Holiday Hours

The Best Gift Idea Ever!

Ok, so we have the perfect gift for your coffee crazed friend or family member! 

This is our Gift Certificate: 

This glorious form of currency can be any amount you desire. It can be used to purchase anyone of our coffee or expresso drinks made by our fabulous baristas.... or be used to grab a bag of the new Root Hill Blend! It can also be used to purchase a sweet pastry in the morning or something savory in the afternoon. It is the ultimate gift. 

Here it is again in a different light. 

Just look at it! It's so pretty! 

Don't just think of it as a slender piece of paper with a really cool looking design on it, but view it as an opportunity for its recipient to get a sip or bite of pure goodness.

People will totally be envious of this gift, so it's best to go ahead a get a few so none of your friends or family get jealous.

Happy Holidays!

Take us with you

Next week many of you will be heading off to see your family and friends in other parts of the world. You should know that we will miss you very much. We will miss seeing your sleepy-eyed faces in the morning and your awake selves in the evening; we will miss the brief conversations we have that give us an insight into your exciting day; we will miss the simple nod or tip of the hat from some of you; and we will really miss that smile you give after your first sip of coffee. All of this means so much and that smile in particular means that all our hard work has been worth it. But we understand you have to go away, so why not take something with you... something that will make us both smile.
How about your very own Root Hill Coffee...

What's inside is a blend that's a little bit artist, a little bit city, and made with a whole lot of love. Grab the very first bag of the Root Hill Blend today!

Art Up: Annie Coggan

If you stop by this week you will immediately notice something different about the our space. Hung along the north wall is a row of wooden chairs all painted with light blue. Some parts of these chairs are painted with green, yellow, & red; some parts of these chairs have been replaced by seemingly unrelated objects.

So what's the deal? Is Root Hill becoming a furniture store? No, these beautiful pieces are created by artist and designer Annie Coggan, who's work we'll be featuring this month. Annie Coggan work uses furniture as a means of story telling. Her work personifies everyday objects, in order to give them a whole new meaning. Her work has been shown nationwide and she has been noted by Interior Design Magazine, Design Sponge, Bloesem, and Yatzer, to name a few.

Come by and see this very unique neo-folk art.

You've earned it

You've had a busy post-holiday week and you deserve something special. There is a mountain of muffins available or something else rewarding for all your hard work this week. Come by and enjoy!

If you're not in too much of a rush or even in a tired haze you might want to considered justing down and enjoying your treat. This is what you do: grab a treat, grab a coffee, and just stare out our large window. Do a little people watching... and then, if you really have to, go rush off to your day. 

Interview with photographer Frank Ishman

Over the past month we have had the honor of showing 'Visibility' from international photographer Frank Ishman. Frank has worked for a wide variety of clients such as: Paramount Motion Pictures, Flux Magazine, International Rescue Committee, American Cancer Society, Bank of America and JDC. Frank's style has a very unique quality that somehow transcends the flatness of a 2D medium. He illustrates the emotional state of his subjects and then compels the viewer to identify with it. We had the pleasure of talking to Frank about 'Visibility', his travels, and how he captures his art.

Can you tell us about 'Visibility' now up at Root Hill Cafe?

[It's] Redondo Beach, California. I was out there showing my book and going to meetings, [while] staying with a friend. One thing I had to do [for my friend] was walk his dog. I got up in the morning and tried to figure out where I was taking the dog. The first few times I went out it was later in the day, so it didn't really look like those images [from 'Visibility']. One morning I got up really early…went down to a pier and there was this magical sort of thing happening. So, I ran the dog back to the house and grabbed my camera…. And then started shooting. For four days after that I took pictures every morning. It's this, sort of, reveal from every single day; as the fog opened up, I'd see something different…. It was really organic, and it just happened.

How did you arrive at the title for the series?

