Read, Write & Brew

Have you tried our 'Apple Caramel Macchiato' yet?

2012-02-27T10:13:00.001-08:00

It looks like a latte with caramel and some sprinklies on top. It tastes like walking through an apple orchard while drinking a coffee and chewing on some gooey caramel. Don't believe me? Try our 'Apple Caramel Macchiato'. You will NOT be disappointed.

Coffee with a Councilor - Sat 3rd March 2012, 9am

2012-02-25T12:31:00.005-08:00

Let’s talk about Golden!

Sip ‘n Chat with a City Council representative about; South Neighborhoods Plan, transportation,
upcoming decisions for City Council, volunteering to make a difference, your priorities, your concerns, sharing ideas with your neighbors.

Info: scharisgraves@cityofgolden.net or 303.709.7529

Just arrived in store...

2012-02-24T19:39:00.001-08:00

Only one copy!
Get it while you can.

Oh how we'd love to win a Westword 'Best Of Denver'

2012-02-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

Hey! Did ya'll know that the Westword is currently taking votes for its' 'Best of Denver 2012' issue?

Click here to go directly to the voting page - and while you're there, can you think of any Used Bookstores or Coffeehouses in Golden worth a mention in the poll? Somewhere you can go to, say, read something, write something, and have a cup of brew? Hmmmmmm........

That first cup of the day.

2012-02-11T09:28:00.001-08:00

by Julie

So, I don't know where I was or what I was watching when Ally McBeal originally aired on TV. I would come into work and hear people talk about 'last nights episode' - but for some reason or another, I just never got around to watching it.

I recently noticed the whole series is available for instant watch on Netflix, and decided to get belatedly get caught up. You know, just in case a question about the show ever comes up in a game of Trivial Pursuit, or before another reference to "snappish!" flies completely over my head again. I figured it's a good way to pass the time as I jog on the treadmill.

How has any of this got anything to do with Read, Write & Brew?

This scene, that's what.

When I saw it, I 'bout fell off the treadmill. Because it's hot? Mmm-yeeesssss.... but more because this is exactly how I feel about my first cup of coffee of the day. I totally had an "I do that!" moment. If you don't get that response from your daily coffee, you're either: not doin' it right, paying too much, or buying your coffee from the wrong place.

People ask me if I'm a 'coffee connoisseur' because I own a coffeehouse. The answer is, no I am not. I may know a little more than the average person does about coffee, the processes involved, and how to brew it right, but I can't call myself a 'connoisseur'. However, it doesn't take a connoisseur to do the Ally McBeal test every time you have a cup of coffee - and if you get that 'ahhhhh' moment..., then that's how you know you're onto a good thing. When you're paying four or five bucks a pop, you'd better be getting at least that! That's what we believe at our store, and that's why we practice so much attention to detail when we make your drinks for you.

Editors note: I know that last sentence sounds like a shameful plug, and I almost deleted it for its lameness (or the lame sound of it) but I didn't because it's really and honestly true. How else are we gonna keep you all coming back to us again and again?

Valentines Day

2012-02-10T08:40:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day.
Love it, or hate it - we've got the books to make it better or at least get you through.
Yet another community service, provided by 'Read, Write & Brew'.

Latest store pics...

2012-01-31T15:05:00.001-08:00

Coffee with a Councilor

2012-01-25T07:40:00.000-08:00

Date: Saturday, February 4th
Time: 9:00am

Place: Read, Write and Brew,
720 Golden Ridge Rd Unit D,
Golden CO 80401

Have a cup of coffee (or your favorite morning beverage) and and talk about issues in Golden with City Councilors Saoirse Charis-Graves, Marcia Claxton, and Joe Behm. The Mayor will attend if she is able. We'll bring some draft copies of the South Neighborhoods Plan and information about the upcoming Council calendar. Please do bring your priorities, your concerns and plan to share ideas with your neighbors.

Info: scharisgraves@cityofgolden.net or 303-709-7529.

Have you been in to Read, Write & Brew lately?

2012-01-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent store pics...

Lookin' good, right!
(and 'Instagram' ain't got nothin' to do with it - *wink, wink*)
Come visit soon and see for yourself.

If you STILL haven't caught him yet - here's another chance!

2011-10-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

People have traveled from all over Colorado to come hear Jerry Barlow play at Read, Write & Brew. He has a loyal following, and if you live in the neighborhood, you need to take advantage of the convenience and come on down and hear him play this Saturday. You won't be disappointed.

Excerpt taken from: http://www.watchnewspapers.com/view/full_story/9958031/article-Celtic-Fingerstyle-Guitarist-Jerry-Barlow-in-Concert-Tuesday?instance=special_coverage_bullets_right_column

Jerry Barlow will be at Read, Write & Brew

this Saturday, October 29th
starting at 10.30am

For more information, visit
http://www.jerrybarlow.com/files/Articles_Letters.pdf

http://www.coloradocelticentertainment.com/j_barlow.php

New coffee drinks coming soon...

2011-09-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

We're currently in the 'kitchen' experimenting with new coffee concoctions to serve up with the cooler change in the weather. Wait till you taste what we have come up with so far. Feel nice and warm and cozy in the belly...

MULTI -AUTHOR BOOK SIGNING - September 10th (that's this Saturday!) 11am until 2pm

2011-09-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Attention all book lovers and aspiring writers! Come and interact with talented published local area writers. Talk to them about their current books and latest literary works. All books will be available for purchase direct from the author. Who will be there?

Jo Ann Colton is a published writer, seminar facilitator, and marketer. She specializes in business writing, newspaper and magazines articles. Website

Kim Burnett has four books facing publication, including this guide for men entitled, The Knuckle-draggers Guide to Romance (Yes Even a Caveman Can Do It). Website

Dave Knox has been writing creatively since the 1960s. Revolution: A Revisionist’s Fiction, is a story that embraces a different U.S. historical outcome for the period 1968-1974. Website

Kellee Henderson of Edit Write, Ink is a savvy editor with clients nationwide. She has nineteen (19) years of professional experience providing quality editing services. Kellee is a published author of non-fiction stories and articles.

This event is organized and hosted by the
FOOTHILLS & VICINITY WRITERS GROUP.
For more information about the multi-author event, or the group’s monthly meetings contact:
JM Colton
(303) 670-1028.

Free Live Music: Celtic Fingerstyle Guitar by Jerry Barlow

2011-09-02T13:24:00.001-07:00

Barlow is a consummate artist who is not only skilled as a musician but is also an amazing performer resplendent with wit, humor and the ability to mesmerize an audience, concert organizers promise. “He is also a storyteller whose repertoire is a synthesis of his own Celtic inspired compositions and the traditional music of the British Isles. His music has the power to transport the audience across time and space on an imaginary journey to a rustic Irish fishing village, the mist Scottish Highlands or an ancient English forest. Jerry tells the tales of the Celtic tunes he plays and the history and legends behind the music.”

this Sunday, September 4th
10.30am - noon

For more information, visit
http://www.jerrybarlow.com/files/Articles_Letters.pdf
http://www.coloradocelticentertainment.com/j_barlow.php

Closed Monday September 5th for Labor Day

2011-09-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

You can come by, but we won't be here. We'll be BBQ'ing and visiting friends - and so should you.

Other things going on in Denver this labor day,even tho we're not...
- A Taste of Colorado
- J azz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Festival
- Celebration Metaphysical Fair
- Colorado State Fair
- Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game
- Last day to go to Water World!

Have a great Labor Day weekend off people. Enjoy what little is left of summer in Denver, and then on Tuesday be sure to come back into 'Read, Write & Brew' for your mocha-choca-cinna-latte, or whatever it is that tickles yer fancy.

Local Author Book Signing: The Ties That Bind: Birds, Nature and Us.

2011-06-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Sat June 18th,
Mike Foster,
12 noon-2pm

Americans are great joiners. Millions of us join organizations devoted to birds, animals, natural history, and the outdoors. But joining is not the same as connecting. We have been slow to realize that Nature is in trouble. The climate is warming. Resources are disappearing faster than we can replace them. Species extinctions are accelerating.

To save birds and to preserve the planet we must first heal ourselves, because as intolerance and selfishness demonstrate every day, humanity is in trouble with itself. We can begin to save ourselves by realizing that our fate is linked to that of the natural world. We can begin to heal our environment by relearning cooperation, mutual respect, and generosity of spirit—virtues that will reinforce our intimate and infinite ties to Mother Nature.

Throughout The Ties That Bind: Birds, Nature and Us Mike Foster emphasizes the practical value of these virtues while elaborating the personal philosophy he has developed during a lifetime of outdoor experiences. His sympathetic connections to Nature provide vivid images of the natural world, especially birds. His message is informative and uplifting.

The questions the author raises in these essays probe subjects most of us prefer to ignore: Why are so many Americans still denying their role in global warming? How is the “energy crisis” mostly a matter of attitudes? What would bacteria like to tell us? Why is water shortage a moral issue?

In the voluminous literature on the environment, this book is unique in suggesting the transformative role birds can play in changing our attitudes to Nature. Based on solid biological research, expressed in a fluent and often lyrical style with a confident voice, Foster’s essays will convince you that birds and Nature are worth saving.

Come down to 'Read, Write & Brew' this Saturday to hear Mike Foster read from his book,
as well as engage in discussion on this hot topic.
To find out more, be sure to
visit the website for 'The Ties That Bind'

A deer, juggler and uni-cycles

2011-06-10T11:33:00.001-07:00

8.30am.

A deer walked through the car park.

A guy then started juggling 6 balls by his car as he waited for his friends to show up... on their uni-cycles.

Just another 'day in the life' at Read, Write & Brew.

Live Music: "Tim Merkel and Kyle Walker Sharing a Mic"

2011-05-31T08:51:00.000-07:00

Two new local musical artists have joined the live music line up at Read, Write & Brew.

You may have seen them perform at local events around town - or you may not have had the opportunity to listen to their stuff yet. Either way, their passionate about their music, they're talented, and they're free to listen to! So make sure you come on down to your local coffeehouse with a bunch of friends and enjoy the free entertainment.

The free music starts now. Click the links below to hear Tim Merkel play:

Catch them:
Wed June 1st (that's tomorrow!),
Wed June 15th,
Wed June 29th,

4:30pm-6.30pm

MULTI -AUTHOR BOOK SIGNING - May 14th (that's this Saturday!) 11am until 2pm

2011-05-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

Jo Ann Colton is a published writer, seminar facilitator, and marketer. She specializes in business writing, newspaper and magazines articles. Website

Bert was deaf and blind since the age of forty five. This heartwarming narrative is told by Diane Lane Chambers, eighty six year-old Bert's sign language teacher. Website

Kim Burnett has four books facing publication, including this guide for men entitled, The Knuckle-draggers Guide to Romance (Yes Even a Caveman Can Do It). Website

Dave Knox has been writing creatively since the 1960s. Revolution: A Revisionist’s Fiction, is a story that embraces a different U.S. historical outcome for the period 1968-1974. Website

This event is organized and hosted by the
FOOTHILLS & VICINITY WRITERS GROUP.
For more information about the multi-author event, or the group’s monthly meetings contact:
JM Colton
(303) 670-1028.

Easter Weekend Store Hours

2011-04-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday April 23rd: 8am - 2pm

Sunday April 24th: Closed

Happy Easter everyone!

April Java Junkies - Cory and Kim Forgrave

2011-04-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

We love to write our 'Java Junkies' post, because it's a way for us to get to know all our regulars better - and it's a way for all our regulars to also get to know more about those familiar faces they see when they're hanging out at the store. We like to think we're doing our part in encouraging 'local community bonding' and stuff.

Julie: How long have you guys been coming to Read, Write & Brew?

Cory: Since last fall. We moved here to Colorado from San Diego.

Julie: Did you guys grow up in San Diego?

Kim: I did. Cory grew up in Michigan – Upper Peninsula.

Julie: So what took you out to San Diego Cory?

Cory: Well, I originally moved out to Colorado, to Fort Collins, like, probably eleven years ago. And, uh, just met some friends and he used to be in the Marines, and he always wanted to get back to the surfing, and I loved motor cross, so the three of us moved out to San Diego so he could surf and I could do the motor cross.

Julie: Are you still doing any motor-crossing?

Cory: No, haven’t done it in a few years, but I still love the sport.

Julie: And what brought you out here?

Cory: School of Mines. I’m going to school there.

Julie: What are you studying?

Cory: Mineral and Energy Economics.

Julie: And how’s it going so far?

Cory: So far so good. It’s tough, but it’s going well.

Julie: How much longer have you got to go?

Cory: Ummm, a few years. It’s a PHD program, so probably another 4 years or so.

Julie: And then when you’re done do you plan on staying in Colorado, or do you plan on moving on?

Cory: The degree will take me wherever the market leads me, so…

Julie: Well good luck with that.

Cory: Thanks.

Julie: And what do you do Kim?

Kim: I’m an executive assistant and I work down in Denver.

Julie: So what’s your guys’ passion? What things do you love to do?

Kim: [laughs] Right now we just work on our house.

Julie: Are you renovating it?

Kim: Um, no. We just bought a place and it hadn’t been painted, so we’re going through the whole, having to paint every square inch of it. That’s pretty much what we do now.

Cory: Yeah, otherwise it’s just full time school, and walkin’ the dogs.

Julie: How many dogs do you have?

Cory: We have two. A little Lab, and then an Australian Cattle Dog.

Kim: Yes, they keep us busy. That was our routine, and so that was the hardest part about moving here is that, well coming from San Diego there’s so many coffee shops and different little cute eclectic places that we would bounce around and we had our little routine down and then when we moved it was hard to find another set of shops to go to. So, when Cory stumbled on your place…

Julie: Awesome! Do you find it harder to walk your dogs year round here? Do you let the snow stop you at all in the winter?

