Why do coffee and reading seem to mesh so well?
Coffee is a scientifically proven stimulant.
Reading is a relaxing, comfortable past time.
Has anyone stopped to figure out after how many cups of coffee a person would be forced to stop reading because they are too jacked up on caffeine to manage holding a book? Probably not.
The Attic Books & Coffee tries to blend these two concepts and manages to create a pretty neat urban eclectic artsy literary musical coffee house.
On an impulse and a hunger for coffee, we drifted into the left hand lane (without a blinker of course, this is Green Bay!) and headed for a parking spot in front of where The Attic takes residence.
The size of the shop was impressive, and beyond that it didn't have the old book smell a lot of places specializing in this commodity might have. The tables were clean, and the layout was set up in a very comfortable fashion.
We ordered our medium roast Guatemalan from the barista. Shortly thereafter, with hot cup in hand, it was off to check out the selection of books.
Used book stores are hit and miss. Sometimes it is all crap; all Grandma's knitting books no one in the family ever had the decency to throw out. Sometimes though you come across a place that provides some solid reading opportunities.
The Attic would fall into the later category. They had many works and volumes that would be worth the time reading. And that doesn't even get into the 'why buy new' question. They may not have all the latest titles, although they might have a few, they do provide a good and economically friendly approach and selection when trying to feeding you reading pleasure.
And back to the coffee; it was very good. Not too acidic like an Alterra, but with the flavor you expect from a gourmet coffee. There was no time to eat, and we haven't had the ability to sample the Artistry that frequents this place, but we plan to.
The Attic is a good blend of some of the more creative and simple sides of life: warm drink, literature, art, and music.
Gonzo Guide Green Bay gives The Attic Books & Coffee 4.03 caffeinated jitters out of 5.
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
On the Dial - 88Nine Radio Milwaukee...Funkin' With Your Earhole
Sometimes we have to go outside of the Gonzo norms. Sometimes something comes along that is just so whiz your pants cool, that you just have to tell people about it. No matter where the physical location of said establishment may be. So with that, we break from keeping our posts entirely local, at least with this particular rant.
Milwaukee is the scene of the crime, and the suspect is 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. While this station is not available on your local Green Bay FM tuner, it is available through that thing they call the Internet. You can listen online. Radio through my computer?! That is some majorly crazy shit!!
Why do we listen online and frequently visit this eclectic, and publicly funded (e)lectronic-spot? There are two answers to that question.
The first answer is simple. It is because they play a really fresh line-up of music. Think of it like going to the Farmers' Market for your daily dose of veggies. Fresh, never frozen. Their playlist of songs blends the new, and truly cutting edge of music's horizons, with the old flow of generations past. Their DJ's aren't trying to make a funny, like some of the other tools that pose as radio DJ's. The aren't hawking some sort of contest. They like music, they play good music, they like their community, and they do their part to hip you into all of it.
Now again, their discussions and points relate to Milwaukee, but that doesn't mean you can't tune in for their solid music, and maybe bogart some neat ideas from them along the way.
One of their latest projects is especially cool, from a community spotlight point of view. You might see us do something similar in the near future in the Green Bay area. It is called 88Nine Neighborhood Project. The goal is to get readers to submit their positive pictures, stories, and views on the local neighborhoods of the Milwaukee area. Build a unified view of Milwaukee. While GB is smaller in scale, we have a lot of unique, historic, and culturally different areas of our city. Why not ask our readers to send in their photos, and thoughts on their neighborhoods? Build a greater sense of community here, so people aren't afraid to cross the bridge to the "West Side" (said in a scary voice).
In any case, check out 88Nine Radio Milwaukee on your Broadband/DSL/Cable modem tuner.
We give 88Nine Radio Milwaukee 4.731 bitchin guitar riffs out of 5.
