Here’s a great little Jimmy Kimmel skit about Starbucks coffee (check out just below this video for the full ”Coffee time” post):
(Also a great video for teaching Bourdieu and taste/preference…but that’s a different post for a different day!)
Coffee time
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the United States. Some studies estimate that over 50% of adults in the US drink multiple cups of coffee every day. It’s not a phenomenon that is specific to the US, as it is widely consumed throughout the world.
I started drinking coffee sporadically my senior year of college. I rarely drank any the few years directly after, but over the past few years I have settled into a regular, every day coffee drinker. I think that if you were to graph my coffee consumption (which I have conveniently done), it would strongly correlate to the distance between Em and I:
amateur sketch
All of this coffee drinking doesn’t come for free. In fact, for many people it’s quite an expensive habit (as you’ll soon see).
Since I am now a consistent coffee drinker, I decided to do a little cost-effectiveness calculation to see how our coffee consumption added up. We have a little baby coffee pot machine (4 cup size), that we brew coffee in each day. On average we brew 2-3 of these little baby pots each day (1-2 in the morning, and occassionally 1 in the evening). We usually get the big tins of coffee, and we are totally fine with the cheap stuff (~$5.00 – $8.00/tin depending on brand).
So we tried to keep track for a couple of tins to see how fast we go through them and how many pots we get out of each tin. We found out that it’s really easy to lose track and forget to put down tally marks for each pot we made. It was much easier to track the dates that we started and finished the tins. It comes out to between 3-4 weeks, but closer to four that each tin lasts for us. So let’s try the math for this one:
2.5 pots/day X 4 cups/pot X 7days/wk X 52wks/yr = ~3,640 cups/yr (essentially all the coffee that we can/want to drink for a year)
$6.50/tin X 15tins/year (52wks / 3.5wks each tin) = ~$97.50 per year
$97.50 / 3,640 cups = ~$0.03 / cup
Just from looking at that and having a general idea of coffee prices, you probably already know that it’s pretty darn cheap. But let’s play a little game and do some approximate comparisons if you were to buy coffee out.
People who go to Starbucks will pay ~$1.50 – $2.50 for a cup of “regular” coffee and ~$2.50 – $5.00 for any number of flavored or specialty coffees/lattes/espressos/cappuccinos. That adds up. Now you probably aren’t drinking 3,640 cups a year (and admittedly the size cups I’m referencing are probably 6-8oz, while Starbucks’ are 12oz and up). But let’s pretend that you only drink regular coffee and you average 1.5 cups each day for the year:
~$2.00/cup X 547 cups/yr. = $1,094 per year (ouch!)
Let’s scale it back and check it one other way from Starbucks. Let’s say that you only get one each day during the work week (Monday – Friday). Let’s also say that you usually get a regular coffee, but occassionally splurge at Starbucks:
4days X $2.00/cup + 1day X $3.00/fancy = $11/wk X 50wks = $550/year (for 250 cups total for the year)
Again, this assumes only one cup each day for Monday – Friday. It also assumes that most of the time, you can resist the temptation of all of the wonderful concoctions available and go with a regular coffee. So it’s a conservative estimate.
If you go “cheap” and get a McDonald’s coffee, it’s a bit more manageable. You can get a coffee for $1.00, and iced coffee for ~$2.00, or a choice of several “specialty” frappes, etc. ~$2.50 and up. Let’s try it again with 1.5 cups per day of regular coffee for the year:
$1.00/cup X 547 cups/yr = $547 per year
Now let’s try a similar situation as above where you only drink one per day during the work week:
3days X $1.00/cup + 1day X $2.00/iced + 1day X $2.50/frappe = $7.50/wk X 50wks = $375/year (for 250 cups total)
Cheaper, but again this assumes only one cup for Monday – Friday only. A pretty conservative estimate. (This also doesn’t take into account that the coffee drinks, especially the frappes, are some of the least healthy items on the McDonald’s menu!) It’s still a good chunk of change that you’d be spending on coffee.
Also, keep in mind that the home brewed coffee takes care of both Em and I, while the Starbucks and McDonalds estimates only account for a single individual. We would have to double each of those estimates to account for the two of us consuming coffee. Yikes! We get much much much more coffee for a fraction of the cost.
Should you *never* go to Starbucks or McDonalds or any other place for your coffee? No. Go get some as a treat on occassion if that’s your thing. But if you find yourself there once or twice a day every day (even if it’s only during the work week, or even it’s only for the “regular” or “cheap” coffee), it may be worth taking a look at how much you’re spending on your coffee consumption!
coffee station.
ps. with a classy glass jar, no one will know it’s the cheap stuff!
So my advice is to brew your own. There are no lines or hassle to get your coffee, and I really don’t believe that you sacrifice much quality either. If you want to “class up your home brew” then buy a little flavored syrup and add a teaspoon or so to each pot you brew (we have done that and the extra $4-$5 gave us flavored coffee that lasted for a month…you still come out far ahead!).