Cory: No. You really can’t. I mean, it limits where you can go, but for the most part it hasn’t been too bad. You know, and we live just off Green Mountain so, when it’s nice, there’s lots of places to take them.

Julie: So you guys love hiking and stuff too?

Cory: Yeah.

Julie: So we ask all our Java Junkies, what’s your favorite drink at Read, Write & Brew?

Cory: Oh, mine’s the ‘Black and Tan’ for sure.

Julie: I’ve noticed, every time you come in, Jefferson see’s you, gets a cup ready and just says to you ‘Black and Tan’?

Kim: Yep, and then I get the iced tea.

Julie: So what’s something most people don’t know about you guys, or would never know about you unless they asked this question?

Cory: Well, it’s not too wild or wacky, but we had the chance to travel to East Africa, Tanzania. We spent a couple of weeks there. And that was really nice.

Julie: Tanzania, wow! What was that like? I don’t know anything about that country.

Kim: It was amazing. Absolutely amazing. I ended up winning a sales contest at work, and so I got $10,000 to go on a vacation. So where would you pick if you had $10,000? So I decided we could either do something really fancy or we could do something that we would never do if it was our own money. So we went on a safari with a British company, and we traveled all over Tanzania and actually spent like three or four days, they let us camp in the bush with those big tents like you see in the movies… and um, yeah, they took really good care of us so, it was just us and our guide and, the guide specialized in birds, and Cory likes birds, and he also specialized in photography. So he’d always rotate the Jeep to the right light so we could get the best pictures of the animals.

Julie: So you got to see wild animals up close, like lions and zebras and…

Cory: Yeah, that was pretty much the norm. Every day you’d see elephants, giraffes, lions, zebras…

Julie: Did it freak you out to be so close to those huge wild animals like that?

Kim: It freaks you out! I mean, they were close. Like, the elephant would be just on the other side of the glass, you know, right here [we were sitting on the couches, and Kim was pointing to the window facing our patio].

Julie: That close!

Kim: Really close. We had one block the road, where you know, he moves to the side flapping his ears, showing his dominance. And then, there’s different techniques they use to try and move them, but…

Cory: You don’t know if they are going to charge or not…

Kim: Yeah they’d say ‘If they charge and we flip over, make sure you stay underneath the Jeep’, so [laughing] it’s real life stuff. So, I was probably more freaked out than Cory. Cory was loving it, but… at one point they found lionesses in the trees, and we weren’t supposed to go off the trail, but our guide was like, ‘we’ve gotta do this’, so he drove us into the trees and literally, if you stood up and looked out the skylight, the paw was just six inches above where we were and you could hear them breathing. They were up in the trees trying to catch some breeze… so, you’re like ‘they could just fall over into our truck [laughs] but they never did and I guess people, I mean, that’s why they’re paying the money, they WANT that experience. But, it was a little like, hectic for me.

Julie: How long ago did you do this?

Cory: It was... six years ago?

Kim: Yeah.

Julie: The way you’re talking about it, it sounds like it was just last summer or something. It sounds like it’s still so vivid to you…

Cory: Yeah, it’s definitely an experience that you want to try again… so we’ll probably go back again.

Kim: Yeah, but there is no real, like, as much as you’re paying, there’s not a lot of creature comforts. Because there’s no electricity down there, so everything’s generator.

Julie: But don’t you kinda want it that way though? I mean, you’re going out into the African jungle, wouldn’t you want the full wild, raw experience…

Kim: But it’s hot [‘hot’ said with great emphasis, then laughs. Cory even agrees]. After being in 100 degree weather all day, you’re like, I’d like some cool air or… and the showers are all heated by wood, so your temperature it’s pumped from wherever you’re at – so it’s just whatever it is.

Julie: Oh, so you can’t control the temperature to make it hotter or colder.

Kim: Yeah, and so you still have like lots of bugs, and you know, there’s still that side of it. It’s pretty gritty I guess, but, it was cool. We definitely say, if you get the opportunity, it’s well worth it.

Cory: And it’s to the point now where they have big lodges there too. Like, in the middle of nowhere you’ll drive up and they’ll just have this huge lodge, so you can stay in nice comfortable places, you know, or you could stay in the tents if you want. So it’s, it’s nice.

Wow – not everyone you meet can talk about an African jungle adventure like that. Thanks so much for sharing this experience with us, and thanks for being valued regulars at Read, Write & Brew. Enjoy spending your $10 gift certificate at the store. It’s our way of saying thanks for letting us pry into your lives and publish it onto our blog.

Local Author Book Signing: 'The New Normal', by David Wann (Golden resident)

2011-04-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

The New Normal predicts that in the emerging era, production and consumption will no longer be the defining characteristics of civilization – cultural richness, efficiency, cooperation, expression, ecological design, and biological restoration will be.

From the Chapter, “Living Wealth: Restoring the Economies of Nature:”

Old Perspective: Nature is, at worst, an evil enemy and at best a warehouse of resources we can convert to cash. Produced capital is more valuable than natural capital because we made it. By the force of technology, will, and human ingenuity, we can displace people, plants, and animals that were original inhabitants and replace them with malls, subdivisions, and electronic gadgets that are far more profitable. Pay no attention to the weeds, pests, toxic chemicals, slash piles, and tailings ponds that are side effects of industry, because that’s what money looks like.

New Perspective: Nature is far from being a problem; rather, it’s a symphony of tried and true solutions – a source of materials if harvested sustainably; and a “sink” that recycles biodegradable wastes. Letting nature go broke is like swinging wrecking balls against our own houses and places of worship. In many cases, the services nature provides, just in the course of being a living system, have far greater value than the minerals, processed food, and other products that come from Earth’s ecosystems. In the emerging era, restoration of natural systems and adoption of sustainable practices will be our civilization’s highest priority.

The key questions are:

Will biological and physical scarcity stimulate beneficial changes in human behavior? Will civilization change its priorities because of new biological realities?
Can we change the direction of our economy, from “Destroy nature, make money” to “Preserve and restore nature, save money”?

Too often, we respond to urgent reports about the decline of nature with a shrug of our shoulders. Since many impacts are embedded within our way of life – the way we manufacture, farm, generate energy, collect used material, etc. – we often don’t feel there’s much we can do as individuals. This collective shoulder-shrugging – a whole civilization deferring responsibility – is potentially fatal; many empires and civilizations before ours collapsed because of a lack of respect for nature. In our times, the throwaway lifestyle seems easy, but inevitably results in higher taxes, expensive health effects, and degraded landscapes that need to be repaired. These added expenses make our civilization unaffordable.

However, by “saving nature” we make life less expensive, creating jobs, recreation, health, and security; a stable climate, and a way of life that requires less maintenance. Yet, because our role as consumers has dominated our lives, we sometimes forget the many other ways we can preserve and restore nature: as teachers, students, farmers, designers, parents, voters, citizen activists, business owners, shareholders, churchgoers, vacationers, petition signers, meal planners, Internet users, and influential friends. In each of these roles, we can weave additional strands into the web of life.

Evidence of the changing paradigm is all around us, as the word “green” begins to redefine our culture.

The excerpt above was taken from http://www.davewann.com/publications/the-new-normal/ Click on this link to read more from 'The New Normal'.

David Wann is an author, filmmaker, and speaker on the topic of sustainable lifestyles and designs. Simple Prosperity is a sequel to the best-selling book he coauthored, Affluenza, which is now in 9 languages. A third book in the “trilogy” about creating a more sensible way of life is The New Normal, which has just been published by St. Martin’s press. It presents 33 high-leverage actions that can shift our culture in a more sustainable direction.

He has also produced 20 videos and TV programs, including the award-winning TV documentary “Designing a Great Neighborhood,” about the Holiday neighborhood in Boulder. David is president of the Sustainable Futures Society and a Fellow of the National Simplicity Forum. He worked more than a decade as a policy analyst for U.S. EPA and co-designed the cohousing neighborhood where he lives, in Golden.

Come to Read, Write & Brew
Saturday April 30th
11.30am - 1.30pm
and meet David.

He'll be discussing his book 'The New Normal'.
There will also be copies available for purchase,
and to be signed by the author.

9 News article on our Chai supplier...

2011-03-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

Just in case you missed this interesting article on 3rd Street Chai, we thought we'd add it to our Blog. It's good to know about the stuff you eat and drink, after all; your ARE what you eat... and drink, I suppose.

Click here to view the source of this Blogpost.

BOULDER - If you ever visit Third Street Chai, do not be surprised if the owners take you directly to the back of the factory to show you the place they put their trash.

While the company is extremely proud of their products, it is what happens to the steaming pile of ingredients after it is used to make the chai, black and green tea, that sets them apart from their competitors.

Once the brewing process is over, the leftovers are heaped into a special bin and eventually sent to Boulder County farmers and used as compost. Through this process, the company says it was able to keep 47 tons of waste from being sent to landfills.

The company's commitment to sustainability does not end there. Third Street Chai ingredients are organic and fair trade certified, the company's electricity is completely offset by wind-power and all of its bottles are recyclable.

The company was started back in 1995 by two friends, who saw an opportunity to sell chai tea to downtown Boulder coffee shops. At first, the founders were mixing the chai by hand and delivering it in their personal cars. By 1997, they had moved to a commercial kitchen and were delivering to dozens of local coffee shops.

In 2000, Whole Foods asked the company to expand their offerings to include retail items-so the company converted an old auto repair garage into a brewery. The company grew out of that facility, moving to its current 10,000 square foot facility northeast of Boulder, in 2006.

Third Street Chai has also expanded its offerings and now sells concentrated ice tea and lemonade in addition to its wide variety of chai teas. You can find all of their products in Whole Foods and King Soopers stores, as well as other natural grocers.

For more about the company go to their website: 3rdstreetchai.com.

Meet Leila Levinson in-store, March 28th @ 7pm

2011-03-09T12:27:00.000-08:00

Leila Levinson will be at Read, Write & Brew March 28th at 7pm for a meet and greet, and will also perform a reading from her book. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Leila and purchase a signed copy of her book ‘Gated Grief’.

Standing in her university classroom, Leila Levinson called on a student with a raised hand.

“Can veterans' war trauma be passed onto their families?”

That question would inspire five years of research, countless interviews with war vets and their families, and eventually, Levinson's current book: Gated Grief: The Daughter of a GI Concentration Camp Liberator Discovers a Legacy of Trauma (Cable Publishing, January 31, 2011).

The daughter of a Nazi concentration camp liberator and army surgeon, Levinson was a close observer of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), though science hadn't yet defined it when her father came home, and he never even hinted at his awful experiences. Photographs Levinson found after his death revealed her father’s trauma.

It wasn't until she heard her student's question that she wondered: How did her father's buried trauma affect her family members? After all, her mother – absent since Levinson was 5 – suffered mental illness. And Levinson herself struggled with adult depression. So in 2005, she applied for a grant from the Ella Lyman Cabot Trust, and when she received it, set out for answers.

Today, Levinson is an expert on trans-generational trauma. Her five-year research project spanned the National Archives in Washington, DC, studying photos and taped interviews with veterans, to Holocaust museums the world over, to the homes of seventy veterans themselves, where she received first-hand accounts from Nazi camp liberators and their families.

The result is Gated Grief, a multigenerational perspective of PTSD, revealing how unhealed trauma reverberates through a family. But readers also gain a more pressing lesson: That facing trauma enables enormous healing.

From 2002 – 2008, Levinson taught a Holocaust literature course at St. Edward's University in
Austin, Tex. A freelance commentator on cultural issues, she has appeared on CNN, is a regular
contributing blogger for Huffington Post, and her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Austin American Statesman, The Texas Observer, and WWII Quarterly. She also has pieces forthcoming in Cross Currents and War, Literature, and Art. In 2006, the Writers League of Texas named her manuscript of Gated Grief the “Best Narrative Nonfiction Manuscript.”

Levinson is also the founder of www.veteranschildren.com, a website where veterans and their
children are invited to share their stories. She lives with her husband and two sons in Austin, Tex.

Java Junkie of the month - Colinda De Groen

2011-03-06T11:19:00.000-08:00

Colinda is Read, Write & Brew’s resident artist. All the beautiful paintings of Colorado you see up for sale on our walls were painted by this wonderful lady. Why’s she so wonderful? She’s talented, passionate, warm and fun.

Julie: So you grew up in Holland?

Colinda: I was born in Germany, and when I was 5 we moved to Holland, my family, and I remember standing in front of the TV watching Bonanza and I pointed at the TV and I said “That’s my home, that’s where I live one day”.

Julie: When you were 5?!

Colinda: When I was 5 years old I already knew I would come out here and the Rocky Mountains have been my home, and I just love it.

Julie: How long have you lived here now?

Colinda: Well, lived in America since 1984. Six months after my 18^th birthday I packed my stuff, and here I came.

Julie: All by yourself, with just a wing and a prayer?

Colinda: Right. And I’ve been in Colorado since 2004.

Julie: Any plans to go anywhere else?

Colinda: [quickly] Oh goodness no! Yes, I love it here. This is my home now.

Julie: So tell me more about the website you’re working on.

Colinda: Well I put it up in October, and it’s about outdoor Colorado – about all the possible ways of enjoying our beautiful outdoors here, and our beautiful mountains. I find that being outside, it really is healthy for your mind, your outlook, healthy for your body, you get exercise… so I go outdoors and I film people that are bike riding or hiking or snowshoeing, and then I upload the video of them doing that on YouTube, and on the website you’ll find links to Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver Mountain Parks, Jeffco Open Space, you’ll find a calendar of events of all the outdoor things that are going on around this area here. By all means, if there are events that people know of that are outdoor related, let me know. Just post me a little email on the website and then I will list it on the calendar, because it’s really fun to see people come out and participate in these things. Jeffco does a lot of great things up by the Nature Center. Denver Mountain Parks – a lot of people I know are not familiar with it - but they own Genesee Park with the Bison, they own Echo Lake up by Mount Evans, they own Summit Lake – they're all great for the elderly, and people with disabilities to come out there because they’re just really well maintained. They’ve got facilities, and so I want to let people know about those things so that they may feel more inclined to go out there and spend a family day out instead of being in front of the television or the computer. I love to watch people have fun outside and look at each other and interact together.

