house in North Vancouver, and they love Moja with reason. The baristas are completely adorable and well-versed in the art of coffee-making, the space is beautiful and the coffee is excellent. I was informed that Moja Coffee only does 2 open houses and sales a year, and the Summer Open House is coming right up on June 18th. You can learn more about it on the Facebook event, and while RSVPs would be useful, you can just show up. Also, there’ll be not only $1.00 espressos and $10/pound coffee sales but they’re also giving away gift baskets and prizes.

The Moja Coffee Summer Open House takes place on June 18th from 9 am to 5pm. Moja is located at 1412 Rupert Street, and here’s a handy map for you on Google Maps for the coffee house in North Vancouver, B.C.

Habit Coffee (Victoria, BC)

Raul — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:20:56 +0000

I am trying hard to feature travel-related posts on Tuesdays as it’s Travel Tuesday. So, this time I am featuring a cute cafe that, from what my friend Alexis Hinde tells me, it’s one of the best coffee shops in the Greater Victoria regional district.

The one I visited was Habit Coffee at the Atrium.

Habit was founded on the idea that coffee can be better – not just in terms of a drinkable product, but in terms of every step that coffee takes – from seed to cup. Before building a location, or making a menu, we worked to find partners that share our vision of ethical, responsible, and community-based business practices and a focus on quality in every detail.

We work closely with our roasters, Hines Public Market Coffee, to source the best beans from all over the world. We regularly make trips “to the source”, to visit the communities and regions that produce our beans. We work hard to collect current information, and to share it with those we visit, so that we can foster coffee culture worldwide, promote quality at all levels of production, and collectively figure out ways to make our industry better.

Hines roasts our beans on Granville Island, in Vancouver, using a vintage cast iron 1916 Royal #7 roaster, in a studio that allows for the roasters to carefully monitor every batch without exception. We train our baristas extensively, and we take no shortcuts in preparing our drinks. We believe that coffee isn’t simply about getting a buzz, or enjoying a flavor, we believe it’s about a culture of optimism, exploration, and communication, and we hope you enjoy the fruit of our collective effort. Thank you.

Overall, it was a nice visit as I had an iced Mocha that turned out really well. And it looks like people enjoy working there with their laptops (wifi provided). Good times (and yes I did mention that there’s a Habit Lounge on Main Street).

Juan Valdez Coffee (giveaway)

Raul — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:00:29 +0000

photo credit: yopuz

Caffeine is the fuel of life. Or if not, at least the fuel of MY life. I can’t operate well without my morning coffee. I’m a big fan as well of Colombian coffee, to be quite honest, and I’m more of a fan if it’s grown by small farmers. So I was thrilled to hear that Juan Valdez Coffee was launching in Vancouver. I asked for more information about Juan Valdez Coffee:

In 2002, the FNC established the Juan Valdez Café coffeehouse brand, named after Colombia’s longtime icon and a household name in North America. It wasn’t long before the popularity and demand of the Juan Valdez Coffee brand and coffee beans grew, and a retail brand was created for consumers to enjoy at home. Selected from Colombia’s finest beans, Juan Valdez Coffees contain beans that exceed specific industry standards. This insures that every cup of Juan Valdez coffee consistently delivers great taste, every time.

Juan Valdez represents more than 500,000 coffee-growers. With his trusted friend Conchita always by his side, his mission is to symbolize the proudly kept traditions of those hard working men and women, who pick every bean by hand and are 100% committed to their families, their communities and the environment. Since 1959, Juan has been promoting Colombian coffee all over the world and ensuring that the most discerning consumers can always enjoy a cup of the Richest Coffee in the World.

I’m giving away a Juan Valdez Coffee gift bag, with a coffee cup and coffee for your consumption. And a picture of Juan Valdez himself! To enter my giveaway, tell me how many cups of coffee a day you consume. I used to drink only one cup a day, but after I entered graduate school, coffee and I became best friends. Until I realized how much of a water footprint it had!

For an additional entry (comment on this post counts as one, and a Twitter post counts as an additional one, total of 2) you can post the following on your Twitter timeline.

Told @hummingbird604 how much coffee I drink 2 enter 2 win a Juan Valdez gift bag. How many cups/day do YOU drink? http://bit.ly/jadpGI

I will be drawing a dinner from all entries that accumulate on May 10th at 2pm. Good luck everyone!

