Chemical Dependency

"The coffee addiction is not an understatement. Americans crave their daily fix and drink an estimated 400 million cups a day. But, coffee is so much more than just a drink. As one of the most actively traded commodities, coffee is now a multibillion-dollar global industry. What is it about coffee that keeps us coming back for more? Is it truly the caffeine or is it something else…the aroma, the taste, the sense of gathering a cup of coffee brings." 

http://www.cnbc.com/id/43393500 

"Caffeine is a stimulant to the central nervous system, and regular use of caffeine does cause mild physical dependence. But caffeine doesn't threaten your physical, social, or economic health the way addictive drugs do. (Although after seeing your monthly spending at the coffee shop, you might disagree!)

Your body quickly absorbs caffeine. But it also gets rid of it quickly. Processed mainly through the liver, caffeine has a relatively short half-life. This means it takes about five to seven hours, on average, to eliminate half of it from your body. After eight to 10 hours, 75% of the caffeine is gone. For most people, a cup of coffee or two in the morning won't interfere with sleep at night.

Caffeine has few proven health benefits. But the list of caffeine's potential benefits is interesting. Any regular coffee drinker may tell you that caffeine improves alertness, concentration, energy, clear-headedness, and feelings of sociability. You might even be the type who needs that first cup o' Joe each morning before you say a single word. Scientific studies support these subjective findings. One French study even showed a slower decline in cognitive ability among women who consumed caffeine.

Other possible benefits include helping certain types of headache pain. Some people's asthma also appears to benefit from caffeine. These research findings are intriguing, but still need to be proven."

http://www.webmd.com/balance/caffeine-myths-and-facts?page=3

So as seen above, caffeine has some benefits and of course some damages that may by harmful or not, my suggestion as a coffee consumer and lover is that like anything else in this world, there must be a balance between the obsessed and the passion. My blogs are to simply tell a story of my experiences with each cup, not to imply that sooner or later I will get an ulcer from too much consumption. My love for coffee is similar to an athlete on the field, I consume with precaution and balance with learning experiences on the way. 

Joy to my Soul

The first sip sent a warm and soothing feeling to my lips, throat, chest and finally my stomach; I ordered a Caramel something something that had coconut pieces drizzled on top like snowflakes in the air. The scent was warm and I felt the sudden urge to smile and unravel whatever this hot beverage held. My best friend Abdul took me here after a long night of dancing and smoking; the morning was in the beautiful 70's and the sun was out with clear blue skies, the weather sent a message of calm and relaxing Sunday. We sat in high chairs and ordered a cinnamon bun to accompany the coconut caramel coffee; my sensations were in the air for I felt the taste buds in my mouth dance as I sipped. My face was full of joy and I realized that I never catch these smiles on camera so I told Abdul to hurry and capture the moment. My smile was quite noticeably happy and joyful, I felt as if my blood was happy to run through my skin and my brain was sending the happy hormones as a reward for such a morning start.  This caramel something something coconut was a definite happy hormone upper. 

Come together.

School, work, class, training, school, work, class, training, repeat repeat repeat. My roommates and I are always on the go and feel like there is not a lot of hours in the day, and most college students would agree. So on the start of the fall season, my girls and I decided that we needed something to pull us together for at least that one hour we are all in the same room until we each depart with our duties. Pumpkin Spice Frap, Iced Coffee, and a Chai Tea Latte, all of which express the different personalities and individuals we each are. From volley ball players, musicians, workaholics, and all studious, we each show a different persona but come together in the end to enjoy the company, and know that we are our own little family in a campus apartment. It is not "Starbucks" that makes this special, its the central notion of coming together and enjoying our different tastes, we are all from different parts yet we share the comforts and company of one another as friends, colleagues, and roommates. Coffee can be a way to sit together and listen to one another, the stories we want to share and hear, sit together and genuinely sip each characteristic; it is what being different is all about and coming together is a manner to see some commonalities.

Save a dime. College times.

Now I know that I am not the only "Coffee Addict" out there especially in the ages of 19-24 from the college perspective. Sometimes a latte is all you want to finish a ten page paper (which I should start soon) or even to get going on your busy schedule from class, work, class, work, training (I dread at times). And of course, everyone on this planet knows how Starbucks has become a major icon for coffee, and some will agree the prices are rather...pricey. So because the company themselves know the hardships, especially college students, and want to "save the planet", they've introduced a $1 cup that is "Re-usable, Re-cycable, and Re-enjoyable". This plastic dollar cup that allows you to write your customized drink on the side like the regular cups, is somewhat unique that you are saving the planet from disposable cups and save a whole $0.10! That dime can go towards............................I'll come back to that when I calculate my phone bill and credit card bills. I enjoy this cup very much with the appreciation of using it over and over, saving a dime, and planet; I even wrote my name to fully claim it and know that my name will surly be spelled correctly and called on when I'm ready to pick up my Vanilla Blonde roast and run to work or class on time.