Julie: That really stands out to me about you, because I notice that all your artwork is of Colorado and the landscapes and animals and activities… they’re beautiful.

Colinda: [laughs] Thank you. It is. It is all about Colorado. I’m outside a lot hiking or filming or taking pictures… incessantly [pauses and smiles]… and I just love it so much. I enjoy painting it, and my house is full of things [laughs again] like the paintings and all kinds of outdoor stuff.

Julie: How long have you been doing your art?

Colinda: Oh wow! Ha, ha. Well, I have painted ever since high school. Um, but more seriously where I put it out in stores to sell… probably, well, since my daughter was born. Since 2003. For creative people, being outside is a necessity, but I think for people that are stuck in a cubicle or an office a lot, I think it is just as much of a necessity just to get a broader perspective of life and remember that it’s not all about work.

Julie: Well that’s great advice. What’s the address for the website?

Colinda: The website is rangetracker.org.

Julie: So now for the questions we ask all of our 'Java Junkies' at Read, Write & Brew; What’s your favorite drink?

Colinda: My favorite drink is the ahh… I had one just now, it’s The Great White Pumpkin, and I have whipped cream on top of it, of course.

Julie: Yesss…

Colinda: Yesss, of course.

Julie: Of course!

[Both of us have a little giggle at this point. It’s a girl thing, for you boys who don’t get what’s so funny right now]

Colinda: My daughter and I both love coming here, and she gets one of your frozen treats. She loves those, and I like to get the cappuccino one too.

Julie: Another question we like to ask all our Java Junkies is; What’s something that you think not many people know about you or would be surprised to know about you?

Colinda: Oh [laughs] Well, um, there’s probably a whole lot of things. I can’t think of anything right at the top of my head… not anything I want to talk about [cheeky laugh].

Well, I volunteer for the Easter Seals. I help out with them when they have their weekend camps and this summer I’m looking forward to helping out with the summer camps. And I would say next to giving birth to my daughter, it’s the most rewarding thing that I can think of, ever. You know, when we take people with disabilities and we take them skiing… and it’s just wonderful to see everybody have so much fun. I have to give the people at Rocky Mountain Village so much credit because it’s amazing to see them just moment after moment taking such good care of the people that come to spend the weekend with us there. They’re always looking for more volunteers, and this summer will be fun because it’s out in the mountains, real close to Georgetown. They have this whole village there with fishing, horseback riding, wall climbing – I’m going to try that for the first time ever over there – but it’s lovely because people that are wheelchair bound, they hoist them up and participate, oh and they love it! They go down on the ratchet, you know,…

Julie: Like zip-lining?

Colinda: Yeah, they zip-line and go wooooo! Ha, ha.

Julie: Really! That’s awesome.

Colinda: Yeah. They just love it. And they can do arts and crafts and, the rewards ceremony at the end of the weekend, all the participants, their faces just glow, and it is extremely rewarding. It’s a memory you take with you no matter where you go. And, you know what. Of all the things you can achieve in life and accomplish in life, I think helping someone else to have a better day… that is something you can take with you. You cannot take your money with you or anything, but those good feelings and building friendships, that is something that – it will never leave you.

And that's Colinda, ladies and gentlemen.

Colinda, good luck with the website. I’ve already bookmarked rangetracker.com on my PC. I hope you achieve your aim of getting everybody outside and exploring our great outdoors more. It’ll be my first reference point this summer whenever I want to try a new hiking trail.

Blog Readers: Check out these videos direct from Rangetracker.org.

Playing chess with Jefferson at Read, Write & Brew.

Just too cute...

Thanks again for being our latest Java Junkie Colinda. We hope you enjoy your $10 Read, Write & Brew gift certificate – just in time for the warmer weather and those frozen coffee drinks!

Closed Sunday 6th of February

2011-02-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

We're closed today due to the dumping of snow Golden got overnight, and the dumping we're still getting. It's unsafe to be out and about in this weather, people. Stay home and watch the Superbowl!

Java Junkie's of the Month - Sam and Lynne

2011-01-04T17:12:00.000-08:00

Julie: So thanks for agreeing to be our January Java Junkies guys. We were just talking about Michigan, the last place you lived before you moved to Colorado. Were you guys born and raised there, or did you live somewhere else before that?

Sam: No, I lived somewhere else before that. Michigan is where we met.

Lynne: But I was born and raised in Michigan. This is the second place I've ever lived.

Julie: Cool, me too! So do you guys like it here in Colorado? Do you plan on staying here for a while?

Sam: So far. Unless something unforeseen happens.

Julie: Until something better comes along?

Sam: No, we're not looking for anything better. This is good. We've been here for 11 years now.

Julie: So what do you guys do for a living?

Lynne: Well, I'm an IT Manager at a company downtown, Forest Oil. It's an independent gas and oil exploration company.

Sam: I'm a Software Engineer but I've been unemployed since July.

Julie: Tough times at the moment.

Sam: Well, I'm not going to blame the economy too much because I haven't really been looking for work - I've kinda been doing my own thing and seeing how that goes.

Julie: Are you starting your own business?

Sam: I'd like to do consulting. I'd like a little more flexibility, and to be able to pick and choose the jobs I do a little bit. It seems like these days the types of companies I've worked for in the last 10 years you really can't rely on for permanent employment anyway, so I just want to cut to the chase and look for short term gigs on my own.

Julie: So you're both in IT - you must have a pretty sweet computer set up at home.

Sam: Well, lets see - it's getting bigger. We've got a little bit of a server farm in the basement.

Julie: What do you guys like to do for fun?

Sam: A lot of the things that brought us here; hike, bike ride, we have over the years rock climbed, but we do a little less of that these days.

Julie: Favorite hike in Colorado?

Sam: Anything up near the Divide. Indian Peaks.

Lynne: Chief Mountain is a nice short hike. There's a lot that I like, but those two give you some really good views without exactly having to climb a 14'er to get them.

Sam: We went to a couple of places along the I-70 corridor, the Herman Gulch area, that had really beautiful wildflowers this year.

Julie: Got any plans for New Year's Eve?

Lynne: We have friends that live in Steamboat, and we have a friend we've known since we were living in Michigan, so one of them is flying out to Steamboat and we're going to celebrate his 60th birthday. His official birthday is a day or so after New Years. So we plan to hopefully do some skiing, maybe some snowshoeing. Our friends have a very nice and spacious house, and can accommodate a big group of us that are planning to be over there. The only part that's hard about Steamboat is, it's a very nice place, it's just the difficulties getting there in the winter. If it was last week we probably never would have made it. But hopefully the snow will clear up a little bit so we can actually get there and get back.

Julie: Do you guys have any new year resolutions?

Lynne: Huh...

Sam: Ahhhhhhhh....

Julie: Did I only just start that thought process with that question?

Sam: Get a job! (laughs)

Lynn: Sam's getting a job, me, well for me I think I want to be a little more organized. That would be my biggest thing. I'm kinda a little bit not kinda at times. And not work as hard. That's my other thing.

Sam: There ya go.

Julie: Well, that's usually easier said than done. So how did you guys find out about us?

Lynne: Well we saw the big sign and we'd been hoping someone would open something up around here for a while, because we get a lot of out of town guests and they always leave really early in the morning and they always ask "Where can we stop and get some coffee?"and there wasn't any place really close that wasn't out of the way, so we got really excited when you guys opened up.

Julie: What are your favorite coffee drinks at Read, Write & Brew?

Lynne: I'm not really a coffee drinker, so I like the Chai.

Sam: Latte.

Julie: Is there anything you think fellow customers or people reading this Blog would be surprised to know about you that they wouldn't otherwise know if they hadn't read about it on this blog?

Sam: I was a gymnast. I did all around but I was best at the floor, pommel horse, parallel bars, uneven bars.

Lynne: He actually got some scholarships for that.

Sam: Yeah, that actually helped me out through college.

Lynne: I can't think of anything! Ummm, I'm going to learn to play the guitar.

Sam: We're going to take guitar lessons together.

Lynne: We hope to inspire each other to learn.

Julie: Well that could have been one of your answers to the 'New Year's Resolutions' question. So can we say this time next year we'll have you booked in to perform for everyone on our stage, and we can see the progress you've made by then?

Sam: Wow, that's ambitious. How about air guitar?

Lynne: I was impressed that one of the guys who we've watched play here had a really cool device, it was a tuner.

Sam: She liked the electronic tuner.

Julie: Of course, IT people love their electronic gadgets, I know, I live with one myself.

Jefferson (over at the counter serving drinks): Did I hear you guys say you play guitar?

Julie: Yep, book them in for a performance this time next year, on the stage.

[Lynne kept mentioning interesting things people would not know about Sam, and kept insisting she had nothing interesting to mention about herself. "I'm sure you'll think of something you should have told me once you get home" I assured her. Sure enough, when the tape recorder was turned off at the conclusion of the interview, the conversation went on and she mentioned that she spent a night on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean once. One of two females on the whole platform, they had to create a makeshift bedroom in the female bathroom on tiny sleeping cots. The voice recorder was not rolling, so I'm not able to repeat all the details, but SEE LYNNE! You have done some pretty amazing things that people would not know by just looking at you. I'm sure you thought of even more things you could have mentioned while you walked back home from the store that morning.]

Thanks for the interview guys. It was great to get to know you two better, and we hope you enjoyed your $10 Gift Certificate to spend on your Latte's and Chai's at Read, Write & Brew.

NYE Store Hours

2010-12-31T08:01:00.000-08:00

New Years Eve (Fri 31st Dec): 6am - 12noon

New Years Day (Sat 1st Jan): 8am - 12noon

Sunday 2nd Jan: Closed

Christmas Weekend Hours

2010-12-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

Friday: 6am - 12 noon

Saturday: Closed (Merry Christmas!)

Sunday: Closed

Live music and drink specials!

2010-12-22T16:00:00.000-08:00

Cindy Karr and friends will be performing from 6-8 tonight at RWB, come on down and check out the vibe. All coffees and chai teas are Buy 1 get 1 50% off until close!

New Live Musical Act at Read, Write & Brew

2010-12-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

KRISTIN MYERS
Thursday December 16th @ 5pm

Kristin Myers, a local folk musical artist, will perform at Read, Write & Brew songs from her album, 'Regardless of Me'. Grab a coffee, grab a couch, and enjoy the sweet tunes.

Click here to hear a sampling of a few of Kristin's tunes.

Now you know why we posted that link - to sucker you in. You want to hear more now, don't you! Well you can - live, and for FREE! Bring yourself and your friends down to Read, Write & Brew this Thursday night at 5pm, 'regardless of' whatever else you had planned (sorry Kristin, I just couldn't resist).

About Kristin
After traveling around the world Kristin Myers has broken in to the folk scene with a passion and determination. Her fans find themselves humming the melodies, saying “They have been my own personal soundtrack.”Her first album, Regardless of Me, highlights Kristin and her guitar. Recorded over the span of three months, the album is a concise collection of songs she has written, which now number over one hundred. Her album has been called “a sweet and much needed return to folk music” with songs that take you through the depths of a city, to the top of its highest sky rise, to a new found sanctuary and finally back home, all the while exploring various connections and relationships.

Accoustical Country & Blues at 'Read, Write & Brew'

2010-12-06T19:11:00.001-08:00

If you couldn't make it last Wednesday to see Cindy Karr perform - here's what you missed.

Cindy will perform with a different special guest each week. Appearing below is Ludwig.

Grab your significant other, get a hot cocoa, and relax and reconnect to the sounds of country and blues.

To find out more about Cindy and her music, click here.

Wednesdays, 6pm - 7.30pm.

Free Live Music

2010-11-30T07:54:00.000-08:00

Come down to Read, Write & Brew for some free live music tomorrow night.
Cindy Karr is a country and blues artist, and will be playing acoustic guitar for everyone to enjoy.

When: Wednesday December 1st
Time: 6pm - 7:30pm

Come and meet Rene Ellis, author of 'Billy Bob the Bullfrog from Marshy Bog'

2010-11-27T10:07:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how to make friends? Then come to the Bog and meet Billy Bob the Bullfrog from Marshy Bog. He has a tongue so long he can almost reach the stars. So come and start the adventures of Marshy Bog and join in the journey of learning how to play.

Want to talk to the characters at Marshy Bog? Click here to send them a note or a question, and they will email you back!

Rene Ellis will visit Read, Write & Brew to read the newest book from her Marshy Bog series. Bring the kids for fun story time, get a signed copy, and help support a local Denver author.

Where: Read, Write & Brew
When: December 11th, 2010
Time: 1pm - 3pm

About Rene
"Children and Children's books are my passion. My Marshy Bog series helps children understand that they should not taunt others because they are physically or mentally different than most.

My family is my motivation. I have been married for 30 years and have two grown sons, Matthew and Derek. My Marshy Bog Series was written about and for our two sons as they were growing up.

Our youngest son, Derek, had severe hearing problems as a child and I remember the times that he was made fun of due to speech problems. However, he was the type of person that could deffinately take care of himself when this happened but it still hurt. He does not have a speech problem today! Sadly, most children do not know how to defend against this type of situation and hide their fear of being taunted! I have approximately 12 stories written and I am excited that my first story was just released and titled, Billy Bob the Bullfrog. You see, Billy Bob has a tongue so long that it almost reaches the stars but due to this he can't speak properly. In short, Marshy Bog is Where Children Learn to Play!

I hope that my words encourage those that are different from others to find their own strength and become successful just like Billy Bob and Boomer the Badger.

Shop SMALL this Saturday!

2010-11-19T07:07:00.000-08:00

First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. This year, November 27th is the first ever Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.

