Around the City in 24 Cups

All right, I meant to post these as I wrote them, but am just now getting to it. I'll try to do the rest as I go.

Someone’s got their marketing hat on. The Indie Coffee Passport is a card that allows you one drink, up to a value of $5.00, at each of 24 participating independent coffee shops. A terrific deal for only $20.00, $25.00 after September 30th.

So, on the morning of September 14, 2010, armed with my passport and a desperate need for caffeine, I began the adventure.

#1
Red Rocket Coffee (Wellesley)
154 Wellesley St. E. (just east of Sherbourne)
September 14, 2010, 9:15 a.m.
Atmosphere/Décor: airy, bright, modern.
Seating: sparse, and each of the three tables by the coffee bar are barely big enough for a laptop. If you want to use a mouse, forget it.
Wifi: Yes, ask for password.
AC Outlets: Yes, one for the three small tables.
Traffic: Not too busy this time of morning.
Staff: Friendly.
Drink of choice: large Americano. Very good.
Would I return? Yes, for a coffee if I was walking by, but not useful as a spot to read or work on computer.
Overall rating: 3.5/5

#2
Green Beanery
565 Bloor St. W. (corner of Bloor and Bathurst)
September 14, 2010, 12:20 p.m.
Atmosphere/Décor: airy, bright, modern.
Seating: Plentiful, comfortable leather chairs.
Wifi: No.
AC Outlets: No; outlet boxes along walls, covered with metal plates. Not only can’t you have it, you're going to be reminded you can’t have it.
Traffic: Not too busy this time of morning.
Staff: Friendly.
Drink of choice: large Americano. A superior cup.
Would I return? Possibly, it might be a good space for a date, but lack of wifi and AC outlets is a deterrent to me. In this age of cheap tech, one can only assume the proprietors are making a conscious choice to discourage web-workers and presumably encourage the social aspect of the café. Good for them. Not so good for me.
Overall rating: 2.5/5

#3
Linuxcaffe
326 Harbord St.
September 14, 2010, 3:10 p.m.
Atmosphere/Décor: Eclectic; lots of local art on the walls; well-worn mismatched tables and chairs; great tunes at a tolerable volume. Pretty much as opposite to a Starbuck’s as you can get. Reminds me of a university café.
Seating: Abundant. Tables and window counter.
Wi-fi: Yes, unsecured.
AC Outlets: Lots, and grounded extension cords thoughtfully provided for the tables not near an outlet.
Traffic: a third full.
Staff: Friendly.
Drink of choice: decaf Americano. How much caffeine do you think I can drink in one day?
Would I return? Absolutely, despite the odd name! I see they’ve replaced their old befuddling sign which sported the penguin mascot from the Linux computer operating system, and have changed the name from Linux Café to Linuxcaffe.
Other: Lots of vegetarian fare plus vegan and gluten-free options. All food made on the premises.
Overall rating: 5/5.

21 to go!

#4
Crema Coffee Co.
53 Bloor E. (Shared space with Freshii)
September 16, 2010, 3:00 p.m. I can’t believe the rain today. Cold, cottage rain.
Atmosphere/Décor: Modern, clean, uncluttered.
Seating: Abundant. Tables and window counter. Comfortable chairs.
Wifi: Yes, unsecured, but damned if I could get it to work.
AC Outlets: Lots, easily accessible from each table and at the window counter.
Traffic: half a dozen people.
Staff: Inattentive, then pretentious, talking about “tasting notes” in an I Know Far More Than You tone. This was in keeping with the pretentious adjectives written on the board beside the list of coffees: “marmalady,” “velvety,” etc. Also a this “one size” setup which is annoying when you want something larger than the one size offered. Apparently, as the Hispter server explained to me without prompting, this is to do with precise brewing ratios or something equally as uninteresting yet For Some Reason to Him, Important.
Drink of choice: Americano with a shot of caramel syrup. The syrup ruined the taste, so hard to judge the coffee. Guessing it's probably a "velvety" or "marmalady" cup.
Would I return? No, the fiddly wifi connection which I could not connect to, combined with the pretentious atmosphere is enough to keep me away.
Overall rating: 1.5/5.

#5
The Rooster Coffee House
479 Broadview (across from Riverdale Park)
September 17, 2010, mid-morning. No rain today, thank Christ. Brisk cycling weather.
Atmosphere/Décor: Eclectic. Lots of warm wood and leather. High celings. A very inviting redo of what used to be a dingy variety story.
Seating: Abundant. Tables and window counter. armchairs and standard chairs. Umbrellas and patio chairs out front.
Wifi: Yes, secured, ask for password.
AC Outlets: Lots, easily accessible from each table. Extension cords and power bars generously provided.
Traffic: Busy!
Staff: Super-friendly; nicest of all the coffee shops visited so far.
Drink of choice: Americano.
Would I return? Yes. Lots of space to work.
Overall rating: 5/5.
Other: The Toronto Star ran a nice article about The Rooster recently. Click to read.