Con Panna

Interesting story behind this one; I was sitting outside of Santana Row at a lovely French bakery. My shift from work was finally over with and I took my free time to sit and enjoy the sweet weather of Santa Clara. Now to take advantage of this beautiful weather I wanted to try something new.....So I starred at the menu for some time allowing people to pass in front of me. I seemed like a tourist just starring, almost as if I couldn't read. I came across "Con Panna" and I'm like....... "With Bread?" (literal Spanish translation); so I asked the lovely yet intimidating older woman at the cashier and she quickly said," Exxpreeesssooo with WhiPPP creme..." Now I tried my best to spell out exactly as I heard her say "expresso with whip cream , but you get the idea. Espressos, now we all know it's the hard-core $%@#of coffee, the blackest of black you will see. So I'm thinking, I've had a "shot" in my coffee before and I can taste the heaviness in it, I can totally handle just the shot. It's like taking a shot of whiskey or rum right? The whip cream should allow it to be smoother and tastier? So I looked at the marvels of simplicity, just black $#%@ with "creme"... YOLO...(I hate that phrase but what the heck). For those who don't know, YOLO is "You Only Live Once". So I slowly sipped because of intimidation and it's freaking hot. Oh so suddenly Con Panna became the love of my life....her dark taste, her sweet ending was a magnificent sensation that i never experienced, call me weird but she got me good. I enjoyed every sip and she gave me energy and wit that most men would ask for. Con Panna was my date as I sat alone in the tables outside of the busy plaza with only a sensual smile on my face, a bit daring in my opinion. 

A Reading Companion

To read is the task of most humans on this planet, grabbing information to broaden the mind and think in multiple perspectives, the turning of pages to unravel secrets and unknown information. The relaxing scent of a new fresh page and the soft feeling of pages; as society develops, a norm of cafe with book go hand-in-hand. Almost any book store or public library will have coffee provided, now this can mean a couple of things. One....You need to wake up to study and read. Two.....Coffee Addict and need it to do anything. Three.....You enjoy your reading more with the scent and taste of a Cappuccino or Dark Roast. I say I am All the Above, when I sit and read I want to have the book on my left and coffee on the right; it is a warm feeling to my palm and I can smell it with a combination of the "New Book Smell". Salt and Pepper, PB&J, Green and Red, things that go together...Book and Coffee...sounds right to me. Now I love libraries, book stores and sitting in sweet sweet quiet solitude, so a warm coffee goes perfect in my mind, I do although admit my lack of concentration and can not finish a book once I start...but the coffee can keep me awake until I do.

More Tea Please

Now do not get me wrong, I enjoy my "Cup a Tea" too...I decided to ask my friend to accompany me on a trip to SF and explore the Japanese Garden. It was absolutely beautiful, architecture was built extraordinarily and the garden was magnificent. There was a small tea place where tourist can sit and eat plus drink organic tea, we ordered a soothing green tea to warm ourselves over the cold weather. The tea was delicious and herbally, the scent was pleasing and the entire atmosphere sent tranquility. Body, Mind and Soul were at peace with the sound of a water fall near by and of course having the company of my dear friend. I looked at my surroundings and I was falling in love with the Japanese  mini world, the waiters in the traditional clothing, the chairs and tables were small, and the sound of chimes hitting due to the breeze; it was all mesmerizing because I felt at peace within me. I looked at my friend and thanked him for bringing and accompanying me on this little adventure with a peaceful smile. 

