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Health & Fitness

Meet Sierra Madre's Baristas: Part One

Do you ever wonder about the people who serve you coffee? Let's find out more about them!

At least a month ago I started to write a blog about baristas in Sierra Madre. A barista is a person who serves coffee to the public.

Sound like a strange topic to you? Well consider this: Between and alone, there are more than 20 barista’s working in Sierra Madre.

Many of you have seen the women and men who serve us those coffees, teas, frappes, lattes, hot chocolates, Frappucinos, blended drinks, etc. But our conversations are usually pretty curt... something like, “Hi, how are you doing,  I'll take a large drip of the day or a soy latte, Americano, or expresso”. 

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If you are in Starbucks, everything is neatly laid out for you with menus and caloric content of each drink and food item. If you are in Bean Town, the wait for a prepared drink may be longer, but they also have an honor system so you can grab your own cup and choose from five different selections of Coffee, house blend, flavored, dark blend, decaf, etc.

Both have loyalty programs, both give liberal refills for a small amount.  They are both good coffee houses and it’s great to have them.

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Some days we favor the couches and laid back atmosphere of Bean Town with local artists showing on the wall and music several nights a week. 

Sometimes we just crave that Starbucks speed, reliable standards and the wonderful location in Kersting Court where we the people watching is some of the best in town.  

But back to the Baristas.

The challenge of writing about baristas at both locations is that they are rarely still and their attention is fiercely loyal to the customer and not the information gatherer, such as I am.

Lo, I have found this blog taking way longer than expected to write. 

So in the interest of my impatience, I’m just going with what I’ve gotten so far and hope to catch you up with the rest of the crew at a later date.

So, just who are these gals and guys when they aren't working?

:

It is 6:00 p.m. and outside there are a couple of drummers warming up. People come in and make themselves comfortable. The atmosphere is inviting, the couches are comfortable, the food is really tasty good and the Internet is free and limitless. The evening's talent is coming in to set up.  

I catch John, the newest employee at Bean Town, who has spent a couple of years at college in Arkansas but now lives in MacCarther park where he is pursuing his dream of writing and returning to filmmaking. John also works at Starbucks and has a definite take on the difference between the two locations: Bean Town is all ours, a local affair, a Sierra Madre original. Starbucks is corporate, with policies and protocols.  

Ben, who's also working this shift, attends Art Center College in Pasadena.

On another day, I did have a chance to talk with Marisa and Jeremy, a couple of the other Bean Town workers.

Marisa is from San Dimas and lives in Covina, Jeremy is from Alhambra, lives in Sierra Madre. Both work full time at Bean Town. Marisa for two years and Jeremy for four.

When she's not working, Marisa likes to try out new restaurants or wine bars like 1642 Beer and Wine in Los Angeles or go Downtown on Wednesday nights for live music. She likes to write and to bake with her friends. In fact, she started out as a baker at Bean Town, making scones and cupcakes. She writes short stories, dialogue, poetry, sometimes publishing in zines. (I take the opportunity to suggest to her that she become a local voice Patch blogger.)     

Jeremy is a musician. His band "Sketch Orchestra" plays Jazz-Rock music at various venues around Los Angeles. He is the drummer and they have played 20 shows in the past six weeks. They play continuously in everything from houses to bars to music-specific venues like The Airliner in Echo Park.

The band is currently putting together a demo album and he hopes they will be signed, go on tour and never come back. 

I ask them about the work environment at Bean Town.

Marisa: Loves the regulars and having friends here. "Our bosses are great (Matt, Dave and Joanna, his parents). It’s a relaxed environment. I get to know people in community. Bean Town and Sierra Madre are quiet, nice and small. It feels like you are in a different state. We are by the mountains, it doesn't feel urban; it feels like Portland in winter when it rains."

Marisa’s philosophy is "being true to yourself, listening to yourself, keep your head on straight and live life each day; everything's always going to be okay."

Jeremy says he likes the people, the artistic quality of the town, the diversity of customers from many different walks of life. Working at Bean Town, he is free to be who he is. His personal philosophy, "come as you are," is tattooed on his chest.

Finally, I ask them about their favorite drinks.

Jeremy: Green pear iced tea

Marisa: Iced vanilla with powder vanilla

Check back soon for my next installment in the "Meet Your Baristas" series when I head three doors south to Starbucks to meet the crew there.

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