Perkdup

"Timber" had informed all the "Catahoulans" about his holiday shipment of a limited supply of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. And while I really had planned to get a pound to give as a gift to a very special person. . .I ran out of dough ;0 So, imagine my surprise when I walked into Catahoula after Mass last Sunday (must have been a sign, right?) and saw that there were two half-pound bags left at the discounted price of $20.00 per half pound. Then I faced a very tough decision - do I buy the moisturizer that I need or do I go for the Blue Mountain? And I think you know the rest of the story. . . So, even though my skin is chapped - my heart is happy. Thanks, Timber! (and by the way, he has a lot of other very special coffees, including, my favorite "Lola" Blend). http://www.catahoulacoffee.com/

I went to a very nice affair at the Lake Merritt Hotel over the weekend. The event was held in the Terrace Room. Usually, you don't go to these types of affairs for the food, you go for the fellowship and to get all fancied up :) BUT. . .kudos to the Chef because the food was off the hook! And to top it all off, they served the best coffee with a decadent variety of desserts. The coffee was so good that I had to call the restaurant today to find out what they served. Well, turns out it is Metropolitan Coffee (which apparently is distributed/made by Sara Lee Foods). They serve the French Roast blend which is so smooth and not at all bitter and had no sediment or aftertaste. The only thing better than a good cup of coffee is a great cup of coffee at the end of a great meal! Who even knew Sara Lee made coffee??

According to an Associated Press article, a 52 year old man in Michigan who was stabbed during an attempted robbery, did what any normal person would do - he called for an ambulance. Then, this is where his caffeine addiction kicked in and the story takes a twisted turn. Before the ambulance arrived, he walked HALF A MILE to a diner and ordered a cup of coffee with a knife sticking out of his chest. To read the entire story, copy and paste the link below in your browser: http://www.startribune.com/nation/79977167 Geez. . .I thought I loved coffee.

What a wonderful day this has been. I've enjoyed the company of family and friends and am capping off the day with a hot cup of Weaver's Holiday Blend - boy does John Weaver know coffee! And to go with my Weaver's Holiday Blend, I'm going to have myself a fresh cranberry orange scone from the "Feel Good Gourmet" in Miami. Now, all I need is a nice holiday movie to end the day. Any suggestions? I feel good. Merry Christmas to All, And To All A Hot Cup of Coffee!!

Even though I appreciate working in a big city, sometimes I just want to take time to smell the grounds. Know what I mean? So, today, two days before Christmas, with no shopping done, I thought, "Why don't I just go sit in Tully's and have myself a nice cup of coffee." The thing I love about this coffee shop is not only the great coffee, but the friendly people who work here. They make each customer feel important and they never rush you. There's always a newspaper lying around and if you're lucky, you can sit in one of the oversized cushy leather chairs. You might even find a group of women knitting at the "big table." It's like having an independent coffee house right in the middle of a high rise. :) Enjoy the season.

If you've been waiting like I have for the taste of "King Cake" in your coffee, Community Coffee has a brand new batch of Carnivale Cake Blend . So, if you didn't find the perfect holiday gift for the coffee lover on your holiday list, don't dismay - Carnivale Cake Blend is back - just in time for New Year's Day! Ain't No Party Like A Community Coffee Party!!

I was on Santana Row in San Jose yesterday and visited the Puripan Tea Garden. The people there are so nice. And boy do they know a lot about tea. They sell all different kinds of teas with a focus on Korean tea. And, although I can't tell you what the difference is between the various teas, they sure can. So, the guy behind the counter is making up all these samples for people to try. Free samples. So, I get the Aloe Tea and my daughter gets the Ginger Tea. But this particular tea is not being made from a leaf or a bag, he's taking it out of a jar like jelly. And I don't really know how he steeped it, but it was really good. They have teapots and tea cups and tea spoons and mugs and just about everything a tea drinker could possibly want. If I'm in the area, I'll drop in again - for the tea, but mainly because they were so darn nice! Puripan Tea Garden 377 Santana Row Ste 1035 San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 423-8033 www.puripanteagarden.com

I love coffee. My daughter loves tea. I drink so much coffee, that I have pledged to try to drink more tea. I was researching teas and found out about CELESTIAL SEASONINGS HOLIDAY TEA COLLECTION. I remembered how much I used to love their Red Zinger tea. I'd have my cup of Red Zinger right next to the incense tray. Remember those? That was back when I thought that those huge bamboo fans were high class wall decorations! Anyway, if you think I'm picky about my coffee - my daughter is even pickier about her tea. So, the point is, I ran across the line of teas at my favorite natural grocery store. And they were on sale for 2.99 a box. 2.99 a box? For 20 tea bags? Stocking stuffers here we come. I figured I should check it out first. I tried the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride. Which, by the way, I'm told is really hard to find. I'd buy it again for the smell alone. The tea itself is quite light. A perfect "nightcap." The holiday line includes: Candy Cane

Oh, no. It's a Peet's ornament. Absolutely could not resist picking this up when I went in for my morning coffee. I have collected so many ornaments over the years and well there are plenty of coffee cup ornaments from other coffee shops - but this is the first time that I can remember Peet's doing something like this. I think it's perfect as a stocking stuffer or as a nice little trinket to give to your office Kris Kringle. Sure to be a collectible. Of course, pretty much everything is collectible to me!