A Pick-me-upper

Short and simple, I was not thrilled to work 9pm-6am at the clothing store I was at during the summer. We were to rearrange the entire store and bring out new things for the season and sales. So much goes on behind the scenes at clothing stores that I feel so ignorant when I walked in some as a customer. Now I give much respect for how hard they work and keep everything organized and in check. So because of the long shift that is "Graveyard", I took drastic measures to prepare for a long night of insomnia. So I knew that food was not going to keep me awake and Coffee would subdue, sad to say I am under chemical dependency. Two large coffees and a sweet pastry were my survival needs, I was able to do my job, avoid being grumpy, and did not sleep until 8am. I can not express the level of irritation I had but was overly happy to get it over with because I hated my life that day, as much as an emo it sounds, I was hateful. So thankfully coffee controlled that aggression until I finished and was paid well ;) 

Cappuccino Break

One afternoon, I looked at my dear Aunt that drives me nuts at times but know that she is simply a mother figure, and told her that we should go for some coffee. She is also a coffee-lover and enjoys it as much as I do. So we got dressed and drove to Santana Row, a beautiful plaza that reminds me of Union Square SF, there we sat at Cocola Bakery (where I had my Con Panna Ecstasy moment) and ordered two Cappuccinos and a side meal due to lunch time. We sat outside because the decor was a French style atmosphere, french music in the background, water fountains, and the smell of coffee. A beautiful scenery that could not be missed, and we sat down to enjoy each others company along with the meal. As we took in this moment we were able to talk about issues and discuss some situations that needed to be addressed. She is very open with me about almost anything and I feel comfortable speaking to her about things that bother me, love life, careers, etc. Taking the sips of venting and caffeine, I felt as if we were growing closer to each other; I say this because I moved in with her for the summer and wanted to develop a relationship, she speaks to me as a friend, aunt and mother. So this cappuccino break was much needed since we both work during the week and sometimes weekends included; we were able to relax and enjoy the scenery because sometimes people need breaks and just sit and sip. 

Soothing Scent

This one has an interesting and funny story. I went shopping for some "Me Time", I visited Victoria's Secret, Macy's and Bath and Body Works. I wanted to purchase things that make me feel sexy, cute, and "Good"; I bought something rather daring at VS which someone in the summer at the time got to take full advantage of, I bought a club dress at Macy's, and finally got to B&BW. Now this store is all lotions, perfumes, soaps, candles, etc, I had no clue what to get that will make me feel "Good". So I wandering in the store just looking and sampling everything, within 30 minutes I smelled weird for all the scents I tried. I gave up and asked a worker there for some assistance, she asked me what the occasion was? Occasion? I didn't realize I was suppose to come in with one...so the first thing I said was, "Date Night". *Shaking my head*...really MJ? Date Night? I guess I said this because I was seeing someone during the summer that I felt I needed to "spice" things up. So the worker was happy to assist and introduced a romantic french scent (what is up with you french?.. you are the answers to everything). It was a sweet yet daring scent..make sense? It was pink and the Eiffel Tower drawn on it, so I took it. As I was walking towards the door, my "Coffee senses" (yes I have them)tingled... I smelled an espresso somewhere...no cafe near me...where are you? I walked and walked and there she was...starring at me and delivering her Ecstasy to my nostrils (too explicit?). No question or doubts I purchased two, my Aunt was going to be happy :)She went home with me and I lit her to have the house smelling like her beauties and fill the building with love. 

Maison de Patisserie sil vous plait

One a side note, I wish I spoke French... and as it seems so far in this blog, the french have grabbed my love and attention. Working in the mall, I was glad there was a cafe near my store to get a "quickie"...so I grab an espresso...plus it was the cheapest on the menu. I look at this small cup with foam and dark intensity underneath and think, "What makes this so intriguing to most and a delight?" It is bitter without the foam, it simply will not do, I look at this cup and see nothing but bitterness. I see that I have made a choice to order the cheapest thing on the menu to drink before work... but why couldn't I just order a plain coffee? Then it struck me, I chose this because I am indulged by the simplicity of the size and taste combination of bitter and sweet. This bitter sweet cup will enlighten me and send me off to a 6 hr shift before I initially crash. So is that really the reason I ordered this? Does this dark intensity bother me? I can easily drink it without hesitation and I sip every bit of it with delight. Please serve me more because my job requires me to be "happy" to the customers and serve them (American Eagle Outfitters). So this little cup actually serves a greater purpose; to energize and release serotonin. Merci coup. Je' taime café.  So it seems my bitter sweet can be a symphony that'll release some happy energy and prep me for some hard work ahead, I looked at this little cup and said, "Merci, for you will brighten my day. Sil vous plait monsieur."   

Saudi-licious....

