This week started with the intention of writing about the inspiration and value of working with you (our public) and the kind of effect it can have on our and others’ spirits.  Kala Wolfe, of RetropsectiveVintage (https://www.facebook.com/#!/RetrospectiveVintage) and organizer of the DtownMarket, helped me at our setup across from the Durham Farmer’s Market.  I written about how much Areli and I thrive off of our interactions with our building group of regulars and constant new faces, but it was a great pleasure to see how much it inspired Kala, even after 3 hours.  After the event, she told me that she went home and picked up on her business plan for her shop idea.

Areli’s fruitful activism is also inspiring to me.

Among Dj’ing at WXYC and around town, as a board member of the arts group Anomaly, helping out with the NC Dream team, running and developing our business, she also one of the players behind Luchadoras.  Here’s an article where she and some of the other ladies are quoted in the article “Female Lucha Libre Wrestlers Fight for a Dream in North Carolina” in the The Huffington Post.

Saleem (http://kidethnic) is so busy shooting projects that we heard through a friend that our Kickstarter video might just be finished soon….

We can confirm for sure that some clips will start slipping your way!  If you see one, SHARE!

Also in the design department, this morning we had a Skype conference call with Tecui our family friend from Tijuana who now lives in Geneva.  His work is beautiful to us and feels just right for where we are heading with our company images.  He’s working on a design for the first of the 7 company images that we’ll be using.  We’re hoping to have it in time to include as one our Kickstarter rewards!

This weekend’s spots:

–Tonight, for Third Friday, we will be at 108 Morris Street for the second performance of Invisible: The New Obsolete!  We will have decaf (for straight up coffee and signature drinks), teas, hot chocolate and our chocolates at these events!

Here are some great pics from last week’s show by Alex Maness.

Chirba Chirba (http://www.chirbachirba.com) will be there, so come hungry!  Opening act – Microcephalic Superintendent

Also, Tom Dawson, in addition to his cool as !?*! urban tumbleweeds on display in the storefront will set out his funky sound machine (I know it has a name).

–Saturday Morning we’ll be at our now usual haunt – diagonal from the Durham Farmer’s Market from 9:30 until around noon.

Then we’ll be back at 108 Morris for Saturday evening‘s performance of Invisible: The New Obsolete starting at 7pm with our above mentioned offerings.

Again come hungry, Bulkogi Korean BBQ (http://carpedurham.com/2010/03/24/bulkogi-korean-taco-truck/) will be setup with their food truck!!  The show will be opened by Felix Obelix and Billy Sugar Fix!  So come, hang out, socialize and enjoy!

–Sunday Motorco! 12 – 5 Brunch.  The stalwart of all brunches.  Ko Kyu. Bloody Marys. Mimosas. bikeCOFFEE!

P.S. We had a great time at the Carrboro Valentine’s Day Rodeo.  Thank you Chirba Chirba for inviting us!

For now, we can say that we’re working on our Kickstarter campaign page and are getting all sorts of feedback, ideas and contributions to help build the ground swell.  If you have any ideas or resources, feel free to get in touch.  We really appreciate everything so many people are doing.  For instance, this week Al Frega donated wood that came out of Brightleaf and Liggett-Myers for us to re-work and use as table tops!  A couple other friends are hosting Kickstarter tasting parties for us.  It’s amazing, feels great and is helping us prepare for the launch.

The Gizmon Ica spot featuring Areli and bikeCOFFEE! that Saleem Reshamwala shot is now showing in Japan!  The footage is beautiful and shows our city in a beautiful light.  Here’s a LINK to the video.  Below is a picture of Mana Ogasawara showing the video (with Areli on the flat screen) at a trade fair in Yokohama.

Thank you for all the Valentine’s Day chocolate orders!  We’ll have your chocolates ready for pickup at the location we’ve agreed upon.  We’ll ship out the last packages tomorrow as well.

Here are the bikeCOFFEE setups where you can pickup!  If we haven’t already arranged a place, let us know where you’d like to pickup and we’ll have them ready for you.

Saturday morning, from 10 to 12 you can find us setup with our twin trike friend Monuts Donuts across from the Durham Farmer’s Market.

Saturday evening we’ll be setup at 108 Morris Street for Invisible: The New Obsolete.  The 5 night residency is being presented by Anomaly, Inc., a non-profit arts organization that we are part of.

