36 Responses for "Warez mah coffee?!"

1. Andrew Wilkinson May 15th, 2007 at 10:19 am 1

   You’d think Starbucks would at least be able to put something in their coffee to make it taste good. I don’t understand why it has to taste like burnt tree bark.

2. JJ May 15th, 2007 at 10:20 am 2

   you should get one of those plastic coffee filter thingys, a box of #2 filters, and a pound of your favorite stuff… boil some water, pour it thru, and presto: a perfect cup of coffee.
   its actually better tasting than thru a coffee machine..

   think of all the money you could save!!!

3. Veronica May 15th, 2007 at 10:27 am 3

   @JJ – an excellent point! i should buy one for the office.

4. Jason W. May 15th, 2007 at 10:39 am 4

   Actually, McDonald’s coffee beat Starbucks in a recent taste test… if you’re not anti-clown, you could give it a try…

5. Frank L May 15th, 2007 at 11:12 am 5

   In re Starbucks: I heard they burn their basic coffee to boost sales on the fancy crap.

   In re Coffee: Too bad CNet isn’t closer to some place that sells “Illy.” There was a really great place behind the Nordstrom (I think) that serves it. Cable Car Cafe or some nonsense, but Illy ain’t no joke on the coffee scene.

   And all of North Beach had bad arse coffee. I almost didn’t get back on the plane East based solely on the idea that I could live on Coffee.

6. Tommy Vallier May 15th, 2007 at 11:23 am 6

   While I get the whole coffee thing, and am also a creature of habbit… I totally saw the title in my feed reader and thought it was going to be about Maxwell House or Folgers… Or even Starbucks… starting up some sort of P2P or BitTorrent thing.

   Maybe I need a break from the monitor….

7. netnomad May 15th, 2007 at 11:37 am 7

   Even though my web link has coffee in the domain name, I assure you this is only a coincidence and I’m not trying to spam you. lol. (P.S. Want veronica@? lol)

   I feel your pain. I don’t like routine changes either and I’m addicted to coffee. I concur with the other commenters suggestion to buy a machine. Ten years ago somebody bought me a Melita Mill ‘N Brew and it has served me well. It took a while to get the knack of it, but once I got the “mixture” right, I’ve enjoyed nothing but spectacular coffee since. The Mill ‘N Brew has it’s faults though. I really love that you dump whole bean in one side and coffee comes out the other, but the basket has to be cleaned every time you use it (no paper filters in this baby). Other than that, it’s also a blade grinder (as opposed to the much nicer “burr” grinders) and the blades on the beast are starting to wear.

   I think if I was going to do it again (and I probably will soon) I’d get a cheap burr grinder that’s easy(er) to clean and a mid-range “regular” coffee pot that I can use throwaway paper filters with.

   The coffee habit is almost worse than a drug habit. Once you start getting past the corner-store fifty-cent crap, it turns into a serious money pit.

   I wish you well.

8. Jesse! May 15th, 2007 at 11:41 am 8

   man… I feel ya there… they also had a good small-sized coffee… so I didn’t get all jittery and stuff…

   my suggestions: Katz has some decent coffee, but lines and then you’ll want a bagel too. Toaster Oven, surprisingly has good coffee and hardly ever a morning line… and it’s organic!

9. ChiliMac May 15th, 2007 at 12:05 pm 9

   Have you tried an Americano? If your only option is a Starbucks then it’s your best bet. At least if you’re like me and don’t like that steamed milk messing up your coffee.

   As for the crossing the street thing, if there’s not a Boy Scout around I guess there’s not much you can do.

10. Adrian May 15th, 2007 at 12:10 pm 10

    I’m that way with my morning drink, except my morning drink is Dr. Pepper instead of Coffee.

    IMHO, Dr. Pepper on ice out of a Circle K fountain first thing in the morning just can’t be beat, and I demand it that way, so I understand your coffee situation.

    Fortunately, with my current job, I pass 2 Circle K’s on my way to work (and they’re on my side of the street no less!), and there’s another one only a minute or two up the road from my office, so it’s really just a matter of picking the one that has the most empty parking spots when I drive by it. In every one of them, all the cashiers that work the morning shift know me and if there’s no line, already have me rung up by the time I make it to the counter so all I have to do is pay and get out the door. I even carry enough coin to pay in exact change so I just hand them the money and go. If Circle K were to close those stores, I’d be in the same boat as you are now.

