JJ and John
Barista Artists
Bring the Blue Bottle cafe to Boston’s pinnacle.
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Commentary
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Are cafes such a dominant influence in my life that the opening of a new one will change my routine, the way I live my life?
Such is the impact that the opening of the Blue Bottle in the Prudential Center has made on me.
Of course, I had already been know that because I am a twice-weekly client of the Microsoft Store in that center, just fifty feet from the Blue Bot.
And once every two weeks I buy something at Eataly, just fifty feet from the MS Store. although as Amazon has cut prices at Whole Foods, it seems that Eataly’s prices have risen. Discouraging.
And it doesn’t hurt my patronage of the Blue Bottle I don’t mind that Godiva has a store wedged between the MS Store and Eataly, me being a loyal Godiva customer and, monthly, entitled to my choice of the pieces featured in their chocolate display, last taking a dark chocolate turtle-type with the caramel enveloping hazelnuts; as well as my being a card-carrying Godiva ice cream consumer, entitling me to a free ice cream after the purchase of three.
And close by the Blue Bottle, all within the Prudential Center, are a post office, a branch of Santander, and a Barnes and Noble.
So the Pru was not new to me when the Blue Bottle opened.
As for getting there, it’s a full fifteen minute longer walk, approximately, from my prior favorite café, the Thinking Cup on Newbury St.
Even with my thirteen-pound backpack, a one-way trip is doable, albeit on the pushing the envelope end of my limits. Walking to and from is very difficult although a mostly lovely walk.
I often intersperse the walk with a partial ride on the T, using the convenient-to-me Green Line, which has a stop within the center. And the center is a convenient and attractive walk, from my apartment through the Greenway, downtown Boston, the Common and Public Garden, Newbury Street, and Copley Square.
There are other cafes in the Pru, including Nespresso, Starbuck’s, and soon, another Café Nero, which always produces interesting-looking cafes.
But frankly, none of these will ever win an award for Best Coffee. Except in the South and Midwest where café is just another four-letter word.
Not only is the coffee at the Blue Bottle the best in the city, it is certainly aided and abetted by JJ and John, the tandem setting the bar for barista professionalism and artistry.
And it’s an attractive café, without walls on three sides, having usurped a formerly hollow, open space, and the one wall, floor to ceiling glass, faces out into a generous courtyard, with bushes and trees and benches available for drinking coffee outdoors.
Prices run about 25% above average, a two-shot cortado at Thinking Cup, also delicious coffee, 3.50, at the Blue Bottle, 4.25.
The Blue Bottle Cafe from the rear.
So, instead of spending my customary sixty or ninety minutes working a café, I now allocate three hours to the event, some of the extra time working, some extra travel, some seeking additional technological help.
The time there is wonderfully productive and enjoyable.
Will it continue so? I don’t know.
But it may.
The courtyard.
And so, in answer to the question, “Are cafes such a dominant influence in my life that the opening of a new one may change my routine, the way I live?”
I answer, “Yes.”
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Announcements
Saturday, June 8, 2019
The blog is growing fast enough to warrant a request for volunteer help.
From writing to mailing list enrichment to research, something fun for someone looking for a hobby related to the written word.
If interested, contact Dom: domcapossela@hotmail.com
We are in a surge of nice weather.
For the next week.
Spring at last.
Let’s make sure we enjoy each day coming.
The hours are ticking away and if we don’t make the most of our time another day will soon click past.
Unnoticed.
Unappreciated.
Tick Tock.
In clock language:
Enjoy today.
Enjoy the week.
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Postings Count, Weather Brief, and Dinner
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Our 428th consecutive posting, committed to 5,000.
After 428 posts we’re at the 8.56 percentile of our commitment, the commitment a different way of marking the passage of time.
Time is 4.01am.
On Saturday, Boston’s temperature will reach a high of 72* with a feels-like of 73* under sunny skies.
Dinner Thursday evening was fried chicken with potatoes mashed with soured cream and corn.
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Question of the Day:
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Something about wasps?
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Chuckle of the Day:
Saturday, June 8, 2019
A big city lawyer went duck hunting in rural North Alberta.
He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer's field on the other side of a fence.
As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing.
“I shot a duck and it fell in this field, and now I'm going to retrieve it."
The old farmer Peter replied, "This is my property, and you are not coming over here."
"I am one of the best trial lawyers in Canada and, if you don't let me get that duck, I'll sue you and take everything you own."
"Apparently, you don't know how we settle disputes in Alberta. We settle small disagreements like this with the 'Three Kick Rule.'
"What is the 'Three Kick Rule'?"