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
Milwaukee is the scene of the crime, and the suspect is 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. While this station is not available on your local Green Bay FM tuner, it is available through that thing they call the Internet. You can listen online. Radio through my computer?! That is some majorly crazy shit!!
Why do we listen online and frequently visit this eclectic, and publicly funded (e)lectronic-spot? There are two answers to that question.
The first answer is simple. It is because they play a really fresh line-up of music. Think of it like going to the Farmers' Market for your daily dose of veggies. Fresh, never frozen. Their playlist of songs blends the new, and truly cutting edge of music's horizons, with the old flow of generations past. Their DJ's aren't trying to make a funny, like some of the other tools that pose as radio DJ's. The aren't hawking some sort of contest. They like music, they play good music, they like their community, and they do their part to hip you into all of it.
Now again, their discussions and points relate to Milwaukee, but that doesn't mean you can't tune in for their solid music, and maybe bogart some neat ideas from them along the way.
One of their latest projects is especially cool, from a community spotlight point of view. You might see us do something similar in the near future in the Green Bay area. It is called 88Nine Neighborhood Project. The goal is to get readers to submit their positive pictures, stories, and views on the local neighborhoods of the Milwaukee area. Build a unified view of Milwaukee. While GB is smaller in scale, we have a lot of unique, historic, and culturally different areas of our city. Why not ask our readers to send in their photos, and thoughts on their neighborhoods? Build a greater sense of community here, so people aren't afraid to cross the bridge to the "West Side" (said in a scary voice).
In any case, check out 88Nine Radio Milwaukee on your Broadband/DSL/Cable modem tuner.
We give 88Nine Radio Milwaukee 4.731 bitchin guitar riffs out of 5.
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
Monday, May 18, 2009
Editorial from the Editor - Appleton Xavier Teacher Gets Canned
I find this story simply fascinating.
http://www.wfrv.com/news/local/story/Xavier-Students-Protest-Teacher-Coach-Being/vvINmnpjmEueAcpGSK5s_g.cspx
The basics as I can gather them from the local media are as follows:
A teacher/assistant athletic director/coach at Xavier High School was canned this morning. The grounds for termination, as they have been reported by the local press, are that he spent the evening at his lady friend's house, after a night of having a few drinks. These actions apparently go against the Catholic belief system, specifically the co-habitation law/rule/whatever, which is why he is no longer employed at the Catholic school. He says that he was indulging in a few adult beverages at said lady friend's house, and made the decision not to drive home.
So why is this a fascinating story? Well, there is a shitload of good moral/religious dilemma here folks. It really produces a lot of questions you need to consider, Catholic or not.
I'll admit, I was quick to my conclusion after initially hearing about this. The Catholic high school was being ridiculous, and draconian at best, in the application of their rules. I think my exact words were "are you f*cking kidding me?" How could they go and fire a teacher, an adult whom many students apparently respected, for staying one night at his girlfriend's house. The punishment clearly did not fit the crime, and it reminded me of the saying about people that live in glass houses... Putting this guy in the unemployment line because his actions went against the Catholic rule of co-habitation? It just seems really harsh, especially for one night.
I wonder if we asked a priest if they had ever sinned or disobeyed Catholic law what they would say? I bet every one would say they had in some way, even while serving in the priesthood. So where does the "sin" of co-habitation fall on the sin-severity rating system, and where in the rule book does it say this is an "unemployment justified" event. My guess is that there is no written scale, which means this was some one's judgement call. Let's hope the people that made this judgement are perfect Catholics, for their sake.
On the face of this issue, it screams hypocrisy. But, as I thought about this more, I thought maybe the Catholic brass made the right judgement call. Maybe I was too quick to judge. The rules and ideals that are a part of the Catholic religion are pretty clear. I assume this guy knew that going in. And what good are the laws of the church, if the individuals that represent those religious beliefs in the Catholic school setting, don't properly apply these rules to themselves? If he was too drunk to drive home from his woman's place there is strike one. Strike two comes from the decision to stay the night there. He's not really holding up his end of the moral Catholic bargain, no matter how you personally view these beliefs. I can understand the school wanting a teacher who represents the Catholic ideals, and conversely ridding themselves of one that doesn't entirely.