Initially it was walking into perfect lighting conditions; not necessarily with perfect backgrounds…. [T]he atmosphere and mother nature kind of showed me what it wanted me to see. I really wasn't seeking anything out. I shot images where it was completely clouded over…and you couldn't see anything through the fog…. But then, I shot some where it was just perfect. I'd look one way, but it wouldn't work, and then turn and it would be like "that's it!"  Everyday certain things were visible and certain things weren't. That's where the title came from…'Visibility'. It's kind of turned into something I want to do in Detroit, Boston, [and] Atlanta. …[I'll] go out in the morning or at night just when it's dark… and capture what can kind of be seen.

How do you get your shots? 

I usually see the shot before I put the camera up to my eye…. I want to take the picture fast enough so I can get what I am seeing, even if it's a guesstimate of what I think is going to happen. I feel a rush playing 'beat the clock'. I can kind of see a scene unfold and it's like (hand gestures taking a photo) I need to be there for it….  It was magical in a sense that the first two images [in 'Visibility'] were kind of unexpected. It's the world of digital, you know…you don't have to go to a lab to process. I immediately saw the image on the screen, and I started working backwards…. 

I see shots left and right. I don't really stop and think about exposure. I just pick [the camera] up and know this feels 'more silhouetted' or 'this feels more open' or 'this could be a good exposure…and it just happens.

What do you shoot with? 

For ['Visibility'] I shot with LEICA digital M8. I also shoot with Hasselblad with digital back; I shoot with a 4 x 5 with a digital back...I shoot with everything really. The newest one I shoot with is a Fuji X100. 

You seem to travel a lot. Where do you like shooting the most? 

India and Ireland. I lived in India for a year. Lived in London for three years, but went to Ireland a bit…. When I look now at ['Visibility'], it kind of looks like Ring of Kerry or around that area…. Although the pallette of the places that I love has little to do with what I shoot…. I would say the influences are more personal.  It's that initial feeling I get from a shot or it's something I've read or seen…. It's a feeling [that] I try to capture.

Frank's work will only be up for another week so stop by and check it out. 

You can see more of Frank's photography and film work at: FrankIshman.com

Thanksgivin'

We will be closed for Thanksgiving, but re-open at 8:30a on Friday to get you going before you go shopping, sleeping, or whatever!

Get Ready with a Sloppy Joe

Okay, so you know you're going to eat a lot on Thursdays. Which is fine because it's Thanksgiving! the holiday / sporting event where you eat... and eat... and eat. Like all sporting events you really should prepare yourself physically.
But how does one prepare for the throes of a turkey (fo-turkey) and pie eating marathon?
Well, you eat something substantial a day or two before the event!
And boy do we have something substantial for you to sink your teeth into.

This is our Sloppy Joe!

This dish is no joke, it has all the sloppiness that comes with a normal sloppy joe...

...along with mashed potatoes and a pickle on the side!

Root Hill is here to get you ready for your food marathon! Come by and be prepared for the holiday!

No Impact Friday

It's No Impact Friday!!! Those participating will receive a free small coffee or tea with a food purchase because your fantastic. Keep walking and keep ridding!

To find out more about the event or to enter to win a signed copy of the book No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process check out www.GoGreenStrees.org

Little Tart

It can fit in the palm of your hand. It's like a pie only more compact. It's so tasty that you may need more than one. It's an Apple Tart!

It's made with fresh Granny Smith apples with sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon... placed in a Breton crust which is like a sugar cookie.

So, let's review...
-fresh apples that are caramelized
-mixed with sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon
-placed in a sugar cookie!

It's clearly impossible to resist, so you better grab one quick!

Yum Yum!

Here's some morning goodness!

 

Art Up: Frank Ishman

Now on our canvas like walls the work of Frank Ishman! 

Celebrated photographer Frank Ishman has traveled extensively, living and working in various places around the world. He has built up an impressive amount of commercial work, including conceptual pieces of people and places, portraits, travel and documentary, fashion and beauty, and custom assignments. 

