The Calabria Blog

And...We Are Back With: Chemex Porn!

2012-02-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

The cool kids in the cafe have been long time fans but now the rest of us can enjoy the timeless design, and, many argue, the superior taste of the Chemex. Three important facts, 1) it was invented in 1941, 2) is it in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art, and 3) James Bond used it in From Russia with Love. Here is a short and sweet photo essay by an amateur photographer but enthusiastic Chemex convert.

All photos by Jared Wardle.

Full Disclosure: We sell the Chemex and the filters in our retail market.

Sunday night is THE NIGHT!

2011-12-10T12:45:00.001-08:00

Just a friendly reminder that you are missing out on something. I know you don't like to admit that you may have missed something great, especially at your favorite coffee roaster and pizzeria.

But Sunday night is the night at Caffé Calabria. From 8-11pm come and enjoy the end of another successful or thank-god-it's-over week. We will be offering $5 off all our Neapolitan Pizzas, as well as $3 house red or white wines, $3 Peronis, and $3.50 Espresso Bombas (if you are unsure what that is or the way to drink it, please watch the video. You will thank us later).

How to: Latte ARTSY

2011-12-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile you have to have fun, right?

A lot of the time coffee culture gets bogged down in some serious business and some serious, dare we say, pretentiousness. Through editing video for our How-To videos we complied some of our best attempts at being artsy and decided to have a bit of a laugh at ourselves. And to prove to you that although coffee is our passion we like to have fun too.

This video is pretentious, over directed, more serious than a heart attack, and scored by Beethoven. Wouldn't you want every latte experience to be this epic?

Coffee of the Future: Where your beans are headed

2011-11-30T13:44:00.001-08:00

Over the last few years coffee has been through the ringer. Anxiety over commodities, crazy and unpredictable weather patterns in South America and demands for a better product have made the coffee industry the wild west. There is plenty of speculation as to where the industry is headed and Good magazines' Zack Stone has a written piece that has gathered some of the leading voices in artisan coffee to speculate on the future. If you agree or not is up to you, but it certainly gets your caffeine saturated neuron's firing. Are you ready to pay more for your favorite hand crafted beverage? Chew on this quote for a bit:

“It’s interesting to me that the same consumer that will go to 7-11 and buy a bottle of Fiji Water for five dollars will go crazy and complain about a cup of coffee,” says Geoff Watts, Intelligentsia’s vice president and green (unroasted, that is) coffee buyer. “This is a meticulously grown agricultural product from halfway around the world that was hand-harvested, hand-picked, and roasted and brewed. It’s got all these different flavor characteristics. It’s got antioxidants. It’s got all the things you could want in a drink.”

The man has a point.

For the full article go here: http://www.good.is/post/the-end-of-cheap-coffee/

Of beans and beats: bad cafe music

2011-11-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

Worst case scenario: it's Monday, you went to a bachelor (or bachelorette party) in Vegas, bathrooms were flooded, statues broken, friendships were destroyed, and a lot of brain cells went missing. Or maybe you have enjoyed San Diego Beer Week too much and have dragged yourself to Calabria.

As you struggle to stay awake in line a song comes on that will A) give you the philosophical readjustment needed to face the next eight hours or B) create a psychotic break that will make your coworkers believe a demon has taken residence in your frontal lobe. With that in mind Caffe Calabria employees sound off on the music that makes or breaks the cafe atmosphere.

Max
Song/Genre: Country, as an entire genre.
Why? "It's not good for coffee, it's not exciting. You need chill mixes and a good beat to get going in the morning, not sad vibes."

Matt
Song/Genre: Mad World by The Plain White T's featuring Coldplay.
Why? "Ok, I realize that this isn't a real song but none of these artists should ever be played in a cafe. Imagine going to a cafe on a Monday morning and Mad World by Gary Jules is playing? What a downer."
Runner up: Thievery Corporation

Mikey
Song/Genre: Anything by Thievery Corporation or any European House or Trance music.
Why? "No one wants to hear it. You can't have a conversation or study with persistent thumping and beats, it's loud. You should have current music people actually listen to. Something indie and ambient."
Runner up: Thievery Corporation

Gina
Song/Genre: How does it feel by D'Angelo.
Why? "It's dirty."

Jeff
Song/Genre: Jewel or anything Jewel-like.
Why? "It's too San Diego and overdone."
Runner up: Thievery Corporation

Zadie
Song/Genre: Elliot Smith and Coldplay.
Why? "Elliot is depressing but there is a time and place for it outside of a cafe. Coldplay just sucks."