Which brings me to the other issue here. Who knows if this guy really was that inebriated that he could not drive home. If he was, perhaps he did many of us a favor by staying put. Does the decision to not drive after he was drinking, assuming he was that drunk, mitigate his decision to stay at his girlfriend's house?
I don't know. I don't make the moral judgements around here. I just thought this story posed a lot of interesting and provoking questions for anyone who considers themselves a religious or moral person...however you may define that.
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
http://www.wfrv.com/news/local/story/Xavier-Students-Protest-Teacher-Coach-Being/vvINmnpjmEueAcpGSK5s_g.cspx
The basics as I can gather them from the local media are as follows:
A teacher/assistant athletic director/coach at Xavier High School was canned this morning. The grounds for termination, as they have been reported by the local press, are that he spent the evening at his lady friend's house, after a night of having a few drinks. These actions apparently go against the Catholic belief system, specifically the co-habitation law/rule/whatever, which is why he is no longer employed at the Catholic school. He says that he was indulging in a few adult beverages at said lady friend's house, and made the decision not to drive home.
So why is this a fascinating story? Well, there is a shitload of good moral/religious dilemma here folks. It really produces a lot of questions you need to consider, Catholic or not.
I'll admit, I was quick to my conclusion after initially hearing about this. The Catholic high school was being ridiculous, and draconian at best, in the application of their rules. I think my exact words were "are you f*cking kidding me?" How could they go and fire a teacher, an adult whom many students apparently respected, for staying one night at his girlfriend's house. The punishment clearly did not fit the crime, and it reminded me of the saying about people that live in glass houses... Putting this guy in the unemployment line because his actions went against the Catholic rule of co-habitation? It just seems really harsh, especially for one night.
I wonder if we asked a priest if they had ever sinned or disobeyed Catholic law what they would say? I bet every one would say they had in some way, even while serving in the priesthood. So where does the "sin" of co-habitation fall on the sin-severity rating system, and where in the rule book does it say this is an "unemployment justified" event. My guess is that there is no written scale, which means this was some one's judgement call. Let's hope the people that made this judgement are perfect Catholics, for their sake.
On the face of this issue, it screams hypocrisy. But, as I thought about this more, I thought maybe the Catholic brass made the right judgement call. Maybe I was too quick to judge. The rules and ideals that are a part of the Catholic religion are pretty clear. I assume this guy knew that going in. And what good are the laws of the church, if the individuals that represent those religious beliefs in the Catholic school setting, don't properly apply these rules to themselves? If he was too drunk to drive home from his woman's place there is strike one. Strike two comes from the decision to stay the night there. He's not really holding up his end of the moral Catholic bargain, no matter how you personally view these beliefs. I can understand the school wanting a teacher who represents the Catholic ideals, and conversely ridding themselves of one that doesn't entirely.
Which brings me to the other issue here. Who knows if this guy really was that inebriated that he could not drive home. If he was, perhaps he did many of us a favor by staying put. Does the decision to not drive after he was drinking, assuming he was that drunk, mitigate his decision to stay at his girlfriend's house?
I don't know. I don't make the moral judgements around here. I just thought this story posed a lot of interesting and provoking questions for anyone who considers themselves a religious or moral person...however you may define that.
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Interviews - Benjamin Jeanson...Executive Chef, Monzu Bistro & Custom Cakes
We like Monzu Bistro & Custom Cakes. You know this. Their top tier food and service set them apart from the rest of the “Bistro Bunch” here in Green Bay.