Frank brings his unique, vision, aren't sense of lighting, and strong work ethic to each job. He moves between commercial and fine art styles easily, and enjoys incorporating one into the other while always maintaining his focus on the subject.

Born in Connecticut and raised in southern California, Frank received his education and training at Morehouse Collect and the Art Institute of Atlanta. Frank has lived in London, India, New Zealand and throughout the United States, and now calls New York City his home. 

To see more of Franks work please visit his website at: www.FrankIshman.com

Blue Viper playin Sunday

For Sunday's New York Marathon we will have the toe tappiniest group on planet earth playing out front... the Blue Vipers! Come watch the race with a nice warm cup of coffee and some great tunes.

Friday's Specials

-Soup: Lentil Veg + Spiced Coconut Pumpkin Bisque
-Quiche: Smoked Salmon + Spinach
-Mac & Cheese w/garlic thyme breadcrumbs
-Grilled Cheese

Sandwiches:
-Turkey Breast w/ brie, slice apples, + honey dijon w/ greens
-Baba ghanoush w/roasted red pepper + cucumber + greens
-Slice hanger steak (red wine, garlic, + rosemary marinade) w/ Gruyère cheese, caramelized onions + roasted garlic mayo

Sides & Mains:
-Beet salad w/orange
-Orzo w/feta kalamata olives, capers + slow roasted tomato vinaigrette
-Roasted Sweet Potatoes + red onions w/ wilted garlic kale
-Chicken Salad
-Egg Salad
-House Salad

Come by have a bite or two or three!

The Deal With Those Tiny Spoons

If you're not a coffee expert (and it's okay if you're not) than you might not know the deal with the tiny spoons that come with a shot of espresso. It's not because we want you to feel like you're at a child's tea party or because these tiny spoons have some sort of magic power; it's because some people believe an espresso shot should be stirred just before drinking. 

Why you ask? The process of making an espresso creates layers. As your friendly Barista pulls the shot (makes the the espresso) the heavier elements begin to fall to the bottom. The lightest part, known as the "crema" stays on the top. Some believe that you need to mix all the elements together, including the "crema", to get the full taste of the espresso shot. While still others believe the opposite, that one should experience each layers as they drink the shot. It actually makes for a huge discussion with some purest, but we think you should make your own. One day maybe stir and maybe the next don't stir your espresso. It's really up to you. The import part is that you remember to just enjoy! 

We've got the Beets

Okay, so this is one vegetable that is super charged for your health. 
Beets are one of the best vegetables you can get! They contain loads of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and anti-oxidants; think orange meets banana then hooks up with raisin. It's the power punch of healthy goodness you need midday. This veggie is so badass that it can helps the body fight against heart disease and certain cancers. To top that, the beet taste exquisite in a salad! Oh, and look we have a salad for you...

Come by and make a healthy choice!

We now have Single Origin Pour Overs!

What's a Pour Over you ask? Think really good coffee and multiply it by 1000! The short version is: get the best coffee beans, grind them up, put it in a filter over a cup, and pour hot water over the coffee so that the goodness just drips slowly into the cup below. As the hot water is poured it actually causes the coffee grounds to billow up  like a mini volcano of coffee deliciousness inside the filter. 

For our Pour Overs Dallis Bros. gets the coffee from a relatively small village of Yirgacheffe, which sits in the lush southwestern province of Sidamo. In the mid 20th century, Central American techniques of washing the coffee pulp and skin off of the fruit of the coffee were introduced to the region. With this advancement in processing techniques, new flavor profiles were discovered as intrinsic to the coffees in the vicinity. These ‘Yirgacheffe’ coffees became famous throughout the coffee world for intense floral aromatics, honey - like sweetness, and distinct notes of citrus.

