Thursday, April 19, 2012

Coffee And Work

As visitors know...I am juggling a couple of jobs. I enjoy doing so. One of my part time jobs is at a pet store. Here is a buddy. I've grown crazy fond of this little bird. He is hilarious. I like to have him on my shoulder and he seems pretty happy there himself. I hope someone buys him everytime I leave work because I CAN NOT get attached to this bird. He is a fair penny as well as his housing...but he is so funny and affectionate I just love him.
Near this pet store job...I stop for a coffee. It is the best coffee I've ever had in Chicago. it's so good. The coffee shop is vegan, but they offer a dairy cream for cups of coffee. The rest of the food and services are all vegan. I figured out that the coffee shop is painted like a Mondrian motif. Kind of cool like we're sitiing inside one of his paintings. Overall though...doesn't it seem like every alternative coffee shop in North America is kind of the same? I don't mean this in a good or bad way...but that we've reached some kind of wall for "alternative" or "edgy". I saw a magazine cartoon a couple months ago...and lost track of it or I would hae posted it here but that "hipsters" have looked the same now for 40 years. And its true. The second hand shirt, the certain types of pants, the sunglasses.
At my other job...I got to watch and listen to Graham Parker rehearse and do sound check. I was pretty excited to see him and you know...I saw him at the Masonic Temple in Toronto in the 80's with one of my best friends Paul. I got choked up seeing him the other night.

6 comments:

mister anchovy said...

That must have been really interesting seeing Graham Parker. I'd love to hear what kind of music he's making now.

As for "alternative", my feeling is that by the time people start calling something alternative it's usually already owned by the man.

Furtheron said...

Graham Parker - now there is a name I've not heard in many a year... I saw him with "The Rumour" when they still had the brass section (must have been one of the last gigs like that) when they were on the support bill to Led Zep at Knebworth in 1979... now that is showing how flipping old I am now!

Candy Minx said...

Mister Anchovy, Graham Parker's voice was incredible...not any different than thirty years ago. His songs were much more "reasonable" than his angry early songs. I am not sure he even played any of the songs I knew from the old days. His new stuff was very good though. But I will always pine for "Hotel Chambermaid".

Furtheron, wow, that does go back a while and here I thought seeing him in the 80's was old ha ha ha! Just teasing ya. He is signed with a record label here in chicago for years now. Bloodshot Records in fact.

Gardenia said...

You are right - shall we hold an art contest - and make a call for a truly edge series for coffee shop decor? I also wanted to open an art gallery/coffee shop/juice bar/reading nook. Wouldn't that be fun! And I would be the owner, so I wouldn't have to wear shoes.

Gardenia said...

PS - I LOVE the bird. It obviously loves you. Did you know that these birds are usually one person birds? They pick who they will love and are incredibly loyal.

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