Worthy of note is Bella's wide selection of food items, a smart move as the Caffe is sure to attract a sizable weekday lunch crowd. In the display case, I noted strawberry-rhubarb scones—I'll have to try one on my next visit, as strawberry-rhubarb is one of my favorite dessert varieties! (My grandmother made rhubarb pie that was to die for.)

Less impressive was the Caffe's choice of piped-in music: 93.3, now Milwaukee's Light FM station. What's more, I was there after 7 p.m. for the love songs, and it wasn't even hosted by Delilah. The station's playlist merely verged on unbearable until, I kid you not, the Pina Colada Song came on. Good grief, I can't believe that song still gets airplay! Can't we, as citizens of the global village, agree on at least one thing—namely, that this song should be banned? Can't the UN resolve that all existing copies of this song should be sealed in a lead vault and buried deep beneath the Rocky Mountains? Or would Iran and North Korea be the holdouts?

I had an experience at Caribou this afternoon that makes me question the entire direction of this blog, even at this early stage.  There were maybe three other customers in the place, but the two employees were firmly glued behind the counter, chatting idly.  The table next to mine was dirty; the brightness of the interior is unforgiving of such things.  The pesky corporate advertising table stand-up thingies were mostly knocked over or in various states of disarray.  The glass was dirty.  Bottom line: kind of what I'd expect if I ever went in to the Burger King on MLK & Locust that I used to drive past every day on my commute.

And somehow, the employees at almost every other place I go to know enough to give me a ceramic mug when I ask for "for here" (this is a particular obsession of mine, I know).  And who the hell actually listens to the shoo-be-doo-wop scat friggin' music that gets played in every corporate (or corporate wannabe) coffee joint?

You know what?  My life is too short for this.  You can have your little scam goin' with a job where you don't actually have to work, but not on my dime.  I work too hard for my money—and if I delivered that kind of suckdom in my job, I'd be working at the aforementioned BK.

So, folks, I won't be posting as regularly about new coffeehouse adventures—because I'll be staying home more often, where I make better coffee.  (Or bringing a thermos to Kinko's.)  There, I'll be exploring the nuances of different varieties and roasts (particularly from small local roasters) and coffee equipment.  When I'm out and about, I'll make a greater effort to focus on independent coffee places.

Did I get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?  Nope.  I love my new apartment, have been sleeping 9-10 hours a night and feel like a million bucks.  No woman declined my advances. . .um, not today. . .um, not yet [looks at watch].