#6
F’Coffee
641 Queen East (just east of the DVP).
September 27, 2010, 4:20 p.m.
Atmosphere/Décor: warm, open, and airy, with well-worn hardwood floors, lots of wood inside, vintage railway posters and landscape paintings on the walls.
Seating: Ample, plenty of tables and chairs, mismatched but comfortable; a nice window-width bar.
Wi-fi: Yes, unsecured.
AC Outlets: Yes, one.
Traffic: Not too busy, but it was raining out (again).
Staff: Friendly. Woman graciously offered me a cookie as well to reach the $5 limit allowed with the card. A nice touch.
Drink of choice: large Americano. Very good.
Would I return? Probably not, but not because of the place, more the location. Not en route to anyplace I regularly go, not close enough to home to make the trek.
Other: any company that gets this close to making people swear is okay by me.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.

#7. Almost.
Tried to visit Merchants of Green Coffee in the vicinity but found it is closed on Mondays.

Dexter season 5 Opener

If you haven't seen the episode, read the following at your own discretion.

So here we are: the first episode of season five of Dexter. This is probably the worst episode of the entire series to date. It didn't advance the story, didn't add to our knowledge of the characters, and gave us flashbacks with Rita we didn't need. It's like someone on the production staff felt guilty for having given Julie Benz the chop (pun intended) and decided to make it up to her by bringing her back for another episode.

Also, the characterization of Dexter felt way off tonight. Here are four examples:

• In a flashback to his first date with Rita we see Dexter abducting a victim in what has be a busy parking lot outside a the busy restaurant where he and Rita are having their date. There is no way you can convince me that Dexter would be so careless. Also, Producers: a first date flashback? Really? This like a Dexter version of the Star Wars prequels: backstory we don't need to see, mostly because it's not very interesting, and we already know the outcome of Rita and Dexter's first date (more dates, then marriage).
  
• Next, Dexter kills a man for no reason. Not only is this out of character for Dexter, but Ghost Harry gets an uncharacteristic moment as well. (Goddamn, I hate this use of Harry to explain plot points or describe Dexter's emotional state to the audience.) After the brutal slaying, Ghost Harry says to Dexter, "That's the first human thing I've seen you do since Rita died." Um, no! Harry has never condoned the killing of innocents; that's what his Code was designed to curb. Yes, arguably Ghost Harry is a manifestation of Dexter's psyche, but to to put those words in Harry's mouth felt wrong to me. The character of Harry was best used in flashbacks to real conversations Dexter had with him when Harry was alive, conversations that were relevant to the present-day story. This "Don't go in there, Dexter!" use they're making of Harry these seasons is insulting to the audience and to James Remar, who had more to do on a single episode of Flash Forward than he's had on the last three seasons of Dexter.
• Following this, Dexter torches a shipping container he'd rented to hide his killing gear and bloody slides in. Even if the space was rented under an assumed name, surely someone working there must know what Dexter looks like, unless their security detail consists of a old guy sleeping and a German Sheppard with hip dysplasia. The fire would be traced back to Dexter pretty quickly, I'm sure. Distraught or not, nothing in Dexter's depiction up to now leads me to conclude he would be this careless. But, hey! Fire looks kewl and, oh, if I remember my grade 8 mythology lessons, it's also symbolic of rebirth! Double kewl!
  
• Much is made this episode (in Dexter's voice-overs) about his not being able to fake grief. What?! Dexter is a master of faking emotions, he said so himself in the first episode of season one! And he's mentioned that he felt grief when Harry died, so he has felt it. It's as if the writers of this year couldn't be bothered to to their research.

Finally, there's whole issue of "is Dexter Morgan Kyle Butler?" as seen in the preview for the season and tonight's preview of what's coming up. Why can't they just have Mrs Mitchell or the son just ID Dexter as Kyle? There are enough links between Arthur and Dexter to lead the FBI (or Miami PD) to Dexter. Dexter touched many things in Arthur's house, meaning fingerprints. We've got Arthur in the Police station talking to Dexter. With Arthur being "outed" as Trinity last season no-one, in a station full of cops remembers seeing him in the station that day?! So why all the runaround? I'm guessing it can be so Quinn can be the one who can piece it together. Ugh. Why as a viewer am I the one to find all the plot holes? Why isn't the showrunner keeping track of these things? What's he being paid for?!

Overall opinion of this episode: Terrible. What a waste of 1/12 of a season.

As much as I enjoyed season four, I still think they should have stopped Dexter at the end of season one, which was a perfect, complete story.

Tragic but also darkly hilarious...

"Police in Britain have now confirmed that a man killed in an accident involving a Segway scooter was the owner of the company."

More here.

BIXI Coming Up Short

Article in the Toronto Star: Bike-share still short of subscription target

Perhaps because we don't need it? See my earlier argument against BIXI.

While I am a cycling advocate, I cannot get behind BIXI. In my opinion, the money would be better spent putting more infrastructure (specifically new bike lanes, and parking), to encourage more people to cycle.

A couple of requests

(1) If you read something that inspires you to reply, positive or negative, please do so. Nice to know there are people reading.

(2) I'm posting about Fringe as I watch it and I'm still on Season 1. So please, don't tell me there are 17 dimensions, all of which contain a Walter Bishop, or that Oliva and Peter are siblings, or whatever. Thanks muchly.

