Woodberry Roll

How we roll: Blagny '99, Son.



Hanging at the oven.

Forty-Five Seconds

Kimmy inspects the new 64GB iPad.

If only Kimmy had called me five minutes earlier... Heck, if she had called me 45 seconds earlier, I would not have purchased the iPad.

I was standing there talking to Daniel when she called to tell me that there was an issue in Hampden and then I told her I would come down. By that point, I had just swiped my credit card into the reader. Dammit!

For whatever reason, I felt compelled to visit the Apple Store and check out the iPad. Did I want one? Not really. Before it came out, I thought it was stupid. Like a big, stretched iPhone and what good is that? But over the past month or so, I started to slacken on my stance.

Maybe we could create a document on the iPad that would replace our paper worksheets at the shop? Maybe it could become our communication center for emails and Tweets with customers? Maybe we can do more with it for the business - all for no less than $500. Stupid, I know.

But I couldn't help myself. I couldn't leave. Or, I left, went to Williams Sonoma and then came back. After discussing it with Daniel the Business Genius, I knew I secretly wanted one.

I should have left. But I didn't. I needed to go to Crate & Barrel. But no. Finally, I broke and told Daniel I would take it. Give it to me now!!! Dammit!!!

Daniel finished up with his customer then went into the back to get the fresh iPad, then proceeded to tell me about Mobile Me and AppleCare and all sorts of other details before actually processing my card. Kimmy could have called me any time during that time period and I would have had to pull out and depart sans iPad, but no...

She called just as the card was being swiped and I had the iPad - BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Precious is mine!

Now what am I going to do with the damn thing?

Phi, Phy, Pho, Phom.

Lamarie and the Spring and Summer Rolls.

It's a beautiful, sunny day in Towson and Lamarie is in the mood for pho - that Vietnamese beef soup that's slightly pungent and cloyingly sweet. For many years, if you wanted pho you had to drive about half an hour away, or suffer with versions unworthy of the name. Not too long ago, the Columbia-based Pho Dat Than opened a Towson location and we've been rejoicing.

While I don't think they're as good as other pho joints, they're the only game in Towson and, therefore, the best. If only they could get their service issues cleared up, they would be a winner.


Pho My Style: Everything with raw beef on the side.

We've gathered today to discuss Lamarie's impending departure from Spro Towson to return home to Oregon and pursue a career in styling. She's got talent for beauty and while I'm sad to see her go, I know it's important that our people pursue their dreams.

We also discuss shop talk. Are we running out of coffee? Milk? Tea? Lindsay gives us an update on who's bothering her in Hampden. Who's causing the most problems and who's making life generally difficult. Not surprisingly, it boils down to one person outside the company. The Hampden baristas are unified in wanting to get rid of this person and I'm seriously considering it.


Lindsay breaks down who's been irritating her today.

Otherwise, it was a lovely afternoon. A little time with some great people. People who I enjoy being around and people who I admire. What better way is there to spend your Thursday afternoon?

Sight & Sound: Video

Ana calls to discuss the finer points of our trip to London.

Maybe I'm just a bit weird, but after much time trying to avoid it, I finally have succumb to video chat. The best thing about video chat is that it's cheap and doesn't burn your cell phone account. The worst thing about it is that it's just, well, strange.

You're talking and you want to look at the screen, but the camera is placed just slightly above the screen so you (and your partner) are constantly looking somewhere else and everything is just slightly off. That's when the media side of me kicks in and remembers to look into the camera, then I can only see the camera. Argh! Maybe they'll find a way to incorporate the camera into the screen so it actually looks like you're looking at each other.

Either way, it was actually kind of fun.

Paulina Rubio is Embarrassed

Ah, Paulina...

Or I should say: "Paulina Rubio esta embarazada."

Yes, yes, I know that embarazada does not mean "embarrassed."

But it's Cinco de Mayo here in the United States (and around the world too) and while Americans of all spectra are spending this evening partying it up with tequila, margarita, nachos and other miscellany that passes as "Mexican Food", the rest of Mexico is going about their usual business.

In Mexico, according to Anita and Sylvia, "Cinco de Mayo" is simply the Fifth of May. Everything is normal. There's no drunken partying and playing of Ranchero music, other than what normally goes on. In other words, it's just another day.

Only in America do we celebrate Cinco de Mayo. In fact, El Universal, Mexico City's largest newspaper had no mention whatsoever about "Cinco de Mayo." The biggest news? That Paulina Rubio is pregnant. That Nick Nagera dude is one lucky guy.


Cinco de Mayo menu en Espanol.

In spite of this little hiccup in understanding Mexican culture in America, we decided to run a little special today at Spro Hampden - a little Caffe d'Olla, the traditional Mexican coffee boiled with piloncillo sugar and cinnamon sticks.

But simply taking a pre-mixed Caffe d'Olla wouldn't be thoughtful enough, so we took some of our PROISH Organic coffee from Chiapas, brewed it in a french press then mixed it with some house made d'Olla syrup consisting of piloncillo and canela boiled down with water for a decent facsimile instead of actually boiling the coffee together, which tends to highlight the bitterness of the coffee.

Add that with a little rewrite of the Spro menu with my shaky Spanish and voila! a little Cinco de Mayo celebration sin tequila.

Maybe it's time to go out for a couple of drinks...

Another Day

Lindsay, Bex and Ilenia discuss the finer points of pastry.




d'Olla Syrup base: piloncillo, canela and water.

Popsicle at Swirl

Orange Popsicles - summer is coming!

Six Minute Abs

In the movie There's Something About Mary, Ben Stiller's character is driving across the country with some psycho convinced that he can sell America on Seven Minute Abs. Stiller's character then contradicts the psycho with Six Minute Abs and the guy starts to lose it.

I was reminded of this scene by an industry colleague today who sent me a link to a news article about a New York City coffee shop/roastery selling the "$12 Cup of Coffee."

Needless to say, I was amused.

Six Minute Abs...

Woodberry More

Sarah and her "panini".

Back in Baltimore, back at Woodberry. Kate was supposed to have dinner that night with some older guy that's checking her out, Allie was working and Sarah wanted something to do, so we met up at Woodberry for a little snack and to gawk at Kate's date - they were a no show.


John The Butcher's Plate.

Thanks Sarah!

with Allie of Woodberry Kitchen.

The Last Smoke

Romeo y Julieta #2 replicas.

It's the last Friday I'll be in town for some time and the boys have gathered once again in West Hollywood for our weekly smoke.



A slice of cheese.



Bolivar Exclusivo Alemania


Laith


The Porn King

Musha

Tacos El Gordo

Oh, Adobada!