My best friend is Saudi- Arabian, a dear friend and companion; we said our goodbyes for the summer and departed in our adventures. So as a memory to hold for the summer he gave me some Arabian  coffee that is prepped in this little gold cup that is heated on the stove. It has a strong consistency that its a espresso on steroids (I kid you not), any time I drank this my eye lids were wide open. I mixed this with sugar because it is too strong to drink plain, at times Abdul would mix this with dark chocolate that gave it a sweet touch. It is interesting how this little gift for the summer was my way to remember my best friend considering the distance; talking on the phone was great but drinking this was a touch to it. Smelling the rich intensity and imagine sitting on a desert with an umbrella to protect me from the sun and feeling the cool breeze through my skin, sends a beauty to my senses and I feel as I will embark on an adventure in this international middle east drink. 

FourBarrel Cafe

Oh San Francisco, my love, my admiration, my hear and soul, you embrace and welcome me into your arms and give me peace. You provide luxury and endless adventures that I am willing to jump to, I visit you as much as I can and every moment I spend with you I imprint in my brain. Needless to say you hold one of the top cafes in the nation, FourBarrel Cafe, a list was released some years ago by the New York Times and this cafe could not be missed.  After getting lost on the way and making turn after turn looking for parking space, I finally made it. When I walked in, I felt I entered a warehouse; the building smelled of freshly grounded coffee beans and there were a lot of people in line waiting for their orders and I said, "Yup, definitely not a Starbucks.." And that was the beauty of it, this coffee shop held coffee from all over the world; Africa, Middle East, Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala.I was in the middle of the globe smelling the beans from different places, it was extraordinary. First of all, I have never gone on a mission to hunt down a coffee shop I read on Yahoo news by the NYT's. Second, I became obsessed with the search to taste anything from this shop and document this all. As I was waiting for a Cappuccino to be made, I observed the methods in which the workers were preparing everything. Old machines, factory like setting and fast pacing movements, a Willy Wonka Chocolate factory for coffee as it seems and I was impressed by how busy the shop was. The intriguing thing about this shop was that there were no outlets, nothing to plug in your laptop or anything, the tables and chairs were all wooden carved and there were dim lights. That was the beauty of, it wasn't a busy shop to go online or charge anything, it was a shop to relax, converse with friends or loved ones and simply forget a busy schedule and actually speak to someone face to face and be assertive. I saw people laughing and conversing, eaves dropping I heard a couple discuss their honeymoon and how they want to repeat it. And then it struck me, people today are loosing that communication skills and are more concerned with their updates online. I look to my right and I see the Pour-over method, which is the freshest way, provided on the side of the store and there was a long line for that. Pour-over is when the filter of the beans is placed over the cup and hot water is slowly poured, letting the grinds soak in and drop the liquid into the cup. It is the freshest way in my opinion to enjoy. Fairly reasonable price too, I paid a dollar less than in I would in Starbucks and the size was relatively the same. So here was my momentum of traveling to my homeland and know that I have rewards waiting for me to sit on the table, forget my laptop, and enjoy a pour-over. :)

A remedy in some cases

When I have free time, I like to travel and get to meet new people; of course San Francisco is where I will go to find my fun. I took a few days to go and find some fun, and I went with a friend to make it even better, right? The day was full of walking and eating in different locations of the city, we went shopping and met a few interesting people on the way. As the night came, the time to clean up and dress up arrived; I was ready to take on the night with my 4 inch heels and tight dress (killed me) but I was set. Took a cab to a club called Infusion which is an underground night club, you literally have to dress high class to enter if not the bouncer will purposely charge you more or even think twice about letting you in. Thankfully we got in on time and I was ready to dance all night long! So after 5 hours of dancing, drinking, and at one point tripping due to the pain of  my heels we made it back to the hotel. Before the hotel, Denny's, Art Museum (24 hr show), and chasing after cabs was accomplished, the night was filled with laughter, screams, lots of "Woooo" and drinking a milkshake. Night spent well, I also got a chance to see my good friend who lives in SF and we got to spend time with (small crush I admit). Cranberry and Vodka was my "to-go" drink and I spent a good amount of money on that....regrets regrets. So it was one of those nights...I remembered everything but it was a night that turn my head upside down. This night led to a morning of discovery...Coffee and Advil became a tag team to readjust my head and send me off again into my little adventure. The combination went perfect to rid the headache and lift my energy to get ready and keep walking. I am so thankful for this remedy because I was in my city and I did not want to waste any time with a headache I did not care about; my mind was set to get up and go do something. Apart from being a delicious breakfast companion, or partner to read with, coffee in this case was my remedy to take with a pill and move on. See that's the thing, I see coffee in different perspectives (call me an addict) and it helps me in different situations; I bet if it weren't were this little medicine, I would be feeling the pain in my head all day and low energy. So there you have it, it is a remedy in some cases. 

