Farpoint ...It's A Toy Store

The Human Adventure is Just Beginning...

Today is Farpoint …It’s a Toy Store’s Grand Opening.  Last night was the Black Tie, Preview Party.  Two TITANS are joining forces on this adventure: Farpoint Toys and It’s A Toy Store.  Between them are decades of experience in doing what they do.

“Toys?”

Yes, there are toys, lest there be no doubt – oodles of ‘em!  

Oodles, I say!

However, what Justin, Penelope, and Frank (Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman of their new founded Justice League) do goes far beyond going to a Toys-R-Us.  …No, they are curators.  Obtainers of rare antiquities.  Keepers of memories and mementos.  They are story tellers and story keepers.  Community builders who want to share their love of genre with others who share their love of genre.  Simply put, they are fans.  The wonderful thing about the new digs is that it is also a meeting place for fans & soon to be fans to come, to discuss, to have a cup of coffee, and to bask in the communal glow of shared memories and stories.  Yes, it’s a toy store – but Farpoint …It’s A Toy Store is much, much more.

BTW, that's an original Ken Kelly in the corner.

There is a quote from the film, “Serenity” where River Tam asks Captain Mal Reynolds about what the first rule of flying is.  Mal’s answer is on point for Farpoint.  He said, “Love. You can learn all the math in the 'Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.”

Welcome home.

Today Farpoint …It’s A Toy Store officially opens!  Farpoint can be found at these coordinates; 5113 Harding Hwy., Mays Landing, NJ, on Twitter, and on Facebook.

Excelsior!  

The Progressive Coffee House

I was in Glassboro recently and stumbled across the Progressive Coffee House. They are located on 208 West High Street (856-243-2466) and they are worth your time. I just grabbed a large regular ($1.98 not bad for a coffee shop these days) and listened to the music, which, at the time, happened to be an old Robert Plant song.

“How about that, coffee AND Robert Plant too?” I said with a smile to the gentleman behind the counter. I was stirring in my traditional 3 Splendas and cream at the time.

“Did you see the picture?” he asked. He was excited and a genuine smile spread across his face.

“Picture?”

He pointed to a wall next to the counter. I peeked around the corner and, low and behold, there was a photograph of the gentleman behind the counter with Robert Plant. They were standing next to each other and grinning from ear to ear.

“No kiddin'.” I said.

“Nope.” He said and he proceeded to tell me the story of how Robert Plant was walking down South Street in Philly and, by an interesting set of circumstances, happened to end up in his coffee shop – that is when he had a coffee shop on South Street.

I will let you ask him about the details, it is his story and he tells it much better than I can. My job is to arrange the introduction. Therefore, let my just say that the Progressive Coffee House is most certainly worth your time and that I can’t wait to go back in the near future. He mentioned to me that he has some old Genesis concert footage that he is going to dig up for the next time I’m come in. I, for one, can’t wait. They can be found here: http://progressivecoffeehouse.com/. Ed and Jen Andricola’s shop is worth your time. Their motto is, “Brewing Happiness One Cup at a Time”.

I was happy. I think they’ll make you happy too.

18 – To Life

Yesterday (4/19/08), Mother Hen and I celebrated our 18th Wedding Anniversary. We spent the day geocaching down in Cape May.

“Geocaching? What’s that?” Yet another fine question, Gentle Reader. Please allow me to refer you to an article by Mr. Cody Glenn from The Daily Journal on the topic. He explains what it is better than I could do. The article came out on our anniversary. Check it out here: http://thedailyjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080419/NEWS01/804190313.

Where was I? Oh yes, Cape May. We have a lot of memories in and around Cape May so any chance we get to kick around down there we usually take. We were married at the First Baptist Church in Wildwood, ate at The Lobster House in Cape May, missed the Ferry (Cape May – Lewes) and had to stay the night at the Heritage Inn before heading down to Chincoteague VA for our honeymoon weekend.

Of course that was all 18 years ago.

Things change. Time shifts. Mother Hen and I have now almost been married for half of our lives. This was a mathematical conundrum for me since I’m not the best mathematician and that idea just sounded so foreign. But it’s true – we have been married almost half of our lives. Love changes too.

“Huh?”

Stop interrupting me. Just kidding. What I mean is that Love changes too – in other words I love the woman I married more today than I did eighteen years ago. It’s a deeper, more mature love. I’m not saying that all the years have been easy ones but I am saying that they would have been so much harder without her – or rather, without “us”.

It’s a process – moving from “I” to “We”.

I met her at a bookstore, just after my father died. I bought a lot of books. We dated. We broke up. We saw other people. We got back together. We eloped. We got our own apartment. We started a family. We rented a house. We watched our family grow. We got a mortgage. We are still here.

You see the process? “We” is better than “I”. I, for one, wouldn’t want it any other way – even after 18 years.

I love you, Lady.


BTW… As an ongoing part of Ye old Blog of Yore I recommend coffee houses that I like or would like other people to experience for themselves. In our travels this weekend Mother Hen and I found another place that deserves mention. It’s called Coffee Etc., it’s located 3016 Rt. 9, Seaville, NJ – about an 1/8th of a mile south of Rt. 9 & Rt. 50. They open daily at 6:30 AM. The Sumatran Roast is awesome and goes great with chocolate covered strawberries. Please note – you MUST try the chocolate covered strawberries; they rock.