Jared
Song/Genre: Sublime.
Why? "It's the worst combination of stereotypical SoCal elements. It's a strange mix of wanna be gangsta thuggery, punk nihilism, cartoonish ska and red-eyed reggae riffs that can only be the soundtrack of humanity's most degenerate moments. It should not be played. For any reason. At any time. At any cafe. On the planet." Runner up: Dave Matthews.

Kevin
Song/Genre: U2.
Why? "Because if I ever have to hear that self righteous a**hole moan in spanglish over needlessly delayed riffs again, I'll eat my hat." Editor's note: Kevin does not wear hats.
Runner up: Thievery Corporation

Martin
Song/Genre: Anything Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Why? "Because they hung the Confederate Flag behind them in concert."
Runner up: Wu Tang Clan.

Joey
Song/Genre: Anything European Techno.
Why? "It's obnoxious and repetitive."
Runner up: Thievery Corporation

Barb
Song/Genre: YMCA by the Village People.
"It's just awful. I do think Abba should be played all day long."
Runner up: Thievery Corporation

As result of this informal survey, Thievery Corporation will be banned from Caffe Calabria.

How Do You Take Your Coffee?

2011-10-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we stumble upon a video we can't resist. It's cringe worthy. It's borderline shameful but it's funny and coffee related. Difficult to find.

Start your weekend with a good laugh and ask yourself, "How do I take it?"

Happy Hour: How to Get (Espresso) Bombed*

2011-10-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

In continuation of our How To video series, we are proud to bring you the easiest and the most gratifying of coffee experiences, blending the time honored American pass times of coffee and beer. Sure, you could argue in favor of going to one of the many fantastic craft beer joints in San Diego and ordering an expensive Porter with espresso as an ingredient but let's make this easy: The Espresso Bomba. This concoction is simple; Guinness and espresso. Here are the steps: 1) Order the Espresso Bomba 2) Drop the shot of espresso or pour it into a Guinness and 3) drink and enjoy. It really is that simple, like all the best things in life.

*Disclaimer: The only thing we at Caffe Calabria want to get bombed is your taste buds and if anything we just want your taste buds to experience new things. Please drink responsibly.

Featured music: Kate by Republic of Letters. www.republicofletters.com

2011-10-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

So, we've all done it. We've been clueless about something and afraid to admit it. We've all but panicked and just before we meltdown we do what must be done...we Google something. Last year before my best friend's wedding I came to the painful realization that I forgot (or possibly never knew) how to tie a tie. So, minutes before the wedding I Googled a simple How-To video.

Naturally, it should only follow, being a caveman that doesn't know about ties, that I also knew nothing about the french press. Knowing that there are millions of man-children like myself, we started a How To series and naturally began with the french press. An amazingly simple apparatus, intimidating to the uninitiated, but once perfected will make any simple beast more sophisticated in taste and appearance. Follow the simple instructions* and you'll be just fine. No need to Google it, we have you covered.

*We went with 35 grams, where some recommend 55 grams. We found 55 grams to be a little too strong and bitter. As you progress in your french press skills we trust you'll find the right amount for your specific taste.

2011-09-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

Nerd-Alert! Here is the trailer for the upcoming Thursday Night ThrowDown!

As you can see, superheroes are our theme this time around, and though we hope that no one "Hulks Out" and smashes the place, we do hope for a fierce competition and some legendary battles...like the time Superman battled Doomsday (if my nerd memory serves me correctly...Supes lost big). Now, a mask and some tights are not mandatory but it might freak your opponent out if you showed up as say, the Joker from the Dark Knight (no knives, please). We will have some old episodes of the campy as hell Batman television series and maybe the career-destroying, so-awful-it's-good, Catwoman. We will steer clear of the so-bad-it-hurt-my-soul of Spider Man 3.

It doesn't matter if you show up as your alter ego or your secret identity, just be ready to ThrowDown!

Thursday Night Throwdown: Sept. 22nd.

2011-09-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Greetings all,

On July 28th we had our first (and we believe the first in San Diego) Barista Throwdown. Not only did we have a great night but we felt a real passion amongst the baristas and the roasters for creating a healthy and creative coffee scene in San Diego.

