Monday, May 28, 2007

Saturday night with Koz & friends

Just a few shots from Saturday night...

Jazz sax

Koz and Alice singing an Irish love song

Alyssa accompanies with her own lovely vocals

Joylyn, Laura and Brandon confront Marv for cards up his sleeve

"A nice round of applause for Alyssa!"

Kevin sings "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"



My two girls

Bruce joins Koz for a rousing folk tune to end the evening

What a fun couple of nights. Weekends like this, he said humbly and appreciatively, are why the Stumpjack Coffee Company garnered first place in the Best Live Entertainment category of the "Best of Manitowoc County." (more on that later...)

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Last Night: Koz & Special Guest, Jacob Tardoni

Here's a few pics from last night. Koz introduced his guitar student, Jacob Tardoni. The duo performed several tunes together, much to the delight of the audience, including many of Jacob's friends and family. It was Jacob's first live performance in front of an audience...needless to say, he was great. Very cool...

Koz will be back tonight...be here or be mad at yourself! He'll probably start around 6:30 or so, and we'll go 'til around 10:00. Coffee, beer, wine...great live music...good company...what more would you need for a fun night...

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

LIVE MUSIC this weekend at Stumpjack!


People have been asking when he'll be back, and so he's back...


This Friday & Saturday, May 25 & 26

The multi-instrumental talents of Koz...saxophone, clarinet, guitar and banjo...and a song book that covers a heck of a lot of ground, from the old folk, big band and swing eras to modern era folk, pop and soft rock. It's quite a mix and very much fun indeed.

Koz will start around 8:00 p.m.

The first 20 people in the door get FREE ENERGY BOOSTING CAFFEINE in every coffee drink ordered! That's right...FREE caffeine with every cup!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Entertainment this weekend...

Last night, Friday the 18th...

Friday night (18th) and Saturday night (19th)

Kerry Michaels is bringing his fantastic songwriting and guitar playing skills to Stumpjack.

Both nights' music begins at around 8:00 and we'll go til around 10:00.

(We're pushing the start time back an hour for our live music nights, starting and ending later)

It's always a great time when Kerry plays, so be sure to swing on by.

Last night too...


Tonight...just a few minutes ago...get down here now!

Friday, May 11, 2007

The Photography of Nikki Nischke

text to follow...tomorrow..too tired...to...write...now...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............







Ok, it's Saturday morning as I add this promised additional text. These are a few pictures from last night's opening reception for Nikki's show. That's all I'm writing because...had...too much...vino...last night...and...am too...tired...to do...more...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

However, I do notice this morning that Allie is in an inordinate number of these photos...she's always jumping in front of the camera...sheesh! That's all...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Thursday, May 10, 2007

This weekend: Art & Music

Friday, May 10:
Art Opening Reception for the
Photography of Nikki Nischke

5:00-8:00
Open to everyone
Refreshments, Art & Conversation...
What more do you need?

Saturday, May 11:
The acoustic music of Happenstance
8:00-10:00 or so...
the only cover charge is a coffee, beer or glass of vino


Wednesday, May 9, 2007

World Connections Choral Concert

Monday night we attended the "World Connections" choral concert and solo recital at the UW-Manitowoc University Theatre. My daughter, Jesse, was singing in the group Choir Erasing Borders, while the groups Ten-or Eleven and the Maritime Chamber Ensemble also performed. There were also a couple of solo performances on the program, both vocal and instrumental. This was an outstanding, totally awesome evening of music. The choral groups performed flawlessly, the song selection was wide ranging and uplifting, and the theme of world unity encompassing diversity was inspiring, while the intimate space of the University Theatre was perfect for a program like this. I can't say enough good things about this event and I would like to see it repeated. We would benefit from more of this sort of thing in our community, and we ought to support the arts with our time, dollars and voices so that these kinds of happenings take place more frequently. Kudos and congratulations to the folks who put the show together.

PS: Our daughter, Jesse, was the best on the stage that night...that's right! That's her, top row third from the left.


Sunday, May 6, 2007

Who opened the cages at the zoo?

Saturday the Stump was visited by quite an amalgam of characters. Stumpjack Coffee friends and customers are, generally speaking, by far the most diverse, courteous, friendly and cool group of people I have ever experienced in any coffee shop, club or lounge setting. Yesterday was no exception as many of our friends made their regular weekend visits. We also, however, had a good number of "new" people come in, a few of whom displayed a little "questionable behavior," some of which prompted us to address certain issues of etiquette and communal awareness while in the space. My post from yesterday on camping is a response to one of those issues.

As I mentioned in the prior post, coffee shops and cafe's are rightly seen as "third places," and it is worthwhile to repeat the source text (edited) below in citing the value of the third place:

...third places are the heart of a community's social vitality and the foundation of a functioning democracy. They promote social equality...create habits of public association, and offer psychological support to individuals and communities.


...in modern suburban societies time is primarily spent in isolated first (home) and second (work) places. In contrast, third places offer a neutral public space for a community to connect and establish bonds. Third places host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.