SprinklesMobile will be at Justin Hermann Plaza today from Noon to 5.

. . .take the lime and the coconut and you'll feel better. . ." OOPS - Wrong jingle. . . I meant to say - "Take the chocolate and the milk and you put it all together, stir it in the cup and you'll feel better. . .put the whipped cream on top and it's even better!" Caribou Coffee and Guittard Chocolate - a marriage made in chocolate heaven! If you're lucky enough to have a Caribou Coffee Shop in your area, you can now order up your mochas, chocolate lattes, hot chocolate and other specialty beverages with white, milk or dark Guittard chocolate. We're talking real bits of chocolate - none of that chocolate syrup or powdered stuff. AND because Guittard is creating this chocolate exclusively for Caribou Coffee - they're all-natural, kosher and gluten-free. If you don't have a Caribou near you, don't dismay, you can order their premium Guittard Chocolate Bits online. There's even a gift pack with all three flavors. Those Caribou folks

There was a guy named John Weaver. John Weaver wanted to be the best at what he did and what he did was make fine Artisan coffees. In fact, he was what you would call a "Master." John Weaver was so serious about his craft that he apprenticed under two coffee giants, Sal Bonavita and the late Alfred Peet. John started his own company, "Weaver Coffee" in 2007. I brewed a pot of the "Holiday Blend" this morning. The Holiday Blend is nice and mild - dark-roasted. Dark roasted, but not "in your face." The beans are nice and "sticky" just the way I like them. My friend tried a cup and called it "earthy." I like that word. Perfect for getting or giving for the holidays. wwww.weaverscoffee.com You can find it at Whole Foods and other gourmet stores throughout the country. If you can't find it, give them a call at 800-328-1178. They'll be glad to help. Thanks, John Weaver. You made my morning a little more mellow. I th

I love freshly ground coffee. The only problem was that with my old $20.00 grinder (no name needed), my coffee grounds looked more like sawdust ;0 There was no way to control the grind which is a problem if you like to change your brewing methods. Sometimes I use my Chemex, mostly I use an automatic drip coffee maker, but there are times that I prefer the French press and even times (especially on weekends), that I like to use my Paula Deen stovetop percolator. Problem solved with the Capresso Stainless Steel Burr Grinder. I "test drove" it on Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night and Sunday morning. Each time with a different brew method and each time with perfect results. I'm sure that there's something better out there for professional use, but if you're just an everyday "Joe" who loves her coffee, at 59.99 this is a great grinder. Some of the features include: * 17 position grind selector delivers the correct fineness for espresso, drip,

I would never replace my morning cup of coffee with a cup of tea, but just about this time of the afternoon, I sure do like the taste of Lupicia's White Christmas on a cold December day. My daughter bought me this tea last year as part of a Holiday Sampler and I went back to the store and bought enough to hoard at least until April. I squealed with delight when I passed the Lupicia store yesterday and remembered that Holidays mean Holiday Teas and that means White Christmas Tea by Lupcia. A blend of black tea, apricot and white chocolate - makes me feel like a kid again! www.lupicia.com

OMG - if you had told me that I would eat a maple bacon donut and totally love it - I would have said "Maple and bacon in a donut?" But it's really good. Think of a stack of light, fluffy pancakes, with bacon on the side - and washed down by a cup of Ethiopian Yergacheffe. Now that's good eating! Dynamo Donuts and Four Barrel Coffee - a winning combination. Four Barrel Coffee 375 Valencia St (at 15th St) San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 252-0800 www.fourbarrelcoffee.com Dynamo Donuts 2760 24th Street San Francisco, CA 94110-4263 (415) 920-1978 www.dynamodonuts.com

Leave it to Caribou to come up with a Holiday Blend that is not only a favorite of the Reindeer set, but a major hit with humans. This coffee is blended with 2 year aged Sumatra. It's kinda sweet, kinda spicy, dark-roasted but certainly not bitter. A perfect gift for the office-mate, friend or family member who knows and appreciates fine coffee. Caribou Coffee 2009 Reindeer Blend* Caribou Coffee Company 3900 Lakebreeze Avenue North Minneapolis, MN 55429 You can order by calling: 1-888-227-4268 Check out their other great coffees, teas and gifts at: www.cariboucoffee.com *Rainforest Alliance Certified and Certified Kosher Parve

It's Organic, It's Fair Trade Certified and it's SOOOO good! Who could ask for anything more? I'm full of energy today. Had two cups of Newman's Own Organics French Roast Coffee (TM). Gareth says: "Its great. It has a traditional flavor to it, like a nice house brew." From Green Mountain Coffee Roasters "We're going to run out unless we can get to that mule and get some more." (Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid") Don't run out. . . Green Mountain Coffee 1-888-879-4627 or visit their website at: www.GreenMountainCoffee.com

Red is the new black. Make a difference while doing something you enjoy - drinking coffee! Every time you buy a Starbucks (PRODUCT)RED item or pay with your (STARBUCKS)RED Card, they make a contribution to the Global Fund to help people living with HIV in Africa. GO RED! Fight HIV and AIDS.