The first review Gonzo Guide Green Bay did on Monzu was back in February. Since that time we have been to many other places, but this one still stands out as one of the best. Sure the food is fresh, the presentation neat, and the staff friendly and quick to recommend one of their personal menu favorites. Sure they do succulently moist and mind blowing cakes and pastries…but there has to be more. What really makes Monzu tick? What is the key to their mystique?
In order to prove our point about Monzu in a more journalistic-ly savvy manner, and to answer the questions above, we decided it was time to talk with their Executive Chef, Benjamin Jeanson. And he was kind enough to oblige.
The first review Gonzo Guide Green Bay did on Monzu was back in February. Since that time we have been to many other places, but this one still stands out as one of the best. Sure the food is fresh, the presentation neat, and the staff friendly and quick to recommend one of their personal menu favorites. Sure they do succulently moist and mind blowing cakes and pastries…but there has to be more. What really makes Monzu tick? What is the key to their mystique?
In order to prove our point about Monzu in a more journalistic-ly savvy manner, and to answer the questions above, we decided it was time to talk with their Executive Chef, Benjamin Jeanson. And he was kind enough to oblige.
Benjamin, being an executive chef seems like a really cool gig. What is the best part about being an executive chef at a place like Monzu?
"I really like being able to be creative and producing my food; food that I love. It’s great when both you and the customer enjoy what is going on in the bistro."
All the self help books we read talk about having a vision. Do you have a vision for what you are doing at Monzu? How does that vision influence your culinary offerings and the direction Monzu is taking into the future?
"Well, to start my vision wasn’t about a fine-dining restaurant. I didn’t want stuffy overbearing, or complicated service and courses. A bistro should be about really good food served simply. There may be a few words on the menu you don’t know, but overall a casual atmosphere with great French-Italian-American food. Also, one major aspect of our food as a caterer is that you can get any of it to-go (and ready-to-reheat with entrees) and it will be consistent with the quality in the bistro. A lot of people like being able to take entrees home to family and friends and heat them at their convenience."
Has your location in the Broadway District of Green Bay played a role in the success of Monzu? What do you think it is about that area that keeps you there?
We really like the area. It suits us well with a lot of creative stores and restaurants. Each of them have their own feel and it is a great place to shop and dine-out.
When catering, what is your favorite food /dish to prepare?
Which begs the question, if you walked into the Bistro at say 12:30 in the afternoon, what Boxed Lunch would you order?
Well I don’t have one single favorite. I don’t put it on the menu if I don’t like it! Late in the month of May at precisely 12:30p.m. I might order the smoked chicken sandwich with a cup of the cream of asparagus soup and a lemon cream cookie.
The cookies you serve with the Boxed Lunch are like small cakes and they are mighty tasty. I can only imagine what one of those custom cake creations might taste like…Anyway, custom cakery seems like a pretty specialized area of the culinary arts. Who is the cake artist designing these sweet batter based sculptures for Monzu?
"Her name is Jennifer. She does a great job and does lots of fun custom cakes."
Benjamin, as much as I’d like to, hitting you guys up for dinner or lunch everyday isn’t an option seeing as I don’t control the checkbook. How do I implement the Monzu mystique into the food-ing I do at home? Is it even possible?
Lol- "Well, I don’t know about mystique, some of the things we do are simple. We utilize a lot of local vegetables and fruits when possible. A good place to start is a local farmers market (the one on Broadway is right outside our door!). Getting some good product goes a long way towards creating a good meal."
Thanks Benjamin! Well said! That certainly provides a good look into the mantras that have guided Monzu to the top of the bistro food chain. You have a great thing going on, Monzu!
So, Gonzo Guide Green Bay faithful, how does that grab you? Does that help shed some light on what the Monzu scene is all about? We ask you, can you dig it?!
Monzu Bistro & Custom Cakes…Simple, savvy, and sweet!
Plug In – Participate – Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
Plug In – Participate – Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
Editorial from the Editor - Brett Favre has a Hemorrhoid
Breaking news today. Brett Favre suffered a hemorrhoid earlier this morning, as a result of pushing too hard...to get back into the NFL. It seems a bit comedic that like those little buggers that can plague your undercarriage, Favre just won't go away.