The Outpost Cafe (Mount Pleasant/Riley Park)

Raul — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 05:07:50 +0000

Remember that old post where I said that, much as Fraser Street was gentrifying and getting nicer and that we needed more coffee shops on Fraser Street? Well, Katharine (the owner of The Outpost Cafe) was kind enough to read my suggestion and she went ahead and opened a coffee shop (with wifi and all) at Fraser and 24th. Which is something this neighbourhood needed, quite a lot!

The Outpost Cafe is located almost at the corner of 24th and Fraser at 3992 Fraser Street, and is a locally-owned coffee shop, with free wifi, and a fantastic selection of tea. I went there with my good friend Emme Rogers on a walk and we had an opportunity to enjoy a lovely coffee. The peppermint tea was very strong from what Emme tells me and she loved it.

The Outpost Cafe is on Twitter (@TheOutpostCafe) and they also have a website. Kudos to them (please don’t overwhelm them on the first week since they opened only this weekend – I know that many of my readers will be keen to visit them, but please be kind and patient to them).

Everything Cafe (Downtown East Side, Chinatown)

Raul — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:30:32 +0000

A few months back, Lorraine and I went to Everything Cafe, but I never really got to write about it. Overwhelmed as I’ve been in the past few weeks, I took the time that I allocated to social media to write a few blog posts, and one of the posts I thought I had been remiss at publishing was a reference that mentioned Everything Cafe. And the thing is, this cute shop is totally worth walking out of your way.

Equipped with wifi, great coffee and amazing pastries, this Chinatown/DTES coffee shop is shaping to be a great spot where people can do some work, get a good coffee and some good food, and have free complimentary wifi.

Galileo Coffee (Squamish, BC)

Raul — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:45:09 +0000

When I decide to get out of the city, Squamish is usually one of my top go-to destinations. It’s close enough, I have lots of friends who live there (Lisa Thomas-Tench and her husband, Cinci Csere and her husband, and a couple of other friends), and in general I find Squamish cute. But the one thing that totally stands out every time I have driven (or been driven) up there is the coffee shop I had never stopped at.

Until a couple of weeks ago.

Galileo Coffee offers some of the best coffee that I have tasted, and the decor is so cute I can’t stop gloating about it. It’s a great point even for tourists, I think.

Trees Organic Cafe (Gastown)

Raul — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:00:33 +0000

Boasting the title of the cafe with “the best cheesecake in Vancouver), Trees Organic Cafe is a pretty nice coffee shop. I had been a frequent customer of the Granville and West Hastings location, up until when I discovered that there was another location in Gastown (on Water Street). Minna took me there for cheesecake and coffee. We weren’t disappointed.

The cheesecake (and yes, I know – I’m weird – I *hate* cheese but *love* cheesecake) is definitely to-die-for. The decor at Trees Organic Cafe is pretty nice, and I have enjoyed a couple of evenings there just alone (ironically, always bumping into a well-dressed young blond guy who is reading on his iPad). While there is free wifi, I found it spotty and at times I couldn’t connect. Overall, lovely cafe.

The cheesecake, at $6.50 is pretty pricey compared to other places, but definitely must be consumed with gusto. I will definitely come back.

Elysian Coffee (Broadway and Ash)

Raul — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:52:59 +0000

I used to live near Broadway and Cambie a few years ago (when I was doing my MBA/MEng). I remember that I felt so incredibly lucky because, even though we didn’t have the Canada Line yet, we had excellent bus access. It would take me 30 minutes using the 99 B-Line to get to UBC. I could get to Commercial in 10-15. And I had excellent restaurants near by. But not amazing coffee shops.

While admittedly, now you have a Starbucks and a Blenz almost kitty-corner from each other, and even a Cafe Artigiano near by, I always have had a soft spot for independent coffee shops. While Elysian Coffee now has another location (something that kind of makes it now a chain, heh. But I love their coffee, and now that they have wifi (yes, they do!) and a cute patio, I think I’ll be there for a coffee often.

I know for a fact that my good friend Linda Solomon (founder of The Vancouver Observer) loves that particular location of Elysian Coffee, so I might decide to drop by and have coffee with her sometime soon. Have any of you, my dear readers, been to this location of the Elysian Coffee?

Grounds for Coffee (Broadway and Alma)

Raul — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:30:30 +0000

I have had a love affair with Grounds for Coffee for more than a decade now. It was the first place where I bought cinnamon buns outside of UBC, it is a favorite stomping ground for my good friend JT and myself, and it brings really good memories for both of us. It was also the coffee shop where I met my dear friend LB when I had to read her PhD dissertation for the N-th time As a graduate student (who at the time lived on campus), Grounds for Coffee was the place where I would meet my non-living-in-residence friends for a coffee. It was also the perfect place for a Sunday morning “pick-me-up” kind of visit, a cinnamon bun and a coffee for breakfast.

