I love the retro ads with the remix sayings. I have a calender that is full of them and it never fails to give me a laugh. I would so buy one of these coffee mugs but I have so many all ready that it would just be adding to the clutter. I found this on Amazon. There are several more with different sayings but this was the one that I liked best today.

You can find this mug at Amazon.

Image: Amazon

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I like coffee. I like using coffee. I like smelling coffee…I was always sad the Dr. Suess did not write a book about coffee, although he did do some on the edge World War II propaganda movies for the US Army.

Anyway. I like coffee, I like organic coffee, and I like when people figure out how to do awesome things with everyday objects. Soy fabric is incredible, I would not eat soy based products but wear them?  Ah…so soft. Bamboo, same thing. Awesome! But coffee?

Well a company is making fabric from coffee. In fact the company that perfected it has made two shirts from the amount of grounds it takes to make a cup of coffee. GROUNDS mind you, not beans. The after product of your morning ritual.  If the fabric goes viral those of us that drink a lot of coffee could have a brand new income stream.

The fabric is also “quick-drying, odor controlling,  and uv-protective.” Totally organic and produced in an environmentally responsible fashion the only other thing you could possibly want would be to drink the water it is rinsed in…but alas..technology has not yet come that far.

You can read more at the  SCafe site.

Still. It will be interesting to see how this markets, what the cost will be..and most important of all…..will your sweat smell like coffee?

image:marye audet (those vintage magazines and books have to be good for something)

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But I just read that the roaster supplying McDonalds with their espresso coffee blend is Distant Lands in Tyler, Texas. Distant Lands is the same eco-friendly roaster that is supplying Panera. The beans are not organic but I believe that they are Fair Trade coffee beans.

Anyway, I like Panera coffee. That means that more than likely I will like McDonald’c coffee… and the thought scares me. You can read more about that here in the Chicago Tribune.

The Bible, in Proverbs, talks about things that the earth can’t hold up under. Things that are just too weird. Well..this may be one of them.

McDonald’s can’t get environmentally concerned and serve good coffee, that’s like Sonny Bryans BBQ place starting to serve only vegetarian meals. It is the end of the world as we know it!

It could add a whole new Happy Meal concept though. A little Happy Meal bag with a couple of biscotti, a macchiato, and maybe a section of the New York Times?   It could work!

If McDonald’s REALLY wanted to sell a lot of coffee they would turn to the brilliant, albeit criminal, minds in Malaysia.

Sometimes I know I have missed my calling and should be in marketing somewhere. Other times I know that I took way too many hallucinogenics as a teenager in the 70s and should probably be listening to Black Sabbath at 78 speed. You decide which it is tonight..I am going to bed.

Image:SXC

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Tea producers in East Africa like green tea best, even if it is black.

Production costs for the region’s 177 tea factories are high, meaning that the actual profit on the tea is lower than it could be. Raising prices will not allow Africa to compete in the world market so Africa has decided to lower costs. Theywill do this by constructing hydro-electric power companies to produce electricity for the tea factories. This is expected to lower processing by fifty percent. Since the factories are all located favorably for hydro-electric power this is one of the best solutions to an economic problem I have seen.

Behold, the power of water.

Hyrdo-electric power is electricity generated by the force of  rapidly moving water. Often it is water that is falling a long distance, like Niagara Falls. It is one of the most sustainable forms of electricty, producing no direct waste. There is less carbon dioxide produced than with energy plants powered by fossil fuels. This is a good thing. Less carbon dioxide means fewer greenhouse gasses.

Hydro-electric power is not without environmental disadvantages. The surrounding eco-systems can be changed dramatically. The water is generally a higher temperature as it comes through the dam and may cause a disruption of the various species of fish. However, considering the various advantages and disadvantages, from my scanning of the story it seems like a great option.

It looks like their tea may be green even if  it is black or white.

Hey, maybe we can get these guys to give the United States auto industry and banking industry some pointers. Cut costs? Come up with innovative solutions that don’t include government bailouts? What a great concept.

image:Wikipedia

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I love Shakespeare, and most of the kids have a tolerence for it, if not full fledged love. And, as happens with many big families, once in awhile good natured insults seem to fly back and forth.  Ethan, in particular, is the most likely one to break out the Elizabethan vernacular and taunt his siblings with unique descriptions of their characters.