More than a dozen advocacy, public and private organizations have already joined American Express OPEN, the company’s small business unit, in declaring the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday.

Join the movement, spread the word!

For more info: http://www.smallbusinesssaturday.com/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday
Article: http://www.tonic.com/article/small-business-saturday-american-express-facebook-girls-inc/

Java Junkie of the Month - Davina Van Buren (Dee)

2010-11-11T19:40:00.001-08:00

Dee took a break from her 'National Novel Writing Month' Meetup Group in order to sit down with Julie for this months Java Junkie interview.

Dee: Not everyone remembers 'Davina', so most people call me Dee.
Julie: That's a beautiful name.
Dee: Thank you. It's a Hebrew name, a feminine form of 'David' and it means 'beloved', and my middle name is 'dawn' so it means 'the beloved break of day'.
Julie: That's so beautiful, your mum and dad did a good job on that one!
Dee: Yeah, they got really deep on that one - they were hippies (laughs).
Julie: And so you mentioned you grew up in North Carolina?
Dee: Mm-hum! I'm from North Carolina, I've lived there all my life until 6 months ago. I was born in a small town in the center - in the exact center - called Sanford. Wilmington, by the coast, was my favorite place. I love the beach.
Julie: So what made you decide to move all the way across the country to Colorado?
Dee: Well, a couple of things, my Fiance is in the Medical Marijuana business, so we opened up a dispensary. And also, one of my best friends has lived out here for about 12 years, and she's been trying to get me to come out here and work with her. And she's starting a new company, so once she gets it off the ground, I'll be working for her.
Julie: So are you working right now, or are you just waiting for her business to take off.
Dee: Well, no, I'm helping my Fiance with his business, and I'm working on my book.
Julie: That's right. Jefferson mentioned to me that you're writing for the competition...
Dee: National Novel Writing Month. Entries are due at the end of November. The premise of it is you have 30 days to write 50,000 words, which is roughly equivalent to 175 pages. So, if you write 1700 words every day, for a month, it's enough for a novel. And this year about 197,000 people are doing it across the world. So far I'm on target. I've been staying with my word count. But, it's definitely a challenge because I've never written anything this long.
Julie: So you've written things before?
Dee: Yes, I was a writer back in North Carolina. Before I moved here I worked for an arts magazine, and I've also worked for a woman's issues magazine, I used to do restaurant reviews, I worked for a newspaper - I've always just loved writing.
Julie: So what are you writing about for your entry to the National Novel Writing Month?
Dee: I'm writing a memoir. I love reading fiction, but, I'm not going to say I'm not good at it - because I haven't really tried - but I just haven't ever written a lot of it. So for my first attempt at a book I'm just going to do something where I know the subject matter. And it's also for my son. He's 19 years old now, so if anything happens to me, I would like for him to have something that he could go back and read and know who I am and how I got here.
Julie: So I ask everyone this, do you have a favorite drink at Read, Write & Brew?
Dee: Oh man, I sure do (laughs). I always get a medium cappuccino with skim milk, wet. Recently I've been drinking your Great White Pumpkin Latte, for Halloween - that's my guilty pleasure.
Julie: Sometimes you have to treat yourself and go all out, get the whipped cream on top and everything.
Dee: That's what I did too!
Julie: So my final question to all our Java Junkies is, what's something people - reading this blog or just hanging out in the store - would be surprised to know about you?
Dee: I could tell you a couple of things. The first one is, as I told you guys last week and you were surprised to find out, that I have a son who's 19. A lot of people don't think that I'm old enough - which is good. So that surprises people, and the other thing is I've actually hung out at the Playboy Mansion. I have a friend who does a lot of charity events there, and about 4 times a year they throw these big parties and all the money goes towards charities like 'SPCA' or 'Make A Wish Foundation' or any other charity that they happen to be working with. So I'll get all dolled up and put on some sexy clothes, and go hang out with Hugh Hefner. I don't usually do stuff like that, I never wear makeup, I'm always in some sweats or jeans, so when I do get all dolled up it's like, 'Woah, who's that?'. The Playboy Mansion is amazing. It's got a zoo, and a huge grotto with waterfalls, acres and acres where you can play volleyball or hang out at the game room, there's peacocks running around, and all sorts of crazy things - it's huge. It's really great, because you get to hang around all these celebrities and people who do amazing things, and beautiful ladies, and it's just a beautiful atmosphere. So, you probably wouldn't know that by looking at me (laughs).
Julie: Well thanks so much for agreeing to this interview.
Dee: Well, I'm honored. I can't wait to see it!

Well Dee, sorry it took so long, but here it is!
It was such a pleasure getting to know one of our newest regulars - such a beautiful girl, inside and out. We hope you enjoyed your $10 gift certificate, and used it to treat yourself to an all out Great White Pumpkin - whipped cream and all!

Click here if you'd like to read an excerpt of Dee's entry into the National Novel Writing Month competition.

The Loosely Knit Bunch

2010-11-03T15:18:00.001-07:00

This group meets every Tuesday (1.30pm - 3.00pm) and is made up of knitters of all abilities. From those picking up needles for the first time, to the 'I've-lost-count-how-many-times-I-have-done-this' time. Called 'The Loosely Knit Bunch' because it's not a requirement to attend every get together - just come along whenever you can. If you need help and advice with your latest project, or just love the company of fellow knitting addicts as you click those needles away, be sure to drop by and say hi.

Local Author Spotlight: Diane Lane Chambers

2010-10-19T16:11:00.000-07:00

Authors from the 'Foothills & Vicinity Writes Group' came to 'Read, Write & Brew' on September 11th for a meet and greet. For those of you who were not able to attend, this blog post is about those authors who attended and the books they have published. Read on to learn about the writers living in your neighbourhood.

"Words in My Hands
A Teacher, A Deaf-Blind, An Unforgettable Journey"
and
"Hearing the Stream A Survivor's Journey into the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer"

Diane at Read, Write & Brew in September.

Words in My Hands, A Teacher, A Deaf-Blind Man, An Unforgettable Journey
Award Winner!
National League of American Pen Women Letters Contest, Marjorie Davis Roller - Non-Fiction Award April 2002

Reviewed by Robert Hamilton , California Association of Resource Specialists and Special Education Teachers

When I agreed to read and review Ms. Chambers’ book, I expected something like Tuesdays With Morrie. A little volume of reminiscences, celebrating the precious frailty of life and the human spirit, blah blah blah. Mea Culpa, I know, but that’s what I expected.

What I got was, indeed, all that, and a whole lot more. Ms. Chambers has woven four stories together into one inspirational book. The first and foremost is, of course, the story of her teacher-student relationship with the 86-year-old deaf-blind Bert Riedel, and her quest to reconnect him to life through signing communication. Fleshing out that narrative is his personal history, gathered from friends and relatives, bringing him alive to us not as a subject but as a human being, surrounded by his own universe of memories and experiences, and with his own particular philosophy of life. The third story is the history of the author and how she came to be an interpreter for the deaf as well as their advocate. And through it all is interwoven the history of the Deaf community, American Sign Language, and the hearing world’s perception and treatment of the deaf.
Purchase book.

Hearing the Stream, A Survivor's Journey into the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer
New Arrival!

Review by Allan Burns, Editor, Colorado Springs, CO

Hearing the Stream, the fruit of all she has experienced and learned as a cancer survivor, is an inspiring book that weaves together her own story and those of five others, thereby providing multiple perspectives on a complex disease that can be a different as the individual people dealing with it. As Dr. Tim Byers of the University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center says, "Accounts such as this of the human toll of breast cancer motivate me as a researcher--and should motivate us all--to redouble our many efforts to reduce further and someday eradicate this disease."
Purchase book.

About the Author
Diane Lane Chambers, a resident and native of Colorado, holds a B.S. degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Colorado. Nationally certified as a sign language interpreter she has worked in the Denver Public School system as an educational interpreter and, for thirteen years, directed a summer program at Gove Community School, in Denver, into which deaf and physically disabled children were mainstreamed.
Over the last thirty years as a free-lance interpreter she has provided sign language interpretation for hundreds of consumers in a wide array of settings including health care, business, education, and government.
As a breast cancer survivor and advocate, Diane is an active member of the National Breast Cancer Coalition. She is a 2003 graduate of the Coalition’s Project LEAD, and since then has participated in a number of the NBCC’s Advocacy Trainings in Washington D.C., and Lobby Days on Capital Hill. In December 2005, she attended the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and graduated from the Alamo Breast Cancer Patient Advocate Program. Locally she volunteers for the American Cancer Society giving presentations and meeting with newly diagnosed women as part of the Reach to Recovery Program. She lives with her husband in Conifer, Colorado.

Java Junkies of the Month - Jane and Less Prior

2010-10-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

Julie (pressing record on her voice recorder): Alright, so we are going to record our Java Junkie interview…

Jefferson (in the background): woah, woah… are we getting all high tech with our interviews now?

Julie: Don’t interrupt, this is valuable airtime you’re taking up here. So this is with Jane and Less Prior. How did you guys first find out about Read, Write & Brew?

Jane: Well, we take Taekwondo class across from the store, and I think the first person that really introduced us was Sara Webb. We try to come every Saturday after we work out. That’s our treat (laughs).

Julie: So what’s your favorite drink?

Less: The ‘Black and Tan’.

Jane: Yeah, the ‘Black and Tan’.

Less: So far…

Julie: What are you guys reading right now?

Jane: I did buy a book here when you had the Foothills and Vicinity Writers Group out here, and I’ve started to read that, the one about Kansas (‘What do you do with the yolks? ‘ by Carol Devlin). Since I’ve started homeschooling I’ve been reading a lot with Danny so, you know, my pleasure reading has kinda been put on hold, just because I try to read his lessons before the next lesson. I’m learning a lot from his studies.

Julie: How long have you been homeschooling Danny?

Jane: This is my second year. He’s in fifth grade. He loves to read. If he gets a good book, he’s a really good reader. So I’m really happy about that. That runs in our family.

Julie: So Jane, tell us about your project that you’re working on at the Taekwondo school.

Jane: Well I’m working on my black belt for December’s testing, and this testing is for my recommended black belt. My goal is to help raise money for the families who need assistance in paying for the Taekwondo classes. So to raise this money I’m helping Sara Webb with the Halloween event. We’re going to make it like a carnival and the money that people pay for the games goes towards that.

Julie: Oh, that’s the Trunk ‘n Treat! I remember you guys hosting that last year. What day are you having that this year?

Jane: Saturday October 30^th from 4pm to 6pm. Everyone’s welcome to come and check things out and check the school out. We raise the money by people paying to take part in the activities, and Danny as well as Brett (Sara’s son) have volunteered to have people throw whipped cream at their face for one of the competitions. That’s the game I’m organizing for my project.

Less: There’s going to be food there too.

Jane: Everybody’s going to bring their own ‘pot luck’ for everyone to share. They’ll also have the contest for the trunks, where we all vote for the trunk that everyone likes best.

Less: And everybody gets candy because each trunk you go to, it’s like ‘trick or treat’, but it’s a ‘trunk or treat’, so you visit the ‘trunk’ and you get a ‘treat’.

Jefferson: So do you have junk in your trunk?

Jane: (laughs) In my trunk I’m going to have a donation jar and people are welcome to donate to the families with that. We have about 5 or 6 families that benefit from this fundraising, so we just need to get more money in there.

Julie: We’ll that’s awesome, I’ll have to make sure I promote that on our blog site [editor’s note: DONE!] So another question I usually ask our Java Junkies is, what would our blog readers be surprised to know about you?

Less: I met Mickey Rooney when I worked on the golf course. When I was at Tre Hills Country Club, I was top dressing tee’s and he was playing a round of golf with the gold pro. So he was giving the golf pro lessons. I ended up just top dressing and I went 4 or 5 holes with them. He was a character. And he’s really short like they say. He was just cracking jokes.

Julie: How long ago was that?

Less: Well, that was 30 or 40 years ago.

Jane: I think, what people would find surprising about us is that everyone thinks that Taekwondo is for kids but what we’re doing is something that’s really difficult for adults to do (taking classes). There’s about 10 parents that join in. But we’ve stuck with it and continue to stick with it. When I first brought Danny there I thought it was just for the kids but it’s for adults as well. That’s us getting on the mats and testing in front of people, which was hard because that’s not who I am. I have changed a lot from doing that in terms of confidence and how to talk to people. It’s hard for me to get up and speak in front of other people and I’m a little bit better with that now. I think that’s helped us a lot.

Thanks guys for being our October Java Junkies - we hope you enjoyed your $10 gift certificate!

IT'S OUR FIRST BIRTHDAY

2010-10-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

We're going to have our cake
and eat it too - wanna help us?

This Saturday marks exactly one year since we've opened our doors.

It's because of your loyal patronage that we've made it this far.

There'll be birthday cake for everyone to share,

free drip coffee, and

random prizes throughout the day (with any purchase).

So please come down and help us celebrate!

How far we've come in one year... remember what we looked like when we first opened?

Painting with Connie

Our first Halloween.

Daybreak in Odessa

2010-10-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

Daybreak in Odessa
A memoir by Rita Stout

"The family clockwise from upper right- Rita, a senior at the University who would graduate six months later; Walter, my father, a professor at the University of Wisconsin, Heinrich the dog who bit the mailman; my brother, Wally, fourteen years old and in junior high; my sister Wendy, five years old; my mother, and my sister Lois, a freshman at the university. A year later in spring of 1959, as the family finished eating dinner, my father announced that he had just accepted a sabbatical at the University of Hawaii for the summer. Lois and I were welcome to come if we agreed to "be on deck" five days a week to take care of Wendy during the day. I balked. This had been my life to date, caretaker of the family. For the first time in my life I made other plans. This is my story."

