Open mic nights at Rays...and coffee of course

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to announce two new open mic nights (one for kids!) starting in a week...also, we're currently serving some nice Sidamo dry processed coffee that is very tasty. Fruity berry flavor along with chocolate. I have one brewing right now, and another - from a different lot - that we'll fire up when this one runs out. Also, a Sumatra Lintong Triple Pick batch that is ready to roll... For dark roasts, we have a Malawi Mapanga curently.

Here's the scoop on open mic:

BOTH OPEN MIC nights start at 6 pm...and run til' we're done!

"Conscious Creation from Chaos! The Carnival is a continual birth of images, sounds, things to egg on the ear drum, tickle the tastebud, fascinate the feelers and perplex the peepers. Most of all, it is the uttering of understandings." "

The Carnival is currently celebrating:in Louisville, Kentucky.Ray's Monkey House (Coffee Shop) 1578 Bardstown Road

Thursdays: Adults Open Heart Purgery: (starting January 3, 2008)
Every Thursday: an accoustic open stage for adults to share their talent and open heart with us, whether with music, storytelling, jokes, poetry, or just unloading some thoughts, take the spotlight and open your heart to us. Make it fun!

Fridays: The Kiddie Carnival: (starting December 28)
Every Friday: A chance for kids to shine like they're born to do. This accoustic open stage for kids gives kids a chance to get up and express themselves (music, jokes, stories,show, share their week, and tell of a favorite item, what can you offer as a gift to us?), experience an open jam atmosphere, get to know others, and be commended and praised for being themselves. There's also performances by special guests for the kids.

More on the Conscious Carnival:
"Marvel at the Mystery of You! Behold the Beauty of BE-ing! DEFY your Fears and Revel in the Free Gift of Life! As we all walk our journeys, we are experiencing and learning about ourselves. We create to share what we have learned. We are processing what we experience so that we may try to gain understanding. What better way to process than to come together and share our understandings with each other? We might be surprised that we are not alone, and that there are others willing to accept and support us. "

Rockin' 'N Rollin' for Bardstown Rd Aglow (and Accordians)

Accordians and all were out in force for Bardstown Rd Aglow on Dec. 1st (thanks Noah, for the accordian performance and the great artwork). We all had a good time and a lot of people made it by the shop for their first time. Very cool.

The Ethiopian Sidamo we had brewing that night was one of our tastiest batches yet. And I roasted some Bolivian Cup of Excellence, which we should have as our medium roast of the day this week (Wed-Fri approx).

Cheers...

-nimbus

Week six...wow...time flies

Hi Everyone,


It feels almost like we opened yesterday, and at the same time it feels like we've been open forever. I've managed to take virtually no pictures of the place, but so much has happened and I keep learning something every day. No major diasasters, plenty of minor ones, and life goes on....





Benjamin has taken some good photos, and I've taken a couple too, so I figured I'd post a few, while Leone Ray sleeps....

-Peace,
Nimbus

FINALLY Open....WhooHooo!!

Hey ya'll...

We finally opened our doors on October 15th. Yay. Sorry for the slow post here, but way way too busy. Everything has gone pretty well so far. Lots of people have come by, enjoyed coffee and baked goods (and tea), and a lot of kids have played with the toys we have here (and spinny chairs). Overall, quite a smooth first week.

We had a fairly steady trickle of people throughout the week, and finally got busy on Saturday and Sunday. Jacob and Andrew had the pleasure of the first big rush of people and handled it well. In fact all of our Baristas have been doing a great job. Thanks everyone.

Benjamin and I have kept on roasting, barely keeping up with the coffee drinkers. But at least we're staying one or two steps ahead. My favorite coffees thus far have been the heavy chocolatey and fruity (blueberry, apricot??) Ethiopian Likempte (Fair Trade Organic and we have two big bags!) and the Brazilian Poco Fundo (also FTO), which has a lot of body and fruit as well, almost reminicent of an Ethiopian. Our Mexican "elephant bean" was great roasted dark also.

Up next is our Yemen Mokha Matari....should be ready in a day or two! Pix coming soon...but still running around....

Cheers!

-Nimbus

As usual, getting closer

just testing

trying to get the comments button working again...

First Roasts!!

Hey ya'll...did some roasting last week as we inch along towards opening....daily progress here also, on boring stuff like wood putty for all the nail holes in the trim, sanding, and touch up painting. Finished installing shelves in the new storage rooms also (which were drywalled, mudded and painted last week). Etc, etc....everything takes forever, but a final to-do list is written and all the little things are going to be crossed off soon.

As for the roasts, I did a couple ten pound batches of old columbian beans, one organic, one not. I roasted one about 40 seconds into second crack, and the other was stopped just prior to second crack. We're talking about 12 minute roasts here, so very consistent with my anticipated times. They both came out VERY GOOD, especially considering the age of the beans and that they were my first two roasts on the glorious Probat. Smooth sailing operation-wise.

My friend Harry from Green Coffee Buying Club and his family were visiting from California and joined me for the second roast which was fun. I put the kids to work right away. I served the coffee later in the day at a Code Pink Louisville get-together at Tyler Park, and it was well received (well, they drank it ALL up, which is all the evidence I need).

Here's some pix...Peace! - Nimbus


































Whew...enough pix??