Thursday, March 25, 2010

A Reasonable Amount of Mayhem


I have this habit of walking into a lion's den dressed in a suit made of chicken wings.

Tonight, comma, I'm at Bard Coffee. I was hoping to do this entry on the incredible waterfalls I saw yesterday in Yarmouth. It turns out that Bard closes every 4th Thursday for a barista smackdown - a latte' decoration contest.

So, with the room filling with an avuncular (if highly caffeinated) crowd - and on sufferance of the manager, who loves Macs and hangs out a lot at the Orchard - I'm sitting here listening to another room full of chatty people and intensely hip music.

The table next to me is occupied by a proud father and what seems to be a 5-year old daughter, said young lady being entered in the contest.

The idea is like a poetry slam with foam - they're going to be handed cups of steamed milk and coffee then given a few seconds to draw a decoration in it.

I remember seeing my first anthem appear online (the publisher has since gone under) and I was able to download it at the late, lamented JavaNet. One of my Multi-Age colleagues had a summer job working there and she decorated my mocha Java with a staff and treble clef.

So it's quite an art. It's also fun to see a community of folks sit and like each other so much.

Oh - the judges are being called out and I think this little party is about to get started.

The owner informs me that this is a free pour of steamed milk into espresso - no implements allowed - pure skill.

I don't think anything actually gets consumed at these things - well, at least, not coffee ...

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