Problogue

Right... on another rainy day in Vancouver, I was motivated to start this coffee tour while sitting in JJ Bean, one of the more popular cafes on my street... main st. I was planning to work at JJ Bean for the next two weeks with daily 5-6 hour shifts of video editing... but as "Christina Aguilera's Genie in a Bottle" played overhead at the mid-point of day 1, I eventually decided that it was time to search for a better cafe. There is a little prologue to this story, and it goes a little something like…

About 2 months ago when I first moved to the Mt Pleasant hood, I was having a few pints with some friends, and Greg tells me that I’m lucky to be moving to Main because JJ Bean, on 14th and Main, has the “best” coffee in the world. I don’t think much of it as I can barely tell the difference between a coffee from Starbucks and 7-11. But anything that's the BEST in the WORLD deserves a go. So I finally hit up JJ BEAN to order Greg’s "best coffee in the world" - Americano (whatever that is)... and like a Glenlivet on the rocks, I do notice a difference right away. It really is the best coffee I have ever had. I ask a cute brunette coffee girl about it, and she explains that she is roasting the beans right there in the shop. That means that the beans are much more fresh than any place like Tim’s or Starbucks, hence the great coffee.

Perfect. It’s big, lots of space. Every table on the wall has it’s own electrical outlet so I can plug in. A lot of cool people come in and the staff seems to talk to people all friendly like. Plus they have lots of selection of food, snacks and cookies (ginger snaps... SNAP!). So I’m pretty sure this is going to be my office for the next couple of weeks. Wrong. And it wasn’t the crumbly croissant that upset me. I could easily change to just cookies. But the big reason that inspired me to begin my new search was the MUSIC. I wouldn’t have even minded no music at all, but I was horrified to realize that the music they were playing here was all wrong. They play 80s and 90s top 40 satellite music that the staff has no control over.

After two hours, a nice coffee and then smooth Chai to calm my nerves, the music had become as annoying as two white beagles locked in a Volvo. I became obsessed with what would be the next gay song. Obviously with top 40, there were some decent songs coming up, but there was a consistency of puke that just couldn’t sit in my stomach any longer…

At first, “Turn the beat around” made me smirk. Mariah Carey “Dreamlover” and some Enrique crap made me worry a bit. But when I heard 2 unlimited “are you Ready” and Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby”, it hit me like a blind date with Lisa Kudrow that this could never be “my café”, and I would have to start a new search. So I thought about it and there were like 10 other cafes in between my house and JJ Bean anyways. Let's take a look at what makes a good cafe...

Saturday, October 27, 2007

IV – Bean Around the World (with guest Oliver)

A magestic tree, in the school field I peculiarly noticed on my walk to Main street, said something to me... Already there was an electricity in my blood that followed my instincts to go to “Bean Around the World”. Am I ever in the prophetic zone… it’s amazing what a woman can do for a man (but that’s another blog).

The only spot available for me to plug in was available beside a new 6 month baby girl Claire and her mother Kerry with friend Sharon. I invited myself to set up next to her and what a bonus to be able to share glances with the chubby lil’ muffin… which leads me to my next discovery… BATW’s low-fat muffins. I ordered a large Americano in my roommates BATW mug, and a Poppyseed Raspberry Lemon Muffin!!! Woot Woot… a new taste! What a muffin… I might be making a switch from the cookie (sorry Ginger Snap ☹… you’ll always have a place in my heart) I ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture, and I had to order another one…

The coffee… what can I say. Talking to Oliver’s girlfriend Lindsay (and professional coffee drinker) last night at “Public”, she was right on the money that their coffee is a nice change from her regular preference of JJ Bean… I totally agree. Very mild but there was some definite flavor.

The next big thing hit me while I waited for my Americano, and exploration of the wall. I saw on the wall that they have LIVE music Saturday nights, and who else would play tonight but “Jennifer Lauren”… HOLY SCHNIKEYS! The one out of two girls that I know personally that sing professionally. I guess I will have to delay my Halloween extravaganza until a little later than expected. Oh well, pirates aren’t supposed to come out until after midnight anyways right? Oh, maybe that’s just vampires. I can be a vampire… check out my vampire smile.

OK, so I wonder over and about to second check this place for power to plug in, the one thing that has been a disappointment here. And to my pleasant surprise, there are two more. So maybe… just maybe. They even have free internet here, well… unfortunately it is not working today… too bad. I talked with the tall neurotic guy who was working and making fun of his co-workers. A good sign of sense of humor within the place… a definite plus. I don’t know if the girls like him though, so that could easily change to a minus. Anyways, he said that they have a bakery with here in shop… hence why that damn good muffin!

Along with a plentiful collection of newspapers, comes the bulletin board. What a nice touch to a café! Man I am loving this place more and more! It’s full of concerts and community activites and services.
12 noon

A visit from my good friend and roommate Oliver. He is the one who told me to inform people of newspapers, bathroom cleanliness and what not... ahhh, I'll let him do that if he wants to write some posts.
He’s starving so I show him to the display case of fresh baked goods and sandwiches. We get into the consistently long BATW line, and we nervously notice that there is now only 3 Tomato, Spinach and Boccoccini sandwiches left from the recently made 6.

Luckily we get them and they’re pretty good. I personally think they might need a sauce in there… like pesto or balsamic vinegar… maybe I could have ordered that on the side?

1pm

After Ollie leaves, two people have approached me to see if there is WIFI here. I told them that it was not working today and they split. Sorry management, but that’s a pretty big faux-pa here in the city. Not that I care that much but these people obiously needed their crackbooks logged in, and you probably lost some minor profits today, but I think more so the loss of these people on a regular basis scale… whatever the hell I am talking about, I’m sure you get what I mean.

2pm

I am now bothered by something. There is a smell of mold. It could be the wood. This place is totally wood everywhere and the floor kind of looks nasty… anyways I really notice it now but not enough to keep me away. I don’t think most people will notice this, but I am impressed with myself that I am picking up some little things that might disturb people to a different level.
My 2nd Americano which they filled up for me double-time, is now cold but still tastes really good. This could be the sign of a good coffee as I noticed my coffee at Waves yesterday did not taste good cold.

8pm

NO JENNIFER LAUREN - Brutal false advertising!!! I made an effort to go out of my way because it said that Jen was playing here tonight. I even asked one of the girls how she would be setting up and they said she would set up right where I was sitting. It was some other guy... Man if you are going to advertise your LIVE music once a week, it doesn't take much to write it on the wall properly. Get with it management! Horrible loss of points!!!


My Bill

Large Americano and Muffin = 3.60ish
Tomato and Boccoccini Sandwich = 6.45ish (sorry forgot to grab the receipt)

My Rating

Coffee A
Service B
Atmosphere A-
Music B
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