And why the hell does anyone care?
This is Packer country, and this piece is in no way blasphemous to what the man did for us as a quarterback of our football team. Clearly he is one of the best ever in the game and that will prompt some sort of spotlight no matter what he does. But aren't any of you sick of it?
How much time was spent last year...and the year before.......and the year before that on what Favre was going to do. "I'm retiring," he sobbed. "I'm back," he proclaims from the sweet Mississippi heavens. "And now, for my closing ""movement"" I'm talking to the Minnesota Vikings!"
I say piss on it. Favre, go to the Vikings and take them to the Super Bowl, either way I don't care what you do. I appreciate and will always remember huddling 'round my Sony waiting for you to throw another beautiful pass (interception). I will always remember how every announcer pointed out in cliche, how you loved the game. And seriously you were damn entertaining to watch on any given Sunday. Don't get me wrong, I'm just burnt out and spent on you Brett.
With that, Brett, I'm breaking up with you. I can no longer let your indecisive, cry fest media conferences run my life. Knowing, not knowing...it is all just too hard.
While I am sorry to hear about your hemorrhoid, I do wish you the best. There are just far too many other much more important things going on that I must attend to...like being employed, feeding the kids, paying the mortgage, and swine flu. So with that Brett, I bid you adieu.
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo, Brett!
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
And why the hell does anyone care?
This is Packer country, and this piece is in no way blasphemous to what the man did for us as a quarterback of our football team. Clearly he is one of the best ever in the game and that will prompt some sort of spotlight no matter what he does. But aren't any of you sick of it?
How much time was spent last year...and the year before.......and the year before that on what Favre was going to do. "I'm retiring," he sobbed. "I'm back," he proclaims from the sweet Mississippi heavens. "And now, for my closing ""movement"" I'm talking to the Minnesota Vikings!"
I say piss on it. Favre, go to the Vikings and take them to the Super Bowl, either way I don't care what you do. I appreciate and will always remember huddling 'round my Sony waiting for you to throw another beautiful pass (interception). I will always remember how every announcer pointed out in cliche, how you loved the game. And seriously you were damn entertaining to watch on any given Sunday. Don't get me wrong, I'm just burnt out and spent on you Brett.
With that, Brett, I'm breaking up with you. I can no longer let your indecisive, cry fest media conferences run my life. Knowing, not knowing...it is all just too hard.
While I am sorry to hear about your hemorrhoid, I do wish you the best. There are just far too many other much more important things going on that I must attend to...like being employed, feeding the kids, paying the mortgage, and swine flu. So with that Brett, I bid you adieu.
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo, Brett!
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Eateries - Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery...Doing it Cold-Doggy Style
Couple weeks back, while slaving away on another article to feed your Gonzo Guide Green Bay addiction, we heard on the radio an advertisement for Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery.
A new, possibly very hip spot to have some lunch time grub? For sure! So we packed up the Deep Pearl Blue 1989 Chevy Cavalier and headed over to Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery to see what this place was all about.
This new place opened in December of 2008, and is in the same location as the old SueAnn's Bagels. East Mason, by Copps. We have a Navi system in the Cavalier, so we had no trouble finding the place.
The insides now are not that much different than it was in its previous life. Not sure if the paint even changed from before. The old bagel counter and display case was still a bagel counter and display case. They serve coffee as well, but we were well after 1:52 PM and coffee isn't on our menu at that time of day.
The only odd thing was that their espresso machine was broken, with a new one on order. Not a big deal, but if you don't want to lose the revenue, go get a Krupps for like $75 and continue to make the espresso drinks. Some of them can crank it out pretty fast. Just a tip to consider.