With that in mind we are pleased to announce our next Thursday Night Throwdown on September 22nd. The rules are still same and hopefully the competition will be just as fierce (and fun). The only difference this time is that we will be fund raising for AIDS Walk San Diego through the donations, drink specials and raffles. For more info on AIDS Walk San Diego go to: http://events.thecentersd.org/site/TR?fr_id=1040&pg=entry

So, on September 22nd come to compete, come for the drinks and come do some good for the world. Check out the video below to see what you missed last time.

Milk Matters

2011-08-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

The roasters at Caffe Calabria have always been dedicated to bringing San Diego fresh roasted coffee. Heather and John roast six days a week to keep the caffeinated deliciousness available for your enjoyment.

That got us in the cafe thinking, "Why don't we pair our fresh coffee with the freshest milk available?" Well, we are pleased to announce that we will now be using Rock View Dairy for all our dairy needs.

So, what makes Rock View fresher than the rest? They work just as hard as our roasters to churn out their product. Working 24 hours a day, six days a week at their processing and packaging plant enables the milk we use in our lattes and cappuccinos to go from the cow to the cup in less than 48 hours.

Couple that with ultra low temperature pasteurization (pardon the science), and you have a sweet, creamier, tastier milk in your morning latte. Be sure to stop by and let us know if you taste the improvement!

By Matt Barahura

Heat Gun + Whiskey Bottle=Coffee Roasting

2011-08-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

We couldn't believe it either but your eyes are not deceiving you. That is a heat gun mounted with a whiskey bottle and it is actually roasting coffee. Now, we can't exactly vouch for the taste of this roast, nor can we under any circumstances tell you to try this at home (this is obviously the work of professionals) but for sheer MacGyver-like determination to roast coffee with zero budget, we applaud you!

Check out more at http://danielhumphries.typepad.com/coffee/

SDTNT: A Recap

2011-08-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

“Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and take what you get.” -Arne Holt

I can't tell you how many times Arne said this in the week leading up last Thursday’s throwdown. We weren’t sure what was going to happen. The Coffee Fest after party was a big hit, but that was obviously influenced by everyone in town for the convention. Would we get as big a turn out (or a least a decent showing) with just the local coffee scene to work with?

Turns out, yes, we could.

We had around 40-50 people show up to watch, 15 baristas signed up ( Arne jumped in as well) , and once the bracket was set, the battle for the $80 in entry fees was on. After two rounds of tulips, rosettas, and even a swan (sort of), we were left with four baristas: Byron for Kean Coffee matched up against Bonney from Zumbar Coffee and Jason from Kean Coffee matched up against yours truly, Matt from Caffe Calabria.

Jason and I went first. He poured a nice, three-tiered tulip that was pretty centered in the cup. Overall, a very good pour. I went with a tulip as well, and was able to just edge Jason out with an extra tier and a little more infusion.

In the other semi-final, it was Bonney’s rosetta-heart against Byron’s tulip-rosetta combo. The judges (Martin Diedrich from Kean Coffee, John Rippo from the Espresso News, and Tammy Bainz from Solutions Espresso) went with Bonney’s rosetta as she had it centered in the cup, nice color throughout and a very good heart on top.

In the finals, with $80 on the line, Bonney went with the rosetta and I went with a tulip for the fourth round in a row (one-trick pony, you can say it). Her pour was good, but the heart wasn’t a defined as the round before. I added a fifth layer to my tulip, and it was enough to have the judges pick me as the winner.

Thank you to every one who came out to enjoy the event, especially everyone from Kean Coffee, who drove from Newport Beach to participate. It was great to get a good turn out in a city not known for it’s coffee scene. I can’t wait for the next one. Keep an eye out for announcements via the blog, Facebook, email, and any number of other social media outlets. Again, thanks for throwing down.

Tonight is the night! Let's THROWDOWN!

2011-07-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

What to expect at our barista competition on July 28th

2011-07-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

We at Caffe Calabria are very excited to be hosting San Diego's very own Thursday Night Throwdown!

For those of you who came to the San Diego Coffee Fest after party, you have an idea of what to expect. Our back room was packed with baristas, roasters and many others from the coffee community of San Diego and beyond. We had people from all over the US, and even a large group from Japan. There was drinks, pizzas, and music, and everyone there knew coffee in one form or another.

