For the love of coffee
Tuesday, April 3
Well, when life you gives you lemons, you make lemonade. And, when life gives you coffee you make a dinner event. So, after searching and searching for locations, each with its own challenges and obstacles, today I finally found the Roasted Cherry Coffee House for my gourmet dinner event.
Everything was falling simply and easily into place with the dinners - people love the concept and want to be a part of it almost immediately - however the location has always posed a challenge. The inaugural dinner event will be held in a retreat house but it quickly became too small for such an event and there were challenges. As the numbers of people grew, for several reasons, into an already sold out event and very tight space, I started to feel that I was wearing tight jeans and had to stop breathing to try in fill in more people and do up the zipper. Just last night, Dave and I went to the house and looked at the space again and thought we could just fit the number of people in there, but barely.
I did finally find a location for the dinner in May and was not entirely happy with it for a number of reasons, but decided to keep it unless something better came up. I guess it's sort of dating until you find the right one you click with. Over the past while, I felt tired from looking for the right location and decided to stop, relax and reflect. I could try harder and more places for a location but from my experience this usually leaves you just exhausted and frustrated. For me, what's worked is to relax, take time out and not take it so seriously for a change, breathe, meditate, and just let it be for awhile to see what answers appear. I felt I was at a crossroads and needed to just surrender for awhile, asking others for support and advice. Since exploring the dinner concept, thoughts of locations have been popping up in my head and people have mentioned some spots as well. Some I've explored and others not, for no good reason except that I just didn't get around to it or didn't feel compelled to do so at the time.
One of these places is the Roasted Cherry Coffee House at 93 O'Connor at Slater (www.roastedcherry.com). The reason I thought of is is that it is not open at night and its philosophy and approach is something I believe in and fits well with ZenKitchen. Just over the last few days, their name came into my head again and yesterday I finally took the plunge and contacted them. It's strange to think what prevents us from taking action and pushes us into taking action, and it can be only a matter of that one action that will change everything. For example, I thought about going in to the Roasted Cherry but thought it might take awhile for me to go there and I could always start with an email and see if they would respond to it. I was just about not to send the email thinking it would be better to go in person, but I decided "why not, what have I got to lose?" So, I pushed the "send" button and off went my email into cyberspace.
Well, that afternoon, I received a call from the Roasted Cherry saying that there were interested in my proposal to hold the gourmet dinners there. I was thrilled and went right in there this morning to speak to them and see the place. It's a nice atmosphere and vibe when you walk in and I could see right away that it would work. Next, I met Jessica the Director of Finance, who was so warm, enthusiastic and professional, and then I really knew that I had found home! She said she loved my web site, the concept of the dinner, and they were enthusiastic about holding them at their place. "Wow!", as my great teacher Jill would say with wide eyes at the Natural Gourmet when she had an important insight or revelation during class.
So I will be working with the Roasted Cherry on the next dinners, which will probably be held on May 25 and June 15. I am also thinking of moving the April event to this location to accommodate more people and just to make my life easier in many ways. The host of the current location for the April dinner has have been extremely generous, supportive and kind to offer her space and I am very appreciative. It's hard to think I've already outgrown that space, and it's only my first event and kick at the can.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Roasted Cherry Coffee House, it is run by a local not-for-profit charitable organization called New Beginnings for Youth, which encourages life-long learning outside the traditional classroom. Not only does the Roasted Cherry give students the opportunity to turn learned business skills into practice, all proceeds from sales, catering and tips are returned to the community in support of youth leadership, development and advancement in education. ZenKitchen will be contributing a percentage of the proceeds from the dinner event to this organization for the great work they do. I've always had the vision of making a contribution to an organization in the community through each dinner, and this is now becoming reality in its own small way.
