Starbucks VIA Italian Roast = Meh

20090930-SDIM0254
Originally uploaded by gservo

Compared to other Instant Coffee’s , Like Nescafe taster Choice Columbian, the VIA Italian Roast Is not bad. It Mixes Better, faster, seems more flavorful. Is it the best thing since sliced bread. NO . (About the coffee in question Visit Starbucks website - http://www.starbucks.com/VIA/)

To me, Starbucks really does not make good coffee anyway, expensive, utility coffee at best, and the Via Reminds me of what they sell in the store. It’s a good attempt at something others have been doing since World War 2, I believe. The worse thing starbuck could of done was make the coffee bad, they did not. BUT I think they spent too much time on the aesthetics of the coffee, the fineness of the powder and the packaging, and what the coffee would be served in and not the coffee.

If you’re in a fix, this is Decent, but expensive convenience coffee. It your actually care about what coffee you drink and how you drink it, this is not for you. Get a French Press Coffee Tumbler, grind your coffee, separate out it out to 2 or 3 servings and have some access to hot water. You will get better coffee that way and probably spend less. Or drink water its better for you anyway.
Oh and Why the hell do I want to go to StarBucks to by INSTANT COFFEE, I think that is such a STUPID idea.

Be Well, Drink Good Coffee Keep in touch

An Evening of Hot Chili and Cool Brew Thursday, October 15, 6 pm @ The Newark Museum

click here for printable brochure (PDF)

The Newark Museum Volunteer Organization and The Newark Museum Business & Community Council Invite you to Taste more than 60 of the finest domestic and international beers and sample meat and vegetarian chilis and other tantalizing treats in the setting of the beautiful Newark Museum.

Guests will have exclusive access to the historic Victorian Ballantine House, home of the famed beer-brewing family, and the exhibitions Party Time: Re-imagine America, a Centennial commission by internationally acclaimed artist Yinka Shonibare MBE, and 100 Masterpieces of Art Pottery, 1880-1930, featuring the Museum's internationally known collection of art pottery.




Image: Catherine A. Patt, Oktoberfest, oil on canvas, Courtesy of the artist.



Exciting Raffle Prizes



Tickets: $50 per person/$90 per couple
(All but $15 of each ticket is tax deductible)
This is a 21 and over event. All ticket and sponsor proceeds benefit the Newark Museum.



To purchase tickets by credit card, become a sponsor or make a donation, kindly call 973-596-6559, or mail checks to:

Newark Museum
An Evening of Hot Chili & Cool Brew
49 Washington Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102-3176

We thank the following companies for contributing their cool brew & hot chili:

Blue Point, New York Samuel Adams, Massachusetts
Brooklyn Brewery, New York Shmaltz, New York
Climax, New Jersey Sierra Nevada, California
Cricket Hill, New Jersey Smuttynose, New Hampshire
Duvel, Belgium Spaten, Germany
Encore Catering Steenbrugge, Belgium
Franziskaner, Germany St. Pauli Girl, Germany
Gaslight Brewery & Restaurant, New Jersey Unibroue, Canada
Harpoon, Massachusetts Weyerbacher, Pennsylvania
High Point, New Jersey Exquisite Entertaining
Hilton Newark Penn Station Frungillo Caterers
Lagunitas, California Hobby's Delicatessen & Restaurant
Magic Hat, Vermont Kilkenny Ale House
Maredsous, Belgium Laurence Craig Catering
Okocim, Poland Moghul Catering
Ommegang, New York New World Catering & Food Boutique
Palm, Belgium Terra Luna Catering
Peak Organic, Maine Touch Bayou Catering
River Horse, New Jersey Ultimate Caterers


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Image: Catherine A. Patt, Oktoberfest, oil on canvas, Courtesy of the artist.

NJ Beer Goes here: New Jersey Beer Company.

Yep, a New Brewery is opening up in North Bergen, NJ. They are well under way in getting them selves up and running . It will be nice to see a New Beer Company Launch. I, as well as some friends, will be there for their opening. Their Beers look Interesting and I am really looking forward to trying their ‘Garden State Stout’.

The NJ Beer Company has already made preliminary agreements with Nash Distributors in Kearny and VRR in Passaic to get our beers into your local bars, restaurants, and retail locations. Their beers will be available in Hudson, Bergen, Essex, and Passaic Counties in North Eastern New Jersey.

Their website http://www.njbeerco.com is under construction and will be undergoing constant updates and improvements, so please check back often. For updates, follow them on Twitter or Facebook using the buttons at the top of their site .

NJ BeerCo’s Year Round Brews -

Hudson Pale Ale

The Hudson is an American-style Pale Ale, with a bright, hoppy nose, smooth mouthfeel and quick, light finish. This represents a great introduction to the world of hoppy beers and should whet the appetite of true Hop Heads for what is yet to come.

Garden State Stout

Our stout is a strong, full-bodied chocolate stout, brewed with real belgian dark chocolate and dark malt, with just enough hop character to balance the sweetness.

1787 Abbey Single

The 1787 makes a great session beer. It's light sweetness and distinctive belgian taste make it emminently approachable and perfectly refreshing.