Needless to say, when you put a bunch of baristas in a room with a fancy, top of the line espresso machine, inevitably a throwdown breaks out to see who can pour the best looking design. Somebody went upstairs, drew up a bracket, and after a few rounds, the crowd crowned a champion. The sight of the impromptu throwdown left such an impression on Arne (the owner of Caffe Calabria, for those that don't know), that he could not wait to do it again. He practically started planning the next morning at Coffee Fest.

So here we are, a few days before the Thursday Night Throwdown, and as we draw closer, I wanted to give the people who have never seen or participated in a throwdown an idea of what to expect. We want to get a group of people who enjoy coffee, enjoy making coffee, or want to learn more about coffee together and have a great time with some friendly competition. Even if you don't want to participate in the latte art throwdown, come out and enjoy the specials ($3 Peroni's and $8 pizzas) and the show. You'll see some amazing work by some of San Diego's best baristas and probably leave wanting to do it yourself. We will also be setting up a Hario pour over bar, so bring some coffee you want to show off or share with other coffee enthusiasts.

For those who want to throwdown, $5 gets you in the bracket. The more who compete, the bigger the winnings get. You'll probably want to get there a half hour early to be sure you get your name entered (the bracket closes at 7:45pm). There will be at least one machine to practice on before the actual throwdown begins. If you are comfortable pouring in a certain cup or with a certain pitcher, please feel free to bring it.

Most of all, we want everyone to have a good time. San Diego isn't known for its coffee scene, but that doesn't mean there is great coffee or talented baristas out there. It will be great to meet other people who are as excited about coffee as I am, and see what else the San Diego coffee scene has to offer.

See you all this Thursday, July 28th and let's throwdown!

http://www.caffecalabria.com/throwdown/

By Matt Barahura

Coffee in the City of Fury

2011-07-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

Photo by Sarah Elizabeth Carswell

I travel light. I mean, really light. A gym bag, a satchel and that is it. As I traveled to Buenos Aires for a study abroad program I was exceptionally pleased with myself when I walked into LAX to see my classmates overloaded with what looked to be small dressers with sad plastic wheels fashioned to the bottom. Oh, how foolishly they packed. The excess! The pure American-ness of it!
    All was going according to plan until the first morning of orientation and we were greeted with cafe y galletas (coffee and cookies, not a big breakfast culture). As soon as I sipped the coffee I knew my planning had one glaring flaw: I failed to consider that I would need several pounds of the Calabria's House Blend, or Life Juice, as I call it. All my arrogance attached to my superior packing skills dissolved in the all together perplexing taste of café torrado, coffee roasted with sugar. And in traditional Latin American style it was served con leche, with milk and...wait, for it...sugar!
    Expecting the strong Italian espresso influence in Buenos Aires and working at Calabria, where we pride ourselves on serving espresso in true Italian style, I thought I would be right at home. Well, I was 6000 miles from home and the new taste was hard to describe. The sugar seemed to be a cover for what tasted like truly low quality beans. As I made some very desperate inquiries the best theory emerged as this: the best beans were exported and what was left was sold domestically, largely coming from Brazil into Argentina. Now, this was an informal and comically unscientific survey so I am not sure of the particulars.
    The truth was that Buenos Aires lacked the barista culture that I was used to. At first there was a period of mourning and my home brewing technique went truly post apocalyptic. I used café torrado in a world weary french press left by former roommates, boiling water in tea pot that had long since lost it’s shine. And while trekking through the gloriously loud, large, dirty, old and vibrantly alive city I refused to step foot in a certain chain that bared a mermaid on the logo. Until I broke and broke big.

I had the misfortune of having my last night be a Sunday in downtown where 99% of food options and the city shuts down. I was hungry and needed caffeine for the long trip back to the States. The only thing open was a certain chain, one that served hamburgers and obesity to a billion people, and so I broke. I walked in, sullen and desperate, and placed my order. The teenager at the register looked at me a bit puzzled and smiled. The Amerincan-ness of it. Who orders a coffee with their burger and fries as their last meal in the City of Fury?

- by Jared Wardle.

Barista ThrowDown July 28th @ 8pm!

2011-07-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

FRSHGRND | Cafe Reviews & Coffee News for Thirsty Nomads

2011-07-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

On July 28th we are having our own Latte Art Competition, the World Brewer's Cup is like that-but for drip. Check it out!

FRSHGRND | Cafe Reviews & Coffee News for Thirsty Nomads

WTF Coleman Propane Coffee « Dear Coffee, I Love You. | Caffeinated Inspiration.