Vietnamese delight

I look at this drink and I ask myself, How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You. I mean it when I say this Vietnamese coffee was full of sugar and condensed milk...Red Flag! I am lactose-intolerant! But what the heck, I worry so much about almost anything that I forget to enjoy the simple things in life that come my way. When I ordered this beverage I did not expect a sugar filled drink that will send me to the bathroom in less than 30 minutes (imagine how embarrassing when I am on dates). My aunt, niece and I went to this little restaurant in Santa Clara where we would eat Pho, egg rolls and drink this sugar high coffee. Great combo right? The cup was a cute snowflake design that reminded me Christmas was around the corner and I can smell the sweet sweet mix of milk, coffee and whatever crazy sugar there was.

When I want to relax....

One thing I realized about myself, I am just too hard on myself; I do not appreciate the little things and simply enjoy what I have. Over the summer, I realized a lot about myself and how I should look at things in a different lens; I was able to reconnect with the family and see that I am not alone. Due to circumstances with my parents, I felt the solitude was my only company. I decided to stay with family in the Bay Area to experience something new and become familiar with what I had before. I had a part-time job that allowed me to be home and enjoy the sweet sweet comfort of being home and actually feeling "at home". In the morning after everyone is either at school or work, I made myself a nice cup of Joe and coupled it with some sweet bread my aunt baked the night before, I sat and tuned to "Will and Grace". I felt the comfort of being home to enjoy a nice morning, of course after cleaning up the apartment, and watch my favorite show. I realized that sometimes you have to enjoy the little things to realize the bigger things; I have a family to visit and come home to, I have to take a few minutes out of my life to relax and see things differently. I need to simply sit and not worry so much about what is happening tomorrow or the next, when I need to take things one by one to grow and mature. So when I need to relax...Coffee is there for a soothing, calming, company. 

It's more than just a hot beverage

16th Century poem In Praise of Coffee by Sheikh Ansari Djezeri Hanball Abd-al-Kadir

"Oh coffee, you dispel the worries of the great,
you point the way to those who have wandered from
the path of knowledge. Coffee is the drink of the
friends of God, and of His servants who seek wisdom.

As coffee steeps in the cup is gives off a musky
aroma and turns the colour of ink. No one can under
stand the truth until he drinks of its frothy goodness.
Those who condemn coffee as causing man harm are
fools in the eyes of God.

Coffee is the common man's gold, and like gold it
brings to every man the feeling of luxury and nobility.
Coffee differs from pure, gentle milk only in its taste
and colour. Take time in your preparation of coffee and
God will be with you and bless you and your table.
Where coffee is served there is grace and splendour and
friendship and happiness.

All cares vanish as the coffee cup is raised to the
lips. Coffee flows through your body as freely as your
life's blood, refreshing all that it touches: look you at
the youth and vigour of those who drink it.

Whoever tastes coffee will forever forswear the liquor
of the grape. Oh drink of God's glory, your purity
brings man only well being and nobility.

- Sheikh Ansari Djezeri Hanball Abd-al-Kadir
1587

Beacon Coffee & Pantry

A taste of something bold, a hint of story behind the cup, the process of a bean which made its may to the grinder to be drowned in water and land in a cup is precisely the objective behind this post. You see, my family is from Nicaragua, a country that has suffered tremendously in poverty, war, drugs, sex exploitation and natural disasters. Yet it stands still and vigorous in the triumphs of being know in Central America as the largest country with marvelous beaches and forests. My memories are somewhat vague through my travels early in my childhood, but the one aspect I remember is the spirit and light of being in a country with history and stories to be shared for the next generations down. This post is to commemorate the victims of hate and crimes during the Cold War, the Nicaragua Civil War and the natural disasters that destroyed homes and landscapes; as assured, the spirit of the people stand strong with food, music, and of course el Cafe. Just the growth of the coffee beans has provided thousands of jobs for farmers and provides the millions of income for this country to prosper again and be once known for something positive and impactful. The Sandinistas Rule has caused a halt for manufacturing of the bean and created an unstable political system to renovate and grow, but as the war came to an end the bean was once again replanted. Through unfortunate events of economic crisis, the export and import business has slowed but companies such as Cup of Excellence and the creation of the Nicaraguan Specialty coffee Association are working hard to destabilize the system and have this coffee exported worldwide. So when you happen to go to any grocery store where a variety of coffees are provided, see if Nicaragua is on the counter, if so help to rebuild the economy again and continue to allow those farmers to work and make a living.