The War on Morning Coffee

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

I just love to smell the aroma but I'm not really a drinker. Am I the only weird one here who does that? I want to sleep!

No, I LOVE the smell of coffee, but hate the taste. Husband used to work in an office that shared space with a coffee plant (8 O'clock coffee)and they usedtoset all the "tested" bags out for the employees to take. Wealways hada ton of coffee in the freezer and I loved opening it and smelling the aroama.

[Anatole Kuragin]

Sure there is. It contributes to the general feeling of "well, if I'm always doing it wrong, then why bother" that pervades everything snobbish. It makes people think: Why bother to seek out new music if music snobs are going to go all hipster on you? Or appreciate a brand of beer that doesn't come in an aluminum bottle? Or take up snow skiing or anything where you might look foolish?

That said, I love a very expensive, well crafted espresso from a $1000 machine as much as the next java aficionado. But snobbery is douchery, in every form. I'll stand by that shit.

This post should not be ignored.

[lokisnow]

Listen friend, this was only because of circumstance. I have been trying with every ounce of my being to become a self-moving soul, but I've failed thus far. There's a Peet's and a Coffee Bean not too far from my office, but I had to get something right-quick. I had no other realistic options.

On a serious note, I do appreciate some of the suggestions. I'll have to hit up a few of those places on the weekend. One of the coolest perks with my employer is that I can hop on a lot of bus routes for a pass that we get subsidized for just $10/month. These routes only go around the Westside for the most part, but is there any reason to go east? I submit to you that the answer to that question is "no" unless you're going to the Staples Center for some reason.

ahh grasshopper you are becoming a well and true westsider, soon you will begin to hear frustrated but ignorant complaints along the lines of, "it's so hard to get people on the westside to do anything, they hate leaving the westside." These poor souls do not understand that there is only one given to the east, to the south and to the north, and that is a permanent traffic jam.

The Coliseum, as well as the Staples center, I might add. :)

And the Expo line is scheduled to open in Late november, so for next basketball season, you just have to get yourself to the west end point at Culver/National and you can ride it Direct to either USC or all the way to just outside the Staples Center. The USC stop is especially nice, you're dropped off pretty much right at the stadium. :) It's a shame the Subway to the Sea isn't being worked on. Imagine how nice it would be if the Purple line continued all the way down wilshire. And that there was the proposed branch from Hollywood Highland redline to Wilshire Santa Monica purple Line, merging the two, LA would have a beautiful, mass transit way to get from the westside to hollywood, and there is currently NO good way to get there. At Rush Hour height those 12 miles take 90 minutes, and a bit past rush hour it still takes 45. A subway would take 20-25. mmm. Dammit they need to build those things faster!

if you're planning on hitting up some awesome coffee spots, it's worth pointing out that Funnel Mill and Conservatory are both, unfortunately, closed on Sundays.

[MinDonner]

Sure there is. It contributes to the general feeling of "well, if I'm always doing it wrong, then why bother" that pervades everything snobbish. It makes people think: Why bother to seek out new music if music snobs are going to go all hipster on you? Or appreciate a brand of beer that doesn't come in an aluminum bottle? Or take up snow skiing or anything where you might look foolish?

That said, I love a very expensive, well crafted espresso from a $1000 machine as much as the next java aficionado. But snobbery is douchery, in every form. I'll stand by that shit.

This post should not be ignored.

:agree:

*applauds Blaine*

And yeah, if I have an early train to catch and no time to brew (or drink) a full pot, I'm fine with instant, too. What of it? :fencing:

[Edda van Heefmstra Ruston]

Instant is almost always better than none. No argument from me there. (And yes, I've had terrible espresso in Italy where I preferred the vending machine stuff I got at work, too.)

[Blaine]

And yeah, if I have an early train to catch and no time to brew (or drink) a full pot, I'm fine with instant, too. What of it? :fencing:

Word. I've had cups of .50 cent coffee at 3:45am at a Waffle House that have had near lifesaving power in them. Not that I wouldn't prefer something better, but when you need coffee, you need coffee. No shame in that.