2011-07-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

The most insane drip coffee marker EVER! Reblogged from Dear Coffee, I love you

WTF Coleman Propane Coffee « Dear Coffee, I Love You. | Caffeinated Inspiration.

This Blog is ALIVE!!!

2011-06-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Scoop on Coffee Cuppings at Calabria

2011-04-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

Mmm, smells so good. Wait, this isn't scratch n' sniff! But come by Thursday for a sample.

Oh man, you might think, I love coffee but… what’s the difference between Ethiopian and Guatemalan? Fragrance and aroma?

Well guess what: You’re in the right place to find out.

Every Thursday at 12 p.m., just through the double doors at the back of Caffe Calabria, waits Heather, Calabria’s Master Roaster. Each week she creates three coffee stations for Calabria’s complimentary coffee cupping.

Last time around, each station touted a different batch of beans: Ethiopian, Nicaraguan and Brazilian.

Heather started as a barista in college. She was fortunate enough to learn from a boss who felt very passionate about coffee, and she’s been a walking coffee-pedia ever since. She exudes both passion and knowledge, and if there’s one person who should be teaching the ins and outs of roasting coffee, it is she.

A few minutes after Heather set up and a couple of curious types wandered in, Julie and Bryan joined us. The couple live downtown, and Bryan has frequented Calabria for about a year and a half. He took a pound of our coffee with him during his deployment. After the troops tried a long steam of “other” brands, Bryan’s stash of Calabria beans ended up being the hit. He recently sent some to a friend in DC.

He recently turned Julie on to our stuff, and now she's hooked.

So, what goes down at these cuppings?

Heather had everyone pick up each cup and take a whiff. One of the participants noticed that the flavors seemed to range from sweet to smoky.

Next, Heather poured hot water into each of the cups, letting them brew for 3-4 minutes before instructing the guests to take a spoonful of each, slurping from the spoon like soup to aerate the flavors.

"Coffee tasting is like a dog show," Heather stated, explaining that you’re judging the coffee against itself, not any other.

Next, the guests learned about what effects acidity levels have on how long a flavor lasts and how roasters develop flavors in coffee beans. At the end, Heather took the group out back and showed them Calabria’s very own pet coffee plant. (Unfortunately, California’s climate has stunted its growth – but it’s so cute!)

Bryan and Julie came with equipped with healthy curiosity and lots of educated questions, and because the cuppings are so intimate, the said they really benefited from Heather’s expertise.

Julie added that back when they lived in Italy, they got spoiled by the fabulous cappuccini. When they came back to San Diego, they also came back to reality: a great cup of coffee isn’t so easy to land…

Except when you’re friends with Calabria!

Friday and Saturday nights!

2011-04-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The new hours are neither a mirage from the recent heat wave nor a cruel and unusual April fools joke. For real, tonight and Saturday night we will be open from 4-11pm. Serving up some of our new antipasti, vino, and birra! As well as a happy hour from 5-7pm. We would love to see you, so if you're out on the town, on a hot date, or bored and want to meet new people, come on in and eat, drink, and socialize with us...we're already your favorite coffee bar. Boun Appetito!

p.s.
ask about our "appe-teasers" you'll be glad you did.
Ciao!

Valentine's Day, Calabria Style

2011-02-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

The first of February rolls around. You seem authentically shocked and you scratch your head and say aloud, “Wasn’t New Year’s yesterday?” You look at your calendar and realize another awful truth: if you hadn’t planned something for your significant other by now, well, it may be too late.

Instead of going into panic/planning mode you begin the same pseudo-philosophical debate by asking yourself, “Is Valentine’s Day an authentic day of romance and love or a day invented by greeting card and floral companies?"

No matter what side you fall on, Calabria is here to help. If there is anything we can all agree on, it’s that Valentine’s Day is a day for indulging the senses -- and not just the conventional, saccharine side of things.

Amid the marketing frenzy centered on chocolate, roses and corn syrup derived candies, there is a way to have a simple, better Valentine's Day. One that involves your local cafe (particularly yours truly) and provides a rich gustatory experience emphasizing quality, not excess.

Calabria’s secret to sensory indulgence is simple: the subtle richness of our coffee, in all of its wonderful forms. It helps that we have talented baristas and, of course, an entire cafe lit by candles. If sweetness is indeed your vice try, our Cafe Viennese -- with just enough honey and cinnamon to delight your sweet tooth but not overload it. If you want something sweeter still go for the Caffe Bianco, completely with a latte-art-heart floating warmly on top courtesy of Barb, Max or your favorite barista. Wink. If you want to steer clear of sweet, stick with the classics: a cafe Americano or our Calabria Blend drip coffee that has notes of dark chocolate waiting for you in every cup.