The youth at the Roasted Cherry recognized that their business had an effect on the countries that supply the coffee and wanted to make sure they could sustain their business, while supporting development in these countries. After conducting research, they found a way to work directly with rural farmers. In 2004, two youth embarked on the Java Journey, a four month trip to Costa Rica to learn about the coffee industry at the agricultural and processing level. The Roasted Cherry is now partnered with coffee cooperatives in Costa Rica and helps farmers there earn a living wage. Coffee is purchased from two small north Costa Rican cooperatives, Sarapiqui and Santa Elena. The youth are in contact with farmers and send money to two local schools to help buy teaching materials. We will be serving Roasted Cherry coffee and some herbal teas during the dinner.
Now that I think of it, funny how much coffee has been a part of my life, ever since I introduced myself to it in the college days of trying to stay awake for an allnighter and working evening shifts at a restaurant or bar during college. Then, I worked in Toronto for Melitta coffee in the Public Relations department, where I promoted coffee, gave tours of the production plant, sponsored events, set up culinary events with media and "The Coffee of the Year" (a unique special blend that was created each year and sold in limited amounts), and participated in coffee taste tastings in the laboratory. Now, this was a fascinating area set up with official taste areas with these round white porcelain sinks where you had to sample different kinds of coffee and then spit them out. This is definitely not the place you would want to go for your first cup of morning java as you wouldn't be able to drink any. Also, I always wondered when they held these blind tests if you would lose your job if you guessed wrong about the coffee samples and said the Melitta brand was the worst or something like that. Anyway, never brought this up in my lowly position and with a strict German company.
Since then, coffee has always been a part of my life, even when I have given it up during retreats or at certain times of my life. Oh, just remembered that I also worked in a hip new coffee and bagel spot by the water in Quebec City called Cafe Loft, while I was attending Laval University, where I learned the art of making the perfect espresso, cappuccino or latte. I loved going in the morning to have a fresh bagel and jam with my bowl of cafe latte, with French music loudly playing in the background as I set up. Oh coffee, I could go on further but I think you get the point how much coffee has been a part of my life. And, with the Roasted Cherry, you can see how it continues to be a part of my life. You never know where you life will lead or where your next cup of coffee will lead you...
Well, when life you gives you lemons, you make lemonade. And, when life gives you coffee you make a dinner event. So, after searching and searching for locations, each with its own challenges and obstacles, today I finally found the Roasted Cherry Coffee House for my gourmet dinner event.
Everything was falling simply and easily into place with the dinners - people love the concept and want to be a part of it almost immediately - however the location has always posed a challenge. The inaugural dinner event will be held in a retreat house but it quickly became too small for such an event and there were challenges. As the numbers of people grew, for several reasons, into an already sold out event and very tight space, I started to feel that I was wearing tight jeans and had to stop breathing to try in fill in more people and do up the zipper. Just last night, Dave and I went to the house and looked at the space again and thought we could just fit the number of people in there, but barely.
I did finally find a location for the dinner in May and was not entirely happy with it for a number of reasons, but decided to keep it unless something better came up. I guess it's sort of dating until you find the right one you click with. Over the past while, I felt tired from looking for the right location and decided to stop, relax and reflect. I could try harder and more places for a location but from my experience this usually leaves you just exhausted and frustrated. For me, what's worked is to relax, take time out and not take it so seriously for a change, breathe, meditate, and just let it be for awhile to see what answers appear. I felt I was at a crossroads and needed to just surrender for awhile, asking others for support and advice. Since exploring the dinner concept, thoughts of locations have been popping up in my head and people have mentioned some spots as well. Some I've explored and others not, for no good reason except that I just didn't get around to it or didn't feel compelled to do so at the time.
One of these places is the Roasted Cherry Coffee House at 93 O'Connor at Slater (www.roastedcherry.com). The reason I thought of is is that it is not open at night and its philosophy and approach is something I believe in and fits well with ZenKitchen. Just over the last few days, their name came into my head again and yesterday I finally took the plunge and contacted them. It's strange to think what prevents us from taking action and pushes us into taking action, and it can be only a matter of that one action that will change everything. For example, I thought about going in to the Roasted Cherry but thought it might take awhile for me to go there and I could always start with an email and see if they would respond to it. I was just about not to send the email thinking it would be better to go in person, but I decided "why not, what have I got to lose?" So, I pushed the "send" button and off went my email into cyberspace.