[Res ipsa loquitur]

I have had some amazingly good coffee in some of the seediest slummiest looking shops; shops so filthy I would not be surprised if the filth was deadlier to the cockroaches than any poison. And that surprise of good coffee in unexpected places definitely adds to the pleasure of the work day.

I know flavored coffees are a matter of some debate here, but I had a successful flavored coffee experiment and wanted to share it as I was pleased at the results...and some others DO like flavored coffee. I added one crushed peppermint altoids to the Folgers ground coffee (4.5 tablespoons, 24 ounces of water), and was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted (with milk and sugar)

[Lord O' Bones]

110 yen Georgia Coffee out of a can in freezing weather in Tokyo F. T. W.

*flips everyone the double bird; runs back towards Shinjuku*

[LacyinTX]

I normally love my coffee with heavy cream and sugar. LOTS of sugar. However, I have recently cut refined sugar and dairy from my diet. I thought, (cue drama and weeping) "Woe is me. I will never be able to enjoy coffee again! Drink it black?? NEVER!"

Shortly after...maybe two days... my old friend caffeine came at me with a vengeance. So I made up my mind to give black coffee a try. And guess what?!? It wasn't terrible. In fact it was nice! Now I drink it black all the time. I love coffee... *sigh*

[kairparavel]

NO.

Coffee deserves real sugar and full fat half and half.

Always.

Cut corners elsewhere if need be, but never, never on coffee.

It is known.

I had to resurrect this thread because what a difference a year makes.

I have been drinking black coffee for months. I started off with french press in little espresso cups but now I can manage a mug from the coffee maker, sans anything. Sometimes it's a little too bitter but mainly I almost don't miss the sweet creaminess of my prior life.

[Lord of Oop North]

This thread is galvanizing, violent, and reposing. Just like coffee.

[Nukelavee]

I've always just added sugar.

Well, maybe cinnamon or cardamon.

I once mistakenly used expresso to make a regular pot, and drank a few mugs...

blech. I was moving faster than Sen Hartmann as teh chrome yellow bug.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

Shhh, we must first defeat they energy drinkers, then we can start culling the more unsavory types from our own ranks.

First they came for the Red Bull addicts

and I didn't speak out cause fark those halfwits...

[MinDonner]

Lost the coffee maker in the divorce. Too broke to buy a new one (yes, I AM that broke). It's been instant all the way since December and I can't say I've suffered overmuch for it. Coffee is still coffee.

[Guest Raidne]

So did I!!!! WTF?

Finally got an espresso machine from my sister for Christmas last December, but I went seven long months without morning coffee. Never reverted to instant though, because it's not coffee. :P

[Vrana]

Lost the coffee maker in the divorce. Too broke to buy a new one (yes, I AM that broke). It's been instant all the way since December and I can't say I've suffered overmuch for it. Coffee is still coffee.

Eh, I 'like'd the bit about coffee is coffee as I'm the same and just want it without having to go through greater effort than operating the kettle. Sorry to hear about your financial situation, I hear you. (After that thread about how one comes across I felt an inexplicable urge to explain myself.)

[Seli]

I had to resurrect this thread because what a difference a year makes.

I have been drinking black coffee for months. I started off with french press in little espresso cups but now I can manage a mug from the coffee maker, sans anything. Sometimes it's a little too bitter but mainly I almost don't miss the sweet creaminess of my prior life.

Welcome to the dark side.

[BLU-RAY]

I drink too much coffee. I should probably stop. Instead, I'm going to go get some. Fuck.

[Lummel]

Lost the coffee maker in the divorce. Too broke to buy a new one (yes, I AM that broke). It's been instant all the way since December and I can't say I've suffered overmuch for it. Coffee is still coffee.

Unnatural man who deprived you of your proper and decent coffee.

The taste of Instant coffee reminds me of the smell of my unwashed armpits on a hot and sticky day. Out of cruelty I thought I'd share that with the board.

Black coffee, reasonably percolated, not only delivers a range of flavours depending on bean and roast and region of growth but also reminds me of Mr Burns' words to his assembled team of lawyers.

[RWHamel]

This is a thread I can really get behind. I find that the coffee I make is the best. The key is to grind the beans just before use. Use beans that I like. Use water that I've filtered. Ahh, time for my second cup. :)