But if you’d like to satisfy both -- classic and sweet, simple yet sophisticated -- then it’s time you were introduced to our limited edition Love Potion No. 9, which makes an appearance this year specifically for Valentine’s Day. This is the perfect blend of Guatemala and French beans, an experience described as chocolaty, deep, smokey and with a hint of sweetness that will please anyone.

So, here is your last minute game plan: In the morning take the person you like/love/desire down to the cafe, try our Love Potion No. 9 and, who knows, pick up a pound for that special someone. Feel free to spend the next few hours in the clouds, feeling warm and lightly caffeinated.

If the famous San Diego weather permits, you have a couple of classic options; take a walk to the world renowned Balboa Park, watch the sunset on one of our many picture postcard beaches or get wild with a day trip to Tijuana.

In theory, reading this blog post should have bought you enough time to have mentally planned something (not to mention make a quick call for a reservation somewhere) for the evening... but come sundown... you are on your own, my friend.

And no matter how that goes, we’ll be here for you on Feb 15th.

The Winning Submissions

2011-02-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

You made us laugh. You made us envious. (And some of you made us grateful we weren't on your date.) Best of all, you proved once again that Calabria's fans ROCK.

And now, we are pleased to announce the Most Memorable Date VDay Contest Winners!!

GRAND PRIZE: RACHEL AND DAVID
Lunch, dessert, unlimited drinks and a pound of Love Potion No. 9.
You knocked our socks off, and you even bet us you'd win -- and you were right. Now that's the kind of confidence we like.

Our first awkward date.
From on-line to in person
Starts with a handshake.

Online dating. How
To say hello? I'm Rachel.
David. Yes, I know.

She asks where to sit.
He says away from tv.
Less soccer, more you.

Too nervous to think.
Order a cold panini
Not as good as hot.

The pizza oven?
Soon, the barista explains.
But we're still waiting.

When to end the date?
Not yet. Let's see the back room.
Wow, it smells so good.

That was just the start.
Two new love affairs began.
Love Potion and us.

MOST HARROWING
Drinks and dessert for two.
Derric Podschun's awkward double date made us squirm and Rob Marlbrough's story of a road not taken (after coffee at Calabria, alas) made us heave a wistful sigh.

DERRIC "OUCH" PODSCHUN

A bit hazy because this was 7 years ago, but here's what I remember:
Freshman year of college at SDSU, I ask out a girl I went to high school with (mistake as I should have been looking more at girls at State!)

Went to a Starbucks near where she lived in Chula Vista

I was still pretty socially awkward at this point, so conversation probably wasn't the best

One of her friends shows up at the shop, and it so happens that it was a girl I had previously hit on during high school. She joins us. Awkward.

That girl's boyfriend shows up too. What I thought was a coffee date turned into an impromptu double date with the other girl being someone I tried to get with during high school? Dammit.

I try to keep the conversations separate between me and my date, and the couple. Doesn't work. Amongst other things, their sex life starts being discussed. The guy starts talking about wanting to do anal sex. Not good first date material.

The couple starts bickering, and I'm looking at my hot chocolate thinkingof an escape plan. I think I went with something like "I have to go do homework and study."

Got out of there and never called back. As of now she's been in a relationship for several years, while I'm still dating around.

Good luck to me! Ha.

ROB "SWEET TIME" MARLBROUGH

I had a great first at your fine establishment with a somewhat younger new friend, and we hit it off great. Great talking to her on the comfy couch, then went over to the dessert place on the corner, ended the night sweetly. Sadly, I ended up taking my sweet time debating the age difference in my mind, and she thought I wasn't interested, and she eventually got married to someone else. I was invited to the wedding, it was great, and wish her the best. ;-)

MOST ENCHANTING
Drinks and dessert for two.
Hadia Shebaro brought her now-husband to Calabria on their first date in the U.S. (aww!) and Meredith Caccese's lyrical tale should be a Modern Love column in the NYT.