"Well, because the dispute occurs on my land, I get to go first. I kick you three times and then you kick me three times and so on back and forth until someone gives up."
The lawyer quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom.
The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the attorney.
His first kick planted the toe of his heavy steel-toed work boot into the lawyer's groin and dropped him to his knees!
His second kick to the midriff sent the lawyer's last meal gushing from his mouth.
The lawyer was on all fours when the farmer's third kick to his rear end, sent him face-first into a fresh cow pie.
Summoning every bit of his will and remaining strength the lawyer very slowly managed to get to his feet.
Wiping his face with the arm of his jacket, he said, "Okay, you old fart. Now it's my turn."
The old farmer smiled, "Nah, I give up. You can have the duck.
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Love your notes.
Contact me at domcapossela@hotmail.com
Saturday, June 8, 2019
This from Sally C on my diatribe re: getting stuck in traffic.
Dear Dom,
Re: Boston to NYC: Have you tried the Merritt Parkway/Hutchinson Parkway? (We always pick up Merritt Pkwy off I-91 near Middletown, CT, a bit south of Hartford.) A pretty drive, more direct, and passenger vehicles only. Vastly superior to I-95 in my book. Phillip and I used it exclusively when traveling between Virginia and Mass. We didn't use Hutchinson Pkwy much because we rarely had business closer to the city.
I made about half of those trips alone, in my trusty old VW Rabbit hatchback. I still miss that little dynamo. It had no amenities except a 255 air-conditioning system - two windows open at 55 mph. It didn't owe me anything when I had to retire it from the road - it was 24 years old. A VW collector bought it from me for more than half what I paid for it. He planned to install the engine in another VW body, for racing at the New England Dragway in Epping, NH. I wouldn't be surprised if it's still chugging away.
Ah, yes, the travel is a distinct part of the destination. Like an old song goes, "Half the fun of gettin' there is goin'."
Now that the producers of your blog have become plural, you are truly accurate in summarizing what "we" talked about today. (Before this, I wasn't ever sure if your "we" was editorial or imperial. But I was good with it either way.) (Maybe both?)
Sally
Web Meister Responds: As always, thanks for sharing, my dear.
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Answer to the Question of the Day:
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Something about wasps?
The vast majority of wasp species are solitary insects.
Having mated, the adult female forages alone and if it builds a nest, does so for the benefit of its own offspring.
Some solitary wasps nest in small groups alongside others of their species, but each is involved in caring for its own offspring (except for such actions as stealing other wasps’ prey or laying in other wasp's nests).
There are some species of solitary wasp that build communal nests, each insect having its own cell and providing food for its own offspring, but these wasps do not adopt the division of labour and the complex behavioral patterns adopted by eusocial species.
Adult solitary wasps spend most of their time in preparing their nests and foraging for food for their young, mostly insects or spiders.
Their nesting habits are more diverse than those of social wasps.
Many species dig burrows in the ground.
Mud daubers and pollen wasps construct mud cells in sheltered places.
Potter wasps similarly build vase-like nests from mud, often with multiple cells, attached to the twigs of trees or against walls.
Predatory wasp species normally subdue their prey by stinging it, and then either lay their eggs on it, leaving it in place, or carry it back to their nest where an egg may be laid on the prey item and the nest sealed, or several smaller prey items may be deposited to feed a single developing larva.
Apart from providing food for their offspring, no further maternal care is given. Members of the family Chrysididae, the cuckoo wasps, are kleptoparasites and lay their eggs in the nests of unrelated host species.
The European paper wasp is one of the most common species of wasps in the genus Polistes.
Originally described in 1791 by German naturalist Johann Ludwig Christ as Vespa dominula, it is native to southern Europe and North Africa, as well as temperate parts of Asia as far east as China.
It has also been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the Americas.
The species is common and cosmopolitan due to its exceptional survival features, such as a productive colony cycle, a short development time and a higher ability to endure predator attacks.
It generally lives in temperate, terrestrial habitats, such as chaparral, forest and grassland biomes.
This picture shows a young European paper wasp queen guarding her nest and eggs.
I have a list of the best cafes in the USA.
None of them are in the Midwest.
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Good Morning on this Saturday, the ninth day of June, 2019
We posted a photo of JJ and John, master baristas and we talked about the effect cafes can have on our lives.
We added the Boston weather report and the ticking calendar, and tracked the number of our postings.
We asked for volunteer help with working on the blog.
We posted another chuckle, an interesting letter from Sally C, and something about wasps.
And now? Gotta go.
Che vuoi? Le pocketbook?
See you soon.
Your love.