“Drum machines are animated by the pulses of performers, pianos are played through typewriters, and gigantic spinning wheels interface with percussion outputs.” From the Independent Weekly pick writeup by Chris Vitiello

“The New Obsolete is also the debut performance for Invisible’s newest invention, a ten foot tall contraption that uses dripping water and human heartbeats to control mechanical instruments.” From Durham Socialite writeup by Daniel B. Lee.

Each of the 5 evenings, February 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, will feature different, artists, performers and food trucks.  This Saturday’s lineup: The Wigg Report 7PM, Ko Kyu BBQ 7PM on, Strange Beauty Film Festival primer 8PM followed by Invisible.

Sunday you can find us at Motorco for Bloody Marys, Mimosas over Brunch with Ko Kyu and bikeCOFFEE coffees and teas!

On Tuesday, Valentine’s Day starting at 5:30 PM, we’ll be taking part in the First Annual Valentine’s Day Food Truck Rodeo and Fundraiser in Carrboro, along with Chirba Chirba, Monuts Donuts, Triangle Raw Foodists, Baguettaboutit & Parlez-Vous Crepe.  We’ll have our handmade chocolates (see earlier Valentine’s Day Offerings entry) for your last minute Valentine’s Day needs.  Here’s the LOWDOWN from the News and Observer.

For the Love of Carrboro
For the Love of Food Trucks
For the Love of Love

Celebrate the holiday a little differently this year!
…
Please join Baguettaboutit, Chirba Chirba, Cocoa Cinnamon and Parlez-Vous Crepe for a special Valentine’s Day Food Truck Rodeo and Fundraiser for IFC and TABLE.

A portion of proceeds from each truck will be donated to the Interfaith Council for Social Service, an organization who provides shelter, food, direct services, advocacy and information to people in need.

The Food Truck Rodeo will also be accepting monetary and non-perishable food donations from interested patrons for IFC and TABLE.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.ifcweb.org/
http://www.tablenc.org/

Last night Areli and I met with Saleem Reshamwala to look at the footage he’s been working on for our Kickstarter video. His images and camera work were so beautiful. We hope to give you a sneak peak even before we launch our campaign. We’ll be spending the next days finishing off our Kickstarter campaign page for Cocoa Cinnamon – the shop!

bikeCOFFEE has been an amazing series of engagements with people at local markets and events (and Motorco brunches!).

Through the bike we’ve made new friends, become closer with others for whom we are grateful. We’ve also gathered a great group of regulars and supporters. Seeing so many of your faces and talking with you is invigorating to us! It, in many ways, is as at the root of the pleasure of what we do. People can amaze, with all of the knowledge, stories, the joy of seeing a familiar face, the desire to be in a world each person envisions. The drinks we serve are a conduit for us to share in that.

Having the shop will allow us to build on this and create a place that is always there for us and the community. To initiate a place that is comfortable to be as a friend or a stranger, no matter what your color, politics, language. The drinks themselves and the discipline and pleasure of honing our craft amazes us as well, and the two are inextricably intertwined.

We thrive off of difference and engagement, and hope that comes through in the people we hire, the crowd we attract, the languages spoken in our shop, the people with a wide spectrum of backgrounds and beliefs that we hope will feel at home at Cocoa Cinnamon.

One of our models is De Balie Amsterdam, whose cafe attracts people from every nation, and allows a place for people to be thinking, relaxing and flourishing together. To do that, while serving the most delicious, sustainable, quality and culture driven coffees, chocolates, teas and spices will be awesome for us! Can’t wait.

This weekend’s bikeCOFFEE setups:

Photo at Outsiders Art Opening by Christopher Gurr who recently came through town as an actor in the show Memphis at DPAC

THURSDAY evening from 5 – 8PM, we will join Pie Pushers, Only Burger and Farmhand Foods at the Oval Park.  We will have a freshly roasted stock of organic coffees from Joe Van Gogh hand made to order on an Aeropress.  We will also be bringing a healthy selection of organic teas and non-caffeinated honeybush and green rooibos to warm you up!

SATURDAY Morning from 9:30 to 12:15 we will be setup across from the Durham Farmer’s Market.

Then by 1PM we’ll be setup at Motorco for another Central Park School event.

Around 4PM we’ll do the final shooting with Saleem Reshamwala for our Kickstarter Campaign video.

SUNDAY you’ll find us at Motorco for the DtownMarket and maybe a bit of the Super Bowl (though maybe we’ll actually be able to watch some?).

