Marina ROCKS!

Marina sent this awesome photo of herself drinking Stumpjack coffee underwater (try that sometime!) from an authentic Stumpjack mug.
WE LOVE MERMAIDS!
She also said,
"This Mermaid LOVES her Stumpjack Mug!
Seriously- I use it every mornin' before my swim~
Your Coffee Lovin' Fire Eating Mermaid.
~Marina~ "

Check out her very cool MySpace site here.

Pat Dinizio appreciates the classics

Last month Pat Dinizio, leader of the still-awesome and hardest working band in America, The Smithereens, emailed this message and the image that follows it:

My old friend, the artist/painter Christine Peloquin, who painted the wall murals in my house, is working on this backdrop (a work-in-progress, not nearly finished!) for our Winter 2009 Tour, which is an exact replica of the backdrop/banner that Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye are seen performing in front of while entertaining WW II troops in the middle of a battle at the very beginning of the classic holiday musical "WHITE CHRISTMAS".

Best wishes and love,

Pat D.
I did a little online digging and found the following two images, one of the opening title credit to the show, "White Christmas," that Pat was referring to, and one with Bing actually standing in front of that original backdrop. This is the coolest...I love that Pat tips his hat to this classic broadcast, and in such a subtle manner.
In a follow-up email Pat indicates that other images will follow as the piece progresses. I'll post those images when he forwards them. Don't forget, Pat Dinizio is gonna rock Stumpjack sometime in early 2009 (Jan or Feb I believe...will let you know as soon as he forwards his itinerary). It's going to be the event of the year folks, guaranteed fantastic.

This is a great pic of Bing Crosby in front of the original backdrop painting.

Limey Stumpjumpers!

I don't believe that "limeys" is a derogatory term, but is rather a kind of friendly nickname for the Brits that Americans used in WWII (I think, however, that it originated well before that, in the British navy when the English tall ships ruled the seas...those guys kicked major tail). Anyway, I'm using it as a term of endearment for our friends Paul Fox and Talane Miedaner, who are back home in England after spending some time with us this past summer here at Stumpjack in Two Rivers. Wanted to share this picture Paul emailed to me yesterday of himself and Talane aboard a rickshaw "in London's West End just before [we] saw the 'Lion King' on stage."

Paul & Talane in rickshaw...I love the look of the street and buildings behind them.

Paul also emailed me a link that shows an area of his hometwon of Exmouth live via a webcam atop some building in town...I was able to pan around the town looking at different locations, zoom in or out to get close-ups of people unaware of my spying...made me feel very much like a character in a Robert Ludlum novel. Paul mentioned a couple other things but his writing had such a heavy English accent I couldn't figure out what the hell he was talking about.

Maria, Keralee, Paul and Talane at Stumpjack this summer
(Keralee and Talane are sisters).

If we open a London branch, which ought to be called something like Stumpjack Royal Tea & Coffee Emporium, Paul will be in charge of drinks and entertainment. We'll also be publish our exploits with a newsletter titled "Stumpjack Bullocks."

Ok, time to bugger off...blimey...John Bull...fish and chips...crumpets and what-what...

Stumpjack Survival Party

This past Sunday we held the 2-year anniversary party for Stumpjack Coffee Co. Anyone who's in business knows that the first two or three years are the most precarious, demanding and scary. Survival is the primary mission. Once you get over that 2-3 year hump then you can breathe a little, but just a little. It's been a rough and tumble time, with more than it's share of ups and downs, a lot of juggling and a good many smiles and laughs. Here are a few images from Sunday's shindig, and more can be found in the Flickr set and two or three videos on YouTube.

Jeremy working as the sommelier

Paul Braun and Julie Ruh

Joe calculating some math problem

Gettin' crowded

Larry and Peggy...probably our most dignified friends
(whut da hell are dey doin' in dis joint?)

The new, and still unfinished wine bar.

Nick laying it down

The evil Spock in the alternate universe episode.

Allie came down from Menomonee

Nic shows up just a little too fashionably late.

And a great time was had by all... Here's to next year, cheers!