This past weekend, we drove all the way to Broadway and Alma to get our fix of cinnamon buns, and to do a bit of a walk down memory lane.

We had an opportunity to taste the cinnamon buns, which are to-die-for. All the coffee at Grounds for Coffee is certified organic. More information from their website:

Grounds For Coffee is a proud Canadian Company. We opened our doors May 10th, 1993 and have been baking the world’s best cinnamon rolls ever since. Our buns are baked throughout the day and are always served fresh! Join us for a Fair Trade Organic coffee and a Cinnamon Roll at our Vancouver location (2565 Alma Street @ 10th Ave).

We have a fleet of trucks and can arrange for delivery on commercial accounts within the Greater Vancouver Area.
Grounds For Coffee Inc. is a division of Ethical Choice Foods Corporation.

If you haven’t tried the cinnamon buns at Grounds for Coffee, you’re missing out. You should!

Take 5

Raul — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:30:06 +0000

photo credit: avlxyz

When I first took a course with my former PhD supervisor (who loves economics just about as much as I do), he reminded us that people buy their caffeinated drinks (lattes, capuccinos) because it’s a small luxury. Today, I had the opportunity to enjoy that in the form of a quick coffee break with my good friend Gus at Take 5.

The experience was so positive that it inspired me to even search for data on the psychology and economics of coffee (did you know that there’s an entry on Wikipedia on the economics of coffee?). At Take 5 (the location we went to was the West Hastings and Granville one, right outside the Canada Line exit for Waterfront Station) I felt that I was in a coffee lounge. The music isn’t overwhelming, the service is prompt, courteous and friendly, and the coffee isn’t bitter.

We ordered 2 lattes with muffin combos ($ 4.00 per combo). I chose an apple sauce with cranberry muffin, and added cinnamon and chocolate to my latte. I really enjoyed the taste and I didn’t feel it was heavy (I am lactose-intolerant so anything with milk added becomes a bit too heavy and rough on my stomach).

I learned that Take 5 not only offers free wireless to their customers, but they are also using social media platforms to spread the word. You can find them on Twitter @Take5cafeBC (hat tips to Mike Yurechko for finding the handle).

Respecting people while working at coffee shops

Raul — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:35:28 +0000

In the past couple of days, a lot of chatter has been happening around the Twittersphere in Vancouver on the topic of places (specifically coffee shops) where we can hide from the (record-setting) scorching heat wave that is tormenting Vancouver (and no, I’m not complaining, because I know that our winters suck too, so I’m all about the heat).

Credit: Librarian by Day

Alex Samuel just recently wrote about the characteristics of the best coffee shops to work (and outlined her top 12). Maria Lavis created a great spreadsheet to add to the list. Both Rebecca Bollwitt and I had written about the importance of coffee shops as places to work (although I admit that I am very blessed because I work at my office at The Network Hub most days)

Sometimes we need to work elsewhere for a change. Clearly, this is an important topic for the many of us who make our working lives portable.

Today I made my way to the Waves on Kingsway and Paterson to do some work in an air-conditioned atmosphere (I like working at this particular Waves because it is fairly isolated from anything else. I don’t get any temptations to go and visit friends, even though I know that Derek and Air do live near by).

Credit: readerwalker

The layout of this coffee shop is good, there are a couple of booths (even though the music thoroughly sucks and I’m listening to my Blip.fm playlist) but the air conditioning system is great (very breezy and cool). This Waves even has a couple of booths (like the ones you can see at diners and/or Milestones, Earls, White Spots). Lots of outlets, big round tables. This is a good space to work. The only problem…

… Students. Yeah, those students that come here to study for long hours. And disrespectful ones at that. Several of them are hogging booths (when clearly they can be seated at a table) and others have spread their papers through the long tables that have the power outlets in such a way that they are occupying the area reserved for three people). As I made my way to find a seating area with an outlet, I asked a young woman whether *that* seat was occupied.

… [awkward silence and nodding affirmatively]….

… [more silence, as I approach the seat]…

Suddenly, she turns to me and asks “do you want to sit here?”. My response? I thought to myself “Um. YEAH? Of course I want to sit there! I know that you have got your 4 books and 3 notebooks and your purse and your cell phone and sun glasses all spread around so that instead of using ONE seat you use FOUR, but um, I kind of need to be connected to the power outlet and I have as much right to sit here as you do, so….”

I just smiled politely while she [VERY SLOWLY] pulled her materials towards her.