Thanks for coming out!

P.S. Don’t forget the deadline for Valentine’s Chocolate orders is approaching.  Click here to see what we have to offer.

Brandon Hoe of ClearSketch captured the beat just right!

Luchadoras II at Motorco – Durham, NC from brandon hoe on Vimeo.

The English and Spanish language papers have covered the event with gusto!  Check out the Luchadoras Tumblr Page for links and such.

We are coming along on our retail location and are working on our Kickstarter campaign page.  Saleem dislocated his arm and is a busy man to boot, but we’ll be launching the page with video pretty soon!  Keep an eye out.  We are in super make-it-happen mode for starting up the shop, so any and all help will have a huge impact!  We’ll post more about that soon!

It’s going to be a sunny weekend!

This weekend’s bikeCOFFEE! schedule:

Friday Evening, starting at 5:30PM bikeCOFFEE! will join Ko Kyu and Pie Pushers at the Chris Milk Hulburt opening at Outsiders Art!  We will have a selection of non-caffeinated teas to choose from too!

Saturday morning, 9:30 until the last person comes, we’ll be setup alongside Monuts Donuts, across from the Durham Farmers Market. So come on out for a weekend Dip and Sip!

Saturday Afternoon, from 2ish to 4:30ish at Fullsteam Brewery (maybe outside, maybe in), we’ll be setup with bikeCOFFEE and have our self-serve Spice Up Your Winter Spice Bazaar!  We’ll have over 100 organic herbs and spices and everything will be sold at a discount!  Need to put a little spice in these gray days, come on over and stock up for a new dish, a healthy alternative and the color, texture and scent of spice!  This is a special winter thing we’re having a little fun with, so get it while it’s cold !!!  You can see a list of many of our choices on our web menu under Spice.  See you there!

Saturday evening, we will be participating in the Central Park School – save our arts – fundraiser, starting around 5:30PM at Motorco.   Tickets are $10 to see Megafaun, Mount Moriah and The Beast.  This show is not to miss and is for an excellent cause!  We’ll be set up as bikeCOFFEE! as usual.  Also, special for the fundraiser, we’ll be selling two chocolate Tablas to support the cause:  The House of Wisdom – dark chocolate slate with honey, almonds and coconut.  KoKyu and Pie Pushers will be there!!

Sunday, from Noon to 5PM you can find us at Motorco for the Bloody Brunch with KoKyu and Motorco’s Mimosas and Bloody Marys.  And You now get a 25 cent discount off your coffee drink when you mash up with a drink from Motorco’s bar!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.  Don’t get caught with your tail between your legs.  Check out our chocolate offerings for Valentines Day by clicking HERE.

Two simple text messages opened up a world of love and a dedicated marriage and partnership.  For that I remain amazed every day and forever grateful.

After expressing feelings that came up in me because of a simple question from a friend, “Is there anyone down there that you want to see?”  I stopped for 10 or so seconds on the phone, and then said, “I have never even thought this to myself…I don’t know what I’m going to say,” I started talking about Areli.  Once I said the words, the feelings came up in me and took over.

Days later, I decided to express these feelings, telling her that I didn’t even know how I felt, but that I felt like I could love her.  I most certainly surprised her, as much as I was still shocked by the realization of the feelings myself.

The place where I had planned to ask Areli to marry me in Stockholm's Archipelago. We had been married for one week already, as life made other plans for us (not pregnancy!).

A path, complex, yet amazingly simple, began.  We had no intention to get married 4 days short of two months later, but that is exactly what we did.  In a way, it happened to us.  Friends said that there was something greater happening and that we felt magical together.  We felt it too and over the next weeks, even with a tumultuous world around us, we felt like we were on a boat floating serenely down a river towards each other.  Each moment, story and action led us closer together.

Since then, we have seen things that have confirmed again and again little signs that there is something that we don’t understand that makes us so in love.

Here’s one little example I found out well after we were married:

I made an artwork called The Umbrella.

Areli has images of umbrellas through her journals.

Both are significant to each of us in ways that when we saw the connection, felt uncanny.

Characters in a story I had been working on for years overlapped directly with ideas explored in Areli’s journals, almost sounding as if I had written them, or she had conceptualized mine.  These connections are evidence of what led us to each other and keep leading us back as we live and create our lives together.

