The Coffee Shop Update

I'm sitting in a Kaladi Brothers Coffee shop waiting to go to the airport. I figured I better get used to this since this is where Radiate Warmth will be written from this summer, coffee shops.

Music I'm hearing in the coffee shop: Coldplay and John Butler Trio and Dave Matthews Band. I give the music at this coffee shop 3.5 stars out of 5. Tolerable. I've seen Coldplay twice and John Butler Trio the same. Coldplay is one of the most professional bands in the world, they sound, perform and look spectacular. JBT has way more of a roots feel. The opening acts are much better usually too and often join the stage later on. DMB I've seen at the Gorge twice. I realized over the years that it wasn't the band I disliked, it was the semi-christian, yuppie organic faking, trustifarian and fratboy/sorority girl crowd that commonly attends his shows. THE BAND is actually very good if you don't mind wading through 30 to 40 thousand annoying fans to see them play. I suggest you dress just like a DEA agent in a suit and tie with a earpiece and watch the little hypocrites scatter like ants! You could probably walk right up to the front row.

Restaurant I just ate at: I had an incredible dinner at Ginger on 5th Avenue here in downtown Anchorage. It was fantastic, I had the spicy beef padang in peanut sauce and the thirty somthing Owner/Waiter/Chef Marcus made some really crucial vino suggestions that paired up with the meal flawlessly. If you are ever in the Anchorage area please check out this secret, young, hip, delicious Indo/Chinese/thai restaurant with an extensive vino list.
www.gingeralaska.com which will link you to their blog too!

Cab Driver of the Week: Sergi, a Serbian cabbi that ranted and raved for 20 minutes about the "effink Mormons." He also took the longest possible route. I also had a Pakistani cabbi, a Sierra Leone cabbi, two women cab drivers (both in leather jackets), and a toothless guy on meth. Alaska is no different in the world of cab driving I guess.

Lasting thoughts: At the special education conference I heard a girl with autism say one of the best quotes I've ever heard: "Be happy where you're at, and you'll get where you want to go." Simmer on that while I make my way back to my island in the Bering Sea.