I have always thought that the best time to savor a cup of great coffee is early. Preferably after you have had a light breakfast. Dumping caffeine onto an empty stomach is never a good idea. Unless you are made of stone of course.
Which is what I said to Mark Engels, of Bubby Roses Bakery, while sitting in the window at the HABIT COFFEE AND CULTURE Atrium location – Yates and Blanshard.
On a damp Saturday November morning we make a note of the ebb and flow of serious coffee drinkers around us. Habit owner/team leader, Shane works the counter with the skill of a master. While ordering my single origin mug of wonder, Shane commented that his shift is the “fill in where needed” and “normal is not a word or reality that appears in his World.”
Sitting with Mark and getting in an full cup of wisdom is rarely undisturbed – because Mark is the Baker Mayor of the Cook street village area. And everyone knows the Mayor. In the space of 3 minutes we meet and greet friends and fans of the Bakery.
Friends of the Baker.
You need the Baker. Especially when the Baker is putting bread on your table. And bringing a special social energy to your community. Your neighborhood.
So between all encompassing impressions of Victoria cafe and baking culture and sips of coffee, Mark gives me the snapshot of the lowdown in his life as he plans the latest bakery game changer.
New ideas. New locations. Fresh ambition. Finding downtime. Nailing down balance.
Mark talks about finding new strength and restoration in getting away from it all or stepping away for brief periods of time.
We are distracted for a moment by my Carrot and Bran muffin.
Baked things distract Mark – it is an industrial hazard. I come to expect it.
And even I ask, why here in the Wet Coast of British Columbia a muffin at HABIT COFFEE is called a “Nantucket Morning Glory” muffin.
Like, what local bakery would give a local muffin a name like that? It should be called the Sooke River Morning Glory muffin.
Little things that rile up a baker and a coffee web maker.
Mark and I wind down the conversation/coffee date with opinions on why social networking tools, like Twitter and Facebook are actual limiters of taking business and ideas forward. My feelings on that will be explored in more detail in a later edition.
In the meantime, I have a pile of modern coffee gear to plow through, write and review.
Because the Universe abhors decaffeination.
Colin lives and works in Victoria B.C. Canada and tries to write about it from time to time. Sometimes, Social Networking gets in the way!