Showing posts with label coffee chronicles. Show all posts

Coffee Chronicles: Hot Mom

And by hot I mean flashes.

Coffee Chronicles: My Idea Of A Perfect Morning

This would be my idea of a perfect morning...
After a night of cocktails and bomb sex, I wake up in a room with extremely large glass windows. Peering out to see roaring waves of the ocean, the golden sun hidden discretely behind clouds. Rays beam through, resembling what I think of as heaven.

I hop in the shower and feel the warm water against my skin. It instantly brings relief from the anxiety that's been lingering. Loofah in hand, I wash with my favorite Olay body wash (birch water & lavender) and clean my hair, taking a moment to admire how smooth my parts are from shaving the night before.

 Out of the shower, I put on soft comfy Pjs In a pastel blue, that brings out my eyes. I cover my feet in fresh white socks that pull up mid way to my calves.

A quick glance in the mirror reveals the curl pattern in my hair, and this morning it’s strikingly beautiful. I smell, then notice a cup of perfectly tempered Starbucks Blondie coffee waiting at the bed side.  The aroma delighting my senses.

 I stroll through the house admiring the art on the wall, smiling, because, well I was the artist who created it.

I enter the kitchen, seeing all 7 of my children content, making breakfast together. They’ve made french toast, cheese eggs, chewy bacon (because they know how much I like it), and orange juice.
There is also fresh green grapes, sliced oranges, and bananas available.

I glance over and see my grand daughter, Karson, happily playing on the carpet in a mermaid crown she refuses to take off.  My wife greets me with a kiss, inquiring about my sleep.  I answer only with a devious look, because she knows exactly what she did to put me to sleep last night.

After breakfast and chatting with the kids about the current happenings in their lives, we head outdoors. I’m taken aback by the beauty of this moment. The family is wrapped in gorgeous moody light, soft wind blowing through their hair and the crashing waves, duly serving as scenery and background music. Still in pjs, I gather everyone close, set the timer and snap family photos capturing the magic of it all. 

Coffee Chronicles: 2nd Hand Joe

Hello my loves.

 Bare with me, it 4:00am and I'm drinking a cup of second hand joe...


Kenya leaves for work super early, but I manage to get up, prep lunch, and have a quick conversation over coffee before she goes. I know, I'm pretty awesome,  but let me tell you how awesome I really am. (You can judge me for tooting my own horn later).

I grabbed our favorite mugs from the cupboard and placed mine aside. I set hers under the Keurig’s dispenser. I then reached for two K-cups, but to my horror, there was
only ONE. 

Total face palm moment. I forgot to grab more at the grocer.   What’s a wife to do? 

I could make a large cup and we split it, but clearly you don't understand how much my babe needs her coffee. I've saved her employees from having to meet LK (Lucifer Kenya) for years now, and they shouldn’t have to feel the wrath today, because of my fuck up. 

 I made Kenya’s  coffee as usual, citing "it’s no biggie", and sent her happy and smiling out the door.

But I lied. It was a BIG deal. The truth is LK doesn't only stand for Lucifer Kenya, it also stands for Lucifer Kris.

You see, I NEED MY COFFEE just as much.

My brain had an idea. Why not just use the K-cup from Kenya's coffee to make a second cup? There's still coffee grounds in it right?!
 I place my mug under the Keurig. Chosing the smallest cup size, in hopes of keeping the strength of whatever remained. 

As it percolated and permeated the air, an evil grin filled my face. I've outsmarted the entire world with this one. I grabbed my cup, add a splash of  french vanilla creamer and here I am...

 Drinking a nice- bland as fuck, french vanilla-y cup of second hand joe; all in the name of love and toxic (before coffee) brain waves.

Safe yourself the agony. Don't try this at home.

 #CoffeeChronicles  #INeedATallDarkCupOfCoffee #2ndHandCoffeeKills


How To Set Up a Coffee Bar (Hot Cocoa Bar) Using A Keurig

How do you feel when there is no coffee? Depresso. Get it? Ha! Everyone loves coffee. Here's how to build your own coffee bar for you next brunch, work function, or holiday party.


Table and Covering:
First things, first. Decide what you will be using as a table. It can be a traditional table (I used a 4x6 ft fold out) or a small cart or stand. I attached a white pleated skirt around the entire circumference of the table. You can go with plastic or linen, for timing reasons, I ended up using a plastic one. The  skirt was long and swept the floor. I decided to use a linen table cloth, to give a more elegant feel. The table cloth  hung a little longer than expected, so I did a fan type fold in the front and attached snowflake embellishments on the ends, to finish the look (and cover the double sided tape that held the folds together).

Backdrop:
 If you are creating a backdrop you may want to have this done before placing your table. Again, for timing reason, I placed the table near a wall and hung a hot cocoa bar sign incorporating a few snowflake stickies to enhance the look. Simple, but effective.

 Layout:
For the table layout, symmetry works best. So when you are purchasing your holders think two of everything (or at least most). This includes jars, glasses, dishes, etc. I went as far as getting two Keurigs (blame my OCD for this one) so I could place one on each end. One Keurig is definitely enough, you may want to place it in the center of the table as more of the focal point. 

Visual Appeal:

 To ensure your table is visually pleasing, you want to place things at different heights on the table.  You can do this by using taller dishes or utilizing lifters. Lifters can be anything from boxes, cake stands, crates, practically anything that gets your items off the table. A good rule of thumb is to have lower items at the front of the table and the taller items further back.

Beverages:
 I actually created more of a hot beverage bar. I had hot cocoa, coffee, and tea. All of these items come in K-cups. This appeals to a wider range of individuals.  Remember the Keurig takes water, so you will also need lots of spring or bottled water on hand.

Condiments:
Don't forget the condiments! This includes cream, sugar and honey. I had a selection of both liquid and powdered creamer, in a variety of flavors. You may also want to consider sugar alternatives such as Splenda, Sweet N Low, and honey for the tea.

Food:
 You may also want to add cookies, and other pastries that work well with hot beverages. For a complete list of what I had on my bar click HERE.

Utensils:
You will need serving cups, small plates, spoons, stirrers, and tongs for picking up sweets. Depending on the style you are going for you may want to have traditional glass mugs, or you may want to go with a paper cups. I used paper cups with the warmer sleeve and tops because I thought they were safer for children (think spills) also they can be used to go.

Labeling:
If you want to go the extra mile, you can label your desserts and condiments. I went with chalkboard style labels.

Tips: 
1. Placing items on different levels makes them more visually pleasing.
2. Don't forget sugar alternatives.
3. Cut and glue attractive font onto chalkboard label for a wow effect.
4. If using a long table skirt, use the under table space to store extra items to replenish the bar if needed.
5. Have lots of water on hand to refill the Keurig.
6. If you don't want to buy K-cups for tea, you can use regular tea bags. Just remove any K-cups in coffee maker and close. Let hot water run in cup and place tea bag in cup.
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