This is an unusual coming of age story with unexpected twists and turns, a true account of a sheltered, naïve woman in her early twenties as she struggles to extricate herself from parents who, though well intentioned, were critical and controlling. In the desert of West Texas she meets a man who believes in her. With newfound confidence she learns to cope with both the joy and obstacles of life in a place vastly different from the home she left. Heartfelt and brutally honest, she shares the journey that each must take to give birth to one’s self.

Rita Stout teaches reading to college freshmen. Her first book, Not so Small a Circle, chronicles her only daughter's valiant but loosing battle with leukemia. She lives with her husband in Denver, Colorado.

If you would like to purchase a copy of Daybreak in Odessa, send a certified check or money order to: Rita Stout 2330 Yarrow St., Lakewood, CO 80214 (Please Allow 3 weeks for processing & mailing). PRICE: $18.00 (+ $3.00 shipping) total per book.

We've now got the Coffeehouse vibe a-goin' on.

2010-10-10T18:55:00.001-07:00

Have you been in to see our new additions yet? We've brought some new furniture pieces into the store, and I think you'll agree, we've definitely got the 'Coffeehouse' vibe going on now. If you haven't experienced the coziness yet, you've got to come in soon.

More couches.

Cozy chess playing nook.

Conference table, comfortably seats 8, surrounded by books

Stage.

We're still looking for musicians to play Monday to Thursday nights. If you know anyone who'd be interested, please get them to contact us.

We're ready!

2010-10-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

The stage is built, sanded, stained, glossed and ready to go.

We're putting together a list of live entertainment events and will announce them as soon as we have it all confirmed.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a venue with a stage for music, performing, reading, public speaking... or anything, let us know and we'll add it to our calendar. Come in and talk to Jefferson, or send us an email: read.write.brew@gmail.com.

Don't forget, we're now open until 9pm Monday through Thursday.

What Do You Do With The Yolks?

2010-09-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

This is the first of a series of local author spotlights we're going to feature on this blog. To begin, we'll write about authors from the Foothills & Vicinity Writes Group. They came to Read, Write & Brew on September 11th for a meet and greet. For those of you who were not able to attend, read on for information about the writers living in your neighbourhood, and the books they've published.

Carol Devlin

What Do You Do With The Yolks?

A Happy Childhood on the Prairie of Western Kansas

Carol Devlin started her journey as a storyteller by making up stories to tell her sisters after they’d gone to bed at night. Many of the stories became often-requested favorites, and her sisters still have fond memories of the peace the stories and the sound of her voice brought them at the end of the day. Devlin brings those stories to life in What Do You Do With The Yolks?

This collection of personal memories portrays what life was like in rural Kansas in the 1940s. The stories travel from Devlin’s first memories of choking on a nickel to the final years spent on the family farm before moving to the city. One of five daughters, Devlin tells of surviving nature’s threats such as a devastating tornado, ferocious blizzards, the pestilence of grasshoppers, and the fury of dust storms. From starting kindergarten to getting her first job at an ice cream shop, Devlin shares her fondest memories.

Here is an excerpt from the book:

Does Rubber Burn? Virginia age 5 Carol (me) age 3 1946

I don’t know where that old tire beside the chicken house came from. It just appeared one day or maybe it had been there all along, and Virginia and I suddenly noticed it. It wasn’t on a rim, and if memory serves me, was bigger than a car tire. Standing it up, we looked it over but it was too big to roll around, pretty dirty, and we had to keep wiping our hands on our clothes. We got on top of it and walked around. A little bit fun. Then we jumped up and down, but it was thick and not very springy. Not much excitement in that. We studied the tire like two scientists analyzing a moon rock; there just had to be more to this rubber wonder than met the eye. Several pieces of lumber stacked beside the chicken house made good seats, so we found a comfy piece to sit on and watch the tire. I found a lath long enough to reach the tire from where I sat, and bounced it off of the side a few times, then poked it in the tread knocking chunks of dirt on the ground. Sort of interesting. That’s when Virginia came up with her great idea. “I wonder if rubber burns.” “Let’s find out.” I loved watching things burn. Virginia went in the house for matches. Dried husks in the cornfield behind the chicken house provided nice dry tinder to get the fire started. We stuffed the tire full; Virginia struck the match on the scratchy side of the little box, and held it under a husk. Hot, smoky flames spread rapidly around the circumference, and black smoke boiled high into the sky. Now that I’m thinking about it, I'll bet someone called Dad to tell him they could see a column of smoke near our house. The first pangs of alarm set in as we tried to figure out how to make it stop burning. We hadn’t bargained for the ferocity of the blaze. Using a piece of lumber, we pushed the blazing tire next to the chicken house. Then we found several boards nailed together, so we scooted one end up to the tire, struggled to stand them up, and pushed them like a lean-to over the tire hoping to hide the smoke. Just as the boards made contact with the side of the chicken house, we heard a car door slam; Daddy was home! Thick, black smoke rolled out from both sides of the lean-to, billowing high into the sky. Surely he would notice it, and we were headed for trouble. Dad shot around the corner of the house at an all-out pumping run. “Get back!” he yelled, taking in the situation. He threw our camouflage boards out of the way, grabbed the board we used to move the tire—since he didn’t have time to get a shovel—and used it to throw dirt on the fire until it was out. Thank goodness he knew what to do. We would never have thought of putting dirt on it. Breathing hard, he wiped sweat from his face with his forearm and turned to us. “What’s going on here? How did this fire get started?” It didn’t take a genius to see he was upset, and it looked like we were going to be blamed. I had the feeling this prank might warrant more than a swat, and someone had better come up with a quick answer. Virginia said, “We saw Joey running down the hill. “Yeah, we saw Joey running,” I chimed in bobbing my head up and down. Whew, good idea. “Was he in the yard? Now, are you sure it was him because I’m going to talk to his parents about this, and he’ll be in big trouble? This is very serious. Was it Joey?” “Yes, it was him, and he ran that way.” Virginia pointed in the direction of his house. “Yeah, he ran that way.” I pointed in the same direction, then twisted my fingers together and looked at Dad to see if he bought any of this. He looked me in the eye, and I scooted closer to Virginia. Joey, several years older, maybe eleven, and often in trouble, might as well take the rap for this since he had experience, and we didn’t have time to come up with anything better, like the truth. Dad started down the hill, and boy, was he mad. Both of us stood there watching him go, not knowing what to do or how this might turn out. I remember being relieved that Dad put the fire out. We had a good chance now that we might not get in trouble, but I felt very anxious and huddled next to Virginia. “Are you sure it was Joey?” Dad asked when he returned a few short minutes later. “Yes, it was him,” we answered in unison, nodding vigorously, holding hands. “That’s odd. Joey’s been out of town all week visiting his grandmother. I think you girls had better get in the house. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.” I truly don’t remember what happened after that, and I would remember a spanking since they were so rare. And, after all, the folks never told us not to set a tire on fire. Rubber really does burn, but it’s not a good idea.

With accompanying photos, What Do You Do With The Yolks? is a heartwarming look at the joys and sorrows and the hard work and the rewards of growing up in rural America. Visit www.iUniverse.com to purchase a copy.

About the Author

Carol Devlin is a storyteller and author. After retiring as a computer specialist, she designed craft patterns. She established Mountain Writers in Evergreen, Colorado, to help writers share their writing and publishing knowledge. Devlin is a volunteer, featured speaker, and panelist in Evergreen where she lives with her Lhasa Apso.

Information for this post, and the excerpt from the book 'What Do You Do With The Yolks' were taken from the website http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000110833

Re-cap: Foothills & Vicintiy Writers Group Author Event

2010-09-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

What a great event was had last Saturday!

Thank you to the six local authors who came by to talk about their published books, and also a big thanks to 'The Foothills & Vicinity Writers Group' for making it all happen.

It was a great opportunity for our regulars to have a meet and greet with local authors and ask them questions about their published works, and also get advice on how to become a published author themselves.

Here's a few happy snaps taken on Saturday:

The meet and greet in full swing.

Rita talking about her new book 'Daybreak'.

Carol and Mary pose for the camera.

Why does that guy look so familiar? Why it's Ed, our latest 'Java Junkie',

talking to Jo Anne about the writers group.

If you weren't able to come by on Saturday to meet everyone, don't worry. We'll be writing about each author and their book on our blog. We'll feature a different author every week.

Also, were hoping to make this event a bi-annual event, so keep checking back for details about the next meet and greet - or sign up for our new newsletter to get notifications sent to your email inbox. There's a sign up sheet in the store, or email us with your address at read.write.brew@gmail.com.

'Late Night Introductory Special'

2010-09-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Just in case you haven't heard, we're NOW OPEN LATER ON WEEKNIGHTS!
We're now open until 9pm Monday to Thursday, so come check out our night-time vibe!

If you're a student, you'll love studying at Read, Write & Brew. We've got cool music that sets a study vibe and is not distracting, lots of comfy couches, places to power up that laptop while you work, and need we mention, awesome coffee to keep you awake and the brain pulses... err, pulsing? (I think I could do with a coffee myself right now).

As an introductory special for our new late night hours, we're offering 20% off food and drinks when you come study at our place and show us your student ID. Take advantage while the offer lasts, and tell all your friends!

Adjusted Opening Hours - UPDATED!

2010-09-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

We've had an increased number of calls lately from people looking for coffee shops open late at night on weekdays. After receiving these calls, we did a little research and found out there are no coffee shops in Golden open past 7.30pm on weekdays. As a result, we've decided to adjust our hours to give the people what they're looking for, and hence we give you our new Fall hours:

Monday to Thursday 6am - 9pm
Friday 6am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm
Sunday 8am - 1pm

We're hoping to cater to the Mines study crowd, the parents at the Taekwondo school, and those who work days and never seem to find the time to browse our books at night.

Come on in and check out our new night time vibe!

Java Junkie of the Month - Edward Raymond (or Ed)

2010-08-23T16:13:00.001-07:00

by Julie Patrick

Ed doing the cheesiest pose he could for his Java Junkies photo - as requested by Jefferson.

Ed works just up the road at Health Grades as a QA Engineer, and first found out about Read, Write & Brew while on one of his lunchtime walks. "I saw the 'Opening Soon' signs painted on the windows, and couldn't wait for you guys to open. I think the first time I came in you guys were only open about a week or so".

Ed comes in almost daily, usually sipping his favorite beverage, our Sugar Free Vanilla Latte. As I interviewed him today, he instead chose one of our $5 lunch specials; sandwich, chips and a can of Diet Dr Pepper. I interrupted his lunch to interview him for our blog, but he was a good sport about it and didn't seem to mind.

Julie: What book are you reading at the moment?

Ed: 'The Black Couldren' by Lloyd Alexander. Actually, I bought it from here.

Julie: What's it about?

Ed: Not sure, I haven't started it yet, but it's a Fantasy novel.

Julie: So is that your favorite genre, fantasy?

Ed: Yeah, science fiction or fantasy. The spirit of Pulp Fiction, in its hey day.

Jefferson: Hey, how's that website going that you're working on?

Julie: Website? What Website?

Ed: It's not finished yet, but it's called Ink Dweller. It's basically an online writers group for Pulp Fiction, or short stories. Writers can submit their short stories on the website, and the best stories will get published in the Ink Dweller Magaine, which is yet to be launched.

Jefferson: Want us to plug the website for you on our Blog?

Ed: Sure. It's not finished yet, but the website is inkdweller.com.

Julie: Writers Group hey? Did you know we're hosting a 'Meet the Authors Event' on September 11th with the Evergreen Foothills Writers Group?

Ed: Yeah, Jefferson told me about it. I'm coming to that for sure.

Julie: How long have you been writing short stories?

Ed: I'd say about 5 years or so.

I have grown to love interviewing our regulars for our monthly Java Junkie posts. I've discovered things about the people that come into Read, Write & Brew that I otherwise would never know about them. Take Ed for example. You yourself have probably seen him tapping away quietly on his laptop on the counter, not realizing he's creating such an awesome opportunity for other short story lovers like himself to share their ideas, stories and opinions on the Ink Dweller website.

I jumped onto inkdweller.com to have a looksie, and read his personal hypothesis on the difference between a writer, author and storyteller. Very interesting stuff. If you're into short story writing, be sure to have a looksie for yourself. While you're there, if you like what you see, why not log on and register? It's free and a great way to network with others who are also interested in Pulp Fiction and short story writing.

Julie: So when you're not Quality Assuring at Health Grades, or writing Pulp Fiction and short stories, what else do you like to do?

Ed: I like to play chess. I used to play in a club and in tournaments as part of the U.S. Chess Federation, but now I just mostly play with friends.

Julie: Into strategic games, huh. So, do you like playing Poker too?

Ed: Yeah, Texas Hold 'Em.

Julie: Hmmm... short story writing, chess, Texas Hold 'Em. Would you describe yourself as an introvert or an extrovert?

Ed: Oh yeah, I'm a total introvert. Even down to playing Dungeons and Dragons, but don't put that part on the blog.

Oops!

Thanks Ed for being our August Java Junkie. We hope you enjoy your $10 store credit, and good luck with Ink Dweller.

See ya on the 11th of September!

Meet the Authors Event - September 11th 2010

2010-08-13T14:33:00.001-07:00

Click on the image for an enlarged version of the flier.

How rude! We've forgotten to introduce you!

2010-07-31T10:04:00.001-07:00

To those of you who've been wondering, 'who's the cute new the girl behind the counter?', her name is Alex, and she's our new book store clerk and barista extraudinare.

Talk about right place, right time.

Jefferson and I were starting to discuss how busy the morning rush was becoming, and that Jefferson was struggling to give the best possible customer service he could on his own. In walks Alex. Buys a coffee, hangs out for a bit, and asks if we're hiring. Alex said she came to us specifically because she liked what she read about us on our Blog and thought, that sounds like a cool place to work. Complimenting the owners. Already on a good start.

