Earlier this week, I attended my second Thursday Night Throwdown latte art competition, this time co-hosted by Young Hickory in the North Park neighborhood. (Check out my post about my first TNT adventure here.) Two of my friends who joined me, including Miss Stillman – check out her blog here! Since I had already been to a TNT, I could shift my focus from learning about the competition itself to observing and interacting with the people – which was good, because this event had a much bigger turnout than the last. My friends and I chatted with a few of the competing baristas, as well as some of the vendors who were there. Even though we didn’t know anyone personally, everyone was very warm and readily talked about their involvement in the coffee culture of San Diego.
In addition to organized events, there are a number of groups that are centered on fostering fellowship among coffee drinkers. One such crowd that is becoming more established in the area is the San Diego Home Roasters Club, organized by the San Diego Coffee Network. This little group is open to anyone and everyone who is curious about roasting coffee beans at home (think the caffeinated equivalent to home beer brewing) or simply looking for good community.
Seeing the many ways in which people reach out to each other (or to complete strangers) has been so inspiring. Not only are they passionate about coffee, they are actively investing themselves in so much of what coffee has come to symbolize in cultures and societies around the world: craft, connection, and community.
Interested in experiencing the local coffee community for yourself? The fourth & final installment of Season 1 of the Thursday Night Throwdown latte art competition is on Thursday, April 17 from 7-9pm at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. More info can be found here. There are also a number of free events around town that are open to everyone, like tastings & "caffeine crawls". Check out the SDCN event calendar and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the latest and greatest. |
Interested in checking out Young Hickory for yourself? Find them here: www.younghickory.com Twitter: @younghickorysd Facebook: facebook.com/younghickorysd Instagram: @younghickorysd |
[Photo courtesy of the amazing Kinfolk. Peruse writings on home roasting & other community-cultivating arts on their website or in their beautifully crafted magazine.] | Interested in learning more about the San Diego Home Roasters Club for yourself? They meet every 2nd Sunday of the month from 2-3pm at Cafe Virtuoso. Or, find them here: www.sdcoffeenetwork.com/events/2014/3/9/san-diego-home-roasters-club Facebook: facebook.com/sdhomeroasters |