Well, that afternoon, I received a call from the Roasted Cherry saying that there were interested in my proposal to hold the gourmet dinners there. I was thrilled and went right in there this morning to speak to them and see the place. It's a nice atmosphere and vibe when you walk in and I could see right away that it would work. Next, I met Jessica the Director of Finance, who was so warm, enthusiastic and professional, and then I really knew that I had found home! She said she loved my web site, the concept of the dinner, and they were enthusiastic about holding them at their place. "Wow!", as my great teacher Jill would say with wide eyes at the Natural Gourmet when she had an important insight or revelation during class.
So I will be working with the Roasted Cherry on the next dinners, which will probably be held on May 25 and June 15. I am also thinking of moving the April event to this location to accommodate more people and just to make my life easier in many ways. The host of the current location for the April dinner has have been extremely generous, supportive and kind to offer her space and I am very appreciative. It's hard to think I've already outgrown that space, and it's only my first event and kick at the can.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Roasted Cherry Coffee House, it is run by a local not-for-profit charitable organization called New Beginnings for Youth, which encourages life-long learning outside the traditional classroom. Not only does the Roasted Cherry give students the opportunity to turn learned business skills into practice, all proceeds from sales, catering and tips are returned to the community in support of youth leadership, development and advancement in education. ZenKitchen will be contributing a percentage of the proceeds from the dinner event to this organization for the great work they do. I've always had the vision of making a contribution to an organization in the community through each dinner, and this is now becoming reality in its own small way.
The youth at the Roasted Cherry recognized that their business had an effect on the countries that supply the coffee and wanted to make sure they could sustain their business, while supporting development in these countries. After conducting research, they found a way to work directly with rural farmers. In 2004, two youth embarked on the Java Journey, a four month trip to Costa Rica to learn about the coffee industry at the agricultural and processing level. The Roasted Cherry is now partnered with coffee cooperatives in Costa Rica and helps farmers there earn a living wage. Coffee is purchased from two small north Costa Rican cooperatives, Sarapiqui and Santa Elena. The youth are in contact with farmers and send money to two local schools to help buy teaching materials. We will be serving Roasted Cherry coffee and some herbal teas during the dinner.
Now that I think of it, funny how much coffee has been a part of my life, ever since I introduced myself to it in the college days of trying to stay awake for an allnighter and working evening shifts at a restaurant or bar during college. Then, I worked in Toronto for Melitta coffee in the Public Relations department, where I promoted coffee, gave tours of the production plant, sponsored events, set up culinary events with media and "The Coffee of the Year" (a unique special blend that was created each year and sold in limited amounts), and participated in coffee taste tastings in the laboratory. Now, this was a fascinating area set up with official taste areas with these round white porcelain sinks where you had to sample different kinds of coffee and then spit them out. This is definitely not the place you would want to go for your first cup of morning java as you wouldn't be able to drink any. Also, I always wondered when they held these blind tests if you would lose your job if you guessed wrong about the coffee samples and said the Melitta brand was the worst or something like that. Anyway, never brought this up in my lowly position and with a strict German company.
Since then, coffee has always been a part of my life, even when I have given it up during retreats or at certain times of my life. Oh, just remembered that I also worked in a hip new coffee and bagel spot by the water in Quebec City called Cafe Loft, while I was attending Laval University, where I learned the art of making the perfect espresso, cappuccino or latte. I loved going in the morning to have a fresh bagel and jam with my bowl of cafe latte, with French music loudly playing in the background as I set up. Oh coffee, I could go on further but I think you get the point how much coffee has been a part of my life. And, with the Roasted Cherry, you can see how it continues to be a part of my life. You never know where you life will lead or where your next cup of coffee will lead you...
posted by Caroline at 9:57 AM
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