She's fresh out of college, with a Literacy major, looking for some kind of work to keep her occupied until she finds, as she puts it, a 'real job'. She went to College in Montana, and moved back to Colorado recently. She loves water sports, and she brews her own beer (and she's damned good at it too... we know, she's given us a few bottles to sample).

What we love most about Alex (apart from the delicious home brews she brings in for us) is her cool, calm, and friendly personality. We love her genuine enthusiasm for her work, and for the success of our store.

For example - most of you would be shocked if you knew that Alex had no barista experience before she came to RW&B. I say shocked because of the quality of the drinks she now prepares. Well yes, Jefferson can take credit for training her in everything he knows, but she's gone over and above what Jefferson taught her. We happened to mention in conversation one day that eventually we'd like to start creating latte art with our coffee drinks. Alex jumped at the opportunity to learn something new, and after a few Googled online videos and practice sessions, look what she can do now!

Get a latte to stay next time you're in, and you too can have your own Read, Write & Brew art in your latte froth... as long as Alex is behind the counter.

Oh, and remember that article in the Denver Post a few weeks back? Alex's parents thought of the idea to mention us and get us that free feature article!

So, talk about setting the bar high hey: quick learner, personality, latte art, home brewed beers for the boss, free feature article in the Denver Post! Future RW&B employees, you've got you're work cut out for you to try and top that... and we're waiting eagerly to see what you come up with!

Oh, and Alex..
Please don't ever find a 'real job'.
We like you too much.

From Jeff, Jules and the kokopelli's.

Java Junkies of the month - Jack and Melissa

2010-07-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

Jack was one of the very first customers to walk through the door at Read, Write & Brew, and has been coming in almost daily ever since. He lives in the condo complex across the street, and discovered us one morning while going for a walk through the neighbourhood. He came in daily for his usual, which was a cappuccino. Then he started coming in with Melissa, his caregiver. He got her hooked on us (she comes in sometimes without Jack now), and she got Jack hooked on our White Chocolate Mocha's. He wasn't interested in trying anyhting new, but after she talked Jack into taking a sip of her white mocha one day, just to taste it, it's been Jack's 'usual' ever since. For the summertime, Melissa has switched to the frappé version though. Jack still likes his hot.

Q: What book are you reading right now?
A: (Jack) Patton (no author given).

A: (Melissa) ..something by Dean Koontz, but I can't remember the name of it right now...

Q: What is your favorite author/book?
A: (Jack) No favorite author. I like Non-Fiction books best.

A: (Melissa) Stephen King.

Q: What do you do for work?
A: (Jack) I'm retired now, but I graduated from CU and worked in the army, and when I came back to Colorado I worked for the government.

A: (Melissa) Professional Caregiver. My husband and I also own our own hardwood flooring business.

Should we plug their business? Of course we should!

If you need new hardwood floors, or your old hardwood floors refinished to look like new, look no further than the 'Rocky Mountain Floor Company'. Website http://www.iwanthardwood.com/.

Jack has travelled the world, and 17 years ago married his wife, Francie. He has a total of 5 kids, 16 grandkids and he even has great-grandkids!

Melissa is also married with two kids.

Q: What would you like people reading this blog to know about you?

A: (Jack) I've met the Queen of England.

Jefferson: Really, as in 'Queen Elizabeth', the current Queen of England?

A: (Jack) yes.

A: (Melissa) I've met Mr T!

Thanks Jack and Melissa for being great customers and loyal supporters of our 'lil 'ol coffee shop and used bookstore. Jack and Melissa received a $10 Read, Write & Brew gift certificate for being our July Java Junkies.

We were the featured business in yesterdays 'Your Hub'!

2010-07-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

For those of you who read The Denver Post, you may have noticed your 'lil old Read, Write & Brew featured in the Your Hub section of yesterdays' paper. If you didn't catch it, here's the write up they did on us.

(If you click on the image you will be able to see an enlarged version that you'll be able to read).

How awesome, right? We were so excited, first of all to get recommended, and second of all, to make it to print!

Java Junkie of the month - Nick Roman

2010-07-10T11:25:00.001-07:00

Introducing Nick Roman - our June Java Junkie. Nick's in pretty much 5 days a week for his fave drink, 1/2 caf Americano with skim.

Nicks a licensed CPA, and has been married for 10 years, with two kids, 7 and 8 years old. Golden has been his home for the past 10 years, and we're glad he's made Read, Write & Brew his home for coffee. He's one of our most frequent regulars.

When he's not crunching numbers, sipping coffee, or spending time with the wife and kids, Nick loves to scuba and ski. He's been skiing in the Dolomites (Italy) and scuba diving in Palau. Pretty exotic, huh!

When randomly asked what his favorite dinosaur is, the answer is an Argentinosaurus, also known as the 'silver lizard'.

Something you may be surprised to know about him: in High School he played in both the state championship football and state championship soccer game in the same year.

His personal motto is, "Live life while you can, then die and be done with it."

Nervous About Alzheimer's? Coffee May Help

2010-07-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

I found the following story on the NPR iPhone App:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128110552&sc=17&f=1128

Nervous About Alzheimer's? Coffee May Help
by Allison Aubrey

- June 28, 2010

It's an appealing notion that our daily pick-me-up may also confer a range of health benefits. And for coffee drinkers there's a lot of research percolating. Several studies suggest that a daily caffeine habit may help protect against Alzheimer's disease. But there's a catch. The cup or two a day that most Americans drink doesn't seem to be enough. Researchers say 500 mg of caffeine, or about five cups of regular coffee, is the dose that seems to protect the brain.

Five Cups A Day

This may sound like an excessive amount of caffeine. After five cups, lots of us would end up with the jitters and be making extra trips to the bathroom. But some coffee lovers are hard core:

"I drink five to six cups a day religiously," says Gary Arendash, a researcher at the Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, part of Florida State University. Arendash says he's convinced that caffeine is protecting his brain.

Arendash and his colleagues at the Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center have been studying the effects of caffeine on the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease. They've found that adding caffeinated water to rodents' diet results in big improvements. The mice perform better on short-term memory and thinking tests. But only if they get enough caffeine.

"The human equivalent of two to three cups of coffee does not have benefits in our Alzheimer's mice," says Arendash.

Arendash's team also documented that these super-caffeinated mice end up with about a 50-percent reduction in abnormal amyloid proteins, which are thought to play an important role in the development of Alzheimer's.

The typical American drinks about a cup and a half of coffee a day. "So you can see that many of us are below that threshold level that we believe confers protective benefits," says Arendash.

Evidence Not Conclusive

The Alzheimer's mice studies on caffeine are intriguing to researchers who are trying to translate the findings into advice for humans. But interpreting an animal study can be tricky.

"It's always a good starting point," says Joan Lindsay of the University of Ottawa. "But we never know how well it's going to hold up with humans." After all, people are a lot more complicated. And researchers have learned that mice can respond really differently than humans do to a drug, an environmental toxin or a change in nutrition.

Another challenge is to find a reliable test of the memory of mice. Arendash uses a mouse maze to assess the spatial memory of his Alzheimer's mice. He puts the mice in little swimming pools with lots of alleys and dead-ends to see how quickly they can find and remember hidden escape platforms. Similar computer-based maze tests are used in human studies.

"The first thing that is lost in Alzheimer's is short term memory -- the memory for what happened a few seconds or a minute ago," says Arendash. "That's what (the water maze) is focusing on."

Observations Of Coffee-Loving Middle-Aged Folks

There wouldn't be as much interest in Arendash's mice studies if scientists hadn't also begun to gather some evidence that a steady caffeine habit is beneficial to people, too.

One recent study comes from Finland where researchers followed about 1,400 coffee drinkers for more than two decades. Researchers found one group seemed to benefit the most: the people who'd been drinking three to five cups of coffee a day in their 40s and 50s.

"They had about a 65-to-70-percent reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in their 70s," says Huntington Potter, a neurobiologist at the University of South Florida. Potters says effects held up even when researchers controlled for things such as cardiovascular disease, which can influence the risk of dementia.

A few other smaller studies in Europe have led to similar findings, but experts say the research only establishes a correlation between coffee drinking and brain protection.

"I'd hesitate to say that there's epidemiologic evidence that coffee prevents Alzheimer's disease," says Reisa Sperling, an Alzheimer's researcher at the Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard University.

It's possible that these regular coffee drinkers might have other habits in common that could explain the protective effect. "People who are very active in mid-life are more likely to be drinking coffee than couch potatoes," says Sperling. Maybe the coffee drinkers aren't benefiting from the coffee as much as they are from keeping their minds and bodies active. The studies make it difficult to suss out.

Coffee Drinking Can't Offset Genetic Risks

Sperling says Alzheimer's is an incredibly complicated disease. Exercise and good nutrition do seem to be protective, but a person's risk is largely determined by genes. No one behavior or diet change -- like coffee drinking -- can erase that risk.

If future research brings stronger evidence that caffeine may modify the risk by some small percentage that means coffee lovers will have one more reason to drink away.

To learn more about the NPR iPhone app, go to http://iphone.npr.org/recommendnprnews

We get by with a little 'Yelp' from our friends...

2010-06-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

So now that the word of mouth is spreading about our store, we've noticed people are 'Yelping' us to find us, and some are even spending the extra time to leave a comment about our store. Here's what people have been saying about us on Yelp.

"Very peaceful place to sit read and drink coffee. It is located next to the foothills of the mountains, so you can see hills out the window."

jo j. (Lakewood CO)

"Independent coffee shops tend to have great coffee, of course. But this stuff is about the smoothest and most flavorful I've had. But the bigger surprise was the low prices. I had just popped-in to grab an eye-opener, but and definitely planning on going back, frequently and soon. And that's saying a lot since we're up in the Bailey area and don't come down the hill unless there's something special for us."

Me F (Park CO)

"I am there at least twice a week."

Angela C (Denver CO)

We love getting comments on Yelp (especially the positive 5-star-rating kind!!). It helps us know if we're on track in delivering the kind of customer experience we set out for. If you're registered with Yelp, and have been to Read, Write & Brew, why not leave us a comment as well?

Closed Memorial Day

2010-05-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

Read, Write & Brew will be closed Monday May 31st in observance of Memorial Day.

Is't death to fall for Freedom's right?
He's dead alone who lacks her light!
~Thomas Campbell

Java Junkie of the month - Sara Webb

2010-05-28T11:06:00.001-07:00

Jefferson and I still remember the first day we met Sara. We were building out the store - tiling, painting, cleaning, dirty and exhausted - and along comes a bubbly fresh face "Hi! My name's Sara and I can't wait for you guys to open. My two most favorite things in the world are books and coffee. My kids go to the Taekwondo school, so I'm sure you'll see me in your store all the time". Truer words were never spoken, and here we are 8 months later, Java Junkie of the month (our second ever Java Junkie).

On that day we were pretty excited at having officially met our first customer, before we'd even opened for business, and had no idea at the time how we'd come to get to know the awesome person Sara is, and that she would become a valued friend of ours.

Sara comes in almost daily (sometimes bi-daily) for her steamed soy latte - but as the weather has gotten warmer, now she's switched to iced (as per the pic above). She enjoys these at the store while Chloe and Brett (her twin 11 year olds and 'partners in crime') are working their martial art butts off at the Taekwondo studio across the parking lot. They come in after class for their well deserved sugar free and chocolatey drinks and muffins.

Sara lives just down the road in Morrison, and is a teacher at Jefferson Highschool. You'll probably spot her at the store from time to time researching for her classes, or meeting with her fellow teachers. She's passionate about being a high school teacher and by the way she talks about her students, it's obvious she genuinely cares about them, understands them, and respects them. She often comes in wearing 'Jefferson' (school) t-shirts, and has to explain to Jefferson (Read, Write & Brew) that no, she's not his number 1 fan, it's a school shirt, and enough with the wise cracks.

Julie: So, what book are you reading at the moment?
Sara: Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Pena

Julie: I haven't heard of that one... is it any good?
Sara: A few of my students said they'd read it and said it was really good, so I thought I'd give it a try, amongst others I'm reading right now. But I'm enjoying it.
Jefferson: (comes up from behind us and takes over, without invitation) I've got a Jefferson 'Hard Core Question' for you. Name your favorite break dance move.
Sara: I don't even know any break dance moves....
Jefferson: Would you rather burn to death, or..... what?
Sara: What's my alternative?
Jefferson: That's for you to say!
Sara: Ummm.....
Jefferson: (while Sara is saying 'ummm') What do you never leave the house without?
Sara: My nails painted.
Jefferson: What do you think of animals with tentacles?
Sara: They're cool because they can re-generate.
Jefferson: What would you like to come back as?
Sara: A tree, because they last for a long time in the proper environment and they're constantly changing.
Customer walks in and Jefferson crawls back into his cage, where he belongs.
Julie: We'll, I guess Jefferson covered pretty much everything. I've got one last question. What's the one thing you'd like the Read, Write & Brew blog readers to know most about you?
Sara: That I'm super passionate about working with adverse kids, and eventually I'd like to finish my counseling masters and work in a halfway house. I think that'd be really worthwhile.

Box 'o Books #3 - $4

2010-05-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

You've gotta be fast - they're going quick!

Here's what's in Box 'o Books #3.

Wild Animus - Rich Shapero
Seabiscuit - Laura Hillenbrand
Kitchen Counter Cures
Valley of Horses - Jean M. Auel
Scarlet Feather - Maeve Binchy
Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution
The Ruins - Scott Smith
The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
The House of Spirits - Isabel Allende
Summer Sister - Judy Blume

For all 10 books, that's only 40 cents each!

Email or call if interested, and we will hold them for you.

Box 'o Books #2 - $4

2010-05-23T09:50:00.001-07:00

The first Box 'o Books has been snapped up, so here is our second value pack.