On a different note (though still coffee-related), I saw this little chart about coffee today:
from “i f***ing love science” group on facebook
Bye Bye, Btown: Bar Edition
Bloomington, Indiana, is a lovely university town. I am very fortunate to have spent the last five years of my life there, surrounded by lots of great people in a fun town. One great thing about being a part of a huge university town is that there is no shortage of fun (and affordable!) stuff to do.
Here are some short reviews of some bar favorites in Btown:
The Upstairs: This was probably our favorite bar, especially the last year or two that we were there. It is a long, narrow bar that often gets pretty crowded late. We always like to go have some beers and play darts here. The specialty drink here is an AMF which is a blue drink that comes in a large cup and has several shots in it. One of these will definitely get your night going, though they are a little sugary for my taste. They also come in “baby AMF” size for the more faint of heart. Fun fact: This was the first and only time I have ever seen a dart “Robin-Hooded” (one dart hits and sticks to the tail of a dart already on the board) and it happened twice in the same game!
robin hood
House Bar: This bar was across the street from where we lived our last year in Bloomington. Literally less than 100 yards away…talk about convenience! The real charm of this bar is in it’s super cheap drinks ($1 PBRs all the time) as well it’s outdoor area. The backyard is actually outside and consists of picnic tables and simple outdoor seating. It has rope lights strung across throughout to provide just enough lighting so that you can sit outside on nice evenings. (Side note: It is a cash only bar, though they have an ATM right there in case you need it.)
Nick’s: This is a Bloomington classic and favorite, especially among younger alums coming back into town for games and events. (If you want to actually get in for a big game, then you have to arrive at least a few hours in advance.) Sink the Biz is the game of choice here, an excellent drinking game involving steady hands and a constant stream (you’ll see what I mean once you try it). Nick’s also has some pretty solid food, especially the pizzas and strombolis.
action shot at nicks
sink the biz (though not actually at nick’s here)
Crazy Horse: This is probably my favorite bar to order food at. They make a mean cheese steak and I’d also highly recommend the cajun chicken pita. They also have a small outdoor patio area, and this is usually one of our favorite places to stop and enjoy a pitcher of beer (and maybe some nachos!) outside when it’s a nice day out. They also do 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Sundays (and I believe Wednesdays) for the vino lovers.
beer and nachos from crazy horse
Yogi’s: This is another favorite place to order food. (Side note: they recently re-did their entire menu and tried to “class it up” a little. The food is still good, though I would expect a bit of a price hike in the near future.) Yogi’s does lots of fun beers and each day there is a different beer special based on the brewery location (i.e. all Michigan beers $1 off on a certain day). Yogi’s also has a really neat section of their bar where they can completely open all of the windows and ceiling so it is as if you are sitting outside. This is also a good place to watch any kind of sporting event.
Oliver Winery: Not a bar. But it is a fun and very popular little place to go for some wine tasting (it is no longer free – it is now $5), and it also has a great outdoor area for sitting outside or picnics while enjoying some wine. They do let you bring your own food if you want, but they also have plenty of snacky things to buy there to go along with your bottle. It’s a few miles outside of town (maybe a 10minute drive), but it’s worth the trip. And if you’re not up for the short drive, then you can now go the new location that is on the main square. You can do tastings in the form of flights or order a bottle, and they have a dessert menu for food as well.
tasting vino
oliver is also scenic…perfect for senior picture poses
The Blue Bird: If you’re looking for live music, this is probably where you’ll want to be. And if you’re looking for cheap beer on a Wednesday night to go along with that live music, then this is definitely where you’ll end up, for the 15cent drafts. You really can’t beat spending an entire Wednesday night drinking and listening to live music only to find that you have racked up a whopping $3 tab while buying drinks for your entire group of friends.
live music at the blue bird
Brothers: This bar came to town my second year at IU and immediately became a popular spot. So much so, that it stole enough drinkers away from Jake’s (once wildly popular) which is now closed down. It could be viewed as somewhat fratty, though not overly so. This is often a place that people hang out at before they head to Sports around 12:30-1am for some dirty dancing. (Side note: The last few times I went to Brothers there were substantially fewer people there than I was accustomed to…I’m not sure if that’s a coincidence or a new trend.)
bros at bros
The Vid: The Vid is located right next to/above Brothers and is a deceivingly large bar filled with a variety of individuals, though it is mostly dominated with graduate students, hipsters, and local “townies.” There are a bunch of pool tables, dart boards, and a pop-a-shot basketball game. (Side note: It used to be a cash bar, though I believe the last time I was there they were accepting credit cards.)
Sports: This is one of the Kilroy’s bars that dominates the Btown scene (the other two are Kilroy’s on Kirkwood or “KOK” and The Dunnkirk, neither of which I particularly care for). This is the closest thing that Bloomington has to a “club” of any kind. It’s a huge bar that has a very large outdoor area with lots of seating (they often also grill out during big events), and an upstairs area which is where the actual “club” part is. They have a DJ and dirty rap music with lots of grinding in a sweaty, packed room (I think one night of the week it’s actually techno/house music instead of rap). You have to see it to believe it. If it’s not your cup of tea, then the downstairs area is much more of a “normal” bar. This bar is more expensive than most and is one of the very few that has a cover and generally a long line to get in starting around 1-1:30am. Wednesday night is 1/2 price drink night, which is nice. Also, during the summer they often don’t have a cover.
