I wouldn’t call it a vacation. It wasn’t so much about getting away from life as it was about sharing it. Do they have the 4th of July in Canada? Of course, but it’s pretty much like the 3rd and the 5th - no fireworks, per se. We crossed the northwest (or southwest, depending on your point of view) border and ferried to one of the Gulf Islands: Galiano.

Six years ago, we constructed a cob oven which was the first muddy project leading to Kendall’s thesis and ongoing passion for earthen art - functional and therapeutic. The owner of the oven has used it more than most would and asked us to return to rebuild it… twice as big. Cob-building served as a context for us to share some life in a simple and meaningful place.

The real catalyst for the trip, though, was to witness and participate in our friends’, Peter and Kristen’s, wedding. You will remember Peter from the Radio Station Cafe and Sunrise Jam… most recently seen judging JJBean’s in-house barista competition. The event was a reunion of community and a beautiful union for these two.

How could I visit Vancouver and not do a little cafe crawling? Time was limited and a little more limiting with two kids in tow, but after a week of press’d brew on Galiano, I reveled in espresso from Elysian, 49th Parallel and JJBean. I continue to marvel at Vancouver’s coffee culture and the dynamics of company cultures as they evolve.

We returned to Galiano to share life with our good friends who are there tending an impressive garden and about to commence a boat-building project. Between the moka pot coffee, the copious salads, multiplying birthday pizzas and plenty of homebrew flowing, our shared time was more about the conversation coming out of our mouths than the goodness going in.

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Another one is in the record books and Stephen Morrissey, the Barista Champion of Ireland, now holds the crown. And for obvious reason - Stephen showed us a distinct balance of humility and virtuosity necessary to rise to the top of the rising tide.

I’m sitting in the same seat I was last year when James Hoffmann won top honours and I feel some of the same emotions: a dislocation from the action on the world stage but a simultaneous closeness to the motivation expressed through the competition.

Cheers to Square Mile and her expatriate compatriot, the Flying Thud!

I literally had a competition anxiety dream last night. I was serving horrific-looking cappuccinos and Chris Deferio was wiping the rims for me (a double team!). I served Jim Shulman some sort of truffle-like signature that would never pass as drinkable. I awoke to find much more polished presentations posted on the WBC feed page with synopses and pics on Barista Mag’s pasteboard blog. It’s on!

On the home front, I’ve been experiencing the full spectrum of mobile espresso: the thrill of busy Farmers’ Market Saturdays and the agony of an espresso machine falling off the counter… and the truck breaking down. But life is good and hopefully I can pull off some late-late WBC super-fan-spectating while serving up the local goods at one of Coeur d’Alene’s most action-packed days: the Ironman triathlon. It’s on!!

I made this ‘mini van’ as a display for Sorenson Elementary’s big auction shin-dig. Up for bidding: a visit from the coffee truck and personal barista service for your next big event or business meeting. Last year, the service snatched $200 (and I got a $50 tip and repeat business)… we’ll see what it’s worth to someone this year. Aside from the auction, what kid wouldn’t want their very own coffee truck?

These days are hard to capture in photographs and memories - one or two weeks later and everything has grown. The garden is finally planted, the ducks are more stinky than cute and the babe just keeps getting cuter… and stinkier.

the hops bend toward their trellis
Record snowfalls have now caused the lake to swell and the river to rush. The farmers’ market season began a few weeks ago and people are eager to get out of their caves in search of signs of life - like promising tomato starts and a humming coffee truck. The season brings a healthy rhythm of busyness and leisure - I only wish our town could support a few more days of market and a few more months of springtime.

Another one for the record books. And I was there… sort of. Experientially, I was at home with family and familiar spro; virtually, I was a part of the action.

Intelligentsia extends its wings of coffee excellence and Kyle shows us all what it means to be champ. Congrats, Kyle.

As previously stated, it’s tough to predict the results from the sidelines. I guess I owe the world champ 5lbs of coffee… but imagine how much greater Kyle’s score would have been if he would have employed the simultaneous espresso technique!

Congrats USBC finalists:

Nick Griffith, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
Pete Licata, PT’s Coffee Roasting Company
Chris Baca, Ritual Coffee Roasters
Heather Perry, Coffee Klatch
Kyle Glanville, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
Drew Catlin, Ritual Coffee Roasters

With an increasingly deep pool in this national event, making it to the final six deserves much adulation. It seems telling that three of these baristas were in the finals last year and perhaps that two pairs are from the same company. I don’t know what it means that five of the six are from California.

I learned long ago that there is no way to predict, simply by watching the competition, who will advance. The judges alone taste and evaluate the drinks and there are details they perceive that we simply cannot. So while I root for all and wish the best for my friends, I can’t pretend to predict a winner. However this year, as a spectator, I am making one bold prediction: that the winner will have used the ’simultaneous spro’ technique (being called simulspro and the dually on the live feed chat). When I made this claim, I was met with an instant counter by the world barista champion, James Hoffmann. In the heat of live feed and fast chat, a wager was made: loser owes the winner 5lbs of coffee.

You know where I’ll be tomorrow at 12 noon central.

I guess I really don’t have to post about the USBC live feed. It captured as much attention as I could give it today and that’s where you’ll find me for most of the weekend. If you want to communicate with me, you can find me in the little chat window next to the feed. While there will likely be a contrast in content between those that are there and those that aren’t, all of this coverage must be for someone… who is it for?

I guess I could keep posting baby pictures (or maybe a baby live feed?), but I’d rather spend time gleaning ‘espresso truth’ from the barista confessionals.

All eyes are turning to the SCAA conference in Minneapolis and to this year’s USBC.

It will be interesting to see how the official coverage plays out; how blogging, both by those in attendance and those at home, can engage in the commentary; and how the broader audience might get a taste of the conference and competition drama.

Me… I’ll be glued to the ‘tube’ but all while marveling at this little beauty.