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Monday, September 28, 2009

Coffee, coffee, coffee...

Well, for the past few weeks I have been researching everything I can find regarding coffee and coffee shops. I have met with a local coffee roaster and sampled some of the finest coffee I have ever tasted. I have to say that I found freshly roasted coffee to be so absolutley delicious that I cannot fathom the thought of altering it with cream or sugar, (two condiments I normally can't do without in my Dunkin Donuts or McDonald's coffee).

I now have a deep appreciation and new understanding of the processes of growing, harvesting, roasting, storing, grinding, brewing and serving coffee. My family thinks I'm obsessed. They thought the same thing when I got into photography, and now almost 9 years later I am still obsessed with photography - but now I have another passion. I am counting down the days to our grand opening....which is scheduled for October 29th.

Over the weekend we got the back half of the coffee bar installed, (counter, counter top and sink). Tomorrow we hope to run the plumbing to the espresso machine and the sink. I spent the biggest part of my evening writing out the menu on my new menu board. I bought a new grinder, a French press and a frothing pot today.

My first shipment of freshly roasted coffee samples should arrive tomorrow. I already have a name for my custom blend....but that's a secret for now. I will tell you that all of our coffee will be of Fair Trade and organic origin. It is roasted by Mister G in Lewistown and shipped to us withing 24 hours of roasting. Fresher coffee you will not find in Altoona!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

We are a finalist in the AN-NE awards!!!!

We just found out that we are a finalist in the PPA's annual AN-NE Competition!!! The AN-NE's are awards that are given specifically for marketing categories. This was our first time entering and we are honored to be a finalist!! Thanks so much to our FABULOUS graphic artist, Amber for all her hard work on our entry.

Here's what the judges had to say about it:

"Embodies one who hit the bulls-eye of her target markets with a unified look. Creating a unified image between photographic specialties is not easy (and doesn’t always work), especially when you consider that they wanted an upscale look while controlling costs; to be eco-friendly, warm, and welcoming; and to create pieces that people want to keep. They accomplished it…with great connection between all the pieces and great showcasing of striking images."