MEREDITH "MODERN LOVE" CACCESE

1st date. We met just after work at his office across from World Trade Center in NYC. I waited in his office lobby. He finally came out. He looked better than I remembered. There was a small coffee shop nearby. We stepped in and ordered 2 lattes and took a seat by the window. All the Wall Streeters were heading home for the day. We didn't even notice. We were glued to each others tales of adventure. Darkness fell upon us. They closed up for the night, we decided to take a walk. We wandered around the base of those giant buildings. If someone would have told me they would come crashing down three years later I would have never, ever believed them. He finally walked me to the Staten Island ferry so I could board the 11pm boat and head home. Saying goodbye was awkward. It was almost as if we knew this was going to be something good. The last call for the ferry sounded, and I turned and kissed him. I then ran like hell to catch the last boat.

HADYA "FROM JORDAN WITH LOVE" SHEBARO

I actually met my husband 4 years ago in Jordan and when he first saw me, he invited me on a cup of coffee. We chat and talked for hours. He liked me and mostly when the bill came and I insisted to pay for myself. He knew I am an independent lady. And when we first met in the US again, it was for a cup of coffee at Calabria.. Now we are married and we have a 7 months old boy. Can't wait till he grew up and we take him to Calabria cafe and tell him our love story.
Thanks,
Happy Valentines day everyone!

MOST WITTY (NEW CATEGORY! THESE WERE TOO GREAT NOT TO FEATURE!)
Drinks and dessert for two.
Teresa Bunik's date redefined the word J-E-R-K and Art Mitchell's story made us biased -- in his favor. ;)

TERESA "HOW DO YOU SPELL J-E-R-K" BUNIK

I have a distinct coffee shop memory - years ago, I was dating someone and really fell for him. He could just look at me with his sparkly eyes and make me turn into jelly. Until suddenly, he didn't return my calls. Things had been going really well, I thought, and so I spent weeks imagining that he was hit by a bus and in a hospital and I had no way of getting in touch with him.
One day he finally did call, and he apologized and said he had met someone else. I was crushed and convinced him to meet me for coffee so we could "talk things out". To his credit, he met up with me, and to waylay some of the awkwardness we set up a scrabble game to play as we talked. He was beating me pretty badly and halfway through the game he played all his letters on the word "fiascos". At that point I decided I was really wasting my time, declared him a jerk, and left. It was the scrabble game that really rubbed salt in the wound

ART "FATHER IS ALWAYS RIGHT (WING)" MITCHELL

While in Seattle visiting my daughter. She takes me to Zoka near Green Lake (great coffee house by the way). Outside, I am accosted by a young gal asking, "Would you like to join the ACLU?" My daughter trying to gently pull me away as this questions is like taking a match to gasoline, I respond, "When they defended ALL of the US Constitution, then I would consider joining."
As the naive young lady begins to put pen to paper she falls into the trap, "Well that's what we do."
"Oh Really? Then pray tell when was the last time they defended the Second Amendment? You know the 'right to keep and bear arms'."
With the air filled with a pregnant pause. "Exactly what I thought; You know nothing. Please learn more about the organizations you support as they may not be what they seem."
My perturbed daughter ushers me inside to order my cafe latte and sandwich. My order arrives as she finishes admonishing dad. The irony is that I note my sandwich is cut on a left bias. We laugh.

HONORABLE MENTION
Fresh Pound of Love Potion No. 9!

Elizabeth Snikta

Sheena Caines

Kristin Luciani

Thanks to everyone who entered! Get ready for another caffeine oriented adventure, soon!

Updated contest rules

2011-02-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

Maybe we made the rules too hard or people don't like free coffee and dessert! ;)

Here's a new twist on the contest: same prizes, easier rules.

HOW TO ENTER

1) You must be our fan on Facebook or follow us Twitter to participate.

2) Tell us the tale of your most memorable coffee date. Good or bad, we want to hear it! Write it as a message on our Facebook wall or send your story to caffecalabriasd@gmail.com.

3) If you want to submit a video or image (under the previous rules), you're still welcome to. But typing out your story is the easiest and fastest way to enter!

That's it!

YOU COULD WIN

♥ Valentine's Day (or weekend) Brunch Feast with lunch, dessert and unlimited drinks for two.
♥ Coffee Date with drinks and dessert for two.
♥ Everyone who enters will automatically be entered into a raffle for a pound of our limited edition Love Potion Number 9 roast to enjoy at home. We'll choose three lucky winners!!
♥ The winners can post their stories on our Facebook page or in the cafe.

DEADLINE

Entries must be received by Thursday, February 10, 2011 at noon PST.