… [Awkward smiles back and forth]…

I sit down and decide to give the Waves another look around. Yeah, instances of flagrant violations of basic coffee shop manners are a dime a dozen. Yes, the problem is that we don’t seem to have a set of rules for working at coffee shops. Here is Raul’s quick-and-dirty, I’ve-been-working-in-the-heat-thus-I’m-kind-of-cranky set of suggestions.

1. Don’t hog the booth if you’re coming alone. Sorry, I know that this is sometimes the best way to work (heck, I was writing a PhD thesis and I needed lots of table real estate) but this is a crowded coffee shop. Please maximize the number of people who can be seated. Brownie points and karma will be your rewards.

2. Don’t block access to power outlets. And while you’re at it, don’t monopolize them all. Please don’t charge your iPod, your cell phone AND your laptop at the same time if the coffee shop is crowded. Trust me, we ALL need to be called, listen to our iPods and power our laptops. Which means, I, too, need to power my electronics. Please try to stick to using only ONE outlet.

3. If you have to have conversations, please don’t YELL. And please don’t talk SUPER LOUDLY to your BFF loudly while I’m trying to do some work. Admittedly, it’s a public space and you have a right to talk. But… YELL? Please, don’t. Just don’t.

What other basic “co-working at a coffee shop” rules should be included here? Have your say in the comments section.

Guest coffee shop review – The Edge Cafe (Cambie and Broadway)

Raul — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:06:30 +0000

As many of you may know, my friends Ianiv and Arieanna Schweber are the proud owners of Vancouver Coffee, a website focused on all things caffeine, and particularly, the local coffee scene. I’d been wanting to do a guest review for Vancouver Coffee, and I finally had a chance to do so. Head over to my guest review of The Edge Cafe and let me know what you think!

Greening caffeine consumption?

Raul — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:09:10 +0000

Photo credit: Ianiv and Arieanna on Flickr

Recently, Arieanna wrote a post about implementing more ecologically-friendly measures in coffee shops. I actually was very happy that she touched on this topic, as I used to consume a lot of coffee (not anymore).

Although I had thought about some measures (e.g. using my refillable coffee mug, not accepting paper cups, not using those little bags of sugar), I hadn’t really paid all that much attention. But Arieanna’s post reminded me that it’s important to reflect on these issues. And one of the commenters on her blog pointed her out to Agro Cafe on Granville Island.

I haven’t had a chance to visit, but I might just drop by sometime soon, if for no other reason, because the commenter (Jeff) mentioned that Agro Cafe had already implemented lots of sustainability measures. I’m curious to see them, and I’ll write about them soon.

Coffee shop review – Luna Cafe (Gastown)

Raul — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 03:30:58 +0000

This is, by and large, the weirdest coffee shop I have been to in years. The owner/cashier was funny yet I was slightly scared by her. So, it turns out, they DO have wi-fi (which is important if you’re waiting in between meetings in Gastown, and since many of the tech companies are actually located in this district, it kinda helps to hang out around here).

I know, Jordan did kind of scold me for not having come to the Strutta offices earlier (right before our BarCamp Vancouver 2008 meeting) which I could have done directly after lunch with Tanya (thus enjoying free wifi without having to buy a tea at Luna Cafe), but honestly I didn’t remember their office address (ooops) – which is the reason why I needed to find wifi before the meeting, to find out where it was going to be held.

So, back to the coffee shop review. Luna Cafe is spacious, well kept, clean. It’s great for coffee and geeking out, but I find that it’s kind of complicated to be there if your laptop battery is not so good (as is my case – although I can’t complain – for all the problems and issues I’ve had with my poor, broken eMachines, the battery was still able to tide me over from 1.40 to 3 pm, when I went to meet Jordan, Megan, Boris, David and James and talk geek shop about BarCamp organizational issues.

Would I recommend Luna Cafe to other geeks? Sure, why not. It’s a good coffee shop, spacious and they have decent tea, although I find it slightly pricier than coffee shops in the Main Street area. But if you’re just looking for a coffee shop where you can hang out and tide you over to the next meeting, sure, why not. This is the place.

Petition: JJ Beans should have WiFi

Raul — Sun, 11 May 2008 01:16:05 +0000

Everybody who knows me well will know that I am a fan of JJ Beans House of Coffee. It’s a local chain of coffee shops

JJ Bean offers some of Vancouver’s finest coffee, freshly roasted in small batches every day. We have five retail stores in the Vancouver area, and we supply wholesale coffee to over three-hundred cafes and fine-dining restaurants in the lower mainland.

