Totally Delinquent

Ok, was gone for two and a half weeks and then it took me some time to get back into the swing of things (plus I went to Buena Vista last week for some camping, hiking and kayaking). The photos of all my adventures can be found here. If you go to the sets on the right, they are nicely chronicled for you. Argentina completely rocked and I’m willing to tell the stories in person. We did make an excursion to the race track in Palermo, BA where Team Hot Pants bet on a horse based on mojo and jockey colors (black white and red of course) and won. Wine-tasted and nearly froze to death in Tupungato. Stared at the Aconcaqua, danced with the hot boys in Buenos Aires, and contemplated ending it all in Iguazu Falls. Epoch.

My new favorite coffee house in Denver is City O’ City, where I am currently drinking beer and eating the most kick-ass humus pizza. Down-side . . . no bloody air conditioning! Upside, excellent food and beer, and free wi-fi. Oh, and good music. Damn, they really need an air conditioner. I’d spend all my time here.

4-Bucks world domination plan inches closer to victory

RIP Diedrich's Coffee

I was absolutely shocked to find that the big gay Diedrich's on Cap Hill had become a DazBog Coffee. I mean, that place was an institution! I little investigation turned up that Diedrich's has been purchased by 4-Bucks! I am now thankful that the 9th & Downing location did not succumb to the evil forces. Though, it is more likely than not that the fact that there is one right across the street inside the queen soopers made it a less attractive location for 4-Bucks. I guess I'm glad it stayed with a local company.

Week in Review in Restaurants

Marczyk's--check it out, see what I'm saying?!--topped out the week (note their tip of the hat to my farmer Elaine--find your own CSA), which included visits to the most random assortment of places:
Racine's
Good Times (did you know they have custard?!)
Lola for snacks (& drinks)
Buenos Aires Grill, which is just such a great space
St. Mark's (it's never to early to have a veggie panini, right?!) (Check out their cool website design and a baby picture of Jena.)
my own personal burrito addiction, Bocaza (grilled veg, tomatillo, black, cheese) at 17th/Williams,
plus takeout for 100 from Einstein's, Common Grounds, and Costco.

Coffee assholes.

A few weeks ago DHP's dad forwarded her one of those irritating e-mails that ususally contain some kind of false health warning or pictures of kittens. This one was George Carlin's New Rules for 2007 - or at least something that has been attributed to George Carlin, but likely is not his material at all. Anyway, I don't typically read this kind of spam, but my dad has never ever sent me such crap, so I read it. It was funny, and it contained this "wisdom" . . .

"The more complicated the Starbucks order, the bigger the asshole. If you walk into a Starbucks and order a "decaf grande half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot, gingerbread cappuccino, extra dry, light ice, with one Sweet-n'-Low, and one NutraSweet," ooh, you're a huge asshole. "

I agree whole heartedly. Today I found myself working in a local coffeehouse, Scooter Joes, and have just heard the most ridiculous coffee orders ever. . .

"Small sugar-free caramel skinny latte." Had it been decaf, this person would have to be declared coffee jack-ass of the year. Then her friend ordered "Small sugar-free vanilla decaf skinny latte". She also got a cookie. She wins.

Seriously?

So I have just returned from 4-bucks (yes, I know this is what I get for patronizing them blah blah blah).

(1) When I pull in there is 1 non-handicap parking space available. And a extended Lincoln towncar with a license plate of RAYSLMO which is blocking the spot trying to get into the drive thru lane. LIMOS don't belong in Drive-Thrus. WTF. So RAYSLMO moves forward but not enough for the Vo-Vo to get around him to the parking spot and a smug little civic snatches it. Whatever, that civic was probably snow bound during the blizzard unlike the vo-vo and it is 13 degrees so I just stay in my ass-warmed seat and get behind RAYSLMO in the drive-thru.

(2) While I am in the drive-thru behind said Limo, I see a mini-van pull in, take the handicap space (clearly not handicap), leave the car running with children inside- in carseats, go in & get a coffee. Seriously! Does this lady have a quota for the number of laws she has to break before 9am?