The blackboard in the back is filled with bagel options, and a good selection of sandwich options. All of the sandwiches you can order are named after dogs it seems. This was a cool touch, not only from a marketing standpoint as it gives a more personal and fuzzy feeling to what in 45 minutes will be making it's way into your digestive tract, no, it is a cool touch because it is fun, and unique in our area.
We opted for the Golden Retriever, which is a cross between the BLT, and the double decker club. No ham though. We had three choices of fresh bread, Brioche it is.
Next, the wait ensued. Conversation was shared, and after about 3 minutes and 18 seconds we had our sandwich, our pickle, and our chips to go. For roughly the cost of a medium sized dog bone, we felt we got a pretty good deal.
Back at the Gonzo Guide Green Bay offices, a fresh flavor feast ensued. Our sandwich was great. It was clearly well assembled and didn't cost a paw and a leg. The three individuals that worked there seemed very friendly and it felt like they were happy to have you stopping by.
Overall a very simple, low key bakery and cafe. No frills, or dancing bears. No snotty deli chick bragging about the area in France where the mayonnaise comes from. They served a simple homemade sandwich, with simple ingredients, for a reasonable cost. What a concept!
Our senses are barraged with bullshit and decisions all day long. Just give us a simple sandwich, a smile and a "have a great afternoon." Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery does that just right. Oh, and the tables looked pretty clean too.
Gonzo Guide Green Bay gives Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery 3.89 Kibbles and Bits out of 5.
Do you stop by Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery to howl at the breakfast moon? Or for lunch perhaps?
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
A new, possibly very hip spot to have some lunch time grub? For sure! So we packed up the Deep Pearl Blue 1989 Chevy Cavalier and headed over to Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery to see what this place was all about.
This new place opened in December of 2008, and is in the same location as the old SueAnn's Bagels. East Mason, by Copps. We have a Navi system in the Cavalier, so we had no trouble finding the place.
The insides now are not that much different than it was in its previous life. Not sure if the paint even changed from before. The old bagel counter and display case was still a bagel counter and display case. They serve coffee as well, but we were well after 1:52 PM and coffee isn't on our menu at that time of day.
The only odd thing was that their espresso machine was broken, with a new one on order. Not a big deal, but if you don't want to lose the revenue, go get a Krupps for like $75 and continue to make the espresso drinks. Some of them can crank it out pretty fast. Just a tip to consider.
The blackboard in the back is filled with bagel options, and a good selection of sandwich options. All of the sandwiches you can order are named after dogs it seems. This was a cool touch, not only from a marketing standpoint as it gives a more personal and fuzzy feeling to what in 45 minutes will be making it's way into your digestive tract, no, it is a cool touch because it is fun, and unique in our area.
We opted for the Golden Retriever, which is a cross between the BLT, and the double decker club. No ham though. We had three choices of fresh bread, Brioche it is.
Next, the wait ensued. Conversation was shared, and after about 3 minutes and 18 seconds we had our sandwich, our pickle, and our chips to go. For roughly the cost of a medium sized dog bone, we felt we got a pretty good deal.
Back at the Gonzo Guide Green Bay offices, a fresh flavor feast ensued. Our sandwich was great. It was clearly well assembled and didn't cost a paw and a leg. The three individuals that worked there seemed very friendly and it felt like they were happy to have you stopping by.
Overall a very simple, low key bakery and cafe. No frills, or dancing bears. No snotty deli chick bragging about the area in France where the mayonnaise comes from. They served a simple homemade sandwich, with simple ingredients, for a reasonable cost. What a concept!
Our senses are barraged with bullshit and decisions all day long. Just give us a simple sandwich, a smile and a "have a great afternoon." Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery does that just right. Oh, and the tables looked pretty clean too.
Gonzo Guide Green Bay gives Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery 3.89 Kibbles and Bits out of 5.
Do you stop by Cold Dog Cafe & Bakery to howl at the breakfast moon? Or for lunch perhaps?
Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo
Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