These are just a couple of coincidences.  Maybe it is just a way of seeing, informed by the amazement and connection, that is love.  I don’t know, but for whatever reason the signs show up again and again.

I am so not someone who normally believes in the idea of “meant to be.”  Yet I am sure that there is something that I don’t understand, some kind of life poetry that has brought us together and feeds our love.

There is a lot more detail and complexity to our amazing story that I feel in my heart just as much as I did with Areli’s first reciprocation.  Maybe one day that will be a little book, I think we’ll call Ti Amo.  Maybe.

For now, we want to share some of the love that we channel into Cocoa Cinnamon!  in the form of our chocolates.  As we start up our shop, we are letting life lead us together.  That feeling has done us well so far, and we feel the need to keep following.

Here is our special offering for Valentine’s Day.   

Be happy in love.  We hope we can add a little something special to it.

Click on the offerings image to make an order!

We are now taking pre-orders.

To Order -
1. Click the offerings image above and submit your order via our order form.
2. We’ll contact you regarding payment including shipping (if applicable).
3. Put in the order (by Monday, February 6th at 3PM in order to get them for pickup or shipping in time for Valentine’s Day).
4. Get your chocolates via arranged pickup at one of our bikeCOFFEE! setups in downtown Durham or via mail.
5. Indulge!

Please Note: We make holiday orders special.  Any orders made after the deadline will be on an availability basis.

LA AGUILA DORADA & LA SIRENITA DE TIJUANA (Las Tecnicas)

(Photo by Victoria Bouloubasis)

HEAR La Sirenita de Tijuana speak on WUNC’s radio program The State of Things, hosted by Frank Stasio today at Noon.

91.5 FM in the Triangle or streaming live at WUNC.org!

Ecuchen! Voy a estar en la radio con Viridiana hablando sobre Luchadoras 2! El show empieza a las 12 de la tarde (tiempo este?) Solo es por 20 minutos asi que no se lo pierdan!

To listen go to, para escuchar vayan a http://wunc.org/programs/tsot on the right in red it says listen now, y en la derecha en rojo dice Listen now! presto!

La Sirenita de Tijuana was an up and coming luchadora in her hometown of Tijuana. Having to fight her entire life for survival given the fact that she grew up in an orphanage, her luchadora skills came naturally. She is loved by the masses because she does not fight for fame or money, but in honor of all those that fight a struggle. La Sirenita de Tijuana and La Aguila Dorada first crossed paths when La Aguila went back to look for La Pluma de Oro after de-masking La Bomba, but was soon informed that La Pluma de Oro was in a deep meditative state in the jungles of Chiapas. Saddened and about to give up her life as a luchadora by de-masking herself in public, she was abruptly stopped by La Sirenita de Tijuana who was instructed by La Pluma de Oro to find La Aguila Dorada. After talking, both La Sirenita de Tijuana and La Aguila Dorada found that they could join forces in their fight for justice until La Pluma de Oro returns from her meditative state.

Las Tecnicas, La Aguila Dorada and La Sirenita de Tijuana, will face off Saturday in Durham’s first lucha libre tag team fight against Las Rudas, Medusa and La Amazona.

La Sirenita de Tijuana is sponsored by Cocoa Cinnamon!

Article from the Official Luchadoras Site:  More info click HERE!

On a less fearsome note, we intend to post our Valentine’s Day chocolate offerings today!  So keep your eyes peeled! – follow us on twitter, facebook or sign up for our emails on the menu bar to the right (on our site).

To start, Areli along with some of her fellow Luchadoras will be on WUNC’s The State of Things radio program, this Friday, 12PM, hosted by Frank Stasio.  Tune in online by clicking HERE or at 91.5 FM in the triangle. 

Friday, starting at 5:30 PM you can find bikeCOFFEE! in Central Park at the Liberty Arts Foundry (not their new location at Cordoba Arts).

You can come in person to Luchadoras this Saturday at Noon at Motorco Music Hall.  bikeCOFFEE! will be serving a special Luchadoras inspired signature drink and we’ll have our Cocoa Cinnamon La Luchadora Dark Chocolate Tabla – organic cayenne, cacao nibs and Mexican coffee ground to a powder.  So you can warm up with a coffee and chocolate and ease down with a choice from Motorco’s wide selection of beers.  I’m digging the French Broad Koelsch!  If you want to make a full day of it, Motorco has a followup event doozy – the Food Truck Mashup!  We’ll have family coming out to watch our in house rastler, so we’ll be turning in early to hang with them.