Maybe as my coffee kicks in, I will be less annoyed. Which brings up another thing, when they came up with a business model that would place a large number of people who haven't had any coffee in a small space in cars in the morning- what were they thinking? Clearly, that is why they had to include the extra addictive secret ingredient that makes you crave even decaf from 4bucks.

I am waiting for the class action suit. For that and the nubin mouse on my keyboard which was slowly killing me too.

I promise I will be in a better mood on Sunday, crafters. I will have my coffee before you arrive.

Just a thought.

The governor has declared a state of emergency. I-25 is closed from Wyoming to New Mexico. Most other highways are partially closed. The postal service isn't even delivering. It’s still snowing. And, every channel is scrolling school and business closures. Why? At some point, it would make more sense to scroll what is open. This morning Channel 2 was announcing which Starbucks were operational. Now that is a public service.

Emergen-C

DHP's email about Vitamin C sent me down to the kitchen to mix up an Emergen-C and Club Soda. My single self would not have had boxes of this in the house. Emergen-C is a Jeepboy thing that survived our merger. There is a list of things that didn't survive the merger but that's not my list to share. Instead here are a few things that I mocked before Jeepboy but now have found their way into my day to day life. (1) 4-Bucks- I found the justification for the Latte (great source of milk) long before JB but my Cap Hill living single self only patronized local establishments. ( 2) Cable TV- with the fancy-pants DVR...

... okay, I got bored with that list. Maybe I will finish it another time. Instead, here are few other random notes:

Why do I continue to drink house margs when I know they make me feel like ass the next day?
There is a new blog on the shoutout list: Enjoy Every Sandwich

Cool new place to dump your coffee dollars

Know that area of along Speer between Lincoln and Cherry Creek that you'd never think of going to for a night out unless you were planning a big shindig at Boston Market? Well there is now a new destination worth taking note of, SML Coffee. I couldn't quite picture it myself but yes near the Perfect Teeth sign on the south side of the intersection near Washington Street - 702 E. Speer Blvd. Not that I've been there myself but I have the privledge of having a young hip sister to check out the world for me. Free Bird Sis and I noted the place in last Friday's Denver Post where it shared info about free Wednesday movie night at SML. ( Free movies in random parks and odd places seem to be the rage this summer and SML has joined the movement. ) We planned to go together and check out Amelie at SML but the evening was pushing 9 PM and husband not home from work yet, baby sleeping soundly, and the thought of loading car seat up was too much so I called Free Bird Sis and got the report for you all. CreamyCrafter: How is it? Free Bird Sis: Cool, its all about the movie here, coffee counter has shut down already, you have to bring your own lawnchair CC: What is cool about it? FBS: it has garage doors (i.e. "a former drive through bank stylishly transformed into an intimate and airy coffee shop" reported the Denver Post's Ricardo Baca) CC: What is going on with the movie? FBS: It has subtitles but I can't see them over the layers and layers of people. CC: Tons of people there? FBS: Yep CC: What kind of people? FBS: Young hip cool people CC: Cool 35 year old people? FBS: Yes, there are lots of 35 year olds here CC: Where is the movie? FBS: In the parking lot. CC: Where are all the cars? FBS: Some are in the parking lot but lots of people rode bikes, old retro road bikes. CC: How's the coffee? FBS: I didn't get a drink because there was a huge line when I got here. CC: How were the prices? FBS: I don't know. I didn't pay attention. CC: What time do you have to get there to get a drink and a seat where you can see? FBS: I got here at 8:40 and the movie started about 8:45. You'd probably have to get here about 8:15. CC: What is the color scheme inside? FBS: I don't know. I didn't look. CC: How are the bathrooms? FBS: I don't know. I didnt go in there. CC: Okay. Well there you have it. With the resurgance of bicycle riding among Crafters you may want to check this place out on an upcoming Wednesday. Good luck carrying your lawn chair while you ride. Just in parting though here is more from Denver Post: "The room is rarely packed so you don't have to fight for a concrete table to enjoy your chai, newspaper and free wireless Internet. The coffee is roasted by Caffe Vita in Seattle, the service is friendly and the breeze that swings through the shop is pure heaven." I guess he was talking about day time when coffee and tables are available. Movie schedule and chat opportunities at myspace.com/smlcoffee