Farm: Kochere

Growing Region: Yirgacheffe

Harvest Season: September – December

Varietals(s): Ethiopian Heirloom Varieties

Altitude: 6,500 feet above sea level

Processing: Washed and sun dried on patios

Cup: Sweet and clean notes dominate this cup. Lavender, sweet leoman and a big chocolatey body define this beautiful coffee. 

Black Quinoa Salad

Need something healthy for lunch... try the Black Quinoa Salad! 

But what's Quinoa? -okay, so it's like couscous, but not at all couscous. Quinoa is a seed that gets fluffy on the outside and stays crunching on the inside when it's cooked. It's a pretty fantastic little seed that has been used by humans for 3000 years. Quinoa's taste is a little complex since your mind thinks it might be rice or even oatmeal. Overall the flavor is more like that of a basic cereal with a touch of nuttiness. For our Black Quinoa salad we've sliced in Red Bell Peppers, scallions, celery, dried canneries, and lemon juice to make the perfect balance of taste and texture. Come by today and try this tasting lunch time dish!

An Interview With Lourdes Sánchez

For the first gallery showing after our new 'rearrange' we couldn't think of anyone's work that would be more fitting than the art of Lourdes Sánchez. We are pretty sure you or someone you know are familiar her work. Lourdes is a well know artist and textile designer; her work has been used by: West Elm, Theory, Tommy Hilfiger, Macy's Home, Victoria Secret, Ralph Lauren, Pottery Barn Kids, to name a few. The pattern she creates in her studio here in Gowanus, Brooklyn (and soon in Merida, Yucatan) are brilliant splashes of paint that are beyond ones imagination. Some of her designs pop with color, others have a muted tone, but no matter the pallet choice they are always original and unique.

We sat down with Lourdes to learn about the individual paintings she has hanging here at Root Hill and also to find out what she is up to next.

Why is the show called "Turning?

"Things were changing for me…. I could feel something building, something …happening…. [I have] just a few clients now that I am doing stuff for…. and…I am getting ready to go to Mexico…. So, I took a month off… [The new paintings were] made at the end of August just turning into fall. It was during pre-Irene, the days before the storm [when] things felt like they were percolating and moving…but somehow still. Our lives are like that when things are feel still, but yet somehow moving. I think that's where the cafe was at too; something was happening, but you didn't know exactly what. So Stephen Kelly, [the architect for the 'rearrange'], said let's call your show "Turning". And that was right on! It made sense and covered a lot of the situations that were happening."

Tell us about the work on display:

"These works are…a watercolor technique that…when [the colors] touch they affect each other…. You don't really know what's going to happen, until it does. It will do something and you may not like it… but you just go on and without worrying about it…. [For display] they are...heat transferred onto fabric."

What's the deal with the teardrop shape in a few of your pieces?

"Oh, they're 'plewds'…agitation drops from cartoons.... It's a word coined by Mort Walker of Beetle Bailey fame. 'Plewds'…are like all these expressions we have like 'sweating bullets' or like 'crying buckets'. It can represent that you're focused or that something's changing. It can be like you're exercising really hard or that you're anxious; your body's exuding heat and you're chemically changing…. That's what I see with these things shaped like tears…..
I saw this shape in Catholic School with the 'Sacred bleeding heart of Jesus', [it's] the blood running down the thorns. It's so morbid, but also fascinating like Creature Feature. [The shape] is just stuck in my psyche from way back.

In this case [for these pieces], when the shapes are touching they are changing. It [connotes] the way we go through…so much drama and…looking back and see [these moments] can be kind of funny."

Tell us about the piece on the wall above the condiment area:

"I drew out a shape…almost shield like…and… it started out as a pretty precise drawing. The [colors] were going to touch less at first, but this was painted the afternoon of [Hurricane Irene]…. I had laid out how all the colors were going to go, and I decided I wanted to paint it without stopping…. The paint started to spread more than I intended, and I just let it. When you start painting the paper is stretched, but it starts moving…with the water [from the watercolors] and with the angle of the paper…. [That day] the phone was ringing with people telling me to get out of the house before the storm…but I couldn't stop painting. This…captures the vibe of that day."