Our passion is great coffee. Our goal is to share that passion with everyone we touch. Come visit us and discover just how great coffee can be.[JJ Beans]

They have a location very close to my apartment, so I *love* meeting my former students, colleagues and friends there. It provides a comfortable atmosphere where you can chat, discuss career options (for my former students) or just simply edit a paper. There is ONE thing you can’t do there, though: surf the internet (thus, you can’t use Twitter or MSN or GTalk or write a blog post).

While having coffee at Bean Around the World with Rastin and Teresa we were complaining about the fact that JJ Beans doesn’t have Wi-Fi. Teresa has commented about this on her blog, and we all agreed that we should start a petition to have JJ Beans reconsider and offer Wi-Fi.

WHY SHOULD JJ BEANS HAVE Wi-Fi?

Because we like to geek out to good coffee. And JJ Beans has awesome coffee.
Because it would attract a whole new crowd, including the students who love multi-tasking and the geeks.
Because it would make my life SO easy.
[Add your own reason]

Since I’m not on Facebook, I can’t start a petition on it. But I’m more than happy to talk to the managers about it. I’ve had some great conversations (one of the most recent, with Jonathon Narvey) while having a coffee at JJ Beans, so what could be better than being able to geek out there with blogo-friends?

Coffee shop review – Gene (Kingsway and Main)

Raul — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:05:43 +0000

This new coffee shop serves up a nice coffee (within the same price as any other coffee shop, around $2.00 for a 12 oz regular coffee). Has wi-fi (secured, so you need to ask for the password) and it is spacious, even though it looks weird because it is located in the wedge that is formed at the corner of 7th Avenue, Kingsway and Main (yes, it’s pretty much across from The Foundation, the new Mount Pleasant Community Centre and the Venus Theatre. The coffee is fairly good. Yesterday (which was the day that I visited), it was a tad too hot indoors but I think they’ve fixed that now. It may be hard to work there on a sunny day because there’s an insane amount of natural light coming in. I got lots of glare from my laptop screen. But I’d recommend it, for sure.

The culture of working at coffee places

Raul — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:52:33 +0000

If you live in Vancouver, own a laptop, are a consultant/writer/academic professional or have studied/are studying something, I can almost bet my whole yearly supply of chocolate that you’ve done some work at a coffee shop. This phenomenon is pervasive throughout the Vancouver area. I am working on a couple of abstracts for conferences and some commentary on a friend of mine’s writing, and this place is packed.

My friend LB2 (I have two LBs, both female and both beautiful and smart) is here with me working and there are lots of other people doing the same. I have just walked through the coffee shop and some people are studying for their exams, some are doing homework, some are editing their books or papers, and some (like me) are doing some work AND people-watching.

I think that one of the reasons why we do this is that we feel accompanied but at the same time, we’re all doing our thing. I love doing this with friends… going to a coffee shop and working. Each one of us is doing his/her own thing but at the same time, we have a chance to chat and make small talk.

Some people have asked me which coffee shops I think are the best for each thing. While I don’t have time to do detailed reviews of each coffee shop, I have to say that for night owls, I’d seriously recommend any of the Waves coffee shops. They’re open 24 hours, the wi-fi is fairly reliable, they’re spacious and well-lit and the coffee is fairly decent.

If you are looking for a comfy coffee shop to read a book or just enjoy a nice afternoon, I’d seriously recommend Our Town Coffee, Lugz, Higher Grounds. If you are working during the day, I’d suggest the Blenz chain as it has reliable wi-fi and it’s nice. If you want to edit that pesky paper, book, thesis or simply be off-line, JJ Bean is your choice. Their coffee is amazing and I don’t think they have Wi-Fi.

All of this being said, I am 100% sure you’ve done some work while at a coffee shop, so feel free to drop me a comment and give me your suggestions for good coffee shops to do work.

Coffee shop review – Our Town Cafe (Kingsway and Broadway)

Raul — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:39:00 +0000

Well, while we are on the topic of coffee shops, I have to say that one of the cutest (and most relaxing ones) I’ve ever been at is Our Town Café. Located at the corner of Kingsway and Broadway, Our Town Café is the epitome of relaxation. I wouldn’t recommend you to come to OTC if you really like to have an ebullient atmosphere.

OTC is the ideal coffee shop to come and read a book, relax, take the day easy. The food is nice (they’ve got some organic items there too) and the coffee is good too (although I wouldn’t actually say it’s Artigiano’s coffee). The most important element: the relaxing atmosphere you get here. Best place to have a nice coffee or tea and read a book. Even when it’s raining.

