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No Snivelling Podcast #3 – Roving Reporter

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Podcast #3 today, broadcast from Fuel (a new coffee shop on Capitol Hill… see my other blog entry for more details). I did some roving reporting today, and recorded two interviews — sound quality is terrible (I really should invest in a microphone of some kind!), but my new iRiver IFP 795 allowed for much easier recording!

Topics:
* Interview with Dani, the owner of Fuel coffee house
* Conversation with Jon Staenberg at Rustic Canyon Partners
* Media Ownership article in Sunday Seattle Times (Opinion) “Why Media Ownership Matters” by Amy & David Goodman
* Homebrew Beer Making process
* Where I’m broadcasting from:
* This Saturday, attending Homebrew festival on Phinney Ridge – wanna join me?

No Snivelling Podcast #2 – Pyramid Brewery Crapmonkey Coincidence

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Created Podcast #2 today while hanging out at Pyramid Brewery — click on the link below to listen to it, or pick it up in your Podcast Reader (iPodder, etc) — let me know if you need some help with making it work!

Outline of Podcast #2:

* Where I’m broadcasting from (Pyramid Brewery, met Crapmonkey’s wife – amazing coincidence, Brouwer’s Café, Pyramid b/c of his walking tour, Pale Ale b/c of her sell job on what’s good beside Hefe)

* iPodded my BMW ($300, Awesome – ProClipUSA really sweet bracket, Magnolia HiFi nailed the installation, Getting too much bass… anyone know how I should set my Bass/Treb?)

* Today shot to hell, a bit (Starbucks Entertainment, Media Bars – no one’s using, Laptops – all using, terrible experience, Physical CD’s, how bad that sucks)

* Friends going into business (Roscoe’s Ranch, Denali Fitness)

* Why Seattle Rocks (Friend in town for a Microsoft Web Services conference, To Elysian Brewery on Pike for 2 yummy beers, To Nishino (best sushi in seattle), Ran into 3 friends, To Brouwer’s Café in Fremont, Ran into another friend)

* Favorite PodCasts (Northwest Noise, CrapMonkey, Daily Source Code)

Review – Brouwer’s Cafe (in Fremont)

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I was introduced to Brouwer’s Cafe, a new pub in Fremont, by the producer of the CrapMonkey Podcast, which I also recommend (entertaining, and obviously informative, as it directed me to Brouwer’s).

The weather was a bit… shall we say, crappy, yesterday… so I weakened and decided to skip my run and have two pints instead. Excellent decision, Mr. Schappell!

I don’t have the exact address, but it is in Fremont, across the street from the now vacant Red Hook (approximate address is 35th & Phinney).

In any case, the decor is nice and cozy… dark woods, stone, etc… but, they’ve done a good job of bringing in light with a huge overhead skylight and high/side windows. I didn’t try any of the food, but the menu looked creative (not your usual pubfood), and the beer selection is fantastic, and as my waitress told me, growing daily. Their goal is to have something like 65 micros/imports on tap, and over 200 bottles.

I went with the Stone Brew Arrogant Bastard, and a London Special of some sort (I do need to start taking better notes). All in all, though, it was a fantastic 90 minutes, and I highly recommend Brouwer’s for your exercise avoidance activities.

p.s. I believe that Brouwer’s is associated with, or owned by, the same folks who bring us Bottleworks… a truly fine institution.

iPod Automobile Integration

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I got my iPod connected to my car stereo today by Magnolia Hi-Fi (Roosevelt store) — I’m very happy with the installation, as I was worried that it wouldn’t look good with the iPod mounted next to the stereo. I ended up using a ProClip mount. If you’d like more info about how it works, etc., let me know.  It makes listening to great podcasts so much easier.

ipod automobile mount in bmw

ipod automobile mount side view in bmw

Confessions of a new University Zoka fan

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Suffice it to say that the sunny Seattle weather has passed us by — the next-10 day forecast is consistent, at least — consistent grey and rainy. So, I headed out today to (a) buy a homebrew beer kit (more on that later) and (b) spend some time at University Zoka, on 2200 North 56th Street (sorta near Green Lake, in my estimation).

I arrived at Zoka, and vaguely remembered being here before — but, I’m quite sure that I didn’t previously have the abundance of time that I am fortunate to now possess. I ordered up a yummy Mega Split-shot Latte and giant chocolate chip cookie (no, not on my approved diet list) and claimed a primo spot on one of their giant overstuffed leather armchairs.

The latte took a good amount of time to meticulously prepare, but it was well worth it — the quality rivals my local favorite, Victrola Coffee, and the combination of free wireless, techie clientele (I’d say 60% of folks had laptops), abundant power outlets, and plenty of elbow room have vaulted Zoka right to the top of my slacker hangouts.

Another two thumbs up!

And, oh yes… while waiting for my latte, taped on the back of the espresso machine was this wonderful little piece that I wanted to share with you, my faithful readers (all 7 of you):

Confessions of a New Coffee Drinker (located this copy on the Internet here).
BY JON FRIEDMAN
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This stuff is great! I’m 26! I always ignored it, thinking, “Why start a bad habit?” This is a terrific habit! I get more done in an hour than I used to get done in a week. Coffee! I bought a coffeemaker. It makes the coffee for me in the morning! I open my eyes and it’s there! I can see! The difference between tea and coffee is like a merry-go-round to a rocket ship! I like rocket ships! Coffee! I want to go on a real rocket ship. Where are they? Cape Canaveral? Let’s go! Coffee helps my creativity. I can come up with something creative out of nowhere. “Larry laughs like a lavicious lunatic!” See!? That was instantaneous! What does “lavicious” mean, you ask? I made it up. Doesn’t matter! Coffee! I’m going to make it a real word! It means scathingly menacing. Use it! Hey, I should try improvisational theater! I’d probably be a riot on coffee. Yes and … yes! Sign me up! Why didn’t I drink this stuff in elementary school? I would have had straight A’s. I could have taught the classes. Move over, Mr. Starchpants! Take a note: I’m going to teach a class! Wow! French vanilla! What’s that like? Sounds delicious! Get me some. Cream and sugar? I don’t need it. I ask girls to meet me for a cup of coffee. I talk the whole time! I used to be so shy! Sex! Yesterday, I called the bank to complain about fees! They gave me a refund! I can complain now. What’s smoking like? Does it really relieve stress? I’m thinking about getting addicted to cigarettes! I’m going to buy the patch and work my way up! Now I see why all these things are so popular. I’m totally serious. This isn’t satire. I have a lot of catching up to do! I wonder where I would be today if I had started drinking coffee earlier? It doesn’t matter, I live in the now, now! I have to shit! Maybe I would have invented the Internet! No way! You think? I used to think about how we could talk to each other on computers before we actually did. But that’s the difference. I used to only think about things. Now I do them! I better get to work on my retainatherm before someone else beats me to it! Retainatherm—think refrigerator except it keeps foods at the same constant temperature they went in with. Warm stays warm! Cold remains cold! Put a hot pizza in there and it stays hot! All at the same time! Retain-a-therm! Iced coffee! Haven’t had that yet. I can’t even imagine! You could drink it in the summer! Volleyball! There’s a shooting pain under my left ribs. It’s gone! Folgers crystals.

“When life hands you lemons, make coffee … and then you’ll have the desire to make lemonade.”
Jon Friedman, 2004