Atlas: A hipster’s paradise. It also has a couple of Skee-Ball machines in the bar which makes for something very entertaining (and a little unique) to do while there. It is a newer bar and a block or two off the beaten path, but a fun place to stop by.
skee ball (though not actually at the atlas)
The Tapp: This place was just opening up as we were leaving, but was a great place the couple of times I stopped by. It is geared towards the slightly more mature crowd (not necessarily old), and feels like a bar you might encounter in Chicago rather than a “student bar.” They have a ton of beers on tapp (hence the name), though they are a little pricey for a Btown bar ($4-$6 per beer).
*** *** ***
These were some favorites in Btown over the past five years. Pretty much all of them are some of the “mainstream” IU bars that are found on or near Kirkwood or Walnut streets. Depending on the particular night and/or occasion, I often found myself at one of these places - they each had their highlights.
To be sure, it was the people made the fun happen – from Em (once she was old enough to drink!), to my roommate and great friend (until he kicked me out for his wife! – though they still hung around), to the 2nd generation NC leaner guys, to optometry party people, to DPU/NC/IU friends making visits for tailgates and other events. It wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun without all of you.
I guess that makes the next task to find some new bars and great places to hang out here so that when all of those people start visiting us (yes, we have a room for you all!), we will have fun places to check out!
But for now, bye bye, Btown! It was a good run.
PS. If I’ve missed any of your favorite Bloomington bars, please leave a comment and let me know!!
Trokspot Update
It’s true, I’ve been off the grid for a couple of weeks now. This has been a by-product of Trokspot relocating its executive office roughly 1,000 miles away.
Moving is a pain, but finally beginning to get settled in makes it worth it. This is especially true when the new location is a tropical paradise, complete with community pool.
community pool
fun in the sun
sexy leg shot at the pool
Now that things are beginning to take shape at the new executive office (we have furniture, woohoo!), you can begin to look for more fabulous Trokspot content to appear more regularly. See you all soon…and welcome back!
flying is neat.
The past few weeks have been nuts with finishing up semester stuff and trying to organize a long-distance move. #floridalivin’ here we come!
But one nice perk is that I was able to fly back to Indiana (which sure beats the drive). And isn’t flying neat…
Yeah, they’re similar, but I think they’re pretty cool. It was a pleasant flight and I enjoyed my window-seat view.
Bonus: I’m glad I didn’t have the opportunity to find out, but I always do find myself wondering how effective the seat cushions would be as flotation devices…
Best Thing I’ve Eaten This Week
Two years ago, I lived on the other side of town. Most days as I walked into campus, I passed by this little corner restaurant — The Turkuaz Cafe. From the outside, it looked a bit dingy and run-down. But everytime I walked by, it smelled absolutely delicious.
A bit dingy on the outside…
I talked and talked about eating there. Two years later, it finally happened. I Turkuaz-ed. And it was delicious! I’m sorry that I waited so long to finally make it there, because it’s probably the last time I will make it there.
The menu is traditional Turkish food (as far as I know), consisting largely of kebabs and pides. A main entree comes with several courses and sides — soup, salad, bread, beans, rice, and couscous. It really is a full meal that gives you a variety of great Turkish flavors and all for a great price!
The ambiance inside proved to be much better than the outside might suggest. There was a traditional area where you can take off your shoes and eat on the floor, but also a series of u-shaped, very nice boothes for those who are a bit less adventurous (I guess that includes us).
My meal (instagrammed).
I decided to get the lamb chops. My first course was the red lentil soup (which was delicious, although to be honest the other Turkish restaurant down the street’s is slightly better). The salad, couscous, cucumber salad, beans, rice, lamb chops (perfectly cooked!), and bread were absolutely phenomenal!
Em went with the chicken kebab which was recommended by our server. It wasn’t a typical kebab on a stick; it actually came in a mini stew-pot, and then had all of the sides that came with mine.
Action shot.
Em’s meal was also excellent (yes, I finished it off for her when she got full!). Having it almost as a stew was better than the kebabs we have had at the other Turkish restaurant (which were still yummy, but a bit drier).
The amount and quality of food was fantastic. We both loved our meals and couldn’t believe that we had waited so long to finally check out the Turkuaz….we should have been going there all along!
As Always: Eat. Be Happy.
Hoosier Haiku
I saw a cool article today that was actually a collection of haikus dedicated to this year’s NCAA Tournament. It was a pretty fun and creative project, so I decided to add a “Hoosier Haiku” of my own:
The Hoosier Journey:
Hoosier heartland dreams
#TheMovement, back to glory
(Bitter)Sweet Sixteen
Because as this particular individual points out: “Sometimes, the best way to encompass a sporting event is through the classic Japanese art of 5-7-5,” said no one, ever.
Check out his collection here. I’d also encourage you to check out some of his other articles on that site, often written in The Onion-style sattire.