Coffee shop review – Cafe Artigiano

Raul — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:37:00 +0000

There are few things I love more than coffee. Real coffee. The stuff that makes you smile when you wake up in the morning to the smell of a dark, freshly brewed concoction. Unfortunately, my tummy has begun to be slightly sensitive (please replace that with VERY sensitive) to irritants, and therefore coffee is now more or less off grounds.

The problem with this is that my daily routine does involve coffee. Even if I work from home for about one or two hours before heading to the office, that’s the first thing I do: I wake up, barely conscious, stagger until I reach my coffee maker and turn it on. However, I’ve recently had several episodes of stomach ache that are associated with dairy consumption (cheese, of all things!) and caffeine consumption.

Therefore, what I did today (as an innovation) was to make a pot of English breakfast tea, and start working. The kick wasn’t enough, I got to tell you. So, when KP said that she wanted to meet for coffee downtown, I jumped at the possibility. Particularly since we haven’t seen each other (and I totally missed her birthday!) and so she suggested Café Artigiano.

Now, to the uninitiated, this could be just any other coffee shop. But no, don’t be fooled. This is Café Artigiano. The one and only. This is gourmet coffee, even the Americano is amazing. The atmosphere is extremely warm. And the staff… not only are they beautiful (physically speaking), they are so incredibly sweet. *swoons*

I have been to Café Artigiano many a time, but had never actually had the time to sit down and write a coffee shop review, so now that I’m waiting for KP to show up, it’s the perfect occasion.

As I write this review, I’m looking at the baristas (both male and female) and they keep smiling. How do they do that, particularly after a really long day at work? I don’t know, but those smiles are beautiful and I feel so welcome at this place, it’s going to be kind of hard to leave. Of course, the incentive to get out of here is that I’m heading down to CBC Studios to see a live performance of Delhi2Dublin. I’ll tell you all about it afterwards.

Small inconvenients of Café Artigiano:

If you’re a blogger or need a wireless connection, you are pretty much SOL. This place doesn’t provide wifi. But on the plus side, if you actually want to work on a paper or read stuff, you can do it without the added distraction of having an internet connection.
The people coming here (and working here) are pretty damn hot. That may be a bit of a distraction if you’re trying to concentrate on a project. I have a very, very short attention span and can easily be swayed away from an assignment with a beautiful smile [ that being said, I’ve also been blamed for charming people away from their work by using my eye-lash batting powers and my mega-watt smile… ooops ) ]
Not enough power outlets to connect your laptop. So, make sure you got a nice battery before heading down here to do work. I managed to sweet-talk my neighbours into letting me connect to the power outlet and run my cord undernearth their legs, but it’s slightly embarrassing.
The atmosphere is quite animated, so if you’re trying to concentrate on something that requires attention, you may be SOL. I am wearing my headphones and listening to Miguel Migs on my iPod and still can hear my neighbour’s conversations.

Overall, I still would come to CA (Hornby and almost Robson, near the Vancouver Art Gallery). Just accompanied with a nice book though

Coffe place review – Bean Around the World (Main and Broadway)

Raul — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:53:00 +0000

Theoretically, this location will eventually become Bean Around the World. Right now, it is a coffee shop right beside where Monsoon used to be and in the location formerly known as the home of SoMa. The coffee is good, not too harsh on my tummy, and the barista is pretty nice.

I actually couldn’t use the wireless, although they do have it, but my wireless card didn’t seem to be talking with their router. The place is well illuminated, and quite spacious. It looks as though a few people have taken it up as their centre of operations. I still see many more people at Waves, or at Lugz. But as somebody said, there’s always space for everyone.

If I had woken up at a decent hour, I probably would have come here to work and spent the whole day looking at the beautiful mountains (this location has a gorgeous view of the snowed mountains). The night lighting is quite good, and if you need to stay late, you could very well stay here until 10pm. But that’s the drawback. This coffee shop only opens until 10pm (and I think only until 8pm on weekends).

I would still come back to work here. There’s more than enough space to work, and enough hotties that walk by to provide good eye candy. It’s a good place to do people watching too.

Coffee shop review – The End Cafe (Commercial Drive)

Raul — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:39:00 +0000

There is a gazillion reasons why you should mosey over to Commercial Drive. It’s a vibrant and diverse community that has managed to create a mosaic of exciting and fun events. If you want to be up-to-date on the comings and goings on The Drive, I’d recommend the blog “Commercial Drive – Live!“.

