100 Trips to Intelligentsia…And I Still Know Nothing

#001 of hundreds

LOS ANGELES — So this idea that I’m going to somehow take a picture of every shot I have at this place is flipping ridiculous. So that’s all done with.

Not that I’m even going all that often now. I’m knee deep in the Chemex world, grinding my beans with some grinder that cost as much as a month’s rent in college and some beans roasted within mere days of consumption. But from time to time, I sneak back to the homeland — maybe grab a sandwich from the Cheese Shop next door — and drop a few bucks on the good folks at the Big I. Screw Starbies. This is now the standard. I’m officially hopeless. I think I actually tasted citrus a few times and thought, “A nice citrus there” in my head. Even if it was really tobacco, I’m falling deeper into the clutches of this madness. Fortunately, I still don’t know what I’m talking about…so I’ll always have that.

In the months since I last updated, I’ve had coffee in a bunch of places, plus I’ve brewed a bunch from a bunch of places in my Chemex pot. Huzzah. So in the next weeks, I hope to catch up on all that. But for now…

Here’s a short summary of my May – August whenver I’m in LA…

–Wake up

–Work

–Meet up with Ben/Gaines

–Eat Fish Tacos/Real Tacos

–Pound a shot at Intelligentsia, often chased by another

–Smirk

 

FACEOFF! McDs v. Starbucks in a Latte Throwdown

(downed: small latte, small latte)

DETROIT — Faced with some down time in the rental car/hotel checkout/flight check-in process, the overwhelming urge to entertain myself struck again…this time resulting in what may be a multi-round knock-down-drag-out grudge fest of incredible proportions.

A couple years ago, while on a video shoot with some hot rides, I was treated to some “test market” roast coffee at a McDonalds in the middle of nowhere California. It was awesome. And just as sure as that place will one day serve breakfast all day…I was sure McD’s would eventually go the coffee route. Now, about a year ago maybe…they finally came out with espresso-based drinks. Today…the mighty McD near the DTW takes on the Starbies inside the McNamara “World Gateway” terminal. Hoorah!

 

Sunset Junction: Intelligentsia Comes Back Like Jordan, Wearin’ the 4-5

The Fresh Life: Reborn?

(downed: shot, cuppa clova “persephone/alchemy”

LOS ANGELES — At a certain point in the life of this coffee blog, it’s going to just be pointless talking about anything I get at this shop. Sometimes, I think I like it more than the employees do (not the case, but the alpha dogs around there aren’t from LA, so they don’t readily “vibe”…i’ll bet you a case of raw almond butter they’ll loosen up by the next time a cloud blows past in mid-to-late September).

While this proper blog gets it’s proper legs, I’ll avoid getting too misty about this place. But I’m not sure how many more on-time espressos I can injest before I’ll just put up a whole page. This place is crushing it. Someday, you might find me at the Source Awards screaming about how “East Coast ain’t got no love for Black Cat? Ain’t got no love for (if I knew the names of two people who worked there, it would be referenced here)?”

To the experiential ratings hotness:

 

Swork…Eagle Rock

(downed: shot, english breakfast tea)

LOS ANGELES — After a filling meal at Marie Callendar’s (long story), Beck/Maggs and I decided to trot over to Eagle Rock for some Swork action as Beckster had never been there. And considering the frame of mind I’m in, coffee shops might be the place I am more than any other for a month or 500.

Swork kind of rocks. It’s near the Occidental College, so you’ve got a bunch of DS college kids kicking around, plus young parents and then the normal LA writers/drifters/etc. So I dove in to the espresso.