Sunday, from 12 – 5PM we’ll be at Motorco again for the Bloody Brunch with Ko Kyu.  We’ve been alternating between Bloody Marys and Mimosas.  Either way, it makes for a great Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday Brunches.  We enjoyed introducing our “Spice up your Winter” Spice Market at the DtownMarket.  We may pull out the spices this Sunday; if we do, they’ll be self serve.  This is a limited time thing we’ll be doing this winter.  All spices are organic!  We have over 100 to choose from.  I like to browse and smell the spices, herbs and seasonings, choose a couple that are interesting to me and create a dish with the spice as my starting point.

Photo by Victoria Bouloubasis - http://thisfeedsme.com

I love getting healthy and delicious recipes from the Mayo Clinic.  And unique and delicious recipes from Maricel Presilla.

After the brunch we’ll be getting some final cutaway shots for the kickstarter video that Saleem Reshamwala is working on – hopefully under a beautiful Durham sunset (that one can frequently witnesses on Rigsbee) – of us riding away on bikeCOFFEE!

On the horizon:

Over a series of conversations, almost by accident Anomaly, Inc action has begun.  First on the horizon, with Tom Dawson at the lead, Anomaly will be presenting a series of happenings during the month of February.  These happenings will take place downtown at 108 Morris Street.  Invisible’s performance The New Obsolete will be the main attraction and will go on for 5 February nights.  As part of the happenings, a series of artists, musicians and food trucks will put on their craft.  This event will not be one to miss.  You can purchase advance tickets at Seven Stars Cycles and at  bikeCOFFEE!

You can find details at http://soundsinvisible.com and by liking Anomaly Inc. on Facebook.

This past year and 1/2, as Areli and I have transitioned places, broadened our concept with chocolates and gone from one brick and mortar shop towards a new one, we’ve had a lot of moments to try new things and redefine ourselves and our business ideas.  A couple come up again and again.  1. If I’m not in love with it, I shouldn’t do it. 2. We thrive off of people.  We do love wholesale and behind the scenes, but what we thrive to be a part of and what makes us feel more alive is interacting with people and all the different stories, personalities, beliefs, ideas and surprises.

At the DtownMarket!

Yesterday was a holiday to remember Dr. Martin Luther King.  As we all know, Dr. Martin Luther King was an extraordinary human being who played a key role in an extraordinary human time.  Sometimes, I feel like our time may become such a time of real change.  I also believe that change can happen in leaps AND through small changes in daily behavior.  That’s why we got into commerce.

When Cocoa Cinnamon, the shop comes alive, we hope that it will be a place where almost anyone can feel comfortable and have a pricing structure where anyone can sit and enjoy and talk.  And people of all colors, beliefs, languages and backgrounds can make it a kind of public house.

We think it is amazing that we live in what The Daily Beast has called “America’s Most Tolerant City,” I think it is obvious that tolerance does not imply a human state of flourishing, only a step towards it.  I think we should be careful to feel too successful with tolerance alone.  Martin Luther King day serves to remind us of this and all the hard work of many groups and individuals who changed our world for the better.  Dr. King, like Gandhi is a hero for all people, in all nations.  Dr. King’s memory reminds of his words and deeds to work towards thriving together, to “work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together!”

Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, 1964 - Photo By: Marion Trikosko

In memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, and at the prompting of @jeffandking, we’re going to make sure we move beyond our usual patterns, beyond our visits to downtown shops and even Not Just Wings and Joe’s Diner to more and more businesses around the city, owned by people of many different colors and creeds.  For one, my next stop is at Jeff’s family’s Chicken Hut, in “the bottom” on Fayetteville Street.  I’ve been craving some chicken!  Plus they have awesome reviews all over the internet.

Speaking of reviews and public houses.  As part of our preparing for the shop, we’ve started doing tasting and feedback sessions with some customers and friends.  We had one at Fullsteam’s Tavern last Saturday!  Meredith Stewart, one of the attendees and a prolific and talented writer and teacher, wrote up her thoughts on the tasting.  She touched on many of the things that we too love about what we do.  Thank you so much Meredith!  (p.s. I went to Teachers College too!)

Read the full article, A Masterful (and Tasty) Lesson,  by clicking HERE.

Photo by Meredith Stewart - http://inforgood.wordpress.com