While that might read as a little bookish ("Hey, I just wanna cuppa-coffee ta go, ok!"), there are nevertheless a few "rules" or guidelines that ought to be considered for the benefit of everyone who enjoys the space. Enjoying the benefits of a space without helping to support its continuation has been addressed below in the post on campers. Other activities and behaviors that are taboo would include too-visible (and too-loud) displays of physical affection that might be more appropriate in a private setting (for example, the clearly audible and openly viewable smooching of a couple that stopped in yesterday...excuse me, the clearly audible, openly viewable and continual, protracted smooching...good grief people, rent a room! ugh...).


Also, cursing and foul language should be curbed, for the sake of good manners and because a constant stream of blue language tends to make you look like an idiot.


Along those same lines, overly loud (let's say obnoxiously loud) conversations are intrusive to the other folks who come in to enjoy a little more casual and laid back chat time. I'm talking about conversations that are clearly engaged in at a volume intended for everyone else in the place to hear. Trust me on this, your battle with your co-worker or boss (including loud declarations as to what a jerk he or she is) is really not all that interesting to everyone else in the house. Vent to your pals at your table, not to the rest of us please.


Cell phones...a beautiful, amazing bit of technology, not only tools of convenience but also potentially tools of necessity in these modern times. It's perfectly ok to answer your cell phone, take calls and make calls in the space...we have absolutely no problem with that nor do I imagine does anyone else. But if you are going to be conducting a lengthy and loud conversation on your cell phone please take it outside where it won't intrude on others in the cafe. There's a very nice bench right outside the front window...heck, take your mug of coffee with you, sit down and relax, and enjoy your conversation in the ever-warming spring sunshine, then come on back in when you're finished.


Finally, it is frowned upon by the health department (and your mother as well) when you take your shoes off in the space and/or put your feet on the furniture. We appreciate that the Stumpjack is such an unbelievably comfortable and relaxing place that it almost seems like the natural thing to do...kick off your shoes and put your feet up, just like at home (it is something of a compliment). Nevertheless, it's verboten at the Stump...keep your shoes on and keep your feet off the tables and chairs, or I'm telling your mother.


Yes, while all of these issues have come up now and again since Stumpjack has been open, they all occurred the other day (was there a full moon or what?) and we thought it might be wise to address them now. So, keep your shoes on, take the loud cell phone conversations outside, don't be loudly lip-locking with your significant other for everyone else to see and hear, curb the potty mouth dammit, and don't be a freeloader with the space or Internet service. Be thoughtful, courteous, respectful and kind...that golden rule stuff...


Saturday, May 5, 2007

Coffee House Lingo

"CAMPERS"
A "camper" is someone who takes up space for an inordinate amount of time without purchasing something (a cup of coffee, for example) at regular intervals. Generally, the equivalent of a drink an hour is considered a minimal purchase in order to "camp out." It is also considered particularly heinous (rude) to camp and use free Internet access without purchasing.

Hogging choice spots in a cafe' for long periods of time is also uncool. The cafe' is traditionally a community spot, what Ray Oldenburg calls the third place*, and people who don't share are not embracing the community function and philosophy of the place.

* Ray Oldenburg is an urban sociologist from Florida who writes about the importance of informal public gathering places for a functioning civil society, democracy, and civic engagement. He coined the term third place and is the author of the books Celebrating The Third Place and The Great Good Place, which was a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice for 1989.


Oldenburg suggests that beer gardens, main streets, pubs, cafes, coffeehouses, post offices, and other third places are the heart of a community's social vitality and the foundation of a functioning democracy. They promote social equality by leveling the status of guests, provide a setting for grassroots politics, create habits of public association, and offer psychological support to individuals and communities.


Oldenburg identifies that in modern suburban societies time is primarily spent in isolated first (home) and second (work) places. In contrast, third places offer a neutral public space for a community to connect and establish bonds. Third places "host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work." http://en.wikipedia.org/


Wednesday, May 2, 2007

May/June Calendar of Events

Here's a brief synopsis of some of the stuff we presently have planned for the next several weeks at Stumpjack Coffee Company. As other things are added we'll just update this calendar and push it to the top of the page again, and as things get closer we'll post a reminder with added details such as times, secret passwords, where the treasure is buried, and what color socks you need to wear in order to participate...

MAY
Thu. May 3 - Chess Club (come and join the fray...)

Thu. May 10 - Chess Club
Fri. May 11 - Nikki Nischke, Art Opening Reception
Sat. May 12 - Live Music with Happenstance

Thu. May 17 - Chess Club
Fri. May 18 - Live Music with Kerry Michaels
Sat. May 19 - Live Music with Kerry Michaels

Thu. May 24 - Chess Club
Fri. May 25 - Live Music with Koz
Sat. May 26 - Live Music with Koz

Wed. May 30 - Backgammon Tournament
Thu. May 31 - Chess Club/Book Club

JUNE
Sat. June 2 - Live Music with Kerry Michaels

Thu. June 7 - Chess Club
Fri. June 8 - Gunther Skaletz, author’s presentation

Thu. June 14 - Chess Club
Fri. June 15 - Live Music with Kerry Michaels
Sat. June 16 - Kathryn Gahl, author’s reading

Thu. June 21 - Chess Club
Fri. June 22 - Live Music with Pick and Squeeze

Wed. June 27 - Backgammon Tournament
Thu. June 28 - Chess Club
Fri. June 29 - Wine Tasting w/ Von Stiehl
Sat. June 30 - Classic Car Show