House Coffee Bar. Welcome.

The purpose of this post is to add to the other announcements being made about the new coffee bar in downtown Fort Worth , House Coffee Bar. I have been now twice and have Jake to thank for bringing it to my attention via Twitter.

House Coffee Bar is in one part of a beautifully renovated building that also houses a recording studio and a Church. You'll have to ask them how it's all connected. The coffee is good, the people are very hospitable, and the coffee shop itself is comfortable, inviting, and a showpiece in downtown renovation.

The House website, takes you to their Facebook page, linked here. From their Facebook page:

The idea of a coffee bar is simple, people drink coffee, so we should make some! What's with the name? We call it 'The House' because we want it to be just that, your house! We want you to feel at home, welcomed and relaxed as you enjoy great music and great coffee.

House Coffee Bar
915 Florence Street
Fort Worth, TX

Steak-Out

I was asked to pass on this Valentine Day's offer from Steak-Out, the new steak-dinner delivery company on West Berry. I have not tried it, but I have to say, I like the idea. From their website:

Since the first day we fired up our grill, we've always held our food to the highest standards possible. That's why it's always prepared fresh daily. And why it's always fire-grilled with our special seasonings just the way you like it.

Sometimes the last thing you want to do after a long day is cook. So why do it? Give Steak-Out a call instead and we'll fire up whatever you and your family have a hankering for. You can just sit back and relax while we deliver a hot, complete meal right to your door.

I wish any new business well, especially one that's giving Fort Worth more food choices. Let us know if you have tried it, I will be soon.

Steakout
2209 West Berry Street
Fort Worth,  TX 76110
817-924-8585
Fax: (817) 924-8590

More Dieting Wisdom.

My typical weight loss cycle:

1. Stand on scales, look in the mirror, or notice waist buttons popping.
2. Decide to lose some weight.
3. Start eating correctly, start exercise regimen.
4. Continue for a whole two days.
5. Weigh myself, again.
6. Get mad that I have gained weight.
7. Say, the hell with it.
8. Have a bowl of ice cream with granola sprinkles.

Red Box Genius.

I made my first Red Box rental last week. I am a "late adopter" to the big, red video-rental boxes, now seen and used everywhere. I liked it. I never was a Blockbuster guy, and can't say that I'm sorry that with NetFlix, and now Redbox, their time has passed.

What is interesting to me is that this Redbox idea is so un-high tech.

It reminds me of the "paperless office" of 1980, which didn't really get started until a couple years ago. It took a while for vision and reality to meet. Redbox figures that the "little while" for ubiquitous streaming video is long enough for them to rent a bunch of videos.

They are betting that on demand voice/data/video, in the house, phone, and car, is not YET economical and convenient enough. And that people will still be wanting to pick up a DVD and return it -- if the price is right. They are certain enough to invest in and distribute over 20,000 boxes nationwide, each filled with a couple hundred DVD's. My guess is that their guess is right for at least another five years, though it may not matter since they passed 100 million video rentals a couple years ago.

So here's to the guys who saw an opportunity to use inexpensive technology and a well organized plan to make a couple of bucks. One dollar, one day, what an idea.

I like the Red theme, too.

---------------------------------------

P.S. -- Nothing is perfect. My first Red Box rental netted me an empty disk holder, that is, no DVD, which I dd not notice until I tried to watch the video. But their customer service was perfect.  I was quickly refunded my dollar and offered a free video next time I rented. All by email. In less than 24 hours.  God, I love this country.

Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, 2010.

I did not grow up in Fort Worth, but of my friends that did, most of them have a favorite Fort Worth Stock Show story. I like to hear them, if you have one.

This is my third post in three years on the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, one of Fort Worth's premier events, if not the premier event. When I moved to Fort Worth in 1982, it was called the Fat Stock Show. Now, it's just the Stock Show and there have been over 100 of them. The Stock Show has all the amenities of a county fair and a serious competitive element of show animals and live-stock selling. And, of course, the highly rated rodeo.

One year my wife and I we were exploring different parts of the Show and stumbled across the sheep dog trials. She is from the part of England where sheep dog competitions were an annual event and taken very seriously. Needless to say, we stayed for the whole competition. To me, that is half the fun of the Show, finding things you didn't necessarily expect to see, or haven't seen before.

Children love the small animals, rabbits, chickens, and you name it, it's judged; older folks like the dog shows and horse shows, and everybody loves the rodeo.

It's all worth the inexpensive admission. Once you have paid the small admission fee there are dozens of free events including music, animal shows, milking parlors, etc.

January 15 - February 7, 2010

Look for the calendar of events on their website:
http://www.fwssr.com/