Coffee – A History

So, do you like coffee? Is it something more than just the morning cup for you? Does the aroma intoxicate and captivate your senses? Do you appreciate the richness of the flavor and the subtleties of the beans or is all that stuff too fru fru for you and coffee is just coffee?

My Dad used to feel that coffee was only good to be used as a means of waking up. I was too young at the time to argue with him – I didn’t know any better. I do now. The passage of time has brought with it a caffeine addiction and a deep appreciation for the coffee bean and all the wonders it can bring.

Thanks to Wikipeidia (my favorite second brain) here are the humble roots of my favorite beverage. In the 9th Century coffee spread from the highlands of Ethiopia to Egypt and Yemen. By the 15th Century it reached Persia, Egypt, Turkey and Northern Africa.

In 1511 it was deemed a forbidden stimulant from Mecca but the die had been cast; it was popular – people liked their caffeine highs. The order to have it banned was overturned in 1524 by the order of the Ottoman Turkish Sultan Selim I. Cairo had a similar ban in 1532. It was soon overturned since the people stormed the coffee and warehouses containing coffee beans, sacking them in search of their acquired taste for caffeine.

In the 17th Century coffee spread to Europe. From there it reached the shores of America. Colonists didn’t initially take to it finding it a poor substitute for alcohol. By the time of the Revolutionary War people were plugged in and needing their Joe. By the time of the Civil War advances in brewing technology made coffee an everyday commodity here in the United States of America.

Today we share the cup and bask in the glow of the caffeine as it courses through our veins – warming us, keeping us alert and ready to face whatever the future may hold. Liquid inspiration. My muse starts whispering in my ear just about after the second cup. But just who has the best coffee out there? Whose brew is worth your time? Gentle Reader here are some of Evil Chicken’s favorites; granted I am only limited to the places that I haunt but rest assured I will gladly sample any suggestions that you provide. So without further ado…

Café DuMonde (New Orleans, LA). They’ve been in business at the French Market for over a century. They are open 24/7, only closing on Christmas and “for the occasional hurricane”. You will want to order a Café Au Lait (half coffee with chicory and half hot steamed milk) and a plate of Beignets. I would gleefully stop eating low carb for another visit. If you’re there – GO; you will not be disappointed.

Wawa (Delaware Valley). That’s right; I said it – Wawa. Excellent grab a cup and go coffee. I get to mix the exact chemical balance between two or three Splendas and a shot of Half & Half. Kona is my blend and 16-ounce is the perfect size. Some swear by Dunkin’ Donuts coffee – not me; I like to be the only one who touches it after it brews – most of the time I remember where my hands have been; most of the time.

Starbucks (Everywhere). Yes it’s a corporate empire but it is consistently the best game in town, or rather towns coast to coast – oh, I’m sorry; Starbucks is global. They can be pricey and one must learn the lingo on how to order a cup of coffee but it is worth the extra shekels and the time to comprehend the menu. As Number One said in Austin Powers, “…They produce a quality product.” Who am I to argue with one of Doctor Evil’s minions?

Bogart’s Coffee & Books (Millville, NJ). Not only is this one of my favorite coffee shops but it’s also my absolute favorite bookstore in the known universe. Great blends, books and, on Third Fridays, local musicians, artists and storytellers make their rounds. The place is full of characters and character. So is the coffee.

Fuel House Coffee Co. (Vineland, NJ). Try the Black Satin. Smooth, rich and caffeinated; just the way I like it. The business is also a Bain’s Deli. There’s seating and a stage in the back for musicians, comics and poetry slams. It can get real busy at lunchtime so plan accordingly. They’ve been known to close a little early too – even so, great coffee.

Crescent Moon Café (Mullica Hill, NJ). They roast their own beans. Nice. They know what they’re doing too. If you time it right or if you are lucky enough you can watch them roast the beans in their roaster/tumbler. The smell is amazing and there’s more skill and science to it than one would think. The Sumatran blend is awesome. The place is a little fru fru but worth the visit.

Brenner’s Brew (Bridgeton, NJ). Try a large French Roast. This is another fine place for checking out local musicians and artists. This place feels like Jack Kerouac has just breezed through for a cup and some conversation before hitting the road once again. Neat place.

So there you have it, my favorites. So, what did I miss? Where would you recommend? I’ll pack the Splenda and Half and Half – you tell me the spots!

Enjoy.

The "Open Artistic Studio Tour"

What’s that?

Good question – I didn’t know about it until lunchtime today. Basically on Saturday, October 13, from 11 – 6 PM over 30 local (to the Cumberland County area of New Jersey) artists are going to be opening their studios to the general public (you and me). I met one of the artists today, a lady named Meed Barnett who gave me the info and I though that I’d post it for anyone who may be interested. It would be a nice way to spend a Saturday and it would have that whole “Third Friday” vibe. Third Friday is a celebration in – of all places, downtown Millville, of artists and musicians. The local businesses stay open and it’s a worthwhile time to visit. There's a lot happening down there.

One of those businesses is Bogart’s Books. I couldn’t recommend Bogart’s Books & Coffee Shop (formally Wind Chimes Bookstore) higher. Great coffee, characters and all the used books you could ever want. For the record: Evil Chicken’s favorite bookstore in the known universe.

But I digress…

For more information on the Open Artistic Studio Tour check out this… http://openstudiotours.org/. Navigation is a little wonky but you’ll get the information if you’re persistent.

It should be fun. I’ll see you there. I’ll be the one with the Bogart’s coffee in my hand.