What's happening in touching circles? 

"This one started out as a much simpler design…. I thought this was going to be [over by the counter] where people could see it when they were ordering…. I wanted something soothing for customers to look at, so they wouldn't give the staff such a hard time. It's supposed to be something that people aren't aware they were looking at…. Sort of lava lamp like…where there are these blobs that have a soothing effect…. I decided to have it so all the 'dots' are touching, which [represents] how 'we' affect each other. There's an effect when people come together, but we don't always know what that effect is. I was creating that effect of touching…. It ended up looking kind of like molecular DNA. This was not intentional…. it just sort of happened."

Why does red and white feel so different than the other pieces? 

"I did this about two years ago. It was done when I was doing aboriginal type work. They're contemporary aboriginal work where you start a line, keep going with it, and although it is raw looking, it actually creates a 3D effect when you stare at it. When I sat down to do this one I was thinking about what's sort of primal and central to all of us. I [thought] about spinal columns up the middle and something that radiates out…[like] our nerves, our awareness! That was the effect I was trying to get… a radiating of the spine and nerves. But it can just work as an abstract decorative pattern. That was a part of that West Elm target [bull's-eye] collection where things just radiate out [from the center] of the piece. It's kind of nice having something simpler with one color."

Tell us about yellow the work along the hallway:

"I did that one after…I saw what the floor was going to look like. I just thought it'd be great to have that glowy yellow…. I wanted something that when you sat next to it, you felt warm. I thought it would look good next to the gray. I also vaguely wanted it to look like butter….. Radiating! Something that you'd feel great next to on a rainy or cold day."

What's next for you?

"I am going to do some things for my agent, and then I am going to Mexico where I have to start setting up my studio from scratch…which will be an interesting adventure."

"I think that particular spot [where the studio is going to be] is going to be great. It's like the Gowanus of Merida [Mexico]…. I feel very happy! …when I got off of the bus there a year and a half ago I said "I am going to live here, I just know it!" ….And the fact that it's affordable was just mind blowing to me. I didn't want to live there cause it's cheap, I just wanted to live there! .…it has a Mayan undertone. The only thing that scares me is the womens' fashion. When you go to buy stuff, they have all these ruffles…[and[ these peekaboo Cutouts with gold rings! So, if your going [to Merida] you might want to bring your own clothes."

Have you been inspire by Merida already?

"Last year I made my Christmas Cards there, and I was really inspired by the color of the buildings…. They are Necco Wafer colored. They are not obvious brights, but cut down by grays and whites. It was pretty cool. Having more space will definitely influence [my work]. Also, having more sun will definitely change [my] color pallet."

On being an Artist:

"I really enjoyed doing the paintings…but I also like doing my open design line, [Luli Sánchez]…. I went into Chelsea [to an art gallery] and was like "what makes something important" and "what makes it fine art?"…[I thought] "Would my life be happier if I was considered more of a serious full time fine art artist?", I don't think the answer is "yes". I don't think I would be happier…in that traditional hierarchy… patriarchal way….And I am okay with that. I am happy…as I am."

A Little Extra Shot

Lourdes has one of the cutest dog on the planet named Moonpie. We wondered…
How do you think Moonpie feels?

"I think she's happy cause we go to Root Hill and get bacon. She's actually sat on all those artworks [hanging at Root Hill] at some point. She's put a little weight on cause of all the bacon and treats. I might've created a little bit of a monster. I taught her a trick called "sit pretty". So she does that and people just give her half the croissant. I think Moonpie hates it when I am painting, cause when I am painting I am not taking her out where greasy food might come her way."

We are happy to have Lourdes's work in our new space. Come by and see these rich, colorful pieces on display. Plus, find her other works at: LuliSanchez.com 

Like You This Car Runs On Coffee!