I’m writing this post as I sit at The End Cafe (corner of N Grandview Hwy and Commercial Drive, pretty much at 6th Avenue and Commercial). I have met friends of mine here on our way to dinner or a movie. However, this is the very first time I actually have spent any time at The End Cafe.

I have heard rave reviews of the place, particularly jazz nights on Sundays (7-9 pm). Admittedly, that kind of clashes with my evenings with J, but I am sure I can convince him to come and listen to jazz (he wasn’t very keen on acid jazz when we went to the Fairview pub, but hey it’s all about having an open mind, don’t you think?)

The coffee is pretty good, and I have to say that the layout is very conducive to doing everything: from doing work on your laptop (there are two side bars with plenty of jacks to connect to the electrical energy, and free wireless internet) to having a relaxed evening reading a book and having a coffee (comfy couches) to doing school homework (plenty of tables with enough seating to entertain a small army of school brats) to having a drink (they’re licensed to serve alcohol until 11.45pm).

I read on the Girlports website that there is an informal queer women group every second Wednesday at the End Cafe.

Another habitual haunt for the lesbian set, the End Café is especially helpful for travelers with their free wifi access. They’ve got a nice loungey feel and serve coffee, soups, fresh organic sandwiches, burgers, breakfast and desserts. Every other Wednesday there’s an informal lesbian meet’n’greet you may want to keep your eyes open for.[Girlports website]

I can’t praise enough the management of End Cafe for being this queer-positive. Of course, this is one of the most diverse and culturally-aware neighbourhoods in Vancouver!

Coffee shop review – Esquires Coffee

Raul — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:10:00 +0000

Located at the corner of 16th Avenue and Oak, Esquires is a cute coffee shop that also has wireless internet. I have had some good coffees here, particularly with close friends. There’s also a nice pastry/coffee/deli shop right across the street (Max’s), but I definitely enjoy Esquires as I can work on my laptop there.

Coffee shop review – Lugz (Main St and Broadway)

Raul — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:47:00 +0000

I had been meaning to come have a coffee at Lugz, not only because Jark (the owner of Lugz) is also a blogosphere friend and I had been meaning to introduce myself “irl” (that’s how we say in real life – I just learned this acronym from my very good friend Nomade Moderne), but also because I live in this neighborhood so I feel that I should know all my local coffee shops. So, as I was walking home from work today I decided to stop by, say hi to Jark and have a coffee. Very good decision on my part.

First off, Lugz only serves ethical coffee (fair-trade). Second, they serve cinnamon rolls (from a local pastry shop that I pass every day on my way to work and I always forget the name — J used to stop there occasionally to buy me a cinnamon roll on his way to pick me up and I can’t recall the name for the life of me). Third, Lugz provides a very comfortable atmosphere to have a coffee and relax. Fourth, Lugz has a broad range of food items to satisfy your hunger. And fifth, free wireless internet.

You have no portable computer to use their free wireless? Not to worry. Lugz offers terminals for use. And the relaxed, open space concept really invites you to just grab a nice coffee or tea, sit down, relax, read the paper (or bring your laptop and do some work — which I can’t do at the moment since my laptop decided to stop functioning last week).

I think that at some point in my life, I did stop by Lugz but it must have been briefly and only to send an email, but now that I took the time to stop by and have a cinnamon roll and a coffee, I know that I will come back often. All in all, Lugz is a great coffee shop, and I’ll be swinging by often from now onwards.

Oh and for those of you who don’t know of Jark’s other passion (writing), he’s one of the main editors at Beyond Robson — just so you know…

Coffee shop review – Bean Around the World Coffees

Raul — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:38:00 +0000

I am a big supporter of local business, and to be frank, I always had a soft sport for Bean Around the World. One great thing about this particular location on Main and 20th is that it’s really close to me and other colleagues, and I thus I can hold work meetings or just relax with a coffee.

Bean Around the World has wireless internet, and a large patio. I would say best place to do work around the Main area, but there are other coffee shops that are so cute. JJ Bean, The Grind, Cuppa Joe and Waves. And the coffee is really good!

Furthermore, BATW has a card similar to Starbuck’s with which you can pay your drinks. I quickly proceeded to buy one as I never carry cash with me. So, all around, fun to go to this BATW, I recommend this coffee shop!

Caffeine crazed – The tradition of working at coffee shops

Raul — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 18:02:00 +0000

The phrase “working at a coffee shop” has often triggered a few strange comments from my friends. “Are you actually working as a barista?” is often one of them. The truth is no, I don’t work at a coffee shop, but I do work AT a coffee shop. Yeah, I know it sounds strange. What that statement means is that I often bring my laptop and some papers to work with and start my work. That’s what I mean by “working at a coffee shop”. And on that note, two things.