    Lame, I know, but we all have our proclivities…

11. Patrick May 15th, 2007 at 1:02 pm 11

    Being a cancer myself, I can really relate to not liking chance a whole lot, but we manage to get through it.

    Hopefully this change won’t affect you V, cause we love you and all the stuff you do.

    Patrick

12. Jessica May 15th, 2007 at 1:47 pm 12

    As someone who spent 10 years in the specialty coffee industry, I can tell you that your best bet is a French Press. Buy whole beans. Get a small personal grinder, and grind your beans 2-3 oz. at a time. For Dog’s sake, DO NOT put the beans in the fridge, or the freezer. It is a falacy that they stay fresher that way. In fact, it ruins them because moisture condenses inside the beans, sucking the flavor out!

    Starbucks is a tool of Voldemort!

13. Mike May 15th, 2007 at 2:05 pm 13

    That really stinks…

    You should try McD’s coffee though, I have heard it’s really good.

14. Andre May 15th, 2007 at 3:03 pm 14

    Orange juice?

15. Alexis May 15th, 2007 at 3:20 pm 15

    For coffee at work I do (since the immediate options are limited and Starbucks only makes good Ice Coffe), one package of Swiss Miss Chocolate, one espresso shot, and hot water to taste. Followed with a tasty Jam-which.

16. J.S. Zolliker May 15th, 2007 at 3:45 pm 16

    Change jobs?!?!? Never thought of buying a coffee machine for yourself?. Just saw pretty nice ones, using like a teabag mechanism…

17. Chicago May 15th, 2007 at 3:51 pm 17

    I’m thinking that if you flashed “The Look” when you walked into coffee shop #2 they would serve you more quickly from sheer intimidation…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/danstapleton/133749989/

18. James May 15th, 2007 at 8:49 pm 18

    that’s quite a decision to make. being ignored for two minutes (Not OK!) for really good coffee > decent coffee served by mr creepy. could be worse tho. he could have an eyepatch and a unabrow. flavia fusion is a surprisingly good machine that brews a wide variety of single serving coffee and other assorted drinks. good luck with the quest for coffee!

19. jose8a May 16th, 2007 at 4:48 am 19

    lol “or else I might have to change jobs” lol eww starbucks coffee eeww mcd coffee eeww

20. Dan Blank May 16th, 2007 at 6:02 am 20

    Veronica,
    It’s interesting how you (and many other customers) have such a close relationship to this store, but were not part of their community enough to know they were having financial issues. If they leveraged the strength of their community, I always wonder if stores like this could find a way to survive. There are so many ways to leverage community online, it is shocking that older, brick and mortar industries have not established something like this. Bummer about the coffee. I hate crossing the street too.
    -Dan

21. Kato May 16th, 2007 at 7:07 am 21

    Invisible coffee.

22. Mateo May 16th, 2007 at 7:33 am 22

    I’ll second the comment by Jessica, french presses rock. Sure they do require some cleaning vs. paper filters but a little better for the environment. If time is an issue, get a french press mug and a burr grinder per netnomad’s comment. Then you just boil your water while you dress in the morning, pour the hot water and grinds in to the cup and walk out the door. Press 3-5 minutes later and have the best cup of Joe around. No more creepy or rude baristas, no more unsafe crossing the street. Cheers!

23. MacDork May 16th, 2007 at 8:32 am 23

    Huh. I thought I was the only person on the planet that doesn’t like Starbucks coffee. It’s just way too bitter for me, but most people get heavily flavored & creamed concoctions, so I guess they just never notice?

    Good luck — if that doesn’t work out for you, consider getting a nice thermos =/

24. Jyh May 16th, 2007 at 9:47 pm 24

    French press + Peet’s blend (coarse grind) = daily coffee within reach of your fingertips… yay!

25. Aeirlys May 17th, 2007 at 8:51 am 25

    Don’t change jobs! We’d miss you!