The Da Vinci Code (hardback)
Hannibal - Thomas Harris
Ashes to Ashes - Tami Hoag
Clear and Present Danger - Tom Clancy
The Icarus Agenda - Robert Ludlum
The Godfather - Mario Puzo
Kane & Abel - Jeffrey Archer
Critical Judgment - Michael Palmer
The Hunt For Red October - Tom Clancy
Sphere - Michael Crichton

For all 10 books, that's only 40 cents each!

Email or call if interested, and we will hold them for you.

Box o' Books #1 - $4

2010-05-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

Its a huge John Grisham pack! Forget about any of the crappy movie adaptations you saw, and get the real deal instead:

A Time to Kill
The Chamber
Pelican Brief
The Runaway Jury
A Painted House
The Firm
The Street Lawyer
The Client
The Rainmaker
The Testament

For all 10 books, that's only 40 cents each!

Email or call if interested, and I will hold them for you.

Breggo's Haiku Contest

2010-04-17T20:41:00.000-07:00

Anyone who works at a store that sells Breggos is eligible to participate in their Haiku Contest. The winning entry gets a dozen free Breggos sandwiches! Naturally, Jefferson and I have submitted our entries.

Here's what we came up with:

One minute thirty...
Counting down the seconds 'till,
Breggos in my mouth.

by Julie

Man, I'm starvin dude.
Check it yo! They got Breggos!
Hunger problem solved.

by Jefferson

Yeah, yeah, I know. Jefferson's is better.

If you want to see all the entries, become a fan of Breggos on Facebook, but only give a thumbs up to ours (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

Wish us luck!

Contest ends May 15th. We'll let you know if we win anything.

Freshly baked Breggos being prepared for delivery to your local coffee shop. Yum!

New monthly post - Java Junkies!

2010-04-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first of our new monthly posts to the Read, Write & Brew blog...

Java Junkies

Since we've opened up our store, we've met many many interesting and wonderful members of our local community. We've loved getting to know them all, and we think you would too. So this new monthly post is dedicated to all our interesting regulars. Come in often enough, and perhaps you'll get talked into getting your mugshot and story featured on our blog site too!

Without further ado, may we introduce to you Edwin and Pauline Ellis.

Edwin and Pauline regularly donate great books to Read, Write & Brew's book fund. Ladies, if you visit our craft section, and find fabulous knitting, sewing and crochet books from the 60's and 70's, chances are that these awesome finds originally belonged to Pauline. You've got to come in and check them out. You know how everything old is new again? Well if you love retro, and think yourself crafty, you'll love these books.

But enough about the books, and back to Edwin and Pauline. This lovely married couple of 4 years have spent their last 3 years as residents of Golden Colorado, and are originally from North Carolina.

Edwin is a Korean War Veteran, and a retired fireman, after 35 years of service.

Pauline worked in a textile factory, and her hobbies include crochet and reading.

Their favorite TV shows are, The Price Is Right, Jeopardy, and Wheel Of Fortune.

We're really grateful to you Edwin and Pauline - not only for your service to this country and your local community, but we know how hard it is for you to lug those books into our store, and yet you keep them coming! We'd like to thank you for these reasons, and thanks for being Read, Write & Brews' first Java Junkies!

Featuring the LIVE musical stylings of Jeff Brinkman!

2010-04-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

A reminder to everyone that our official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting event is being held this Thursday, with free food and drink samplings, as well as door prizes to give away to all who come help us celebrate.

And now, we also have some awesome LIVE music lined up for you to enjoy too.

Jeff Brinkman lives in Boulder Colorado, and has recorded his first album, 'To The Bones'.

jeffbrinkmanmusic.com

Joe Kovack of Marquee Magazine has this to say about Jeff:
"Every once in a while there is a musician who emerges with a genuine and honest approach to their craft, and whose music accurately depicts that unadulterated simplicity. With his debut album To The Bones, Jeff Brinkman places himself in that category"

Click here to sample some of the songs from the album and get a sneak peek at what you'll be hearing if you can make it to our Ribbon Cutting Thursday.

Even if you can't make it Thursday, support your local Colorado musicians. If you like what you hear, please buy his new album. My guess is that Jeff will be the next Dave Mathews, and you'll wanna be able to say, "I knew him back when...".

Read, Write & Brew

Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting

Thursday April 8th, 5pm - 7pm

CLOSED: Easter Sunday

2010-04-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

We are closed for Easter Sunday.

Hope everyone has a great Easter with their families.

That's how we're spending ours.

See ya Monday!

Read, Write & Brew, and SMOOTHIES!

2010-04-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

Now not only can you read a book, write an email, and have a cup of 'brew' at Read, Write & Brew, but you can also have a cup of creamy, frosted, refreshing deliciousness as well. We call 'em Ice-Creamers (because they're made with ice and are m-mm-creamy good)... but we're open to other quirky name suggestions, so if you can think of something cool, let us know. We tried to brain storm name ideas, but drank to many 'ice-creamers' and got brain freeze, and couldn't come up with anything we're really in love with.

Jefferson trying to think of a cool name for our smoothies, while suffering brain freeze.

We decided to go with 'Island Oasis' for our smoothies, because their products contain the highest percentage of fruit content in the smoothie category. They claim to pay more for their fruit to ensure their product is of the highest quality. We've had a few (hundred) taste tests of their smoothies, and if taste is anything to go by - then they're tellin' the truth.

Their products are pasteurized, contain less sugar than other smoothie products out there, and contain 100% of the RDA of Vitamin C.

Lookie! Now doesn't that look soooo good...
... and, whhhaaaatttttttt, only $3.90! Now that's a refreshing luxury that anyone can treat themselves to. And we're not talking just slap it in a cup $3.90. We're talkin' make it all fancy with whipped cream on top and stuff fancy.

The fruit flavors you have to choose from include: strawberry, banana, peach, and mango. Have them on their own, or mix-n-match. We also have ice cream and non fat yogurt, if you want more of a "strawberries 'n cream" kinda twist. Need caffeine, not fruit? We hear ya. That's why we also make coffee smoothies, with real shots of espresso.

We've got the patio set up all nice like, with umbrellas and tables and chairs, and great views of the Golden Foothills. We're far enough away from 6th Avenue that you can't hear the constant shushing of the traffic, but instead you'll be serenaded with the music coming from the speaker we have positioned so that you can hear it outside.

Keep up to date with the weather channel, and the next nice day comin' up, you've just got to relax on the patio with an ice cold smoothie... and on that note (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) it's meant to be 60 degrees and sunny this Sunday. Better come on over and take advantage.

See ya there.

Come join us on APRIL 8th for our Grand Opening Event!

2010-03-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

Read, Write & Brew will have its official 'Grand Opening' in conjunction with the Business After Hours event at Heritage Plaza. We'll be open for an extra hour, until 7pm, and will have free food and drink samplings, and door raffle giveaways. Other Heritage Plaza businesses will also be open with entertainment and giveaways of their own. The official Ribbon Cutting event will take place at 5.30pm. We'd love to see you all there for this special occasion!

Personalize your own free invitation

FREE FOOD! Soup Taste Testing on St Patty's Day

2010-03-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Events

Secret Menu Item

2010-02-06T16:33:00.000-08:00

Fancy yourself as one of those 'in the know' kinda people, do ya? Well, by logging onto our Blog site and reading this post, you actually are! So here's a little something for ya... a secret menu item only people who read this blog post are 'in the know' about.

We have a lot of tasty syrups to choose from at our store - but hands down the best flavor we have is definitely 'toffee nut'. It's not written up on our menu board, but ask for it, and you'll get the special nod, wink, and delicious sweet caramelly toffee nuttiness added to your drink for just 45 cents.

Why keep such a great flavor a secret and not promote it for everyone to try? Well, we are going to add it to the menu eventually - for sure! It'll become our best seller we reckon. We just like the idea of a secret menu, and are curious to see which of our customers read our blog site.

Children's Reading Time

2010-01-29T17:48:00.000-08:00

Bring the kids in on Tuesday February 2nd for Children's Reading time!

Starts at 10am.

Katies Coaching Circle

2010-01-25T14:48:00.000-08:00

Katie Smith will be hosting her meet up group at Read, Write & Brew on Tuesday February 2nd at 7.00pm.

Katie will be leading discussion and coaching on various topics related to living a more relaxed life, one focused on creating what you REALLY want.

The evening will consist of a short discussion on a particular topic and then mini coaching sessions for individuals interested in moving forward in their lives.

If you're interested in creating the future you desire, this group is for you. Maybe it's a project you've had on the back burner, or wanting to learn to live from a place of joy and acceptance vs. struggle and stress, or maybe you're in the midst of a career change. If so, this is the group that can help create positive movement forward in your life.

When: Tuesday, February 2nd
Cost: $1

Time: 7.00pm - 8.30pm

To register for this event go to
meetup.com (The Coaching Corner), or
email Katie@katiebsmith.com.

Who is Katie Smith?
Katie is a local Golden resident, who is a member of the International Coach Federation.

"For over 15 years, I have consulted and facilitated the growth of executive teams. Consulting with industry leaders and professionals seeking Director to C-level roles in privately held organizations.

My hands-on approach is direct, open and thought-provoking; I build relationships built on accountability and trust.

As a member of the International Coach Federation and a graduate of Coach University, additionally, I have been teaching yoga and meditation for 15 years. I use these tools, as appropriate, with my clients to manage stress and live a more balanced happy life."

To find out more about Katie, go to www.katiebsmith.com

FREE FOOD! Breggo's Taste Testing

2010-01-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

To those of you who already love 'em, come try all the different kinds.

To those who haven't tried them,
and don't even know what a Breggo is - you gotta come in and try them.

They're like a cross between a calzone and an omelet.
They're baked fresh from scratch in Lyons Colorado,
and delivered fresh to 'Read, Write & Brew'
(the only place you can get them in Golden).

Save the date, skip breakfast, and come in and have a try!

Saturday January 23rd, from 8.30am.

Free pastries today 12/27 only!

2009-12-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

Sunday pastry special for our online followers only! Today only, Sunday 12/27, purchase any coffee drink, and get a free pastry of your choice. Choose from scones, pretzels, twists, muffins, bagels, and more. Just mention you read about it on our blog and its on us!

Get up to $20 in store credit for an old bookshelf!

2009-12-20T09:00:00.001-08:00

We need bookshelves.

You need your daily caffeine fix.

This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship...
or at the very least, a you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours scenario.

At the moment we're a 'coffee shop that also has used books'. We want to be a 'used bookstore that also has a coffee shop', and have all the books to be just that, but we're desperately short on shelves. We can't afford to go out and buy a whole lot of new shelves to fill our space, and besides, we like the mismatched shelf look we've got goin' on, so prefer our shelves used.

See what I mean. Cosy, right!

So, we have a proposition for anyone out there with a bookshelf at home that's in the way, collecting dust, and not really of much use.

Bring in a bookshelf in exchange for
$20 in store credit at Read, Write & Brew!

Yes, we have heard of the saying, 'Beggers can't be choosers',
but we do have some criteria attached to what we'll accept.

In order to get the full $20 store credit, shelves must be:

- wood (any kind), or if they're not wooden, a faux 'wood look' is fine. Painted, metal our colorful plastic shelves just don't gel with the 'vibe' we're trying to create.
- around 6 foot tall (give or take a little)
- sturdy enough for us not to have to worry about it toppling on any of our customers as they browse
- in at least 'fair' condition. We have no problem accepting shelves with scratches and dings in them, but please don't bring us anything that looks like it's had a severe beating.
- we'll also accept shelves less than 6' tall, and do have uses for shelves around waist height. We'll offer you $10 store credit for these kinds of shelves.

If you're wondering about a shelf in your home, but don't know if it's what we're after, come in and talk to us or take some photo's of it, describe it a little, and send us an email - and we can let you know whether it's worth your while bringing it in. Our email address is read.write.brew@gmail.com.

You can spend your store credit all at once, or spread it out over multiple visits. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Shop local this Christmas at Read, Write & Brew

2009-12-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

Wanting to buy your friends and family gifts they can actually use this Christmas, and not sit on a shelf somewhere collecting dust? Well, if you come into Read, Write & Brew, you'll find lots and lots of great Christmas gift ideas that are fun, use-able, and best of all they're all made in Colorado, so you'll be keeping your money within the community you live.

From original one of a kind hand made Christmas cards with embelishments (for the same price as a machine printed card elsewhere)...

snow globe Christmas card with real moving 'beads' of snow, which doubles as a gift card holder

card that holds a packet of cocoa mix

... to bookmarks and journals and candles...

... knitted cup and teapot cosies

... and green sleeves...
... to hand made soap (all natural ingredients and oils - and smell heavenly)...
... and natural hand made lotions and bath gels.

With so many options - local, natural and hand made - you can do all your Christmas stocking shopping in the time it takes us to make you an eggnog latte!

EXTENDED SATURDAY OPENING HOURS!

Just an added note: Read, Write & Brew is now open 6am till 6pm on Saturdays! So now our opening hours are the same from Monday to Saturday.

And don't forget - rain, hail or snow - we're here Sundays from 8am till 2pm.

See ya soon!

Open Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T11:34:00.000-08:00

Family driving you crazy? Need your coffee fix? Just need to get out of the house and nothing else is open?? Come on down to RWB, we will be open Thanksgiving Day from 8am-2pm. Get a pumpkin spice latte before the tryptophan puts you to sleep on the sofa watching the Lions lose their annual Turkey-Day game!

NEW! Fresh, local Golden baked pastries.

2009-11-23T12:50:00.001-08:00

We just got our first delivery this morning of crumble in your mouth, flaky, gooey, oh so delicious pastries. We're so happy with them, we couldn't wait to write this blog post to tell you all about them.

Let us introduce you to our newest members to the Read, Write & Brew family, shall we...

... say hello to caramel apple, raspberry crumble and honey almond bars.
Dense, yet not too rich, they're the perfect accompaniment to any latte when you want a little something extra on the side to satisfy that sweet tooth, for just $2.10 each.