Seasonal Brews - Coming Spring 2010


Limited Release Brews - Coming December 2009”

Commuter Comics… Magog #1 (DC Comics) Spoiler free

Well I read Magog #1, it has been out a few weeks, but I am just getting to it. Written by Keith Giffen; Art and variant cover by Howard Porter and John Dell; Cover by Glenn Fabry, the book sort of Reintroduce this Member of the Justice Society of America. This Character, with Roots in the original ‘Kingdom Come’ Story and Reintroduced around the Latest Crisis of the DC Universe, was initially somewhat of a ‘Cable’ rip-off (it happens a lot in comics Look at Deadpool and Deathstroke, no really). I like the way current storylines get you past that now.

Anyhoo, this Story, this series even, is a fluff peace of a comic for me. I think it’s supposed to lead him down a similar path he was theoretically supposed to go down in ‘Kingdom Come’ leading new heroes to be more aggressive, destructive way of doing things, with lots of seemingly futile aggression. This is a Story, I believe that should be light weaved through the Justice Society of America more that a series. In this day of price rising back up stories, it would fit that mold also.

I will avoid the Retcon (Retroactive continuity is the deliberate changing of previously established facts in a work of serial fiction. )issues I have with the book, they are not that important, just something that’s needs to be noted.

If you are new to Magog, Read Kingdom Come, it is well worth it.

[Updated] My #Photog Wish list (looking for suggestions…)

(… and I will except donations , test equipment etc lol ) Anyhooo, I am planning on going deeper down the rabbit whole of photography. In my research I have been crafting this list of things I want to own. I do not want to purchase these things all at once, but over time. This is a Work in Progress, and any Suggestions would be welcomed appreciated.

-Update- After An Existential Crisis during my week off from normal reality , in my down times, I got to think about my Camera Wants and needs. I got to do a ton more research and talk to a photographer or two, and well, I came to the conclusion that the Nikon D5000 was just not right for me. It’s a fine Camera but… … there are others. For a little more money, this camera would work better, so here it is, the new list buying a camera, the way I am doing it, is an experience, more on that later…

Well here is the current working list.

-Nikon D90 12.3MP DX Digital SLR Camera or Sigma SD14

- 18-105mm VR Lens or 18-200 mm

- 50mm f/1.8D prime

-12-24mm Nikkor 0r 10-20mm Sigma

-Lens Pouch

- Neck Strap

- 2 x SanDisk - 8GB Extreme III Secure Digital (SDHC) Card - 30MB/s Edition

-Glass Lens Filters

- Lowepro - Topload Zoom 1 Camera Holster Bag

-ML-L3 Remote Control Transmitter if I get nikon

-Flash (yet to be determined, which one)

-Seat Belt Camera Strap

-Level Camera cube

-White Balance lens Cap

-Monster Pod

-MB-D80 Multi-Power Battery Pack if I get the Nikon

- Versipod II Monopod/Tripod Combination

-Desk Tripod

As things change, are acquired, and/or discovered, this list will change

You can tell a man who boozes by the company he chooses and the pig got up and walked away

Test
Originally uploaded by gservo

I have been distracted, disturbed, hell even a little demented. I have also been A slightly consumed by something I've always wanted to do, but never could justify, till now. I have, moreover, been Moving. This entails deconstructing and reconstructing a kitchen, throwing out all the planning, which is also something that, looks as if ,to have become a sick and twisted exercise in time wasting.

It is good theater, replete with the appropriate, seemingly sadistic props. It is all very very frustrating. There are a ton of underlying issues which make this all very tense. The best part of it all is all sides involved seem at fault, so there is no 1 to blame. Most of the summer seems wasted due to all this.
Bah
Is this going anywhere, no I’m venting for you all to see.

Here is a poem, I like, see how far down I have fallen!
Moving Day
by Ron Koertge
While sitting home one night, I hear burglars fiddling
with the lock. This is what I've been waiting for!

I run around to the back and open the door, invite
them in, and pour some drinks. I tell them to relax,
and I help them off with shoes and masks.

In a little while we are fast friends, and after a dozen
toasts to J. Edgar Hoover, they begin to carry things out.
I point to the hidden silver, hold the door as they
wrestle with the bed, and generally make myself useful.

When they get the truck loaded and come back inside
for one last brandy, I get the drop on them. Using Spike's
gun, I shoot them both and imprint Blackie's
prints on the handle.

Then I get in the van and drive away,
a happy man.

"Moving Day" by Ron Koertge, from Making Love to Roget's Wife: Poems New and Selected. © University of Arkansas Press, 1997.

Here are the comics we pulled For Comics shipping 08/26/09

This is your brain on too much anime & comics...
Originally uploaded by gservo

Avengers Initiative #27

Batman And Robin #3

Blackest Night Titans #1 (OF 3)

Dark Avengers #8

Dark X-Men Beginning #3 (OF 3)

Deadpool #14

Detective Comics #856

Doctor Who Cold-Blooded War (One Shot)

Flash Rebirth #4 (OF 6)

Gold Digger Tech Manual #7

Gotham City Sirens #3

Green Lantern #45

Grimm Fairy Tales Cvr A Campbell #41

Justice Society Of America #30

Last Days Of Animal Man #4 (OF 6)

New Avengers #56

New Mutants #4

Nova #28

Phantom Generations #4

Secret Warriors #7

Skrull Kill Krew #4 (OF 5)

Star Wars Dark Times #14

Star Wars Legacy #39

Superman #691

Supermans Pal Jimmy Olsen Special #2

Timestorm 2009 2099 #4 (OF 4)

Wednesday Comics #8 (OF 12)

X-Force #18