    French presses are good, but I really like my Cuisinart grind and brew coffee machine. Put coffee beans and water in the night before, set the timer, and when you get up you have fresh coffee from freshly ground beans. It takes a bit of cleaning, but it’s worth it. And the kitchen counter doesn’t require that you cross the street.

26. SciFi Cindy May 17th, 2007 at 12:16 pm 26

    In our town there is a Starbucks with another Starbucks across the street! Coffee is weird. It smells great, but tastes like dirt. Unlike stinky cheese, which smells bad and tastes good.

    I’m too young to drink coffee, but I don’t think I’ll ever start, because by the time I’m old enough it will cost $42 a cup.

    Love your blog, Veronica! You are my idol! I want to be you when I grow up. Any jobs for kids at C-Net? Here’s my blog (recently featured on TVSciFi.com!)

    http://www.tvscifi.com/content/blogsection/4/26/

27. John B. May 17th, 2007 at 9:07 pm 27

    My suggestion:

    Buy an inexpensive little French press ($20 or less should get you a one that makes 2 mugs worth), some good fresh ground coffee you like, and a portable water boiler (heater, whatever they’re called.) You’ll get *awesome* coffee all the time, and in the long run you’ll save a ton, and you won’t even have to leave your desk to make it.

    Granted, it takes a few minutes to clean after use (I only wash the filter on mine every third use, and rinse it the other times), but dude – the coffee is great. You’ll be hooked, I promise!

    - From the Department of Impractical Practices (but they’re oh-so-great anyway)

28. eric f. May 18th, 2007 at 4:41 am 28

    I can’t believe you can leave the apartment without having your coffee first.

    Do you have any idea how much money you will have left over for videogames if you make your coffee at home? At least one new console title every month!

29. miss_lain May 18th, 2007 at 11:29 am 29

    Same story here. A cancer and creature of habit. Crossing the street is dangerous, anyway so good for you. Too bad they had to close the coffee shop, but if they must they must.

    I should try a French press, since I don’t need to make copious amounts of coffee for sharing. It’s supposed to make a great cup of coffee. I presently brew at home with a Braun stainless steel/thermal carafe coffee maker. it works like a thermos bottle to keep the coffee hot. Since the coffee isn’t in a glass carafe that has to be in contact with and kept warm by the burner plate, there’s no chance for the coffee to get that burnt taste. The drawback to the thermal carafe is that it doesn’t keep the coffee as hot as glass, unless you pour hot water into the carafe to pre-heat it first, which helps retain brewed temperature. It’s better than burnt coffee if you’re not into French presses or something else. I always like Consumer Reports for reviews of coffee making systems and finding good brands of coffee. Happy caffeine hunting.

30. Arlo May 18th, 2007 at 3:04 pm 30

    Go to that Chatz kiosk right next door. Their coffee is the jam, and its a local small biz!

31. RS May 19th, 2007 at 1:23 pm 31

    Veronica….go to wholelattelove.com, and go directly there. I had my same little path in LA to retrieve my needed chemical jumpstart, and after the place closed, I was forced to look at the alternatives. Of all people, you will find your adept “gadgetness” a big plus in working your way through this world of espresso and coffee machines. The design and execution is everything, but email if you want some thoughts. Now the making of my morning coffee is a ritual that is so automatic that I am usually unaware of what’s on my mind while doing it…autopilot.

32. Clintus McGintus May 20th, 2007 at 3:33 pm 32

    Nothing wrong with habits. I think you should just switch jobs. There is an awesome place on the way to my work you could start going to. Oh yeah, that would mean you would have to move to AZ

33. kbr May 21st, 2007 at 7:26 am 33

    Condolences. Good coffee spots are hard to find.

34. marcywood May 23rd, 2007 at 2:21 pm 34

    hey veronica, for being such a tech geek you never came to the idea to buy a saeco or jura coffee machine…? push one button -> perfect coffee !

35. Jamesie Adams June 5th, 2007 at 5:52 pm 35

    You should have said ” do you know who I am?” do you not listen to Buzz out loud? Philestines!

36. will July 30th, 2007 at 3:12 pm 36

    “I guess the only thing I can do is hope that another coffee shop moves into that location, or else I might have to change jobs.”

    Hahaha, do I sense a little foreshadowing??