Caffeine is not working. I’m very sleepy.

Vancouver has LOTS of coffee shops with wireless that you can work at.

I found a really neat webpage that tracks WiFi in Vancouver (coffee shops particularly). Check it out.

“Because nobody living with AIDS should live with hunger” (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.

Coffee shop review – Higher Grounds

Raul — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:40:00 +0000

If you love hanging out and drinking coffee in Kitsilano, and eavesdropping on loud customers’ conversations does not bother you, you’ll love Higher Grounds.

The coffee is really good and I always have a fun time watching customers. Drawbacks – wireless is not officially theirs (you might catch some signals here and there) and not enough electrical energy plugs. So this is perhaps a good place for a nice read, work on something that doesn’t require much internet and/or just relax sipping a nice coffee. It still remains one of my favourite coffee shops.

Location I have been to: Broadway at Vine.

Coffee shop review – The Wicked Cafe

Raul — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:16:00 +0000

Who wouldn’t dare to have coffee here with a slogan like this: “Coffee You’d Sell Your Soul For”. I kid you not. That’s the slogan of the Wicked Cafe. I mean, I am not ready to sell my soul as of yet so I figured I’d try it and see if it is all worth what they say it is. To be honest, it didn’t go well with me that they said they had just run out of regular coffee (I only buy the lavish mocha or capuccino’s when I really want to give myself a really nice treat, and tonight I am only doing work so no excuse, really).

So I settled for some Apple Amaretto tea. The second thing that didn’t go well was that since I had a loose-leaf tea, they gave me a small container to leave my bag. The only problem is that the container is so small that to leave your bag you need to really be a master maneuverer. And since the container is metal-based, if your bag is hot you’re bound to get burned.

Those two things out of the way, on to the really nice things about Wicked Cafe:

First, it’s off the beaten path. It is located on 7th and Hemlock, so even though this is South Granville – Fairview Slopes, it’s not really all that crowded. You do find lots of people as Hemlock is one of the major routes to get to downtown from the Granville and Broadway area, but the coffee shop itself is not located along a ‘common’ route.

Second, the cafe has wireless internet, and that’s a great advantage. The actual signal was quite powerful and I could work really well there. There are two small problems (for me) working there. One is that there aren’t lots of power outlets. The second one is that a lot of really interesting people walk in and out of the coffee shop. So I get easily distracted (as I love people-watching).

I would definitely come here to have a coffee and chat with friends of mine who live around the South Granville area. I probably wouldn’t sell my soul for this coffee but I really enjoyed it. I am quite puzzled about the fact that there’s an eatery right beside that I should really try at some point.

Coffee shop review – The Elysian Room

Raul — Sat, 26 May 2007 00:05:00 +0000

Since most of my friends are Kits-centric, I have had to re-adjust and come back to some old haunts. The Burrard stretch between Broadway and 4th Avenue has always been an area where me and my friends hang out. I couldn’t tell you how many times I have taken in a movie at 5th Avenue Cinemas.

The advantage of The Elysian Room is that it’s so close to 5th Avenue Cinemas. A few months ago, I met up at the here with L and M as they were going to watch a movie, and we had a very nice coffee. In my opinion, the coffee is very good, although the food is expensive for what it is.

Since I have been so strapped for time, it was nice to sit at a great coffee shop for an hour in between tasks. I have read some rave reviews and some nasty ones, but I’d really reccommend it. The baristas are nice people.

Coffee shop review – Cedar Cottage Coffee House

Raul — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 06:07:00 +0000

I had considered the possibility of starting a new line of reviews (work-places, those little cafes where we can sit down, relax, have a cup of tea or coffee and do work on our laptops). While there is a website that summarizes all the coffee shops in town with wireless access (Vancouver WiFi Mug), the purpose of my reviews was to provide an idea of where one could work.

So the first one is a coffee shop that I fell in love recently when out with S for a cup of tea. Located at 3728 Clark Drive (corner of Clark Drive and Kingsway), the Cedar Cottage Coffee House is a small coffee shop that serves some of the best tea and munchies I have had in a few years. Fully equipped with wireless, reading materials (please don’t take the books or magazines!) and big windows, this little cafe is the definition of organic and friendly.

The staff is really nice and they will spoil you to no end. At least, S and I had a really good time when we were there for coffee. I haven’t really worked there for a long period of time so I can’t really assess that element, but it looks like a good place to work on the weekends (since I come into the office most weekdays).