Appendix E-J

The past two years, this nearly hasn’t happened. Last year, we had a change of heart. This year, the people of the Twitter-sphere poked at us until we said yes. And we are glad for that poking, because this turned out so great.

There is a free compilation album waiting for you to download it. It’s full of music from our fav musicians who released albums this year. Nine songs in all. Nine songs you’ll put on repeat and strut around the house to. Nine songs that will slay you. Nine songs…enough already.

Again, the compilation is free. Our gift to you, our community. The musicians donated the songs, so we would recommend buying their albums as last minute gifts or with that cash your great aunt sends you. Also, if you want to donate to Everyday Joe’s, you can do that too. All donated funds will go towards paying for a new espresso machine. We’ve made it very easy for you to do all these things: download the album, support the musicians, donate to EDJ if you see fit. Just click the cover art below and start treating your ears to what they’ve been waiting for their entire lifespans.

Popularity: 2% [?]

2.5 years goes quick, I guess. 2.5 years ago things weren’t too much different. The sun did shine and the grass did grow. Then our good friend Aaron Strumpel released his Elephants stampede of an album. The sun did shine and the grass did grow, but it all looked a little different. The gentle trampling of giant feet can change your perception.

Now we stand here in the early morn and midday swelter and evening cool, and we’ve been looking at the horizon. We’ve been surveying the skies. We’ve heard for some time…for nearly those 2.5 years…that there were Birds coming. We bought new perches and suet feeders for them. We tended the trees to make them a home. We have waited.

Then, in a moment, there were sounds so loud and so near and so prying and so immediate that we could not cover our ears. We could only skip at one moment, stomp at another, flutter at this one, swirl at that…and then the one from over there slapped a groove on our forehead. We stared up for a moment and then decided, “mmm hmmm. yes. this is precisely it. precisely and with joy.”

Today, Aaron Strumpel releases Birds. Birds  moves around and in and about you. It runs after you and you run after it. It picks you up by the shoulders and flies you to vital places…places that will shake your bones and heal the gash in your head if you just open your eyes/ears.

There are familiar songs that have been played live for years: “Angel” and “Black With Tears”. An Everyday Joe’s fav “Home On Your Heart” was featured on our  Love, Everyday Joe’s Vol. 2 compilation 3 years ago, but on Birds receives an analog synth giddy-up that has been rumoured to cause living room dance parties.

In total, 12 Aves wait to build nests in your earholes. The album is available for purchase now (read: purchase it now) on Aaron’s Bandcamp page. While you should just take these words for it and buy the thing, you can also stream the album – in its entirety – below.

Popularity: 3% [?]

This small speck of the blogosphere has been silent for some time. Why? Projects. Lots of projects in the physical realm…most of which have come to completion.

Also why? A lot of the people and things we share news about here have also been working on projects and surprises, which are beginning to be announced. And it starts now.

Our good good pal Ryan O’Neal who we wish were were eating at iHop with right now…he heads up the musical project Sleeping At Last. Yesterday, on the tale end of completing the daunting and extremely well-done Yearbook Project, he announced the following via Twitter:

Proud to announce that Sleeping At Last will be featured in the upcoming film “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Pt.1

Vampires. Werewolves. Musicians from Chicago. Bruno Mars…can’t forget Bruno Mars.

While this writer does not enjoy Twilight, his dear wife does, which will provide proper justification for purchasing the Breaking Dawn soundtrack without shame or scorn. You can preorder the OST (industry language for Original Soundtrack) from iTunes. On your way to that digital domain, give our Sleeping At Last friends a high five and a low five, because this is a big deal…or so my wife says.

Dreamboats

Popularity: 2% [?]

The art scene in FoCo is a fun one, but has taken some odd and tragic hits over the past little while. Today, though, a bright glimpse of light popped it’s head up over the horizon.

Our friend Bryan Collins seems to have had this stewing in him for some time, and today he announced it officially. Rendition Gallery will be opening on September 2 .

From the official Rendition site:

Rendition is the only Fort Collins art gallery to showcase an internationally recognized collection of artists from the neobrow and pop-surreal movement, and the only gallery to offer custom art-toys, limited edition vinyl figures, and DIY (do-it-yourself) art toys.