Engineer Martin Bacon and Teesdale Conservation Volunteers of Durham have a bit of an odd goal in life... they wish to take a 'cup of joe' and use it as fuel to not only power a car, but to break a world record!

After stripping the insides of the car they put in a soup-up or we should say 'coffee'd-up' engine. The engine is actually a 'gasifier' that filters the waste granules from the coffee into energy. The coffee is broken down and goes through a process where carbon and steam produce carbon carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Here's a video on how the whole 'this car runs on coffee' works from the car maker...

And here's them breaking a world record by hitting a speed of 66.5 mph!



That amazing!
But we bet we could out run that car with the same amount of coffee.

via

Cortado

So, you want more espresso flavor than the taste of milk... yet, get more balance than a macchiato? Well, you might want to try a Cortado. It's like a mini cappuccino with almost equal parts espresso and steamed regular milk or soy milk. The balance allows the full body of the espresso to mix with the soft feel of the milk.

Maria, one of Root Hill's owners, really loves this drink and says:

"I like the strength of our 

espresso

 coming through a cortado with soy milk. The nuttiness of the soy milk highlights the nuttiness in the 

espresso

." 

Check out how we make one of Maria's favorite drinks:

First, one of our marvelous barista's, like Natasha, loads the espresso...

Then, we pull a shot...

mmmh... delicious espresso ...

Next, the soy milk is steamed...

 The soy milk is then added to the espresso...

Finally, the Cortado is ready for you to enjoy!

Try one today... they're delightful! 

Yesterday's Floodin'

Why yes, that is Michelle and the Root Hill team in a photo on FIPS fighting one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Thanks for noticing!

Image From FIPS

While the FDNY worked to put out a dangerous fire at the Danken, it begin to rain. And when it rains... it sometimes pours. Yes, it flooded again... as it does. (call 311 and say "No more flooding on 4th Ave. & Carroll St." today, tomorrow, & the day after too)

So how'd we do? Well, let's just say we are not a submarine! We were up and running shortly following the flood after a bit of mopping and drying.

a shoeless Percy sweeps out the rain 

Come by an have a post-apocalypse espresso shot and see what a newly mopped floor looks like!
Oh and send us your flood photos if you have them to RootHillCafe@gmail.com

As always thanks to everyone for the support!

A Sea of Muffins!

We're not saying that you have to indulge...but we are saying you will have a goofy grin on your face after you take your first bite. It's like Fall outside... live a little.

Also, one of these has bacon in it...yes bacon! And it will blow your mind!

Art Up: Lourdes Sánchez

On the walls at Root Hill Cafe you can find the amazing work of Lourdes Sánchez in an exhibit called Turning. Lourdes is a Cuban born, Queens and NJ raised artist and textile designer. Her unique pieces are meticulously hand painted with water colors. She spent 18 years designing prints for the fashion industry before setting up her own studio, Luli Sanchez, in 2004. Her works have appeared at West Elm, Theory, Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Target, and many others. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY and Merida, Yucatan. 

Find out more about Lourdes's art and design check out LuliSanchez.com or contact her at Lourdez@lulisanchez.com

Come by and see these unbelievably beautiful pieces of art! 

Just For Fun: 'What Was There' Mapping

A group called 'Enlighten Ventures of Ann Arbor' is reaching into the past and using technology to bring what has been forgotten into the future. The group has created an global interactive photographic map called What Was There that marks present day and archived photos. Images are marked by the year and exact location., so you can discover what things look like back then. Right now they have 20+ in Park Slope / Gowanus. Check it out at WhatWasThere.com

We're Back!!!

So we are back in business after a nice refresher! 

Take a look at how our rearranging went:

Of course their is more refreshing to be done... such as this seating area that currently looks like an art installation:

We will close early 9/6/2011 at 4pm, so we can keep working. But do not fear... we will be open Wednesday 9/7/11!

Also, this Sunday Sept. 11th we will not be open, but will be back open on Monday. 

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful support!