Fringe theories...

In Fringe season 1, episode 20, when Robert Jones threatens to open a portal between this and another dimension, the Observer, who claims he cannot interfere in the affairs of man, leads Walter Bishop to a device which is used to close the dimensional rift.

In Fantastic Four #48, when Galactus threatens to consume Earth, the Watcher, who claims he cannot intervene in the affairs of man, leads Johnny Storm to a device, the Ultimate Nullifier, which is used to banish Galactus from our world.

Coincidence? Homage?

Fringe

Well, it isn't quite as good as I'd hoped, but still compelling, and miles better than The X-Files. It's just a bit too convenient that all the cases involve extrapolation on the decades-old work of Doctor Walter Bishop. Has no one done any new research into horrible ways to kill people since?

Also, how does Dunham shake off the effects of LSD so quickly? She's been dosed and put in that tank twice so far, and both times, within seconds of emerging, she's completely lucid. Dramatic expediency, anyone?

I've heard the series becomes far more interesting once Leonard Nimoy shows up.

Best episode (of the ones I've seen so far): "Safe" in which subplots start to come together and the mysterious Mr Jones is sprung from his cell in Germany using a device built decades ago by (wait for it!) Walter Bishop.

The best description of CBC's Q...

From eye Weekly. Could not agree more.

Most CBC shows are like Chinese water torture; Q is when your torturer takes breaks to tell you how much he likes the new Feist album. Smug “opening essays,” celebrity interviews and a smattering of Canadian indie-music fare. Grab an organic muffin and a soy latté folks. It’s time for Q!

Useless tech

Can someone explain what's up with people wanting to add technology to a problem that's (a) non existent or (b) been solved artfully and simply decades ago?

Take this for example: It's SEIL, pictured above, a backpack for cyclists with light-up turn and stop indicators.

We need SEIL right away, right now for all the cyclists. The sensational concept by designer Lee Myung Su gives cyclists an ability to indicate which way they would be turning while cycling on busy streets ruled by thoroughly callous four wheelers. Safe Enjoy Interact Light (SEIL) comprises of two components: a backpack equipped with LEDs and a detachable wireless controller that can be mounted on the handlebar. The rider simply touches the controller to indicate the desired direction, left or right or simply stopping, which simultaneously gets flashed on the backpack.

- From the Design Blog website.

Despite the site's demanding, "we need SEIL right away, right now for all the cyclists", I would argue that we do not. Why do we need lights, batteries, and other consumables to replace three or four simple hand/arm gestures? This goes against the reasons many of us cycle: to harness human power and to interact simply with the world.

Add this useless technology to a growing list: the kettle that beeps when it boils even though steam can power a whistle or the toaster that beeps before your toast pops up.

What happens when we add layer after useless layer of tech on top of simple human activities? Why does everything need an array of LEDs or an electronic beep or a built-in GPS? What sort of mindset develops when these become commonplace?

Okay, okay, I'll


now.

P.S. "Safe Enjoy Interact Light"?!

Hellblazer-like programme on BBC Radio 4 UPDATED

Are you a fan of Hellblazer?

Rich Johnson, from BleedingCool.com writes, "Pilgrim is a modern day magical fantasy horror series by Sebastian Baczkiewicz, broadcast by BBC Radio 4. And it gloriously and unashamedly rips off John Constantine, by way of Fables." A fair summation, though the show does have a bit of original charm, too, despite the fact that it's a wee bit over-written in the amusing style of radio drama ("It's the phone!" says someone after the sound effect of a phone).

Series 2 consists of four episodes, running once a week on Tuesdays at 12.15 p.m. (London time), starting August 31. It can be heard live on bbc.co.uk/radio4 and will then be available for another week worldwide on the BBC Radio iPlayer.

Series one can be found as a bittorrent file at RadioArchive.cc. I imagine someone will post Series 2 once it has completed its run.

More on the series and other Constantine-like characters here.

Random?

Aw, Dammit...!

Just when I think I'm immune to the lure of TV sci-fi because, you know, most of it is complete crap, I watched the first two episodes of Fringe. Now I fear I'm hooked. This just might be the show X-Files never was, but had pretensions of being.

Gah!

Gotta go. Three seasons to catch up on...

Oh, M. Ward!

One of the worst covers ever has to be M. Ward's version of Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door". No, I'm not going to provide a link to it and for that you should be thankful.

I love covers but this version is just pap, not what an song like this deserves, and not the sort of performance one would expect from the (until now) excellent M. Ward!

No, you are not ‘running late’, you are rude and selfish

No, you are not ‘running late’, you are rude and selfish

Worth Repeating: My Ten Requests for Podcasters

I've been listening to a lot of podcasts. Many of them are excellent. Others have excellent content, but try my patience. To that end I thought it would be worth linking back to this, My Ten Commandments for Podcasters, from January 2009.

As an addendum to #6, Thou Shalt Normalize, may I draw your attention to an excellent bit of freeware, called The Levelator? Does what it says on the tin. Excellent for spoken-word recordings that are compiled from various sources. I often run amateur podcasts through this to make them more listentable (you have to convert them to .wav files first).