In the mood for a cup-a-tea and a scone perhaps? Well, choose between English with currants, cranberry orange, lemon poppy seed, pumpkin pecan, and choc chip scones - all for only $2.60 each (and the size of your hand!).

And if you're in the mood for something sweet and super flaky - look no further than our pastry sticks. Choose between the almond pretzel, cinnamon pecan stick, or cherry twist - just $3.00 each for a delectable treat.

We're trying to keep it local here at 'Read, Write & Brew', by ordering all our supplies from local Coloradorans as much as we possibly can. But, when it comes to the supplier we have chosen for our pastries - well it don't get much more local than Golden. They're literally just down the road (I could ride my bike to their kitchen from the store and be there in 10 minutes - and I'm really unfit and pregnant), all their goods are baked fresh every day in Golden, and only wholesome good quality ingredients are used. You won't find any high fructose corn syrup or other such ingredients in these. They're the real deal (good enough that Whole Foods is also one of their customers, as a matter of fact).

If you'd like to order in bulk for your next function, give us two days notice (if you can, one day is OK though), and we'll be sure to order them in, same day baked, for you to pick up and wow your guests with.

Try one and post a comment about what you think....

New weekend opening hours

2009-11-22T13:14:00.001-08:00

So, now that we have been opened for a month (already!) we have discovered when you guys like to shop our store. Ya'll love coming in on Saturday mornings, and tend to visit less frequently on Sundays - so in response, we have decided to shift our Saturday hours, and cut back on Sundays.

On Saturdays we're now open from 6am until 2pm, and Sundays 8am until 2pm.

Thanks for a great first month everyone. Keep spreading the word of mouth for us, and come back an visit us again soon!

Come see the creation of the mural we're having painted at Read, Write & Brew

2009-11-19T15:31:00.001-08:00

Talented tattoo artist and friend of ours, Wayne, is currently in action painting up a mural on the bare strip of ceiling above the Read, Write & Brew counter.

The theme is 'A Timeline of the Written Word', in keeping with the 'read' and 'write' in 'Read, Write & Brew'. We'll incorporate the drinking of coffee in the timeline also - and yes, our favorite dudes the kokopelli's are featured prominently in the piece as well (just for a bit of fun).

Here's a sneak peek of his awesome work so far, but to see more - you gotta come into the store. Looks so much better in real life. If you like Wayne's style, maybe also ask him about that tattoo you've been thinking of getting done while you're in? Even if you don't want a tattoo, ask him about one anyway. He has a really cool Irish accent, so you'll probably just want to hear him talk a lot and that's as good a topic as any.

NEW to Read, Write & Brew - Breggos!

2009-11-18T08:06:00.000-08:00

Breggo's are a cross between a sandwich and a calzone. They're delicious, hand made in Lyons Colorado, and now available for your munching pleasure at Read, Write & Brew!

At $4.75, they're a great value breakfast or lunch option (and quite filling too).

Choose from:

Ham Breggo
Scrambled eggs, ham, potatoes, cheddar and colby cheese.

Veggie Breggo
Fresh spinach, diced tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheddar and colby cheese.

Spicy Sausage
Spicy Italian sausage, scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheddar and colby cheese.

The Southwest Breggo (our fave)
Spicy green chiles, corn, black beans, scrambled eggs, cheddar and colby cheese.

Customers who have tried them so far LOVE them, and we're the only place you can get them in Golden! Great to eat in, or take out (and so easy to eat out of a bag if you're on the go and don't have time for a sit down breakfast or lunch).

Next time you're in - you've got to try one!

New artwork in-store by talented Colorado artist!

2009-11-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

If you haven't been in the store for the past few days, you haven't yet seen the new artwork we have just gotten in. The first of many talented artists to be featured on our walls.

They're produced by a talented artist who lives in Manitou Springs Colorado, Liese (Martin) Chavez. Her illustrations are hand drawn with ink and other media like watercolor, acrylic and colored pencil onto vintage paper with various poems and excerpts from foreign literature printed onto it. Her illustrations are done with a free hand - no pencil sketches beforehand.

We've put the artwork up for your viewing pleasure, or for purchase to decorate the walls in your own home, or that of a friends perhaps. What a great one-of-a-kind Christmas gift to give this season.

We have a selection of original artworks (not prints) to choose from, selling at $22 each. They're mounted on black card stock measuring 8x10 inches and are suitable for framing. The framed pictures on the walls of the store are also available for purchase, at $32 each.

Halloween Costume Contest Winner!!

2009-11-02T09:28:00.001-08:00

Congratulations Zack Miller! You're Read, Write & Brew's Halloween Costume Contest winner. Zack came to visit us as a Jedi from Star Wars in a costume that his grandma made for him. Well done Zack, and grandma!

Zack, next time you're in, don't forget to claim your $5 prize in kids books!

Feeling exhausted after Halloween, and need some motivation to get geared up for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year? Well, don't forget, Katie's Coaching Corner begins tomorrow night at 7pm. Cost is only $1. We'll stay open later for the duration of the coaching session. Don't forget to contact us or Katie to confirm if you're going to attend. For more details, please see our calendar of events.

Bring your kids in, for trick-or-treatin'

2009-10-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

As if you didn't already know, Halloween is this Saturday!

As you plan your 'trick or treat' rout, make sure you schedule in a stop
at Read, Write & Brew.
There'll be lots of activities for the kids, all taking place between 3pm and 6pm, including...

Halloween Reading Time!

All kids in attendance during one of our reading times will get a special 'buy one get one' coupon to spend at the store the next time they visit.

Costume Competition!
We'll have candy for all kids that visit us in costume. AND (with mom or dad's OK) they'll get their in-costume photo featured on this blog site. You can send the link to all your friends and family, and your little monster can have their little 15minutes of fame! Also, the best costume of the day will win a $5 store coupon to spend on kids books in-store* (hint, hint.. if you really want to win, your best chance is to wear a home made costume).

Trunk-or-Treat!
You won't want to miss the shenanigans that'll be going on across the car park at the Taekwondo studio. There'll be lots of activities going on there, including a Trunk-or-Treat event where parents will be decorating the trunks of their cars for kids to peek into (and get even more candy from).

Coloring Competition!
All completed entries will be displayed in the store, with the winning entry receiving a $5 store coupon to spend on kids books in-store.*

So come to Read, Write & Brew on Halloween, and have a scream of a time!

*Winners will be announced on-line and will have their costume photo/coloring page featured on the blog site from November 1st.

Tiz the season, for scary readin'

2009-10-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

Halloween is our all-time favorite time of year... well, it's a close contender with Thanksgiving. Who doesn't love the excuse of cooking, eating as much as you want, and watching football all day, with no one to tell you that you should be doing any different.

Anyway, back to Halloween!

So weird. Get this, right... yesterday morning, we go to open the shop, and find that all these huge spiders came in (must have been after we locked up the night before), and just made spider web mess all over the place.

And if that wasn't enough, these skeletons just waltzed on in, must've thought we make a pretty cool hang out, and decided to just stick around and make themselves at home.

If these skeletons belong to anyone's closet, can you please come claim them back. They're taking up valuable sitting space for our alive customers, like Wayde and Chris, who stopped by to surf the web for a while...

I'm sure Monty and friend didn't appreciate being stared at as they drank their coffee and browsed some books.

We've got some events planned especially for the little 'uns on Halloween, so check back for details - either here or on our website, readwritebrew.com.

Katie's Coaching Circle

2009-10-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

Katie Smith will be hosting a new monthly meet up group at Read, Write and Brew starting Tuesday November 3rd at 7.30pm (yes, we'll be open an extra hour for anyone wanting to also shop our store on these nights).

This will be the first in a series of gatherings Katie will be leading on various topics related to living a more relaxed life and one focused on creating what you REALLY want.

The evening will consist of a short discussion on a particular topic and then mini coaching sessions for individuals interested in moving forward in their lives.

When: Tuesday, November 3rd
Cost: $1

Time: 7.00pm - 8.30pm

To register for this event go to
meetup.com (The Coaching Corner), or
email Katie@katiebsmith.com.

Who is Katie Smith?
Katie is a local Golden resident, who is a member of the International Coach Federation.

My hands-on approach is direct, open and thought-provoking; I build relationships built on accountability and trust.

To find out more about Katie, go to www.katiebsmith.com

Free tickets to Rusted Root at the Fox Theater tonight!

2009-10-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Free tix to Rusted Root at the Fox Theater tonight!
We have 2 free tickets to see Rusted Root at the Fox in Boulder tonight for the first person to come in the store and ask for them. Rusted Root is a GREAT band to see live, and free is even greater. Come and get them!

Click here to watch the video for Send Me On My Way (awesome song!)

Come meet Marcia Claxton, Tuesday October 20th

2009-10-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

Marcia Claxton who is running for Golden City Council Ward 1 will be at Read, Write & Brew this Tuesday for a meet and greet.

We'll be staying open an extra hour, so come on down between the hours of 5.30pm and 7pm.

To find out more about Marcia and where she stands on the issues facing Golden right now, visit http://www.marciaclaxton.com/index.html

Wow, what a day! Thanks everyone!!

2009-10-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

What a surprise! We planned on a very quiet opening since there are still so many loose ends we feel we need to tie together before we can consider having a 'Grand Opening', and didn't expect AT ALL the turn out we got today. Seeing as the only form of advertising we put out there was our Blog and Web site, and the fancy shoe polish writing on the windows for any passer bye's... whoah! We did NOT expect so many people to stop by to say hi, and give us a word of encouragement, and tell us how much they have been looking forward to our opening. We want to say a special thank you to all of you who stopped in today. Your kind words were really appreciated. It was also so much fun chatting to you all, and getting to know you a little.

We hope you enjoyed the free coffee today. Your feedback was extremely valuable. Now we really feel like we get a sense of what you guys are looking for in a great cup o' brew from us. We aim to keep serving up quality drinks for you to enjoy as you relax in our home away from home, and watch it transform over the next few months.

Read, Write and Brew is now officially open for business. Thank you for giving us such a warm welcome to the neighborhood today. We hope in return that we can provide you with a warm and cozy place to hang out in the years to come.

OPENING FRIDAY!!!

2009-10-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

It's official.

It's final.

No more delays (finally).

We're opening this Friday!!!!!

The final 'vision' for our store is still a ways off, as we still need many bookshelves to be able to stock our supply of books on, and we still have a few additions to the counter area to take care of... so we're still a work in progress, but hey, at least we'll be OPEN! You'll still be able to come in and enjoy our cafe items, purchase books, and surf the net for free. You'll be able to watch us grow and realize our final vision for the store everytime you come in, because there'll always be something new, different or upgraded as the months progress.

Hope you're as excited as we are.

See ya Friday!

Desperately Seeking Bookshelves!

2009-10-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

We're hoping to open Read, Write & Brew on Tuesday. All we're waiting on before we can do so is our Certificate of Occupancy from the City of Golden.

That being said, we're DESPERATELY seeking bookshelves. Any size, any style, as long as they're wood, or wooden-loo...king (no metal ones). We have about 25x more books than we do shelf space to put them on.

So, if you have a dusty old unused bookshelf in your basement, or if you're driving down the street and see a free one by the side of the curb, we can use it. PLEASE let us know if you can help us out! You KNOW there is free coffee in it for you! With the recent snow, a pumpkin spice latte sure would taste delish now wouldn't it?

Give us a call or just pop your head in if you see us fiddling around in the store, and we can work out all the details with you.

We're nearly there folks!

2009-10-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks for checking in on us!

We've been flat out working on getting the store ready for the final inspections that need to be passed by the City of Golden before we officially have the permission to open and start selling coffee and books to you guys.

So the question of the day (and the question we get asked by everyone that stops by these days) is, "When are you guys opening?" Well, we had to take the countdown clock off the man web page because at this point we're so close, but can't predict the outcome of the inspections and fix ups that need to happen before we're given permission, so can't give you an actual date. BUT, we can say that we'll be open in less than a week from today!

Wanna sneak peek?

Here is the front counter so far, built for us by Turner Woodworks, (or as I like to call him, 'Andy the Handyman').

All is complete except for the food display case, which is currently being worked on and custom built for us. It'll be installed as soon as it's done, but the installation of it isn't holding up our opening date.

Our final inspection is tomorrow, so we're just making sure all the little odd jobs get done so that we can get the all clear for opening. By little odd jobs, I mean like mixing little bits of tiling grout in Pepsi cups for the last couple of tiles that need to be put in place that couldn't be done before the counters were put in.

I had to include that pic. I've never seen anyone mix grout in a Pepsi cup before, and thought it looked quite hilarious at the time. But if it's all you need, it's all you need, right? Waste not want not.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed for us please! If we get the all clear from the building inspector tomorrow, we'll be able to give you a opening date. We'll just need a few days to move all our stuff in, get everything set up and working, and make it look nice and purdy for ya'll.

2009-09-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

OK. I know that we keep saying it.
And our store windows keep saying it...

... but now that our floors are stained and sealed, we are now one-down-one-to-go (obstacles to opening wise) away from being ready to open for business.

Here's a close up of the stained concrete effect... what do you think?

Pretty snazzy, huh! We absolutely LOVE the floors, and can't believe how good they turned out. Mike and the guys at Summit Decorative Concrete (a Golden owned business) stained the floors over and above our expectations. We're so happy with their work, we figured they're worth a special mention on this blog post.

So here is the semi finished total store product.

The finishing work on our counters is happening as you read this (care of Andy the handy man), and will be ready for installation within the next week or so. Today we're working out the details on one FINAL obstacle, and once that's all sorted out, we'll be moving in, cleaning up, and hanging the neon 'open' sign in the front window.

Can I breath a sigh of relief yet?
Well, no. Not just yet.
You'll know when I do.
I'm sure you'll feel the ripple effect of a breeze flow out from 720 Golden Ridge Road.