This Shakespearean Insult mug has 30 Shakespearean insults. One for every day of the month. Take it to work. Take it to school. You will never be without a upper crust literary comeback.

image:via Amazon

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White tea has a delicate flavor and when mixed with fruit it really adds a nice dimension. The mint and lime flavors are cooling and refreshing as well.  Although key limes are preferred you can use regular lime if you can’t find them.

If you are looking for a refreshing drink to serve for your Fourth of July celebration check this out.

Lime, and Mint Iced Tea

• 1 quart of water
• 4 white tea bags
• 1  1/2 cups fresh mint leaves
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup key lime juice
• Lime slices for garnish

1. Bring the water and sugar just to a boil.
2. Stir until sugar is completely disolved.
3. Remove from heat and add tea bags and mint.
4. Steep for about one minute and remove bags.
5. Allow to come to room temperature.
6. Remove mint and add lime juice.
7. Stir well and refrigerate. Serve  in frosted glasses over ice

image:sxc

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Just remember folks, all natural is NOT the same as organic. However they are promising the following:

• No artificial flavors
• No artificial trans fats (LOL! ALL transfats are artificial)
  
• No artificial dyes
• No high-fructose corn syrup

I think that is a great step for them. They are even giving recipes for a couple of their items. You know what I would like to see them do? Seriously? I would like to see Starbucks and other large coffee shops that carry pastries and such begin to source locally. I realize that they would lose the continuity flow but the items would be so much fresher, so much tastier, and it would be good for local economies.

I don’t know how difficult that would be, how many government and corporate hoops they would have to jump through or anything..but to me it makes much more sense.  Let’s face it. Baked goods are their best within the first 12 hours or so of being baked. The longer they hang around the more stale they get. Having pastries delivered from a local bakery every morning at 5 am would solve the freshness issue for sure.

What do you think? Is it feasible? Should be hit them with a barrage of emails?

image: MaryeAudet

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All you need to do is come up with the wining blend of tea. The contest runs from now until August 16, 2009. You just need to go to the site, look through the hundreds of teas, and create magic.

That’s not so hard is it?

There are some seriously good prizes even if you don’t win the grand prize. Besides they will sell the winning blend in their stores. Now, how many people get to say that they created a tea blend?

We created out own signature tea for the tea room. We went to a local roaster/tea blender and told her basically what we were looking for. She blended and flavored and came up with our Cameo Rose Custom Blend, which we still buy. It is lemon, blackberry and rose in a long leaf jasmine base and it makes the best sweet tea ever.

It was great fun doing that, experimenting with different possibilities and all. And people kind of look at you funny when you say you have your own custom blended tea. That’s fun, too.

So…head over to Teavana, check it out and give it your best shot. And when you win, remember us little people.

image:sxc

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The house fills with flies as people run in and out and gallons of lemonade, tea, cokes, and other beverages are consumed. The only requirement is that guests bring food to share and control their children.

Seems fair to me.  I am not a fan of uncontrolled children. People assume because I have 8 kids I LOVE children. Not true. I like kids all right but I have no tolerance level for undisciplined, uncontrollable, disrespectful kids. They all seem to end up working at the local grocery stores but that is a whole ‘nother story.

Anyway, if you are looking for something a bit different to serve this Fourth of July take a look at this. Coffee coke float,with just a quick glug of Kahlua for some pizzaz. You can leave the Kahlua out if you want but it is just awesome with it.  Serve it in old fashioned ice cream parlor style shake glasses and top with a mound of whipped cream.

Coffee Coke Float

• 2/3 cup half and half (light) cream
• 2 1/2 cups espresso, or strong coffee, cold
• 4 scoops coffee ice cream
• 1 -2 liter bottle of Coke
• 1/2 cup Kahlua if desired
• 4 frosted glasses

Mix the cream and the cold coffee

Add 2 tbs Kahlua to each glass

Place a scoop of the ice cream in each of four glasses

Half fill each glass with the coffee then fill up the rest of the way with Coke.

Serves 4

Image;Wikipedia

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Stash has published a Guide to Bed and Breakfast Inns which is available for less than five dollars when you purchase three boxes of any Stash tea at you local grocers or with a ten dollar purchase online.

There are few things more romantic or luxruious than a weekend get-away. This might be an awesome way to do it. This offer is good, as for as I can tell, through June 2011. Even if you are not a spontanious type of person this gives you plenty of time to plan!

image:SXC

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