The perfect independent coffeeshop

It's interesting how people define the perfect independent coffeeshop.

I feel like alot of people who are musicians, artists, "that type", see their favorite most perfect coffeeshop as being a little grungy, big comfy couches, art all over the walls, music every night and having quality coffee.

Somehow, I can't see a place like that HAVING or CARING about the quality of the coffee. Maybe they do. But from my experience, every place that has been any where near this description has employed the type of people that would frequent this sort of place and the quality has been sub par. Incredibly sub par. I actually can't think of a place that I really enjoy that IS quality and has all of these characteristics. None.

What does come to mind is a trashy, unkept, unclean place with varying coffee quality, where the sanitary standards seem like the last thing on the employees mind, where the owners don't care about the source, quality or presentation of their products, where the music is too loud and is either horrible top 40 "alt rock" or local bands who are equally horrible but think they're going to get somewhere, where the art on the walls looks like it was done by a kindergarten (oh sorry, was that art?), there are roaches and rats crawling in the walls (happens A LOT more than you think) and lastly, somehow dare to charge absurd prices (if you weren't aware, prices don't necessarily reflect quality) and lastly, somehow stay in business.

That's all I have to say. Apparently I care a little too much. Maybe I should be more involved in the restaurant industry. And do mean that with an emphasis and elitism.

Middle school flashback

"Im super laid back person until you mess with my kids, family or friends. I can be the nicest sweetest person or a bitch out of hell your choice."

Not my quote, found it on my coworker's friend's (I think) info.

I never understood the super solidarity for your family but then pure evil, hatred and violence to everyone else. Why not just love everyone?

Whirlwind

Deadlines are approaching, roller coaster of insanity is more chaotic than ever.
Writing out the list of things that have happened in the past weeks and the things that are about to come, both positive and negative, is too much for my soul right now.
Also, I just took the round of my nightly supplements and I feel a little out of my body. I suppose it makes me almost high... extremely zoned out and fuzzy.

I'll just focus on a few of the positive things:
Moved into a co-op/collective with 8 other people (alot I know!) but the house is MASSIVE and beautiful. We have potted plants everywhere and a plot at the ppatch and an entire wall of grains, rice, beans and spices. And lots of cast iron. And so many other more amazing goodies. I absolutely love it.Planted two different kinds of mint, chervil, flat leaf parsley (but it's actually some unknown heirloom variety) and marjoram outside my 3rd story attic window.

Worked on our ppatch and school farm. We got an acre! And lots of grant money!
This entire wheelbarrow full of salad greens was harvest from the farm and the rest was foraged on campus. So delicious.

Baked this double chocolate mocha cake for my mom:
All from scratch. Even made the chocolate shavings on top. It's also what sent me into day long stomachaches and a commitment to my diet.

Lastly, this was my all gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, baking yeast free supper:
Gluten free crepes with peanut butter and fruit spread and beer. YUM.
The milk DOES contain a little bit of soy lecithin, so I cheated slightly.

Multitude of things

How to Create Seed-Starting Pots From Newspapers -- powered by eHow.com

Super awesome. I totally bought sunflower starts wrapped in newspaper like this from a couple of kids last April who were selling em at a neighborhood stand. Way more profitable than lemonade!

My steel cut oatmeal is WAY too salty. I was tempted to make it savory but I'm not feeling that adventurous.

I wrote my food journal for the day and I've realized that today was truly pathetic. I think I had ONE serving of vegetables. Possibly two. How can this be when I have red cabbage, asparagus, avacados, carrots, celery, onions, corn, zucchini and spinach all in my fridge right now?! Laziness and the fact that I burned an entire dish last night (haven't done that in a long time). I blame it on the fact that I was listening to music, reading a cookbook, chopping veggies, making THREE dishes at once AND talking on skype. Multitasking anyone?

I'm going to the doctor tomorrow! yes!

Update

I've been keeping a semi-detailed food log but here is what the world needs to know:

Eating wheat, sugar and dairy free has been WONDERFUL to my gut and skin. Love it.


But I miss stouts and porters! and chocolate.

TEST

this is a test. My blog was not supposed to be public.

Start of candida diet

Over the last couple of days, I've been planning out and buying extra necessities for my candida diet. My plan is to be on the diet AT LEAST 4 weeks. Official start date will be February 21st, 2010 and the minimum end date will be March 21st, 2010. Right off the bat, I can tell you right now that I will be drinking next weekend because I have two dear friend's birthdays (one is a 21!) and I cannot miss out on the opportunity. Reasons why I don't feel so horrible about "breaking my diet":
98% of my diet has already excluded refined sugars and dairy
It's early in the diet!

Since Thursday, I've been experimenting and eating most of my diet by the rules. Things I ate since Thursday that were definitely not okay: two slices of bread, half a bagel, one small cookie and two cups of coffee with honey.

What's this candida diet thing about? What am I trying to achieve?

Long story short: candidiasis is a condition in which the yeast in your intestinal tract grows in excess. Severe forms of candidiasis are often seen in immuno-compromised individuals and individuals with AIDS. No, I do not have HIV.
My theory on how I came to this condition may seem far fetched, but it makes perfect sense to me. For well over a year (possibly 2 years?), I was taking intense sulfa- drugs and other arthritis and pain medications on a daily basis. A year after I ended those, I was on antibiotics for a year for my acne. Both of these types of drugs, especially antibiotics, not only kill off all of the unhealthy bacteria and pests inside your body but also destroy the healthy flora of your intestinal tract. (This is where my rant begins). As with any western medicinal practice, my intestinal tract was not causing symptoms at the time so therefore did not matter. Even more so, there was no follow up or "rejuvenation" of my intestinal tract after I was done with the course. It's like stripping you of everything you need to protect yourself against the world with a simple "good luck!" and a shit of the door.
So here I am, years later with pretty severe allergy to sugar and dairy, constant breakouts, horrible stomach pains and other issues I rather not discuss publicly on this blog.

Ultimately, I'd love to achieve a state in which I don't feel bloated a majority of the day and where I can eat a slice of apple pie with a scoop of ice cream and I know it won't kill me. I realize my ideals are a little high for the reality though. Realistically, I'll be happy if the stomach pains and the bloatness goes away. And if my skin cleared up! This I believe, is possible. And that is what I will achieve in the coming months.

I'm using this space to write about my progress, the food I'm cooking and eating and probably to vent my frustrations. No (very very little) alcohol, bread, sugar, honey, COFFEE, black tea, mushrooms and lots and lots of other yummy foods for weeks to come.