Our main floor exhibit area will be featuring artists such as Aaron Jasinski, Owen Dewitt(GrimSheep), Graham Franciose, Mary Spring, Rachel Ann, Matthew Hamblen, Bryan A. Collins, and many more to be announced. The downstairs and mezzanine areas feature top-notch talent from local artists who use the two rooms as studio space. The back of the main floor will host local and touring musicians as we are building a stage, installing stage lights, and setting up a sound system to rock the house 2nd and 4th Fridays.

We will be announcing studio artists, exhibiting artists, and performing musicians as they are confirmed. Special events, art classes, sketch nights, open mic nights, and all of the other things going on at Rendition will be posted here, as well as on Facebook and follow on Twitter @rendition251 for instant updates.

We recommend keeping a pulse on Rendition via those ways of social media mentioned in that last line there. We’re excited to have Rendition in Ft. Collins. It seems long overdue and feels like a breath of freshness. Like it’s fresh. Like 80s hiphop.

All those links for you. Check yo’ self fo’ you wreck yo’ self:

Official Page

Twitter

Facebook

Popularity: 4% [?]

For the second summer running, Mr. Denison Witmer will be playing at Everyday Joe’s. We are elated and excited. If Mr. Witmer or anyone in his camp happen to be reading this: thank you for coming back. Fine people and deep espresso await you.

In order to get anyone else reading this ready for the show this Saturday (the 23rd of July), we’re posting a little audio treat from Witmer’s latest album The Ones Who Wait. The album is textured and dynamic and gorgeous…like good espresso. There could be a metaphor building.

The track is “Brooklyn With Your Highest Wall.” It’s smooth with bright notes throughout, a well-developed profile, and a smart finish…like good espresso. That last sentence was taking it too far, but the song is quite good. Listen below or download here. Our good, good pal Aaron Strumpel will be opening the night. It’s a super show, of sorts. See you then. Buy your tickets here.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Coffee Shop: Kaldis Coffee

Location: Columbia, Missouri

Drink: Cappuccino

Drinkers: Chris Hess

Meant to write this one up the last time I was in the great town of Columbia. I took pictures. I drank multiple drinks. I simply never got around to it.

So a year later, while on a week-long family tour of the deep Midwest, our route from Missouri to Iowa took us again throughColumbia. We ate fine food. We drank fine brew (not the coffee kind). And before it was again time to hit the road with audiobooks to pass the time, it was determined I needed a fine cup of coffee.

Walking back into Kaldis a year later, most is the same. It is a large space. There is a focus on fine coffees with a food menu to please the college and business folk that populate the downtown area. A change I noticed: the menus are less cluttered, easier toread. Kaldis now offers french press (bonus) and chemex (double bonus). I had an idea of them brewing it directly into my mouth while I planked the coffee bar so I could become an internet sensation in certain circles.

Deeming this to be inappropriate and maybe impossible (reverse gravity pour?)…and deterred from either of these brew methods by not feeling confident in my ability to imbibe 32 oz. of coffee on my own while being behind the wheel…I went with a cappuccino. Triple bonus? Kaldis now offers their house espresso alongside a single-origin offering. Feeling special, I went with the S.O. – a promising Guatemala.

Whilst I waited for my capp, conversation ensued. The Kaldis baristas are talkative and pleasant. What’s more, they are genuine. There is a difference between talking with a customer to pass the time while waiting for their beverage to be handed to them and truly engaging with someone. I was engaged with. My barista’s father is from Fort Collins and she wants to move West but needs a job. Kaldis is also in the process of getting their drip bar/by the cup system rolling (Quad Bonus). See what you learn when you actually meet people instead of “meeting” people?

Next, my drink arrived. It was quite good. Nice balance and texture. Some of the sweetest milk I’ve ever tasted, and the espresso held up very nicely as the drink cooled while I drove north.Well done, fellow behind the machine who I didn’t get to speak with much. You were pleasant as well, though. I have the feeling we might have spoken for some time.

Thank you, Kaldis, for being the official coffee sponsor of my Missouri-Iowa transition. I will return. I recommend you – reader – try it for at least the first time. If not in Columbia,

then one of their other locales.

Methinks you’ll dig it.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Something exciting just might could be on the horizon. Branching out. Collaboration. Continuance. Cryptic hinting.

Popularity: 3% [?]

We love you. Treat yourself to some coffee this weekend. We’ll be closed, though. Need a break as to remain healthy and focused on the right things. See you Tuesday, July 5.

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Popularity: 8% [?]

Summer time: yard work, high end yard games, drinking coffee on quiet mornings in your backyard.

All these things are greatly encouraged. Especially when the coffee is bought from Everyday Joe’s with a special, one-of-a-kind mug. Whoopsy. Just almost let a little secret slip. More later.

Music also goes well with grass and trees. Lucky for you, several friends of Everyday Joe’s have new or new-ish music for your ears. Stream ‘em all right here and enjoy your ladder golf.

JOSH GARRELS: LOVE & WAR  & THE SEA IN BETWEEN

This gem is hot off the digital presses. Mr. Garrels is offering it as a free download for a year (!) at his Bandcamp page.

Good for: early mornings in the yard, late evenings burning the citronella tiki torches.

YOU ME & APOLLO: CARDS WITH CHEATS

It’s a solid one. So solid you won’t be able to stop listening or strutting.

Good for: Downing tasty bevs under the midday sun, playing washers with the neighbors.

JAY J MATOTT & THE ARCTIC: TO THE BIG RIVER

This album is the surprise of the year. It is to these ears what You Me & Apollo was two years ago and what Nightbeds was one year ago.

Good for: contemplative grilling, cleaning up…post the rager you threw while listening to You Me & Apollo, driving to iHop in the rain, wandering the vacant streets of an early morning Oldtown Ft. Collins.

Popularity: 8% [?]

To our patron, whom we respect more than you know -

First off – thank you for coming to this place. Thank you for supporting Everyday Joe’s and for allowing us to be a part of your universe and community. We appreciate it and we appreciate you. We think of you often, and that is no lie.

Part of this thinking of you often is thinking of you when we make business decisions. We do not take lightly decisions concerning the product we put forth and the prices we charge for that product. We don’t even feel right putting anything out there that isn’t of high quality. Part of the heart of Everyday Joe’s is to serve you – through love, through welcome handshakes, and through delicious beverages. Giving you specialty coffee at an affordable price is part of that service. Giving you low quality coffee is not.

Over the past year, the price of “green” (that is, unroasted beans our roaster buys) coffee has soared. That is putting it mildly, perhaps. Here are some handy line graphs:

We opened in June 2003. As you can see, there is a bit of a steady rise in coffee prices. That is expected. You can also see towards the right side of the above graph what looks like the really tiring part of your elliptical workout. Here’s a closer look at that:

Over the past year, green prices on the commodities market have gone up nearly 77%.  Much of this is due to bad weather affecting crops (the earth…it doth groan), therefore lowering supply for an ever-increasing demand. It turns out most of the world loves fine coffee.

The roaster we buy from – Novo – buys coffee green. They roast it. They pass it on to us. We pass it on to you with care…as to not ruin the efforts of the countless people who handled the coffee before us.

Novo has tried their hardest not to pass on is the price increase they were experiencing on the green coffee side. However, we knew it was coming. Last month, the price we pay for our beans jumped 6% on average. In anticipation of this, we raised prices on most things back in December. Two things we left mostly alone were French Press  and our drip bar offerings.

In order to make up for this recent jump (our house coffee was the biggest one – going up $0.80/lb), we are raising prices on French Press and drip bar. A raise in price here does two things:

• Helps make up for the cost increase we have felt across the board (milk prices have gone up as well)
• Brings our French Press & drip bar more in line – both in terms of reflection of quality and in sustainable pricing – with the rest of our coffee & tea beverages

Our new pricing will go into effect on Monday, June 6th. It will look like this:

FRENCH PRESS
10 oz. $2.00 (up from $1.50)
12 oz. $2.15 (up from $1.65)
16 oz. $2.40 (up from $1.90)

DRIP BAR
12 oz. $2.65 (up from $2.15)

You may notice a few sizes missing under the brew bar pricing. That is because we are eliminating 10 & 16 oz. as size options there. The reasons? Quality control, consistency, and the sanity of our volunteers.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you would like to chat about it more, we’d love to. We’ll even buy you a cup of coffee. And again, thank you for the support and for allowing us to be around. You’re awfully kind. Our appreciation for you is simply un-graphable.

love.
everyday joe’s

Popularity: 1% [?]